Inspirational Moments
I have “countless” notebooks from the many decades I’ve taken notes from sermons, seminars, and in my time of study and prayer. My calling this season is to share these ‘inspirational thoughts” for you to be blessed, challenged, and inspired in that very “moment” of the day when He is speaking through me to you. We may not be able to share “coffee” in person, but we can share heart to heart in His Spirit.
HOW DO MOMS MAKE IT
On special occasions we moms take moments to go back and look at our stories and sometimes we have mixed feelings. We did a “good job” in some areas and perhaps failed in some. But the past is gone, and our future journey can be mapped out only by the cooperation of our Heavenly Father.
Psalms 139:1-2 Lord, you know everything there is to know about me. You perceive every movement of my heart and soul, and you understand my every thought before it even enters my mind.
THERE ARE FOUR STEPS THAT I HAVE LEARNED IN THIS PROCESS:
1. FORGIVE
Forgiveness is a decision not a feeling. And we keep learning to forgive. Unforgiveness keeps score, complains, divides and separates. We can forgive because we have been forgiven by Him who paid for our forgiveness.
2. FORGET.
Philippians 4: “I forget those things which are behind.” Forget the bad and negative. There will be the “bad”, but we can focus on Him who helps us in this process.
3. FORESEE.
To predict, foretell, foresight. “I press toward the goal, the price, what God has prepared for me.” What do you see for you, your family, and children? So many live for the moment. Ask God to guide your life and others in His steps. Pray always to see through our Father’s eyes for every situation.
4. FOREGO.
To go forward. There is one way to go and that is forward. Do what you can, keep learning and take baby steps if necessary but do not sit idle expecting someday things will change.
Moms, we can do whatever it takes for us and our families to move ahead. Somethings we cannot change but ask His help to change things that change our lives forever. Our help comes from the Lord but also others who are His helpers.
Read the story of Moses’ mother and what she did. Exodus 2:1-10
YOUR HURT WILL NOT BE WASTED.
Could Joseph really forgive his brothers? Genesis 50:19-20 – Do not be afraid of me. You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.
How could you be thrown into a pit, sold and unfairly imprisoned? God still had a plan. I will position him for what can change the situation, family, and nation. You will see beauty even from what feels too far gone. Our story, surrendered into the hands of God will not be wasted. I choose to surrender every heartache and difficulty into His hands and wait patiently for Him to bring the good out of the (bad) and HURT!
IT SEEMS SO LITTLE!
What seems LITTLE to us is so BIG to God.
I thought of the woman who made the LITTLE boy’s lunch in Matthew 14. It was a LITTLE lunch for a LITTLE boy that she made all the time. No BIG deal. To the LITTLE boy, it was his LITTLE lunch so he would not go hungry. But when he gave it to Jesus, that LITTLE lunch would feed thousands!
I thought of David, the shepherd boy who obeyed his father and checked on his brothers. This BIG giant was taunting a whole nation and they were hiding in fear. He had cried out to God when all he had was a LITTLE sling shot to kill Goliath. David took his LITTLE sling shot and ask his God to let this giant be killed! He had no idea that this one act would kill this BIG giant and then he’s a step closer to his destiny of being King.
Lastly, I thought of Moses mother who was living in fear and came up with a plan to make a LITTLE basket to hide her baby boy! She had no clue this LITTLE basket would hide her LITTLE baby boy, and that he would grow up to be one of the meekest but strongest leaders who ever lived. This LITTLE baby would one day save a whole nation.
What seems LITTLE to you?
It may seem very LITTLE to you, if you say a LITTLE prayer, share a LITTLE encouraging word, and offer a LITTLE love. But engage your Father, and watch for the impact and return to be BIG!
Keep making the LITTLE lunch, fighting giant by giant and protecting those you love! LITTLE is BIG when God touches it!
“One decision can change the course of your life.”
A huge danger is to use our spontaneous or even compulsive feelings and emotions to seduce us to make rash, and quick decisions. Instead, we must pause, think, listen, and pray for the Holy Spirit to give us the “decision making signal”.
Isaiah 55:8 says “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the Lord, and my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine”.
Sometimes we think His ways just don’t make sense, as we can only see today’s realities. Like me, I know you have personal experiences like this one…
I remember we preached at a church in California in the 80’s and felt this might be the “new church, new location” for us. It didn’t work out and we wondered why! Soon after, a church in Selma, CA. made the call for us to come and we did. That is where our sons graduated from college and met their “wives to be be”. Our whole family’s lives changed forever.
God’s thoughts and ways always makes sense to Him and His plans are always perfect. Thank you Jesus for knowing and showing us the path.
We can look back and say, “I prayed, I was willing, but I had no clue why He said “NO”. The word NO, is not always bad but instead can position to what needs to take place. He has known and shown our past, let’s trust him as he knows and shows us our future.
What is the decision that you are faced with right now?
DO YOU NEED A MIRACLE?
If Jesus can take one lunch and feed approximately 20,000 people, what can you and Jesus do with our prayers, our speaking, and the love we share!
When Jesus fed the multitudes, it was an ordinary day for teaching, but the need was greater. Not a problem for the Master. Instead it was a greater opportunity for the Master to provide the Miracle!
What is your problem? The greater need, the greater the Miracle.
Lord, we need your Greater Miracle to invade the greater need in our lives, family and nation.