Recently, while traveling alone, I noticed something wasn't quite right with my navigation system. After a few minutes, I realized I simply needed to re-center. Once I hit that magic button, all was right again. I could see my exact location, and it made navigating the unknown road so much more clear. Even though, my current situation did not change at all, I could see more clearly. 

In that moment, God whispered to my heart- Danita, it is time to re-center. 

Just like my GPS, there are times I find myself moving at a rapid pace. I am on a mission, and I get caught up in the hurry to get to the next destination. Somewhere in the midst of the process, I loose focus on the present and on the most important details of the journey. I am not sure what causes a GPS to need a re-center, it just seems to happen. Isn't life the same way? We are moving along, trying to meet every need, moving from one to-do list, one obligation to the next. We meet ourselves coming and going. We think we are on the right road, but something just doesn't feel quite right. That feeling of not quite right, is our internal GPS- also known as- the Holy Spirit. If ignored, we eventually find ourselves lost with no real sense of direction. Thankfully, God understands our tendency to loose focus. He places this guide within His children as a way of prompting us to hit the re-center button in our lives. 

We are quickly approaching one of my most favorite days. January 1st  represents the opportunity to hit the re-center button on our hearts. This is a time to ask God to help us focus back on the core values that reflect the things most important to our purpose on this earth. A new year provides a place to start fresh. It is not shameful to admit it is time to re-center. In fact, this reveals the true character within us. It is a gift. Without an occasional re-center, we spend a lifetime doing many things, but never truly living out the life God intends. We miss the peace of clear direction. We miss the joy of the journey. 

With every passing year, I am reminded how quickly we are traveling through this life. I seem to be more and more aware of the urgency to live this life well- with purpose- with intention. We exist for a much higher calling. Every encounter, every decision lead us either closer to God's best for us or further away. The good news is, we choose when it is time to re-center. God is patiently waiting. When we ask, He helps us focus our eyes on Him. He helps us see where we are and what needs to shift in order to re-center our lives back to the most important things. 

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.- Matthew 6:33

The Struggle is Real

 

I secure the leash, and brace myself as the gate swings open. Our nearly 50 lb  "puppy" comes barreling at me. He tugs, he pulls, he jumps and claws. He is determined. But, so am I. We spend about the first 15 minutes determining who is boss. Just about the time both of our wills are at the breaking point, he surrenders and falls into step beside me. I take him all over our hill. I let him roll and play in the grass and enjoy moments of safe freedom. We laugh and play. I scratch his belly, which he loves, and we have the best time. I explain to him, if he would surrender sooner, the other 15 minutes spent fighting could have been so much more pleasant and beneficial. It is in that moment, God speaks to my heart. 

I admit, I have places of struggle. My strong-will determination to attempt to control the situation. Fighting, wresting, and trying my very best to be free. All the while, God is the one holding securely to what is truly best. Maybe like me, you can relate. Our walk with Jesus becomes so much sweeter when we cease the striving and simply walk with Him. One. Surrendered. Day at a time. What if, just for today, we surrendered our will to God's will and chose to simply live in peace? Doing the next right thing. Choosing to pray instead of worry. Intentionally setting our minds on the good, and taking captive every thought that brings defeat. Just for today, what if we let go of all the worry over future "what ifs" and simply rested in the here and now? I am convinced, our walk today will be so much more enjoyable. And, if we make this choice again tomorrow and then the next day... suddenly we have a week of peace, then a month, and then a lifetime. Suddenly, our walk becomes a delight rather than a struggle.

It is true,  we cannot control circumstances, but we have the God of everything holding us securely as we walk out these days. 

"You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You." 

- Isaiah 26:3

Just Because

 

It was early- very early, as I laced up my tennis shoes and headed out the front door. Where I live, the only other living creature I meet on my morning walk is an occasional deer, or armadillo (which I do not particularly enjoy), and my faithful side-kick Momma Kitty. These are my absolute favorite moments of the day. Just Jesus and me. A good praise song, hands in the air worship-yes, this describes my kind of workout. Jesus and I certainly do work a number of things out during these early morning moments.

This particular morning, my Momma heart was heavy. Weighed down with a few worries and prayers over the four children we are called, and blessed to raise. As I stepped off the porch, I told the Lord, “Ok- God- today I REALLY need to hear from you. I need to see you. I need to KNOW you are listening. Just as my feet hit the gravel driveway, something caught my attention. I squinted to see. What in the world was it? I walked a little closer and was literally caught by the most splendid sight.

