Storms

I guess I am on a roll with the storms lately. Stumbled upon this YouTube video. It ministered to me and I hope it ministers to you with the storms you may be facing.



Much love and peace to you today!

Walking on Water

Last night as we were taking a boat ride, the water was calm and the breeze was pleasant. Very relaxing after a very stressful few days. But within a matter of seconds the skies grew dark, the water became very choppy and we started seeing lightening streaks all across the sky. It was pretty scary as we raced for home and safety to beat out the impending storm.

I've been thinking a lot about storms lately, as we walk through this one in our lives. I've always been a tad scared of storms. The loud, booming thunder, freaky lightening strikes, tree-bending wind. Not my idea of a fun time. I am so much more about sunshine and bright blue skies. But storms are a normal occurrence in our weather patterns and in our daily lives.

Once the disciples were out on their boat rowing across the Sea of Galilee. They had just witnessed a miracle as Jesus took 5 loaves and 2 fish and fed 5,000 and actually had baskets of food left over. As the disciples set out across the lake, Jesus stayed behind to pray. Sometime during the night a storm came up on the water. The wind was fiercely blowing and the rowing got much more difficult. Many of the disciples were fishermen who understood the water and the weather. This part of the Galilean Sea was accustomed to strong storms suddenly appearing. Around 3am, Jesus began to walk across the water to the disciples on their boat as they rowed. The disciples thinking they were surely seeing a ghost of some type began to understandably panic(how often do our most all-consuming fears happen in the dead of night in those early morning hours??).

Jesus called out to them and said to not be afraid. At this point with his eyes on Jesus, Peter calls out and says, "Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water." In that moment Peter doesn't even seem to be aware there is a storm. His eyes are only focused on the Lord Jesus. Jesus tells Peter to come to him and Peter gets out of the boat and walks on the water. Now the storm is raging. The water is churning, rough, white-capped. The wind fiercely blowing. And yet Peter walks on THAT water. Then Peter does what most of us do in the midst of a storm, he takes his eyes of Jesus and focuses in on the storm, the circumstances, the predicament and he begins to sink. Probably pretty rapidly!! (at least I sink fast when looking at my circumstances!).

But at this point Peter does what we all should do, when we are sinking, he cries out "Lord, save me!!!". And the Bible says IMMEDIATELY Jesus reached out his hand and caught him!!! Jesus then says, "You of little faith, Why did you doubt?" Jesus was right there the whole time and if only Peter had kept his focus on Him instead of the storm.

I've been thinking about this story a lot these last few days as we are in the midst of a fierce storm, not knowing when it will end or how we will make it. It is absolutely only as I keep my eyes focused on Jesus, on HIS promises, HIS character, HIS love that I can and am walking on water. I can't for one moment take my eyes off of HIM or surely I will rapidly sink.

So as I write this I really wish and pray we weren't having to go through this right now. I wish I didn't have to experience the storm. I'd love nothing better than blue skies, rainbows and sunshine.... But getting to walk on water with my Lord is incredible and amazing!!!!

Logos

I have felt for sometime that the Lord wanted me to start writing. I have done some off and on and I enjoy the process and getting my thoughts down on paper (or the computer as it may be). A couple of years ago I started a family blog, filled with pictures and written accounts of our daily lives. It was fun and I enjoy chronicling our family's daily history. One day it will be fun to look back on it all and remember.

More recently, I have really felt led to write about the things that the Lord is showing me and it seems that He is prompting me to write fairly consistently. Not sure what all He intends to do with my writing. Maybe it is just a way to help me hear better from the Lord and what He is speaking to me about my life. It is certainly doing that. What He has pressed on my heart to write about in the last month are promises and words of encouragement that I have needed so much in the last couple of days since we learned that James lost his job.

About the blog title - Logos. In Greek it means promise or more specifically Words. In the Bible when the word promise is used it is actually the word Logos or Dabar (Greek and Hebrew). So a promise from the Lord is simply HIS spoken word. When the world was created God spoke it into being. His Word held the promise for our future existence. In John 1 it says, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." Or put another way, "In the beginning was the Promise and the Promise was with God and the Promise was God.". Much of what I feel driven to write about are the Promises or Logos of God.

My hope and prayer is that as others may read the words, they are renewed and encouraged by them. I desire to be an open book where others see the love of Jesus. I would love to hear if you agree, disagree, are encouraged or blessed by the words written here. If you know of any that would be encouraged by my words, please pass it along.

May the Promises of our Abba Father encourage and strengthen you today!

Being at Peace

One day you see sunshine and rainbows, the next day you see storm clouds and hailstones. At least this is the life James and I are walking through right now. I won't go into all the details at this point, but surfice it to say, we are walking through a storm right now. A big, scary storm with a very unknown outcome...

But even in the midst of the unknown outcome, I have peace, because I know whom I serve and I know HE loves me and will take care of me. In THIS moment I have peace. Sure, in the last few hours I've shed a lot of tears. But in THIS moment I have peace. And it is only in THIS moment that I need peace. My Abba Father will meet me in the next moments and give me the peace I need just for THAT moment too.

The Bible says: Do not worry about tomorrow, each day has enough trouble of its own. I never really got this verse until today. I am a planner and I like to be in control. So worrying about tomorrow is one of my main job descriptions!!! If I don't worry about tomorrow, who will??? But God is only giving me peace for THIS moment. Not for tomorrow. Tomorrow will receive its own portion of peace from the Lord.

So when I let my mind wander through the "what ifs", I am not following the Lord's commands at all. I am sinning. The "what ifs" get me no where but down a road fraught with fear over the tomorrows, that I honestly have absolutely NO control over. The Lord never intends for us to have fear for tomorrow (I have not given you a spirit of fear!!). That's why He instructs us to NOT worry about tomorrow. He's handling it!

Interesting the preceding part of that verse - God IS taking care of ALL of it. Not just a bit or a portion or just the really big stuff. He is our Abba Father, our Daddy, and He loves me and loves you SO much that HE is taking care of the Big stuff and the Little things too - ALL of it!!!!!!

Matthew 6:25 - 34
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So I am so very thankful for the peace of THIS moment. Knowing that my Abba Father will give me the peace I need for the next moment and the moment after that. And with that peace I look expectantly for the very good gifts my Daddy is preparing for us!!!

Are you Embracing Change or just Facing it????

Change is in the air....It seems like so many friends are experiencing life-changing events. Some good, some not so good. But change is happening.

With the changes come many different reactions to the change. Our attitudes determine so much of how the change will effect us. I wonder as we experience change are we planting our feet, setting our body and facing the change as one would as they hold on tight in the midst of a wind storm or are we opening our arms up and embracing the change. We choose the attitude that we will have towards the change and that makes all the difference.

Facing the change is fighting against it. Fear, negativity and frustration set in. The "whys" rear their ugly head. Why can't things stay the way they were? Why do I have to change jobs? Why do we have to move? Why do I have to go through this? We're bracing ourselves for a mighty storm and we aren't the least bit happy about it. And as we fight against the change, we get hurt!


Embracing the change is completely different. With the embracing comes excitement. Life is an adventure and we don't know what is around the next bend, but we do know God is in the change. We're on the roller coaster of life, sitting up front as the car makes its assent with our arms raised high, squealing all the way. Sure our stomach flips for a moment and our breath occasionally leaves us, but we are excited to see what is around the next bend.

As we face change, be it good, bad or indifferent, we will face many emotions and that's fine. Being sad, frustrated or even a little scared in the moment the change is occurring is normal. But maintaining an attitude that is sad, frustrated and fearful acts like a layer of icy water that freezes us to the core causing us irreparable damage that keeps us from being able to move forward at all.

Change WILL happen in our lives. As Heraclitus said, "The only thing constant in life is change." How we handle the change and the attitude we adopt in the midst of it all determines where we go from there.

Purposing to Embrace change and not just face it!!!!!

Life is Change, Growth is optional....Choose wisely....Karen Clark

What are you reaching for????

I recently saw the musical Mary Poppins at the Fox Theatre here in Atlanta. It was an outstanding production that my family and I enjoyed very much. The chorus of one of the songs struck me as interesting and I have been mulling it over for a few days.

"If you reach for the stars, all you'll get are the stars.....if you reach for the heavens, you get the stars thrown in." — Mary Poppins

What an interesting thought. Back in the day, good ol' Casey Kasem would end every Top 40 program with, "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars." In fact, I have heard for years to "reach for the stars". But here was Mary Poppins almost saying that reaching for the stars wasn't good enough.

As I began to think about that line an interesting thought took form. Reaching for the stars is synonymous with going after our dreams. The sky's the limit sort of thing. And I guess that is all well and good. But is it the best? Maybe not. The stars, I can see. I can study them, contemplate them, even sort of understand them. They are finite. My mind can 'get it'.

But going after Heaven??? I certainly don't have a great grasp on what Heaven will be like. In my limited understanding I totally can imagine it, read scripture on it, etc. But do I totally "get it"? Not really. It is infinite. It is more than my mind can conceptualize or understand.

God puts dreams and desires into each one of us, but I think His desire is to do even MORE than what we can imagine or conceptualize. More than the stars. I have always wanted to be a teacher, and I went after that dream. I reached for the stars and lo and behold, I became a teacher. But what if being a teacher is just the beginning.? What if God wants to take my teaching to a level that I can't begin to understand or dream of? Who knows?

The Bible states in 1 Corinthians 2:9 - "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him". Wow!!!! We can't even begin to imagine what God has in store for us! How exciting is that!!! So I think I will follow Mary Poppins advice and reach for the Heavens...open myself up to allowing the Lord to use me, teach me and take me places I haven't ever even thought of. Maybe the Lord will even see fit to throw in a few stars for good measure!!!

Puzzle Pieces

Have you ever felt like your life is a huge puzzle and it is only as the pieces slowly fit together that you begin to see the plan that God has for your life? When you go through those absolutely horrible times and you can't for the life of you figure out or understand the whys??

Several years ago when I was a young new teacher, I had a horrible teaching experience. Such a horrible experience that it was enough to make me leave the profession and completely cause me to go into one of the few times I have ever experienced any type of depression. I couldn't understand how God could cause me to go through that. He had so DEFINITELY called me to be a teacher. Not having gone to college or having a degree in teaching originally, He made a clear-cut way for me to become a teacher. And I loved it...but then I left it. No amount of reason could cause me to understand why things would become so difficult that I would leave that which I loved to do. Within a month of leaving teaching, I was hired to do recruiting for a local college. Another gal started on the same day as me. We worked together for only three weeks. I enjoyed the job, she did not. But a fast friendship was formed. I worked at that job for almost five years, leaving only to move and get married. Seven years after having left my teaching job for a heartbreaking reason, all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. The friend I had met and worked with for only a few short weeks, was then an HR Director for a local sales firm. She was looking for someone to hire to work part time, from home, doing marketing research. The perfect job for this new mom who didn't want to put her infant daughter in daycare. There was no way I could have understood at the time why I had to walk through something so painful as leaving a career I loved. But God knew. God knew that seven years later I would be a new mom who wanted to stay home and take care of her baby but still needed to earn some money. He knew.

In Romans 8:28 states that God works all things together for good for those who are called according to His good purpose. What an awesome promise! I remember a time about 13 years ago when my apartment was broken into a couple of times. The only things the thieves got were an old computer and printer. Being a single gal, it was terrifying to have had my home broken into and many tears of frustration and fear were shed. Insurance covered the loss and I was able to get a new computer. And this one actually had a dial-up modem! Shocking I know...Twas the way of the world 13 years ago! AOL was in its hey-day!!! Little did I know, that out of that break-in and heart break, the pieces of another puzzle would soon come together as I met my husband through that computer (and this was LONNGGG before Match.com and the like). God knew how to bring us together and He used that break-in for MY good. Even though at the time I absolutely could not see how He could.

What are you dealing with? What heartbreaks are you experiencing that you can't even begin to imagine being turned around for His glory and your benefit?? He will work for us, on our behalf. He will fight for us. He loves us. He is our Daddy!!! And even though you might not be able to see how or why or when it will work out....do know that He promises, not some things, not most things but HE works ALL things together for GOOD!!!!! What an awesome promise! Stand on it, claim it, and watch Him put the pieces of your puzzle together!!!!

Life's motto

One of my new all-time favorite quotes is: "Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor, the devil says, "Oh Crap, She's UP!" (I wish I knew who originally said it because I would love to give them credit.) This has become a motto of sorts for me, a statement, a goal that describes how I want my life to be. I sure do have a ways to go to get there, but it is what I hope my life will become. As I have thought about this statement, I wonder what kind of woman would it take to be the kind that would cause the devil to exclaim, "Oh No! SHE'S up!!!"

Several things come to mind~ first and foremost a woman who is poised towards the Lord. Spends time with the Lord, doing battle on her knees. Wielding the Sword like some well-trained Samurai warrior. Some one who knows when to fight and knows when to open her hand to the Lord and release that which is most precious. Yeah...I want to be like that.

The kind of woman who would be of concern to the devil is one who is selfless. Not so worried and preoccupied with herself, telling her story, talking about her adventures...but seeking out others, remembering to ask about some one's ailing grandmother or the color of paint they just picked out for their living room. A woman who "considers others as more important than themselves". The kind of woman who breathes life and love to all those they come in contact with. I want to be like that too!

A woman with a ready smile, a positive outlook, joy in her heart. One who is welcoming of others...those they have things in common with and those they don't. The one who when you talk to her makes you feel like you are a most important and special person. The one who is truly "Jesus with skin on". Yeah...that one I definitely want to be like.

I don't think it is necessarily the one who is concerned about having the cleanest or biggest house, the cutest clothes or latest hairstyle. I don't think it is the one who is concerned about themselves and their needs first. I don't think it is the one with the negative words or miserable attitude. Those I don't think the devil is too concerned about.

It is the she who brings life and joy, enthusiasm and excitement, love, mercy and grace to those who are so loved and adored by our Father, that the devil is most concerned about. That is the kind of woman I want to be....

Sit Down and Shut-Up!!!!

How many times as a mom (and to be really honest...as a teacher) have I wanted to just say "Sit down and shut-up!" Of course I don't say that, but I have thought it. You know when..after I have been asked for the bigillionth time..."Are we almost there", "When do we get to go to.....", "When can I have......" "How can we possibly" and on and on and on.

After the kids have asked me and asked me and asked me and I have answered... "Soon", "Almost", "I've got it all planned out"... and they keep asking! I want to shout, "Sit Down and Shut UP I am working it out. I know the plan. I know just WHEN we will be there, just when it will all take place, how the whole thing will go down." They just don't SEE the whole picture yet.

How often is it like that with the Lord? We ask and ask and ask for things and we try to trust Him, but we struggle. We can't see the whole picture. We don't see how HE can possibly work it out for us.

The Israelites, as they fled Egypt, struggled with the same thing. Even after the Lord had inflicted the 10 plagues on Egypt ~ the locusts, the water turning into blood, the frogs (that one would have really gotten to me, I am not a fan of frogs) and even killing the first born sons of the Egyptians, the Israelites still began to fear again. Grumbling, whining, begging, pleading...Here was the big huge Red Sea in front of them, and the Egyptians were rapidly on their heels. How were they going to get out of this mess? Didn't matter that they had just witnessed their release from slavery. They couldn't figure out how to get out of THIS mess.

In Exodus 14:14 it says: "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still". The Israelites had forgotten that THEY hadn't done anything to get there in the first place, but it was the Lord fighting for them that had saved them. They just had to be still. STILL!!! I looked up what the word STILL means in this passage and in its most literal form it means to "Sit down and shut-up" or in a bit nicer way.."be mute and silent".

I know I struggle with asking and asking AND ASKING for things to happen, for the Lord to move on our behalf or fretting and stressing about the same things over and over again. I don't trust God and I don't trust His plan. Even when He has proven Himself faithful to me over and over again, I still grumble, complain and whine when I don't see how He is going to work on my behalf THIS TIME. I see that HUGE body of water before me, and can't imagine how I am going to get to the other side. I am sure God is saying. "I will fight for you, Kim. You need only to be still!"

How incredible and awesome that we have such a loving God who wants to fight for us and IS fighting for us. We just need to sit down and shut-up and LET HIM!!!!!