Monthly Archives: April 2012

Ink Pen in the Dryer

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Sharita

You recognize it immediately.  You feel like you have been sucker punched. Your breath gets cut short. You gasp. Your heart leaps into your throat and your stomach drops. There it is…

The aftermath of… an ink pen in the dryer.

What might a laundry fail could be a faith victory... Your choice.

Ok, ok… So maybe I am being just a wee big melodramatic. But seriously, most folks who have done laundry (which I am hoping is a majority of the readers out there) know that feeling.

You open the door and there inside your once-pearly white dryer are smeared-in stains of an ink pen that met its melty fate. And don’t even get me started on the condition of the clothes that were in that load. Sigh.

Oh, and it doesn’t just have to be an ink pen– it could be gum, play-doh, lipstick… Regardless, its a mess. A frustrating mess at that.

As an army wife, I think there is some clause buried deep between our marriage certificate and enlistment papers that says this ink pen in the dryer experience is a right of passage. Army uniforms have A LOT of pockets. When we are in a hurry, sometimes that blessed pen gets overlooked.

The first time this happened to us was during our very first red phase as a drill sergeant here in Georgia. We had been married less than a year and in this state for less than a month. My adjustment to Georgia and the ridiculous absence of my husband/purpose in life was going a little less than smooth. (Can you say stressed out?)

Our washer/dryer set was less than a month old. It was the first set we had ever owned due to apartment living for all of our adult lives. That fateful night, my husband threw in a load of laundry. (Side note: Praise Jesus my husband even DOES his laundry.)

I heard that familiar buzz to signal the end of the dryer cycle and went into the kitchen to switch it out. I opened the dryer and… well, just insert the feelings from the first paragraph here.

I was already emotionally exhausted and that ink pen that had exploded/melted all over his uniform and our beautiful brand new dryer put me over the edge. I was so steamed. Frustrated. Angry. And my beloved was in the living room. Oblivious.

Slam! Stomp, stomp, stomp! <mumble, mumble, mumble>. For the next hour or so, I tried every method I could to remove the ink from the inside of my precious dryer. Ajax, SOS pads, steel wool, lysol, etc… Even hot, angry tears didn’t work.

It took the better part of the evening for me to recover. And forgive my husband. And relinquish my fantasy of a forever-white dryer.

Wouldn’t you know it– I encountered another ink pen in the dryer last week. This time, I was the one who did the laundry. It was first thing in the morning and I went to switch the load between rounding up breakfast and heading to the living room to sit at the feet of Jesus… In peace.

I opened that dryer door, saw the epic fail that was my laundry/dryer, and mumbled some combination of “Frick” and “Crap.” (I think it was Crick? Or Frap?) Suddenly, I stopped. I decided that this would NOT ruin my day, and I was going to turn it over to God.

That’s what I did. I cleaned out the dryer, sorted through the clothes to survey the damage… Then moved on to have Jesus time.

Guess what? My day went really well.

Here’s the thing. We are all gonna have “Ink pen in the dryer” kind of days. You know– The ones where it all seems to fall to pieces, sometimes before we get started. But God cares about our challenges– even if they seem trivial. Like an ink pen in the dryer. If it matters to you… it matters to God.

I had a choice. And so do you. Next time you are faced with an ink pen in the dryer kind of day, pause for just a second and consider what is at stake.

Give it over to God… Because He can wash us clean daily… even those tough stains remaining from an ink pen in the dryer.

Faithfully Inky,
SGK

“You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” 2 Corinthians 3:3 (NIV)

Did you enjoy today’s post? When was the last time you had an “ink pen in the dryer” day? What did you do? I would love to hear all about it. Leave your comments here. :-)

Categories: attitude, calm, Clean, faith, frustration, God, husband, washed | Tags: , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

Comfort from Community (Five Minute Friday)

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Sharita

Good morning, America! (Or should I say “world?” Fun fact: 7 Days Time ministry has grown and we actually have legit and semi-regular readers in other countries. Thanks for that one, Jesus!)

Anywho, today is one of my favorite blogging days of the week. That’s right– it’s Five Minute Friday. Top three reasons why its my fav?

  1. Less pressure to get it right (or at least “perfect”)
  2. It is a great conditioning tool and change of pace from normal posts (AKA: I write for 5 minutes flat… and don’t have to come up with a topic of my own)
  3. It’s on Friday. So what’s not to love??

Every week, I link up with The Gypsy Mama… She gives us a prompt, then we go to town with our writing. Today’s prompt: “COMMUNITY.” 

Annndddd GO!

It can be found in person. It can be found online. Sometimes it shows up out of no where. Other times you gotta be more intentional.

Community is a beautiful thing.

As an army wife, finding community right where we are sometimes requires a bit of… uh…. creativity. And a lot of help from Jesus. Fortunately… He never fails us in that department.

Already in our marriage, my beloved and I have experienced a lot of challenges– not necessarily with marriage, but just life in general. Separations by duty, crazy hours, moving, life purpose limbo, miscarriage… The list continues.

But every time we have walked through something less than awesome, Jesus has been with us… as have other people in our community.

You know God is creative when He brings you to a community where we can dress like this... :-) Rocking the 80's!

We find the greatest comfort from our community within the body of Christ. What  a blessing those folks are to me! Also, I find incredible community online. You wouldn’t believe (Ok maybe you would) the kind of cheerleaders and supporters that have helped me walk through some of these challenges that were strictly from an online/blogging/commenting connection.

God is mighty and powerful. He is also INCREDIBLY creative. He brings community right where we are through a variety of avenues. We simply have to have our eyes open and be willing to rejoice in that blessed comfort of our community– regardless of how it comes into our lives.

STOP

Man, that never gets old! Such a fast-writing adrenaline rush. I feel like I should write a few more paragraphs to cool down.

But I won’t. (That’s the great thing about Fridays… One and done, baby. No overthinking. Love it.)

So as I sign off, I am curious– where do YOU find community? Do you have to seek it out or does it seem to fall in your lap? I would love to hear your Jesus community strategy– leave a comment here. 

Ok, my dear readers… Have a B-E-A-U-Tiful weekend. Oh… and thanks for being such an incredible, loving and supporting community for this crazy lil Jesus writer.

You rock my world (and so does Jesus),
SGK

“You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.” –James 3:18 (MSG) 

Categories: 1980's, community, companionship, encouragement, Five Minute Friday, joy, Love | Tags: , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Helping Hands & Burgers for Babies (Factor of 7)

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Sharita

Did everyone see the awesome article in The Bayonet yesterday documenting our latest “Factor of 7: Latte Love?” If you read it and were inspired, I have some GREAT news for you… You can share the love of Jesus RIGHT NOW!

Mandy Gramkow is a friend of mine from college, a fellow blogger, a wife, a mama to two precious little ones and a daughter of Christ.  She ran across 7 Days time and realized that she was actually in the middle of her own Factor of 7. Team Gramkow’s journey of faith will simply blow you away, so please check out her message below to answer her call of sharing the love of Christ!

****

Our miracle preemie, Beckett was born at 2 lbs. 2.6 oz. at 25 weeks gestation. During our a 88 day NICU stay, we walked alongside so many parents who were in need of support of this difficult journey. Beckett’s neonatologist, Dr.Grubbs, and his wife Lisa founded NICU Helping Hands here in Fort Worth, Texas. Team Gramkow believes in their mission to helping families who endure a NICU journey.

Our Beckett turned SEVEN months on Monday….So in honor of Beckett’s SEVEN month birthday, we would love to have SEVEN people pledge to donate TODAY to our fundraising efforts for NICU Helping Hands. We only have SEVEN DAYS to reach our goal of $2,500 to get a table at Burgers for Babies! The Burgers for Babies event is here in Fort Worth on May 10! May 1st is the deadline for us to receive donations. 

We are so appreciative of any support you can lend to this cause. God’s blessings to you! 

Love,
Team Gramkow (Ben, Mandy, Ellie and Beckett) 

(See Beckett’s 7-month birthday challenge blog post  for complete information and how to make your donation today!!)

Ellie and Beckett... Celebrating God's faithfulness! High Five!

