Step It Up!

Wow! I can not believe it is already Tremendously Thankful Thoughtful Thursday. It really is still one of my favorite days. Just goes to show you the power of your mindset!

This week started out with a migraine from allowing the stress and venom of others to have it's evil effect on me. The best part of that day was when my headache faded as I chatted with my Heavenly Father. I couldn't help but crack a smile and say, "I just need more of you Lord. Soak me in your word. Let your Grace flow through me as my blood flows through my veins." When I bask in the comfort of God my whole outlook changes. Mountains disappear and become like vapor. Nothing is too big for God. How comforting that is. It fills my heart with joy. I know there is so much more to come. For those of you who have been reading my blog since last December, you know my travels have not been along the friendliest roads. My closet is full of uncomfortable shoes that were worn for miles. When God called to me and led me almost as if I was sleep walking to share about my life I was dumbfounded yet so enthralled with hearing him speak to me again that I had to obey. It was amazing to watch my life unfold onto paper. I have been shown things about myself and my past I never even saw while in the moment. I would encourage anyone who is in the midst of a trial and at a lack of Faith to read my story. I am only to age 22 chronologically. There are a few undeniable God Sign chapters in the mix that happened after age 40. I have a lot more to share. In the mean time, I have a crazy busy life and as we all know, life can have a way of spinning out of control!

I was getting caught up in the whirl wind and recognized it. I called out to my life coach and said, "I think we need to have a meeting. I need to get a grasp on this. Refocus." Cathy Padgett is my life coach and I love her. I showed up and she started our meeting with a prayer. She informed me that she had been given a word for me and she didn't want it to hurt my feelings. I said, "Okay". She said, "When I prayed on our meeting I was encouraged to tell you to 'Step it Up'. She then asked, "Does that speak to you?" I smiled. Oh yea, it speaks to me. I am overwhelmed at work. But that is work. When I leave that office all of that needs to stay behind. The rest of the day is mine. I need to embrace it and get busy. What job is out there that isn't rough some days? I have worked plenty of them and they all have there pros and cons. I honestly love my job. Sure some of the customer service conversations get crazy and people can be vile and hateful but it's because of their own fear. I need to recognize this and fight back with love, grace and compassion. I need to remember, if you throw no coal on the fire, the fire will run out of fuel and die down. Knowing this and following through on it can be tough if I forget to turn it over to God. I'm human. It's easy to get caught up in the moment. To call ridiculous and hateful by name can instantly enlarge the fire. It's not always the words we use, it's how we use them. It's not my desire to be petty or hateful so I must remember to guard myself from that behavior. The only true way I know that works against such evil is getting into God's Word. Seriously. I'm not talking about going to church on Sunday and listening to a sermon. No. I mean, "Get INTO God's word." Get into it In multiple forms.

I put out a challenge last week and I'm putting it out there again this week. If you honestly long to 'Renew Your Mind', I encourage you to change what you pour into yourself for 30 days. Ways to do this:

1. Make it a goal to read a devotional every day.
2. Make it a goal to read and grasp Acts in one month. It's a big book out of the bible. Read a Chapter a day. It won't take you more than 30 minutes each day to do both 1 & 2!
3. When it comes to the TV, turn it off. Yes. Turn it off. It's only 30 days. Some places in our country have been without electric for longer than that. TURN IT OFF! You will be amazed at what that alone will do for you.
4. Next, find a Christian Radio Station in your area and turn on the radio. Absorb yourself in it. Listen to the words. Get excited. I love music. There are some awesome Christian bands out there today. Great rhythms and the lyrics, talk about renewing your mind. Uplifting your soul.

I dare you to give it a go. By stepping it up myself, I am devoting One hour and twelve minutes each day to my relationship with God and my life's purpose. I was encouraged to say The Lord's Prayer daily. If you too would like to add this into your daily routine, here it is:

The Lord's Prayer

'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed by Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And do not lead us into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Amen.

 

** This prayer is taken right out of my MacArthur Study Bible from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 6, Verses 9:13. 

 

**After Jesus told them to pray in this manner explaining to them that the Father knows what you need before you ask Him, Jesus went on to explain, 'if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.' (When I read that I also receive that this truth is what it is Not because God's mean. But because your own heart will be hardened. You have to forgive to be forgiven. It's the first step in understanding Grace. If you don't understand it, how can you ever receive it?)

 

God HAS been calling me out. I already knew He was asking me to step it up. With Cathy saying it out loud there is no denying it. I laugh because I recognize my inner child that was pouting. I see it and there is no denying. God knows me too well! I know with Him I CAN step it up. No more cry babying about time and the hardness of my day. He has so much to share and I long to be his humble servant. I long to be used by Him in all ways. I pray He fills me with wisdom and love. I pray I stay still long enough to let His thoughts pour over and out of me to all my brothers and sisters. There is so much pain and devastation in the world. I pray all who are without hope begin to hear their Father calling out to them. I pray the white noise quiets long enough in each life for them to hear the call to come back home. I thank you Father for speaking to me when I called out to You. As always You are faithful. I pray we get out of our own way and let you step in. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

 

Wendy,

Mom of Many

 

 

 

© Wendy Glidden 2013

 

 

 

 



Thankful Thursday

When I was in my twenties and again working at Glidden Fence, Chris enrolled me in a shorthand course. The gist was, if I could write as fast as she could talk, she could dictate her letters to me without missing a beat!

I have this crazy thing in me that causes me to race myself when it comes to things that are more impressive or fun at faster rates.

I didn't just take the course, I practiced by means of music. I would write down the lyrics to songs playing on the radio. It was not the first time I'd done something like this. In typing class our teacher had stated that it was impossible to carry on a conversation and type what you were reading without transfering to typing what you are saying. Again . . . I take something like that as a challenge and I love the feeling of accomplishing what I have been told I can't. Is that weird? Today I can carry on a conversation, type anything . . . even if it is a letter I am writing from thought and not sight. Just the other day I was typing one of these blogs and my Uncle came up to me and we began discussing a job. He stopped mid conversation and said, "Oh you think you are so cool not looking at the computer typing and talking to me." We both laughed.

Regardless that talent has come in handy over the years. Sometimes this faucet is turned on inside of me while I am driving and I will get it out on paper before it escapes my mind . . . you see it's what I hear but it comes from within me . . . it is not me . . . it is through me and it comes fast. When I was in school I wrote daily. My emotions boiled out in Rhyme. It was a healthy way of working through my emotions and thoughts.

So I was on my way to work and I was smiling and chatting with my Heavenly Father and just praising how blessed my life has been. How Thankful I am. How Joyous I am.

In the midst of my praise, Gbam, here came words in rhyme . . . I blindly found my pen . . . grabbed a stapled group of papers out of my folder of past writings. Funny enough, when I went back into my room this morning to grab my coat and keys, I was told to grab it. I went so far as to ask myself why I was bringing it as I had no intention of posting anything out of it today and I heard "Take it." I shrugged to myself and listened to the directions I was given. I am getting much better at this listening thing!

Anyway, here I was on my way to work and four minutes down the road, in the midst of my praise, the first verse rang out in my head . . . I knew what time it was. I blindly grabbed a pen out of the middle console and a packet of paper out of my folder and began writing in shorthand. I don't need to look down at the paper to keep my words in order because this I too practiced. Blind penmanship! (God is a good teacher . . . he has primed me for all of this my whole life. That fact is undeniable! So much so, I can't help laughing about it. He taught me through challenges. He filled me with the desire to achieve beyond the barriers that others have placed in front of me. Doesn't it just make you want to throw your arms around him?) These are the insights he shared with me this morning about myself and it made me want to hug Him. Here is what I heard this morning:

Our Father is Good

He's so so Good

I'd run up and hug him

If I could

Oh yes yes yes I would

I'm

Compelled to lift my hands

Palms Up in the air

It's undeniable Father

How much You truly care

Praises I sing to You

Thank You I Joyously shout

Loving others as you love us

That's what this life's about

For me there is No doubt

So,

I lift my head and I grin real big

I thank Him from my heart

Praising & Singing to Our Father in Heaven

Is the best way for all to start!

If you have never once in your life sat and reflected on things or even attempted to see your life from the lens of Love, I encourage you to find a pair of glasses that will give you this viewpoint.

From The Gospel of John, Chapter 10 verse 10 we are told: The thief comes, to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Abundance comes in various forms. Many associate it with money. If that is Your belief, My heart bleeds for you.

Abundance in it's most wonderful forms comes as peace (stemming from Faith) Joy (held strong by Hope) and Love.

From The Book, Corinthians, Chapter 13 verse 13: And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

With these things being said, I don't know what you think you know about God and whether or not he exists.

However, if you are like me, you love a good challenge.

My Challenge to You is This: "Investigate his word with YOUR OWN Eyes. Don't rely on being spoon fed by others. Don't just listen to someone else when it comes to YOUR learning about God and His Word. Check it out for YOURSELF.

I warn you though, when you start down this road, there will be no denying The Truth.

Any person who has set out to disprove God Exists, whether they be scientists or atheists, has come to the undeniable Truth: Our Almighty Creator is not some fantasy whim that the weakest of us rely upon.

He is Our Heavenly Father. He is Our Creator. He gave us all the tools we need to live the best human life possible in the heart of a Fallen World. Why on Earth would you ignore His advice without so much as an honest investigation into His Loving Fatherly advice?

It is my prayer for you today that you begin to open your heart to the possibility that God Exists and more amazing that He Loves YOU regardless of any wrongs you have committed.

Many Blessings to those who take me up on this task,

Wendy, Mom of Many



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