Tag: trust

The Prophetic Process

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Prophetic words.

I love them.

They open our eyes to see our potential.

They help us see ourselves as God sees us.

But I think there is great danger in receiving prophetic words without understanding God’s process.

Disappointment can set in when we grow weary in the waiting for God to fulfill his promises for us, but if we truly understand His process then we learn that the waiting seasons are more about developing our character to carry the largeness of his vision and less about figuring out where things went wrong.

Not only should we hold our prophetic words up to the word of God to judge them but I think we could save ourselves so much disappointment if we remembered that our enemy also wants to use our prophetic promises against us.

If he can get us into the place of trying to make a prophetic word come true – we’ve stepped out of faith and into striving.

God can’t bless that.

Why not?

Because he is a God of rest, never burn out.

Remember, come to me all who are weary and I’ll give you rest??

Yeah, he said that.

Will he use that experience down the road for our good?

Absolutely.

But the promises of God are for Him to perform.

Not us.

Our job largely is, to watch and wait.

If we blur the lines, we’ve stepped into no longer being yielded to God which verges on rebellion which opens the door towitchcraft.

Yeah, witchcraft.

The promises of God are yes and amen but not always now and immediately, because the best things take time and patience to create.

If you thumb through your Bible all of the great heroes of faith waited and waited for their dreams and promises to come true.  There was so much journey between the delivery of the prophetic word to the actual fufillment.

Why?

Because God was developing character.

This is why the Bible says, “a man’s heart plans his way but God directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9)

Because there is character building to prepare us to carry the vision.

It is very possible that there are in fact people in your life that have held the doors closed that God meant for you to walk through.

Or it could be that maybe you’ve made some ummm, let’s call them lapses in your better judgement.

But it wont matter.

Not really.

All of this works together to build character and God is the God of the scenic route.

He’s faithful to get you to your destination.

And He can use the detours to heal some lies you may have believed about yourself, or others, or even about God himself.

Just remember to keep your heart right before him in a posture that puts him above all else. . . and trust him.

He’ll see you through.

You can purchase Joyce’s latest book, Scattered, Finding God in Your Story at Amazon.com

Scattered, Finding God in Your Story

When Mountains Won’t Move

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mountains-2228273_1920

I’ve had several requests for help this past month, some really fun opportunities and others that were heart-breaking pleas for help.

One was extremely hard to say no to, due to the sadness of the situation, but I knew with everything in my heart that I needed to say “no”.

It was such a difficult thing to say no to, that afterwards, I crawled into the shower and sobbed.

It is excruciating to say “no” to people.

People with very real need, people with very tender hearts.

And that’s really hard, especially when you know that you could change the outcome of the story.

That with God’s help, you could move mountains.

 

And yet, I hear the Father’s heart saying, “No, not this time.”

 

Why?

Why would God say no to something that is very much in his power to give through another person?

 

Because there are some journeys that were meant to be taken alone with only him.

Those mountain roads that only He can navigate with you.

No person, no church, no gifting can ever replace that.

 

I think sometimes, that it can be a good thing when our churches and the people in our lives disappoint us.

It’s a healthy reminder that at the end of the day, you and I are just people.

But I can only imagine how hard it must be for God to delay things that are in his power to give.

He is still the God who heals.

He is still the God who is with us in our loneliness.

He is still the God who sees and knows and is all powerful.

 

But sometimes He doesn’t come through like we hoped.

And sometimes the Christians we know, and the churches we attend don’t come through the way we thought they would.

And this is hard to swallow, whether you believe in God or not.

Disappointment is never easy.

 

But disappointment can be an opportunity to make room in our lives for God to be God.

Not the idea of a grandiose God who hovers above us, punishing us for our sins.

But a God who loves us better than we know.  Who loves like a Father and gives us his best, even if it might cause us to misunderstand him.

It’s about making room in our lives to tell God things that hurt us and that disappoint us.

And for those of us who have been through a season like this – it is one of learning to let go.

Learning to let God do what only he can do in the lives of those we love.

