"I feel like Job"

Have you ever been in a season of life where you feel like the Bible person you most relate to is Job? Like everything that can possibly go wrong is...and there's no relenting to the trials? As I sat talking with a friend yesterday about the most recent trials her family is facing, my heart ached.  In recent months this family has lost their family business in a fire, faced false accusations concerning the fire, faced financial stress, and my friend has had some health issues that are leading her to her an MRI soon.  And the most recent trial they face? Their 1 year-old son is facing a possible diagnosis of epilepsy.

As we talked, she looked at me and said, "Sometimes I feel like Job."  It's a statement I couldn't help but agree with for her.  This has been a season of trials for my friend and her family.  But her next statement had such a great impact on me.  "But I know God is with me.  I'm His child and He'll always take care of me."  Her expression of her faith was such a blessing to me.  It's so easy to say words like that when times are smooth.  Or when we're talking to a friend going through a season of trials.  But to live them out? That's when you find out what your faith is made of.

In this last year, my household has been tremendously blessed.  While we've faced a few trials, we've not seen a "Job season".  But in my immediate family, there have been "Job seasons".  In close friend's lives, there have been "Job seasons" and in extended friendships there have been "Job seasons".  The majority of these family & friends have demonstrated faith that is beyond words.  They have faced their "Job seasons" with strength that is beyond normal and can only be from God.  And they have used what God has allowed in their path to bring glory to Him.  For some, the trials have ended and the testimony of God's faithfulness is being all but shouted from roof tops.  For others, the trials continue...and the testimony of God's strength, provision, peace and faithfulness are being shared through the trial.  For all, the faith that is shared is inspiring.

Are you facing a "Job season"? Are you in a season of trials that seemingly won't relent? Hold on!  God is faithful.  He has a plan and a purpose.  I'll leave you with words from Steven Furtick: "Last year's pressure has a purpose - to produce an anointing for the new year that will make the devil wish he had never bothered you."  Hold fast!  Your anointing is coming!

The "C" Word

What is it about the "c" word that is so often so difficult to embrace? Whether it be in our family, in our work, in our geography or in our relationships, the "c" word can bring such anxiety.  So what is it about this 6 letter word that causes so much resistance?

I think the hardest part of CHANGE is knowing in your spirit that it's coming but not knowing what it is or what it means for your life.  That period where you feel God working, you know something is coming.  And you know deep down that whatever it is, it's BIG.  And you know that when it happens, it's going to rock your world.  And then human nature takes over and it all becomes overwhelming.  Even intimidating.  It becomes easier to sit still than to face the change head on and move towards whatever it is God is calling you to.

Sitting still is the easy thing to do.  It's the comfortable thing to do.  It's the cowardly thing to do.  When God begins to plant seeds of change or when God just flips it all upside down at once, we have to step out.  Sometimes God plants a seed that lets us know that change is coming and slowly leads us down a path that brings the change about and reveals His plan.  Other times, in one earth rocking revelation God shows us what's next.  Either way, we have to resolve to step out.  We have to resolve to embrace the change.  We have to resolve to have the audacious faith (thank you Steven Furtick) to believe that what God has called us to, He will lead us through.

I don't know what changes you face right now.  But I know that if God is ordaining change in your life right now, blessing follows obedience.  I know that if you take that first step into the unknown, He's already taken the second to prepare the path.  Change is painful.  Change is difficult.  Change brings growth.  Change is the path to blessing.

Words of Wisdom...but not from me!

Our church staff spent Wednesday through Friday at C3 2011 at Fellowship Church in Grapevine.  To say that this conference was impactful is an understatement.  I'm certain that over the next days & weeks a number of blogs will come from what God did in me while I was there.  The easiest one to start with is the words of wisdom that I received from the dynamic speakers that spoke into my life in those 3 days.  The quotes are more just in the order I wrote them down in, not the level of impact they had.  And some may not make a lot of sense when you see them, but you'll probably see a full blog on those anyway!

"God promises to reward good works.  If you're good, they will find you.  Let the game come to you, in God's time." --Ed Young

"Leaders set people up for success." --Ed Young

"The popularity contest ended the day you surrendered your life to Christ.  Now you play for an audience of ONE!" --Ed & Lisa Young

"When pride walks on the stage, God walks off." --Ed Young

"Don't let what God has called you to do distract you from what God has called you to do." --Brian Houston

"Don't get distracted by disappointments.  God didn't say offences might come, He said they will come." --Brian Houston

"No mature Christian who is seasoned in the Word has a defendable excuse to live life offended!" --Brian Houston

"It is in the secrecy of your sin that the devil has his power." --Dr. Robi

"Use the talents & gifts God has given you in a creative way where God has placed you." --Kong Hee

"God knows how to find "the one" no matter the size of the crowd." --Steven Furtick

"The voice of doubt will come loudest from within.  It is my own insecurities that will sabotage what god wants to do in and through me." --Steven Furtick

"Don't be afraid, just believe." --Steven Furtick

"God doesn't see death, he sees the opportunity for resurrection.  God doesn't see defeat, he sees the opportunity for a monumental comeback." --Steven Furtick

"You don't have to fully understand to completely obey." --Steven Furtick

"There is no person on earth or devil on hell that can keep you from the greatness God has for you." --Joyce Meyer

"How my life turns out is not dependent on what others do to me or don't do for me." --Joyce Meyer

"God has put greatness in every one of us." --Joyce Meyer

"Do all you can do and let God do what you cannot do." --Joyce Meyer

"If you can't do anything else, WIGGLE!" --Joyce Meyer (Ok, maybe you had to be there for that one, but it's profound, I promise!)

"What are my personal affects going to be when my time is up?" --Joyce Meyer

"If you wanna see God show up, move to a place of obscurity because that's where God gets all the glory." --Shannon O'dell

"Your story is about to change." --Shannon O'dell

"God wants to do more for you than what you are currently asking for." --Judah Smith

"What your God has prepared for you exceeds even your wildest dreams." --Judah Smith

"Jesus chose drinks at a party to first manifest his glory and you question if he cares about your struggles and concerns?!" --Judah Smith

"Give your best today and I'll better your best tomorrow." --Judah Smith

"If you empty out everything that is inside of you, you will go to unprecedented places." --Bishop TD Jakes

"I can buy a good preacher, but I can't buy a great leader." --Bishop TD Jakes

"Get off the boat where it's safe and step into the unfamiliar." --Bishop TD Jakes

"If all you get [out of this conference] is what we teach, you've been cheated.  If while I'm speaking in generalizations, God has given you specifics, then you have been filled." --Bishop TD Jakes