Rise up in 2020

I am not talking about oppression, suppression or depression. I am talking about the term 'rise up'
in literal terms for 2020.

As a new decade begins, what are you doing? Are you hum drum, going to work, coming home, trolling social media and that's about it? Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? - Rise up

I challenge you in 2020 to rise up. Start that work out plan,  eating plan, change your life in 2020!!
A new Decade a new you - Rise up

Believe it or not, but there is great research and proof out there if you can get moving in ANY way, walking, dancing, biking, hiking, stretching, yoga, pilates, anything! you will also feel better emotionally. Try it- Rise up

Emotionally whatever you are holding onto, whatever anger, hurt, rejection, sadness, projection, subjections.... let it go. Release it like a caged bird and RISE UP. Don't let that stuff hold you down.

Next, we have covered the physical, and emotional health let's cover the spiritual.

What are you doing spiritually? Part of being healthy includes spiritual health.
What do you believe, who do you believe in? a higher power -I hope, God I hope...

If you are a believer what are you doing to help others' find their way? Are you being a light in a dark world or are you part of the darkness?

Address your spiritual health in 2020 and RISE UP

Jesus taught us about loving others. He was the perfect example of love and acceptance. He showed us how we are to be and to love.

Research also shows that people who pray, people who give back and or pour into others are happier more fulfilled people. Why is that do you think? Well that is what we were created for.  To love, to give, to RISE UP and be the better person, to be the shoulder for someone else, to be the bigger person, to lend a hand, to encourage, to support, to love.
Are you bored and unfulfilled, an empty nester, or maybe even no children, well RISE UP and volunteer somewhere, give to someone, there are sooo many children out there right now that need help, something as simple as mentoring a child at a school could speak volumes into one life, your presence could change the course of one person's journey, your presence could reverse a generational curse. So I challenge you : RISE UP

Step up to service in your local church, do you know how hard it is to find volunteers ? RISE up

People want to feel better, and have more quality of life.

People want to know that you love them for who they are, right where they are and that is what Jesus taught us and how he loved. Why is it so hard for us? Well it does require some discipline and effort on our part so I challenge you in 2020 to:

RISE UP

On Being Wise

We often refer to the Wise Men in the story of Jesus Birth as men of culture, men who were wealthy, men with means. What made them wise? Were they kings? Magi? Astrologers? Most likely they were exceptionally well educated for that day and time hence the name wise men that they have as well.

Well if you look at the history and read about these fine men,  there is much commentary on these wise men that followed a star to see Jesus.

In my heart of hearts I love the fact that though they were wise they were not so haughty or elite that their hearts could not be pricked, and not so educated that their minds were closed to miracles. It is evident that they had vision and open minds, a curiosity-  that fulfilled prophecy.

Today men have knowledge but often their minds are closed to miracles, to faith, to things bigger than what can be explained, not these men and that is why we call them wise.

I would rather have wisdom above knowledge any day.

Wisdom is being able to look deeper, see clear, see further, have vision with an open mind not penetrated or controlled by mere words on black and white paper or theories or one book that you read. Wisdom is so much more than mere knowledge.

In Mathew 2, the wise men came from the East and King Herod heard about the baby being born and even wanted the wise men to report back to him. Little did he know they were on mission, little did he know, there was a bigger plan than he could imagine in the works. In that bigger plan they never returned to report to King Herod.

They did however fall down and worship Jesus, they gave him gifts, and in getting there, they simply followed a star. Really it doesn't make a lot of since to me that well educated men would put faith in a star and follow it. Scripture even says that when they saw the star they rejoiced, they had joy because they knew in their very being the prophecy. I am amazed that well educated men would revere angels and dreams, but they did, and that's why we call these men, these kings, these magi- WISE.

So what about being wise?
Well today, we don't have a star to follow, we don't have a physical baby to visit or to bring gifts, to bow down and worship, but in the moment at Jerusalem, when the wise men were there they didn't either.  Though they did have hope, a curiosity, the gut feeling, the nudging of something inside of them to go and see. Do you?
If you are yet to be a believer, there must be some curiosity, some hope-something speaking to your soul that there is something more, that there is a Jesus. While you aren't going to physically take a journey to see a baby in a manger to worship, you are still on a journey in life to find Jesus and you will find HIM if you look.

Mathew 2:10  says the wise men "rejoiced exceedingly with great joy"
God wants to offer you joy too.

The Rock Fortress

Has anything ever happened in your life that shakes you, that moves you ? You sit staring in shock and asking God is this really happening, you hope you're dreaming but it's real and it hurts.

Sometimes you begin to question all your decisions, all your life choices, hopes, dreams....

Sometimes things happen to people and they stand at a crossroads, at that moment in time they either run to God or they run away. Whatever the choice..... changes the life, the path the journey.

Have you ever lived day by day with an affliction and each day it tears a little bit away from you. Your faith and trust are tested hour by hour and sometimes to the point of wanting to run far, far away. Flight or fight kicks in from time to time and that feeling comes around. Then you remind yourself you are a child of God and that comfort comes and you're held.

I was talking to someone the other day and they said how do people do it? How does a non-believer get through the hardest parts of life without God. I said I have no idea. I know the scripture below is a great reminder of how we get through things.... it was a great reminder to me

"For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken."      Psalms 62:1-2

What stuck out to me was- I shall not be greatly shaken.... the word greatly

The reality is that Life shakes us, even some of the more simple problems will shake us. Sometimes Life truly is hard, things happen and we find ourselves on the floor begging for mercy and grace.  Then we are reminded,  with God, we may feel the earthquake, but we are not greatly shaken because the former of the verse.... He is our fortress of stone. If you surround yourself with HIM and he is in you, there is no way to be greatly shaken as HIS house will stand. You are HIS HOUSE: STAND STRONG! Lean on Him- Claim it and don't allow this world to greatly shake you. I Shall not- also requires some action on our part to claim it and live it.

When life is shaking you - remind yourself :

"I shall not be greatly shaken, I serve a big God and he lives in a rock fortress and I am his and he is mine and he is on my side" 

YOU LIVE IN A ROCK FORTRESS WITH THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE- DON'T BE GREATLY SHAKEN

A Different Darkness

There are two kinds of darkness- 1. darkness meaning absence of light and 2.darkness without light.
Think about a dark room versus a dark cave. Have you ever been in such a place that is dark and you can see your hand, yet a dark cave where you cannot see your hand. A place so dark that you question your existence, a place so very dark that you feel it swallows you up and absorbs your being?
Those are the two kinds of darkness and how they differ.

One could make a play on words and realize that the two actually could mean the same thing. That being in a dark room is without light and being in the a dark place is without light or both are the absence of light, but there is a difference.


In the complete absence of light  is darkness without light whatsoever, we fall, we trip, we cannot find our way. We just sit in one place afraid to move. We keep going back over the past, over the wrongs in our life, over our mistakes and we are paralyzed with fear in the dark dark place that we choose to stay, because cannot see. We sit with our sin, enjoy our sin and continue to go back to that addiction, that pain, that hurt because it's familiar, it may even feel like 'that's who we are'.
That kind of darkness is a scary place. It is scary to not be able to move on. It is scary to not be able to see one foot in front of the other or the path to get out.

This darkness needs someone to shine the light of Christ their way. They need encouragement, help, a hand, empathy and love. The kind of love that we were taught from Christ's works, and walk.

The second kind of darkness is equally scary. The kind that darkens a room, dusk, or a dense fog that hides the truth, hides the sin, the thief that uses darkness to his advantage hiding in the shadows but still enough light to navigate. This kind of darkness is dark yet there is still some light there.
This kind of darkness a child of God gets semi lost in.  Dabbling in sin, taking risks, telling themselves they live under grace but still refusing to repent, but calling themselves a believer and probably even going to church. Really scary because this poor soul is being deceived.

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
James 2:19

The second kind of darkness is all around, it's a fight for even Christians to stand in the light, to discipline themselves to be upright and abhor darkness and sin. Some say,  well- we are gonna sin and somehow justify their daily fall almost sinning willfully and they live on borrowed grace.  I believe if you truly love God you will try to stand in the light and not hide. You may mess up, fall, even sin but on the daily you strive, you make an intentional conscious effort to represent Christ well.

Darkness needs light. If it's debilitating- non belief darkness or just a dark place with light shining under the crack in the door. Any darkness, needs light.......

One lone candle burns, and that candle, that light is you. 

You were made to share Christ's light in this dark dark world. This includes in the absence of light or in the dark places that we at times find ourselves in or around. 

Be the light on a Hill, Be the lamp, the candle, the light house that shares light in this dark world. 

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; Matthew 5:14

Judgmental People

When I was in my 20's I used to think the Church was the most judgmental place on the earth. I believed the people in the church were so judgy and pretentious.

Even later as an adult of small children, I can remember feeling judged and inadequate, and I fought for the confidence that I lacked without the support I needed.

That so often is the case. We offer our opinion but not really our support.

As I matured though and lived in this world a little longer, I realized that those church people were not as judgmental as I thought. I came across many people groups who were so very judgmental:  oppressed people groups,  prestigious people groups, enlightened people groups, scholarly people groups, then just good ole salt of the earth people groups too.  What I have learned is- that it is not one people group that are judgmental but people in general are judgmental.

It's people who have unrest in their soul, people with agendas, people who are not at peace. Those people judge others. Many people who have experienced hardship in their life become cynical and may become judgmental to others, I could go on and on, but the reality is- unhappiness, and un-rest within.

