Posts Tagged With: love

Everyday Jesus: Under His Umbrella

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Sharita

Remember my good friend Meghan? Well, she’s back with us again today to share another incredible story of how she encountered Jesus in everyday life. This recount is just as powerful as her last testimony– so I pray that it not only inspires your heart but also motivates you to move in the name of Christ! 

Covered by Christ, 
SGK 

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God has recently impressed on my heart how He is my covering. I’m counted as blessed because I get to take shelter in him. He’s showing me how He longs for me to come under His protection and allow Him to shield me from damaging elements in this world. If I seek shelter in Him, He will guide me to do things that I once feared. Under this protection, He’s also teaching me to step out of my comfort zone.

This is a story about when those two things combine.

umbrella

I recently encountered a woman who was not protected from the elements. She was standing at a bus stop on a busy road, in the pouring rain, with no umbrella, and I could see that her fancy hair-do was slowly melting.

(I’m sorry to say it, but) My first reaction was just the thought, “Man, that really stinks! I bet she put a lot of effort into her hair and make-up this morning and now they’re both getting ruined!” Can you tell I was having a grumpy day?

And my second thought was (slightly better), “Oh, maybe I should pray for her. That would nice.”

I was actually going to drive off just feeling pity for her when God nudged me to look down and notice the (hardly used) umbrella on the floor by my passenger seat.

That’s when God spoke and reminded me, “Dear {Meghan}, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that {you} really have it? For instance, you come upon a {woman on the side of the road} and say, “Good morning, friend! {I’ll pray for you! Hope your hair doesn’t go flat!} Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and {drive} off without providing so much as a coat or a {umbrella} – where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense” (James 2:14-17).

Oh goodness, I was a bit intimidated when I realized that God wanted me to actually pull over and offer it to her! It’s not that I treasured the umbrella or anything, but I was intimidated to actually have contact with her and act on my faith. What if she rejected me? What if she thought I was some creep-o?

But could I let myself be guilty of trying to talk the talk without walking the walk? What good would my prayers for her be if she was still getting rained on?!

I knew that I had to listen to the nudge and pull over. So I did just that. I pulled over to the side of the road, rolled down my window, and called out to her. It was really inarticulate, but I was able to get her attention and she actually walked over to my car.

So I timidly said, “It’s raining! You look like you could use an umbrella, and I’ve got one that I never use. So… would you like it?”

She looked shocked and at first denied it. But I insisted, and she said, “ Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! For real? I can’t believe it! Thank you!” She was truly flabbergasted, and the light of joy on her face shone through the rainy day haze around us.

All because I gave her a measly umbrella.

But really, I think she was touched because I saw her. I saw her need, and I listened to God long enough to do something about it. I was able to show her that in this crazy busy world, there is someone who cares about her, and yes, even about her hair-do. I made sure to let her know that the “someone” was God.

So what can you do today? How can you put the love into action? Do not be content to sit back and let your faith grow lazy. Will you settle today for merely talking the talk, or are you willing to go out on a limb and walk the walk as well? Trust me, God has powerful things in store if you will trust Him and put your faith into action.

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meghan headshotMeghan Stewart is the Young Adults Director at Christ Community Church in Columbus, Ga. She is a wife, sister, daughter, friend, and devoted follower of Christ. In her spare time, Meghan enjoys health-wise cooking and baking, running, reading, and spending precious time with her husband, Mason, and cat, Jake. She is basking in the joy of her salvation and loving every day that God blesses her with!

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Everyday Jesus: A Comfort Zone Emergency…

Posted on May 27, 2013 by Sharita

I love hanging out/talking to/learning from authentic folks who have eyes (and a heart!) for Christ. My dear friend Meghan is one of those awesome folks– and she sure has a great and powerful story to share with you via today’s edition of Everyday Jesus. Hope you are ready for this, because it sure moved me in more ways than one! 

Moved by His Majestic Love, 
SGK

PS: Be sure to share the love with Meghan by leaving your feedback and comments below.

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Have you noticed that God is never really too concerned with leaving us where we feel comfortable? Nope. He’s just not concerned about that at all.