To step back, and not be the hero of the show.

To let him do what only he can do.

Remembering that he is faithful and able to be trusted.

 

 

 

Photo Credit: “Mountains” by Skeeze, Permission through C.C. by 2.0

 

 

 

 

Be Heard

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Be Heard

I’m working on a short story.

Wanna hear it?

Okay, here goes. . .

Once upon a time, maybe a month or so ago, in a location far, far – okay maybe not that far away, a person said something to Joyce.

The something that was said made Joyce really mad.

Joyce was so mad she could spit fireballs and smoke was coming out of her ears.

Joyce knew she was right.

Joyce wanted the world to know she was right.

She prayed for direction (and maybe some sweet vindication).

She desperately wanted to be heard.

She NEEDED to be heard.

Joyce realized regardless of who was right, the bigger issue was that her love was growing colder by the minute.

Joyce felt really sorry and realized she had no control over the other person, but that she could always control her own reaction.  So she did speak, but she spoke in a way that gave her opinion without trashing the other person’s.

And they all lived happily ever after.

 

 

Okay, so maybe not so much short story and more just life in motion, but a true story nonetheless.

 

There is a lot going on in the world right now. . .

 

Take politics.

Were you team Hilary or team Trump?

Wait,did I go there too soon?

 

Okay, how about civics.

Where do you stand on the debate regarding law enforcement and race?

 

Global Events?

What is your stance on how terrorism should be dealt with?

 

If you’re breathing, you probably have an opinion on each one of these matters, with compelling reasons for why your opinions are the right ones.

 

These are all important issues.

Issues that affect communities and nations.

Issues that need to be talked about.

Issues that need to come out into the light.

 

I agree.

 

We need to be heard.  But our need to be right cannot override our love for people.

 

But Joyce, you say, these are really important issues.

 

Yeah.  Yeah, they are.  The future of our country, the upholding of justice, and human lives are all really important.

 

But what if in all of our arguing and trying to be heard, we are slowing tearing one another down?

 

And then, going from bad to worse, it will be dog-eat-dog, everyone at each other’s throat, everyone hating each other. . . . For many others, the overwhelming spread of evil will do them in—nothing left of their love but a mound of ashes.

Matthew 24:10 & 12 

 

What if we gave people the freedom to make their own choice without the name-calling and volunteering to help them pack for the long trip to Canada.

 

My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. 

1 John 4:7 (The Message)

 

Easier said than done, huh?

 

How the heck do we speak up when the world has gone mad, and when we want to be heard?

 

I always find that coffee helps.

I mean, who are we kidding.

Coffee pretty much fixes everything.

 

Drink coffee.

With people.

Surround yourself with the reminder that God loves people.

And once upon time, you and I did too.

 

And you pray.

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. 

Philippians 4:6 (The Message)

 

And trust God.

Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Philippians 4:7 (The Message)

 

Does that mean we shouldn’t talk about these things?

 

Maybe.

 

If it’s stealing your love for people, it’s not worth it.

 

I thought the whole Team Edward/Team Jacob debate was crazy but Team Trump/Team Hillary wins hands down.  I gotta be honest, I’ve really struggled with this, the last few months.  Holding my convictions in my hands without losing the love in my heart for people.

And funnily enough, it was Twitter that convicted me.

Yeah right Joyce.

No really – I promise.

 

Bill Johnson tweeted this: “This election is the most bizarre in my lifetime, yet it’s not confusing.  The spirit of offense is robbing people of their ability to discern.  Pray for wisdom, without the accusations.  For wisdom, seeing from God’s perspective, is really all that matters.”

 

Bill Johnson.

 

Geez.

 

The man even tweets revelation.

 

So, you’ve made it all the way through this blog and here’s what I hope you take away from it today:

 

Your voice DOES still matter, and it’s okay to be excited if you were a part of Team Trump.

 

And it is just as okay to be disappointed and angry if you were Team Hillary.

 

And it’s okay if you voted third party and are disenfranchised with politics altogether.

I’m not here to tell you how to feel.

 

But the fact that you feel something means you cared.

