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May We Never Lose Our Sense of Wonder
I was at my family’s cabin this weekend for a family reunion, and we gathered around the fire pit, roasting marshmallows over the hot embers. Eventually, conversations started to die down and a comfortable silence ensued. Some were starting to get colder, and retired for the evening. I wanted to stay and just gaze into the stars as they were unusually clear that evening. As I was sitting back in my chair alongside my two brothers gazing at the stars, I suddenly noticed an extremely large burst of light moving across the sky! It was the Perseid meteor shower! I was so surprised that I just screamed like a little girl. My brothers and I stayed a while longer, hoping for more to appear. I gasped a few more times as the meteors randomly illuminated the night sky, and finally called it an evening after seven more streaked across the night sky.
The next day I was still filled with so much wonder and awe. I kept thinking of God’s goodness and how He loves to show up and show off and shower us with His little blessings! (He knows how much I love the stars.) As I pondered the evening sky, I thought about the song, “Wonder (Spontaneous)”, by Bethel Music.
“May we never lose our wonder
May we never lose our wonder
Wide eyed and mystified
May we be just like a child
Staring at the beauty of our King.”
( Hear the whole song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAjHNkE51dU )
Yes, even in the midst of dark times and disturbing news, may we never lose our sense of wonder…
Blocked From Your Godly Dream?
August 20, 2013
God places dreams within us to fulfill His kingdom and His glory. We were destined from the beginning of creation to co-partner with Him to carry out and complete what He began in us (Philippians 1:6). The moment we embrace Christ, we begin to walk out this path. But this godly dream can be difficult to achieve, and we can easily lose sight of the goal.
If you are feeling blocked or distracted in living out your calling and gifts, ask the Father to reveal what the block is and what purpose the distraction is serving. Sometimes the Father is blocking the journey because we have more lessons to learn in a season of trials, temptations and tests. He grows us up in His timing and for His purposes. Perhaps it is for greater sanctification, greater maturity, a greater faith or trusting in the Father that His ways are always good. He may block our ambitions for the greater good of others such as when God blocked Balaam from going one step further through a talking donkey for the protection of Israel (Numbers 22:28-31).
God may allow the enemy to block our way. The enemy, at times, seems to be given greater access and power to foil our dreams. Satan came against Job, by God’s permission, to destroy his family, his health, and his livelihood (Job 1:9 – 10). It wasn’t God’s plan, but He allowed it. Yet God redeemed Job by restoring even more than what was lost by the destroyer (Job 42:12), and so showing us how we can hang on when faced with these “open seasons of warfare.”
We can even block the journey and the dream from being fulfilled. Maybe it is our unbelief…the dream is too big and we are feeling incompetent and unworthy. Maybe we are worn out, disheartened, embittered. We feel betrayed by God, our fellow believers or even ourselves. We give up, get distracted, and/or start living through other’s dreams instead of living out the personal calling God has placed in our lives.
If you are feeling blocked in pursing that godly dream, ask God to reveal what the source of the block is—i.e., is it from God, the enemy or yourself? Ask God to also reveal what purpose is the block serving. If you still can’t sort it out, seek godly counsel through a trusted advisor or friend. Be patient in the process. God has deposited a precious dream and heart longing that is worth pursuing.
I am reminded of the beautiful lyrics and melody by Rodgers and Hammerstein that was sung by Mother Abbess to Maria in the Sound of Music and, maybe, it can be your song too:
“Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow, ‘till you find your dream.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxsCBIxr71M
Recommended reading to further explore this topic: From Dreams to Destiny by Robert Morris
Come and Talk With Me
May 30, 2013
“My heart has heard you say, ‘Come and talk with me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’” (Psalms 27:8, NLT)
Over the years, God has shown me that prayer is a dialogue, a sweet communion between two intimate friends. He woos me to talk with Him, and my heart is wooed to respond. It is not a one-sided conversation of talking only to God; rather it is a dialogue of talking with God and expecting Him to converse with me.
As clients begin their counseling journey with me, I ask about their relationship with their heavenly Father. Often, they are unaware that God wants to speak to them, and that they too can expect to hear their Father’s voice. So I begin to model for them and teach them how to develop this relationship and discern the Father’s voice.
A wonderful little devotional book I often recommend to clients when beginning this journey of dialoguing with the Father is Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. She shares in her book how Jesus speaks to her daily through Scripture and His living rhema word. Clients often remark with delight how they are developing an intimate relationship with God and the insights they are gaining from this devotional book.
I am privileged to witness the growth and joy in my clients’ journeys of knowing how to talk with their Father and follow only His voice. I also know that I am only with them for a little while in their healing process. But their heavenly Father is with them always—ready to talk with them at any time and to listen to their hearts’ cries, joys, and experiences.
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