This quote is a recent favorite for me. As the shortcuts, immediacy and urgency increase in our “microwave society” the less and less we seem to enjoy and welcome the present, the more and more we seem to value immediate gratification – instant businesses, instant wealth, instant happiness, instant friendships…

…instant being, growth and awakening.

Can you recall ever taking a road trip vacation? What was the best and most memorable part of that experience? What story or stories did you share with your friends and family when you returned? Was it “arriving” at your destination? Or was it the adventure you had along the way -

• the wonderful local residents you met at the restaurant you had to eat at while your flat tire was being repaired
• the home made pie that tasted like heaven that Mama restaurant owner made from scratch that they don’t have at the chain restaurants on the highways of life
• the little boy who touched your heart when he played guitar and sang his own tune at the gas station across the street to earn money for his family

Experiences that stir the soul come from the unexpected turns and roads we take “off the map”

The challenges we overcome, the people we are blessed to meet, the times we have to stop and BE present. Many of us desperately want to believe that the “shortcuts” of life are the highways – the FAST toll ways – just pay the toll and your ideal life, achievement, success or desire is on the other side. While we fail to see that the toll ways are “the hype” the “get rich quick” pitfalls, the “microwave society” calling us for a less than nutritious meal – it may seem fast and easy but, we miss the most important part of the journey – the experiences we have, the lessons we learn and most importantly, the relationships we develop when we stop in the small towns along the way to rest, relax and just enjoy the scenery. That’s the true magic of the shortcuts of life – they are NOT on the highways! The joy is in the journey.“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” – Beverly Sills
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Today’s Quote is shared by: Loreen Muzik she is the Founder/Publisher of “The Inspired Marketer” inbox magazine where the mission is to light the way for folks to enjoy creating online businesses that provide wealth, personal growth, balance and a platform to “pay-it-forward“. A community where aspiring individuals come together to grow, support and inspire one another to lead with passion and allow prosperity to follow.  Connect with Loreen on Facebook or through her Website

As you look back on the last year and look forward to the new year…

…are you truly living out the calling that God has given you?

If not, what or who is hindering you from fulfilling the calling that God has given you?

Hmmm…think about it.

What is that thing that God keeps whispering in your ear {or in my case, screaming out because of my poor listening skills} to do that you just haven’t done yet?

We all have various “reasons” or “excuses” for not stepping out to follow Him in our calling. I’d like to talk about a few today:

1.  “I am not adequate or prepared for this. It is way too big for me.”  — This is a common excuse, as we humanly feel incapable of doing that which God has called us to do. The Lord in his graciousness and power responds, “Nothing is too difficult for me. I want to work through you. Just say ‘Yes, Lord!’ and I will do the rest, for my strength is made perfect in your weakness.” (Lk. 1:37; Eph. 3: 20; 2 Cor. 12:9)

Remember: God usually calls us to things that are much bigger than us so that we are completely dependent on Him. We can’t do it without Him!

2.  “I don’t have the time or the energy.”   – We are tired. We are busy. Life is hard and already sometimes overwhelming. How could we possibly add something additional to our plate? Our God gently says, “How about allowing My energy to flow through you? Seek me first, My child, and all these things will be added to you. Trust me with your time.” (Col. 1: 29; Matt. 6:34; Prov. 3:5)

Remember: God provides us with what we need to accomplish His purposes. That includes supernatural energy and time management! We just have to be willing to give our schedules and our physical capabilities to Him.

3.  “What will others say? What if they think I’m not talented enough?”   –  We worry about what our family and friends will say if we tell them what God has called us to do. We fear that others will doubt our calling and our gifts. Those worries and fears soon begin to speak louder than God’s call. We become paralyzed and ineffective. The Lord responds, “Don’t be like the Pharisees who were more interested in the praise from men than praise from me. You are working for me, not for men!” (Jn. 12:43; Col. 3:23)

Remember:  He will equip you according to your calling. He is enough.

4.  “What if I fail miserably?”  —  Some of us quit before we even get started just because we are afraid that we might disappoint God, our self, or others. So we just don’t do it. We decide to remain where we are, in our comfort zone… in our disobedience. The Lord says, “Keep your eyes on me. If you fall, I will pick you up. I will be with you. I will give you the strength to persevere.” (Heb. 12:2; Psalm 37:23-24)

Remember:  Believe you can and you’re halfway there!

5.  “The path is uncertain. I am scared.”  —  Wouldn’t it be nice if God granted us a GPS for our lives? Turn left here. Drive 20 miles west and turn right. Take the next exit. But instead He calls us to follow Him. Our sweet Savior reminds us, “Be strong and courageous. I will be with you wherever you go! I will show you the way. Trust me. I have amazing things planned for you!” (Joshua 1:9, 3:5; Exodus 15:13)

Remember:  Abraham WENT, not knowing where he was going. He was remembered as a man of faith, not a man with a plan.

God is so good to answer us when we cry out to him AND even. when. we. make. excuses!

He loves us so much…

…He never wants us to stay in that shadow of fear.

So, listen to God. What is He telling you to do?  Now, go and do it! Make 2012 the year you follow Him with all you’ve got… And no excuses!

Photo Credit: chrislee!

“One generation shall praise Thy works to another, and shall declare Thy mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of Thy majesty, and on Thy wonderful works, I will meditate. And men shall speak of the power of Thine awesome acts; And I will tell of Thy greatness. They shall eagerly utter the memory of Thine abundant goodness, and shall shout joyfully of Thy righteousness. “ Psalm 145: 4-7

I love a good story.

Yet, more than just a good story, I love to hear about the intervention of a Holy God in the ordinary lives of men. So many times we put God in the clouds. We make him a lofty being that controls things like the universe, the weather, and the large events of life. However, we fail to realize that…

…God is in our everyday details.

God does not hear about our daily happenings secondhand. He sustains our very breath and goes before us. Life can be exhilarating and disappointing. As a child, I gave my heart to the Lord. As an adult, the many aspects of His character have jumped off the pages of scripture and become personal to me.

He became my Healer, when He healed me of Congestive Heart Failure and a difficult pregnancy.

He became my Deliverer when He set me free from a lifetime of irrational fear.

He was my Friend, when no one else understood the chronic health issues I faced each day.

He is my Counselor, my Redeemer, my Strength, and He is all of these things each and every day.

I hope that in this very moment you will understand, without a shadow of a doubt, that God wants a relationship with you.

He wants to sit with you in the morning over a cup of coffee, as well as fight for you in the darkness. May 2012 be the year that you see God as your everyday God…

…your friend day in and day out.

Recently my husband and I got the gift of a lifetime…

…ONE whole weekend without our kids.

For some of you that may not sound like much, but for us, it was a miracle. We have no family who live close in our area, so these types of weekends are few and far between.

As a matter of fact, my youngest, who is 3, had never spent one night away from us until that weekend. We also realized that it had been nearly 5 years since we’ve been alone for even an evening. It was about time don’t you think?

We were able to just have quietness in our house, an uninterrupted meal, and {my favorite} an uninterrupted thought!

We got a glimpse of who we were before we had children. Remembering what it was like to be alone with each other. And do you know what I discovered? I discovered a boyfriend!

You know what I mean, the person who would go into a shop with you just to look, and act interested in the gadgets you look at just because YOU are interested in them. I also discovered myself as a girlfriend again. Not just mom, or businesswoman, or wife, but…

…a girl in love with a boy.

Our everyday reality is bombarded by the immediate, the necessary, and the urgent so much that we rarely get to have these moments to just be together, take a walk, or slowly browse a store.

How easy it could be to allow that to taint who we believe we are married to. How easy it would be for my husband to believe that he is just married to the overworked, sleep deprived mom.  Rather than…

…the girl still in love with the boy.

It is a season in our life for us right now, but that’s just it… it’s only a season. I promised to stand by this man forever, and I choose to do so even when I find it hard to see the boyfriend in the midst of the busyness, and chaos.

How easy it would be for the enemy of our soul to come between us and convince us to look for that carefree relationship we once enjoyed in another person. Or even to blame the other for not being who we think they should be.

God didn’t put us together so that we could forever enjoy a carefree, fully satisfied relationship. That is reserved for our relationship with Christ alone. Relationships are a hard, refining process that we are smart to be trained by.

The enemy of our soul would like nothing more than to destroy our marriages and convince us we are missing something that we deserve. And he is right!  The truth really is that we are meant for another relationship that is to satisfy our soul.

But that has nothing to do with another person. We are meant to seek Christ. We are meant to long for that satisfaction that can only come from God. He is the only one who can fully satisfy. He is the only one who will fully complete us. And I’ll be honest; I can’t wait for that day.

How about you?

Photo Credit: BestPix Photography

From the archives and modified…

What is a dry well?  Simply put it’s a well that is dry, one that does not produce any water.  A dry well would be one that no one returns to to quench their thirst and in most cases it would be capped of, abandoned and forgotten.

…but they are most often always still there.

Getting water from a well is not an easy task, it a takes a lot of work.

I’m not talking about the modern day technology kind of well that’s used by cities, allowing us to get hot or cold water from our faucets, not that kind of well.

I’m talking about the old wells. You know, the one where the bucket is hanging there – you have to manually turn the crank down to the bottom, scoop the water in the bucket and then crank the bucket up; that’s a lot of work to get one bucket of water!

IF you were to make the effort to go to the well, the old fashioned kind – put the bucket on the hook, crank it ALL the way down to the bottom and then crank it back up ONLY to find it empty…

…would your need be met?

Would you be able to quench your thirst? or use the water to wash your clothes? bathe yourself or your child?

no.

You would most likely walk away feeling sad, defeated, lonely, frustrated, thirsty, dirty, afraid.

Knowing that the well was dried up, would you go back to get more water?

Maybe, right?

Maybe the well just happened to be dry that day — maybe tomorrow would be different — maybe because it rained {or something like that} …there would be water.

So, the next day you go to the same well, drop the same bucket only to find…

…the well IS still dry!

Shoot!  Once again your needs are not met.  You walk away with the same feelings you had the day before; sad, defeated, lonely, frustrated, thirsty, dirty, afraid.

This could go on for days hoping to get different results. Until finally the decision is made to accept the reality that the well is dry.

It will no longer meet the needs that it once did.

You. let. it. go.

You find another well to meet your needs. But it’s very difficult and it can take a lot of time.

Over the past couple of years I’ve asked myself why in the world am I continually drawn to “dry wells”?

Now, I’m talking about people and relationships.

I make the connection between the two because some of the relationships that I’ve had OR have are like dry wells; they do not quench my thirst.

I continue to go to the people {relationship} thinking the next time will be different…

…but it’s not.

I leave sad, defeated, sometimes insecure, feeling judged, frustrated, empty.

I’ve come to the realization {once again} that we indeed are creatures of habit and change is not easy!

What have I done?

I’ve taken the path of least resistance, in some cases, and continue to get the same results. yuk…it’s painful.

“Sometimes we have to set aside or walk away from the unhealthy to make room in our lives for God to bring healthy.”

This statement is so true, but difficult.  Why?

Because we want so bad for the “well” aka. person {relationship} not. to. be. dry.

Plus, it’s easy to NOT work on de-cluttering and be “status quo” — even though something may be unhealthy and painful.

Double Plus, if we let go of that, even though it’s unhealthy — what do we replace it with in the meantime?

Do we trust God to bring us healthy?

Remember, people {relationships}, like a dried up well, are most often always still there.  As we make the decision to “set aside the unhealthy to make room for the healthy” — it doesn’t mean we need to destroy or eliminate — we just don’t need to go there anymore.  We need to set boundaries and make room for God to bring us healthy.

How many dry wells are you going to?

Photo Credit: wonka_chocolate

So many times we think we are doing our best, trying to make everyone happy…

…people pleasing

BUT we end up exhausted, frustrated, spinning our wheels, angry, resentful — hurt.

Read this short illustration taken from the book Morning Light by Amy E. Dean…

The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey

A man and his son headed to market with their donkey. A man on a horse passed them and asked, “Why aren’t you riding your donkey?”

The man placed his son on the donkey, and they continued on their way. They passed by a family working in their fields. A young girl said. “Look at that lazy boy riding while his father is walking.”

The man told his son to get off the donkey, and he climbed on. They passed a group of women and one said, “What a selfish man, making his son walk while he rides.”

The man asked his son to climb up on the donkey with him. They passed a traveler on the road, who said, “That poor donkey is carrying too much weight.”

Not knowing what to do, the man and his son began to carry the donkey. But the donkey kicked so violently they released their hold and the donkey ran away.

The Moral of the story: In striving to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one.

Striving to be a people-pleaser can make you feel as if what you are doing is never right, and you lose your ability to make your own decision.

Can you choose today to focus on doing what is right for you, regardless of what others may think or say?

Can you focus on pleasing your audience of ONE instead of an audience of many?

Photo Credit: Boris SV

Story taken from: December 3, 2011 – Today’s Gift from Hazelden

What do YOU do when you get discouraged? How do you find the courage to press on, persevere through road blocks or negativity?

Today I’m talking about my…

S M I L E file

In this file are:

affirming emails, text messages, and comments
encouraging cards and notes that bring a smile to my face
quotes, positive sayings, and verses
my vision and identity statement

…when I question “why” I’m doing what I’m doing.
…when I wonder “if” what I’m pursuing is making a difference.
…when I’m discouraged and find it difficult to smile.

I go to my file…here I am reminded and encouraged.

Where do you go?

Do you have something similar?  Do you have a smile file?  …OR another method that fuels you to keep moving forward; that puts a SMILE on your face?

It’s Monday and I don’t have a video to share, so I write…

5:00 am comes quickly, but I jump out of bed — there’s no snooze button for me.  This is my favorite hour of the day, my quiet alone time when everyone under our roof is asleep…

…oh the quiet, the silence, the calm.

My time to reflect, my time with God, my time to get my soul food.

I open my devotional, the one that never gets old, the one that continues to challenge me –> The Message//REMIX Solo <– I turn to Day 110, it says:

There are many parts of Proverbs that carry a specific theme.  But other parts of Proverbs deliver wise advice like machine-gun fire into the sky — wise saying about various subjects in no particular order.  Chapter 28 is one of these machine-gun-into-the-sky chapters.  Yet no matter how they’re fired, every bullet is precious.

It goes on to say, select two proverbs that speak to your specific condition this week.  So, from the devotional I open my Life Application Study Bible – I turn to Proverbs chapter 28 and out of the 28 verses in this chapter, I pick two machine-gun-into-the-sky verses that stand out to me…

Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Proverbs 28:13

My reflection:  When I am willing to face anything head on, to discover the truth, I can embrace love and experience joy.  I {we} are undeserving of grace and mercy, but it is freely given to us by our heavenly father.  However, we must do our part — we must confess AND renounce, give up or put aside voluntarily, abandon and reject our wrongs…our sin.  This takes courage, but there is SO much freedom when we uncover and expose our ickiness.

“Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength.” – August Wilson

Those who trust in themselves are fools,
but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.
Proverbs 28:26

My reflection:  Who am I…to think that in my finite being I can rely solely upon on what my eyes see and my ears hear?  I have learned that I must rely upon God to lead me and direct me every day, every step of the way.  I spent most of my life “trusting myself” — it didn’t work out too well for me.  So much heart-ache, so much confusion, so much hurt.  To walk in wisdom is to abide in Him, through reading the Word, through seeking Him first…HIS will, plan, and purpose for my life.  When I do this, I can honestly say, I feel safe.  I DO know the difference but even though I do, I need this reminder — FREQUENTLY!  It’s SO easy for me to revert back to self-reliance.  Surrender is the word I keep top of mind, thy will, NOT my will.

…I pray

This is a little glimpse into my 5:00 am quiet time — it’s Monday, it’s the start of a new week.

How do you start your day?  How do you start your week?  Do you include HIM?

It’s Monday and I don’t have a video to share, so I write.

…I extend myself grace, I accept grace.

When we are too rigid with our plans and our agenda, when we get caught up in the doing instead of the living …our joy can be stolen.  We can allow so many things to take away our joy.

What is creeping in to steal your joy?

Life has been full.
{I continue to say this, will it ever not be full?}

Especially this month of October. Of the 31 days, I’ve been traveling 17 of them.  I’ve flown on 9 different planes, been in 6 states, closed my eyes on 4 different pillows at night, and lived out of one suitcase.  That’s too much for this girl.

Today I’m home.

The refrigerator is empty, the pantry is bare, there are no groceries in the house and tomorrow is Halloween.  Has it even crossed my mind — I’ve got two little nuggets that might want to enjoy the festivities of this holiday and dress up like litle goblins? – Yes, but I’ve done nothing about it.

…I extend myself grace, I accept grace.

What I’m learning is that when I sense my joy beginning to leave by feeling overwhelmed, or trying to do and be everything — I need to stop.  I need to reflect.  I need to count my many blessings…

…I write  a gratitude list.

I focus on the good.  I look for the good.  You see, the thief, the enemy, the evil one comes only to steal and kill and destroy; but our Provider, our Source, the Lover of our Souls comes so that we may have life, and have it to the fullest.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

What does this look like for me, today as I write? Here’s the two things on my list…

1.  I’m overwhelmed {joy stealer – evil} by the release of my new book.

I’m grateful {joy giver – good} my message is out and lives are being touched, I’m grateful {joy giver – good} and excited for the journey, not the race.

2.  I’m frustrated and disappointed {joy stealer – evil} that I didn’t have the time or make the time to plan a fun memorable Halloween for my nuggets.

I’m grateful {joy giver – good} that there are alternatives to the traditional holiday activities, we will do something fun and spend quality time together.

We always have a choice in our response — always.

What is stealing your joy?

Call it out and speak against it.  Identify the joy stealer and replace it with the joy giver.

Overcome evil with good.
Look for the positive.

Walk with me, lets choose to experience JOY!

I was sifting though my email inbox this past week — giving it a little “spring clean” — and came a cross several forwarded emails.  Most often they go unopened and are deleted, but today I took the time to read a couple.  The one that caught my eye shared this message…

There is a H U G E difference between growing older and growing up.

The email went further into the concept…as I reflected, I thought –> That is SO true!  <– growing old is effortless — anybody can grow old and will grow old. BUT growing UP takes intentional action; always looking for opportunity IN change TO change…to become.

I love the innocence of children.  I love how curious they are.  But for me, I would never want to go back to that age in my life.  I’ve got great memories from my childhood, for the most part, but I have no desire to ever go back.  I love today, now.  I love growing old AND growing up.

“You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.” - Abraham Lincoln

What about you — would ever want to go back to the younger years?  What do you think about growing old and growing up?  Do you see there is a huge difference?

What did you do today to GROW UP?  Are you intentionally growing up?