When Life Changes

We can't get around it, life changes.
Situations that take our comfort away.

Change SHAKES us up!!

Here are some of the things that shaking does:

1. Shaking can bring us down to our foundation.
Much like an earthquake- picture people wandering around dazzed and confused among the rubble left by an earthquake. Everything was shaken to it’s foundations. They’re walking around like…where did everything go?

Have you ever felt like that? I’ve been there!

Suddenly, everything that we knew as normal and comfortable has crashed down around us and we are left grasping for something to hold onto.

It’s times like that –that this verse is a life line.
Ps 46:1-3
God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!
NLT

Because we have this promise:
Mal 3:6
6 "I the LORD do not change.
NIV

Your life may have just crashed around you.

***You may have just found out that your husband is into pornography…or a loved one an alcoholic.

***Your husband may have come home and said…the company is closing I’m out of a job- we may lose the house.

***Whatever the change is…the LORD does not change.

Heb 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you."
NIV

He Wants to walk you through this-will you let Him??

2. Shaking (caused by change) can also mix us up.

When I bake cookies I bring a whole bunch of ingredients together that…if left alone would not taste very good, but when you mix them all together and bake them- choc chip cookies!

Sometimes shaking (from a change) causes us to mix up with people around us more.
It can bring families and old friends together.

Change in our life can greatly affect our circle of friends.
Our circle may look quite different after a shaking in our life.

Sometimes the people we thought would be there forever are no more...
Anyone ever felt lonely?

I have gone through some changes that left me very lonely.

But, those are the times that my relationship with the Lord became so precious to me.
He truly became my All in All during those times.

Goodbye is a necessary life skill.

It may not be forever, but healthy people understand that relationships go through seasons.

3. Sometimes change that brings a shaking exposes the parts of us that we have hidden away- or weren’t even aware were there.
Could be a weakness or a treasure.

Just like after an earthquake, people wander around and find people’s belongings exposed.
Shaking can expose parts of us that may have been hidden, but are suddenly un-earthed.
But- know that if it is un-earthed…it is because the Lord wants it to be.

He wants you to bring that weakness or treasure to Him and ask Him what He wants done with it.

Personally, one of these big changes in my life …took away my
identity.
Suddenly I was left reeling with the thought “Who AM I??”

Eventually, I realized that the Lord didn’t want my identity wrapped up in what I DID…He wants my identity to be "His child."

4. One more thing that shaking does is causes us to grab on to something.

What do you run to when life starts shaking and change is happening?

Psalms 121:1-2
I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
NIV
My heart breaks for those searching for hope and happiness but looking under rocks to find it.

We are far too easily satisfied.

It's like drinking from a mud puddle when there is a beautiful flowing creek just over the hill, but instead we hang out in the mud puddle.
*** Help is not at the bottom of a bottle.
*** Help is not "being in a different relationship."
*** Help is not in finding a new hobby.
*** Help is not found anywhere but the Lord.
How long will it take before we recognize that the God who created us,
longs for us,
longs to fill us,
to give us hope and joy?
No one will ever love you like He does. He created you for the pleasure of KNOWING you.

Sometimes we are struggling and miserable because we are trying to ignore His voice.
Give it up.

Fall at His feet.

Heb 4:14-16
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin.
16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
NIV
Let go of that thing you’re holding on to…
Jonah 2:8
8 "Those who cling to worthless idols
forfeit the grace that could be theirs.
NIV

And what if God wants you to change someone’s life? What if you have something that someone else needs and it will be life changing to them?

What if God is shaking you up to raise you up
for the plan He has for your life?

What is in your heart?
What opportunities have the new changes in your life made for you?
Do you have a dream that will change a life?
Now may be the time!



It might just be time to embrace this change instead of resisting it.

How do you embrace change?
By asking yourself; what can I learn from this situation?
Asking, how can I use this for Your glory God?
Praying…Heal the hurts in my heart Lord, so that I can use this shaking to bring peace to hurting hearts.

That is why Jesus came; to heal our hearts and bring relationship between us and the God who made us.

He loves you more than you could ever imagine! Give your life to Him...bring Him your change and let Him do a mighty work in you!!

Will you be a woman that changes the world?
Or at least the world around
you?

Change!

Are you tired of that word yet?
It is the "it" word of the day. Change.
From the White house to my own house, our nation is in a state of change right now.

I feel pretty safe in assuming that many of you are also in a season of change.

Some changes are huge- moving, major job changes, marriage, divorce, children. Others are smaller, yet meaningful changes. Some changes are internal such as attitudes and dreams.

I believe that the body of Christ is going through changes also. There seems to be a common thread in the conversations that I have with Christians lately. It is a sense that the Lord is calling us closer to Him and that things are starting to shift and shake within our churches.
Some of the changes are painful, yet necessary for us to become the "spotless bride" that He will ultimately return for.

One thing is for certain...we're being taking out of our comfort zones! The Lord is calling us upwards and onwards and it's rattling our cages a bit! Don't get the wrong idea, I am not some hyped up person talking about how God is 'bringing us higher in Him' and yelling a whole lot of empty promises at you.

My "comfort zone" ...