 

So. . . take all the time you need to process this election, and remember that God works all things together for the good of those who love him.

 

He’s got this.

And he’s got you.

 

 

Photo Credit: “Cafe” by Unsplash permissions through C.C. by 2.0

The Eye of God

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The Eye of God

I write for my sanity.

You thought I wrote just because I loved you.

I do.

I really do.

But writing also helps keep me sane.

You see, by writing I have a built in excuse to go to a coffee shop every week and write.

My husband is a business guy, I call him the Human Calculator, because, we’ll he is.  It is freaky how well he can calculate numbers and percentages in his head when it comes to money. And because he’s a bottom line kinda of guy, in his mind – paying for coffee every week is a business expense -which means I can get away with it.  (Take notes ladies, this is how it’s done.)

So that’s part one of my self induced therapy plan – self-medicate, ie, drink coffee.

But the other part is to write about how I feel and how I’m processing the world, because . . . lean in. . .  I’m a stuffer.

 

Yeah, you heard me.  I stuff my emotions.

Which is why blogging is a such a great outlet.

At the heart of blogging is connection.

It’s all about letting another person into your world, the way you think and what you feel.

Because of this, bloggers are awesome people.

 

But right now I hate blogging.

And I kind of hate being a blogger.

And I definitely don’t feel awesome.

 

Because it means that I’m one of those people who processes her world by writing about it.

 

 

I’m a stuffer who writes about the stuff I don’t really want to write about because I figure if I put my stuff out there, I won’t be as much of a stuffer anymore. – Say that 10 times fast.

Here’s what my stuffy side doesn’t want to say tonight.

 

God’s not done healing me.

 

I actually thought he was.

I thought I had finally moved past all of my childhood issues and was on the cusp of something big. . . like the promised land of adulthood.

But I don’t think he got my memo.

 

Actually it’s the opposite.

It’s like he saved one of the biggest bombshells for last.

 

And here it is: Because of growing up in a home with a schizophrenic mother and living in a constant state of childhood trauma – I have  ummm — cough — tendencies.

 

What?

 

I said, I have — cough — tendencies.

 

Alright, fine.

 

I HAVE CODEPENDENT TENDENCIES.

There, I said it.

 

Maybe not a shocker for you, but it is for me.

 

And now I’m going from a season where I thought I was finished with all of this inner healing stuff to my-dreams-are-feeling-a-bit-like-sand-slipping-through-my-fingers-all-because-I don’t-know-how-to-not-be-overly-responsible-and-just-trust-God-when-it-comes-to-other-people’s-emotions.

Grrrrr me.

 

Here’s the crazy part, I knew he was up to something.

I was playing the piano one afternoon and just spending time with him, when God shows me this picture of a giant eye.  It reminded me of the nebula in the photo above.  Not intimidating or scary, but I was very aware that my heart was being searched.

And since then, I haven’t heard God say anything about it.

But I’m pretty sure that this discovery of codependent tendencies is tied to that day.

 

God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.

Hebrews 4:12-13 (The Message)

 

Okay seriously, I didn’t even know I had codependency issues until like 2 months ago.  And it’s not like I want to keep them or anything but man, I wish that God would snap his fingers and make it just go away.

Open a can of miracle, right here, right now.

Because I am one bewildered girl right now.  Lez just be honest.  I did not realize I was as messed up as he is showing me I am.

 

My friends and family, however, are not as shocked.

 

To make matters worse, this has not been a fast moving kind of revelation.  This is more like a slow as molasses revelation.  As in, every day I’m going to show you what is going on and how it is affecting you and the people you love.

 

Ouch.

This really sucks.

 

But I don’t want to stay this way.

I really do want to change.

 

Repentance at its core is being willing to go through the process of being changed.

 

Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.

Hebrews 4:14-16 (The Message)

 

Okay, Jesus, so healing is what you’re offering me in this season.

I’ll take that mercy.

I’ll accept that help.

 

Photo Credit: “Helix Nebula” by WikiImages, permissions through C.C. by 2.0