#finish #waterwalkinggirls

I have to admit that when we began this week together talking about the word finish I had no idea how God would lead me to finish this week.  On Monday, the beginning of my work week, I shared with you a picture of our new porch furniture still in boxes.  Today’s picture is the finished product of our back porch with all the furniture put together and in place.  If you have been reading Water Walkers for a while then you know the process of selling and buying our house was a yearlong process.  However, it was actually much longer.

Recently, as I was unpacking boxes, I found a paper that was dated August 21, 2010.   On the paper was a list of goals that Clark and I had each written.  One of the goals that I had written was, “Buy or build a bigger house.”  The furniture on the back porch represents an over 10 year goal that now has been accomplished. Go God!

If you have been following our posts then you also know that the day after we bought our house I also began a new job.  Another of my 2010 goals stated, “Research/investigate career choices/options.” Wow! God had planted the seed in me of changing jobs over 10 years ago! Now let me explain that after writing those goals or big dreams down, I was not so focused on them that I was pining away or wringing my hands wondering what direction I should go.  However I think it was always in the back of my mind and I had my eyes and ears open.  I would have never guessed that the job I have now was the job God was preparing for me. But isn’t that just like God? The “finish” our Maker has created for us is more than we imagine and better than we hope. 

How about you? Do you have a long time dream or goal that is not finished? Have you been working on or waiting on the next step? Or is God now planting a seed that will not grow into fruition until a later time? Philippians 1:6 tells us, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” If God has given you a dream or goal it will happen. However you and I may not see the finish line yet. Sometimes the finish line moves but it always comes in God’s perfect timing. Along the race God will help you grow and prepare you for what is being prepared for you. Keep dreaming. Keep believing. Keep trusting. Finish with grace and humility. Finish strong my friend! Finish strong!

#nourishtoflourish

I am tired both physically and mentally. Juggling life is messy. No matter how chaotic life may look, I know I must take care of me by nourishing areas of my life that will allow me to flourish in the middle of the chaos. In Ephesians chapter 5 we read about instructions for the Christian household. It does not mean we need to submit to perfection but rather submit to imperfection. We can learn from the Apostle Paul on how to care for ourselves and our loved ones in Eph 5:29 NIV; “After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church”.

This past Monday was a day full of imperfections. As I sat and read my morning devotions, my coffee mug slipped out my hand and crashed to the floor. Was I more upset I waisted good coffee or shattered a good mug? Now that I had a mess to clean up, I was in desperate need of more caffeine, not more work. While packing my lunch with just 5 minutes to spare, I spilled the bag of pretzels while pouring them. As the pretzels scatter across the counter, I could feel the emotions build up. Was this how my day was going to go? I could already hear the devil’s reply. Just like the pretzels scattered so did my mind in a million directions.

Juggling means to continuously toss into the air and catch several objects, to keep at least one in the air while handling the others. That Monday evening, I juggled a run, dinner, and then the dreaded homework. It was 11:00pm before my head hit the pillow. Although life is messy and chaotic at times, I am thankful to have the grace of God to walk with me through my imperfections. Some of us go to bed wondering, if we were an intentional mom, a loving wife, or a faithful friend that day. We must remember to love and nourish ourselves, including our flaws, just as Christ loves us.

Will you give yourself grace tonight as you lay your head down? Juggling is not perfection. Next time you have multiple objects in the air, remember it is ok to let one fall.

#impact #waterwalkinggirls

Impact: (verb) 1. come into forcible contact with another object  2. have a strong effect on someone or something

This week we have explored how we are able to impact others through our five senses; sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.  Impact is the word I chose to be my “word of the year” for 2020.  So today I would like for you to examine your impact.  Who or what are you impacting and what is your impact? Is your impact positive or negative?

The cover picture today is of a special group that makes a huge impact whether they realize it or not.  Each Thursday our Run for God group gathers.  Julie leads us in a time of devotion, discussion and prayer.  Then we set out to walk or run.  We have built up to the distance of a 5k (3.1 miles).  There is so much I could write about this process and program but for today I want to ponder the impact of this group.  I wonder what others in the surrounding community see as we cover the 3.1 miles?  What do others think when they see a group of 14 people, various ages, some walking, some running, coming down the street every Thursday?  What do they hear from our conversations when we trickle by their house or pass them on the street? How do they feel when they read our shirts that have “Run For God” on the front and “Who do you say I am?” on the back?  What impact are we making as a collective group?

Now what about you? All week we have pondered your individual impact.  Today think about your collective impact.  What groups are you a part of that make an impact on others? Are you part of a church group, coworkers, friends, that make an impact together?  I encourage you to read the book The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews.  The premise of the book is that everything you say or do matters and has an effect on others.  So today spend some time examining your impact.  Whether you realize it or not you are having a strong effect on someone or something.  Is your impact positive or negative? Are you answering the question “Who do you say I am?” through your impact?

#power

Pause + Patience = Power

This past Friday we had a lightning storm that caused us to loose power at work. As a result we got to leave early. While most people were overjoyed I was feeling overwhelmed because my To Do list didn’t get checked off. Anyone else find joy in checking off a list?

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:” Ecc 3:1 NIV

I took advantage of a time for everything, went grocery shopping and cooked a yummy dinner for my family. One thing I have enjoyed during this pandemic is being creative in the kitchen. Then Tuesday and Wednesday of this week we were without cable and internet at home. For me as a college student this presented a challenge.

“being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,” Col 1:11 NIV

I developed some patience and took the time to read my text book while I waited for internet to be back up. This all may sound trivial but how many times do we let a change in our schedule ruin our mood which in turn spills over into our household?

Last week Deborah talked about “pause”. It was so helpful for me to keep in mind that maybe the pauses I was experiencing was God getting my attention. Too often I am so busy that I don’t get the right things checked off the list. That right thing may not have been as important to me as it was to someone else. I learned that pause + patience = power which would give me the endurance to carry out the very assignments that God has intended for me.

Will you recognize your pauses as a “Time for everything” vs. allowing them to drain God’s power from within?

Will you allow God’s power to fill you up so that you will have patience to carry out the assignments God has intended for you today?