Learning to Grow

Never to suffer would never to have been blessed.

--Edgar Allan Poe

Suffering.

Not many would consider it something beneficial, much less something to look forward to.
Suffering may involve physical pain, loss, stress, illness, betrayal, disappointment, injustice, or abuse. How many of us would pay a large sum if it meant your life would be exempt from any agony? Count me in!

Everyone of us, however, is destined to walk through valleys of suffering, hardships, and trials; it is the result of a fallen world. So how do we do it successfully?

The church since it's earliest days has often portrayed the Christian life as one of mountain top highs, without valleys. It sounds ideal, and the ignorant may jump aboard, but how could this be so? A mountain without a valley is no mountain at all.

"A message that ignores the valleys is not big enough for life. It raises false expectations, and it has nothing to say to a suffering world."(Unlocking The Bible in 30 Days--Smith)

Every Christian-- every human rather, to walk the face of this Earth will face trouble, hardships, persecution, betrayal, loss, abandonment etc...The first thing God wants us to know however, is that it is not meaningless. "And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings', Paul writes in Romans, 'because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.'"

The mountain tops revive our spirit as we feel assured we are headed in the right direction. It provides a moment for our packs to be loosened, our bodies to recharge and rest and reflect before repelling down to the valley ahead.

Something comes from our suffering. Character is developed. As we seek God for direction and guidance, His love produces hope. Slowly our idiosyncrasies begin to align with His word and desire for our lives. Ultimately life becomes an impending adventure.

As we mature in character we begin to scale cliffs and crags we never imagined possible. Hence, our character sharpens, and suddenly suffering is not something to fear but rather an entity to embrace. We learn that God is not punishing us through our times of hardship but truthfully He loves us and desires for us to reach full maturity in character and hope.

Naturally, we choose to avoid pain and resistance in our circumstances, yet that leaves us on a plain. An ordinary, unattractive, unostentatious life where living beings do not flourish to the full potential. Sometimes we circle round and round the mountains in life looking for an elevator rather then attempting the steep gradient before us. God so faithfully has placed us in rough terrain to keep us in training; fit in body, mind and soul!

" Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."--2 Cor. 4:16+17

Do not lose heart if you are going through a time of discomfort and disappointment. Maybe you are struggling financially, or in your marriage, maybe you have lost your place of employment, or your family member, maybe you are enduring physical pain, or a spiritual desert. Whatever it might possibly be, please know that God has a purpose, a plan, and a shining outcome for you. Do not blame him or resent him for your hurting, try trusting him that he is faithful to see you through it.

Even Helen Keller, a woman of ultimate trial and tribulation declared,

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved."

Magnitude of a Moment

You may have heard it said, "Today is a gift, that is why it's called the present". Each morning that we arise, is a gift, it's not guaranteed and inevitably there will be a day the sun rises yet we stay asleep.

Today I woke before the sun to take on a strenuous exercise class. I didn't necessarily feel thankful as I woke up seeing that it was 4:30 am, but God spoke to me on my drive home as I came up to stop and go traffic. Listening to one of my favorite songs, sun roof open, tapping along with the beat and slowly inching forward I began to see the familiar flashing lights of an ambulance. My heart sunk as it was my turn to pass the wreckage along the center divide of the 680 freeway.

The vehicle was unrecognizable, and surely if someone survived it would have had to be a complete miracle. The entire automobile was crushed flat, lying diagonally on its side, surrounded by medical personnel working vigorously to disengage any potential survivors. As the only logical thing I could think to do, I began to pray for the driver and possible passengers, for their families, and for all who were viewing this tragedy.

For the Passer by-er's would an incident like this reignite their conscience and spirit? Cause them to ponder the magnitude of each moment? Or would they simply be frustrated due to the inconvenience of traffic and step on the accelerator to make up for lost minutes in their commute?

It only takes a moment for something to change the course of our eternity. A moment holds great potential. Each moment has the possibility to be magnificent or mundane. Each day we are given, we have the opportunity to make it magnanimous or monotonous. Living with the courage to be intentional about the use of your time, your life, your actions and responses, gives you an edge, a sharpness that renders respect and dignity. By consciously living out each moment it forces us to be present, and aware, using every opportunity to it's greatest potential. Our most dignified heroines are those who had the courage to give of themselves for the greater good of their surrounding populace; the courage to use their moments to unknowingly pave the path for many future descendants to follow.

It's a mental battle to precisely focus on each moment but it's worth the war. Setting our eyes too far ahead will have us constantly overlooking the gifts that are the present.


"Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless---cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God's words; if help, let it be God's hearty help. That way, God's bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he'll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything".
1 Peter 4:7-11(The Message----Bible in Contemporary English)


"The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in it's various forms"
1 Peter 4:7-10(NIV)

Something to Consider

It's tough to be a woman of character and integrity, one who values themselves and their family, one who nurtures and encourages, one who knows when and how to set boundaries. American culture, specifically in the California bay area, has provided images and interpretations of what a 'woman' should be, but this is not who I desire to be.

This ideal woman has narrow margins. She should be capable of delivering peak performance at all times, including at her high ranking job, with her husband, with her children, the home should be neat and tidy, and most emphasis is placed upon her physique...Of course she should be a size 2 and have a flat stomach and tight buns.

Now there is nothing wrong with taking care of your physique, don't misinterpret me ladies. Health should be number two on your chart just below your spiritual life. Everything else will build upon these two factors. Seeing the rapid degradation of character and value for self, in both men and women, though leads me to believe we need to get back to issues of the soul. When it comes down to the reality of our human frailty and our lack of power to predestine our individual lives, it's time to do some soul searching. There is a fine balance between personal power and development and our spiritual journey--in fact I would argue, you may not successfully have one without the other. Rather then popping Xanax like breath mints, it's time to go to that uncomfortable place and find TRUTH.

We aren't all fashioned to be the next Miss America, or the top CEO of a fortune 500. We aren't all gifted to do Martha Stewart makeovers, or be the next Mrs. Cleaver. Truth tells us, find God, Acknowledge His power over/in/through the life he has given you, Accept it(the most challenging part), and He will reveal who He has designed you to be.

This is the type of woman I desire to be...my modern version is noted with the ---:)

The Good Wife

A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing
----21st century version--she dresses well;), and can handle sewing on a button---
She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises
----She is not fearful of new territory and keeps the married life exciting----
She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it, then, with the money she's put aside, plants a garden.
----She wisely invests in areas that will reap reward/return----
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
----She doesn't stay in her PJ's all day and she completes her duties with enthusiasm----
She senses the worth of her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
----perseverance----
She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in home making.
----She does what it takes to make a house a home...she shops at Target----
She's quick to assist anyone in need , reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn't worry about her family when it snows; their winter clothes are mended&ready to wear.
----She makes sure her family is put together----
She makes her own clothing, and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
----She purchases clothing that accentuates her beauty----
Her husband is greatly respected when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them, brings the sweaters she knit to the dress shops.
----She puts her talent to good use and donates to the less fortunate----
Her clothes are well-made and elegant, and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household, and keeps them all busy and productive.
----She doesn't allow her kids to sleep until 2 and is not a friend of laziness----
Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise:
"Many woman have done wonderful things but you've outclasses them all!"
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
Adorn her life with praises!


The collective version of Proverbs 31.

Wisdom

Wisdom is a term we use broadly in conversation but severely lack in life application . It's my desire to pursue life with the motivation of becoming wise and I pray the same for others reading.

America has lost it's affinity for wisdom. We have replaced integrity with compromise, morality with free-will, commitment with instant gratification, relationships with self reliance and values with apathy.

It is unfortunate that when one crosses paths with a genuine person it is alarming. We imagine they must be a foreigner of sorts, not yet plagued by the pandemic which has saturated our society. Narcissism has become the norm. We are so easily fascinated with our achievements, our intelligence, our reflection, our intellect. A soul that cares enough to put themselves aside for a simple act of kindness is a characteristic nearly extinct. Making a sacrifice for another pro bono, no guarantee of return...absurd.

What would life be like if we concerned ourselves more with the well-being of our neighbor before our thoughts became centered upon ourselves?

Most of life is consumed with preparing a future for oneself financially, but where is the balance? What is it that motivates you daily? Why do you work rigorously day in and day out? What is the dream and aspiration you foresee as your recompense for this daily grind?

It is not uncommon to spend time planning what we hope will materialize in our future. Often we refer to daily life as "in the meantime". However nearly 75% of our lives are spent in the "meantime" position. During this time it is crucial that wisdom is intentionally sought after. "Meantime" counts.

Wisdom:(wĭz'dəm)

1. The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight.
2. The power or faculty of forming a sound judgment in any matter.

Wisdom has to do with becoming skillful in honoring our parents and raising our children, handling our finances and conducting our sexual lives, going to work and exercising leadership, using words well and treating friends kindly, eating and drinking healthily, cultivating emotions within ourselves and attitudes toward others that make for peace. Threaded through all these items is the insistence that the way we think of and respond to God is the most practical thing we do. In matters of everyday practicality, nothing, absolutely nothing, takes precedence over God.

This is Our God

This morning I had the privilege of taking a hike on the hills above my home with a good friend. As we reached the peak we took a seat on a bench that has the most breathtaking 360 degree view of the surrounding cities and Mount Diablo. The sun was gently shining on our faces and the dew from the grass was dampening our tennis shoes. As I sat and looked out upon the vast stretch of land covered with green grass, new flowers and twisted oaks I was reminded of how fortunate I am. I am free, I am saved by grace, and I am loved unconditionally. This particular morning was one of reminiscence. I reflected upon the past year, the relationships that had been built, and those that had been broken; the joys that were shared, and the heart aches that had ensued; my personal growth and changes, and revelations that had become apparent to me; the times of blessing, and the times of challenge...

When I arrived home and began to prepare for the work day, this song began to play and the lyrics are something I wanted to share. If I could have had cake for breakfast this was definitely the icing :)

This is Our God
--Chris Tomlin
A refuge for the poor, a shelter from the storm
This is our God
He will wipe away your tears and return your wasted years
This is our God
Oh... this is our God
A father to the orphan, a healer to the broken
This is our God
And he brings peace to our madness and comfort in our sadness
This is our God
Oh... this is our God
this is the one we have waited for
Oh... this is our God
A fountain for the thirsty, a lover for the lonely
This is our God
He brings glory to the humble and crowns for the faithful
This is our God

Why I Whole-Heartedly Love my Lord

God can be the hardest idea, being, concept, truth, belief, to grasp. It can seem that He is at such a distance, or at such great heights who could reach to Him? God can be understood as a divinity to be reverent before and to have Holy fear towards. He may be an abstract thought to some of us, or an important component to our lives. Maybe some perceive God as a powerful creator too elusive for one to approach. We might believe He is concerned with events and crisis much larger then us and our individual ailments, tie-ups, disappointments and heartaches.

All of these notions have ran across my mind at one point in time, yet I have come to know God and His abundant love for ME! This truth is by far the most exhilarating sensation of all time, because I know myself and how difficult I am. I am literally a mess and I continually repeat the same mistakes time and time again. I selfishly choose ME first at some point through the day and most days it's my only frame of thought. I have a tendency to critique others, and almost predictably follow through on "open mouth; insert foot" opportunities. Yet somehow, by some miraculous Mercy and Grace, my God who created me absolutely adores me!

God is as close as one believes Him to be. He is an Almighty and Omnipresent God, but so close to those who earnestly seek Him. He promises that He is close to the brokenhearted and He listens and answers their cries. If we only acknowledged that God is walking with us always we might have the correct mindset and courage to walk in faith to where He leads us. Life is an adventure when we allow God to take us by the hand and introduce us to others whom we would otherwise look beyond, or walk us through circumstances that we may have chosen to avoid.

Considering my lack of qualifications to "work" my way to salvation, and judging by the mishaps I have already managed to achieve, it would not be difficult to imagine why I so dearly love My Lord. However, these are sparks to my flame. The kindling, if you will, is the fact that My Lord and Savior knows me without omission, and because of this understanding He knows exactly how to discern my boggled way of thinking.

God uniquely designed only one Regina Marie. Only one You. There has never been one before, and there never will be a replica. Without God, this knowledge can be pridefully empowering but equally mortifying, due to the fact that no one else could honestly comprehend how I reason, relate, or understand life and it's journey.

However, God is able to jive with every thought, emotion, feeling, and figment of my imagination. He is closer then any friend, and more intimate then any person will ever be in my life. He hears me when I am alone, and by His phenomenal nature, will sometimes choose to respond to me by having someone completely unaware of the impact of their words, answer me. He perceives my every doubt and fear, whether spoken or silently stowed in the depths of my heart or back of my mind. At times he has chosen to quiet them with His peace even without my request.

God reveals Himself to me daily in ways He knows only I would identify with. He will show me his tenderness in the embrace of a friend, or His joy in the face of my baby cousin, His Blessings in the beauty of a rolling hillside, His Greatness in the landscape of Yosemite National Park, His Faithfulness in the provisions for my financial needs, His Intricacies in the design he painted on each individual flower even though it will fade with the sun; He does not mind or consider it waste, He is in love with me and He looks for any and every way to show me.

His heart longs for you with the same yearning. He understands your unique language of love, and speaks to it boldly. God is not ashamed to proclaim His complete adoration for you. He shouts it from every piece of His creation, and whispers it in the quietness of your heart.

I cannot help but be consumed with love for My Lord when I remember all that He has done for me, and all that He is doing in me. He has been my sole source for strength and the solid ground when life's trials have left me sinking in a pit of despair. When I reach the end of my rope I have come to realize that this is the healthiest place for me to be; because there I find God. He is a refuge and a re-energizer, a redeemer and my recompense.

Over the years as I worked through the notions I mentioned, I have come to understand that God is never far. Once I humbly acknowledged Him for who He is, Creator God, He promises to never leave me or disown me. It is my own turning that beguiles me. It's difficult to see God when I am faced the opposite way of His direction. Thankfully He is patient, slow to anger and quick to forgive. He understands that I am but a breath, here today and gone tomorrow. While I am here, nonetheless, He has chosen to use me as an instrument for His eternal purposes and to teach me through His actions what infectious true love really is.

The Lord Your God is longing for YOU. If you have felt that He has been distant lately, turn around. Take a moment wherever you are and ask Him to open your eyes and ears to see Him throughout the day, He will be more than willing to reveal Himself. If only we might ask, He would answer, If only we might knock, the door would be opened, If only we might seek, He would be found.



Lord, You have searched me and You know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely.

You hem me in---behind and before; You have laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Where can I flee from Your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You.

For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are Your thoughts.
How vast the sum of them!
Were I to count them, They would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake I am still with you.

. . . . . .Psalm 139:1-18

Transition

A note from God:

Dear Child, I have brought you through many places of transition in your past, and I have faithfully got you through each one. Transitions are awkward and uncomfortable, but the are necessary in order to have growth. Do not fret when you are in that place, for even in the driest desert, I am there with you

I have not left your side. Even when you are unable to sense My nearness I am still right there with you. My hand is still upon you for good, and I still love you dearly. My love for you is not based on your feelings, and I remain faithful to you even when you go through a period of spiritual dryness.

I know that you love "feeling" My love and nearness. But do not fret when you do not feel as spiritual as you think you should, because our relationship is not based on how spiritual you feel. No, dear one, our relationship goes much deeper than feelings---and I know how committed you are to obey Me, honor Me and to do My will. There will be day when you are less successful at walking in the Spirit, and days when you are less able to sense My leading. But know that I do not stop loving you because you have one of those days, for I am your loving heavenly Father. i do not disown My children for trivial things nor do I get angry at then for growing and maturing, even when they must go through on of those awkward periods of transition.

I want you to keep growing, that you might become more mature in Me. I want to transform your character and your thinking to be more like My own. And that is why I bring you through these times of transition---it is never to punish you or to make you miserable, it is that you might grow, so that you might walk int the fullness of all I created you to be.

Yes, I understand that growth is uncomfortable at times, but it is necessary. there will be times when I will withdraw the sense of My presence because of something that I am trying to accomplish in you. there are times when your spiritual growth requires that you stand in faith when I seem to be far away. There are times when you must continue to walk in My ways ever though you feel dry.

Do not fret these times, for I am in them with you, and I will bring you through them. It was never my plan to dump you in the desert and to abandon you there. I am with you ever when you cannot see Me. I am leading you through it, and I will bring you out on the other side.