Tag Archives: devotional

New Vehicles, New Seasons

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LESSONS FROM A VEHICLE

Four years ago Rod and I traded in our 8-seater Ford Expedition for a little, sporty Buick Verano.  I cried at first. That big ole SUV carried more than just people, it carried a ton of family memories. Adventures, new beginnings, date nights, friends, visitors from other countries, wonderful times! But it was on it’s last “pistons” so to speak and it was time to get a new vehicle. So my sweet husband found me this cute, sleek car with all the bells and whistles, as he called it, and was so proud to bless me with it. It had blue tooth, touch screen, gps, back up camera, seat warmers, everything electric and computerized, and more ….. everything except space. Interestingly enough though, I myself was personally entering into a season of new things that required me to get focused. It was a time of not worrying about the million other people I love and want to always do things for and help, and to just have a small plate, focused only on the task that was set before me. So God used it as an encouragement, as well as a reminder of the season He was bringing me into. There were a lot of amazing experiences we walked into, some really incredible surprises and celebrations. It was like being blessed with so many “bells and whistles” in our lives that we had never experienced before. 

Then last year we came upon an opportunity to trade that Buick in for Rod’s dream truck! It is a bold red, 4-door flat bed truck with a Hemi! He got the truck and I inherited our youngest daughter’s car as she and her husband moved across the United States to live. Now I found myself driving a medium sized sedan, Honda Accord. No bells and whistles, no seat warmers, no back-up camera (had to relearn how to actually turn around and look to back up), no bluetooth, no fancy anything really, but it was extremely comfortable. Like a cozy blanket, I felt safe, confident and comfy in this car. It had just enough room to fit three of my grandkids in their car seats and the material seats made it super easy to vacuum up after them. If they made a mess or spilled something, I was completely at ease with no worries of them hurting the car. A perfect Mimi car. And once again this car represented a season in my life – one that I had grown comfortable with. A season where I kind of knew what tomorrow held and could make plans and go with the flow, and felt confident, safe and secure. A season where the boat wasn’t being rocked, the ground felt steady, life felt semi-predictable, and there wasn’t a lot of major challenging or stretching situations. I’ve been thankful God allowed me to have that season. It has felt good. It has given me a lot of peace and a huge breather. But we can’t stay in those seasons forever, because although there is a lot of peace and rest, if we stay in that nice cozy, comfortable place too long, complacency can begin to breed. As well as a self-reliance, laziness, and a heart that begins to slumber, a passion that carries only a flickering flame instead of a roaring fire for the Lord and the purposes He has for us. See peace and confidence should never be found in myself nor in my circumstances, nor be dependent upon the environment around me. It must always be found in the Lord and in my relationship with Him or soon I will feel as though I don’t need Him and become a prime target for the enemy. Lulled to sleep, bored, which often leads to wandering and giving into temptations that do not bring peace and joy at all in the end. 

Today though, as I was leaving to go meet some sweet new mamas over some coffee, Rod told me to use his truck. My heart jumped and felt a little giddy, as I love trucks! This could possibly be a little bit of ‘short person syndrome’ because it means I’m the tall one on the road looking down into everyone else’s cars – a bit of a power trip! I grabbed the keys, unlocked the door and went to climb in. This time though instead of just confidently jumping up into the big cab, I climbed up a little clumsily as I stepped onto the sideboard and had to fumble to find that handle above the door to kind of hoist myself up into the seat. Then I couldn’t reach the pedals – no surprise there! But it felt a little awkward as I’m sure I had to scoot the seat up even closer than normal just so I could press the gas and get the beast roaring! In those initial moments I found myself uncomfortable, feeling completely out of my element and not very confident. As I put it in reverse I questioned if I was even going to be able to judge how far to back up and the massiveness of this vehicle as I drove it down the road. I even felt doubt creep, wondering if when it came time to find a parking place at the coffee shop, was I going to be successful. It’s not like I hadn’t driven his truck before, but for some reason today it felt different. It felt like a challenge. I could feel the power of that Hemi engine as I pressed on the gas and suddenly was overwhelmed with the responsibility that comes with so much power. 

