Make believe and magic, the elements we entertain at Christmastime. Please join us in our annual seasons greetings sharing how the feeling can accompany you throughout the entire year!
Our youth pastor has this phrase he prays before we give in the offering. “Lord, bless our little and make it much.”
Do we ever feel like we have a lot to give?
I sure don’t. I guess that’s why this phrase really speaks to me. Sometimes I only have such little to give that it doesn’t seem it could be used to accomplish anything significant. And this isn’t just about money. It’s about all of our resources. Yes, our money, but it’s also about our time, talents and callings. And sometimes, what the Lord challenges us to give Him may seem so small we miss our opportunity to give it. Like I nearly did this past January.
It was the end of service. I can’t even tell you what our Pastor preached on that particular Sunday morning, but I can tell you what he didn’t preach on. He did not preach on trotting yourself across to the other side of the church to pray with someone that didn’t even ask for prayer. No. He did not preach on that.
However, as the altar call was given and people were invited to find a place to pray, I sat back down in my seat and reverently bowed my head for a time of personal reflection and prayer. While I can’t remember, all these months later, what the message was about, it’s my routine to let the message sit with me awhile, asking the Lord to evaluate my life and my heart in light of it. But this particular Sunday morning the minute I sat down a thought came into my mind. You should go pray for so-and-so.
It was just a thought. And I could have dismissed it, but something, or rather, Someone in my heart, made me pause to the notion that it wasn’t just a thought, but rather a nudge to go pray for this so-and-so.
Obedience is in constant development for me, and I regret to tell you my initial response. I’ll just pray for so-and-so right here. I can intercede for her right here. And I even began praying! Then came an interruption to my well-intentioned intercession. I felt the Lord speak to my heart, “If I can’t trust you to do the little things, how can I ever trust you to do the big things?”
The little things like this blog here. My writings I offer out of obedience to what God has placed in my heart.
The little things like public speaking. My messages I offer out of obedience to what God has placed in my heart.
Luke 16:10 jolted me with the challenge to be obedient in what God had stirred my heart to do. “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.”
It may not have seemed like much of a challenge, but I didn’t want to come across to so-and-so as weird. Nevertheless, I felt there was a bigger picture I could not see, but I trust that God desires to piece that picture together in my life. A piecing together that requires me to be faithful in the little things. Like praying for someone who I had no clue would want or need my prayer.
I made it through the awkward walk across the sanctuary to this person. She was standing, with her eyes closed and singing. And here I was, to interrupt her and inform her God nudged me to come pray with her.
Gently, I laid my hand on her arm. She opened her eyes and there I was. Can we say, “awkward?”
I started with, “So-and-so, I have no idea why, but the Lord laid you on my heart to pray for you. I began to pray for you at my seat, but He challenged me to come to you to pray for you. Is there anything specifically I can pray over with you?”
You know her answer, don’t you?
Well, if you think it was a divine confirmation of a need she desperately desired someone to agree with about and encourage her in, then I would have to tell you that that is not how it unfolded. No. Not at all. She said, “Well, I can’t think of anything, but I’m always glad to have someone pray for me.”
Oh dear. Did I miss the boat? Or worse. Did I miss God?
I proceeded to pray for her. I prayed for her health, for her walk with the Lord that she may continue growing in a renewed passion and love, I prayed for her marriage, for her teenager, for her finances and her opportunities to minister to others. Gracious. I prayed for any and everything that possibly popped in my mind. And when I finished, I hugged her and said, “maybe one day we’ll know what this was all about.” Meaning maybe one day we would realize why I needed to walk over and pray for her for a need she didn’t even have.
I’m still not sure how it unfolded on her end, but the Lord has been so kind to connect the dots on what it meant for me on my end.
I don’t know about you, but I know for me, it’s a little easier to be faithful when I can see and know what’s going on. Taking blind steps forward, when things don’t quite make sense to me is a little more challenging. But if we had all the information, it wouldn’t have anything to do with the root of that word. Faith. Faithfulness is doing what God prompts us to do, without having all the information, knowledge and understanding. It’s getting in the car with Him in the driver seat, having no clue where He’s taking you.
And I would have never imagined Him driving me here, to a place of multiple writing projects including two children’s books, a devotional book, a cookbook and the project my heart continues to beat out with words, my memoir. Never would I have imagined Him blessing my little in such a way that would require a change to accommodate growth. Growth. My little. Growing.
This growth has presented a question. How?
How to cover the cost to:
· Revamp of our website in order to offer these projects on our online home?
· Pay for Service for our Website?
· Print our Brochures?
· Develop Media Material from Events?
· Provide Education- to develop me into a better speaker and writer?
· Buy Pens, Magnets and Chocolates for Speaker’s Table at Events?
