“God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” 1 Corinthians 1:9 (NCV)
I am not writing my Blog today solo. Rather, it is a duet as Jim and I both are singing God’s praises!
“Our God is an awesome God; He reigns from Heaven above, with wisdom, power and love, our God is an awesome God!”
This duet is the praise song that keeps rolling off our lips as we stand in awe at our faithful God!
Week 6 of our faith-filled journey in following God in, but didn’t know specifically what He was leading us to, has now come to fruition.
Last night, the Elders at Summit Christian Church called Jim to a meeting and officially asked him to be their next Lead Pastor! This offer was the final affirmation from God in our faith journey in following our faithful God! Three weeks earlier, also on a Monday, I received a call from the Elementary Principal offering me a contract to join their team as a 5th grade teacher this school year. In six weeks, since arriving back in Southern California, God has faithfully led and directed us to His next places of ministry for us!
We are in awe of our amazing God, and we praise Him for every faithful step of this journey. God desires for us to have His best. I have always believed in God’s best! To follow God in spite of hardships, clinging to Romans 8:28–“God causes all things to work together for the good of those love God and are called according to his purposes“–requires trusting Him when it isn’t all mapped out for us.
A wise friend said to me, “You cannot live God’s best and still control the outcome.” Getting God’s best requires us to let go of the controls, and let God steer our ship, AKA, the direction we go.
This is not an easy way to live, but it is the only way to experience God’s best!
TRUTH BOMB
When we let God write our life script, then we are living God’s best!
Friends, there is so much freedom in letting go of preconceptions, interpretations, and expectations. We let our faithful God write our life script instead of us.
We give God all the glory for His faithfulness to us in this journey He has had us on! And now we pray that we will be found faithful to Him, and He will equip us to accomplish His purposes in this next phase of our life script!
Sometimes, the biggest step of faith is trusting God and taking a break!
In our few short weeks back in Southern California, God has continued to show up BIG TIME! He has demonstrated His faithfulness as we continue to step out in faith!
I cannot wait to give God all the glory and share with you all that He has done!
But that time has not yet come!
The step of faith that I want to share about today came to me as somewhat of a surprise.
I was on the phone talking with a special friend of mine who has known me for over 40 years. As I was sharing the past four weeks with her, I heard myself repeating, “DONE, DONE, DONE!”
I heard the words, but didn’t quite feel the impact.
At the end of our conversation, as I was asking my friend to pray for all these things, she demonstrated her faithfulness and wisdom when she replied, “ I will pray for all these things, but my prayer for you this week is going to be that you rest from “DOING,” and enjoy God’s blessings!”
It is not easy for me to,
“Be still and know that He is God.”
Psalm 46:10
Although, God has been faithful time after time to bless me as I have practice His presence in this way!
That very day we went to the beach. My heart and mind and soul was captivated once again by the magnificence of God‘s creation!
The ocean waves roll in and out, the seagulls fly with beautiful precision, and the sand warms my feet from underneath!
I breathe in a fresh awareness of all God has DONE!
TRUTH BOMB
AS WE BREATHE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD HIS SPIRIT FILLS US AND HIS FAITHFULNESS IS EVIDENT.
Everywhere our eyes turn we see the hand of God.
He has created the whole world!
He has created us and HE IS FAITHFUL!
“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.”
Psalm 24:1-2
I pray for you, as my wonderful friend prayed for me, that you are able to rest from all the “doing” and open your eyes and breathe in all that God has done!
I literally love talking! I love, sharing, listening, speaking, and being heard!
For crying out loud, words are my
Love Language! That means that I not only love giving words, I also love receiving them! It is the way I most feel loved and most feel like I am giving love!
Truly, my favorite thing in all the world is talking to God!
Today, the day I write my blog, I AM SPEECHLESS! I have no words!
We are continuing to ‘Move Forward In Faith With Our Faithful God’, and the steps are leaving me speechless at the moment!
SPENT, I think that’s what I am?
You know when you go to the store with a set amount of money and you shop until it is SPENT!
You have no more! It is gone! You reached the end of it and it is finished!
You’re not mad, you’re not upset, you’ve just reached the end and it’s time to go home!
Today, I reached the end and it was time for me to go “HOME!”
My true, “HOME” where I find rest, peace, love, acceptance, and restoration, no matter my geography, standing or stability! God is my HOME!
He is there waiting for me when I have words or when I don’t! And when I am speechless and have no words, He gives me plenty! His Word is full of them and it is where I must run when I have no words of my own left!
This week, week three, I have learned that God is faithful to give us His Words even when we are SPEECHLESS!
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”
Psalm 27:1
“All my longings lie open before you, Lord;my sighing is not hidden from you. My heart pounds, my strength fails me;even the light has gone from my eyes.”
Psalm 38:9-10
“I waited patiently for the Lord;he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit,out of the mud and mire;he set my feet on a rockand gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth,a hymn of praise to our God.Many will see and fear the Lordand put their trust in him.”Psalm 40:1-2
“Be merciful to me, my God,for my enemies are in hot pursuit;all day long they press their attack. My adversaries pursue me all day long;in their pride many are attacking me. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid.What can mere mortals do to me?” Psalm 56:1-2
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;his love endures forever. When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord;he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.What can mere mortals do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper.I look in triumph on my enemies.”
Psalm 108: 1-3
TRUTH BOMB
WHEN WE ARE SPENT AND SPEECHLESS GOD’S WORDS SPEAK LOUD AND CLEAR!
My five year-old granddaughter jumped into my arms and hugged my neck so hard I thought I may not be able to breathe! And I didn’t care! The question came pouring out of her mouth, “How many sleeps Mamma! How many sleeps?”
This has been our dialogue for the past several years now. We both hate saying goodbye, and as she would put it…
“My heart hurts when you leave Mamma!” So, we have developed a way that we both can handle the anticipation of having to say goodbye, and that is by counting the number of “sleeps“ (AKA nights) that we have together.
This time, however, because we have chosen to move forward in faith with our faithful God, I was able to say, “Lucy, we have as many sleeps as we want! We don’t have to say goodbye!”
As we continue to move forward in faith with our faithful God, there are still many steps that have yet to be answered! But there are many blessings that are crystal clear! One of the sweetest is not having to continuously say goodbye to our loved ones.
Lucy graduated from preschool today! We did not have to watch her graduation on video and we did not have to send her gift through the mail! I was able to put my arms around her, hug her, and tell her face-to-face how so very proud I am of her and the award she got for displaying the fruit of the spirit of FAITHFULNESS!
I couldn’t have made that up if I had tried! As her teacher read off the traits that she displays in her classroom on a daily basis, I was reminded that faithfulness is something we live out! When we do, it is not only seen by others, but it encourages them to walk in faith as well!
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
FAITHFULNESS, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23
It is a fruit of the spirit! Which means that it is something that by the spirit of God and the grace of God we can all have! Even if we are only five years old, or a child of God at any age!
Today I was built up and encouraged by my five-year-old granddaughter, to live out faithfulness to God no matter where the steps He leads me on takes me!
TRUTH BOMB
LIVING A FAITHFUL LIFE DEMONSTRATES THE FRUIT OF GOD’S SPIRIT!
Meet me back here next week for week two of ‘Moving Forward In Faith With Our Faithful God!’
This is moving week! So this week’s Blog is short and sweet as I sweat and continue to pack.
For most of us, moving produces stress as it inevitably involves change! Statistically 99.999% of the population cringe at anything that calls for change. The problem is anything that causes us to grow mandates change. The good news is we have a FAITHFUL God, who is with us every step of the way as we navigate change.
“God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:9
Boy, has God been faithful to us!
I have several Blog’s worth of ways that God has demonstrated His FAITHFULNESS, but the greatest lesson He has taught me is that in moving, I must move forward!
Moving forward with God will challenge us, stretch us, and at times push us to limits we doubt we can survive, only the faithfulness of God sustains us and propels us forward!
TRUTH BOMB
WHEN YOU MOVE IT’S THE DIRECTION THAT MATTERS MOST!
When you move with God it is always forward. It can feel at times as you are struggling through, that you are moving “two steps forward and then 2 steps back!” However our God is FAITHFUL to keep us moving in His direction and that is always forward.
PHILIPPIANS 3:14
“Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward we press on!”
We are excited to be moving forward in what we know God is leading us toward, but the journey has not been easy. Our FAITHFUL God lead us and blessed us every step of the way. Please join me back here next week as I begin a series on moving forward in faith with our FAITHFUL God.
1) wealth or riches stored or accumulated, especially in the form of precious metals, money, jewels, or plate.
2) wealth, rich materials, or valuable things.
3) any thing or person greatly valued or highly prized.
The first two definitions state options for what a “treasure“ can be. The third definition describes perfectly what my intention is for writing today’s Blog! The first two definitions tend to be where our minds automatically go when we hear the word TREASURE. The Bible warns sternly against putting too much value in these earthly treasures!
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:19-20
The next verse in Matthew chapter 6, verse 21, says… ”For where your TREASURE is there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21
In Luke chapter 12, verse 34 it records the very same words. Why? Because they are the words of Jesus! Jesus cares about where our treasure is, and what our treasure is. Jesus is also the giver of all good treasure! Both verses point me to what God sees as Treasure, and what HE desires me to treasure! A little further down in Matthew we find the KEY to knowing what true treasure is and how to manage it. ”But seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you as well.” Matthew 6:33
“AS WELL” implies that something comes first. Seeking God’s kingdom and the treasures that do not get eaten by moths or destroyed by rust and living lives that pursue God and His righteousness leads to God’s “as well!” When we seek God‘s kingdom and His righteousness FIRST, we are then blessed, “as well” with TREASURE beyond earthly compare!
When I took a huge step of faith and went to a Christian college at the age of 18 years old, because I knew God was calling me too, even though my parents were not happy about it, I received a TREASURE BEYOND COMPARE! It was not immediate! It came after my steps of faith and perseverance, and trust!
I found myself alone at a Christian college almost 500 miles away from home! Considering I had no money for gas or airfare, it may as well have been 5000 miles away. I checked into the dorms only to find my roommates had not arrived, and we’re not even going to my college. They were both attending the university across the street. I FELT SO ALONE! I asked where the closest Christian Church was? They literally pointed out the back of the college and across the street. I woke up that first Sunday morning and watched through the back of the University, across the street and into Eastside Christian Church. That morning the pastor preached the sermon on Matthew chapter 6! He challenged us to “Matthew 6:33 it! To live a life seeking after God‘s kingdom and his righteousness as our TREASURE! I have never forgotten that sermon. God spoke directly to my heart and spirit that day, and Matthew 6:33 has become a “mantra” for my life! I committed my life at that time to Eastside Christian Church. I would attend there and fellowship with fellow believers, I would join a small group(a.k.a. the College group which was anything but small, over 250 college students), and I would go to a smaller Bible study within that group. Then I would serve and give financially to this church home that God had brought me too!
I sat under that great preacher and man of God, and heard him preach the word of God time after time after time. I was learning to ”Matthew 6:33 it!” Over a year later, God gave me the first piece of my “as well” story! I kept pinching myself and praising God at the same time. Jim Swaney had asked me to marry him! I knew right then in there, beyond a shadow of a doubt, God answers prayer! Three years later God gave me “MY TREASURE!” Christina Nicole was born on May 22, 1987. I looked down at those crystal blue eyes looking back at me and thanked God for “My Treasure! MY GIRL, she is my TREASURE, a priceless gift beyond measure or compare! Tomorrow is her birthday, and I celebrate her and praise God for the continued treasure she is! She is beautiful on the outside, but her heart shines through with even greater radiance! She is intelligent and discerning. She is compassionate and caring and gives 100% of herself all the time no matter what it costs her! She is wise beyond her years and has been a compass for me over and over again! She is kind, loving, stable, confident, and sure! She is unwavering in the love that she gives and is no nonsense, so you always know that what she says and does, she means! She is my TREASURE, my jewel , my priceless gift from God! Happy, Happy Birthday My Girl, My Treasure!
God wants to give all his children treasure! He wants to lavish His love on all those that call Him God and Father! He just loves us too much to allow us to get our priorities for “treasure,” mixed up! As we learn to “Matthew 6:33 it,“ we will also learn the “as well,” gifts from God are nothing less than true TREASURE!
Today is my baby sister‘s birthday! She would probably be mad if she knew I was writing this about her, not because I am saying anything that she hasn’t heard before or that I haven’t said directly to her, but because she’s not a big fan of social media and she likes her privacy.
I truly do respect that and admire that about her. However, God has called me to ‘Speak His Truth In Love’ and to Give Him the Glory for all that He has done and does in my life and today is her birthday and I want her to know that she is a true gift from God to me and that she rescued me!
To know Krissy is to know, love and generosity! She gives both freely and without restraint! She gives without considering the cost or what she will receive in return. She has a pure heart that is bigger than an ocean! There is no measurement to its depth, and its width covers the world. To know her is to feel loved and lavished upon!
On a day like today when it’s your turn to give her a gift, it’s hard! She is the best gift giver I know! But because she gives so purely and generously, she never expects your gift to be like hers. She loves everything she receives!
That is Krissy now! A beautiful, strong, loving, kind, and generous, grown woman! I am so grateful to call her not only my “Sis,” but my friend!
That is not how she came into this world.
She came into this world with forceps! I remember it clearly because as a 10 1/2 year old, I sat anxiously on the edge of my chair in the waiting room! I was so excited that my mom was having another baby! It had been seven years since her last baby was born!
The nurse walked out and announced,
“It’s a girl!”💗 My heart was filled with instant joy! I couldn’t wait to see her!
I remember holding her for the first time and looking down at her round and beautiful face. Her complexion was perfect, even as a newborn. She had the rosiest cheeks that I had ever seen and two clear red marks on either side of her head, where the forceps had been used. Those marks soon vanished, but I knew that the mark she left on my heart would never go away!
God rescued me that day through the priceless gift that He gave me in my little sis, Krissy! Our family at home was in turmoil. My parents had been fighting off and on for years now. Although my sisters and I would only hear bits and pieces at times, the fighting had gotten worse, and my dad would leave for days on end. Being the oldest, he would often turn his anger on me. I really loved him! All I truly wanted was for him to stay at home.
Krissy came into my life and rescued me from sadness! She was a gift from God that brought nothing but love and joy! It may not have been the best way of forging a sister bond, she was actually more like my child for a while, but it truly was the antidote to my sad situation!
Krissy was born with a God-given, sweet and kind disposition! It was there in her as a baby, child, adult, and now shines brightly through her children and grandchildren!
One of the greatest examples I have of this is when I had my first child, a daughter, who Krissy loved as her own! She was only 16 years old herself, but she lavished her big heart all over my daughter and still does to this day!
God brings healing and gives gifts that are often the opposite of what we have prayed for or expect. I had been crying out to God as a child for God to heal my parents marriage! My parents at that point had not yielded to God and His healing. So my prayer was not answered in the way I wanted it to be answered. Instead God rescued me! He brought a beautiful little Sis into my life that allowed me to receive love and give love purely!
God gives good and perfect gifts! There is not one prayer that He does not hear or answer! We just have to be able to see with His eyes and hear with His ears what that answer is!
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above coming down from The Father of Lights.” James 1:17
When we first recognize that every good and perfect gift is from God, then we should be next drawn to our knees as Daniel was, asking God to open our eyes and ears to see Him and hear Him clearly!
Daniel prayed,
“Oh my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair.“
Daniel 9:18.
TRUTH BOMB
OFTEN ONE OF GOD’S GOOD AND PERFECT GIFTS IS A PERSON!
As a young girl, when my life was full of turmoil, God heard and answered my prayer. He gave me my sister Krissy and He rescued me!
More than ever, I realize now that she was indeed one of those “Good and perfect gifts from God!“
Our family went through many more ups and downs. That story is for another day!
But today is the day that I recognize and celebrate a true gift from God, my sis, Krissy!
Happy Happy Birthday Sis! May you be blessed and gifted today as you have blessed and gifted so many others!
What is it that you need rescuing from today? Ask God to rescue you and then stop and look around…who has He put in your life to be a good and perfect gift from Him?
There is no one on the face of this earth that has taught me to love people better than my husband!
Oh, I have been shown love, I have given love and forced myself to love at times. I can even be quoted as saying, “I am a people person,” and “I love people!” While I believe that I am and that I do, I am afraid if I am completely honest with myself, I must admit that the majority of the time those people are “My People!”
They are the people I have chosen! They are family, friends, colleagues, and associates that I click with! We have similar interests, similar beliefs, similar backgrounds, and even similar people that we connect with. Truth is, they are the people I like and the people I love! They are “My People” and the people that are easy for me to love!
Not my husband! Not Jim Swaney! He loves all people. I am ashamed to admit that I have even said to him that he is, “The Finder of all the lost puppy dogs!”
As I reflect on our 40 years, this year, of marriage and ministry, I see now that it is most likely the other way around!
The lost puppy dogs find him! He listens to them. He spends time with them. He counsels them. He helps them and meets their needs. He never gives up on them. He truly loves them with the love of God!
Jim Swaney is a Man among Men and a Pastor among Pastors! He gets down in the muck and the myer with People and gets dirty. He sits with them in their mess and prays with them and councils them with the Word of God and demonstrates God‘s love for them, by being the hands and feet of Jesus to them!
Jim does not know a stranger! All of God’s people have value and worth to him because they have value and worth to God!
I have seen Jim walk with someone through a civil trial and into jail and through jail and out of jail! I have seen him counsel those who have been unfaithful in marriage, and those who have had their spouse be unfaithful to them! I have seen him love those with athletic ability like himself and love those who have no interest or care about being athletic! I have seen him love the unlovely of Society with the heart of Jesus himself.
Jim Swaney has demonstrated for me how to take God’s greatest commandment and live it out to its fullest while living the second like it at the same time.
I was recently reminded, by a card sent to me in the mail, just how much others at church see my husband, to quote them, “always finding the time to listen and care for them,” and live out the commandment Jesus gives us in Mark!
“Jesus replied: “Love The Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. All the Law and The Prophets hang on these two commandments. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Mark 12:28-31
I do not know about you, but I find the first commandment fairly easy to follow. The second however, is a far greater challenge!
“Love my neighbor as myself!”
I believe God is saying here that my neighbor is anyone and everyone that I am around! If this is true, and I believe it is, then it can get messy!
We are to love them like God loves them!
For lack of time I would shorten it to say;
“Love your neighbor through the good, the bad and the ugly!”
I am sure glad that there are people in this world like Jim Swaney who love all of God’s people unconditionally like God does. He is my example of living out this verse the way God tells me to!
TRUTH BOMB
LOVING GOD’S PEOPLE CAN BE MESSY BUT PRAISE GOD HE IS THE CUSTODIAN!
God has cleaned up the mess of our lives.
We need to love Him and love others, trusting He will clean up their mess too!
speaktruthlove 