God's Will

God's will, we say we want it. We talk about it. We "search" for it. We read about it. We are very busy about it.

"We focus on what God wants us to do and forget what kind of people He wants us to be."  Francis Chan,  Forgotten God.

I've heard others say the same thing over the years. So the challenge is to quit just hearing this message and start living, being the person God created me to be.

New Every Morning...

Good Morning! We are one full week into this new year.  There is just something about the morning sunshine, the start of a new month (or year), the start of a holiday season or it's end that's special. It's a "soft opening" if you will. In the retail business new stores will open without any advertisement to actually "practice" selling/serving whatever it is they sell.  Then a short time later they will have their actual "Grand Opening".  If you think about it our lives with Christ allow us that same opportunity minute by minute, but probably easier to grasp is morning by morning. "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23 NKJV (emphasis mine)

I don't know about you, but I love that! A fresh batch of God's mercies and compassion. What could be more freeing? I have been thinking about Ephesians 2:8-10 for the past couple of days. You are probably are familiar with those verses, "For it is by grace you have been saved..." But check it out in the Amplified Version. If you are not familiar with that translation, it adds right into the context the meaning of words in the original language so you don't have to look them up.  So here goes, "For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and mad partakers of Christ's salvation)through (your) faith. And this (salvation) is not of yourselves (of your own doing, it came not through your own striving), but it is the gift of God; Not because of works (not the fulfillment of the Law's demands), lest any should boast. (It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.) For we are God's (own) handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, (born anew) that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us (taking paths which He prepared ahead of time), that we should walk in them (living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live). (emphasis mine)

I LOVE THAT!  I love that we are created by God. I love that He created a way for us to be redeemed. I love that He created us for good works. I love that He has prepared our paths ahead of time. (I think that is my personal favorite at the moment)  He has made a path ready for us.  I don't have to search and search and try to "make things happen."  God has a plan for me, just for me! I know it fits me because He created me and He planned this just for me! When I mess up His mercies are "new every morning!" I get to start again.  NOW THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO START A NEW YEAR, A NEW MONTH, A NEW WEEK, A NEW DAY... well you get the idea.  So how does this effect your TODAY?

If you'd like to think more about this check out the link attached.  This is done by an acquaintance of mine. http://janellrardon.wordpress.com/2011/01/07/fresh-start-first-friday-of-2011/

Why do we think everyone elses story is more important than ours?

We are obsessed with stories. Whether we find it in a good book, an engaging conversation or a new movie, we are obsessed with stories. We are particularly taken with the epic.

Ever wonder why?

Why do we have favorite TV shows? Why do kids tell tales around the campfire? Why are Disney movies so much a part of our culture? Why did Harry Potter books fly off the shelves upon their release? (Save your judgment, please – it’s a fact.)

We were born with a craving for story. We were born to believe in the epic, the love story and knight in shining armor. The epic resonates in us because we were born for story and born into a story. We find ourselves in the epic because our lives are a story that unfolds moment by moment, day by day, page by page, just like a script.

Like characters in a movie, each of us is purposefully written into a script:
“You saw me before I was born.
  Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
  before a single day had passed.”
Psalm 139:16 (NLT)

When life gets confusing, remember there is a script.

When it doesn’t look like there is a rescue, remember there is a script.

When it looks like you’re losing the battle, remember there is a script.

When you’re trying to figure out your next step, remember there is a script.

In that story you are all you dare to believe you can become. In that script, you accomplish the impossible, slay the dragon and win the big game. That script is your story, God’s story. In that story is the power to change the world. You are not only written in the story, the story is written in you.

It’s all in the script and the author is available for conversation about it.  Thanks Scott Allen. You said it far better than I could. Why re-invent the wheel?   Here's the deal. Your story is significant. So is mine because, it's mine.  What I really want to know is why do we tend to think everyone else's story is more important or interesting then ours?

Who me?

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves,
“Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?”

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God this is within us.
It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give others permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence
automatically liberates others.

Excerpt from Nelson Mandela’s 1994
South African Presidential Inaugural Speech

I think this is an amazing quote. I bring this up because I'm betting that I'm not unique when I say it's my own thoughts that often hold me back. I often question if I'm doing something just because I want to or is it really something God prepared for me to do? Why is it that if something is either enjoyable or really tough we think it can't be for us? I waste a lot of time and energy just sitting around thinking "me?"

Nelson Mandela's comments are based on scripture. Did you note these lines,"We were born to make manifest the glory of God this is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone." What do you think of that?!" God has a plan for ALL of us. I believe it's time for us all to "own up" to that. It's really not complicated. What's on your heart right now? Why aren't you doing it?

P.S. If you'd like to learn more about Nelson Mandela check out the movie "Invictus".

So the way I see life working is realizing it's all about relationships. Mark (my husband) and I have been blessed beyond belief with meeting amazing people of all ages, education levels, income levels, titles and denominations. We'd like to introduce you to some of those people. Through relationships our lives are made richer because we learn from each other. Today I'd like to introduce you to Arlin Sorensen. Arlin is a farmer and businessman in Southwest Iowa. He understands the importance of relationships and he lives that out through every part of his life. We haven't known Arlin long but we're encouraged and challenged by his passion to meld his life following Christ into every aspect of his life, including his business. The following is an excerpt of his morning devotion e-mail which he sends out to over 500 people every day. The point of sharing this (which we are doing with his permission) is not that we are mentioned - it's that he gets it. Discipleship - we are ALL to be discipled and to disciple. Well just read his words - they express our beliefs at Treasure Chest Ministries perfectly.

Happy hump day. What a busy day yesterday was. Started early and I had a phone or meeting happening from 8 AM until 8:30 PM. It was like a day on the road for me which was wild yet very productive. The meetings and conference calls were extremely productive and it was a great day. The best part was later in the afternoon when some folks gathered in our living room with the western Iowa couple that leads Marriage Matters. You may recall we attempted to have a meeting with them back in January during the ice storms, and we did, but the amount of distractions that day really caused us to struggle to focus and get a plan in place. Yesterday we were able to walk through all the resources they offer, and talk about how we can create a mentoring program that allows couples to come alongside another couple who is struggling to help them learn how to work through issues. It is an exciting program and we will be working to bring it to the area with an early summer kick off. Marriage Matters doesn’t use any fancy methods or some big training program to prepare people. They equip folks with some simple tools and honestly just follow the model Jesus used in scripture – go and make disciples. Too often programs complicate His simple approach to ministry. Discipleship is coming alongside someone who is at least one step behind you in their walk - be it in their relationship with Christ, their marriage, their business or wherever they are – and sharing life together through practical example of how you took the next step when you were in their shoes. Way too many of us don’t think we know enough to help anyone else. Our life is not perfect, our marriage has problems of our own, our business has issues that we have to address every day. OK – welcome to being alive. Don’t want any problems – the only way I know to achieve that is to stop breathing permanently. And that is only an assumption because I haven’t been there yet. And that really is the core of mentoring, or discipling another. We share from our experience rather than letting people just hope and guess they are on the right track. Often sharing the things that we have struggled with, or even failed at, can be the greatest life lessons we have to share. Jesus didn’t pick 12 perfect guys to be his disciples. In fact, they were anything but perfect, and one left Him to betray Him. Jesus took 12 and poured His life into them. And the result? They changed the world…..forever…..that is the power of discipling another. It is the greatest form of legacy you can ever find. And we need to do it at home, in the office, and at church. Programs like Marriage Matters just help equip us to be obedient to God’s commandment to “Go and Make Disciples of ALL Nations” and that starts right at home. (emphasis added)
Arlin Sorensen
CEO/Partner Heartland Technology Solutions
A Day in the Life of Arlin Sorensen Thoughts from the Farm Morning Email

YOU are a Treasure

Well it's time to look at another meaning of the word Treasure. Get ready, this one could radically change the way you think of yourself. Here's the Biblical definition of the word special as used in the Old Testament verse Exodus 19:5 "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people, for all the earth is Mine."

Special segullah (seh-goo-lah); property, special treasure. This noun occurs eight times in the OT: in five of those references, it speaks of Israel as God’s special treasure; in two references, it speaks of the prized possessions of kings, or “royal treasures”; the one remaining reference is Malachi 3;17 which speaks of the people God will regard as His “jewels.” Man’s treasure is material objects, but consistently in Scripture, God’s treasure is human beings! Strongs Concordance #5459 (emphasis mine)

That's right. God thinks of YOU, if you are His child, as His special Treasure. A treasure is something sought after, something valuable. That means you are valuable. YOU are valuable. Now how does that make you feel?