I think we should be lifting people up, not tearing them down in whatever capacity you are in, you don't tear one people group down to lift yourself up. You should never put one person down to make yourself feel better or even to get your point across. There are so many ways to make change without the hate, to be a light without the agendas and hurt.
Sometimes people think they are doing a good thing but in the end the un-rest and hate in their soul is so very evident and the judgement that they place on others is so very hurtful,  when that wasn't their intention at all but there it is in black and white letters on the page or words that cannot be taken back.  Stop being judgmental and search deep down to what the real problem in your life is- start there, not with others and their weaknesses.

Fast forward and now I am much older and wiser-  I realize people are people, we all want to prove our point, but I want to ask you...... Why the judgement? Why the stones ? Think before you speak or write.  Choose love.

We all need to search deep within ourselves

Happy New Year: The Light of 2019

As the Holidays are hard for many, they are also Happy times for many.

The peppermint bark, Christmas lights, evergreen, and giving season at hand makes even the coldest grinch melt at times.

I am sure most can look back on 2018 and feel that maybe it was good and yes, there were hard times as well, and maybe even bad times, but isn't that how life is?

Good times, bad times hard times, but real times. Times that take your breath away and times that make you want to hold your breath = LIFE

As we all look forward to things, right now we look forward, and are hopeful that the light of 2019 will bring good things... even great things.

What are you looking forward to? Hopeful about? What is it in 2019 that you want to happen?

I want to challenge you not to live your life in hoping for a better day. Well hope is good, but try and live in the present, the here and now.

We just had a huge family gathering and brought in the New Year with love all around.  Instead of just sitting with it, visiting and soaking it all in, I found myself on my feet, serving, doing, being busy.
Now, this morning, I sit here and wish I had been more present. I wish I had asked that great niece about herself, her school. I could have taken more pictures, got more hugs, but I didn't and I don't sit here necessarily in regret, but just wishing there was more time, that I had one more day with my family.... but life goes on and the real world waits for our commitments to be fulfilled and the grind of it all will begin again.


So I want to challenge you in 2019, to live in the present. That whatever light 2019 brings-  whether it's a bright light on a hill or light from a crack in the door, that you make the most of it.

Yes, there will be times that take your breath away and times that make you want to hold your breath.

But overall, my prayer for you is a good year, a year filled with light. Light you absorb from others and light that you emit to others. I pray that you,  most of all-  get to experience the Light of the World. The light and hope and presence of Jesus Christ, the one true hope and reason to live, love and experience this present world.

Getting Through the Tunnel

Have you ever crawled through a tunnel?

Most of the time it's dark, and you have to navigate around turns, sometimes bumps and in order to keep your self from absorbing the darkness and freaking out, you have to keep your mind set on your goal, your purpose, your immediate task- to get out.

Life can be like that sometimes.  Things happen, the stress of life:  finances, careers or the overwhelming sickness of a family member, a child or even your self...... Darkness creeps in like the fog does in San Fransisco making everything darker covered, blurred.

The tunnel gets dark, and as you begin to look around you get anxious, scared, and you even wonder why did I get in this tunnel, how did I get here, can I turn around,  do I have a choice,  what is the best way out?
If you sit there and concentrate on all this and you don't concentrate on moving, and getting out where your focus should be, then you will become anxious.  Your flight or fight mode will kick in and you will either make a plan or allow the darkness to overcome you. You might even have a panic attack thinking about all those things, when all you really need to do is get moving, concentrate on your task at hand and remember your immediate goal and purpose.

If you concentrate on your immediate goal, eventually you will see the light at the end and that will give you even more motivation to continue.

Life is kinda like the tunnel. You can sit with it and concentrate on the walls coming in around you or the fog, or the darkness, or the situation that you might be in. The situation seems overwhelming and it may be hard to even think about what you need to do, but right now at this moment, on this day - look for the light and if it isn't there, trust what you know.

If you know God-  trust that he will give you the tools you need to get out of this dark place, that he will clear the fog,  that he will help you navigate and move and go toward your goal. Even if the darkness is there, even if there are days you feel traumatized, stunned, paralyzed, go back to what you know.  Trust in the one who will be your helper, your refuge, your strength. Set goals, and make up your mind to navigate, with His help, through this dark place to find the light.

If you don't know God and all you can think of or see are the walls all around, or all you can do is sit and cry.  Maybe you are even sitting in the darkness paralyzed, stunned by life, caught up in the hurt, drama, emotion and are in crisis mode.
If you are in this place, ask him now to come to you, to come into your heart, and fill your heart and mind with his presence, with His love and with His Hope.

At the end of the day, focus on the hope of the light.

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it". John 1:5