· Have Funds for Giveaways for our Subscribers?
· Purchase ISBN numbers?
· Hire an Editor?
Again, sometimes I only have such little to give that it doesn’t seem it could be used to accomplish anything significant, or even cover the cost to grow the little.
So there He nudged me again, yes, to the point of feeling like a weirdo and facing the possibility of rejection. By the way, side note: faithfulness looks a lot like getting rid of ourselves by humbling ourselves.
In order to continue on with my little, God challenged me to ask for advertisers. I know that life is about personal connection, and that the Lord works through His people to accomplish His plans and purposes, but good grief, this was an incredibly awkward act of obedience. I’d have rather walked across the sanctuary ten times over than to ask people to support my speaking and writing endeavors.
You know the story. It goes right along with what happened when I was nudged to pray for so-and-so. I wrote a letter to ask businesses to purchase an advertisement on our new website. I kept the letter for nearly two months. After finally printing them out and addressing them to the ten people I had on my heart to ask, I held the pile in my hand and asked the Lord to help me understand why I didn’t want to mail them out.
And it came right back down to my little.
What if?
What if no one responded? What if not one person would want to purchase an ad after knowing what the ad would provide for me to do?
Would that mean what I’m doing is not important? Would that mean what I’m doing has no value?
And here was my biggest question.
Would I continue doing what God has called me to do, even if not one person sees value in it?
After I resolved to be faithful in the little things, regardless of the outcome of those letters, I mailed them.
Would you be surprised if I told you I mailed them on a Friday and had an ad purchased by Monday morning? No. You wouldn’t be surprised. Because God simply asks us to be faithful in the little things. Faithful. Bless my little and make it much.
I’ve had a few full-on ugly cries by how the Lord orchestrates the details and provides for needs, so personally and creatively. He brings His people together. And I would like to introduce you to these people who have come alongside me providing for our growth. Their ads will run here on our website and be featured on our speaker table for a year.
I’m so honored to have them here. Please take a moment to read below who these people are, and why I reached out to them. These aren’t just advertisers. This is our online home meaning those you meet here are the type of people you would meet in our actual home. There is a consistency in the messages you read here and the people you would choose to do business with here.
I pray each of them are blessed in their businesses for allowing the Lord to use them in blessing my little and making it much.
Be brave, humble and faithful. He wants to do the same in you.
Chris and Marcy Leffingwell-
Sometimes I’m at a loss for words. And when it comes to this couple, it’s just hard to summarize them into a paragraph. Chris and Marcy have been friends of ours for over twenty years. They have spoke into our marriage, before our marriage even began, and into our family through celebrations and loss, and now here on our online home with a message reflective of their own life. Ducis per Ministerium. The service leader. I’ve observed this couple in ministry and in business. Chris began his first business venture out of the same building where my Dad had his office. To say they were close is an understatement. My Dad had a strong admiration for Chris’ ambition and integrity, and he knew Chris would be successful in his endeavors because his priority for others was in place. A true service leader. Chris specializes in bringing technology to businesses with quality, affordability, performance, and efficiency. His business represents his service leader principle through the courteous well-trained technicians his company values and provides. I am deeply honored to have he and Marcy represented here on our online home.
Dr. Nathan Rapp-
Having a baby is one of the most exciting events in life. It can also be one of the scariest. As a couple who had four high-risk pregnancies, Brandon and I remember the uncertainty we experienced and the concern we encountered. I also remember how much confidence we had in our doctor. The peace-of-mind knowing he had the expertise, experience, skill and demeanor to safely deliver our baby was a blessing in those years of our life. Doctors make all the difference. Finding the right one is a great treasure. That’s why I’m so proud of our friend for the gift he is and has been to so many families. I love the instances I’ve been able to hear families and nurses brag on Dr. Rapp. I feel so proud to say, “He’s a good friend of ours.” Exactly how I feel regarding the honor of having him advertise on our online home. In addition to knowledge and skill, Dr. Rapp brings good communication between patients and the staff involved in the patient’s care; he is compassionate, respectful and has a gentle and calm nature. He’s the type of physician families want to walk through the season of bringing their precious miracles into the world.
Trevor Randall, Farmer’s Insurance-
My Dad was an insurance agent and I remember him making comments about how we hope we never need our insurance but are glad we have it when we do. Brandon and I have experienced that exact circumstance. We went over sixteen years of our married life never needing to use our insurance, and then back-to-back years we had claims. I’m sure we could probably shop around for cheaper rates, but we truly get what we pay for with Farmers. After a severe storm hit our area, we heard numerous families at a loss for what they thought was covered but in the extremely unfortunate moment, found out so much wasn’t. Farmers has taken care of us. When life is in disarray because the home is, it’s a blessing having an insurance company help put it back together. That is how we feel about Farmers. And this agent is to thank. Trevor is not only married to my lifelong best friend, practically counted as family himself, but he is the picture of professional. He conducts periodic reviews of your policy to make sure you have the coverage you need. Anyone who answers the phone in his office is going to be first and foremost friendly and informative. Each of them knows insurance and are available to keep it as seamless and simple as possible. They are Farmers. (Apologies for any jingles now stuck in your head.)
