Salvation Archives – Facets of Faith

The Trinity: Intimately Knowing & Growing

10.08.2020 by Tracy Stella //

Welcome to FACETS! As we start to dig into the persons of God this month, we wanted to preface with a bit about what we believe. We believe in one God who exists in three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are three individual facets of one magnificent God. There are numerous scriptures throughout the New Testament that reference the three persons of God individually, and together, giving us glimpses of the personality and characteristics of God. If you wrestle with the thought of one God in three persons, we encourage you to lean into the confusion, pray, and ask God to further reveal Himself. We pray you find comfort in the greatness, and vastness of our God knowing that we will forever have more to learn about Him.

How do we talk about the trinity, the Godhead three in One? Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Relationship with ALL are of equal importance. One is not more significant than the other. We need all aspects of God. More of Him. Less of us. More of Him. Less of us as He leads us. As He grows us. As He grows us to know Him more, and as we do, we grow to know ourselves more. Because we are made in His image. Mind blowing! I know.

There have been times when I’ve run into the arms of my loving Father like a little girl in need of comfort (no matter my age). When I need to feel safe and loved, I turn to Him. He showed me how I am celebrated, that He was there the day of my birth (before actually) and He rejoiced. He celebrated me because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made by Him. You too, sweet one, are fearfully and wonderfully made by a Father who sees you and knows you, who fashioned you in your mother’s womb. (See Psalm 139) He delighted in you that day and every day since. Even in your sin, mine too. He doesn’t delight in our sin; he delights in US, in spite of our sin. That’s EXACTLY why He sent His Son! He sent Jesus to cover our sin with sacrificial blood. He loves us THAT MUCH. Can you imagine? Our sin couldn’t go unchecked. He can’t taint holy with our sin. The sacrifice was needed, so we would no longer be separated from God. (See John 3:16)

He is rich in mercy. I need it. We need it. Not sure? Take a look at the world. Hate, division, murder, violence, angry words. Without God directing our steps that’s what we’re left with. Heaven knows we need His mercy.

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the age of this world and according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among them we all also once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and He raised us up and seated us together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, so that we should walk in them.─Ephesians 2:1-10 MEV (emphasis added)

Because of His great love, He richly reaches toward us with His mercy.

There was a time when I called on the name of Jesus, because His name brings salvation. That sweet moment when amazing grace sweeps in for the rescue. I’ve had that moment. Have you? If not, let me tell you. It’s life changing! My life is beautiful and peaceful now, not perfect, but so good, because Jesus saved me.

I used to have despair; now I have hope. I used to have depression; now I have joy. I used to have promiscuity; now I have purity. I used to have unrest; now I have peace. I used to be lost; now I am found.

If you don’t know Jesus but would like to, it is quite simple. All you need to do is say a prayer something like this from your heart (that’s the most important part – your heart is what He wants the very most).

Jesus, I don’t know you, but I desire to know you. Thank you for your precious gift of forgiveness for every one of my sins: past, present, & future. I do need hope, and joy, and peace, and purity of heart which brings that peace. I need those things and somehow my heart tells me having you in my life will lead me to those. Help me to know You more. Help me to know of Your great love, of Your great love for me. And help me to follow Your ways all the days of my life. Make a difference in my life, LORD, so that I can make a difference in the world. Thank You for celebrating the very day I was born. Help me to learn more about Your deep love for me and the world I live in. In Jesus’ name, amen.

If you prayed that prayer for the first time, please let us know. We’d love to celebrate with you. For God’s Word says there is much rejoicing in heaven when another precious child of God comes to know Him. You are His, sweet one, forever. You will never be alone again. God has a name, Immanuel. It means God is with us. God is with you. Forever. Soak in that. Feel God’s smile upon You.

Jesus’ name is the name above all names. I needed His rescue. God’s Word says we can come to the Father, because Jesus has cleansed us of our sin. We are righteous, because Jesus made us righteous. We can enter the holy presence of God, because we are made holy through His sacrifice. If you have accepted Jesus in your heart, you are righteous. No shame. Freedom from sin. That’s pretty incredible, right?

And for those of us who have a relationship with Jesus, let us not miss this moment afresh. Let us not forget the hour we first believed as the lyric goes. Let us hold tight to that moment and every saving moment since.

