Walking In Your Gifts

Walking on an Intentional Path to Care for Others

Have you ever begun the day feeling a burden to get something done? That is me today. I woke up and listened to a teaching from Isaiah 15-17, titled Weep for Them. As I went about the day more news, more request for prayers, and more joy followed me.

These days come and go. The fires that rage in the world come in various forms. It may be in the workplace, in the home, in the community, and at times- in the church. The fires that burn in me and those that I care for can lay heavy on my the heart and mind. It is those moments when the stomach begins to churn, the tears make their way to my eyes, and my neck and shoulders become tense. And the question is presented- what can I do to extinguish the fire from within?

I must come to the LORD in prayer and seek his quietness, his peace, his wisdom and his direction. I must come out of my comfort zone and walk with intentional faith to be a disciple for Christ. I must use the skills and gifts I have been blessed with to walk along side others.

I am grateful to have others to walk along side me. There is a community of health ministers that stand ready to be there for others. It is a community of people that comes in various forms. They are nutritionist, musicians, artists, healthcare professionals, barbers, stay at home parents, lawyers, accountants, coaches, outreach works,health promoters and many others.

I am most grateful for the words in Isaiah 11:3. “and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears…” I am grateful for a God that is just.

I am grateful for the gift, skills, and talents that have been given to me to walk alongside others with empathy. That I may see beyond the visible and listen beyond the words for God’s guidance in how to care for others. For if I walked by my own accord, my intentional path would wander off to some far off wilderness where I see and hear the faults and not the glory that is within everyone of us.

Lord, thank you for the peace you provide. Thank you for the prayers that come by the leading of your Holy Spirit. Thank you for showing me the intentional path you have laid out- ” To love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” Matthew 22:37-39

Always grateful,

Living Life in the Nakedness of Winter & the Beautiful Wardrobe of Spring. What do you prefer?

When asked, what is your favorite season, I always respond- Spring. It is the season of new growth, new bloom, and great appreciation for moving forward. But when I consider winter, it is a season of preparation and contemplation.

There was snow in my area this past week. A large snow fall is not typical in my region so I always hope for one big snow that changes the landscape of everything around me. I tracked the weather forecast with the experts, hoping one of the systems would be true. One forecast said 3.5 inches, another said 5 inches, and another predicted 9.5 inches. I went to bed with the anticipation of a child waking up on Christmas morning. I woke up to see the snow had fallen throughout the night. I went to the back window, as I do every morning, and saw the tracks of things that had wandered on the property and I wonder what made that trail.

But just a couple of days later, I wandered to the front and see how the sun shines and announces the grass that lays underneath waiting for spring. I see the tree standing strong and naked waiting to bloom into a beautiful wardrobe of pink petals.

I see my self in the contemplation of winter.I contemplate on the tracks I have left in other’s lives. Were may words edifying, were my actions meaningful, were my thoughts pure? Are my tracks of life leading me along a good path of understanding others or selfishly making my own way?

There is the beautiful restoration of spring. All those thoughts and worries that may seem like dreary episodes of melting snow is preparation for the new growth of a life living in full bloom.

This is why spring is my favorite season. I can look back at that tree that stood naked surrounded by melting snow, and know the seasons of life, when pruned, make me grow stronger. The tracks of my life may wander in different places, with different people, and in different pursuits, and bloom in every situation.

And when I am asked, what is a favorite scripture, I sometimes answer with Philippians 4:12-13. “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all through him who gives me strength.”

I am grateful for all the seasons. They each have a purpose for us to admire and appreciate.

Always grateful,

Check Engine Light- What does your dashboard say?

Well, it began as a task full day of errands and time with a friend. I turned the ignition, the dashboard lit up, and there it was- the check engine light. This is a light that brings me more angst than the twirling blue lights that may pull me off the road for some infraction.

So, I went back in and shared this critical news with my husband, my go to buddy for help. He checked the oil, he put in oil, and off I went. Check engine light out=PEACE.

But no, as I prepared for the second outing with a friend, there it was again- check engine light. After calls, internet search, and a drive to the local auto store that offers free diagnostic, I discovered it may be the camshaft sensor. Then the question became- can I still drive without damaging the engine? The answer was yes, as long as it is not a blinking check engine light. So, I filled up the tank with gas and began a beautiful day with a friend. Surprisingly, the light went out again. There was PEACE long enough to enjoy the day. But, when my husband went out in the evening- there it was again- check engine light. He took it to a mechanic- for now the light is out— PEACE.

There is a plethora of dashboards that provide a quick glance of the key performance indicators of work performance, personality traits, world global happiness, etc.

In this year, 2025, what does your dashboard say? Is your check engine light on?

Over the years my dashboard has been consistent through various personality themes.

In 2025, I will reassess and regain focus. I think I will take the Living Compass Assessment again. The no-cost assessment that will check my alignment in areas that matter most to me.

As I complete the Bible study of Romans, it is my goal to be known like the 20+ individuals mentioned in chapter 16. They all labored, welcomed, and walked in their calling to be one with Christ. May 2025 be a year that speaks to the sentiment of the closing verse- “to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen”

May you have a year of PEACE. And when your internal check engine light sends a message— seek the only wise God to fix it.

Always grateful,

Thrifting for my sole. Do you enjoy a good bargain or paying full cost?

I enjoy the thrill of finding a good deal in a thrift store or auction. There is usually some thing I need for the house, for my wardrobe, or just for fun. Most of the time it is just a want, which makes the joy of thrifting so gratifying.

In my hunt for boots, I walked into one of my favorite thrift stores. I walked each aisle searching for the ideal boot to wear with jeans. There they were, $5.00!!! These are the perfect leather, ideal heel, and perfect tone for jeans.

My hunt was done. I went to the front of the store, paid for my “new” boots, and admired them more once inside the car. I thought, where and when will I step out into the world with these very comfortable foot coverings. The day came when I put on my boots to head into the world. Something strange was happening as I walked around the house. I asked myself, what is that noise? I walked around the house a bit more. The sound was still there.

I went on with day, admiring my bargain found boots that made my jeans look richer in color and style. Little did I know, with each step I took the soles of my perfect boots were breaking apart. Breaking apart under the pressure of my body, breaking apart against the hard concrete, and breaking apart due to dry-rot.

The disappointment didn’t last long. I searched for a cobbler in the area. There were 3 with the old age craftsmanship to repair my bargain boots. I was excited to enter the shop and have my boots repaired. The disappointment surfaced when I was told the cost to repair my $5.00 perfect pair of boots. One hundred twenty dollars! Very exciting for the cobbler; very sad for me.

I’m not sure why I still have these sole torn boots sitting in my room. I guess it can be hard to let go of all the plans I had for these perfect boots.

This is yet another reflection for me as I walk this journey of life. My mind has planned, and my body is prepared to do so many acts to make a difference in this world. But there are times when I go out and find my mind hit with hard concrete disappointment, hit with the dry rot of inconsistent motivation, or the hit with the cost of sacrificing for others.

So, as I contemplate the cost to follow my dreams and the cost to do the Lord’s will, I recall the words of Brandon Lake’s song that pleads-“So come on my soul, oh don’t you get shy on me”.

And more intently, Psalm 43:5 “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior, my God”.

Do you find yourself thrifting or do you pay the full cost?

God gave all in his son Jesus. He paid the full cost so we may live a life with peace in Christ.

Praise the Lord and Hallelujah

Always grateful,

Winter & Simmering Foods

This is the time of year when putting on a pot of homemade soup brings me good nourishment and good eats. How about you? What foods do you allow to simmer until perfectly done?

After pondering for a week on what soup to make, I pulled out a 1 lb bag of dry fordhook lima beans. The really large lima beans. I followed the directions: rinse- add to boiling water and let sit for an hour-drain. Begin again- bring salted water to boil with beans-then simmer for 1.5-2 hours, or until tender.

This seem like a less than tasty meal. So I improvise by adding more salt & pepper. Sometime later, I add the leftover rice from the refrigerator. Then, oh shoot- I need to add the meat. So I pulled a piece of left over meat from the deep freezer, dated 11/2023. An hour later- the taste test. Somethings missing. So I added some rosemary, crushed red chili peppers, a couple table spoons of butter. It was beginning to taste just right. But wait- I need to trim the meat off the bone and simmer until just right.

All in all, it was close to 5 hours of cooking and simmering what began as a dry bag of beans to a very tasty meal. One we will go back for throughout the week.

What is your go to winter cozy simmering meal?

Today, I woke up before the alarm and listened to a message from Romans 8:1-17. It reminds me of how warm and tasty it is to simmer on the word of God throughout the day. There is a course readily available on The Great Courses streaming by Dr. Andrew Newburg. The course is titled, The Spiritual Brain: Science and Religious Experience. In lecture 9: The Biology of Spiritual Practices, it has been proven through various brain scans that the longer we are in prayer, we progressively experience a deepening loss of self and an increasing bliss.

I have found in my prayer life, the longer I simmer with the Lord the more at peace I become. It may start out as this dry prayer of the basic ingredients of thank you for this day. Then I begin to add the seasoning of my worries- the regret of things I should have done or not done- then I add the meat- the real lack of faith I sometimes experience in the day to day.

What is your simmering prayer to lose yourself and gain increasing bliss?

Thank the Lord for the recipe of his word and his love. Thank the Lord for his grace to give us the time and space to seek him daily. For his love to be there always and to not lose any that call him Lord. For his willingness to pour of himself on this earth and go prepare a place for us, that we may be one with the father.

May this be a blissful winter of simmering in prayer with the Lord Jesus. And good soups:)

Always grateful,