Dr. Kevin Duffy-
When the topic of orthodontics came up in regard to our first child, Brooklyn, we chose to have her evaluated by someone who came recommended. Several families in our community had seen Dr. Duffy for orthodontic treatment, and one of our dear friends even worked for him for several years. Everyone who knew him gave him the highest compliment and the greatest recommendation. Dr. Duffy saw Brooklyn through braces, and now Jaron too. He’s also evaluated Caden and Gavin and advised us on the best approach for losing those baby teeth allowing for their permanent teeth to come in. I wished we would have had Brooklyn and Jaron evaluated earlier, but I can share with you if you have an eight, nine, or ten year-old, call Dr. Duffy for a complimentary assessment. It may not be time for orthodontics now, but monitoring with a game plan in place can be a fabulous benefit for the treatment process. And be prepared to meet one of the nicest, most gentle people on the planet. Dr. Duffy and his entire staff are warm and friendly throughout the entire office.
Byler Media-
There were so many reservations I had about starting this online home. First, I questioned if anyone would ever even read the writings I had to offer. But mostly, I hadn’t the faintest clue on how to navigate the technical side of it. My friend Rhonda came to my house to get us up-and-running nearly five years ago, but she couldn’t hold my hand through every step, and I had a lot of steps to figure out. It’s been on my prayer list for someone to bring their talents to the design and function of our website. And God opened the door to Marshall. Over the last year or so, when I came across websites I liked, I’d jot down the designer. After having a list of names on my dry eraser board for so long, I decided it wouldn’t hurt to check into one. I didn’t have the faintest idea what it would cost, but I figured I’d never know until I asked. Marshall visited with me on the phone about my website, how I use it, and what I wanted to accomplish through it. And he even offered the suggestion of advertisements. What’s more is, a few hours after we had ended our call, he sent me an email and said he’d be the first to purchase one. When it came time for design, I told him I would be a real easy customer, because I didn’t have a creative direction on how it needed to look. I just knew I wanted it to be easy to navigate and look clean, not too busy. It’s funny. I’m sure after we got started Marshall wondered how someone with no direction could be so opinionated. But he was the absolute best to work with. He’s been incredibly patient through the transition of re-developing our site, spot-on with my main goal to make it clean, functional and easy to navigate. I’m honored to have Byler Media represented here on our online home. He has the qualities of integrity, professionalism and creativity. If you’re considering a web designer, give Marshall a call.
Joanna Ford, Coldwell Bankers-
Brandon and I built our home on family land. The place we decided to build our home and raise our own children was where I had been raised from birth. But right after my Dad passed away I had this basic, non-dramatic desire to move. My husband was supportive and we decided to list our home. We called someone recommended to us who is the picture of a go-getter, Joanna Ford. Joanna continuously showed our home, and showed us homes. She was committed to helping us explore where we needed to live. After much time on the market, with some hopeful buyers that just never panned out, Brandon looked at me and said, “Babe. We keep praying for the perfect family to buy our home.” I nodded in agreement and bewilderment as to why it wasn’t happening. He paused and concluded this thought that rang confirmation in my heart. He said, “I believe we are that family.” He was right. And I’m so thankful God kept us right where He wanted us. And I’m equally as grateful He sent Joanna to walk that season of exploration with us. She is the link to many homes selling, but she’s not just about the sale. She is about people. Joanna genuinely cares about finding the right fit for your family. If that means selling your home, or helping you buy a home, or even building a home, she has the heart of someone you’d want to walk you through it. I love most how Joanna says it herself, “I am successful because real estate is not my work but rather it is my joy.”
For over a year now my precious husband has been making a funny sound. And it’s not funny as in “LOL” but as in “bizarre.” To make it more curious, the sound is positional, meaning it is only produced when he goes to bed at night and lies on his left side. Furthermore, I don’t like the sound.
Knowing a little bit about blood flow, I’m not envisioning good things when I hear this sound. Our heart has four rooms, or chambers as we call them. Blood visits these four rooms. Blood returning to our heart makes its first stop into our right atrium. Then flows on down to our right ventricle. After it grabs some oxygen from the lungs it enters into our left atrium and then flows into the last room of our heart, the left ventricle. From there it goes on its journey through our body delivering oxygen to our cells like FedEx delivers packages to our door. Except our blood is also kinda like the garbage truck and picks up our cells’ trash while it’s there, but that’s a more lengthy post I suppose.