To read the rest of this article, hop on over to the Internet Cafe' and I would love to hear your input also!!!




Our hope is in Him,
Sue

Changing plans~ changing seasons...

My Son Is Coming Home!

It has been a long couple of months, and it is a long story but here's the condensed version.

After 3 weeks in Security Forces training, my son developed back pain. It did not get better and the Air Force has determined that it was an old injury that is irritated. (He had a dirtbike accident a year ago and broke his collar bone and his pelvis in 2 places.)

They said that he had broken vertebrae from the former injury (though we were never told this) and that it would not get better so they decided to discharge him.

At first we were all heartbroken that he was leaving the Air Force. We hoped and prayed that he could stay or be re-assigned to a different, less physical unit. This didn't happen and after being very upset and concerned about his future, the Lord impressed on my heart that He had His hand on this. (No kidding Sue!)

I felt that the Lord had him there for a reason and a season. He had things to teach him and those things have been accomplished.

Ok. I trust you Lord! Italy is not YOUR plan!

I will spare you all the horrible details of this situation. I have purposely not posted what is going on because I have struggled with my attitude about it. I have had to trust that the Lord was doing a work in my son and let the process happen.
However, when it got really ugly and we felt almost abusive- we did get our Congressman involved and wow- did thing speed up.

NOW....it has been several weeks and I am SOOOOO ready for my boy (ahem...man) to come home!!!

He will re-enter college after the 1st of the year and we will trust the Lord to lead him in the rest of His plans.

Ps 33:11
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,the purposes of his heart through all generations.
NIV

Prov 16:9
In his heart a man plans his course,but the LORD determines his steps.
NIV

Jer 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
NIV

Have any of your plans ever been totally turned upside-down?

You wondered what was going on- didn't GOD tell you to do this or that?

Sometimes the season is not as long as we think!

This songs has always been a favorite- every time it gets to the springtime and she says the line "and everything that's new"- I burst into tears! I kid you not! There have been so many times of the bleak cold winter seasons that I am overcome with the joy that God brings after them!

Enjoy.

Looks like he will be flying home on Friday, I think I'll make him his favorite, tacos!

Who likes CHANGE??

Yesterday my husband preached his last message as Senior Pastor of the church we planted over 6 years ago. It was bittersweet. On one hand, I see the Lord leading us out but on the other hand, it’s much like a child that I raised and now I have to walk away from. It is a lesson in trust for all of us.

It is also a lesson on CHANGE.
We don’t tend to like change too much, especially when it messes with some of the foundations that we build our lives on.

Sure- I love to change my furniture around and the décor of my house or even my hairstyle. Those are fun changes! But, start messing with my comfort zone and we have a problem!

Change shakes us up, and many times a “shaking” is just what we need. Here’s some of the things that “shaking” does for us:

1. Shaking can bring us down to our foundation.

After a strong earthquake, we always see pictures of the survivors walking around the ruins of buildings that once were tall and glorious, only to become piles of rubble sitting on the bottom floor.

When our lives are shaken up by change, it brings us right down to our foundation. To the things we have built our lives on. Sometimes it’s a person or people, sometimes it’s a job or position but ultimately God wants it to be Him.

Sometimes a shaking is to wake us up to the fact that we’ve been building on a foundation other than Him and His Word.

Matt 7:24-27

24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
NIV

Why did one house fall?
Was one of them not built as well as the other? It doesn’t say that.
Was one storm greater than the other? It doesn’t say that either.
One house built on solid rock and one built on sand.

We tend to look at our “storms” as the problem, but God sees the foundation as the problem.
God’s right!



2. Shaking can mix things up and ultimately unify.

When I make a cake I put all the ingredients in a bowl and I mix it up. Why? Because on their own the ingredients don’t taste very good, but if I put them together and bake them- yum!
Same goes for us!

Sometimes God shakes things up to bring unity!
The outcome of that is much more delicious than the way we taste individually – all doing our own thing!

Rom 15:5-6
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,
6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
NIV



3. It can expose parts of us that we were not aware of before because they remained hidden or dormant.

Have you ever seen a family digging through the wreckage after a storm? They come across things that they probably would see everyday, but now consider them priceless treasure because they have survived the storm!

God may want to expose something in you. Maybe it’s a treasure, or maybe it’s a weakness.

1 Cor 4:5
He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts.
NIV

If He brings it to light during a “shaking” then we need to deal with it. Maybe it’s unforgiveness or rage or a selfish ambition. Don’t beat yourself up when these things come out- He’s exposed them for a reason. So that you can bring it to the cross and lay them down!



4. Causes you to grab on to something for stability.

What/who do you run to when you experience a shaking? We all have something or someone that we cling to when times get tough. Spouses, family or friends, that’s good.
But what’s even better is that we FIRST go to God. He wants to be our source of security and trust.
People will let you down, their human, they can’t help it. But God will never leave you or forsake you.

We all need a little flesh and blood to hold, but we can’t let others become our security. God needs to be the one who we grab on to when change comes our way.

Jonah 2:8 "Those who cling to worthless idols
forfeit the grace that could be theirs. NIV

Heb 4:14 That is why we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. NLT


Lord, help us to cling to You as we face change, because God You never change!