These faith moments help us when life gets hard. Like 2020. When we wonder what on earth is going on? Yet still, if we sit silent, we see God in our moments.

Be still and know.

Be still and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.

─Psalm 46:10 MEV

When the world feels weary, isn’t it good to know God gives us the command to rest in Him. We can be still. We can be still because we know God. That’s where peace that surpasses understanding stems from: a growing knowledge of the goodness and power of God. It’s how we rest.

God the Father, God the Son, but what about God the Holy Spirit? That’s where some folks can come to a screeching halt of misunderstanding.

For whatever it’s worth, here’s what I know. The Holy Spirit is not weird. (Some people are, but not Him.)

Before Jesus’ death and resurrection, Jesus said this:

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, that He may be with you forever: the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, for it does not see Him, neither does it know Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you, and will be in you.”

─John 14:15-17 MEV

The Counselor, the Spirit of truth, He is the Holy Spirit. We were blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit to help teach and guide us. God’s Word says we are given the deposit of the Holy Spirit when we are saved.

Jesus also said this:

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.─John 16:7 ESV

Jesus SENT us the Holy Spirit. He said having the Holy Spirit with us is for our ADVANTAGE.

As I have grown to know the Holy Spirit more, I grow to desire to know Him more. This is the space God has probably been growing most in terms of my understanding of the trinity. As I try to “be still” He speaks to my heart. Stillness isn’t easy, but it is when we hear the Holy Spirits’ desires for us and others.

If you didn’t know the Holy Spirit and I had to tell you about Him from my vantage point (as small as my perspective is), I would say He is incredibly sweet. He lets me in on secrets and He sends me on fun assignments of kindness. As I see how His adventures play out (sometimes I get to see), I am delighted at God’s loving goodness. That’s His nature: kind, compassionate, tender, and loving.

As I pay attention to how He works in the world, it brings me joy. Who knew in 2020 we could have joy? With the Holy Spirit imparting divine wisdom, peace, comfort, and revelation, we can.

He has been growing my heart to align more closely with His. I certainly haven’t “arrived” in this, but I am more attuned to Him and His desires now.

And He blesses me so much as I see and know His presence guiding me, my life, and the lives mine intersects. Sometimes, a “chance” meeting with a stranger. Sometimes, the perfect timing of a call or a connection with a friend. His melody perfectly orchestrated when we slow down and listen to what the Holy Spirit desires to speak to us and through us.

When I have slowed enough to listen, I am told I am loved. I am shown I am loved. I feel seen and known, because the Holy Spirit brought wisdom from above. And it delights me that now He uses me. His Spirit ministers through my hands and heart, your hands and heart too if you know Him and slow to listen to Him. He is speaking to us. Even now.

The Holy Spirit is not weird. He is wonderful! He is kind, loving, and true. Remember, He is the Spirit of Truth. God cannot lie. He will tell us the truth about ourselves, Himself, and others as we need to know it (and some of their stuff is really none of our business). What we need to know to effectively minister to others, that’s what He will tell us. Sometimes we are doing His work without even knowing it. My guess is that is often the case. Why? Because God is always doing something beneath the surface we are completely unaware of.

I think of the work He was doing in my heart well before I was saved. Back then, you would never have imagined who He is making me into. Maybe you can relate. Perhaps you were in prison, and now He has set you free. Maybe you were once an addict, and now the only thing you are addicted to is Him. This is the beauty of the Spirit at work in our lives.

I like to think of myself as a secret agent for God sometimes. When I can slow down enough to engage with Him and His missions, that’s when He uses me most.

Just this past week the Holy Spirit has done these things. To be clear, I am bragging on Him. He is a Mystery, but a Mystery I want to know more of, to be more a part of as I get to participate in His plan.

The Holy Spirit grows us up in our faith. Certainly, this is not where I started (listening to God and carrying out missions). I started in the ditch of life. In His love I have grown. In His love I will grow some more. Until the day I die, I will be being taught by the Holy Spirit how to be a better ambassador for Him. That’s my way of saying I don’t always get it right, but when I do? It brings a smile to my face even now.

Last Saturday, I attended a virtual conference with a friend. Over lunch break we shared our hearts about much, and specifically about our children. We talked about the power of prayer from our mama hearts that we know God hears. The next session was a spirit-filled prayer for attendees, including us. As the speaker helped us enter a peaceful space (ushering us into God’s presence), part of her prayer was about the prayer of mothers for their children. She talked about how God hears our prayers for the ones we love so much.

It was as if God used her to encourage my friend and I that He’d been right there at the lunch table with us. He heard our conversation, and He hears our prayers. I walked away encouraged because the Holy Spirit had ministered to me through the voice of one of His saints. His well-timed voice dispenses hope.

That’s why it is so very important for us to be still and listen.

Who does God want us to encourage? Who does God want to use to encourage us?

In the weary world of 2020, I can guarantee we all need encouragement. The Holy Spirit knows that, and He will use those of us willing to be that for each other. Isn’t it the most beautiful thing?

On my way home after the conference, I felt the Holy Spirit impress upon my heart. Don’t turn the radio on. I have something to tell you.

It made sense to sit in silence, to decompress from the day. So much had been said. God had been speaking all day through each woman delivering messages we needed, I needed.

I asked what God wanted to say. And waited. Sometimes, I can be too fervent in wanting to hear, almost causing distortion. I want to know. Finally, I settle down enough that He can speak through my mental chatter without having to crash through. It’s almost like He just kind of lets me squiggle a little and then He slips something in when the opportune, settled moment happens in my brain.

Have fun.

God told me to “have fun”. Sometimes, I do need reminding of that. Life can be serious.

I had shared with my friend earlier in the day sometimes the more serious life feels, the more fun and joy we need to infuse. I do think there’s truth in that. We have to counterbalance the weariness of the world in the every day difficulties and in the large, looming pandemic challenges. The harder those things are, the more fun we need to have.

As a child I was silly and fun. As an adult I can be serious, not that serious is bad. But neither is fun and silly.

The Holy Spirit also said to my heart, You having fun is one of the greatest witnessing tools you have to show Me to the world.

I believe that to be true and why the enemy tries so hard to weigh us down with worry.

Joy. Fun. They are a weapon. And as God said, a most effective witness tool.

It took effort not to look at my text messages. Several had come over during the conference. I knew there were “things”, things to attend to. I didn’t know what because I’d turned my phone over, knowing if I saw a text I wouldn’t be able to emotionally engage in the conference and what God had for me. So those ignored texts became the place God called me to linger. No radio. No texts. Be with Him. It became a matter of trust. Did I trust Him that the sky wouldn’t fall if I spent 20 more minutes with Him during the car ride home without glancing at my phone?

Almost home I passed by a man, a woman, and a child. The man held a sign that read something like this, Out of work. Please help my family. However you can help. It was that sentiment if not those exact words.

I had driven past because I had somewhere to go that evening. (Not to mention my unknown texts.) But the Holy Spirit didn’t let me get far. My car made it to the next Home Depot entrance where He placed on my heart,

Turn around and give them (x-dollar amount).

I pulled into the semi loading area of Home Depot, navigated my car past the garden center, through the parking lot, and pulled my car near the family. I felt prompted to get out of my car, walk over to the dad, and hand him the money.

As I did, I told him this, “Jesus loves you. He told me to turn my car around and come to give you this money. He sees you, and He loves you.”

I have no idea what God will do with that, but that’s an awesome point. We do not know what the Holy Spirit is up to in anyone else’s life. What if I had disregarded His prompting to sit quiet in my car for a 20 minute ride home? I can tell you I most certainly would have been mentally engaged in whatever work was calling me. And I would have missed it! But God’s grace had me be still a little longer with Him. He gave me a sweet message to have fun, and I got to see His goodness play out in the smallest of ways through me. And it was kind of fun too. Being sent on assignment is fun.

Maybe you needed to hear that. God’s assignments shouldn’t feel heavy and burdensome, another thing we have to do. His assignments are covered by His grace. He’s doing the heavy lifting.

So, if things feel heavy, hand those over to God. Have fun. And let His Spirit do the work.

Now the Lord is the Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, seeing the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, as in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord.─2 Corinthians 3:17-18 MEV

Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page.