So. Considering that the last room our blood visits before it’s grand journey throughout the body is the left ventricle, and considering that my hubby makes an involuntary sound when laying on his left side at night, would make any person push for a professional assessment.
It took a year. First I suggested. Then I nudged. Nudging turned into pushing. Pushing turned into nagging. And then, as I’ve been known to do a time or two, I took matters into my own hands and called myself to make a cardiology appointment.
Puzzled. That’s what I would describe the cardiologist’s response. Brandon is not what we call symptomatic. He has no SOB. (I threw that in to be funny. But really, he doesn’t. That’s what we say in healthcare for shortness of breath). He can run without any issues. While he’s not as lean as he’d prefer, it’s not like he’s really overweight. And his EKG showed no concern with his heart’s electrical activity.
But his cardiologist was again, puzzled. Therefore, we went for an echo to get a little gander of the structure of his heart.
It’s amazing really that we don’t have to have a perfect heart for it to work well and sufficiently meet our body’s need. Which at the same time is both incredible and crazy. And realizing this provides much spiritual insight.
Ever wonder why there are so many scriptures about the heart? I mean why did the psalmist not say, “I will praise you O Lord my God with all my kidney”?
Instead the Psalm says in chapter 86 verse 12 of the NKJV, “I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore.”
When we think about shock it definitely makes sense.
Blood shunts toward two vital organs when one’s body goes into shock. And they are two organs we read about so much in scripture. The heart and the brain.
Patients can lose limbs out of the physiological changes a body makes to preserve the heart and the brain. Reduced peripheral perfusion means it all shunts to the core.
See, I believe the science reveals the Creator and what He is telling us. Every part of our body is significant, every organ is vital, but the heart and the mind are core to who we are, not only for our physical existence but our spiritual life as well.
And while we give much attention to public service announcements, and funds to foundations researching and saving the lives of our physical hearts and brains, it is our spiritual hearts and brains that are most vulnerable to injury.
Psalm 7:9 NLT “End the evil of those who are wicked, and defend the righteous. For You look deep within the mind and heart, O righteous God.”
The Israelites used the words “heart” and “mind” as virtual synonyms to refer to a person’s innermost center of conscious life. To ask God to look deep within the heart and mind, means we are inviting Him to examine the hidden places of our heart, and the hidden places of our thoughts. It’s asking Him to perform His own echocardiogram and get detailed with us, evaluating the structure of our character and motive.
And that is something that is not natural. It is part of our human nature to hide. I mean, do you remember when sin entered into the lives of Adam and Eve? They realized they were as naked as a jaybird and what did they do? They hid.
Asking the Lord to examine our heart and mind is the most significant thing we can do in our pursuit of a growing relationship with Him, because it may be hard to work on the hidden places He uncovers. Maybe we like some of the stuff we’ve got tucked away in the rooms of our heart. Maybe we find some enjoyment in those secret thoughts we revisit here and there. Maybe we’re wanting all the goodness of God but we’re not quite sure about cleaning out and throwing away what we’ve got in those rooms.
But if we are to have a healthy spiritual life, we have to protect our core.
We can’t fill our mind with garbage and pollute our heart with impurity and still experience true living. No. That kind of living is a crisis-mode life. It’s living in a constant state of shock.
And God did not call us to live in critical condition. He called us to live abundantly and victoriously.
So how?
Well here is a scripture from Psalm 51:10 to post on your wall, mirror, fridge or car and wholeheartedly pray,
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
Friends! We have to be renewed! Daily! We are just people. We’re not living as supernatural beings. We’re flesh and we need to continually draw near to the Lord to be renewed and strengthened.
Then ask Him to change the way we think. Talk about a new mindset. Setting our thoughts on things above has some major influence on taking us from a critical state to a powerful state. Romans 12:2 in the NLT says “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” If you want to have a healthy mind, ask the Lord to change the way you think. It’ll be different from the norm, but it will guide you to such goodness. It’s a kind of goodness that sticks with you even in the midst of difficulty.
Last one. Anticipate your mouth to follow. When you set your mind on things above, you think differently. And when you think differently, you sound differently. I’m not talking about the bizarre, out-of-the ordinary sound my husband makes when lying on his left side. No. I’m talking about what Jesus tells us about our hearts in Luke 6:45. “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.”
Remember, we don’t have to have a perfect heart for it to work well. We simply need to allow it to be examined and treated by the hand of our loving Father.
I pray this post spoke to you. Did you know I’m writing a book?! Would you join me in supporting these endeavors by subscribing to our blog and sharing with your friends and family? We can’t grow with out you.
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