If Only We Didn't Know

I was reading the other day about Adam and Eve and their experience in the Garden of Eden.  They had everything they would ever need.  They were well taken care of and lacked nothing.  I believe they could have lived a wonderful life if only they didn't know.  Know what?  If only they didn't know there was a tree in the middle of the garden forbidden to them.  If they didn't know that tree existed they never would have wondered what it would be like to eat from it.  They would have been perfectly content with what they had - and I mean perfectly.  They were, after all in Eden. 

So I thought about how life would be different for us today if we didn't know about all of the stuff we don't have or can't have or can't do, for that matter.  How would we behave differently if we only had what we needed and knew of nothing else?  Would we long for that new car, new pair of shoes, dishwasher, or washing machine if we didn't even know they existed?  How much of our lives are spent in discontent because we know these things exist?  Why do we always want what we can't or don't have? 

I wonder how much of our days would be spent in sheer thankfulness to God for His provision as opposed to being spent wishing we had more.  If only we didn't know what existed beyond our needs.

God Works At Chick-fil-a!

Believe it or not but I found God working at Chick-fil-a today.  No, He wasn't the cashier.  I found God working in me.  How?  He blessed me with yummy nuggets and I didn't feel guilty about it.  This may seem like a silly statement to you but you don't know all of my struggles.  For the last several years I've had a hard time with guilt over spending money on certain things.

I would convince myself that being a good steward meant I needed to eat at a $3 place instead of a $7 place.   The fact that one would make me happy and the other would...well...get me by didn't seem to matter.  (And whether the $3 place was actually serving "food" didn't seem to matter either.)  But my logic was twisted. Isn't spending any amount of money on something I don't like just as wasteful?

Of course I need to be responsible.  But I also can't get so caught up in guilt that I won't allow myself to enjoy a few of life's blessings. Yes, I spent $7 instead of $3 but in the scheme of things is that extra $4 going to make a difference? This is how I see it.  God gave me a $4 present today (it's His money anyway, right?). He knew the joy I'd have as soon as I put that first mouth-watering, tasty chicken nugget into my mouth. Chick-fil-a makes me happy and God knows it. And so today He treated me with guilt free nuggets, waffle fries and a drink.

God likes to see us smile.  He likes to see us enjoying the life he gave us.  A smile can do wonders for the soul.  Thank God for Chick-fil-a and the little things that make me happy.  I'm learning to enjoy them one nugget at a time.

Asking For Prayers

When I was in my 20's my grandma was diagnosed with cancer.  I decided to ask for prayers at church. I remember sitting there in my class surrounded by friends and teachers that cared for me.  At the end of class the teacher asked for prayer requests.  I mentioned my grandma's need but even as I spoke, I was flooded with a sense of disappointment.  Because, you see, we asked for prayer requests ever week.  I couldn't remember any of the requests from the week before - which meant the others in the room probably wouldn't remember mine when we walked out the door.

Of course I don't know for sure that nobody prayed for my grandma after that.  I appreciate their efforts if they did.  But the experience as a whole woke me up to a harsh reality for many Christians.  We talk about the importance of prayer but do we really take it seriously?  Do we really believe there is a point to it?  Do we simply pray because we're "suppose to"?  Do we pray only when we need something?

I eventually channeled my disappointment in my own prayer life into something different.  It wasn't an overnight success story.  It took many years of wanting to change before I actually did change.  Now I'm dedicated to praying.  My hope is that others will stop seeing prayer as something we just do at church, at Bible studies, or simply when we have a need.  My desire is to help Christians utilize one of the most powerful tools God has blessed us with and to help them see the different types of blessings we receive from connecting with God in this way.

Find A Home - Find A Family

Last night the church I attend held a women's tea.  It was a time for the women of our congregation to enjoy a night together with our daughters.  We had food (seved by the men - yeah!), music, guest speakers and most importantly, fellowship.  I bring this up to share my thoughts on getting involved in a church.  I spent a couple of years without a church home.  That's not to say I didn't attend.  It's more to say there wasn't much happening in that church.  There were no real avenues available to get to know one another.  But that's not my point.  The point is - I really and truly missed the fellowship of a family of believers.  Our church had a tea party last night but that's not the only thing going on.  There are so many ways to get connected with other members.  My encouragement to you is to simply not show up at a church on Sunday morning and walk away for the rest of the week.  Find a church that's active.  It truly makes a difference in a person's outlook to be engaged in a church family.  You will find friends to laugh with, to encourage you, and to lift you up when you are down.  Another aspect is serving.  Don't underestimate the power of serving others.  When you find a place to serve and people to serve - you find purpose.  Engage yourself in a church home.  It is life changing and faith-building.

Don't Believe The Lie - Prayer Works

Have you ever spent many hours praying for something and yet feeling like either God's not hearing you or that He's simply choosing not to listen?  I have.  I've been at that point where I wondered if my prayers really mattered - if they really counted.  I wondered where God was and if he had shut me off completely.  I desperately needed to see that prayer worked.  I pushed through my doubts by continuing to pray - holding fast to the promise that God hears my every word.

Realizing the devil is always trying to get us to doubt our faith is key to beating him at his game.  If he can put a few dings in our belief in prayer, then maybe we'll stop praying altogether.  He would love that.  But I'm here to encourage you not to believe the lie.  God always hears your cries, your pleas, and your praise.  We may not feel His presence every day or hear a response but that doesn't change the truth.  God never leaves us.

I began pouring my efforts into praying for other people.  I still didn't know what He was doing in my life but I could see Him clearly answering my prayers and working in the lives of others.  My faith in prayer was slowly being restored.  And a greater blessing I received was knowing I was making a difference in the lives of others - just by praying!  I count it a priviledge to pray blessings into people's lives.  My hope and desire is that you can find your way in prayer and tap into that same joy.

Pre-Mother's Day Gift

Yesterday I was having a not-so-good day.  I had a headache that seemed to get worse by the minute.  You know the kind – when your head feels like it’s in a vice and your eyeballs feel like someone is squeezing them.  Needless to say – my productivity level was at a low.  I managed to attend a morning women’s Bible study (which is always a blessing) and get to the store for a few things.  After that – the couch was my perch for the day.  Thinking the air would help me, I walked with my husband to pick up our daughter from school.  Which brings me to the point of my post.  On the way home we stopped in at Grandma and Grandpa’s house to pick up something.  During our short visit, my daughter saw a store advertisement about the upcoming Mother’s Day holiday.  (It’s never to early to shop for moms).  She grabbed a piece of paper and went off to, what I assumed, doodle.  But she was working on something for me.  She wouldn’t let me see and when we got home, she asked me for an envelope.  As she was getting ready for bed, she told me there might be something under my pillow for me.  I asked if she wanted me to look at it now or wait.  (She’s not big on waiting to hand out surprises.)  I found the envelope underneath my pillow and opened it and read the following note:

In the midst of the pain from my throbbing headache came a glimpse of God.  He appeared in the love and sweetness of my daughter.  She not only loves me but she loves God (and flowers).  I am truly blessed by her and that God brought joy to, what I thought, was a "not-so-good" day.