It was in that moment I felt God say to me that it’s time again for a new season. Change is in the wind! It is fall! But with the seasons changing in the natural, God is bringing some new things, fresh wind, fresh fire, a crispness in the Spirit. And He wants us to be ready. As I drove down the road I started thinking about this past week and what God has been stirring in my heart. I have had some self-evaluation time and realized I’d become comfortable. I’d become confident within my own stretch and reach and abilities that I wasn’t really being challenged, stepping out of my comfort zones, stretching my faith and really leaning into Him. It’s not a bad place but it can become a dangerous place if we linger there or overstay the season. He reminded me as I felt the power of the engine and the beauty of a “new level” of perspective, that He is calling me onward and into new adventures that was going to require trusting Him, relying on His power, supernatural power and strength, as well as taking on a godly perspective and shift in how I see things. We have been called to look with eyes of faith. We are encouraged that it’s okay to be awkward and clumsy and be out of our element because it is in those places of stepping into the unknowns, completely dependent on God, that He can reveal His power, His faithfulness, His promises, His presence, His protection, His provision – HIMSELF. 

As I parked, without hitting anything, I smiled feeling peace and joy, a supernatural comfort in my heart. This time it wasn’t because I was secure in my own abilities or environment. It wasn’t because I was nice and cozy in my own little bit of strength or comfort zone. It was because I know I serve a Big God, who is for me, who loves me, who has great plans and purposes for my life. Who is trustworthy and faithful. Who has the best adventures ahead of me just waiting for me to climb up into, and he’s provided some ‘sideboards’ and ‘hand rails’ to support me along the way! I only need to grab hold of His hand and get on board! The same is true for you! What vehicle is He calling you to step into?

But God ….

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“I think it is over ….”
“It will never change …..”
“It looks impossible ….”
“I’m not sure I’ll ever be okay ….”
“I am devastated…..”
“I am broken ….”
“This is so painful …..”

Now finish that sentence with “BUT GOD ….!”

He does the impossible. He breathes new life. He restores. He redeems. He strengthens the feeble knees, the weak hearts, the shaky hands, the wavering emotions. He changes things. He understands. He shields. He knows. He heals. He loves. He comes through. He turns it around. He is faithful. He is good. He is able.

“And in a similar way, the Holy Spirit takes hold of us in our human frailty to empower us in our weakness. For example, at times we don’t even know how to pray, or know the best things to ask for. But the Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede on our behalf, pleading to God with emotional sighs too deep for words. God, the searcher of the heart, knows fully our longings, yet he also understands the desires of the Spirit, because the Holy Spirit passionately pleads before God for us, his holy ones, in perfect harmony with God’s plan and our destiny. So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:26-28‬ ‭TPT‬

Don’t Spoil the Adventure

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  • photo cred: Joshua Bella

“We are on the brink of an adventure children! Don’t spoil it with too many questions!” Mary Poppins 

Watching Mary Poppins Returns yesterday with my grandchildren and this quote really struck me! I’m one to ask questions. Sometimes too many. I want to know. I want to know why, and how, and what, and who, and for how long ….. the list goes on. As a kid, if I asked too many questions at our dinner table or while watching a show, my dad would notoriously look at me and say, “What? Are you writing a book?” I would laugh, wait a few minutes, and then ask a few more questions in hope of some answers. I am sure this is why I thought I’d make a great detective when I grew up … although I became a teacher instead, and then was bombarded with a million questions by students, myself. 

I love questions. I think questions are good. Wanting to know and being curious is a great tool for learning. It usually means the mind is working, the imagination is imagining, the wonder is wondering, and the learner is interested in learning. I am pretty sure it all starts at around age 2-3, as my grandchildren have reminded me. Two of our grandsons are around the same age and when they hit that 2 and half mark, they both began asking the “Toddler WHY”. At first it was fun and cute, and then it became annoying. As they discovered their new profound power of questioning everything and everyone, they began to use it to put off having to get dressed, eat their dinner, brush their teeth, put away their toys, go to bed and anything that required them having to do something that they didn’t really want to do. This not only meant it took longer to get things done, created difficulties at the dinner table and bath time, brought on tears of frustration (for both the child and the parent) and produced a headache for their parents as they tried to satisfy their bright toddler, but it also caused the toddler to miss out on some really fun adventures and blessings. These “whys” also caused delayed responses of obedience that had the potential for some extremely dangerous outcomes. Ultimately we all had to help them learn the delicate balance of when it was appropriate for them to be curious and ask the questions, and when they just needed to trust whoever was telling them something and obey. 

As adults we aren’t far off from this toddler scenario. There are plenty of times we are found asking too many questions, asking the wrong questions, and even occasions when we should not be asking any questions at all. We can easily fall into the trap of ’needing to know’, that actually reveals more of a ‘needing to control’ issue instead. Just like my little grandsons, we have this inner need to know. We are born with the ability to think and learn and grow. We study in order to become wiser and discover things and get smarter. We have been trained to think that knowledge represents power. A profound power that gives us a sense of control, being in charge, knowing all of the pros and cons, possibilities and potentials, information and insight, that helps us feel ready, better prepared, equipped for whatever lies ahead. While this is true and there is wisdom in knowledge, in gathering information, asking questions, there is a very delicate balance. Too many questions, and even questioning someone or something at all, can also be extremely dangerous, debilitating, deceptive and even disappointing. It can paralyze us. It can prevent us from moving forward. It can put us in a place of disobedience. It can hold us back from some great adventures! Especially the ones God has planned for us.

While God is not afraid of your questions, and certainly does not mind you asking them, I have discovered that He doesn’t always answer them, not in the timing we want Him to, not the way we want Him to, and some times not at all. There have been many times God has answered my questions, but because I have already decided on what the answer should look like, I miss His answer. I have also found myself waiting and waiting for that answer to come before I do something, paralyzed with fear, afraid to take a risk, to move forward, and before I know it, that “something” has passed me by. Raise your hand if that has ever been you! The problem is not in our wondering, our curiosity or in our wanting to know or understand things. God created us with all of these as beautiful gifts. The problem is found in the MOTIVE BEHIND our wanting to know, and in the lack of MOVEMENT BEFORE we do know. Maybe some of the questions should be directed to ourselves first. Am I asking these questions and needing to know in order to have everything figured out? So I feel in control? To stoke my own pride, feed my sense of entitlement? Do I need to know all of these answers before I can move forward, step out, take a risk, try something new? Can I only ’trust’ God if He shows me the whole picture and answers all of my questions? Am I spoiling the adventure He has for me because of fear, lack of trust and needing ‘to know’?

In today’s society we have access to a whole lot of knowledge. It provokes us to ask questions. Answers are right at our fingertips. If we have questions, we can always google it, research it, find it. We want to know. We need to know. So we click. Click a few links and we feel like we know just about everything there is to know, about anything! Yet this kind of knowledge will not sustain us. It does not always provide the wisdom, hope, truth and answers we need. Often it can produce more questions and even bring more harm than good. This kind is fleeting and often changes as fast as the latest diet or healthy eating fad. BUT …. There is a knowledge that is lasting. A knowledge that sustains our whole being and gives us life. That feeds our faith and leads our future . The kind that will uphold us, lead us, direct us, give us hope, and carry us on some of our greatest discoveries of life and love. This is the KNOWLEDGE of GOD. KNOWING HIM. The knowledge of who God is, and who He is in us. We are encouraged in scripture to desire knowledge … not the kind of scholars found in research and books, but the knowledge of God. “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the KNOWLEDGE OF GOD more than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6 We are told that understanding and wisdom is first found in knowing Christ. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOLY ONE is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10 And Paul, a disciple of Christ, prayed over and over for the Church (the people of God, not an organization or building) that they would be given the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God.  “…that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the KNOWLEDGE OF GOD; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and long-suffering with joy.” Colossians 1:9-11

As we become more and more familiar with God and who He is … that He is FOR us. He is faithful. He is true. He is a good Shepherd. A good Father. He is trustworthy and HIs ways are higher than ours. Then our faith and trust in Him will increase more and more. We will grow out of the toddler stage and although we can ask the questions, we will be satisfied if we don’t get the answers. We will ask less “whys” and say more “yeses”. We will not be held back, paralyzed or hindered by fear or lack of answers, but will walk with prompt obedience, trusting Him with our steps, encouraged that His plans and purposes for us truly are good, to bring us peace, a future, and hope. As we grow in the knowledge of Him, we will relinquish control, trust in Him with our whole hearts, leaning NOT on our own understanding, step out of the boat, and not spoil the adventure with too many questions!