Category: Difficult Seasons

Remembering God’s Blessings

Lisa Preuett

Psalm 77: 11-12 “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds”

These words from Psalm encourage us to remember the mighty deeds of God. Meditating on all that God has done seems like a wise thing to do. But if you read the beginning verses of this chapter, you’ll see the reasoning behind the urgency. When the psalmist penned these words, he was in distress. In fact, in verse 2 he says this: “…my soul refused to be comforted.” He goes on to explain that his spirit feels faint and that he’s too troubled to even speak.

But here’s the crucial turning point. Don’t miss this! Instead of wallowing in his turmoil and focusing on his despair, he chooses something else. He decides to focus on the goodness of God in days past. He fixes his heart on the miracles and mighty deeds of his Lord. He remembers how God redeemed his people. And he doesn’t just briefly mention this in these two verses. If you keep reading, he dedicates the entire next chapter(Psalm 78) to recalling in detail all the wondrous acts of God.

So what exactly does this mean for us? I think it’s powerful insight for us to notice that he wrote these things down. He didn’t just tuck them somewhere in the back of his mind. He intentionally wrote them down! By the time he gets to the end of Psalm 78, his focus is no longer on himself but is on the goodness of God.

What if we followed his example? What if we too decided to record the deeds of God in our own lives?

Our family started what we call a blessing journal several years ago. We began writing down answered prayers. We also recorded any blessings–especially the unexpected ones–in this journal. Some days we would simply write down things we were thankful for. Over the years, those once blank pages began to fill up with powerful testimony of God’s provision for our family.

But do you know when our blessing journal became most powerful? It became most powerful when our family was walking through difficult trials. Trials when we were discouraged, in distress and in need of comfort. Sound familiar to the words of our writer in Psalm 77?

Something amazing happened when we would pull out that blessing journal. We would read back through the pages of times when God provided, blessed and comforted us. We were reminded of his faithfulness, goodness and his ultimate sovereignty. Reading through the journal didn’t change our current circumstances, but it changed our perspective. 

One specific time that still strikes me  is when my husband was in a season of  disappointment. He was feeling quite discouraged and doubtful. I pulled out our blessing journal and turned back to pages which described God’s provision for our family in a previous difficult season. After reading those pages and remembering God’s faithfulness, my husband’s spirit was lifted!

And just like the writer of Psalm 77 and 78, the reminder of God’s faithfulness changes our perspective and redirects our focus.

Recording God’s blessings in a journal not only reminds us of his faithfulness, but it can be a powerful tool for our children.

We would let our children record their own answered prayers in the family journal. An answered prayer for a lost pet to come back home and success on a difficult test at school were recorded in their own handwriting. And there have been many times my daughter has read through our journal of God’s faithfulness in the years before she was even born. One day she asked me this profound question: “Mom, one day when I’m older, will you give this journal to me to keep?”

That moment really hit me hard! In a sense I believe she was asking permission to hold on to our family’s journey of God’s provision for a future time when we will no longer be here. What a legacy to leave her! A written testimony of God’s goodness. Things she would forget at some point if they were not written down.

I challenge you today to do the same thing we have done. Begin recording the prayers God has answered. Write down in ink the blessings He’s showered upon you. Date them so you know exactly when God intervened.

It may not seem like a big deal to do this when all is well in your world. But I promise you this: your written stories of God’s provision will leap off the page and pour strength and hope into your heart during your weary days of distress. Do it for your sake. Do it for your children’s sake. And above all, do it to bring honor and glory to the one who deserves it most…your faithful God!

Psalm 77: 11-12 “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.”

blessing journal

Leave a comment and give me your feedback to let me know how you’re doing on starting your own blessing journal.

Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett

http://www.reststopforthesoul.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Change is Hard

Lisa Preuett

This is a season of transitions. A new school year for my 5th grade daughter. A new school building in a different location.  A new job for my husband.  A new women’s Bible study. Everything…is…NEW!