Looking to engage some more?

I encourage you to read Acts chapter 2 as a start (or referesher) on your journey to learn more about the Holy Spirit. The early church was greatly impacted by the power of the Holy Spirit. If you look at how the Spirit came upon the Church and then Peter preached the sermon of his life with power and impact for God’s kingdom, I hope you are encouraged. The power of the Holy Spirit is available to you and me today as well. Let’s “be the Church” through the power of the Holy Spirit who does the heavy lifting.

Freedom on the Road to Calling

07.10.2020 by Tracy Stella //

Welcome friends! We’re so glad you’re here! This month we’re talking about freedom and calling, two things Jesus is very concerned about for us and others. We hope you’ll check in each week to see what He’s placed on our hearts. We trust this message is His message, and He has freedom planned and purposed for each of us as we engage with Him. For those of us walking free, we pray a deeper level of freedom. For those of us still captive, we pray He sets us free through our calling.

Christ has paid the price of our admission to enter through freedom’s gates. Let’s walk through every gate He opens.

What is a calling? According to Merriam Webster, it is a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence.1

As God’s children guided by divine influence, we have a high calling on our lives. Each of us is placed where we are with whom we are for a reason. Our location and vocation are not accidental; they are providentional. If God establishes our steps (and He does), each paver we walk upon is there for purpose. Sometimes, the steps He has us take lead to freedom for ourselves. Other times, those steps are intended to liberate someone else. Captives are set free along the way in God’s efficient nature─a bit of me, you, we all at once.

Recently, I had a client unexpectedly pass away. It was like a spiritual slap in the face, a wake-up call. The volume of my tears was large, and I was in absolute shock. As I processed my feelings, I thought to myself, “I need to pray with more intention.” I always pray for my clients, but this kind man’s passing made me realize I need to pray more and more specifically for them in light of eternity. Maybe the person we encounter and pray for never comes to know Jesus. But maybe they do. What if God brought them to me for that specific purpose? What if He’s put someone in your path for that divine reason too? I don’t want to miss that high calling.

Faith is a personal choice. As believers we need to respect where others are on their faith journey. Force feeding someone Jesus is likely to have the reverse effect. Like a baby being coerced to eat smashed squash, they could spit Christ out because we didn’t let them taste and see His goodness for themselves. But that doesn’t mean we can’t pray for those God has placed in our path, nor does it mean we can’t try to walk out our own lives in such a way as to create curiosity in others. Side note: Jesus gave us free will because He wants us to choose Him. Let’s stay out of God’s way and give others the choice to choose Him. Pray and stay out of God’s way. He’ll let us know if and when we need to take action.

I meet a lot of people doing what I do. I’m a REALTOR®. To say buying and selling a home is an emotional process is a bit of an understatement. The stakes are high and even if the person’s home sale or purchase is for a happy reason, it can be a bit of a roller coaster ride. Often my job is helping level out the peaks and valleys. I love getting to celebrate with clients as I’m let into a very treasured life event. It’s sweet and special much of the time. Tears of joy, laughter, and happy dancing, they’re all part of the calling. (Who said calling had to be all work and no play?)

What I’d never given thought to before becoming a REALTOR® is the amount of ministry opportunities within this career path God has placed me on. Honestly, until something impacts us (or at least me) we can be oblivious. As I got into things, I realized people die and their estate needs to handle the selling of their loved one’s home. Hard! So hard! Those folks need a compassionate person to sit with them in their grief. They likely need someone to help them make decisions, because they’ve already had to make some pretty difficult ones that weigh heavy on the heart. They need someone who can help them navigate dark waters, with many people often involved who are all dealing with the loss of their loved one in different ways. Sometimes, we just have conversation human to human. We can leave the home sale talk for later if need be. Maybe what’s called for in that moment is a shoulder to cry on or ears that can hear their favorite memory of their loved one. It’s a sacred space.

What sacred space is God calling you to enter?

God gives me women who have had to navigate divorce and need help finding a home. I’ve made a personal choice I will not proactively market to women or men getting a divorce, because it feels contradictory to the calling God has placed on my life to help married couples work on their marriage and stay together. But before I was a believer I did get divorced, and so I can certainly understand many of the emotions my clients experience. It’s another very hard season that needs to be grieved, even if we don’t realize it. I try to point them to hope. Hope helps! I remember one time I was talking with a client in a vacant home for so long Sam got worried for my safety and came to check on me. I was okay, but the one God had placed before me wasn’t. She needed to be heard and God wanted me to listen. When He uses bits from our bio, His desire is for us to connect. Those “me too” moments can make all the difference in the world to someone going through something God already helped us through.

What “me too” moment is God calling you to share with someone in need of hope?

There are joyous occasions, newlyweds in need of a home, excited about what the future holds. It’s so much fun to help them dream and envision building their life together. Sometimes, they need advice, occasionally it’s about real estate. (Wink, Wink) Helping people buy homes, in particular, creates a close connection. You get the opportunity to know someone exceptionally well through the process. Along the way in the course of natural conversation, people tell you things, personal things. I have had the best time getting to know people’s stories. Isn’t that something Jesus would want us to do? Whatever you do for a living, maybe God is leading you to ask someone to share their story (even if that feels far outside your comfort zone). You learn some pretty amazing things about people. Entering others’ story changes ours jobs from a career to a calling.

How is God nudging you to shift your mindset from career to calling?

God once placed it on my heart to do something kind for a person who had been a bit difficult. Okay. A lot difficult. I’m glad I listened to that still, small voice. He knew what that person had been through in life. I had no idea. Clueless with a capital C. So, I did this thing God asked me to and it caught the person off guard. Unexpected kindness created an opportunity for another human being to feel safe enough to open up. A lot. Hearing that person’s story softened my heart faster than melting ice cream on a 90 degree day. I’d say, “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” But perhaps we should in that if there is difficulty dealing with so and so, there must be a reason. If the outside reads hard, the inside is probably hurt. Life’s tribulations can lead to prickly people, because they’re just about protecting themselves at this point. That’s what God showed me. This person was in deep pain. From that point on, I had a completely different thought process about this person. They hadn’t changed, but I had.

Who is God calling you to see from a different perspective? What act of kindness can you engage in on their behalf?

If you like to be in control of things, don’t become a REALTOR®. This job has sanctified me about 1000 times over! I have control over my actions (on a good day), but I have no control over anyone else’s. If you play poker but only have half the hand and have no idea what the other player’s cards are, that’s real estate. I know things to look out for. I know what SHOULD happen. But I only get to see my client’s piece of the transaction. I try to have order and process for the things within my control, but there are a lot of players in this real estate game: buyer, seller, 2 agents, 2 attorneys, home inspector, appraiser, sometimes extra family members, and occassionally interfering neighbors. (Oh, the stories I could tell.) All those other people and their actions, I can’t control one little bit.

God has brought me (and continues to bring me) freedom in this job. Freedom from letting my emotions boss me around. Most of the time I do a pretty good job of that now. Occasionally, I need God’s grace to rush back in and point me back on the path of freedom. This job has helped me to trust God on a whole new level. We do what we can and give the rest to God. The things that I know to do, I do them. The things I can’t “make happen” make me pray even more fervently. Sometimes, I get inspiration and direction on how to proceed. Sometimes, I’m called to sit a spell and let God do what only He can do. It is a gift (and a relief) to know and believe in my heart that God’s the One in charge of the outcome.

What’s something within your control God is asking you to take action on? What is at least one area of your calling God is asking you to relinquish control of and trust Him with the outcome?

Just this week I had a moment where I let fear creep into my calling. It wasn’t good. I was concerned that this or that wouldn’t happen. And then if that didn’t happen, then this, and this, and this might happen. My momentary setback was a good reminder that as much as I want to be like Jesus, sometimes I’m like the leper and need some healing along the way myself.

How does God desire to bring healing to you through your calling?

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Emphasis added)

Luke 17:11-19 NIV

My prayer is that more times than not you and I will look a little more like Jesus. As we travel along the way walking out the calling God has on our lives that we will never be too busy to pause and “take pity” on someone. We don’t want someone to have to stand from afar off shouting for attention. Like Jesus, He’d want us to be attentive to the ones He places before us.

What if others are “cleansed” because they encountered the love of Jesus through us? Maybe that means salvation. Maybe that means healing (or the beginning of that journey for them). Shouldn’t we stop? Jesus was busy, but not too busy to stop for lepers like you and me.

What will we do if we help a lot of people and we don’t always feel appreciated? Remember, the scripture above. Ten were cleansed, but only one came back to thank Jesus. I’ll speak for myself in this, but I wonder how many times Jesus has done things for me that I never bothered to say “thank you” for. I thank Him, but do I thank Him for everything? No.

So another person’s gratitude can’t be our motivator if we are Christ’s children. We need to stop because Jesus stops. He stopped for each of us (and He still stops for us when we need to catch up to Him).

What if in that process we are like the leper ourselves? As we go about our calling and connecting with people along the way, what if He leads us to someone intended to help bring healing to us? Wouldn’t we hope someone would stop?

As we are going, let’s not forget our high calling to STOP for others.

———————-

Consider spending time with God processing the questions in this piece. Grab a notebook, pray, write the question, and journal a response. I pray God will reveal His heart for you and others during that set aside time.

Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page. (INSERT LINK)

1 “Calling.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calling.

Expect the Unexpected

12.05.2019 by Tracy Stella //

Welcome to FACETS of Faith, friends! Snuggle up under a cozy blanket and see what God has for you in this season. We pray each week you visit these pages God meets you and speaks to your heart fresh, alive, with challenge and encouragement. We pray He gifts you with nuggets of His love and guidance regardless of which one of us He has given a message to. Check back next week to see what Jennifer writes and stay tuned for a special announcement from the team! (It feels appropriate considering our topic.)

Life isn’t always what we thought it would be. Sometimes that’s good. Sometimes it isn’t.

There have been moments in my own life where I wondered, “How did I get here?” The times when my life was in a ditch. The times when my life was exhilarating and full of hope and joy.

Both are curious. But if one thing is true, we can expect unexpected moments. None of us knows what lies ahead.

Granted, there are some truths we can cling to as believers. If we have accepted Christ, we know where we ultimately will abide for all eternity. There is absolutely comfort in that truth. Death was defeated thousands of years ago by the sacrifice Jesus paid on the cross.

He has saved us and called us to a holy life─not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.─1 Timothy 1:9-10 NIV (emphasis mine)

Some things we can bank on. God’s destruction of death is one of them.

It’s also a sad truth that if one doesn’t come to choose Christ, he or she will eternally reside in hell.

God’s grace and mercy will keep reaching for the children He so desperately loves. But He gives us free will to choose. We can choose life, or we can choose death. Ultimately, we decide our fate.

Beyond those two truths that feel extreme─I suppose because they are–one rich and full of experience with Christ, the other sad and full of despair. I can’t imagine hell for anyone, least of all for those I love.

I pray each one chooses to know Christ and can expect to live with Him for all eternity. I join you in praying that very thing for those you love and care for too. In Jesus’ name.

But what about when we are here on earth? There are a whole lot of unexpected moments while we are still here.

Would we really want it any other way? Do we want to know moment to moment what God is up to? Or do we want some anticipation, some excitement at the unknown He is bringing us to and through us? (Remind me to tell you how disappointed I was the year I secretly unwrapped all my Christmas gifts and then pretended to be surprised. Yeah, I was on Santa’s naughty list that year for sure! And my peeking took away from the wonder of Christmas.)

If we weren’t built for anticipation, why would we even bother wrapping gifts and setting them under the tree? We could just tell people, “Here’s what you’re getting.”

Where’s the wonder in that?

What would life be like if we looked at every unexpected moment as a present wrapped with Love in Love for the purpose of wonder?

Expect the Unexpected – A Present Wrapped with Love in Love for the Purpose of Wonder

What if unexpected moments were the very thing to bring us to our knees and come to know our God? That was the case for me and for many of you too, I’m sure. Had those moments not happened, I wouldn’t know the immeasurable love of a Father who loved me before I was even born.

He has plans for me and you that we can’t fathom. Part of His plan absolutely is to save us to Him, to His heart for us that exudes generosity. It’s the most beautiful, unexpected, and undeserved gift we could receive. But isn’t that the beauty of a gift when it is given generously? It’s an unexpected, sometimes overwhelming surprise at the goodness of it. We could never be good enough to earn it, but because God loves us THAT MUCH, He reaches for us in our most unexpected dark moments of despair.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.─Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

We are called to be curious and adventurous to know what those thoughts and plans are! For someone like me, I love being granted permission to be curious and adventurous. Stepping into the unexpected, opens a great big adventurous world for us to experience.

As we grow to really know His love, He will leave us in wonder and give us courage to be bold. Those who question His love haven’t experienced it. While we might not understand it when we do, experience of His love changes us forever. We wonder how we ever did life without knowing this love. It’s there. Right there. For each of us.

If you hear His whisper, let Him in. That goes for all of us, whether we know Him or not. If we know Him, let Him into your heart further. If you don’t know Him, give Him a chance. I can promise you this: If you go to Him with a pure heart, He will meet you right where you are. It’s okay to be curious. It’s okay to have questions and doubts. God can handle those. He knows faith is hard, because it requires trust. And until we know Him and have experience of Him, that can be hard, especially if someone has violated our trust. God is not like us. We are made in His image, not the other way around. Borrow His courage. Borrow His strength. He’ll give them, and many other unexpected gifts that help us get through our darkest hour.

Expect the Unexpected – A Present No One Wants and Then What?

This morning I’d been reflecting on some tragic news I heard. The situation seems unimaginable. It was an unexpected event no one could have anticipated, even in their best efforts to do the right thing, to serve others in love, when up out of the abyss this terrible thing happened. I wept for them. It’s that horrible. My spirit grieved for them.

These are the moments when people who don’t walk with God question why He allows bad things if He is good.

Not every event is from God. We do have an enemy. The enemy is not good. He doesn’t have good intentions. He would love nothing more than to destroy every good intention, every beautiful mission from God. The enemy would love to silence us. However, God says, “Sing through a storm, lovely one.” Praise is one powerful weapon!

We need to remind satan he has been defeated. And as horrible as this tragedy is, any unimaginable tragedy, God has given us a very powerful gift. Several come to mind, actually.

We have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). We can choose to believe what His word says to us. We have free will. We have the ability to make a conscious choice to know and believe and trust in God’s goodness.

For those of us who have been walking with God for awhile and these unexpected moments happen, the kind we’d like to run fast and far from, remember God’s faithfulness. Remember every good and perfect gift God has ever given you.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change life shifting shadows.─James 1:17 NIV

God doesn’t change. He is unwavering and unshakable. He is good and He gives good gifts.

Those truths have helped me through hard, unexpected moments. I didn’t see “it” coming. I couldn’t have, really. My world was shaken, but I was able to stand because God is unshakable. I could stand in His shadow, His strength. I’d experienced Him enough to know He is faithful. So as tough as that season was, I knew God would help me through it. And He did.

He allowed me time to rest and grieve. He gave me the gift of processing all my thoughts and emotions with Him, safely, where I could be real and raw and completely vulnerable.

The ability to be ourselves, good, bad, sad, mad, joyful, silly, all of whomever He made us to be and allows us to experience, is a gift He gives us. Be you – beauty and blemishes. We don’t have to be what anyone else wants us to be. We don’t have to put on our poker face and pretend with God. He doesn’t want that. He wants the real you, the real me, surrendered to Him and ready to receive His love, comfort, leading, guiding, teaching, and healing.

God reassures me the dream He gave isn’t dead. It’s just dormant. Sometimes we need to wait. We need to expect the unexpected WILL HAPPEN when we least expect it. Like the first blossoms of spring that turn into a full-on explosion of life as the trees emerge from a long winter, dreams can (and do) jump to life in what can look to outsiders like an overnight “success”. Really, those dreams were cultivated in the deep soil of time spent alone with God preparing us for what’s next.

When we don’t like where things ended, turn the page. God’s not done yet.

I look at how God used that negative, unexpected experience and used it for my good. I don’t think God was the author of what happened to me, but I do think He is writing the last word on it.

I can share this much with you. He took that situation and He worked it for my good. I DO love Him and He was (and is) faithful to His promises.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.─Romans 8:28 NIV

This promise isn’t only for some of us, the “holy ones”, the ones who seem to be so “spiritual”. Nope! The ticket to all things working for our good? All God asks in this promise? That we love Him. He can work with that!

I don’t get a lot of things right, but I do love God. And He worked my situation for the good.

I experienced a very unexpected shift. In this transition I have met people I wouldn’t have otherwise. Some of these people are important to the dream He still has planted in my heart. Others, I have been blessed by. Some, I’ve been able to bless as an Ambassador of Christ doing His work.

There is purpose in where He has placed us.

God is a good Harvester, and He won’t waste any of us or our efforts when we desire to be good soil for Him. He’ll still use us. Wherever we are. I think someone needs to hear that very thing today. God’s not done with you yet! Expect the unexpected sweet one. God has something special for you. The time is near.

Expect the Unexpected – A Present to Treasure

If you’ve lived life in this world for any length of time, it can be easy to become discouraged, and maybe even a little frightened at the state of things.

But God came to save the world. He hasn’t lifted His sovereign hand from this earth, from our lives, or the lives of those we love. We shouldn’t be surprised by the sin of the world and how it’s manifesting. Read the books of prophecy. He told us what to expect. Sin and its consequences aren’t unexpected at all.

Because of sin, He came to save.

When Mary was pregnant with baby Jesus, she treasured up God’s goodness. You can be certain she was not expecting to encounter God the way she did. Who would have thought the most precious gift the world was ever given, would come at the cost she paid? She gave her reputation. She gave her body. She risked her relationship with Joseph to follow the Lord.

And through it all she treasured up the moments she was given with Christ that no one else got to experience. I love that verse so much because it reminds me to treasure Him up too. There are things He’s given me, that He didn’t give to anyone else. Some of these things are hard things, but in them I can see His beauty. I encounter Him. We can each treasure those moments with Him too (even if we don’t love the difficulty).

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.─Luke 2:16-19 NIV (emphasis mine)

Mary had just given birth. Not easy. Painful, in fact. Yet, she treasured up these things and pondered them in her heart. We can learn from Mary.

There are moments God has given me that are sweet, special, sacred, and undeniable. Granted, I never gave birth to Christ, but He has helped me experience His goodness in difficult times. If I hover over the memories too long, tears will spill over, overwhelmed by His goodness in the midst of mess─mine and the world’s.

Remember to share these moments with others. They are for God’s glory. Don’t withhold what He has done.

I pray you encounter these unexpected experiences of God’s goodness in your own life, when you are left with your jaw dropping to the floor in disbelief and overwhelm that God sees you and knows you, that He knows exactly what you need to be encouraged and to feel loved.

Deeply loved.

I think if we peered into the well of God’s love for us, we couldn’t see the depth of it. We’d expect there was a limit, because we have limits and they can be pushed. But God’s love for us is never ending.

The faithful love of the LORD never ends!

His mercies never cease.

Great is his faithfulness;

his mercies begin afresh each morning.

I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance;

therefore, I will hope in him!” ─Lamentations 3:22-24 NLT

Treasure it up in your heart, sweet one, much like Mary did when she was expecting baby Jesus. Expect Him to show up in your life too. He is birthing something beautiful.

I pray Jesus celebrates so many mountaintop moments with you that your faith runs deep, so deep that people see Christ’s reflection in you.

That seems kind of crazy to expect God trusts us enough to be His ambassadors of love. But He does! His trust in us might feel foreign and unexpected. Embrace it and let His grace guide you. Don’t put pressure on yourself to perform. Let Him show you who He’s assigned to you. Let Him show you how. Follow His lead.

Love is an unexpected lesson we can all learn. We are to give it, and we get to receive it. What if the person who needed it most didn’t get it, because we didn’t do our part? What if that person is US in this season? That’s okay too. Give. Receive. There’s a season for everything, even as there’s nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 3).

Know this. A situation may feel unexpected to us, but God is never surprised by our circumstances. Celebrate with Him in moments of joy. Run to Him in moments of trial. He is faithful to be with us in tragedy and triumph. We can expect His presence to carry us through every season.

Be blessed this Christmas season, sweet one. Let the wonder of the season instill wonder in your heart for Christ.

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