Lord I'm Ready Now

Recently, on the 3rd and last day of a Christian Public Speaking conference, I woke up with this praise tune in my head "Lord, I'm Ready Now" by Plumb.

Listen here: https://youtu.be/zBUQqLp6N24

Wow!  That is such a powerful song!  It was also very powerful to wake up singing (it was stuck in my head all through getting ready)....

"Lord I'm ready now, all my walls are down".....I may have went to the conference with preconceived notions of what was going to come from it.  I think I felt some amount of personal drive, for professional reasons, to attend (and it should have been God given reasons, not professional reasons).  Of course, I did also expect spiritual growth there, but I entered somewhat blinded by my expectations.  By the last morning, all of those expectations had disappeared, and I had been successfully reminded to just follow wherever the Lord led me throughout the conference...and in all the days following.

"Time is running out, and I wanna make this count".... As I said, it was the last day of the conference, so, "time was running out"...  I had already learned so much, but there was more to be learned!  Once I decided to "make it count " wholeheartedly, I opened up my heart.   I began to receive information and direction toward writing.  You see, I had went to the conference with ONLY the focus of public speaking.   I only had a desire to better myself in speaking tactics and promotions, but I soon learned that the Lord has another idea, and wants me to write...

"I don't want to let you down".....  So, I finally was obedient to the Lord, and listened for His voice and His direction, on that last day of the conference.  That, then, was the day that I learned the most, that information sank in better, and that I allowed my emotions to open up as well.   I cried, tears of joy, during worship, and I made the best connections with other ladies and even a publisher, on that last day.

Listen for the Lord's voice!   Let go, Be exposed, because that is the only way that you will be opened, in mind and soul, to hear and feel the directions of the Lord!

As it says below, the feeling is SO beautiful, to KNOW who you are in Christ, and feel Him leading you in the direction that He wishes for your life!

May you know and feel the joy of discovering who You are in Christ! 

Take in every Moment of Today

Last week, my children and I went camping all week.  Just the 3 of us.   It was a much needed time of reconnecting and fun!

 While we were there, I took the above 2 pictures of being silly at the park, and having a Nerf war.  Later on that same day, we had to run into town to get some groceries.  While we were at the store, I felt irritated, and wanted to hurry and get back to the relaxing atmosphere of the great outdoors!

About half way through the store, my younger son (8) asked me "Mom, will you take a picture of me 'High-Fiving' the Kool-Aid guy?"  I sighed in frustration, and turned to him to say no, but when I looked at the glow on his face, my mind was changed to YES.  So, I said yes, and that is where the 3rd pic above came from.

Now, that doesn't seem like much of a big moment, but for me, it actually was.  As I finished grocery shopping I couldn't stop thinking "We are on vacation.  I have no place to be today.  Why was I going to say No to something that brings my child a moment of joy?"

As Americans, our lives are so rushed, day in and day out, that I believe we are conditioned to always rush.   I was unable to come up with a good answer to myself, of why I almost said no to this request of my child.  It only took 30 seconds out of my day, to make my child smile, and that is worth the World!

Noticing this constant rush, that has crept into my life without me even knowing it, has really made me think twice about each and every moment of every day!   I find myself enjoying every special moment with my children, no matter the length, impact, or result of that moment.

My wish for you is that you too can learn to enjoy every moment of every day, and be thankful for each and every experience, because life is a gift!!

Blessings & Special moments to you all!

Take your time....

I just came across this picture today, and laughed out loud!  It shows exactly how I have been feeling today....anxious.

My current interpretation of this cartoon is from Noah's viewpoint...  I feel as though I have received my instructions from God, I know what I am supposed to do, and where I am headed, I just have a few things slowing me down.... (Those darn snails!)

I have been public speaking periodically for about 4 years now. I have learned that I have a deep passion for sharing my stories of Trials and Living Responsibly, and Faith!!  I have been soliciting my own bookings for about two years, with not a lot of luck  (I'm not speaking as often as I'd like). I finally made the decision last winter, to register for a speaking conference.  Ever sense I registered for this all female speaking conference, I can't get my wishes/dreams/drive to speak out of my head. I have been waiting and praying and hoping for this conference to come, and waiting impatiently for whatever wonderful Divine Direction it takes me in!

So, with the conference approaching in 9 days, I find myself in the position of Noah... The Waters of excitement are rising around me, I can see the "light at the end of the tunnel", so to speak. But I have to WAIT, for God's plan to play out, and all he has in store for me...

Do you have 'snails' in your life, holding you back from moving forward as quickly as you'd like?

Here's a verse that helps:

Isaiah 40:31

but they who wait for the Lord, shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint.

Business of Busyness

I have been noticing lately, that Business and Busyness certainly go hand in hand in my life!  As I am struggling day-to-day, to maintain order in my Businesses (I have two home-based businesses, my public speaking/Christian Blogging endeavors, and I am the co-owner of a thriving construction company). I have been forced to question the significance/importance of this Busyness in my life....

It certainly is a blessing for me to be forced to contemplate the sources of all of the Busyness in my life, because I need to reevaluate and prioritize!

As I looked to scripture for answers.  The following verses were put before me moments into my search (it never ceases to amaze me, how that happens; just what you need to hear, right when you need it!!), and all apply......

Ps. 143:7&8
Answer me quickly, O LORD! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. 

Ephesians 5:15-17 

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Psalm 81:1-10
To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith Of Asaph.
Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob!  Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp.  Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.........There shall be no strange god among you, you shall not bow down to a foreign god.  I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.  Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

The 1st verse above, from Psalms, touched me because it was a reminder that I must ask the Lord for help in discerning what is the appropriate use of my time, and what my God-given talents and abilities are best used for. 

The verse from Ephesians, above, is exactly how I have been feeling..... Like there are too many different things competing for my time......that I need to NARROW MY FOCUS......  I will listen to and understand what the will of the Lord is! 

And the third verse above, from Psalms, WOW, what a "Direct Hit" straight to me!  HOME RUN for God! :)  Well... I am the lead soprano in a worship band, and we rehearse every-other week, and sing for 4 hours (all morning) every-other Sunday (which is a big commitment, and taxing on mind and body).  In my day-job, I am an Assistant in a High School Music department (which brings me much stress, but at the end of each day, it's worth it, because of the student's whose lives I am helping to touch through MUSIC).

At the end of this soul searching and listening for God's direction in all of this, I have come to conclude that the 2 home based businesses are what I need to scale back on.  I mean, they are not a part of my true passions, which include music, my children, and faith!  It is now clear to me (I started this post 3.5 weeks ago) that the things that the Lord wants me to spend time on, are my God given talents and strong-points, which will include the worship band, working in the music dept., Speaking about Faith, Blogging, and all other things that fall into the categories of my passions. 

Thank you Lord for this discernment and lightening of my load!!

P.S.  If you are a customer of mine, reading this, I will continue to be a representative of the same products that I have been, but will just scale back on my personal promoting and seeking of new customers.:)