*****

Wow, folks. That is powerful stuff, huh? I personally have been following Team Gramkow’s journey ever since Ellie was also born prematurely at 28 weeks in 2008. They are such a powerful testimony to God’s love and faithfulness! As of this writing, Team Gramkow has received donations totaling $1300. Pray about this opportunity to share the love of Christ. And if you feel so led, then pay it forward by making a love offering to this wonderful mission. Don’t delay– we only have 5 days left to help them out!

If this story has touched your heart, don’t hesitate to show the love via leaving a comment here or making a donation. Every little bit counts. Remember that you will be part of Helping Hands, Burgers for Babies AND multiplying HIS love by much more than a Factor of 7!!

Little babies and great love,
SGK

“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”–Matthew 19:14

PS: HUGE congrats to our Latte Love winner Tina (Aka GoldenPrayerBear) over at Pot of Manna!!! You have won a Starbucks gift card! (I will be in touch with you asap to get info) Thanks to all of you who shared the love of our ministry and left encouraging comments… Keep ‘em coming :-)

Categories: baby, blessing, challenge, Christ, Factor of 7, faith, Family, generosity, God, Love | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

A Latte Love from Fort Benning Bayonet

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Sharita

It’s the big day, folks! The story about our latest “Factor of 7″ (Latte Love) where we bought $107 worth of coffee for unsuspecting customers at Starbucks has appeared in the Fort Benning Bayonet. This is truly a blessing from God. AMERICA!

Check out the awesome write up here.  (I am excited, can you tell?)

Also, a huge thanks to Cheryl Lynn Rodewig for meeting us at Starbucks to document the story.

Please be in prayer for God to move in the hearts and lives of all who read this story. Remember, words without action are essentially dead.

And on one more awesome note… don’t be shy about sharing this story with your friends/family etc… And if you do, please comment here for your last chance to win your own Latte Love in the form of a Starbucks Gift card. The contest ends at 9pm (EST) TONIGHT!!

Loving our Jesus Caffeine,
SGK

“The Message is as true among you today as when you first heard it. It doesn’t diminish or weaken over time. It’s the same all over the world. The Message bears fruit and gets larger and stronger, just as it has in you.” –Colossians 1:5-6 (MSG) 

Categories: accomplishment, America, army, blessing, Factor of 7, faith, freedom, Love, mission, servant evangelism | Tags: , , , , , , , | 31 Comments

To All His Good and Faithful Servants

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Sharita

God's love and affirmation can come in my forms...

God speaks to us in many ways… Sometimes it is through Scripture. Occasionally through song. Or another person.

And sometimes, He just straight up talks to us. However– we have to be willing to listen.

Today’s post isn’t eloquent or hilarious or exceptionally creative. It is a loving word I received from Him during the last few moments of my sabbatical in Pine Mountain this past weekend.

The following are words that He wanted me to hear– but as I prayed over them, He wanted me to share His heart with you as well.

So this post is for all you who are doing His work, whether that is praying, blogging, living a Christian life in a secular world, ministry, raising a family in Christ, you name it. If you have been called to live a Christ-like life, then this message is from God FOR you…. To All His Good and Faithful Servants.

“Place Me first and foremost in all areas of your day. I promise I will give you the energy and strength to accomplish what I have planned for you. Rely on Me to do the hard work– your trust in Me is the ultimate remedy to avoid exhaustion, frustration and burn-out.

I love you for who are, NOT for what you do. Your love and obedience is all I ask of you. Receive My gifts of power and truth that I am giving to you. I will strengthen you for the journey ahead, My beloved and mighty warrior. 

Remember that a ‘successful day’ is NOT determined by what you cross off your to do list, but rather how much you keep in touch with Me. It’s not what you do, it’s ultimately about how you glorify Me. Your personal plans of earthly things to do will never be completely accomplished. But that’s ok, because it is My purpose for you that truly matters. The more you are in tune with Me, the more opportunities I will give you to bring Me glory. In turn, I will fill you up from the inside out, overflowing with love and motivation. 

Get plenty of rest by spending time in my presence. Remember that people are a priority, not things. Keep your eyes open for how I am moving  and when you can love on someone. 

You are doing a great job, My Beloved One. I adore how you yearn to please and worship Me. Just remember that this is a learning process and I am the Ultimate Teacher. Any mistakes you make along the way are fully covered by My Grace. Keep running towards Me, My Good and Faithful Servant!”

I don’t know about you… but I am going to hold this precious message very close to my heart. My prayer is that this message from Our Father has spoke to you– empowered and encouraged you wherever He has called you. Keep pressing forward, my friends. I believe in you… and more importantly, so does God. After all, Beloved, He calls you His Good and Faithful Servant.

Pressing Onward for His Glory,
SGK

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” –Matthew 25:23

PS: Don’t forget! “A Latte Love” contest to win a Starbucks gift card is still going on until the article runs in the Bayonet this week. If this post (or any others) has moved you in any way, I would love for you to share with your friends and leave a comment here!

Categories: accomplishment, affirmation, cheerleader, glory, God, grace, obedience, plans | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Sabbatical brought to you by: Generosity and Grace

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Sharita

Many of us have dreams of where we would like to visit or vacation. Perhaps the beach. Maybe the mountains. Or it could be somewhere ritzy.

For me… I just wanted… AWAY.

God called me to come away with Him this weekend. I had some incredible time alone, by myself, just Jesus and I in Pine Mountain, Georgia. He recharged my heart, mind and soul for doing His work. I could talk about the words He spoke to me for about a month’s worth of blog posts. But I will spare you all of the major details… For now. ;-) (Don’t worry– Thanks to this weekend, I’ve got plenty of new Jesus revelations to share AMERICA! )

But for this current moment, know that my sabbatical weekend was filled with generosity and grace.

At the risk of sounding like an award acceptance speech, this weekend wouldn’t have been possible without the following folks’ generosity:

  • Thank you to my dear friend Lauren for covering my duties at church on Sunday
  • Thank you to my  friend/boss/mentor Kelli for praying for me and encouraging me to be obedient to “Come away”
  • Thank you to my darling husband who provided the finances and encouragement to have my own “retreat” while he attended our church’s mens retreat.
  • Thank you to Debby and the Homestead Log Cabins family for being so generous and making this weekend financially feasible.

How I got hooked up with Homestead Log Cabins is a long (awesome) Jesus generosity story, but I will give you the semi-abbreviated version: As of last Thursday afternoon, I still hadn’t found anywhere to “go away” for the weekend. I knew I needed to be in nature since it is where I am closest to God, but I also knew He wanted me to rest. (Which is why sleeping in a tent wasn’t legit. It’s a TON of work to do by yourself. And a lot of planning.) I was getting desperate because no where I called had availability or was even remotely affordable for a woman (that would be me) working for Jesus dollars.

God laid Homestead Log Cabins on my heart earlier in the week as I had called them a few weeks ago when my cousin was down… but I knew it still cost dinero. But I was getting desperate. I pleaded with God during CRAVE on Thursday that if He really wanted me to come away for the weekend, He was going to have to make a way.

So at the nudging of God, I called Homestead Log Cabins. I talked to Debby and pretty much word vomited what I needed for the weekend. It wasn’t a vacation. It wasn’t a romantic getaway (although it was awesome to be with the Ultimate Lover of my Soul.) I simply needed a roof. And a bed. Out of town. AWAY.

After some quick negotiation with the manager, she gave me an incredibly generous deal for the weekend. I almost cried.

It was a sweet little three bedroom chalet on the lake. She said that she firmly believe that all of their reservations “Come through God.”

Isn't Jesus gorgeous??

Oh. Did I mention this adorable weekend home was owned by a preacher? Talk about divine intervention.

So long story still long, my weekend with Jesus was incredible. I left my laptop and iPad at home… and just sat at His feet. Thank you to Homestead Log Cabins for their incredible generosity (don’t be shy about booking them for your next Georgia getaway!) And thank you Jesus for a weekend full of grace.

Refreshed and Ready,
SGK

“My lover spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me.” Song of Solomon 2:10

PS: Don’t forget! “A Latte Love” contest to win a Starbucks gift card is still going on until the article runs in the Bayonet this week. Be sure to share this post with your friends and leave a comment here!

Categories: adventure, attitude, clarity, faith, God, hope, Love, relax, rest, retreat | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

A Latte Love (Factor of 7)

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Sharita

Yesterday at 5:45am, my phone alarm went off. But unlike other days as of late, I had NO problem bounding out of bed.

It was time for third month of Factor of 7. I was so excited about it, I woke up three times throughout the night to make sure I hadn’t overslept for our Jesus adventure.

As I write this, I can’t tell if my excited jitters are from the skinny caramel macchiato I had or the remnants of our Starbucks Factor of 7. (Talk about some legit Jesus Caffeine!)

So yes, yesterday my beloved and I found ourselves at McGraw housing complex Starbuck’s here on a Fort Benning. At 7:00am. Ready to bless some folks with free coffee. $107 of free coffee, to be exact.

And as it has proven the last two months… It. Was. Awesome. Jesus was there– and blessed us immensely.

My beloved approached the cash register and ordered our personal drinks. (Perk of Factor of 7 experience: We get an excuse to treat ourselves to coffee/yogurt etc.) He asked the cashier/barista to break a $20 bill. (We needed a couple smaller bills to get our exact cash amount.) Needless to say, the cashier/barista looked a smidgen annoyed at our request.

But in less than thirty seconds, that all changed.

Brandon handed me the $5 bill I needed, then I stepped up to the register and told Shauna that we were going to pay for the next $107 worth of coffee that came through the line.

Her expression was PRICELESS. Her jaw dropped, eyes got big and she gasped…. “WHHAAAA… ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?!”

The entire atmosphere of that little coffee shop changed quicker than you could say “double shot espresso.” For the next 45 minutes or so, Brandon and I stood at the pick-up counter, notebook and business cards in hand, watching peoples’ reactions and asking how we could pray for them.

That's us on the right. Sharing some Latte Love

In total, we were able to buy coffee/breakfast for 22 people. One of our bless-ees is having a baby in June. Another is deploying to Germany. Several families were preparing to watch their son/brother graduate from Basic Training today and tomorrow. (Fun conversations ensued when I told them that the handsome man behind me was a drill sergeant. Fortunately they weren’t in his battalion, so my beloved wasn’t one of the drills who probably made their son cry ;-) )

When I asked one lady how we could pray for her, she leaned in close to me, eyes misty and whispered gently, “I am a cancer survivor.” I very loudly (and enthusiastically) blurted out “WELL, PRAISE THE LORD!!” I’m sure the other customers were intrigued.

It was a fantastic way to spend part of our morning. Oh… And did we mention that a reporter from The Bayonet (the local Fort Benning newspaper) was there? She is going to run a story on our ministry in next week’s paper. (Thanks for that one, Jesus!)

Today we encourage you to share the love of Christ around you. Get creative. Pop over to the Factor of 7 page for ideas. You never know who you will bless… and how YOU will be blessed in return.

Oh, one more thing… To celebrate this successful event, we are doing a GIVEAWAY!!!  We are sharing a little more Latte Love with a chance for you to win a Starbuck’s gift card!

The contest starts today and will continue until the story runs next week in The Bayonet. (Approximately one week.) To enter, share this post (and/or future/past posts) with folks you know via Facebook, email, Twitter, etc. And then leave a comment here to give your reaction and how you shared.

The more you share/comment, the more times you can enter to win some of your own Latte Love!

We are so thankful that we have been called to serve in this way… More than 22 different kinds of drinks were purchased on Wednesday at McGraw Starbucks from frappuccinos to white chocolate mochas… But every single one of them was made with little Jesus Latte Love!

Caffeinated with Christ,
SGK

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
–John 13:34

Categories: army, blessing, Drill Sergeant, evangelism, excited, Factor of 7, generosity, giveaway, God, husband, Love | Tags: , , , , , , , | 36 Comments

Because Jesus Told Me To

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Sharita

People think I am crazy. Hey, sometimes I think I am crazy too. (We have covered this thought in several posts prior to this one.) But sometimes a little crazy is a good thing.

Last week during my quiet time, God led me to the Message version of Philippians 3:13-14. I literally laughed out loud because it reminded me of this ministry.

“I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.”

That should be my mission statement for 7 Days Time ministry. I am making it up as I go, listening to the Lord, taking it one slightly crazy step at a time.

Yesterday at staff meeting, we watched part of a message from Pastor Steven Furtick. That dude is legit. And motivational. Hence the ra-ra-shish-koom-ba-ness of this post.

It is already finished.

Here’s the overall gist of Pastor Furtick’s message: Stepping out and loving the Lord in your daily life can be a little scary. But remember: You don’t have to have the courage to see it finished. You just need the faith to get it started. God already has it all planned out. The mission was finished when Christ hung on that cross the rose three days later. We are just the blessed tools that God has chosen to use to spread that love throughout the world.

Pastor Furtick reminded us in that video that if people don’t laugh at our vision, then we are not dreaming big enough.

So the good news: I’ve been laughed at. Kind of a lot.

Laughed at and questioned. And when folks question me, this is usually how it goes:

WHY do you have a masters degree if you are just going to work at a church for free? Because Jesus told me to. 

WHY do you go to the trouble of blogging every single day? Because Jesus told me to.

WHY do you take $107 each month and do something kind for people you will probably never see again? Because Jesus told me to.

WHY… WHY….WHY…..?!?!?

Because Jesus told me to.

Is God calling you to something? Remember that it doesn’t have to be significant or “profound.” Even the most insignificant task is incredibly important if it is done to glorify the Most Significant One who ever existed.

Tell your naysayers to stick THAT in their pipe and smoke it.

So WHATEVER God is calling you to… Do it. Don’t hesitate. Don’t question it. Just do it. Keep your eyes on the goal. Live a life of obedience. Work as if it is already completed. Because it is!

And when people ask you WHY you are doing something a little bit crazy? Bat your eyes, crack as sweet smile and say “Because Jesus told me to.”

Nodding and smiling towards the heavens,

SGK

“Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you…” –Romans 16:19

What is God calling you to do? I would love to hear about it! Please leave a comment here. 

Categories: Courage, faith, glory, God, Jesus, obedience | Tags: , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Clarity in the Chaos

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Sharita

Today I have a little brain teaser for you… What does this mean to you?

DLEKMTRUSTIPWETRTIINWIGNXTHESLEQP
PDRELORDADVCWITHOIWTHIALLSLGMDIW
CYOUR XSAQLKHEARTCRETWMEAMENLSGF

Is it just a random jumble of letters to you? Or were you able to break it down and see something hidden in the chaos? Not sure? Look again…

DLEKMTRUSTIPWETRTIINWIGNXTHESLEQP
PDRELORDADVCWITHOIWTHIALLSLGMDIW
CYOUR XSAQLKHEARTCRETWMEAMENLSGF

Cool, huh? It’s amazing what we can see when we take a few moments to slow down and look closer at something that initially looks a little bit chaotic. (It kind of looks like I just punched the keyboard.)  This isn’t just true for randomly created puzzles for a blog… It also holds true to God’s plan for our lives.

Life can be CUH-RAZY. Sometimes it seems like plans change every 14 seconds. It is hard to keep up, let alone embrace and thrive in the midst of it. We can easily become confused or overwhelmed if we try to deal with all of our issues/challenges/questions all at once.

But here’s the best part: God has already got it figured out. He breaks it down and feeds it to us in little chunks. Sure, sometimes it feels as if we are going to choke on those chunks. And I know it is cliche– but God really isn’t going to give us more than we can handle.

Anyone else out there ever beg God to show you the “whole picture?” I know I do. Especially in the midst of tragedy or trial. “God, why oh why am I faced with this?!? Tell me what the purpose is!!” As much as I think I want to see the big picture, I believe there is a very legitimate reason as to why God doesn’t give us the whole big picture of our life mission at once.

If He did, we would like to think that we would say “Ok, that make sense, Father. Thanks for that. I appreciate the clarification. It’s cool. Do yo thang.” But if we are being perfectly honest with ourselves, I can’t help but wonder if we wouldn’t be overwhelmed with the huge things that would eventually be facing us.

I would probably feel the same way you did when looking at that “brainteaser” above. I personally might be inclined to panic. Or be confused.  My eyes would swim. A headache would approach. I’m a human. I would probably still want to doubt God’s plan. Or at least negotiate.

Sometimes it feels like life is one big puzzle.

I don’t know what you are facing right now in your life. I would be willing to guess that things aren’t always hunky-dory perfect. Maybe things seem overwhelming… confusing… scary… uncertain… or just straight up give you a headache.

But there’s great news. God is the ultimate problem solver. He is going to take a the jumbled up word puzzle that is our life and show us the answers. It might take awhile. But eventually, God will reveal His plan for our life, whether on this side of heaven or the next.

What things seems chaotic in your life right now? Share your story by commenting below– I would love to pray for you! And  remember that you can trust God with all your heart… and He will ALWAYS bring clarity in the chaos… no matter how long it takes.

From clueless to clarified,
SGK

“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.” –Proverbs 3:5-6 (MSG)

Categories: chaos, clarity, confusion, God, puzzle | Tags: , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

To Do List Don’t

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Sharita

Once upon a time, someone started some ridiculous rumor that Monday’s should be productive.

If I figure out who that was… I will CUT them. (Just kidding. I have been reminiscing with some college friends lately– specifically regarding the Bon Qui Qui  skit from Mad TV.)

But seriously. If I find out who decided that Monday and productive are supposed to go together, we are gonna have words. Productive Monday is an oxymoron if I ever heard one.

Before you think I am pulling a Garfield the Cat move and just going to spend today grumbling about Mondays, hold up. For me, Mondays ARE <sometimes> productive… and a fantastic time for me to get ahold of my TO DO list as I prepare to tackle the week.

I know, I know… I have blogged about list-making before. I am “that girl” who, if I am in the midst of a busy day and accomplish something that wasn’t on my to do list, I will write it down… then mark it off.

Pathetic, I know. But it’s a motivation thing. Take what you can get, right?

My current To Do list method is using Wunderlist. It is a free app for my iPad and syncs with my laptop. (Side note: My Wunderlist crashed on my iPad last week, and I am super proud of myself that I didn’t have a meltdown… mainly because the tasks were synced/saved on my computer.)

Have I mentioned... I love my to do list.

I love my to do list. Let me rephrase that. I love accomplishing my to do list. However, a few days ago, God revealed to me a TO DO LIST DONT…

We can’t get so wrapped up on our “stuff” to do that our list becomes an idol, dictating and directing our day. That is God’s job. Sure, God wants us to accomplish things for His glory (I actually have a list called “Serving the Lord”) but with each task entry and accomplishment, we must keep our eyes focused on Him.

It can be really easy to get sucked into the near idolatry of a to do list. If we think about things we need to do more than our precious time with Christ, we are placing our tasks above Him. This happens if I look at my list before I have my quiet time with Him in the morning. My brain is off and running– good luck redirecting it back to the Father. Yikes.

The other thing that can easily happen is that we schedule our day around our list so tightly that we leave little if any room for God to move… Honestly, I don’t have a lot of blank spots in my calendar. HOWEVER– I am always on the lookout for experiences God has placed in my path along the way. Perhaps it is doing something kind for someone. Or bailing out a friend. Or spending a little extra time with Him.

If our eyes are locked on our list, we risk ignoring the movement and love of God.

So on this GLORIOUS Monday (this is the day the Lord has made, after all) let’s feel free to be productive and lay the smack down on our to do lists. But let’s also keep our eyes on Christ. If we do, we will avoid the To Do List Don’t.

Checking it off for Christ,
SGK

“Do what your king commands; you gave a sacred oath of obedience. Don’t worryingly second-guess your orders or try to back out when the task is unpleasant. You’re serving his pleasure, not yours.” Ecclesiastes 8:2-3 (MSG) 

Do you have a TO DO list? What does it look like? It is paper or digital? How do you stay focused on Christ? I would love to interact. Comment here.

Categories: accomplishment, busyness, Christ, idol, list, obedience | Tags: , , , , | 6 Comments

Blog at WordPress.com. Theme: Adventure Journal by Contexture International.

%d bloggers like this: