*Be a Key Turner

Don and I had just left our last place of ministry as youth pastors. It was tough and we had found ourselves
in a fight. The people in that church did not like the Pastor and his wife and we were in the middle. In the middle of being supportive of our Pastors and having to deal with the fall out from their hurt and as well as our hurt in the process. We had moved back to Texas and Don had found a job that wasn't in the ministry and I was secretly happy. I was glad because I had seen the toll that it had on him and I surely knew the toll it had taken on my heart as well.

How can people be so mean when they do not get their way? Church was supposed to be the best place to work...right? Well a lot of those myths got debunked in that last 3 years! I wanted to hide out and NOT get involved in any church. I really didn't want to go to church for a while. I mean...I had attended so many services, seminars, meeting and events that last 3 years that I had met my quota for a life time! So can you imagine my dismay when Don said, "Hey Jonna I was thinking...let's go to this church over in this next town this coming Sunday." I tried  not to be negative but I knew my response wasn't one of excitement and joy. Don noted my frustration and reminded me that we didn't know anyone at that church and then he added those glorious words, "We will sit in the back." Now.... that made it more tolerable for me. haha.

Well Sunday arrived and we went inside and guess who greeted us at the doors? Of course it was two people that Don knew in high school and of course they instantly recognized each other and of course they insisted that we sit with them. Oh the rotten luck! I know that I gave Don a not-so-nice glance when they led us up to the 3rd row in the center aisle of the church! And I thought all these years that Don only knew heathens from his years at Sweeny high school!

As the Associate Pastor got up to speak that morning he stopped and paused and hesitated a few times and then in a series of most unfortunate but yet fortunate events he pointed at Don and I. Of course I turned and looked behind me to not only hear, "Can you two please stand?" but to realize that he was talking to Don and I! I was more than horrified...I was mortified. That thoughts of "I am definitely NEVER to coming to this church again. Is this how they address guests?" ran through my mind. Then I hear the minister state that God pointed us out to him and he had to be obedient. The words that he spoke to us that morning was like a healing balm to the hurt in our lives. He read our mail for sure! I was a bubbling mess of snot and tears and Don fell to the ground crying. Yes here we were the CENTER of attention in the church that "no one would know us at." God does have a sense of humor!  I will say that after that first sentence the caring of what anyone thought went right out the door....God was speaking to us and I basked in the moment. Don spent most of the service practically under the pew so I had to throw out any thought of dignity anyway!  Of course God knew right where we were at and we weren't going to hide from anyone...especially NOT HIM or HIS calling on our life.

God sends people into our lives to be key turners. To those who were at that service that day it might not have seemed like a big thing at all. God used a willing person and with a simple act of affirmation, an obedient word of wisdom it was the one single thing that we can contribute to our path to healing. It was a key that opened our hearts and opened the door to a new level and style of ministry. That person was a life saver for us and if he hadn't been there to speak it...and if we hadn't been there to receive it....well only God knows.

All through the Bible we have accounts of God sending men and women out into the world with a message. Whether it is a message of repentance, deliverance, or hope, God made sure the messengers were placed in strategic moments in time to make an impact on those around them. We are those message carriers, we are the key turners of our today. We are the ambassadors of Christ's Kingdom and I ask you this: Will you be a key turner for someone? Will you be the one to turn someone's life around? God is waiting for a person...that isn't perfect...but is willing and obedient to go and speak His words of life to those around them. You just never know what destiny someone has in them and you might be the one to release it!

I do not have a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind-1Timothy 1:7

I am determined and confident! I am not afraid or discouraged, for the Lord my God is with me wherever I go. -Joshua 1:9 (GNT)

I trust (lean on, rely on, and am confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall I dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly I shall be fed. —PSALM 37:3

 

Adjust That Crown

Jonna
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*Beyond Your Nose

I know I know...most of the times my blog seems like a glorified diary! Well it is actually and if you are reading this...which I have NO idea who does or does not...then you know that I have issues. I assume we all do on differing levels. I have found myself in a funk of sorts for the last week. Not only did I find myself victim of the elusive sinus infection but I also was just in the blahs. You know...a season of being in the doldrums and you aren't really sure why or how to get out of it.

I was sitting at my kitchen table looking out the blinds as my cat was running all over the place trying to catch a fly. I was only half watching and half paying attention. I did note that he jumped on the table and then dove into the blinds. All that associated noise and chaos hardly got me out of my trance which was just marinating in all the things I should do today but really did not want to do. I really haven't been feeling joy and I don't think God was even hearing me or for some reason I wasn't really hearing Him. Anyway, the cat was flipping and pouncing and meowing and finally something ran up my leg!

Yes you are reading that right! A nice-sized lizard went running up my leg and then under my shirt and as I jumped up and started running...I have no idea why...my cat was running with me. The lizard then went up my back and when I finally came to my senses I stopped...and the lizard stopped. The reptile was now on the back of my head and before I even realized it my cat Fennick jumped at almost my full height with all claws out and landed on my shoulder. He grabbed the lizard and ran away. Of course scratching me and clawing me in the process!

I am standing in the living room breathless, speechless and really weirded out. I feel like I have a million little lizards crawling all over my body! Fennick is now in the kitchen devouring the poor lizard. I walk over to the table and see my spilled coffee, my chair is knocked over and I then start laughing. It just started and didn't stop until I started crying. It was just so funny and I could hardly even believe that it happened.

As I cleaned up my mess I started realizing that Fennick was trying to get my attention and he was trying to do what he was supposed to do...kill all the bugs and creatures that aren't supposed to be in the house! I just wasn't paying attention. I was so absorbed in how I felt and I just wanted to wallow around in my feelings and do nothing but eat cheetos...yes I was having a one person pity party.

I don’t know about you, but I’m glad God gave me a nose.  It isn't the prettiest thing and it has a nice bump on the bridge of it that reminds me of a ski jump. LOL. My nose helps me to smell, it helps me to breathe, it helps hold up those Brighton sunglasses that I love....without it I don't think I would function as I should. God didn't intend for my nose to be the extent of my thoughts. God intended for me to look beyond myself, beyond my circumstances, and beyond my feelings.

He wants us to be aware of what is happening around us.. We may not THINK God is listening and we may not FEEL like He is with us, and we may not SEE His hand...BUT of course we know that is so far from the actual truth. He is always there waving and trying to get our attention to get us back on track; to get us to see the bigger picture...to get us up and going so we can be all that He knows we can be!

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.    Matthew 6:34 (The Message)

He might have just sent that lizard to get my attention....ummmm....please excuse me while I get myself ready for the day...I have things to do and positive things to impart to someone in my path and...of course first I have mangled lizard parts dispersed around the kitchen to dispose of!


You are Graciously Adorned!

Jonna 

*Tenacity

Tenacity means to cling to a belief or thing without doubting.  It is a set kind of faith, a determination that doesn't waver. Words that can be used interchangeably with tenacity are persistence, determination, perseverance, doggedness, strength of purpose, tirelessness, indefatigability, resolution, resoluteness, resolve, firmness, patience, purposefulness, staunchness, steadfastness, staying power, endurance, and stamina.

Some confuse stubborn and tenacity to mean the same thing. Stubborn means we won’t back down from our position—even if we’ve been shown plenty of evidence how our position is wrong. A stubborn person doesn’t listen to reason. Tenacity means we are being reasonable: We’re doing the right thing, regardless of the difficulty level, and regardless of consequences. People may try to get us to back down, and say, “Be reasonable.” But they won’t argue our position is wrong. What they mean by “reasonable” is they don’t believe the consequences are reasonable. 

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
    don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do,
everywhere you go;
    he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
    Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
    your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
    give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
    your wine vats will brim over.
But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline;
    don’t sulk under his loving correction.
It’s the child he loves that God corrects;
    a father’s delight is behind all this.
Proverbs 3:5-12 The Message

What kind of tenacity do you carry? Are you representing Jesus and going after Him with all the determination, resoluteness and endurance as you would if you were working out 5 days a week at 5am at your favorite gym class or at a professional football game that cost a fortune and you are sweating buckets but going to stick it out because your a fan? Does a little sweat and a little heartache get you off course of your Christian walk? Oh we can choose what things we can tolerate and all too often when things get a little tough people just fall off the "spiritual" wagon. Before they know it they are saying "God, who?" like they have lost their ever loving minds! Yet they put everything they have into material things that reap only earthly rewards. No wonder they are miserable. All of these are points to ponder. Like any great thing in this life....if you work hard at it and with all of your heart then you will have the benefits of a tenacious life. Nothing wonderful and lasting comes easy and nothing that comes easy lasts.

God created us for GREATNESS and in order to do that you have to have some tenacious faith to get up everyday and trust Him no matter what consequences or obstacles are in your way. So grab a hold of His promises and never let go.

Adjust That Crown

Jonna