Looking Beyond

Ever since I was a little girl, I have had a burning desire to tell others about the love of Jesus Christ.  As an adult, I yearn for God to swing wide the doors of opportunity for me to minister even more to people around the world.  What about you?  Do you long for something more?  Is there a tugging at your heart to accomplish something bigger than yourself?  Beyond our occupation, our family, our friends, we are all here for a greater purpose.  God has placed us on this earth to fulfill a divine calling in our lives.  We are here to tell others about Jesus Christ and his love.  Just as we look beyond a picturesque sunset and anticipate the dawning of a brand new day, we must look beyond our current circumstances and fix our eyes on Jesus Christ.

Recently, I read the story of how the song, “Beyond the Sunset,” was written.  Virgil Prentiss Brock penned the words one evening in 1936 after a conversation at the dinner table.  The topic of conversation was an unusually gorgeous sunset at Winona Lake in Indiana, despite the storm clouds looming overhead.  Virgil’s blind cousin, Horace Burr, commented that it was the most beautiful sunset he had ever seen.

Virgil said to his cousin, “People are always amazed when you talk about seeing.”  Horace replied, “I can see.  I see through other people’s eyes, and think I often see more; I see beyond the sunset.”  Virgil said the phrase “beyond the sunset” and the striking inflection of his cousin’s voice struck him profoundly.  He immediately began singing the first few lines of the song.  Before they had even finished their meal, the entire song was written.

I must say that this story left me speechless.  This gentleman who could not see ultimately had greater vision than those with perfect eyesight.  He did not focus on the impending thunderstorm.  Instead, he focused on the true beauty.  He saw more than a lake, a sunset, and storm clouds.  His sight was not limited by the horizon.  He could look beyond the physical limitations of this world in order to catch a glimpse of something that was seemingly Heavenly.  He knew that even in the sunset, there was sunshine awaiting him.

I invite you to listen to my song, "There's Sunshine Awaiting You."

How many times in life do we look at our current situation and begin to succumb to a state of hopelessness and despair?  Perhaps you see your children hanging out with the wrong crowd.  Instead of asking God for help, your mind first goes into a tailspin of all of the possible outcomes.  Will they try drugs, participate in underage drinking, have sex before marriage, or even get arrested?  Once the myriad of possibilities stop running through your mind, that’s when you finally stop to pray about it.  Since when did prayer become the last possible course of action?  Prayer should be our first line of defense, not our last resort.

We should not dwell on the problems of this earth.  Instead, we need to pray and have faith that God is working all things together for our good (see Romans 8:28).  Jesus Christ is the answer to every problem in life.  Hebrews 12:2 says we should fix our eyes on Jesus.  It does not say to look around the world to see if there is a better alternative.  It clearly says to look at Jesus, “the perfecter of faith.”  Even when we do not see a way out and our own vision clouds our view, he will strengthen our faith and help us see the way out.  Every day, we need to stay focused on Jesus.  Only then will we be able to fulfill the calling that the Lord has placed on our lives.

You may be thinking I don’t have a calling.  I’m not a pastor, a Sunday school teacher, a musician, a singer, a choir director, a deacon...  As Christians, we each have a calling on our lives.  This calling may not require us to have a leadership role within the church.  Our mission may be to write notes of encouragement to those who are grieving, to help serve meals at the local homeless shelter, to volunteer to clean the church, or countless other ways we could serve the Lord.  God may be calling you to be a prayer warrior, going to the throne of grace on behalf of people who are sick, battling addictions, or enduring heartache of some kind.  Ask God to show you what he wants you to do.

When we get to Heaven, individuals who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).  What does a servant do?  They work.  In the same way, we should devote our lives to the work of the Lord.  The Bible says we should do everything we do as unto the Lord.  That means everything we do should be done for God, not for man.  So whether you are mowing the lawn for your neighbor, donating clothes to the church clothes closet, or helping collect items for someone who lost their home due to a fire, always complete the task as if you were working for our Heavenly Father.  He gave his only Son to die on a cross for our sins.  He gave his best.  We should strive daily to give our best to him in return.

The Hoppers, a Southern Gospel singing group, sing a song titled, “We’ll Work ‘Till Jesus Comes.”  That is exactly what we are called to do.  We are called to share the Good News with everyone we meet, whether we are standing on the platform at church or standing in the checkout lane at the grocery store.  Looking at the headlines, it is imperative that we tell people about Jesus and how he died to save them from their sins and give them the gift of eternal life.  The return of Jesus Christ is closer than ever before, yet there are so many people who do not have this blessed hope.  We need to be “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).  It should be our primary goal in life to share this blessed hope with everyone we meet.

Perhaps you think this is the pastor’s job.  Or maybe you feel an evangelist would be able to explain the Gospel more eloquently.  But what about the people who will not go to church or attend a revival?  How can someone hear about the Lord unless someone tells them?  Will you be the one to answer the call that God has placed on your life?  Will you take time to visit someone, to write to someone, to talk to someone and tell them about the saving grace of Jesus Christ?  You are the only Bible some people will ever read.  If you do not tell them about Jesus, they may never be able to look beyond their circumstances.  They may never know the joy of looking beyond the sunset.  Don’t let the impending storm clouds get in your way.  Set your eyes on Jesus Christ.  Allow him to use you according to his perfect will.  I can guarantee that your life will be forever changed when you start looking beyond the shortcomings of this world and begin focusing on the amazing plan God has for your life!

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer

Outside of Your Comfort Zone

When was the last time you stepped outside of your comfort zone?  Was it something simple, like trying a new hairstyle or going to the mall without wearing any makeup?  Or was it something more profound, such as taking a trip into the mission field or witnessing to a homeless person on the street?  Sometimes, the things that make us the most uneasy can be the most memorable.  God often uses these uncomfortable experiences to serve as defining moments in our lives.  Sometimes, all it takes is a step outside of your comfort zone to find that you have an even great purpose on this earth than you could have ever imagined.  So don’t stand there stagnant, get on the move and jump out of your comfort zone!

When I think of being outside of one’s comfort zone, I am immediately reminded of Jonah.  God called Jonah to preach to the Ninevites.  But one of the last things Jonah wanted to do was to go to Ninevah and speak to them.  Instead of stepping outside of his comfort zone, he attempted to hide from God.  Jonah ran away, thinking that he could avoid this uncomfortable situation entirely.  He didn’t want anything to do with these people and he was not going to obey the Lord’s command.  Jonah wanted to do what Jonah wanted to do.  So, he did what people commonly do in uneasy circumstances.  He fled the scene.

But God had placed a calling on his life.  It wasn’t a feeling or an emotion either.  God literally spoke to Jonah.  Jonah 1:2-3 (NIV) says, “The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.’”  The Bible says that “the word of the Lord came to Jonah.”  It doesn’t say that someone prophesied and said that this is what he ought to do.  It doesn’t say that he had a dream or saw a great flash of light.  It says that the Lord Himself called Jonah to this ministry.  Jonah was called to be a preacher, a missionary to the city of Ninevah.

Jonah has this amazing calling on his life.  Yet the next words in the book of Jonah read, “But Jonah ran away from the Lord” (Jonah 1:3).  Isn’t that just the way we often react to unsettling situations?  God may call us to do something, but we are often afraid to walk through the door that He has opened.  Instead of walking through this door, Jonah attempts to run away.  Still, God knew where Jonah was headed before he even took his first step toward the ship in Joppa.  And God knew that He was going to have to take some drastic measures in order to get Jonah out of his comfort zone.

Shortly after he had been on the ship, the Lord sends a violent storm upon them.  Jonah tells the sailors that he is running from the Lord.  He also knows that this is no ordinary storm and that it is meant to get his attention.  He tells the men to throw him into the sea, so that the seas will become calm and spare their lives.  He says, “‘I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you’” (Jonah 1:12 NIV).  You see, Jonah knew that God had called him to do something important and instead of embracing this challenge, he tries to avoid God.  When you try to get away from God, though, He is still standing right beside you, every step of the way.  Jonah began to realize the error of his ways right here, which is why he told them to cast his body into the sea.  Of course, Jonah likely thought that this would result in his death, meaning that he could still find a way out of this call on His life.

Nevertheless, God had other plans.  God sends a huge fish to swallow Jonah.  Jonah spends three days and three nights in the belly of a whale.  Jonah didn’t want to go preach to other human beings, so God puts him inside of a sea creature instead.  Talk about being outside of your comfort zone!  God knew that Jonah needed a wakeup call.  He knew that it would take drastic measures to get through to this individual who was supposed to be traveling to Ninevah, instead of sailing on a ship toward Tarshish.  During the time inside the whale, Jonah realized his mistake.  He called out to the Lord.  He said, “‘What I have vowed I will make good.  I will say, Salvation comes from the Lord’” (Jonah 2:9 NIV).

After spending three days and three nights far outside of his comfort zone, Jonah tells the Lord that he will make things right.  The Lord commands the fish to spit Jonah out onto dry land and then He calls Jonah to Ninevah a second time.  This time, Jonah obeyed the Lord, despite his apprehension.  I’m sure he realized that God could place him in more anxiety-ridden places than he had ever dreamed, so he knew the best course of action was to do what he should have done in the beginning: obey the Lord’s command.

What about you?  Has God called you to step outside your comfort zone?  If He has, have you responded with a resounding “yes,” or have you tried to hide from God?  Often times, we may try to run from God because we feel inadequate.  While our first inclination may be to insert a “But” after God asks us to do something, we need to trust Him to work out all of the details.  We all have doubts and fears.  But we cannot let these shortcomings prevent us from living in the perfect will of God.  God doesn’t tell us that we have to be everything and have everything.  He just calls us to be willing vessels.  Whatever we need, He will provide.  Even if it means providing a fish to swallow us first in order to convince us that we need to step outside of our comfort zone!

God can use us to change lives, if we are only willing to follow the path that He has set before us.  Jonah’s ministry saved the city of Ninevah from complete and utter destruction.  If Jonah had said no a second time, thousands of people would possibly have perished without knowing the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  When God calls you to tell someone about Jesus, don’t run away.  Follow His leading and answer the call.  You may be the willing vessel He needs to share the love of Jesus with someone who is broken, hurting, or lost.  Don’t wait for the whale to swallow you whole.  Step outside your comfort zone today and stand amazed as God uses you in ways beyond your imagination!

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer

From Impossible To Possible!

Have you ever wanted to tell God no? Has there ever been a time when He was leading you to do something, but you simply had no confidence in your ability to pull it off? Perhaps He wanted you to face your fears and speak in front of a large crowd. Or it could be that He asked you to volunteer your time to help those in need, time you didn’t have to spare. And He may have asked you to minister to someone while you were simultaneously going through a trial of your own. Although it may not always be easy, we need to follow God’s guidance in every aspect of our lives. We need to be willing vessels. As the song sung by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir says, “If you can use anything Lord, you can use me.” God can use us, right where we are, if we are willing to give our lives to Him. By trusting Him fully, we will experience the abundant life that He has promised us, assertively living our lives with the knowledge that all things are possible with God.

If you have ever had the desire to tell God no, don’t be downhearted. You’re in good company. We read in God’s Word of how Moses essentially told God no. God came to him one day and told him to speak to a large group of Egyptians. Moses immediately responded by telling God to “‘send someone else’” (Exodus 4:13 NIV). He makes a lot of excuses, saying that he has never been an eloquent speaker and that he is “‘slow of speech and tongue’” (Exodus 4:10 NIV). In the end, Moses’ brother Aaron traveled with him and did most of his talking for him. While things went okay at first, Aaron caused Moses quite a bit of trouble, even fashioning a golden idol in the image of a calf when Moses was up on the mountain (see Exodus 32:1-6 NIV). Surely this was not good publicity for Moses’ ministry, having his brother put up an idol that the people began to worship, instead of worshiping the one true God whom Moses and Aaron were there to preach to them about. But many of the problems associated with the partnership of Aaron and Moses could possibly have been avoided if Moses had not said no to God.

Think about it. What if Moses had said yes to God? What if he had put aside his fears concerning public speaking and being in front of a large group of people? What if he had fully trusted the God who created him? Moses was afraid and felt ill-prepared and inadequate. But God said, “‘I will help you speak and will teach you what to say’” (Exodus 4:12 NIV). God was on his side, but Moses let his fears get in the way. While we will never know what might have happened if Moses had said yes, it is a good opportunity for us to examine our own lives.

Let’s take a look at Newton’s third law of motion: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. While we are not talking about forces emitted on particular objects, the same theory applies. Everything we do impacts our future. Every decision we make can have a negative or a positive outcome. Saying no to God or saying yes to God can have a negative or positive impact on our lives. He knows the outcome no matter our decision, but He gives us the freedom to choose the direction our lives will go.

What about you? Has God called you to do something, yet you have repeatedly told him no? Has He placed a burden on your heart to minister to others who are sick, help collect food for the less fortunate, or travel to a foreign mission field? Maybe He has simply called you to help out in your local church, visit the home-bound and hospitalized members of your church, or call someone to encourage them during a difficult time in their life. Or has He called you to fervently pray every day for your family, your friends, your church, your community, your nation, or even the world? Whatever your calling is, don’t tell God no. He knows that you can handle the task. Just as He helped Moses, God will give you the tools you need to be successful. He is more than enough! As the Bible clearly states, “‘with God all things are possible’” (Matthew 19:26 NIV). So the next time God asks you to do something, go forth boldly and say, “Yes, Lord!” Then reap the blessings you encounter as God makes the impossible possible!

In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer

My 100th Blog: With God, All Things Are Possible!

As I sit here watching the cursor blink on my screen, I am reflecting back on the past 99 blogs that I have written.  I’ve written about personal struggles, joyous occasions, and many of my favorite scriptures.  When I wrote my first blog, I had just watched the movie Julie & Julia.  In the movie, Julie writes a cooking blog.  So I decided I should have my own blog too.  I wondered if anyone would even read the words I wrote.  Inevitably, I have come to realize that God used an unlikely source, this particular movie, to lead me to write this inspirational blog.  As for my concerns that no one would read my blog, I have had over 44,000 readers so far.  You see, God can take something that seems quite insignificant and transform it into something extraordinarily monumental.

I am reminded of the stories we read in the Bible of the loaves and fishes.  The disciples told Jesus that the people needed to go to the nearby villages and get something to eat.  Jesus said there was no need to send them away.  He simply told the disciples to give them something to eat.  Jesus’ disciples nearly panicked when Jesus told them to feed the thousands of people.  What good would a few pieces of bread and a handful of fish do when there was literally a multitude to feed?  I can only imagine how stressed they were at that very moment.  I mean, they couldn’t run to the nearby Sam’s Club or Costco and load up a flatbed cart full of the necessary items to prepare a delightful meal of the highest quality fish and artisan bread.  Who knows how close the nearest market even was?  But they didn’t want to disappoint Jesus, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.  I’m sure they held the loaves and fish in their hands, trying to come up with a plan in what seemed like an impossible situation.  Soon they found out once more that nothing is impossible with God.

When Jesus saw their concern, He said, “‘Bring them here to me’” (Matthew 14:18 NIV).  Before He had the disciples pass out the food, He gave thanks to God.  An act so small, saying a blessing over the five loaves and two fish, resulted in a miracle.  Matthew 14: 20-21 (NIV) says, “They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.  The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.”  God did not just provide the minimal amount to feed everyone there, but there were leftovers!  Imagine the disciples’ faces as they picked up the pieces that were not eaten because the crowd had had their fill.

Our lives are a lot like the miracle of the loaves and fishes.  Many times, we are given blessings or responsibilities that may seem small at first, but inevitably, every little thing we do for the Kingdom of God is epic in proportion.  I am reminded of the beloved song written by Kittie L. Suffield in 1924 titled, “Little Is Much When God Is In It.”  The chorus states:

Little is much when God is in it!
Labor not for wealth or fame.
There’s a crown—and you can win it,
If you go in Jesus’ Name.

Whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord.  Whether your calling is to teach Sunday School, clean houses, collect donations for the food pantry, serve as a Wal-Mart greeter, care for the sick and elderly, or any other responsibility the Lord has entrusted to you, I want you to know that what you do matters.  Why?  Everything you do unto the Lord is noticed by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He knows when you give someone a meal, when you smile at someone, and even when you whisper a silent prayer for someone on your mind.  One glorious day, we will lay down our cares and worries of this life.  Those who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will hear the words, “Well done, thy good and faithful servant.”

While I pray that God uses this blog to encourage someone in their journey through life, it matters not whether it is read by 10 or 10,000.  What matters most is that I write it for the cause of Christ.  For only Jesus Christ has the power to use it to uplift someone who is downtrodden, bring hope to someone lost in a sea of despair, or encourage someone who is crying out to God for a much-needed miracle in their life.  I am just the messenger.  It is my prayer that God can use me as a willing vessel.  With Him in my corner, I know that this blog will make the next hundred and even hundreds more after that.  Why?  Because with God, all things are possible!

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer