Photo taken June 2, 2013 – a couple of hours before the accident.
I
will be boarding a flight this morning headed to CA. (well technically I have
to go to DC and San Francisco first) But you get the point. Folks, this is
where a big chunk of my life-changing year occurred. So it feels like I have
come full circle to return with books and a story to tell.
This
time I hope to actually make it to the Redwoods! God willing, I am going there
first. This journey is a necessary part of my healing and growth. Just a couple
of years ago I would not have thought I would be going back to Mt. Shasta if
you had asked me. I just didn’t see a reason for it.
But
now, God has given me a reason. A few actually.. Do you all remember the
encouraging notes I got some of you to help me write last year and sent them to
a church from Paradise who lost their building in the fires? Hope Christian
Church is still meeting in Chico and they are only a couple of hours from Mt.
Shasta. You guessed it…I am going to meet them and attend one of their
services. I also have a talk and book signing at the Mt. Shasta Library.
Another
reason is to see my caregivers that took such good care of me when I was dismissed
from the hospital until I could fly home. And on top of that I have asked them
to take me back to the accident site on the mountain. Now granted I know I can’t
drive it myself and I also know I can’t sit in the front seat. But if I sit in
the back I should be fine. I recently read something about returning to the
place of Spiritual significance. This definitely qualifies. I do not look to
the mountain itself but for what God did for me there.
Since
this journey is so significant it only feels right to document it and bring you
along for the ride. So I hope to do a travel blog with an interesting photo
each day while I am gone letting you know how it is going. I will get back to
my weekly post after I return. So bear with me and stay tuned- I am really hoping
not to have technical difficulties using my old laptop on the road. This should
be fun!
“This
is my command- be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For
the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
When
my body is out of alignment, even in the slightest, it causes pain and
discomfort. I found out recently that I have a chronic misalignment in my S1
joint due to the car accident a few years ago.
The
same can be said for being out of alignment with the Trinity. If parts of my
life are out of sync it can cause discomfort and sometimes pain. Things don’t
seem to go as well, because when I am not fully aligned, I am usually trying to
control the outcome of something on my own.
But
if I am completely aligned, allowing the Father, Son and Spirit to work in my
life as One, everything falls into place according to God’s purpose and plan
for me. I know that His way is always better and bigger than I could ever
imagine. He has proved that over and over.
My
faith has grown exponentially over the last few years simply because I have
learned when I trust Him and release everything to His control – I am at peace
and I know He will protect me. When I am paying attention and staying in the
day, doing the next thing in complete trust, I have joy no matter how my day
goes.
I
am still learning. I ask Him to reveal to me any areas of my life I need to
release or change. Guess what? He does. I just have to ask and be wiling to
listen. I may not even realize something is out of alignment until I ask. Then
it becomes clear. It could be that I just need to change the way I am
responding to someone or not responding appropriately as the case may be.
A couple of months ago I dreamed I was hiding from people and trying to get away from things. I woke up confused about what I might be trying to avoid. I asked God to show me. Boy, did He show me! Five things to be exact! I was corrected and shown the right way to handle these situations I had been avoiding. I needed to be more direct and say what I meant. It may not be easy, but it is brave.
This
is called growth. God will correct us. It might not feel good at the time, but
I can tell you when He showed me what I was doing and how to correct it, I was consumed
with gratefulness to my Heavenly Father. He loves us enough to discipline us
and teach us like the loving Father that He is.
If we pay attention, wait on God’s timing, and forage for His truth we can have complete faith that He will provide everything we need. Ask and you shall receive.
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7
Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? Hebrews 12:9
This
old phrase dates to the 1500’s and is used to get someone to rejoin a
conversation where they have disengaged or zoned out. It is suggested that a
penny was worth more back then but with the value of a penny today, I would
like to inform you that your thoughts are far more valuable than that. In fact,
they are more precious than diamonds or rubies.
In
a recent bible study plan, Craig Groeschel of Life Church, had this statement
to say on the subject. “Your lives move in the direction of your strongest
thoughts.”
What
we think about ourselves matters more than we might realize. Our negative
thoughts can block us from receiving all the Spirit has to offer. We know our
negative words can make a great impact and hurt others but the same goes for
our thoughts.
Ephesians
4:22-23 says, “throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life,
which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your
thoughts and attitudes.”
Once
we become a believer, we aren’t to have the same kind of thoughts we once had.
This may not be easy at first, but we can ask God to help us renew our minds.
Likewise, in Romans 12:2 it instructs us to not copy the behavior of and
customs of the world, but let God transform us into a new person by changing
the way we think. Then we will know God’s will for us- which is good and
pleasing and perfect.
Therefore,
it is so important to spend time with God. We can read His truths in scripture
and ask Him what He wants for us. We can ask the Spirit to control our thoughts
to be pleasing to God. We do have a free will to think whatever we want to- but
if it doesn’t align with what God tells us, says about us and wants for us then
we need to change our thinking so we can experience a closer relationship with Him
for ultimate peace and joy no matter what our circumstances are.
Have
you ever heard of thought blocking? This is intentionally thinking about
something else, pushing a negative thought out by a positive thought. We must
make a choice to think positive.
All
of this can start with a heart of gratitude. Being grateful for what we have
and for the day as the gift that it is each morning can change our perspective
and attitude. Take small steps at first, but the more you practice it the more
it will become a lifestyle and daily routine.
And
now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is
true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think
about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8
I have
always loved butterflies. Intrigued not only by their beauty, like little
flying flowers, but the intricate details God put into their design. I could stand in a field of flowers for hours
waiting for a butterfly to land to capture a second of its beauty with my lens.
I’ve wanted
to write about the amazing migration patterns of the monarch for many years but
never quite got around to it. Now, there are other parts of their journey that
have captured my attention and it seems like a good time to put pen to paper
about these little creatures.
Take their
feet for instance. Did you know the tiny little receptors on their feet help
them locate and taste food? Did you know their wings are transparent? Not only
do they reflect bright colors for us to enjoy as they flutter by, but they hold
no secrets to the outside world. They wear the truth of their past life as a
worm like a beautiful reminder of the transformation they experienced in a very
short time.
And what
about their antennas? Did you know they use them as light receptors? The
antennae track the position of the sun and turn that information into the time
of day. They also can help them fly in the right direction while giving them a
balanced life. The antennae can help them sense the direction of the wind and
changes in the direction, so they can ride the currents without losing their
way.
At the base
of the antennae is a special organ (Johnston’s organ) it draws information from
the antennae to help keep the butterfly balanced.
So, in
short, their little antennas provide a lot of meaningful purposes: Smell,
internal clock, navigation, balance and even help with finding the right mate.
They can recognize the wind beats of their own species. How amazing is that?
When I was
in North Carolina for my fly fishing trip last year, there were several storms
that came up. The first night I was there it knocked out the TV signal in my
room. In thinking along those lines and the antennae of the butterflies being
so well tuned to their surroundings. What kind of reception does your antennae
pick up? Do you lose signal at the first sign of a storm and feel disconnected
and alone or do you have a higher frequency that can detect a spiritual signal
no matter if you are experiencing a storm in your life or fairer weather? Do
you know how to fine tune your senses to pick up even in a storm?
What if we
wore our faith on our sleeves (or wings), being transparent with the truth
about the transformation Christ gave us so our actions help others grow in
their faith because they see how much we trust God?
Did you know
a developing butterfly can’t fly immediately? It pumps body fluid through its
wing veins to expand them. Once its wings reach full-size, the butterfly must
rest for a few hours to allow its body to dry and harden before it can take
first flight.
Once God
transforms us and breaks us free from the cocoon, His breath is the Living
Waters that flow through our veins to wash away all doubt and fear of spreading
our wings to fly and fulfill our purpose in this life according to His will. He
gives us the time to rest and prepare our minds and bodies for the journey of
our first flight.
The phases
of life a butterfly goes through are symbolic of our lives. From egg to worm to
cocoon to butterfly stage- we too can break away the cocoon of our dark past to
be free and beautiful.
If God
designed an insect with such thought and care to detail with a keen sense of
direction; what more detail and thought, went into how He created us? We need
to hone in on our natural abilities, sense of direction, tune our antennas to
weather any storm that comes our way.
The path God
places in front us leads to the kingdom of His glory. The metamorphosis that
takes place in our hearts is a symbol of faith. We need to keep our faith as we
undergo transitions in our lives. If we can accept the changes that come and
emerge from our transitions as beautifully and graceful as the butterfly, we
would spend our short life span as joyfully as they do.
Exponential
growth comes from strengthening your faith muscles. Through your faith you can
encourage and strengthen others. Live by high standards for yourself so others
will see your faith in action. Heightened senses and spiritual awareness go
hand in hand.
Next time
you are out in nature, pay close attention to the smallest details of God’s
design and see if you can receive a spiritual message through something you see
every day.
“The mystery of life is not a problem to be
solved. It is a reality to be experienced.” ~Aart van der Leeow
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and
timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7
Have you
read Acts 2:43-47 lately? What a beautiful picture of physical and spiritual
growth through faith and obedience.
It
could be described as when we don’t try to control the outcome and let God
lead. A lot of people don’t understand or know how to do that. For a long time,
I was one of them.
At
one time in my life I allowed the man I was in a relationship with to control
me. He controlled my actions, my words, the way I dressed, and even tried to
control my thoughts, or at least had to know them as soon as they entered my
head. He did not have my best interest at heart.
On
the other hand, God always has our best interest at heart. He loves us so much
and wants us to be the person He created us to be. He wants us to allow Him to
lead us to that path. But He is not a task master. He allows us to have our own
free will to decide for ourselves. I saw the dark path that leads me to, and I
don’t ever want to go back there. God’s way is light and full of love. If we
let go of the things of this world that lead us to the arms of the enemy, He
promises us a new life full of joy and peace that eventually leads us to the
Kingdom.
Last
Fall I was approached by a homeless man asking for change. In my experience
with non-profits and shadowing a homeless woman for a day on the streets, I’ve
learned what they usually do with the money they are given. I have heard many
times that we shouldn’t give it to them because they will purchase alcohol with
it. Keeping to that theory, I turned him away. I usually make a zip lock bag
full of other items for the winter such as socks, hand warmers, and gloves. But
this time I wasn’t prepared.
I
believe God showed me something about this experience. In a sense I was trying
to control the outcome by not giving him the money he asked for. I am not
supposed to draw conclusions about other people’s intentions, I am just
supposed to give generously, help those in need and love like Jesus loved. I
don’t really know for sure that he was going to purchase a drink with the money
if I had given it to him. I am to be kind no matter what and let God control
the outcome. Even if he did purchase something other than food with the money,
that is not for me to judge or decide for him. That is between him and God.
After
that I purchased the socks, gloves and hand warmers and made my package, to be
ready for the next time- by the way, I also included a little money in each
one. I hope I can keep learning and growing more like Jesus in everything I do.
I don’t tell you this for praise but to share how we are to love everyone and
be generous, so we can be more like Jesus and let God’s will lead us.
“For I was hungry,
and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you have me a drink. I was a stranger, and
you invited me into your home. And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth,
when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were
doing it to me!’”
Matthew 5:35,40
Then Jesus left
them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away
unless I drink it, your will be done.” Matthew 26:52
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgotten those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation but rescue us from the evil one. Matthew 6:9-13
Faith Walk Ministries, Inc. 