A bouquet. A literal bouquet of the most beautiful lilies was waiting for me. Later in the day, I texted a picture to my Mom. She said, “Oh, those are surprise lilies.” What a fitting name- God certainly surprised me! He even arranged them in perfect bouquet form. The only thing missing was a vase around them- but who needs a vase? I froze. I was stunned. The night before nothing was there, or at least, I didn’t think so! Then, it hit me. This was no random bouquet. It was God’s bouquet to my weary heart. He planted it right there for that very moment just for me to see Him. To hear Him. To KNOW He was listening. Now, you might not think this is possible. I might wonder myself if I had not personally experienced it. But here is what I do know. Nothing is impossible with our God.

He goes to great lengths to show us how much he cares and loves us. No detail, or worry, or tear goes unnoticed. It is in the small reminders that we sometimes see and hear Him the most. He prefers to speak in that still, small voice. That is why he reminds us to “Be still and Know He is God.” In the stillness of the early morning, He sends a beautiful gift…Just Because.   

Have you ever experienced a “Just because” moment with God? Please share it in the comments.

It might be just the encouragement someone else needs most!

Steady My Heart

 

A heart out of rhythm can be a bit scary. We are moving along, and suddenly, we know something isn’t quite right. I am thankful for medical wisdom to help guide us in the right medical steps to bring our hearts back into rhythm and maintain the rhythm needed to pump life and breath into our physical bodies.

Recently, this physical wake- up call prompted me to take careful notice of the spiritual condition of the heart. We become focused on the day to day to do’s, overstretched in commitments, and sometimes preoccupied with distractions. We notice something doesn’t feel quite right. Our rhythm is off, it seems. But we press on. Until suddenly, we can’t go on. We struggle to catch our breath. We are unable to deny the fact that something is not right. We are not ok, and we know it is time for some changes. In our pause, we recap the days, weeks and months leading up to this moment. Were there warning signs? Absolutely. Did we listen? Maybe not as soon as we should have.

How do we avoid potentially fatal spiritual heart failure? First, we must put on our spiritual heart monitor. What is this monitor? God knew far in advance, we would need a guide to monitor the conditions of our heart. He gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit. When we listen and invite His guidance, He carefully sends warning signals when things are not quite right within. God speaks to us through His Word. He warns us when thoughts and feelings are out of rhythm with God’s best for us. The conviction we wish away is actually the blessing of our monitor in action. It sends the needed warning signals, and when heeded, it saves our lives.

Friend, let me share with you the importance of listening to your heart. No interruption or warning is too small to ignore. We are not designed to try to carry everything alone. We are not designed to push ourselves beyond healthy limits. God created our bodies and our souls on purpose for a beautiful purpose. ♥

Intentional

 

My Blog posting has been less often, lately. It happens in a subtle way. Like with many things, we begin strong, like a wind-up toy. Then, gradually, we begin to slow down... If we are not careful, and intentional, we will eventually stop. Whatever it may be. Our best intentions become buried under a stack of daily duties that ultimately steal our joy and our effectiveness.

The Christian heart is FILLED with good intentions. After all, isn’t that what the Holy Spirit is doing…filling us with the fruits of the spirit, so we bear MUCH fruit. It is God’s desire to see us bearing fruit and living fruitful lives. It is God’s dream for us to live a life filled with faith risks and adventure. 

A life lived on purpose, even within the most mundane tasks.

So why do we slowly loose our motivation and find ourselves standing still, rather than moving forward? It can be for a number of reason, really. One of the most common is distraction. We easily find ourselves moving constantly through our days, but like walking on a treadmill, we are caught in the day to day responsibilities so much we have no time left for the one or two things we feel most called to do. I have often heard the statement, we are doing too many things, and nothing well. There is much truth to this. What if we think about it this way..We are doing too many things, and nothing toward reaching the desires God has placed on our hearts.

One thing is certain, the treadmill of demands for our time will not stop on its own. We must be intentional about the way we are spending our hours. The first step is taking inventory of our use of time, then compare this to what we feel is our higher calling in life. How does it compare? Write it down. Where are the hours really going? Is this the picture of the life you feel called to live?

If not, it is ok! You are already one step closer by recognizing it.

It is time to take control of the moments making up our days, because they eventually become the moments that make up our lives. How sad, to get to the end of our lives and know we really never did that thing we felt God calling us to do. To know we spent a lifetime running a race on a treadmill that kept us in one place rather than on the adventure of Faith God had for us.

We cannot change how we have spent the hours of our past, but we can move forward with intentional decisions that will ultimately lead us to the sweet place of fulfilling our God-given destiny. And when we are living life this way, even the most mundane tasks become a little more enjoyable. ♥

 

Timehop Reminders and Memories

Do you ever have one of those nostalgic days when you find yourself cleaning out a drawer, and suddenly you find a photo or item that instantly ushers you back in time? 

Maybe the technology at your fingertips supplies the reminder.  

I'm referring to the fun feature on social media or google photos that provides Timehop Reminders or Memories. It enables us to see and relive places we were on this exact day one, two or three years ago and more. Now don’t get me wrong, I love seeing the faces of my sweet children pop up, and the memories certainly bring to light how much they grow and change in one short year! The reminders are good. They cause me to make a conscious effort to slow down and savor moments with them, because they are growing at warp speed!

But, I am also reminded how those reminders can be a tool of the enemy to steal our present joy. Suddenly a really good, productive day becomes sad or filled with past guilt or regret. Before we know it, we have spent too many minutes lamenting a time that once was.

Memory. Some say it is our most treasured gift. I agree it is beautiful and certainly something to never take for granted. But, what about the hard memories? What do we do with the thoughts that cause us to remember friendships or loved ones no longer present? Or a life that looks drastically different from our present one?

I don’t think we need to live long on this earth to encounter hard goodbyes. We are naturally moving forward in our story. That forward movement means there are things which naturally change.

The wise Winnie the Pooh once said, “The only way to get to where I’m going is to leave where I’ve been.”

So simple. So true.

Isaiah 43:18-19 is one of my favorite reminders in scripture:

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

Recently, I shared lunch with a dear friend. This very subject came up. It is much harder not to dwell on the past in today’s world of constant reminders. Yet, dwelling in the past serves to hold us hostage there. It is impossible to appreciate today, in a world consumed with yesterday.

Jesus walked this earth before the printed or digital photos and social media reminders. He lived each day, noticing those right in front of Him. He lived in the moment; not staring at the past or fretting over the future. In His infinite wisdom, He knew how we would struggle with letting go of the past. He provided words in scripture to provide the answers to the hard questions of when and how to let go.

Heavenly Father,

Some days are hard. Some memories are hard. Help us recognize when a past memory is a tool used to steal our joy in you and the effectiveness of our faith.

Help us to “take those thoughts captive” IMMEDIATELY and not allow them to take one second of our present day. Help us to surrender those memories to you. Redeem our past mistakes with your Grace and help us to walk in the newness of today. Help us to see the NEW pathways you are providing. The blessing of the NEW relationships you are bringing into our lives.

The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy all that you are doing presently in our lives.

 We speak your name over his antics.

We choose to live in the gift of today ..Amen ♥

 

Worship Louder than Worry

What do we possibly do when we honestly have no idea what to do? When the worry is overwhelming. When the disappointment is too much. When we struggle to hope or dream again. When it seems like every door is closing. How do we respond?

First of all, if you are in any of these places right now, let’s pause together. I might not know you or your particular situation, but I am praying over you. In this moment. I am not brushing past this with a Mary Poppins smile or rose colored glasses. But my prayer is, that after reading this, you lift your eyes and dare to take on the impossible with a renewed determination to fight for your happy again, and to take steps to healing. You are worth it. There. Is. Hope. Because, hope is not in a feeling. Hope is not tied to a particular outcome, or place or circumstance. The true source of all HOPE is Jesus. And He is the ROCK that never rolls. He is the constant. The same yesterday, today and forever. He is not detoured by accidents or human choices. Nothing catches him off guard. He loves you. He is fighting for you. You can lift your hands, even in this moment and worship HIM. Let Him wash over your tired heart.

 I remember some of the hardest moments of my life, overwhelmed with questions and disappointment. I remember whispering the name of Jesus…And, Friend. He heard. I felt His presence like I have never felt Him before. And I have never been the same. I have never got over Him. I still have moments of struggle and worry. But I have never doubted the presence of the Lord again.

About 10 years ago, I started a Gratitude Journal after completing the powerful Ann Voskamp study, “One Thousand Gifts.” A simple practice of writing down 3 things we are grateful for at the end of every day. I was skeptical at the promise of it changing my life. I could not have imagined how much it would.

When we consistently choose to be thankful, our thoughts and perspective changes…possibly even BEFORE the circumstances change. The following is an exerpt from an article from  PositivePsychology entitled The Neuroscience of Gratitude and How It Affects Anxiety & Grief:

When we express gratitude and receive the same, our brain releases dopamine and serotonin, the two crucial neurotransmitters responsible for our emotions, and they make us feel ‘good’. They enhance our mood immediately, making us feel happy from the inside.

By consciously practicing gratitude every day, we can help these neural pathways to strengthen themselves and ultimately create a permanent grateful and positive nature within ourselves.

A grateful attitude not only changes our hearts, it literally creates new pathways in our thinking. Here is another stunning fact, Gratitude and Worry cannot coexist within our minds. One dominates the other. So, if gratitude can interrupt my worry, I am all for it. Natalie Grant once challenged a crowd to “Not let your worry be louder than your worship.” I captured this quote. In the moments when the worry is deafening. I will choose to raise a hallelujah, instead.