Red Sea Situations

By Jennifer Owens

 “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,  as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, …”  1Peter 1:2

I am coming to a place in my life where I realize how important communication is. The older I become, the more I realize that I cannot maintain healthy relationships without it.

 Have you ever noticed who the communicators were, or weren’t in your life? How were things discussed in your home? Or were they? When you felt uncomfortable or felt like you could not do something because you were either too tired, upset or frustrated, was that unacceptable in your home? Did someone sit you down and normalize your experience and inform you that what you felt was normal and validate that you were human, and sometimes you would have such challenges in life?

Most of us have unspoken communications around what we feel. Sometimes it really isn’t important for you to express the way you feel. We didnt learn that it was healthy to communicate our feelings – because we learned when we did, we would  feel even guiltier. We must learn we cannot meet the challenge of what someone else expectations are. I have experienced this often and it often effected my self esteem. Being  the youngest in my family, I often did not speak up when I really needed to, or should have. Interestingly enough, I know this has impacted my life, in so many ways. I allowed a pattern to begin to develop, and I began to often ignore  my needs or what I found important in my life. When I became older, I neglected myself by losing my voice when i had chances to speak up for myself. Thusly, my sense of peace was affected by what I refused or chose not to communicate.

The morewe understand the grace of God, the more we are able to understand our own imperfections.  The more we understand our own imperfections, the more we begin to realize we don’t have to truly please anyone but God. The more we also realize His ability to bring us “balance”. The ability to understand and receive the grace of God is crucial to us maintaining our own peace. I once tried to explain grace to children  in a youth group I mentored. It wasn’t too challenging once simplified. I described it as a feeling that whatever we are contemplating is ok to pursue and things  around us flow with an ease and within, – no trepidation, no insecurity, there  is an amazing sense of security gained from that decision. Grace is like faith. It’s an expectation of good.

 Sometimes it’s really hard, but neceassary to take a good look inside of ourselves BEFORE  we make any decision.  I often have  to really take a good  look inside of myself in order to know what was really going on. That means I had to slow my pace, say “no” to a few people; and rid myself of a sense of obligation. ( That means saying ‘yes’ to every request or saying “I am not sure …can I get back to you?…Or when do you need an answer by?” ) 

My husband tends to a really good listener… but even when he isn’t – God is. God is concerned about our day to day success. Even with the small details of our lives, He wants to be included. I have found that even in the details of life,  the smallest decision I make, can be the most critical in any given day. Taking the time to talk to someone  I love, or just spend  five more minutes with them, or maybe spending time writing that letter and sending it without any outside distractions - or  smiling and walking up to that person I rarely speak to and saying hello – are all crucial pieces to understanding where the grace of God works on our behalf. 

Peter 1:2 says: “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises…   But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,  to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,  to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.  For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

From Paul, I understand  that grace  for decision-making can be found in our character and in God’s power. So next time you make a decision, seek God’s way, first. Look Up!

Proverbs 18:10

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.”

My Strong Tower woke me up today to talk to me.

Have you ever woke up on a quiet morning and couldn’t go back to sleep? It may be because God is calling your name. There are some places where God wants to be your Strong Tower.  He wants to be everything to you that matters. I researched this place where God becomes Mig-dal -Oz unto Jacob, one of His servants. The strength found in God’s name here is amazing. God changes Jacob’s identity. It’s the place where God changes Jacob’s name.

I love the words to this song because it takes us above ourselves and our situation. The place where He Helps us to see His potential to keep us secure. To forever change our identity.

I will bless the Lord forever

I will trust Him at all times

He has delivered me from all fear

He has set my feet upon a rock

I will not be moved…

Whom have I in heaven but You

There’s none I desire beside You

You have made me glad

And I’ll say of the Lord

You are my shield, my strength

My portion, deliverer

My shelter, strong tower

My very present help in time of need.

I read a devotional I have been reading and studying for the past year called : Praying the Names of God, by Ann Spangler. Ann asks in her  writings – ” How would your life be different if you were able to  take shelter under the wings of  God? I answered in one sentence:“There would be no threat. I’d find rest in the shelter of who God is. Selah.”

How would you answer this question? God’s wings are pretty large, I imagine. The comfort there…. unimaginable, I’m sure. I tried to get a visual and I could only imagine it must be like living in another world. But you know, in all honesty - that’s what living for God feels like sometimes. It  feels like you are living  in a dream. The absence of fear is possible, though sometimes hard to imagine. God longs to be my very present help. Very present help is right there and available all the time. Never wavering… always present. That’s God. Listen to this meditation today, and focus on His AVAILABLITY  today. Make sure you aren’t missing something about the ability of God to be right there… no matter how bad it gets. Hide under His wings and trust today. Selah. Spend some time in Psalm 91 and let God show you how safe you are under His wings.

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Have you ever had some really good fruit? Succulent…awesomely sweet and ripe and just right?

Well, that’s what a relationship with Jesus is like.

John 15:4 says : “ Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”

Do you want to grow? Try Jesus. He can make bitter places sweet.

God can change your life. He can make it all new. I remember being in a place where I was extremely hopeless, afraid – and found myself feeling as if things would never change. I thank God for hope, because somehow it found me. God’s angels  spoke and delivered hope unto me- in my deepest and darkest places. They had to – because I found myself in a place of unending hope – even in the midst of my despair.  Hope would arise from deep within. It was amazing…I wouldn’t even know I had it, and it would arise. I’d dream visions that were God-given, and instead of being sad in my dreams during this time of my life, I’d be  happy, fulfilled and loved. That was my good fruit.  When I’ d awaken the next morn, it would give me more room to press forward and wake up and face the next day. I didn’t know daily I was going through a pruning process. John 15:2 says : “He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.”

Good fruit.. can be refreshing, enlightening, revelatory… It’s like waking up ( in life) and finally realizing that some “bad things” can actually be good… that you really never knew it all…. and you humbly accept God’s gifts to you, in that place.

In the Bible, fruit is a synonym for growth.It’s not always good that growth and pain are associated with one another. But I suppose that depends on your perspective. Everything “good” I have ever gotten was a result of something character defining and enduring and yet a bit painful in order that I might have what I have today. I love the story of Jabez.  Though a very short story in the Bible, it’s a bout a man who desired God bless Him, indeed. Water his soil, keep him form evil, and he asked God to keep him covered. Jabez  asked God to “enlarge his territory. He asked God for growth. And the Bible says : “And the Lord granted him his request.” I Chronicles 4:9,10

I challenge you to today to ask God for the unimaginable, like Jabez. Ask him to mature you. To give you growth.

“ You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.”~ John 15:16

You know,  I never knew the “way up”- was by lowering yourself and your needs and your own priorities a little.

My mama used to say : “Make sure you treat people right on your way up, you never know if they will cross your path again on the way down.”   I wish everyone knew that serving others helps you to grow.  I was once going through a really tough time. I was unemployed and wanted what I wanted.  The job I ‘thought’ I had, fell through, and I had just relocated to a new city.   I was really desiring to hear from God, so I spent some time with Him.

So I asked God:”What am I supposed to do?” 

I heard God to say to me, the most unexpected request.

He simply said: “Serve.” I almost found myself laughing, like Sarah did… when she was told she would have a baby at the age of ninety-something.

Yet obedience to that request brought me such joy. I found myself working in the presence of children, who just made every day special – when I was enduring such a depressing time in my life. I was afraid , I was upset, I was stressed to the max, but every day a smiling face, a hug, an unexpected  kiss was given to me… and I saw God every day in their love towards me. Through this experience, God set me on a journey that radically changed my life. The depths of my relationships with friends and with God – shifted  immensely. I learned a lot about myself, my values,  my priorities and came face -to face with  God about what was lacking in my life.  Friendships turned into fellowships and experiences into monuments I will remember for life.

This ”act of servitude” also brought  to me wonderful opportunities to add to my dream. I did jobs I normally wouldn’t have even thought of doing, yet now I have new ideas, because I chose to walk that path. At the end of that road, I met my husband. And because I was obedient to serve, I believe God brought me a wonderful man willing to give me a lifetime of love.

 I continue to serve, and I continue to gather up really awesome surprises, as I walk this road. I find people along the way with great reservation, yet similar stories, and we encourage one another as we  have walked similar paths and  lives. I find God in those conversations and I see He was also in present in my (Red Sea) – my past. I would say most of all, I learned something about God’s love – how consistent it is. Also I learned how much God desires to provide for us, and sometimes only “He” can see what we really lack. God’s love for me was so simple, yet so profound. It showed up at every curve, every slump and every valley. I saw God cares much more about my obedience than He does my career, my lifestyle,  my wants or my temper tantrums. I found out that His loves reaches for a deeper need, and sometimes that need has to be met within me.

 God’s love and his fellowship left me never alone. I had great peace.

I am ever so thankful for my valley of “servitude”… it is because of it – today,  I  have great JOY.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart…”

I like this picture it makes me think of endurance. Horses have such an enduring quality to them. Especially Mustangs.  They are known to endure great physical courage, and are bold and daring. These are picture of Mustang horses  near a fountain in Ft Worth, Texas. I completed a small exercise this evening I found online. I was unable to write what I wanted to write, so I completed this  exercise to clear my head.  For the sake of being a little transparent and encourage your own personal growth I decided to share my thoughts with you.

 Here is the exercise:  Across the top of a blank piece of paper write across the top: ( Character Traits,  Needs, Values, Strengths & Motivations)  and add five to ten qualities underneath them:

Character Traits        My Needs           My Values           My Strengths       Motivators

Cordial                       Friends              Balance                  Trustworthy        Writing           

Introvert                   Quiet                   My Faith                 Resilient           The Ocean               

Fearless                   To Write                Honesty                 Personable         My Hubby                

Leader                         Rest                     Integrity               Encourager         Dreaming               

Committed                Comfort          *  Allowance          Deep Thinker       Exercise                

  Peaceful                 Prayer               Stability            Perseverance       My Life Work                 

 I found the one most powerful introspective thoughts considered here was   the realization that: “ I am one who takes care of my needs.”

Who amongst you often asks you : “What do you need?”  And how many times a day do you actually answer it? I find that I often struggle because I don’t take care of my needs and I don’t allow God to take care of them, either.  I wind up in a bad place often because I take care of everyone else before me. NOT a good habit to develop. (All the time.)

Taking time for “me” …will energize me FOR everyone else.

What are your motivators?  If you don’t know, you should find out. Motivation keeps your purpose fueled. It’s very  important to keep your coals burning and never allow them to go out. If you work on fueling your passion with great expectancy about what’s on the horizon… you will begin to find your answers meeting you at the end of the road.

LIVE LIFE WITH GREAT EXPECTATION. It’s the greatest gift you can offer to yourself, your children, your hope your mate and to your future. It’s what God looks for in you. I have experienced more miracles in the past five years of my life than I ever have.  At first, I complained them… because it required too much to adjust and CHANGE in my life… but then I decided I will stay in EXPECTATION (of good)  and I would always work to DO MY VERY BEST. Luckily, I married the right person. We keep each other  motivated.

Self -evaluation can help  you to see your vulnerabilities. These characteristics can then sometimes turn into amazing strengths. I feel as if often I have this deep need to offer myself : “allowance“.  Giving yourself permission to live and live justly…can be a huge motivator.  On the good side — it allows me  to give myself  “permission” to be FREE. I am always adjusting, self-evaluating, yielding, purposing, helping , adapting, and changing because change is how I grow. I always want to be in a state of growth, so I challenge myself. Often. What I didn’t realize is that this challenge -   causes me to be on thought overload with my thought life. It makes me like a turtle in its shell sometimes that wants to hibernate. Yet this is where the “deep thinker” identity is born. And…thusly,  my writing.

Dreams come true when you can recognize WHO and WHOSE you are.You begin to travel and seek out  paths unknown  yet they you ignite you to your purpose on an even higher level. Like self awareness causes one to grow – a lack of self-awareness or inability to be transparent and open minded can stagnate you.

Try this exercise yourself.  Read more about personality factors here - by  Raymond Cattell. You might find out even more!

I said a prayer for my daughters today. I listened to their hearts as God explained their struggles.

I don’t know if you know God can speak to heart of your children’s struggles, but  I am glad He does. The places where I cannot reach and the balm I cannot be, God can.

Daughters have a place in the hearts of parents that are precious. They struggle just like we do. Pray for the daughters that struggle with every day life, their self esteem, their looks, and their hearts get hurt too… and they need guidance.

Some of us have daughters that do not have relationship with us; yet we cherish them as if they were our own. I have another group of daughters who are precious to me and they belong to my group I teach every Wednesday. I love them. They think, they speak, they say things that are phenomenally true and they are willing to learn. I learn from them. I love their eagerness, their innocence, their eyes that speak larger than their age.

Pray for her heart, her esteem, her peace, her well-being. Her freedom. Her future, her friends, her decisions, her courage. Pray for her honesty, her treasures, her time well spent, her daily activity, her walk with God.

Pray for your daughters today. You never know where their hearts are – who else may be speaking into them, who may be telling them truths or untruths….you never know what pain they may endure, until you begin to speak to them. Until you begin to LISTEN.

I plan to listen to the heart of Mine.

 Selah.

Foundation Scripture: “So do not fear,  for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you  and help you,  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41: 10  

Sometimes we struggle with God to find a new beginning. I have been there…several times. New Beginnings offer us new chances. New opportunities. They show us what’s really in us.  God really wants us to welcome them, instead of resist them. That’s hard when you are used to the same old things, and you become complacent with life circumstance. New beginnings are exciting,  they are challenging, and they are times when we can decide we are going to do something radical and adventurous, and actually overcome! We need to be open with our hearts and minds and ask God to open our hearts to receive new things.

 It’s time to trust God as Elohim: The Lord Our Creator.

Key Question:

How can I move past my self and my feelings to find more grace in believing God more firmly – in my future?

Your Altar to Build: Elohim – The Lord of My Beginning.

Lord, today I recognize blessing.  I humbly submit myself to Your will and Your way.  I ask you to help me with my future. Solidify your plans in my heart, and I will comply.

Your Pattern to Begin Living:

I choose to regularly and consistently use self-introspection and evaluation to determine whether my perspective matches with that of My Lord.

Exchange & Prayer:   Lord, I humbly ask for your help in recognizing your unchanging and dependable nature. Help me not to forget your divine providence over my affairs. I recognize my life is not my own, and that it is sacred, and so am I. I am not alone.