Transitions are HARD. Even though you transition to something good, it can still be challenging. Why is that? After much reflection on this, I’m come to the conclusion that transitions are hard because you’re trading familiar for unfamiliar. Predictability for unpredictability. Same old routine for a new schedule.

What used to work doesn’t work anymore. What used to fit doesn’t fit anymore. What used to make sense might now seem chaotic.

Transition is the gradual period of time in between 2 seasons of life. Making the transition from one to the other involves CHANGE.

Change is HARD!

Just as the seasons change, so our lives change as well. But the seasons don’t change overnight. We don’t go to bed one summer night and wake up to trees completely splashed with vibrant fall colors the next morning. No. The seasons change gradually….one leaf at a time. You start to notice a little bit at a time. A tree seems to have one drop of paint on it that can barely be noticed. A few weeks later the same tree appears to have more colors than it did before. One morning you wake up and the weather is a bit on the cool side. Just a tinge. Not anything drastic. But you notice a difference. It’s very gradual.   And before you know it, the warm-humid days stop altogether and you realize the cooler temps are more consistent.

This is TRANSITION!

I’m so thankful that when God brings change He doesn’t expect us to completely change overnight. He shines His light on our heart to reveal something that needs to be addressed. Then He ever so gently whispers to our soul something that needs to change. These are some of the whispers I’m hearing lately from Him:

That behavior isn’t working for you. That attitude isn’t getting you anywhere. Those words aren’t building anyone up.

 We know something needs to change. But it starts with transition. Gradually we step out and trade a familiar behavior with something better. Maybe it’s just a tinge. Just a hint. Maybe nobody even notices anything different at first. But gradually over time as we genuinely surrender an area of our lives to Him, a new pattern emerges. And before we know it, we’ve transitioned into a new season of life. What was hard at first now comes natural. What seemed inconsistent now becomes a new norm.

With everything around us constantly changing, it points us to this simple, yet profound truth: Jesus does NOT change. Ever.

Our circumstances are always changing. He remains the same.

Our feelings frequently waver back and forth. He remains the same.

Our thoughts shift constantly throughout the day. He remains the same.

Our loved ones don’t respond the way we’d like. He remains the same.

Are you in a season of transition? Are you struggling with making a change in a certain area of your life? Be encouraged that it won’t happen overnight. Just like the leaves change gradually, your transition will take place one step at a time. Trust God as you navigate into the next season. Most of all, take courage in the fact that our God never changes! The same resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us….. Today!

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever”

autumn leaves

The Things That Really Matter

Lisa Preuett

It’s a home school day. What lies ahead? Will it be calm? Or full of drama? My daughter drops her pencil on the floor and by her response you would think the world was caving in. Drama……Really? It’s just a dropped pencil for heaven’s sake!

A few minutes later after recovering from the dropped pencil, she makes a mistake on her math paper. It’s only one out of twenty-five, yet by her response you’d think she had missed all of them. More drama….. Really? It’s only ONE problem! Why can’t she focus on the twenty-four problems she mastered?

Just when I think this girl of mine has exerted all the drama she could possibly muster in such a short time, we have yet another incident. She uses the wrong shade of blue to label a city on her map for geography class. She had meant to use light blue but discovers she’s used a dark blue. By her response you’d think she had used black scribbles all over it! More drama…..again.

With all these dramatic incidents, I plead with her to not get so upset over the little things.

“Focus on the big picture, sweetheart. You’re doing a great job, but you are absolutely exhausting yourself emotionally  when you get upset like this. Save your energy for the big stuff–the things that really matter.”

I shake my head and shoot up an arrow prayer before going about my day. “God, please help this child to stay calm with the trivial things! Why is she acting like this? She is wearing me out!”

Just a few hours later I am working on balancing our bank account. In the busyness of this season, receipts and bank statements have piled up and I am way behind schedule. I optimistically think that I can knock this out quickly. (First mistake…..I set up an expectation.)

I am plugging along at a good pace and then all of a sudden the computer locks up. It freezes. I can’t continue with this task. I yell at the computer screen as if it is a person and can actually hear me.

Come on! What is wrong with you!?

When it doesn’t respond the way I want it to, my frustration grows and I slam my fist on the desk. Wham!

In the still small voice that I know is God whispering to my weary soul, I hear Him say this: Really, Lisa? All this drama over a frozen computer screen? This is a little thing. Save your emotional energy for the big stuff.

A little later I head out the door to run an errand. When I retrieve my phone from the charger, I notice the charger is NOT working. My phone is still dead. Now I must go out of the house with no phone! My frustration level rises….again. By my response you would think the world was caving in.

The still small voice I heard a few hours prior is calling me….again. This time it seems a bit louder. Lisa, this is a little thing. You are too focused on this phone. The world will not fall apart without it. Save your emotional energy for the big stuff.

I finally let the reality of this profound truth sink in. Just as my daughter fell apart over trivial issues, I too squandered my energy on petty frustrations. Things that don’t really matter when viewed through the lens of eternity. From God’s perspective, these little things are really no big deal.

I need to be reminded of what the apostle Paul says about trivial things in 2 Corinthians 4:17: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

A dropped pencil, a missed math problem and a map mistake? Light and momentary troubles!

A frozen computer screen and a broken phone charger? Light and momentary troubles! 

So what is this eternal glory Paul talks about? Well, that would be the big stuff.  The stuff that really matters.

Lingering a little longer in my daughter’s bedroom at night to listen to her and pray with her. Eternal glory!

Having coffee with a single mom who needs a listening ear. Eternal glory!

Planning a family night to just hang out and laugh together. Eternal glory!

Yes, these are the things that really matter. But if I exert too much energy on the little things, I’ll be depleted and won’t have anything to offer when it’s really needed.

What about you? What light and momentary troubles are you dealing with this week? If you’re like me, it’s easy to get focused on those things and lose heart. But I pray we will see these things for what they are–light and momentary–and save our energy for the things that really matter.

2-corinthians-4-17

 

 Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett

Check out my book, Embracing The Race: 40 Devotions for the Runner’s Soul

 

God is Faithful

Lisa Preuett

After trudging through the valley of unemployment for two and a half months, I praise God that my husband will be starting a new job this week! When the rug was pulled out from underneath us unexpectedly on June 23rd, we had no idea how many days, weeks or months it would be until God opened the door for a new job.

But God knew.

When we began walking this unknown  path, we trusted God to lead us one day at a time. Although we had no control of what was happening, we trusted that He was in control. To be honest, there were days our flesh struggled with this lack of control. Without control, we often feel helpless. Worried. Frustrated. Don’t we all just want a glimpse of what is ahead–a  little reassurance of what is coming? But God doesn’t always give us previews of the future. In fact, He rarely shows us what is around the corner.  That’s why it’s called faith!

The scripture I clung tightly to during this journey was Psalm 62:1-2: “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my fortress; I will not be shaken.”

The day I posted my reaction to my husband’s job loss, we were most certainly shocked, but not shaken: https://reststopforthesoul.com/2014/06/24/shocked-but-not-shaken/

This was a true test of resting in God alone. Our flesh finds it much easier to rest when things are predictable, structured, and familiar. We grow accustomed to incoming paychecks. We feel secure when the savings account balance increases. But when the paychecks stop and the account gradually decreases, it is a wake-up call as to what your true rest is in. When our eyes were fixed on trusting God and not fixated on the numbers, we found true rest!

God was faithful and He provided.

The blessings showered upon us during this time were priceless. Here’s some of the highlights:

*The very day he lost his job opened up the opportunity for him to join us on a trip to visit our son.

*My husband got to spend the majority of the summer with his wife and daughter. How rare is that? Most dads and husbands only get a couple of weeks vacation at the most to spend uninterrupted time with their families.

*We enjoyed multiple boating trips that we wouldn’t have been able to take if he’d been working. He usually travels for his job and is too exhausted to do a lot on the weekends. (We got the boat just weeks before he lost his job!)

*He had time to start (and finish) multiple projects around the house that are usually put on a “wish list”.

*We went on a mission trip to Beattyville in the Appalachia Mountains through our church and someone anonymously paid the balance of our expenses.

*My mom decided to treat us to an unexpected vacation in Florida to wind down our summer.

*The amount of money he received from unemployment was more than enough to pay our mortgage payment.

*God blessed us through his previous job to be able to save money for this “rainy season”. (And over the years He’s given us wise advisers such as Dave Ramsey who encourages people to put away money in an emergency fund when job loss occurs.)

*God has strengthened our faith!

*This season of uncertainty has given us a front row seat to witness that God is faithful and can be trusted.

If you are in a season of uncertainty, I want to encourage you to trust God wholeheartedly. Surrender your frustration, worries and fears to Him. Rest in Him alone. You might not know what’s around the corner.

But He does.

And because He loves us, we can trust Him. We will not be shaken.

God is my rock

 

 

Taking a Wrong Turn

Lisa Preuett

Psalm 25:4-5 “Show me your ways, Oh Lord; teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me for you are God my savior and my hope is in you all day long.”

While vacationing on a beautiful beach in Florida, I planned on running three miles. The first two were under nicely shaded shops along the boardwalk. But then I wanted to enjoy the scenery of ocean waves crashing upon the beach. I’ll run my last mile along the shore and call it quits. Sounded like a good plan to me. I trudged over across the sand to the edge of the shore where I could run on solid ground. My plan was to run for half a mile out and half  a mile back to make it an even three. But that’s when I got off course.

I was ready to head back the last half mile and cut back through where I thought I’d entered the beach area. But what I didn’t know then was that I’d turned too soon. As I jogged back to where I thought our condo was located, the scenery around me didn’t look familiar. I kept looking for the sign that bore the name of our condo. But I didn’t see it anywhere. My persistent jog slowly turned to a sluggish stroll. I finally had to humbly admit the truth: I had taken a wrong turn and was headed in the opposite direction.

The sweltering sun ushered streams of sweat running down my back…. joined with tears of frustration pouring down my face. No longer underneath shaded shops to shelter me, I could not escape the blistering sun.

I sensed God gently speaking to my weary soul: Yes, you are turned around. But that doesn’t define who you are. 

As I continued to walk (not running at this point!) one step at a time closer to my condo, I asked God to show me some truth from this situation so it wouldn’t be a total waste. (Of course the obvious lesson is to figure out where you are before running an extra mile!)

Sometimes we think we know exactly where we are in life. We head off in a certain direction without evaluating where we really are. We make plans and think we have it all figured out. But then we suddenly realize we are not where we intended to be. We have to admit we took a wrong turn. We have to set our pride aside and accept the reality that we missed something.

But the cool thing about God is that even when we’ve taken a wrong turn, He’s still right there with us. Even when we are way off His intended course, He is still our rock. We may have to take a longer route to get back on track, but He promises to never leave us.

Although I was running in unfamiliar territory, I still felt the effects of the sun. In fact, it was the only thing recognizable at the moment of realizing I was lost. Whether I’m running at home in Kentucky or on a beautiful Florida beach, it’s still the same sun shining down upon me. And in the same way, God is always with us whether we’re in a predictable routine or right smack in the middle of something frightening and unfamiliar.

READY? Have you found yourself off course when you thought you were on the right path? Did you take a sudden turn not realizing it would bring you to a place you didn’t want to be?  If you find yourself on a path you didn’t intend to walk, humbly ask God to help you get back on the right course. Yes, you might have to experience some consequences but He will be with you every step of the way. He’s never left your side. He’s still there.

GET SET. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

GO! Heavenly Father, show me in my life where I’ve gotten off course. Reveal to me anything I need to confess in going the wrong way. Thank you for your faithfulness to me even when I’m going the wrong direction. Help me run back into your loving arms and walk confidently in your forgiveness and love. Amen.

path along the sea

 

Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett 

Resistance Builds Strength

Lisa Preuett

Ephesians 6:10   Be strong in the Lord, in the power of His might.

These words from Ephesians are written on the wall of my fitness center. Sitting firmly lodged in place on a weight machine, I push with all my might against the resistance of the weights I’ve measured out. Breathing deeply and gritting my teeth, I attempt to increase the amount of weight my flimsy muscles need to get toned up. To get stronger.  As difficult as it sounds, that’s how it works. If you want your muscles to get stronger, there must be resistance or you won’t see any progress.

With sweat pouring down my face, I glance up and stare at the powerful words from Ephesians again. This is when I hear the soft, gentle whisper of God in my soul:

Just as your physical muscles can only be strengthened through resistance, your faith and trust in Me can only be strengthened through resistance.

As much as I know this is true, my flesh doesn’t like it at all. My flesh sometimes rears its ugly head and shouts back out of fear, worry or anger. What if God doesn’t come through? What will happen IF? Why did this happen to me and not someone else?

And then God in His patience and grace continues to speak lovingly to me in that still, small voice:

Trust me. Don’t worry. Don’t try to take control of things that aren’t yours to handle. The resistance you’re experiencing will make you stronger in your dependence on me.

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes experience this resistance with my husband. With my children. With my own selfish thoughts that don’t line up with God’s. Or I’ll feel this resistance while sitting in a traffic jam that is making me late to wherever I need to go. Even the little things can cause resistance like dishes left out, clothes not put away, a mess not cleaned up, a dropped call in a no-reception area, or a computer not working the way it’s supposed to!

Seen through my own human eyes, these things are obstacles. Interruptions. Irritations. Frustrations.

But seen through God’s eyes, these things are opportunities….to trust. To be refined. To be strengthened.

If I will just turn down the volume on my inner fleshly shouting match, I can more clearly hear the gentle whisper of God in moments like these. And trust that these moments of “resistance” are making me stronger. Making me more like Jesus. And instead of responding with fear, worry or anger when He lovingly increases the amount of weights, I can trust that the end result is for His glory.

READY? Who’s causing resistance in your life these days? Spouse? Children? In-laws? Co-workers? Neighbors? Or What’s causing resistance? Finances? Job? Health? How are you responding to the resistance? Whatever it may be, I challenge you to see these things as opportunities to strengthen your spiritual muscles. Opportunities to trust God and deepen your faith.

GET SET. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

GO! Heavenly Father, it is hard for me to welcome resistance in my life because of my sin nature. Please open the eyes of my heart to see times of difficulty as opportunities to trust you and for my faith to be strengthened. Thank you for your faithfulness to me during these times even when I doubt. Praise you for your power in my life. Amen

 

resistance builds strength

 

Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett 

Trudging Up the Steep Hills

Lisa Preuett

Psalm 121:1 “I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth.”

It’s painful when you’re trudging up a steep hill. Every fiber of your leg muscles tighten. You feel as if you won’t make it to the top. Your calf muscles silently scream, “Please stop! We can’t go another step!” Instead of looking up ahead at how much farther I have to go, I look down at the ground and literally watch my feet, one step at a time.

There’s something invigorating about finally reaching the top of a steep hill. I finally look up from the ground and realize I’ve made it! Trudging up that hill caused my heart to almost pound out of my chest. My rapid breathing finally slows down. I let out a sigh of relief. Yes! The ground ahead of me begins to level out now. It’s smooth and I can see more of what’s up ahead.

But I take a moment and turn around.  Did I really just come all this way? I stand in awe of the beauty around me. Depending on the season, I might be looking at lush-green trees lining the path behind me, blue sky overhead. At other times I might be looking at autumn leaves splattered with bright orange-red colors. My absolute favorite view at the top of the hill is in winter. The snow-covered trees, glistening in the sparkling light of the sun. I breathe in the air and turn my head back in front of me.

I’ve had my share of steep hills in this life. Some of them I’d rather forget about. But I can undoubtedly say that there’s something invigorating about finally making it to the top. Those trials I thought for sure would kill my soul and squash my spirit. Yes, there are times my heart has nearly broken, fiercely pounding out of my chest. My flesh shouting, “I can’t go another step!” But when I came to the end of that challenge, my breathing slowed down. My tears and anguish turned into joyous breaths of praise. Praise to my Lord Jesus who walked beside me each step of the way.

Did I really just come all this way? I stood in awe of the beauty around me. Not physical surroundings, but the beauty of what God had done in me. The beauty of the strength He equipped me with. The beauty of his promise to never leave me or forsake me. My faith was strengthened. My hope was renewed. My love for Him was magnified. And this view was something I wouldn’t trade for anything.

READY? Where are you, dear friend? Are you gasping for breath, trudging up a steep hill? Do you feel you won’t make it to the top? Does your heart ache and you just want to stop? I encourage you to tightly grip the loving arms of Jesus. He is right beside you as you go up the hill. He is with you every step of the way. He can’t wait to show you the view at the top!

GET SET. Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

GO! Lord Jesus, the hills of this life are hard. Sometimes I just want to give up. When I feel this way, please help me remember your truth. Help me cling to the fact that you are with me even though I can’t always see what’s up at the top. Thank you for your promise of being with me each step of the way. Amen

Hill-Running1

 

Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett 

 

Are You on Empty?

Lisa Preuett

I’d just come out of Kroger and was ready to head home. The trunk was full of groceries. My heart full with excitement and joy. We were getting ready to go out on the lake with friends. Listening to the radio blasting with my favorite song, I glanced over to my left and noticed a black Jeep stopped in the middle of the parking lot.

An empty gas can was perched on top of it. Nobody was in the driver’s seat. When my eyes continued to look, I noticed a young woman sitting on the edge of a curb, just feet away from the stopped vehicle. Her head was buried in her hands. She appeared distraught, her body slumped over in defeat.

I pulled over towards her and put down my window. “Is someone coming to help you?” I asked her. When she replied with a desperate, “No”, I asked her if she needed some gas. She shared with me that she’d just left an abusive relationship. She was trying to get to her parents’ house. They were an hour away. Her boyfriend had taken her wallet in an attempt to get her to stay. This young woman had no money. She was stranded.

My heart full of compassion, I immediately realized God had allowed our paths to cross. I filled her empty gas can so she could get her Jeep to the gas pump. And then I offered to fill it up enough to get her to her destination. She humbly accepted.

With one hand she pumped gas, and with the other she wiped tears that would not stop flowing. She knew she was doing the right thing, yet her heart ached. She was torn. She repeatedly blurted, “This is so embarrassing; I’m so sorry to bother you.” Yet I took the opportunity to speak encouragement to her, sharing with her that God had rescued me from my past hurts. I assured her I’d pray for her safety. And for God to guide her in the days ahead.

Driving away from there, I followed through with my promise to pray for her. And as always, God spoke to my own heart through this incident. I wouldn’t have known this woman needed help if she hadn’t placed the empty gas can on top of her vehicle. If she’d remained in her vehicle, with her gas can in the back, nobody would’ve known she needed help. The empty gas can was like a white flag flying overhead shouting “I need help!”

When we are desperately hurting and at the end of our rope, we have two options: We can remain isolated from others, letting pride dictate our actions. We can keep our hurts inside and attempt to handle it ourselves. All the while whispering to ourselves, What will people think?

Or we can humbly ask for help. We can speak up and share our heart’s deepest hurts. What does that look like? It means we cry out in desperation to God and say Okay, I’m on empty. I need to be filled up. And then it may mean we call a trusted friend we can confide in. We humbly admit, I’m at my wit’s end and can’t do this alone. Just like the young woman who was stranded, we put out our empty gas can and ask for help.

So where are you,dear friend? Are you running on fumes, almost on empty? Is there an area of your life where you feel stranded and there seems to be no way out? If so, then I urge you to surrender.

Surrender to your pride.
Surrender to God’s grace.
Surrender to a fellow believer who can walk beside you.

It is only when we admit our emptiness that we can truly be filled. Just as I filled the young woman’s car up with gas, the empty places in your heart can be filled.

Filled with truth.
Filled with grace.
Filled with hope.

Or maybe you are filled up and need to be on the lookout for those who are empty. Believe me, if you look around close enough you will see them. They are there. Maybe they won’t be as obvious as an empty gas can on top of a vehicle in clear view, but if you look close enough you will see the signs:

Of desperation.
Of despair.
Of emptiness.

Either way, I encourage you to allow our Heavenly Father to fill you up if you’re on empty. Or to allow Him to use you in order to fill someone else up.

James 4:6 “God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.”

gas can

Blind Faith

Lisa Preuett

Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with my eye upon you”

Just five more minutes and the race would start. Runners all around me were jogging in place to stay warm, setting stopwatches, taking start-line photos with smart phones and stretching one last time. My GPS watch was set. My eyes fixed ahead. Suddenly some runners to my left brushed up against me. I glanced over and noticed a young man with a rope tied to his waist. An older man in front of him tightly held the other end of the rope in his hand. The older man sported a bright-orange vest with the word Guide boldly printed on the back.  It was obvious the young man was blind. And he wasn’t a spectator… He was going to run the race. Wow! I couldn’t believe this man was going to run a half-marathon…..blind. He was completely at the mercy of his guide.

I avoid obstacles when I run. Patches of ice, cracked sidewalks, uneven pathways and scattered debris cause interference if you’re not watching closely. Sometimes other people get in the way as I’m trying to maneuver around them. But I have perfect vision! I can see where the road gets narrow or where an incline is waiting for me to push harder. Can you imagine running any distance blind? You’d have to possess a strong trust in the person guiding you to let them lead you like that.

Oh to have this kind of faith in our journey of life—with God as our guide!  The kind of faith that doesn’t doubt. The kind of faith that trusts completely. The kind of faith that says “Okay God, I can’t see what’s up ahead, but I trust you to lead me through this challenge. So often we’re guilty of untying the rope that connects us to God and decide to do things our own way. Thinking we know better and don’t need His help, we let go of the rope. Then we wonder later how we got off track and why we crashed and burned from something we didn’t see before. Why do we doubt? Why don’t we trust?

The blind runner wasn’t anxious. His beaming smile spoke volumes. Maybe he felt secure because he was firmly attached to his guide. The psalmist in today’s verse confidently states that God’s watchful eye is on us as He guides us.  Perhaps that’s the key to our security in God: to be firmly attached to Him. That means we fix our eyes on Him. We seek Him whole heartedly. We stay as close to Him as we can possibly get. If we truly do this, maybe we won’t be anxious. Then we can display a beaming smile for all around us to see. And when people are attracted to our joyous countenance, we can point them to our awesome guide.

Wherever you are, I encourage you to hold tightly to God. Whatever your struggle, He will show you the next step. Stay close to Him because He knows what’s up ahead. It might not be easy, but He promises to be with you every step of the way.

READY?  Is your rope tied tightly to your heavenly guide? Or is it starting to lose its grip? Do you trust God to help you navigate the unknown road up ahead? Can you identify times when you’ve let go of the rope? What were the consequences of letting go? Keep your rope tightly tied and stay close to your savior.

GET SET.  Psalm 25:4-6 “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

GO!  Lord God, I come before you and ask you to secure my rope tightly to your side. Help me keep it firmly tied and not be tempted to loosen its grip. I confess the times I’ve chosen to go my own way. Forgive my unbelief! Help me trust you when I can’t see what’s up ahead. Help me to rest securely in the fact that you are in control and you know what’s best for me. Thank you for directing my steps. Thank you for the hope you’ve promised. Amen

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Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett

http://www.reststopforthesoul.com

Under Construction

Lisa Preuett

Ever been driving  steadily down the road while on a tight schedule? You have just enough time to get to where you’re going. And then you see it in the distance. No! It can’t be! Especially not now! We’re on vacation! Yep, there it is in plain sight. Traffic slows down and then comes to a harsh stop. You peer through your squinted eyes and see it as big as day…a huge bright orange sign, taunting you:

CONSTRUCTION AHEAD

Really? Why does this happen every time we’re traveling on a long road trip?

This is fresh in my mind because it happened just recently. We anticipated how close we were to our house…less than 45 minutes. Soon we’d be pulling in our driveway, our pets would welcome us home, and we’d crash into our own comfy beds. But no! In the distance we could see the cars backed up on the freeway. They weren’t even inching along. They were at a dead stop.

Now this is when the complaining started. See if any of these comments sound familiar to you:

Why in the world would they schedule construction work so late? It’s almost midnight!

Didn’t they know everyone would be coming back from spring break vacation?

How long is this gonna take?

Check the GPS for an alternate route…I can’t just sit here like this. (That one would be my husband speaking)

What a mess!

There’s not even a place to stop and go to the bathroom or get a snack!

We may never play the role of a construction worker, but as Christ followers we are constantly under God’s construction. From the time we commit our lives to Christ, we are essentially saying to Him, “I surrender my life to you. Have your way with me. Sanctify me and make me more like you.”

When road construction is going on, there are three things that always result.

Delays.

A huge mess.

Complaints about the inconvenience.

If we expect to be under God’s construction, then why are we surprised when things don’t go our way? Why are we upset when our predictable routine is suddenly shaken? Why do we complain when we have asked Him to help us with certain areas of our lives? Maybe you pray to be a more patient parent, yet when God gives you opportunities to practice this, you resist and express frustration because it’s causing too much delay. You pray for God to help you through a conflict with a loved one, but it just isn’t happening quick enough.

And what about the mess? When we drove past the construction site I noticed bull dozers, jack hammers, and debris strewn all over the place. It almost looked like a bomb had exploded smack in the middle of it all!

Sometimes certain areas of our lives have to get “messed up” before God can reconstruct it for something good. We ask Him to shine the spotlight of the Holy Spirit on our hearts and reveal any hidden sin. He shows us something in the light and the first thing we say is “Yuck!” But He can’t renovate and renew that area unless we are willing to humbly expose our sin, as messy as it looks.

As creatures of comfort and convenience, we are experts at complaining.

Why now?

This isn’t the way I thought God was going to answer that prayer.

 

I don’t want to come out of my comfort zone!

The reality is that God often takes us out of our comfort zones and plunges us into a construction zone.

We need renovation. We need a complete make-over of our heart.

After road construction is complete, we notice great improvement. A two-lane road has emerged into a four-lane road. A dangerous, bumpy exit off the interstate is now safely smoothed out. A much-needed traffic light has replaced an ineffective four-way stop where multiple accidents had occurred.

And it’s the same with us as God’s children. After construction has taken place in an area of our lives, we notice what God has done. Where we once had bitterness, it is replaced with forgiveness. Where we once were characterized by criticism, we extend more grace. Where we once clung with both fists to a besetting sin, we now claim victory with hands raised to God.

So the next time you realize God is putting up a construction sign in front of you, don’t resist. Don’t complain. Don’t worry about the mess. With Him in charge of the construction process, you can trust that it will be complete in His timing! We are His workers and He is the master contractor.

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

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Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett