Category: trusting God

God’s Timing is Not Ours!

Lisa Preuett

Proverbs 16:9 “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”

The day had finally arrived. Surrounded by thousands of runners, I inched my way to the start line. Excitement and adrenaline pumping through my body, I came face-to-face with my first full marathon.

Don’t focus on your time.    Don’t focus on your pace.     Just finish the race.

These words rang out loud in my mind. After a minor setback with a strained muscle, I accepted the fact that my goal was to finish the race. Period. I found my unique rhythm: Run for five minutes. Walk for one minute. After several miles I found myself lingering at the numbers on my watch.

Once I’d reached the thirteen mile marker I felt a huge relief. I’m half way there!

Then I made the mistake of looking too intently at my watch again. I began calculating. Okay, it’s taken me 2 and a half hours to run half a marathon. (which is about average for me!) So I should be able to finish this thing in about 5 hours if I double that. Okay…I’ll even add an extra 30 minutes since I’ll probably go a bit slower at the end.

So in that moment I realistically figured I’d be done by 5 and a half hours for sure. Seemed like a logical expectation, right? But that was my first mistake…..I set up an expectation for something that was unknown.

I plugged along through the next seven miles without any problems. Excitement flowed through every fiber of my body as I approached mile marker 20. This was a turning point. The most I’d run during training was 20. Once I got past 20 miles I’d be venturing into unknown territory. Would my body be able to continue past this point?

Yes! I breathed a sigh of relief passing mile 21. But then I looked at my watch again. Okay…I’m taking a little bit longer according to my earlier calculations, but because I added that 30 minute buffer in there, I may still finish by 5 and a half hours.

Passing mile 22, I felt my left quad muscle shake. I slowed down. Then my right quad muscle did the same. My legs felt like jello.

At this point reality sunk in. If I wanted to complete the race, I had to let go of my expectation of finishing by a certain time. Changing my pace altogether, I started walking slowly. After half a mile, I attempted to run…slowly. My quads wobbled just after a minute!  So this was my new pace. Run one minute. Walk for five. Letting go of my expectations, I stopped focusing on my watch. God reminded me of my original goal. To finish a full marathon.

Turning the final corner, I inched my way across the finish line. It wasn’t in the time I expected. (almost 6 hours!) It didn’t matter what my watch said. It didn’t matter what I’d calculated at the half way mark. I had finished the race!

How often do we make plans according to our own human calculations? How often do we think life will go a certain way based upon what we’ve already experienced? Maybe we think we’ll reach a specific goal in a short time but then we realize it’s taking much longer. Or we expect God to resolve our conflict by a certain date.

He answered my previous prayer in less than a month, surely He’ll answer this one in the same way.

Maybe it took three months. Maybe it took a year. Or perhaps you’re still waiting.

We set ourselves up for disappointment when we expect things to happen in our timing. In our way. Peace would flow more freely in our lives if we trusted God’s timing more often. It’s hard! God’s ways are better than our ways. His timing is perfect. He is never late. Nothing takes Him by surprise. He is ultimately in control of everything.

Wherever you are in your race of life, I encourage you to trust His timing. Trust His ways. One step at a time.

READY? When in your life has an answered prayer come later than you expected? Where in your life are you struggling to trust God’s timing right now? Ask God to show you where you are attempting to take control and trust him to intervene in his timing.

GET SET. Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways,” declares the Lord.

GO!  Dear Lord, I confess how I so often want things to go according to my own plans. I lose focus of who you really are and think I’m in control. Forgive me for attempting to make things happen in my timing. Help me to trust your timing and to rest in the truth of who you are. Amen

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Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett

 

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

Are You Drifting Away?

Lisa Preuett

Last week my family experienced the blessing of soaking up the sun on a Bahamas cruise. Four wonderful days of relaxation, refreshment and rejuvenation! No “to-do” list. No preparing meals or cleaning up after anyone. Those things alone are enough to excite anyone who is constantly on the go.

One of many highlights of the trip was a stop at Great Stirrup Cay. The beautiful beach was lined with lounge chairs waiting for us to claim our spot for the day. I could have stayed there all day long in that same lounge chair without a care in the world. But at one point we noticed people floating around on huge blue rafts… large enough for three or four people to enjoy.

My daughter squealed with delight after she talked her grandmother into renting one of these cool rafts.

“This is going to be so much fun!” she exclaimed loudly.

Everyone else out there looks so relaxed. How appealing to just lay out in the clear blue water under the bright sun. Small waves barely splashing against the raft. It will be refreshing to lay there and do nothing.

It took all three of us to push the huge raft out into the water. We experienced some difficulty getting positioned just right on the raft, but finally, we were all set. For a little while we were enthralled with the beauty of the water.

“Look how clear it is!”

The cool water felt so refreshing on my sand covered feet. Then we saw our cruise ship in the distance. We talked about what we’d have for dinner later that night and all the fun activities that awaited us. My daughter searched for fish along the side of the raft. She told us about the colorful fish she’d seen earlier when she’d gone snorkeling with her daddy. We were all caught up in our conversation. We were relishing the moment. Time seemed to stand still.

But then all of a sudden my daughter screamed frantically “Oh no! Look how close to those rocks we are! We’re going to crash right in to them!” 

Rocks? I didn’t notice any rocks earlier when we started this pleasant journey!!

I turned my head towards the direction she was pointing at and sure enough…there were huge rocks just yards away from us. How did we get out here so far? I thought we were just twenty yards or so from the shore. But now we were WAY far away from where we started.

After the shock of realizing how far out we’d drifted, we all had to start paddling like crazy to get the raft turned around. My mom jumped into rescue mode and was brave enough to get out and start pushing her side of the raft away from the rocks! My feet became the “motor” of the raft as I kicked furiously from the back. My daughter paddled like crazy with all her might on the other side of the raft.

Little by little we moved away from the rocks. It was harder to get back because we were going against the current of the water. With all the energy we exerted, it sure felt like we were getting nowhere at first. Finally…we made it back to the shore. Exhausted.

What started out as pleasure turned into panic.

What started out as rest turned into a race.

Our plans to doze in delight came to an end because… WE DRIFTED AWAY!

Do you sometimes find yourself floating around aimlessly without direction? Do you start off down an intentional path only to realize later you are nowhere near where you wanted to be? Do you wake up in a startling panic and see that you’ve drifted away?

We’ve all experienced this! The scary thing about it is that it happens ever so slowly. Gradually. One innocent ripple at a time. And then before you know it, you’re way off track headed for jagged rocks.

What causes us to drift? What causes us to go from the safety of the shore to the jagged rocks?

We were so focused on having fun that we didn’t even notice how far away we’d gotten. We were so wrapped up in our conversation we didn’t see the approaching rocks. We were caught up in the awaiting pleasures of the cruise boat we failed to be aware of where we were.

Pleasures of this life can cause us to drift if we aren’t careful. Even blessings directly from God can cause us to drift if we forget where those blessings come from.

Laziness and passivity are often culprits causing us to drift. I am often guilty of sacrificing quietness with God for something I think is more important. Choosing comfort instead of commitment is frequently a challenge for me.

So what can we do in our journey of faith to keep from drifting? What should our focus be on?

We must be intentional in seeking God daily.

Time in His word.

Time on our knees in prayer.

Time to be still in His presence.

Time to pull away from the distractions of the world and refresh ourselves in His spirit.

And we can’t do it alone. No, we must surround ourselves with other believers who help hold us accountable. We must encourage one another. Be vulnerable enough to share our struggles so we can be encouraged by others.

These are the things that keep us focused on Him. And when we do, we won’t drift away. He becomes our anchor to hold us where we need to be.

So where are you dear friend? Are you starting to drift in a specific area of your life? Are you getting too far away from the safety of the shore? Are you close enough to see where you went off course? Or are you getting ready to crash into some rocks?

Wherever you may be, the loving hand of the Father is ready to gently turn you around. Ready to wrap you up in His grace and mercy. Ready to take you from drifting away to delighting in Him.

Hebrews 2:1 “We must pay careful attention to what we have heard so that we do not drift away.”

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We Are All Allergic!

Lisa Preuett

Papa John’s Pizza, pasta, bagels, and Krispy Kreme doughnuts. These are all forbidden items for someone like me! I used to absolutely savor every bite of my favorite foods. Unfortunately a few years ago I was diagnosed with Celiac disease. After the initial shock wore off, I had to accept the fact that I could no longer eat gluten: a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.

Ummm, and so what else does that leave me to eat? Isn’t there a pill I can take to treat this so I can keep eating what I want??

I had to immediately STOP consuming gluten….period! There was no cutting back slowly or working up to it over time. If you didn’t know, Celiac is an autoimmune disease. The body simply can’t break down gluten and if it is consumed, the lining of the small intestine is severely damaged. Once this occurs, your body can’t absorb any nutrients. Failure to stop eating gluten can lead to serious gastrointestinal complications, as well as colon problems and osteoporosis.

So, my dietary lifestyle changed dramatically. I have to read food labels like a detective. There are some items containing hidden gluten that are harder to figure out. Sometimes I’ve had to call a manufacturer to find out for sure if something is gluten free. I have to purchase many items, at a much higher cost, at specialty stores. And what about when I go out to eat? Ha! I always have sympathy for our server since my food allergy forces them to take more time, care and precautions in preparing my food! The one word of advice you’re strongly warned to abide by as a Celiac is this: IF IN DOUBT….DON’T CONSUME IT! For my own health, I MUST take these precautions or face the consequences of physical damage.

What if I took that same intensity of care in my spiritual walk in regards to SIN? What if I pondered my words and actions before I proceeded? What if I called on God in prayer in moments of doubt before giving in to temptation? Would my behavior change if I gave thought to the damage that would occur if I indulged in something sinful?

That critical thought seems so harmless yet if I continue to focus on it and don’t take it to the throne of God….it does damage to my soul.

Is it really that big of a deal to stay angry at someone who’s offended me? If I harbor anger and let it turn to bitterness…..it does damage to my soul.

And what about those secret sins? The ones that nobody knows about? Yes….they too damage my soul.

I am frequently guilty of putting more value on my physical body–something temporary–than on my soul–something eternal.

Sin is not just something temporary that goes away, disappearing after time goes by. If it isn’t confessed and acknowledged before our Heavenly Father then it continues to eat us up inside. We might not feel the effects of it right away, but it is still there ever so gradually tearing us up inside, gnawing at the core of our soul, going deeper and deeper until the effects become noticeable on the outside. Not just noticeable to us, but to those around us.

We are ALL allergic to SIN! There’s no way around it! We can’t just take a pill to treat the symptoms, we have to change our lifestyle by dying to self so the Holy Spirit can live through us victoriously. God offers this to us through FORGIVENESS through Jesus Christ!

So what is it for you dear friend? What sin are you most allergic to? What causes the most grief and pain for you? Are you trying to cover it up in hopes that it will go away? I challenge and encourage you to bring it before the throne of Almighty God! Don’t wait for it to fester and grow out of control. Bring it to Him today.

I Peter 2:11 “Dear Friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.”

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He’s Still There

Lisa Preuett

I have a new appreciation for the sun in light of the frigid and snowy winter we’ve endured thus far. Even a little glimmer of sunlight is enough to get us thinking it’s alright to pull out the flip-flops and dust off our spring clothes. Single digit temperatures have a way of giving a new perspective on the meaning of the word warm. We used to think it had to be at least 65 degrees to be considered warm outside, but now my guess is that if it’s above 50 degrees, it’s a heat wave!

I must confess that as I’m typing this first post, I am sitting in Orlando, Florida outside by a pool. The sun is brightly shining and the heat created by its warmth is overwhelmingly pleasant! (In less than 48 hours however, I’ll be leaving the sunshine and heading back home to cold weather no doubt.)

But you know what? Just because we don’t see the sun as often as we’d like; it’s still there.

And just because we don’t feel it’s warmth on a cold, wintry afternoon; it’s still there.

Even when the clouds temporarily block our view of the sun; it’s still there.

There’s a parallel we can all grasp from this when we think of God’s presence. He is always with his people, no matter what. Sometimes we go through seasons that are long……dark……and extremely cold. During these times it may be hard to see God working. We feel He is nowhere in sight. We feel lonely, lost, hopeless. But He is still there. 

Or maybe you see Him clearly working around you in other people, but you feel His presence has somehow forgotten about you and your situation. He’s answered her prayers, what about mine? My neighbors seem to be so blessed. What about me? But He is still there. 

Just like the clouds block our view of the sun, there are “clouds” of this life that seem to block our view of God. What is it for you? A challenging job situation? Difficult marriage? A savings account disappearing? Kids trying your patience? Don’t let these clouds convince you that God is not there, that He somehow doesn’t know your circumstances. HE IS STILL THERE!

The earth is actually closer to the sun in January. Now don’t ask me to explain the details of the earth’s axis and orbit, but I know this is a fact. Doesn’t make sense, does it? If we are closer to the sun in the dead of winter, then why is it so cold? Again…..don’t ask me to explain the science behind this. Perhaps there is a nugget of truth we can pull from this to parallel our own lives.

Could it be that God in His infinite power, grace and mercy promises to be even closer to us during our dead-of-winter seasons? Maybe it’s during those times that we seek Him out even more because there is no where else to go? Maybe it’s times like these that take us to our knees, crying out to Him in our most desperate moments. And He promises to carry us through those times. He promises to hold us closely to Himself. And just when you think you’ve gotten used to your “dead-of-winter” season……you see a glimmer of the sun. Just a little at first. But then you see it come and wash all over your entire being…….every fiber of your soul soaks it up. But He’s never left your side this whole time. Because HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU! 

So go ahead dear friend, lean in close to Him during your season of winter, no matter how bleak it may look. Just as we know for a fact that spring follows winter, our Father in Heaven is always there for us no matter what we see or feel.

Matthew 28:20 “And behold, I am with you ALWAYS, to the end of the age.”

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Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett