Have you ever felt like somebody’s last choice? The last to be chosen for the team. The last on someone’s list. The last to be invited to the party. The last choice for the position you interviewed for. Have you felt looked over, passed up, or not chosen?

If you have ever found yourself in any of these positions, I have good news for you! You are chosen, you have been selected, you have a great purpose, and loads of potential!

You are never too old, too young, too tall, too short, too large, or too small. You are absolutely perfect! You are God’s choice, and His plans for you are perfect. They may not fit your pre-arranged calendar, or your self-set agenda, but be assured God never makes a mistake, and you are His choice!

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 

1 Samuel 16:7

From a human point of view, we may not be the smartest person in the room, the most athletic player on the team, have the greatest amount of poise, or be America’s next top model. However, you possess everything to be the perfect you. When your heart is committed to God, His principles and purposes, He will equip you with everything you need.

“He has equipped you with every good thing for doing His will.”

Hebrews 13:21

Whatever God has called you to be, and whatever God has called you to do, you are enough, you are equipped, and you are chosen! You are God’s choice!

Truth Bomb

Your value lies in the fact that you are God’s choice!

Speak Truth Love

What delight’s you? Think about it for a minute. Do not respond too quickly, mull it over in your mind and reflect on what truly brings you delight.

If you have been reading my blog for more than a week, or if you simply have read the bio on me, you know that I LOVE coffee, cupcakes, snowflakes, snow skiing, and worship music!

But if you asked me the same question I just asked you…

What delight’s you Lisa? I would immediately respond with the answer, “MY FAMILY!”

There is a smile on my face just thinking about them! When we are together it is a true delight! We laugh together, eat together, play together, cry together and worship our Lord and Savior together! They truly are The Desire’s of My Heart!

I desire to be with them every day. When they are not close by me physically, they are in my heart and prayers daily! Like I said above, they put a smile in my heart and on my face just thinking about them!

Jim and I are blessed with two biological adult children, two adult children through marriage, and two beautiful grandchildren. We are praying for more of those if it is God’s Will. It is certainly our desire!

But, three years ago last July, God called two of those “desire’s”, to leave Southern California and follow His call to Northern California. My heart was sad to have them move farther away from us physically, but overjoyed to watch them listen to God and step out in obedience to follow His call on their lives.

Then, twenty-one months ago, Jim and I heard God calling us to minister to a church in the Bay Area of California. This meant that we would be closer to our son and daughter-in-law, 2 hours away instead of 8, but would have to leave our daughter, son-in-law and grand babies.

God’s call was clear and we left, but my life’s verse, Philippians 4:13, became my daily support and sustainment. God proved to me that we truly can do “…ALL things through Christ who gives us strength!”

My step of obedience first started with letting go of my children and entrusting them to God!

He asked me to take a further step to GO and minister to His people and trust Him to guard and protect my heart. What I learned was that He desired me to DELIGHT myself in Him FIRST! I had to trust that He would fill the lonely days with His presence and His peace and His joy, AND HE DID! Oh yes, I still missed them, but I learned to delight myself in Him first and desire His presence over their’s!

God’s blessings do not come to us because we deserve them or earn them, they are out of the overflow of His GREAT, VAST LOVE FOR US!

I believe with all of my heart that God’s blessings come after we step out in obedience to His call and His will for our lives.

My motto has always been…

“God’s Blessings Follow Our Obedience.”

God’s call on your life at times, may seem unclear or blurry at best, but the key is obedience!

God may or may not choose to reveal His will or call clearly to you in the moment. But undeniably, He has one for each and every one of us. As we seek it daily through His Word and Prayer, what is our attitude to be?

I shared last week on the blog about my daughter and her family moving to Northern California, where my son and daughter-in-law live. That happened twenty-one months after Jim and I stepped out in obedience, left our grandchildren, and followed His call North.

I believe our attitude at all times, seeking God’s will, stepping out in obedience, waiting on His will, and living His call daily, should be to “Delight ourselves in Him!”

“Take delight in The Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires.” Psalm 37:4

We are to “delight” ourselves in The Lord every step along God’s path for our lives. That means each and every day! Weather or not we see His will and plan perfectly laid out for us.

I recently heard a sermon that made the statement…

“What you think about and what you act on, equals how you feel.”

Don’t miss the point here!  The “feeling” does not come before the mind and action, it comes AFTER!

TRUTH BOMB

GOD’S BLESSINGS FOLLOW OUR OBEDIENCE.

Whether the obedience God asks of you today is to make a huge move, a gigantic change in your lifestyle, or to simply “Be still and know that He is God,” take delight in it! He will bless you and give you the desire’s of your heart!

Delighting in you my Friends, and in the relationship we share in Jesus!

Have a delightful week! I’ll see you back here next Tuesday!

Speak Truth Love

You’ve heard it said before, moving is an action! It’s impossible to move forward without putting your body into motion. We were not created to stand still. Atrophy would set in within a matter of days. Soreness, instability, and eventually the inability to move at all-AKA, paralysis. Any physician will tell you that movement is as critical to your body’s well-being as proper nutrition. The Great Physician created us with movement in mind! It is the essence of who we are, and who He demonstrated for us to be. Staying in one place only long enough to hear His Father call Him to the next place He must go. He desires nothing less from us. While our human nature pulls us in the opposite direction, causing us to desire comfort, control, and security in what we know, His heart’s desire for us is to MOVE into true security by being smack dab in the middle of His will. The “comfort zone” truly can become the “danger zone,” when we fail to hear His call and heed it!

Moving is never easy. The physical labor alone can almost kill you, or at least bring you to your whit’s end. Preserving through the last month with my kids has hit me smack dab in the middle of this realization. Not only did they open their hearts, minds, and spirits to hear God’s call, they MOVED through the difficult process of heeding His call and faced the physical, emotional, and spiritual journey that MOVING calls us to.

Truth Bomb

You can’t move onto the new without letting go of the old!

My children have demonstrated their faith, obedience and commitment to God’s call no matter how difficult the act of MOVING in His direction is. I could not be more proud!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3:20-21‬ ‭

This is the passage my Pastor growing up, Pastor Lee Thoms, always spoke over our congregation every single Sunday as we MOVED out of Church to live our lives that week. It is my prayer for myself, and for everyone bold, strong, and courageous enough to continuing MOVING in the direction God is calling you!

Speak Truth Love

Anyone but me underestimate the power of the sun this summer, and the need for protection from it?

Sunscreen is protection from the invisible ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. Two types of sun rays invisibly penetrate our skin, UVA and UVB rays are both invisible dangers.

If you hope to go home from that ball game, beach trip, park day, nature hike or bike ride without being burnt, you must slather on that protection! Most of us would never dream of being outside without it.

It is actually thought of by most, to be negligent and foolish if you don’t put sunscreen on. The obvious harm is sunburn, but invisible dangers also exist. Skin cancer, premature skin aging and wrinkles may be liveable, but many skin cancers are not. They can become quickly dangerous and even life threatening! Bottom line is that we spend lots of money, time and effort making sure our bodies are protected and provided with an invisible shield from invisible attackers.

However, when it comes to reading, studying and daily applying the Word of God to our lives, we often leave ourselves exposed, vulnerable and in jeopardy of the invisible efforts of this world and satan to burn us spiritually and infect us with harmful and even deadly thoughts and influences.

But friends, we have the greatest defense in all the world! It is undeniably more powerful than any sunscreen on the market! It is direct access to the Son of God, His Word and to the limitless power He alone possess!

“God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection.”

Psalm 18:30

TRUTH BOMB

GOD’S WAY IS PERFECT!

God is perfect! His promises are true!

When we “slather” our spirits with His Word, He is our shield and we are protected!

Best part, there is no cost for this perfect protection. It is free, you need only come to Him and give Him your time. He is waiting for you!

LEMON DROP🍋

Walking in God’s ways provide perfect protection!

Have a blessed week friends!

Speak Truth Love

On a hot Summer day how much water does it take to revive your body? Experts tell us that in order to stay properly hydrated our bodies need approximately 1/2 liter of water an hour. In the case of high heat or strenuous exercise, the need increases to 1 liter of water an hour!

Sitting on the beach with my grandbabies, we can get easily distracted and caught up in our “beach” activities and forget to hydrate! Just last week this happened to me! I was having a blast being “Mamma!” We we’re running, playing, laughing and having a great time together. I made sure they were drinking water, but neglected to keep myself properly hydrated. Our day was coming to an end, the sun was beginning to set, and I found myself dizzy, nauseated and unsure of the reason. I jumped to the conclusion of not enough protein in my diet that day, but soon after quickly realized it was dehydration. It nearly knocked me off my feet. To think that a few sips of water consistently throughout my day would have avoided the entire issue, was down right embarrassing!

How frequently do I allow the distractions and commitments and yes, even the activity of my day, keep me from dehydrating my spirit with God’s Law?

Psalm 19:7 “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.”

TRUTH BOMB

Hydration revives us inside and out!

LEMON DROP🍋

Stay hydrated in The Law of The Lord, it revives both body and spirit!

So, “CHEERS” to staying hydrated this Summer! Glasses up, and Bibles open!

See you here, healthy and hydrated next week as July moves on!

Speak Truth Love

The lazy days of summer are getting to me! My mornings are running into my afternoons and into my long evenings! Hence, the reason for this blog getting posted later than usual.

How are the lazy days of summer treating you?

Are you feeling a little parched? Maybe your spirit could use a dose of refreshment.

When you think of being refreshed, what pops into your mind the quickest?

Do you think of a cool refreshing dip into a swimming pool? Or maybe jumping into a brisk lake. Or, maybe it’s jumping the waves in the ocean and having the foam of the water rush over your toes.

My granddaughter who is six going on twenty, recently asked me the question, “Mama, what does refreshing mean?” I thought for a minute, and then replied to her that it was like when she and her brother were playing in the park on that late summer evening. I said, “remember when you were hot and tired from playing and you asked me for some water? When I gave you that cup of water you felt refreshed.”

Then she replied, “oh yeah, it’s like when you gave Cade and I those refreshing strawberry lemonade Popsicles you made us!” 

Perfect example baby girl!

Refreshment comes to us physically typically by a cool refreshing sip of something wet, or dipping our feet or selves into a cool body of water. I have a recipe for my favorite summer refreshment I call it, Lemon Refresher!

Take your favorite summer glass, add ice(crushed or cubed which ever you prefer), splash the bottom with sparkling lemonade, my favorite of choice is simply raspberry pink lemonade or sparkling pink lemonade from Trader Joe’s. Then add sparkling water to the brim. After that, cut a fresh slice of lemon squeeze the lemon juice straight into the glass and top with the slice of lemon. Lastly, add a straw and sip away! It’s pure summer refreshment in a glass!

Spiritually, I feel refreshed when I let go of my to do list, put aside my calendar, and set my mind free from being perfect and in control. I opened up the Word of God, I allow the words to soak into my mind, heart and spirit. And then I spend time with others, those I love, the ones that refresh me as I pour in and refresh them!

Proverbs 11:25 

“The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”

Truth Bomb

The best way to refresh yourself, is to refresh others!

I was recently blessed with a week away from all of my “to do’s! I was able to be in the heart of God’s beautiful creation, with those that I love the most! My spirit was refreshed as I opened up his Word each morning, took it into my spirit, walked to the beach hand-in-hand with those I love most, watch the grandeur of the rolling waves hit the endless sand, and watch those I love play, laugh with glee and run to their hearts content! I was blessed to be able to cook for them, take care of them, walk hand in hand with them and enjoy the refreshment of their company as I poured into them!

My spirit was refreshed as I’ve poured into them and they poured into me!

Lemon Drop🍋

Stay Refreshed by Refreshing Others!

God’s Word is the perfect antidote to whatever ails us! Isn’t it so like God, that whatever the world tells us to do to refresh, is upside down in God’s economy! When we feel tired and weary all we want to do is get away from people! We think that taking care of ourselves by retreating somewhere alone will cure whatever ails us. But God tells us that refreshment, true refreshment, comes when we give back to others. We are truly refreshed when we refresh others. There’s no denying it, some people take everything we have! Truthfully, they drain us. But the others, I think God is talking about can be the very ones who refresh us. When we put others first, just like God does, we find true refreshment. So here’s to summer! Here’s to finding the most perfect summer sips that refresh us physically, and those beautiful times of refreshment with the ones we love the most! Stay refreshed my friends and I’ll see you back here on the blog next Tuesday!

Speak Truth Love

The Summer is Real! The Heat is Real! No denying it now, Summer is in full swing! Staying connected to God’s Word May be our truest source of Restorative Power!

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.”‭‭ Psalm‬ ‭19:1-2‬ ‭

Staying Encouraged is a key component to spiritual health.

Nothing encourages my soul as deeply and profoundly as being in the midst of God’s creation, surrounded by the people I love!

God has given me, what I refer to as my “Spirit Quencher.” When my family surrounds me, and that includes my “Heart Friends,” the Friends God has given me whom share the same heart for Him and others, and we are in the middle of His glorious creation together, my spirit is quenched!

I am filled up to overflowing with God’s love and goodness. My spirit is quenched and ready to give back and face a new day.

This week I am putting my toes in the sand and jumping the waves with my grandbabies and kids! I am sipping coffee and taking in rich conversation with my heart friend and her family at their beach house. I am cooking dinner together with my deepest of loves, and laughing and enjoying it with them around an outside table under the stars.

TRUTH BOMB

LEMON DROP🍋

STAY ENCOURAGED, it is your direct Spirit Quencher!

How do you stay encouraged? What fills your spirit to overflowing? Find ways to quench your spirit this summer and STAY ENCOURAGED!

Speak Truth Love

This week I’m drinking my lemon water in a different spot as I take advantage of Summer Days to explore new areas… EVEN WINDY ONES!