Throughout the Bible, God is shown stretching His people, calling them out of their places of comfort, calling them to be bold and to walk out into the unknown for His purposes. Our God called Abraham away from his home, asked Moses (a man with a speech impediment) to be a very vocal leader, and had the Israelites wander in the desert for 40 years. He called shepherds to be kings, called men to walk on water, and still calls his followers to trust in Him daily.

I don’t know about you, but I really like to be comfortable. Especially when it comes to sharing my faith. Maybe there’s something in the water, but I’ve noticed that even the boldest Christians will often grow timid when it comes to sharing their faith with strangers.

And God is not satisfied with that. He recently helped me to tackle my fear of getting out of my comfort zone in a place where I least expected Him to show up.

emergency entrance

My husband and I were leaning against the wall in the emergency entrance of a local hospital one late and rainy Georgia night, waiting to pick up two friends who were rushed to the ER after their car accident. Honestly, by that point in the evening, I felt pretty burnt out and tired. I found that the only way to keep my mind from going to negative places (I’m ashamed to admit it, but I was actually trying to not linger on thinking about how few people in the ER had insurance and how much that would cost the government…I know, not nice…) was to zone out completely and turn numb to the many people in pain before me.

All of a sudden, my husband asked me if I was praying for Jesus to come into that place. Um… no, far from it!

I was sadly in a place where I didn’t even feel capable (or worthy) of approaching the throne of grace and getting into a spirit of prayer. But his sweet words convicted me, and, at a loss for words, started to pray, “Jesus…Jesus…Jesus” – there truly is power in His name.

Suddenly, I felt convicted to put my prayer into action. This is NOT the kind of thing that I would normally do. Like I said, I’m often quite timid about approaching strangers and sharing my faith, but God called me to be bold for Him, and then He even revealed exactly who He wanted me to pray with. Not for, but with.

I think that I actually started shaking as I realized that I had to go and actually talk with someone!

I noticed a girl who was writhing in pain in the entrance to the ER. Her mother had come inside to beg the receptionist to let her daughter be seen urgently because she was in much pain, but there was nothing that the receptionist could do. I saw both daughters of Christ, one in excruciating pain, the other burdened with anxiety, fear, and frustration.

Oh God, how many times have I been burdened by the enemy? And how many times have you sent people alongside me to lift me up? In this moment, I realized the human neediness for God’s gracious provision. How could I turn down my role in this?

So I made a choice and let God lead me out of the glass sliding doors towards the two. I simply asked the mother if I could pray with them, and to my surprise she reacted with excitement! I asked the girl her name, but she couldn’t look up into my face. As I sat down next to her and wrapped my arms around her, placing my hand where she was feeling pain her mother and I launched into prayer for her, asking God for His healing presence.

I don’t know that God’s intention was to totally heal the girl physically as much as it was to bring His light and warmth into that place where so many were numb from pain or apathy. After we finished, the girl was able to look up, and she was no longer moaning or writhing in pain. I was able to see her face and affirm her beauty to her. Her mother was so full of thanks and joy after our short time together, and I truly believe that God was able to change the trajectory of her night.

But lo and behold, God changed me in that instance, too. He changed my heart and my thoughts and my will. He allowed me to be sensitive to His voice, to follow His commands, and to be a part of what He’s doing in my city, even if it was on a small-scale. God cares not about the quantity of what we do, but with what quality our heart goes forth where He calls.

Praise and glory to our good Father who is able to heal the sick, cover over a multitude of sins, and redirect an independent soul like me towards His Kingdom’s purposes!

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meghan headshotMeghan Stewart is the Young Adults Director at Christ Community Church in Columbus, Ga. She is a wife, sister, daughter, friend, and devoted follower of Christ. In her spare time, Meghan enjoys health-wise cooking and baking, running, reading, and spending precious time with her husband, Mason, and cat, Jake. She is basking in the joy of her salvation and loving every day that God blesses her with!

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Yep. They are your friends. (Five Minute Friday)

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Sharita

Five Minute Friday
Greetings, folks!

It’s Friday, which ’round these parts can only mean one thing– time for a lil speed writing, heart-sharing Five Minute Friday.

For anyone who might be new, here’s the deal: Each Friday I link up with our favorite gypsy mama, Lisa-Jo Baker. She gives us a prompt, then we write. No over-thinking. We just write.

It’s pretty cool to see what Jesus comes up with sometimes when that timer goes off…  So let’s see what He has in store for us today.

Today’s Prompt: FRIEND

Ready? GO!

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You know ‘em. You love ‘em. You hate to leave ‘em. And the good ones? Yep, sometimes they are hard to find.

They are your friends.

They are there in the joyous moments. They are there to wipe your tears. They hug you, love you, feed you, encourage you. They pray with you. They speak the truth in love when you won’t listen to anyone else. And you do the same for them.

Yep. They are your friends.

They might live on the same block… Or in a different time zone. You might see them every day… Or maybe only once a year. You might know them best for the memories you built together. Or maybe you look forward to the gut-splitting memories that are in the making.

Yep. They are your friends.

No matter where you go, what you do… Your friends are there– in real life, online, on the phone, or in spirit. They come is all shapes, sizes, colors, ages. A rainbow of diversity and love. What a beautiful gift, those friends.

And the one thing that bonds you together more deeply than eating an entire bag of chocolate together and swearing each other to secrecy? Your shared love of Christ.

You see, these friends aren’t just friends for now. But they are friends for a lifetime… And beyond. You keep each other rooted in Him, focused on Him, following Him.

And when you discover the sweet, irreplaceable experience that is having Jesus as your best friend… you discover a connection that will last from here to the other side of eternity.

Yep. THEY are your friends.

STOP!

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What attributes do you look for in a friendship? In what ways do your friends lead you to Christ? How can you encourage them to turn to Him in all circumstances?

As I wrap up, I also want to thank YOU for reading… For supporting this ministry with prayer, encouragement, comments. Some of you I know personally, some are a name on a screen. But either way– if we are all striving to live for Christ with the limited time we have– you, sweet reader, are a friend.

Thanks for that. :-)

What a friend we have in Jesus,

SGK

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” ~Proverbs 17:17 NIV

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Everyday Jesus: An Encounter with the God of All Comfort

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Sharita

Greetings friends! It’s time for another life-changing, heart-moving installment of our “Everyday Jesus” blogging series. Today it is my great privilege to introduce not only a talented writer and dear friend of mine, but also a beautiful woman who has an incredible heart for Christ. Meet Tracy. She’s awesome. She’s sweet. She’s profound. Plus… She’s a K-State Alumni and Military wife (just like me. Thanks, Jesus.) Get ready for a powerful testimony of what it really looks like when we are ALWAYS looking for Jesus– particularly in everyday life.  

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I love encountering the majesty of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father, in the darkest of moments.

Image courtesy of healingdream/freedigitalphotos.net"

Image courtesy of healingdream/freedigitalphotos.net”

You gotta love boarding a Southwest airplane. It used to be chaotic, but now order has been restored to the masses due to the ticket number groupings and vertical beams that Southwest installed in the waiting area. However, before the beams were born, I felt like a herded calf being pushed along. On one particular “cattle call,” my life (and carry-on bag) collided with hers.

The people in front of me were whispering. They seemed irritated, and other passengers crammed in beside them were staring at something. Above the commotion, I heard sniffles. Someone was crying. Our line started to move again. The couple in front of me slowed and moved around a woman who was visibly upset. I instinctively touched her shoulder, walked around her, and turned to look into her face. I offered her a Kleenex and asked if she needed anything. She doubted there was anything I could do to help her.

And the God of All Comfort entered the scene.

I took her by the arm and started to help her down the gateway and into the plane. I learned that she was on her way back to meet her family. She didn’t want to give her children the news that her breast cancer had spread. She was scared and devastated. She said I wouldn’t understand. She had no idea who she was talking to.

God did though.

He chose for me to meet this woman at this particular moment of darkness in our lives.

Days before I sat in the Mayo clinic holding my mother’s hand. We were waiting for another batch of test results. By this point, I was used to seeing her in pain, and I loathed her breast cancer with everything in me. Just when my heart seemed to find hope, the Mayo doctor confirmed that a scan found a tumor in her brain. My heart was dashed into a billion pieces once again.

Stunned, my mother and I found the nearest bathroom, and let our tears flow freely.

Why God?

I began to journal and stumbled across 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. With what little strength I had left, I simply wrote: “If my mom must suffer in this way, then please let me use this trial for your glory. Help me to comfort others, with the comfort I believe you are going to give me.”

As I continued to walk down the gateway with a weeping stranger, all I could hear is “I AM the God of All Comfort Tracy, comfort her as I have comforted you.” Talk about a God encounter! I didn’t care if I held up that boarding line all day–this woman was going to hear my story. Through tears, I told her about my mother and about how her courage and faith in God affected me. She got an ear full about the comfort and strength I’d received from Jesus. As she listened, her tears slowed, and she began to smile. As I helped her to sit, she said thank you and embraced me. I told her that I would pray. And pray I did.

I will probably never see this woman again.

God gave me 5 minutes with her. I believe God knew this was enough. The Kleenex, the touch, the listening ear, the tears, and my testimony were enough. It was enough for the God of all Comfort to be experienced through a hurting and imperfect vessel.

In the end, my mother journeyed through breast cancer for 11 years. She won her battle when she passed from our arms into the arms of Jesus on October 8, 2012. I encountered the majesty of the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God the Father in the midst of her cancer.

God still hasn’t answered my question of why. I no longer need Him to. He was gracious to answer a prayer from my journal. I hold onto the memory of that stranger’s smile and call it to mind when I miss my mother. It reminds me that one of my darkest moments has glorified God, and this is enough for me.

 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” ~2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV 1984

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Tracy Bio Picture

Tracy is proudly married to Chad, a pilot in the United States Air Force.  Whenever they are not being relocated, she loves to drink green tea and watch re-runs of LOST. She also enjoys chasing their two children, Jackson (4) and Katherine (2), throughout their toy-infested home.  Tracy graduated from Phoenix Seminary in 2005, and served as the Director of Student Women at Scottsdale Bible Church from 2005-2007. She is also the author of Images of His Beauty, a newly released Bible Study, for young women who struggle with self-image issues and eating disorders. You can find out more information about the study and follow her blog at One Degree Ministries. You can also connect with her on Facebook or chat with her via Twitter.

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Everyday Jesus: More Than an April Fool

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Sharita

Guess what? I am really becoming a huge fan of Mondays here at 7 Days Time– not because it’s Monday (hey, I sometimes still have the attitude of Garfield the Cat in that regard) but I just absolutely LOVE the profound, awesome and talented guest bloggers we feature each Monday with our “Everyday Jesus” series. Today is no exception– meet Shannon. She’s super legit, authentic and an inspirational follower of Christ– and with today’s blog, even though it’s April Fools Day, she ain’t fooling around… 

Filled by Him, 
SGK 

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“But God chose the foolish and weak things of the world.” ~1 Corinthians 1:27

Angry didn’t even begin to describe the emotions swirling within me. Confused. Betrayed. Despondent. That was more like it.

I stared at the ceiling and dared myself to get out of bed. I summoned the tiny reserve of hope deep within, reminded myself I was all my two girls have and stumbled into a new life that seemed more daunting than exciting.

A year ago I was white-picket-fence married with two adorable daughters. Today I would start a new job at which I checked the box divorced.

The ink was still fresh on my updated W-4 when his daily visits started. My lonely coworker wore a Rolex, high-end suits and hopelessness. After a month of visitation, I heard the office gossip. He too was going through a divorce.

Shannon guest post graphic

One ordinary day with his mouth full of stimulating questions like how my pencils were holding up, I felt the nudge of God in my heart to witness to this guy. Faster than you can say unemployment, I silently recounted all the reasons that would be ridiculous.

1)   I wasn’t really on speaking terms with God myself since I blamed Him for my misery.
2)   I’m fairly certain they fire people for getting too “Jesus-y” at work and I was a single mom. Not exactly risk-taking material.

I still don’t why I let God win that day but I did. I gathered courage from the miniscule well of hope that allowed me to face each day and said, “Look I’m not trying to pry into your personal life but I want you to know I’m going through the same thing you are. And even though these are the hardest, darkest days of my whole I still have hope. If you’re interested in finding hope, I’m interested in telling you where you can get some.”

He jumped on my offer like it was a winning lottery ticket.

What I didn’t know is that he spent long, dark nights in a big home, devoid of furniture and faith. He would sit in his sole recliner, finger his weapons and consider his options. One night he stumbled across the Bible his grandparents had given him as a little boy. He cracked the pristine spine to no place in particular and cried out to God.

God sent help.

God sent me.

Six months after I offered him hope, he accepted Jesus’ offer of forgiveness. Six months later… he offered me a diamond ring.

I was foolish, small and unqualified. I brought nothing to the table but a weak voice strong enough to say “yes” to God. But when we listen to God in small things, He in turn does big things in our lives.

And that’s no April Fool’s Day joke.

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Shannon HeadshotShannon is a morning runner, an afternoon carpooler and all-day lover of Jesus.

She is the author of Jesus & My Orange Juice, a fresh-squeezed oasis for ordinary living. Shannon finds joy among piles of laundry and miles of carpools and delights in leading others to this place of contentment in life. She presents the gift of prayer in her free 30 day prayer guide PrePrayed: Preparing for Life’s Events. She is a frequently published author. Most recently, she was a contributing author to Always There: Reflections for Mom’s on God’s Presence.

As a speaker, Shannon is straight forward about her own struggles. She is a compassionate advocate fighting for victory in the life of her audience with a message of hope and encouragement.

When not writing or speaking, she enjoys her favorite job of wife to Scott and mom to four daughters from kindergarten to high school.

Connect with her online at ShannonMilholland.com or on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

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A Simple Gift… In case you forgot

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Sharita

I LOVE getting gifts. Even more so– I love giving gifts. Although it’s not my primary love language– sometimes it sneaks its way to the top. And over the last year and a half or so of blogging and doing online ministry (time flies!) we have continually mentioned God’s great gifts– big and small. (In fact, I continue to work on my 1000 gift list inspired by Ann Voskamp’s book. As of this post, I am over 1500 and still going strong!)

The other day, I was digging through some of my archived blogs– and ran across this one. It made me laugh– and encouraged my heart… so I though that re-sharing it was in order.

I pray it speaks to you– so read, share, comment, enjoy. You know the drill.

Oh– and thanks for being such a blessing and gift in MY life, dear reader!

Jesus Fist Pound,
SGK

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gift

Gifts can come in many, many forms from that engagement ring promising a lifetime of commitment to that forced smile when we open up a “fashionable” sweater from Grandma. God’s gifts also come in many shapes, sizes and colors…

I ran across the following a few weeks ago when working on a project for church and was reminded of it today. The Lord loved us enough to create laughter and allow us to feel joy in our heart. (That’s a gift) He has also given us GRACE. (There’s another one) Sometimes he combines them. (One of my favorite gifts! )

How to Get Into Heaven 

A woman dies and meets St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. Peter says to the woman, “Here’s how it works. You need to have one hundred points to get into heaven. You tell me about all the good things you’ve done. They are all worth a certain number of points. If your total is 100 or more, you can come in.” 

“Well,” says the woman. “I was happily married to the same man for 52 years. I never looked at another man. I was attentive and loved him dearly.” 

“That’s great,” says St. Peter. “That’ll be two points.” 

“Hmmm,” says the woman. “This is going to be harder than I thought. Well, I attended church regularly, volunteered my time and tithed faithfully.” 

“Wonderful,” says St. Peter, “That’s worth another point.” 

“One point!” says the woman. “Okay, okay. I was involved with a woman’s prison ministry for twenty-five years. I went into the prison, at least monthly, and shared Jesus with them.” 

“Wow!” says St. Peter. “That’s another two points!” 

“Only two points!” says the woman. “At this rate, it’ll be only by the grace of God that’ll I’ll ever get into this place.”

“Bingo!” says St. Peter. “That’s 100 points! Come on in.”

Praise God for the gift of His grace… because just like this example above, we can’t earn our way into heaven– but he has given us that nonrefundable present. It seems like such a simple gift with no fancy wrapping paper or ribbon, but instead by the body of Christ.  That alone means so much!

No Receipt Needed,
SGK

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” –Ephesians 2:8-9

Categories: Christ, faith, gifts, heaven, works | Tags: , , , , , | 3 Comments

Everyday Jesus: Unexpected

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Sharita

Welcome to the beginning of our guest blogging series called “Everyday Jesus.” (Are you excited?? I SURE AM!!) To kick things off, today we feature an inspiring and wise friend of mine, Susan. She has incredible insight when it comes to walking with Christ and always has her eyes open, looking for Jesus in everyday life. I pray that her sweet and genuine words touch your heart and inspire your life– she is quite a gal and I am blessed to introduce you to her today.

Looking for Him Daily, 
SGK 

PS: Be sure to show Susan the love by leaving a response/comment below! 

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I’ve worked since I was 16.  Always made good money, received excellent evaluations, consistent promotions, loved to offer solution and innovation . . . a “model employee” of sorts.  I was bulletproof.

Recently in my professional role of seven years, I started feeling itchy . . . not quite fulfilled in my work.  I played with thoughts of what I might do next . . . and wondered if God was calling me to something new.  Then the unexpected happened . . . half the staff was laid off…  including ME!  I was propelled from what I might do next and into what will I do now.

Sadly, the circumstance stole my confidence and what I know to be true about myself.  I forgot that I am loveable, capable, smart, an encourager, strategic, creative, a good problem solver, blah, blah, blah . . . yeah I got talents. The layoff translated into depression and isolation.  I’m upbeat, high energy, not someone trapped in despair.  During that time, I not only forgot who I am, but also Whose I am!

How is it that God can get through our muddiest pity-party sitting-in-the-dark eatin-worms times?!?

One Saturday morning I received an e-devotional that said, “It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring a year ago;  but now you also must complete the doing of it.” (II Corinthians 8:10-11)  God jolted my heart with this reminder that I had a desire to pursue something new in an area of my greatest passion, and now was the time.

Sunday in church the pastor said, “God told me to speak to some of you about ashes. What are the ashes in your life?  A lost job?   A lost love?  God wants you to finish your grieving and rise out of the ashes.  He wants to give you beauty for ashes.”

And there was a rose.

rose

The next day I met with a woman who asked if I would teach at a retreat for her leadership team.  Teaching topic:  How God speaks to us.  Ha!  Could this really be happening?

On the way to the retreat, the group stopped in a little mountain town for lunch.  I found myself in the same restaurant, sitting in the same room, in the same seat where only months prior I had been for my ex-employer’s planning retreat.  Coincidence?  In the middle of the table sat a huge gorgeous rose.  Again God jolted my heart and said almost audibly, “Nothing has been lost. This is my timing. I will give you beauty for ashes.”

At the retreat, I presented my teaching on how God speaks using my fresh examples.  What a blessing to see the Holy Spirit minister to those in attendance! Their positive feedback was good for my soul and a nice reminder of God’s gifting and call on my life.

Another presenter at the retreat handed me a little slip of paper as we were leaving.  She said “God prompted me to give this to you.”  She was a woman I had just met. She had no knowledge of my life or current circumstance.  That little slip of paper simply said Ezekiel 36:26.  “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone, and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees . . . you will be my people and I will be your God.”

JOLT!  This was the same scripture God placed on my heart 20+ years ago when I launched Insights, my first consulting firm.  It was the Biblical foundation of my business and life calling.  God assigned me to gently tap on the hard-hearted to bring them closer to God. The Lord reminded me in such a powerful way that His call on my life has never changed, and that we still had work to do!  Time to get going.

REFLECTION: When is the last time God got your attention in an UNEXPECTED way? How did you respond?

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Susan Headshot.jpgSusan Parks is a coach and consultant for Christ  as founder of her first consulting firm “Insights” that she launched 20+ years ago. She specializes in ministry and leader development, values-based strategic planning and hiring, ministry multiplication and marketing/community outreach. If you are interested in being coached by or experiencing Susan’s services firsthand, contact her via email at susanpark1214 {at} gmail {dot} com.

Categories: Everyday Jesus | Tags: , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

My Mama Did A Lot (Five Minute Friday)

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Sharita

Greetings, sweet readers!

Tis Friday. Five Minute Friday specifically. This is the time that we hook up with Lisa-Jo Baker and write. For five minutes. Just letting the words flow and our hearts go. (Yes, I sorta meant for that to rhyme. It might be one of those days…)

Five Minute Friday

As usual, Lisa has given us a prompt… and today’s is a smidge different– it’s not just a single word, but a phase. A whole bucketful of memories and lessons.

And now, I have a whole five minutes to capture everything my heart would like to say from the last 27 years. (This oughta be good. Oh boy.)

Today’s prompt: “What Mama Did” 

AND GO! 

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My Mama did… A LOT. Yeah, she fed us, clothed us, loved us… But that is only the beginning.

It’s impossible to even touch on what my Mama did (and is doing!) for me in my life in my nearly three decades on this earth in a measly five minutes. She did a lot. And still does a lot.

She gave me two younger siblings. A lil sister a year and a half after my birthday– one lil brother TWELVE years later. (SURPRISE!) She taught me what it means to “stand by your man” for nearly 34 years (and still going strong!)

She taught me to cook and the fine art of NOT getting “too creative” with the many spices in the cabinet. Mama introduced me to fried okra and corn bread dressing. She did laundry. Cleaned house. Worked outside the home. Filled the role of a farmer’s wife.

She fixed fence and defrosted baby calves in the bathtub during blizzards. She “went to town” to get farm supplies at a moments notice. Cut alfalfa in the 112 degree KS heat. Stood up for us. Disciplined us. (Yes, we needed it!)  She taught me when it was time to suck it up and move on… and taught me that sometimes, you just need a good cry.

My mama did a lot. She forever ingrained in me that a hot bath and chocolate will fix nearly anything. She sewed my prom dress and later our ring bearer pillow. She helped plan my wedding. She has thrown parties. She has encouraged me. She has brought me back to earth when I needed it. She celebrated the day I led my Daddy (her husband) to Christ.

She taught me to forgive. To move forward. To celebrate. To strive. To grieve.

My mama did a lot.

Now, my Mama is teaching me how to be a Mama. I’m four days away from the due date of our first baby. We are a thousand miles apart, but her encouragement and phone conversations keep me going. Now, we talk openly about Jesus and what He is doing in both of our lives. How we can be better wives and Mama’s ourselves with His leading.

I can only hope that in the next three (and more!) decades, our son or daughter will have a fraction of the incredible lessons and experiences that my Mama did for me written on their heart from my relationship with them.

My Mama taught me how to love like Jesus.

Yep. My Mama did a lot.

STOP!

****

Ok. No profound conclusion today… But I am awarding myself excessive pregnant lady bonus points for not sobbing through this entire post. (Seriously. That’s a Jesus miracle in itself.)

So today’s response: What did YOUR Mama do for you? Comment below.

A Daughter in many ways,
SGK

“…we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.” ~1 Thessalonians 2:7 NIV

Categories: Five Minute Friday | Tags: , , , , , , | 11 Comments

SURPRISE! Everyday Jesus Series Intro

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Sharita

Not gonna lie… I just love it when a profound and exciting Jesus idea pops into my head.

Seriously. There are few things more motivating.

As we approach the birth of our first child, a season/event which my husband and I fondly call BabyTime, I have spent significant time thinking/praying as to what ministry will look like when our “Little Patriot” makes his/her debut into our lives.

My answer: I have no idea. 

Don’t get me wrong… I’m sure there will be plenty of sleep-deprivation and poopy diapers. But as to what 7 Days Time and ministry looks like? Great question. I will get back to you when I have the answer myself.

One thing that was made pretty clear to me was not to quit completely. I know some folks cut all ministry/writing/bloggy ties when baby comes into the picture, if not forever, at least for an extended season… which is completely acceptable and understandable. Apparently being a Mama is a poop-ton of work (pun intended.)

But while we are excited about the arrival of our new little one, God hasn’t released me from this ministry (for which I am very thankful!) Also, He didn’t tell me to take a specific type of break. (Because really, it would be waaayyy harder to stop for a few weeks than legitimately pick it back up again instead of write it off forever. And honestly, Jesus and I have worked too hard and too long over the last year and a half just to be like, ok, DONE. Chapter closed. Moving on.)

Instead, He told me to ask for help.

So help I am getting.

Here’s the loose game plan… Next Monday will begin a new chapter at 7 Days Time– a guest blogging series from some of my greatest Jesus writer-y girlfriends (and guy friends, believe it or not!) The series will run til… well, until I run out of guest bloggers :-) The series is entitled “Everyday Jesus.”

The general premise is going to be about how my sweet guest bloggers have experienced a “Jesus sneak-attack” in the everyday moments of life… At the grocery store, doing the laundry, even on Facebook, etc, etc…

OR how they have been a part of Jesus moving in someone else’s everyday life.

I have a sneaky suspicion that these posts are going to be  funny, quirky, heartfelt, intense, all over the board.  (The sky is the limit.)

Um, I might kinda-sorta-perhaps be a smidgen excited about this season of life and this Jesus opportunity/epiphany to feature some incredible writers who have remarkable hearts for Jesus.

Monkey surprise

Are you as surprised and excited as these guys? I am.
(Image Courtesy of Doug Wheller via Flickr)

I know that each and every one of you will welcome these awesome guest bloggers with open arms– and leave them lots and lots of love in the form of feedback and comments. (Hint, hint, wink, wink, nudge, nudge.)

Plus, you will get some sweet connections to other Christian-esque blogs.

Plus, you will definitely be encouraged about how important it is to look for Jesus in everyday life.

Are you excited? I sure hope so… because I can hardly wait!!

So on that note: What are you looking forward to most about this blogging series? Do you have a great “Everyday Jesus” story moment you would like to share? Comment below!

Thanks for your flexibility and support during this new life season for us– it’s gonna be a wild ride, but I have a sneaky feeling that Jesus is gonna be with us each step of the way… every day!

Ready to rock and roll,
SGK

“This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details.” ~Ephesians 3:7 MSG

PS: As of this very moment, I hope to continue blogging on a regular basis in addition to the Monday guest bloggers… It might be a little sporadic from time to time, but my pre-birth nesting phase has transitioned into the digital world (thank you, Jesus!) so I am/have been working on several fresh posts to share post-baby. Stay tuned!

Categories: guest post | Tags: , , , , , , | 8 Comments

More Than a Valentine (Five Minute Friday)

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Sharita

Five Minute FridayGreetings all!

It’s that time again– yeppers, it’s Five Minute Friday time. At the end of each “work week,” I link-up with Lisa-Jo Baker for this writing exercise of glory. She gives us a prompt. We write for five minutes. Without over thinking. Simply free and uninhibited.

I never know what is going to happen. (But these precious words from God rarely disappoint!)

So let’s get started and see what Jesus has to say via my fingertips today…

PROMPT: Beloved

Andddd GO! 

****

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day. (For those of you out there who might have forgotten or inadvertently blocked that fact from your mind, I will give you a few moments to panic and go order something for your sweetheart via Amazon.)

Ok. Back with me? Great.

Anywho, yesterday was Valentine’s Day– the day that many married/inarelationship women dream about, the day that married/inarelationship men sigh exasperatedly about and the day that many singles dread.

Good times.

My darling husband and I don’t really celebrate/recognize Valentine’s Day. He says it’s too commercialized… and I have to say I somewhat agree. Plus, being an army family, we (ok I) have trained myself not to get too hung up on the “dates” of the year that we are “supposed” to be romantic considering yesterday was the first time in our entire relationship we were actually in the same zip code for Vday. But I digress.

Speaking of romance, my husband and I have nicknames for each other. (No, not pooky and schnookums.) He calls me “Lover” and I call him “Beloved.” (Yes, taken from Song of Solomon.) It’s a special bond we share.

But even more special than our sweet nicknames that we share with each other is the love-filled, never-ending name that God calls us. AND what He calls YOU.

He calls us Beloved. With a capital B. (Because we are THAT special to Him!)

God calls us Beloved because He cares of us. He shaped and formed us. He has plans for us. He adores us. He is patient with us when we mess up. He pursues us. He protects us. He provides for us.

He calls us Beloved because we are His. He loves us. All we have to do to fully experience this is accept His invitation.

Have you taken any time lately to reflect on how much God REALLY loves you? It’s true. You are His Beloved. He wants you to Be His from here to eternity. His love isn’t glued to a single date on the calendar in February. He offers it to you daily. It doesn’t wilt like flowers to tarnish like jewelry or run out like chocolates.

His love for His Beloved (ahem, YOU) is eternal. He gave His Son for you. Me.  ALL OF US.

Because when it comes to God’s love… You are worth more than any Valentine.

You. Are. BELOVED.

STOP

*****

Thoughts? Feedback? How does God show that He loves you each day? Have you responded to His invitation to Be His forever? I would love to hear from each of you Beloved Children of God… Leave a comment below if you feel so moved :-)

Blessed to Be Beloved,
SGK

“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.” ~Deuteronomy 33:12

Categories: Five Minute Friday | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

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