Truly Blessed, Beautiful People

People who are content, grateful and appreciative are truly blessed, beautiful people.

People who recognize, love and compliment the best in others are truly blessed, beautiful people.

People who hold out hope against all odds and know that life greatest challenges teach us and make us stronger are truly blessed, beautiful people.

People who are patient with others because they know that everyone has struggles, challenges, pains and trauma (that we may not know about) are truly blessed, beautiful people.

People who offer love and forgiveness because they see “we” (neighbors and friends and “fellow man”) rather than “they” (enemies or divisions) are truly blessed, beautiful people.

People who appreciate thoughts, opinions and perspectives different from their own as valuable (rather than threatening) are truly blessed, beautiful people.

People who are willing to quietly (even anonymously and secretly) defend and protect those who can’t protect themselves (or can’t escape injustice on their own) are truly blessed, beautiful people.

People who are kind and gentle with others (with no agenda or thoughts of reward) are truly blessed, beautiful people.

People who can be joyful for all of their many blessings (even in the face of great challenges) are truly blessed, beautiful people.

People who can grieve alongside others (because they have known great pain themselves) are truly blessed, beautiful people.

People who know that we all make mistakes and freely forgive others (and even themselves) are truly blessed, beautiful people.

Thank you for being truly blessed, beautiful people, my friends!

Thank you Jesus, for teaching me The Way. Amen.

Matthew 5:1-12 AMP
[1] When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him. [2] Then He began to teach them, saying, [3] “Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever]. [4] “Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted]. [5] “Blessed [inwardly peaceful, spiritually secure, worthy of respect] are the gentle [the kind-hearted, the sweet-spirited, the self-controlled], for they will inherit the earth. [6] “Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied. [7] “Blessed [content, sheltered by God’s promises] are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. [8] “Blessed [anticipating God’s presence, spiritually mature] are the pure in heart [those with integrity, moral courage, and godly character], for they will see God. [9] “Blessed [spiritually calm with life-joy in God’s favor] are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they will [express His character and] be called the sons of God. [10] “Blessed [comforted by inner peace and God’s love] are those who are persecuted for doing that which is morally right, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever]. [11] “Blessed [morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness] are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of [your association with] Me. [12] Be glad and exceedingly joyful, for your reward in heaven is great [absolutely inexhaustible]; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

https://bible.com/bible/1588/mat.5.1-12.AMP

I have Good News!

From dope dealer — to hope dealer.
From foolish youth — to following truth.
From selfish thief — to generous provider.
From defeated victim mindset — to grateful receiver of victory.
From mad at life not going my way — to grateful for the even the challenges, suffering and loss.
From afraid of the possibilities — to in awe of the reality.
From a finger pointed at “they” — to outstretched arms welcoming “all of us”.
From chasing the next desire — to being surrounded by the most precious treasures of life.
From valuing what is worthless and harmful in this world — to appreciating every truly good gift that comes from God.
From hating God — to loving Him so dearly.

Yes, the Saviour of the World has been here, and His Kingdom is marching forward in power.

Can you open your ears to hear us praising the name of Jesus?

Can you look past the imperfections to see us beginning to come alive and live and love in a beautiful, selfless way?

Have you felt the warmth of a stranger who was a kind good neighbor to you?

Have you reached out wanting to taste for yourself the living water and know that God is good?

Today, I will seek Him out like a good bloodhound on a trail in mountains — will you seek Him today?

May we find what we need — not just get what we want. Amen.

‭Isaiah 61:1-11 NLT‬
[1] The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. [2] He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. [3] To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory. [4] They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations. [5] Foreigners will be your servants. They will feed your flocks and plow your fields and tend your vineyards. [6] You will be called priests of the Lord, ministers of our God. You will feed on the treasures of the nations and boast in their riches. [7] Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. [8] “For I, the Lord, love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing. I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them. [9] Their descendants will be recognized and honored among the nations. Everyone will realize that they are a people the Lord has blessed.” [10] I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels. [11] The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world. Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, with plants springing up everywhere.

https://bible.com/bible/116/isa.61.1-11.NLT

Fixable? Figure-out-able? Or Surrender-able?

A friend at work is just beginning the journey of caring for her father who is diagnosed with Alzheimers and Dementia. We spoke yesterday through a wonderful mix of tears, shared pain and encouragement as the work  continued to buzz around us. I shared how my family dealt with it, some of the things we learned, some of the very difficult things, and some of the hours and blessings. I even admitted how it is still a source of wrestling in my prayers with the Lord, that I’m sometimes ashamed of the times that it was too much for me to handle emotionally at times and I had to distance myself from the situation, and how it challenged my faith in difficult yet beautiful ways.

This morning’s YouVersion Bible app Daily Verse is very applicable:

For context:

‭Philippians 4:4-7 NLT‬
[4] Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! [5] Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. [6] Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. [7] Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

https://bible.com/bible/116/php.4.4-7.NLT

A cousin posted this morning, “Im trying to be strong, just don’t know how much longer it’s gonna last….” and I was reminded of the story of a young boy struggling with all his might while his father stood by watching.

I let him know that this story was helpful to me and I shared the link: https://kimberlyjoyauthor.com/using-all-your-strength/

So many times, I’ve thought too myself, “It’s okay. Everything is fixable.” Or “It’s okay. Everything is ‘figureoutable’.” But there are times where it isn’t. There are times when it is too much for me. There are times where it is too much for a good therapist or even a good support system to help me through. I need these times to truly reveal that I am not self-sufficient, that I am not without need for God to play His role in my life. As hard as those moments are and have been, they are also sweet and precious.

Sometimes we get past “fixable” or “figure-outable” to moments that are truly only “surrender-able”.

Lord, I’m sorry that sometimes I’ve kept you at a distance, living my life trying to figure out and fix everything on my own. But please don’t let my shame of not including you let me think that you’ve been far away. You’ve been there the whole time, watching me learn, and letting me grow, waiting patiently alongside even when my focus was fully on my task at hand (or distracted). Help me to not cry over my weakness but to instead be in awe at your strength and faithfulness and love to be by my side through it all. Amen.

True Friends and Family

Throughout my life, I’ve used “my friend” and “cuz” as terms of endearment. They aren’t just empty phrases, I try to mean it and live it.

You don’t have to hang out with me every weekend to be “my friend” — and if you go back far enough in history, we’re all distant “cousins” at some point.

If you or your family are from Pacolet, SC or surrounding areas — or if some of your family tree rubbed somewhere alongside my family tree, I’ve probably called you “cuz”. Once a judge even overheard me saying this to an officer of the court and it caused some confusion because the question came up of whether or not we were truly related. Lol.

What does being a “friend” even look like as an adult? It’s no longer whose door you knock on to ask to come outside and play. It’s not even who is on your list of social media connections.

It’s who you’re willing to “lose something for” in order that they might “gain something”. It’s those people who you aren’t just in a transactional “this for that” type of exchange. If you’re only loving someone for what you get out of them, that isn’t love, it is trade. I give and provide for a wife, because that is love. If I was only doing “fair trade” with her, she would have a very different title. And friendship isn’t just the people you’ve figured out how to “fair trade” with either.

Building friends can take time and can be messy.

I’m not going to enable every request that comes to me for cash handouts, nor am I going to let every possible threat to my family move in and live with us. I won’t bail every one of you out of jail for your repeated foolishness, and only some of you would I be willing to dig a hole with in the middle of the night. Healthy boundaries exist as guardrails, but not as impenetrable walls between us.

I got to spend time turning wrenches with a friend recently one night, and I’ve gotten to spend a lot of time doing concrete work here at the house alongside “my favorite people who call me Daddy”. I work every day alongside friends who care about each other and about the work that we do. I have family that checks in on me and that I get to remember the good old days with. So I know that I’m blessed with all of “my friends” and all of my “cuz”.

What does the wise Word of God teach us about “true friendship”?

Friends encourage us to our highest good (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Friends forgive each other and help each other in difficulties (Colossians 3:13; Ecclesiastes 4:10).

Friends do not gossip or listen to gossip, allowing it to hurt the friendship (Proverbs 16:28)

Friends stick around even when things get difficult, being reliable (Proverbs 18:24).

Friends give pleasant, sincere advice, seeking our highest good (Proverbs 27:9; Proverbs 12:26)

Friends honor each other above themselves (Romans 12:10).

Friends love each other the same way Christ loves us (John 15:12-13)

Friends challenge each other to meet the highest good (Proverbs 27:17).

Friends are not bad-tempered (Proverbs 22:24-25);

Friends never withhold kindness and mercy (Job 6:14).

The wise Word of God also teaches us about “true family” — about a family rooted in Love that goes beyond the blood of our relatives and that runs deeper than the roots of our ancestry. Jesus alludes to this wonderful truth in the book of Mark:

‭Mark 3:31-35 ESV‬
[31] And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. [32] And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” [33] And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” [34] And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! [35] For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

So, my friends, (who love honor, serve and encourage each other) and my family, (who love, honor, serve and do the will of God), I’m looking forward to what today has in store for us! May His Kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Amen!

Love you, my friends! Love you, cuz!

What Have We Done?

We chose to love the prisons we built for ourselves, and mock the ones who told us there was something better.

We chose to squander our future and our children and future generations’ future, in trade for a little bit more pleasure, importance, recognition, popularity, escape, rest, wickedness, or pride.

We laughed at what was truly wise, and thought we were smart for going down the broad way that leads to destruction alongside “everyone else”.

We didn’t just have our blessings stolen by the enemy, we gladly handed them over to the enemy in trade for more poison — time after time again.

We didn’t love each other or help each other, we just mocked, judged, pitied, or avoided people when they didn’t have something we could use or benefit from.

When someone hurt us, we continued the cycle by hurting them a little deeper than they hurt us — so they would maybe target someone else instead.

Every single one of us.

We have all been foolish. We have all made mistakes.

There is a better Way.

“Sin” isn’t just some list of arbitrary do’s and dont’s used to measure ourselves and compare ourselves to others. It is a sickness, a disease that is clearly a part of all our lives that whispers lies, distractions, temptations, and feelings into our minds that are not healthy or beneficial to us and those around us. It is something that we all deal with, and no one will live life without eventually realizing that there are these attractive looking traps in life that come with costly consequences.

My God does not hate you and want to destroy you because you don’t follow His list of arbitrary rules. Those are in fact some of the biggest lies put out there to blind you to who He really is.

My God loves His children. Like a loving Father, He does not want His children to suffer, but He wants them to prosper — not just in this moment, not just as an individual, but as a healthy, fruit bearing family branch that extends generation after generation, decade after decade, century after century.

He knows that you aren’t going to get it right every time. He knows that you are going to make mistakes. He knows that at times things are going to be hard. He even knows that at times you might hate Him and might decide to live as if He doesn’t even exist.

But He loves you.

Even if people that say they know Him say He hates you because you do X, Y or Z — they are just confused by their own sin and projecting their hatred for themselves onto you because they don’t know His love themselves.

And if you’re thinking “don’t I have to give up X, Y, Z for Him to love me” or “why would I want to be like those people that say they know God but are hateful, judgemental, etc.” — hear me when I say that type of “religion” is not The Way.

He loves His children, so talk to Him yourself.

If you’re not sure that you even remember how to get in touch with Him on your own — We can talk to Him together.

I love you and hope you have a wonderful day.

He’s not mad at you, and He’s looking forward to talking with you soon.

If you don’t think you can, ask me about the price He paid, ask me about how He put Himself on display as a testimony of His love for YOU. There’s a hill called Calvary that tells the story of His love. Amen.

You may not even know yet or believe yet that there are things in your life that are killing you, stealing from you, and hurting those around you. Talk with Him and ask Him to give you wisdom and to open your eyes to see things truly as they are. Blessings my friend. Amen.

Why am I like I am?

I don’t need the spotlight,
’cause I already got light —
so I’ll just play the background,
instead of playing the clown.

It isn’t that I don’t care,
but I don’t need them all to stare.
I know who I am inside,
and that isn’t someone that I need to hide.

So if you let me sing His name,
you’ll find for me it isn’t some game.
And if you find me up in front of a crowd,
preaching hard and singing loud —
it’s a fire and I can’t hold it in,
so grab your seats and invite a friend.

Cause I don’t have to preach you into hell,
most do that on our own pretty well.
I just have to welcome you in,
because He really is a great friend.

I know you’ve seen a lot of bad religion,
of hate and judgement and men who love power —
but do you know mercy and humility and forgiveness
that makes even the proudest men cower?

I love you friend,
and I once shared your doubts —
I’ve looked all over this world
and we all only have one way out.

It won’t be your money or pleasure that you prize at a last breath,
so why prize it now on your way towards your death?

Listen and hear, open up your ears,
lay down your pride, and let your hearts fear —
that this life can be wasted,
this life can fall short.

What will you have at the end of it all?
Have you felt the tug, have you heard the call?

When is your time…

… don’t wait.

Get your heart and your direction right my friend. And help me keep mine right too.

Love you. Thank you Jesus!

Helping vs Enabling

Helping?
Enabling?

Am I helping someone do something challenging that will improve their situation?
Or letting someone continue to do what they want that is bad for them without facing consequences?

How can I tell the difference between helping vs enabling?

If it is easy and they could do it themselves, they should do it themselves. Teaching others to rely on us for what they could and should be doing for themselves creates an unhealthy dependence, an unbalanced relationship, and a dangerous power dynamic that can easily be abused or taken advantage of.

If we have to tolerate bad behavior — if we must make excuses or help “hide things” for others — if we cannot talk openly and directly about the decisions or actions that brought about the current circumstances — if the person only sees themselves as a victim of circumstances — if the person never genuinely contemplates how their own decisions and actions have contributed to the current circumstances — if the person will not learn from the situation to take responsibility themselves and make changes themselves — if you are doing things for them they could and should do for themselves — WE ARE PROBABLY NOT HELPING THEM.

Having a heart for others who are in need is a good thing, and we should be ready to help others who are truly in need.

When a person’s story focuses on their being a victim of circumstances, when it only focuses on their hurt/pain/ suffering — rather than what they are already doing on their own that is challenging them (identifying their own mistakes, learning what they can do differently themselves, sacrificing and working hard towards improvement that will help them in the future even if it is hard in the moment) — this is a sign of someone who wants to be enabled, rather than someone who wants to HELP THEMSELVES and have a friend or healthy support system ALONGSIDE THEM in THEIR OWN JOURNEY through this CHALLENGE.

Challenges in this life are an opportunity for individuals to learn and grow. The solution to someone else’s challenge IS NOT us inserting ourselves as the fix/solution/hero/savior and not allowing the challenge to be their journey.

Are we willing to listen, encourage, and invest time to help them work through the issue themselves (not being/providing the “quick fix” so that things can “go back to normal” as quickly a possible)?

Truly helping is not usually three quick or easy choice. Enabling is tempting because many times it makes the immediate challenge “go away” more quickly or easier (seemingly for us and for them).

But what if we put in the harder work of actually helping — rather than enabling — and rather than using “I might be enabling” as an excuse for just ignoring them?

Asking

I see friends in real pain and hurting around me.

And I hear the promise of the Word of God:

John 14:13-17 NKJV

“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”

So we might ask ourselves a few questions when we have prayed and “asked in His name”, yet we have not seen the “that I will do” part.

I might ask myself things like,

• “Am I ‘praying’ or ‘asking in His name’ wrongly?”
• “Am I expecting Him to do it in my own imperfect way or timeline — when His way and His time is better and perfect?”
• “Is what I’m asking for not going to bring glory to the Father in the Son?”
• “Am I hindering His prayers on my behalf because I do not love Him and I am not keeping His commandments?”
• “Have I not been given this spirit of truth that will abide with me forever?”
• “Is God slow to answer?”
• “Does God really care about me?”
• “Does God even exist?”

Those last questions can even feel scary to put down on paper if we have a genuine fear of God — but He knows that these are real questions and doubts that people have in their hearts. So it does us no good to hide them in the shadows.

I wonder how often we are satisfied with rattling these doubts around in our minds but we have been unwilling to bring our petitions to God?

I wonder how often we have been satisfied with taking our requests to God — but not truly speaking the promises in His name, loving Him, eagerly living His commandments, and wrestling with Him over how we might reconcile His promises and what we do not yet see. Yes, this is the life of hope in what is not yet seen — that we walk by faith in what we have seen and already know about Him.

I wonder how many of us have feared a wrestling match with the Almighty, and we have avoided even coming into His courts? Is it because we thought that we might be unwelcome, that we might be unworthy, that we might find an angry God who does not love us but only demands and take from us?

I love how so many encounters between the spiritual and mankind start out with something like “Do not be afraid”.

The door is open. Will we enter into real prayer? Into calling on His Name, into speaking His Word and His promises, into a willingness to wrestle in an active, conversational, confessional, powerful, personal, connected prayer life? Or will we be satisfied with running off to do our own thing with what God has given us like a prodigal — maybe even forgetting to send God a “text and a selfie” type of prayer once in a while just to “check in” — instead of wanting Him involved and engaged as part of our lives?