Learning to Wait

This is today's devotional from Charles Stanley. Man I hate to wait. I thought I was a patient person, and I am much more than I used to be, but not nearly as patient as I could be. When God shows me something, I get excited, and I am ready to go! Ready to act upon it right now, He doesn't have to tell me twice. Even though He loves my zealousness, sometimes that is not what He wants. It is a process and He is trying to teach me something in that process.

READ | Psalm 25:20-21

"What are you and I to think when God withholds His answer to our prayer? Most likely, you've wondered about this at some point. As creatures bound by time, we can find those ticking seconds very frustrating.

God doesn't see us simply in the here and now. He perceives the big picture all at once-where we've been, where we are, and where we're going. And, He knows the exact impact on our lives of every little decision, action, or blessing.

Does God want to bring something into your life that would absolutely destroy you? Of course not! He knows what may be a tremendous blessing later could completely devastate your life now. For this reason, He often pauses to give you time to prepare for that blessing.

Learning to wait on God is difficult. Patience successfully demands at least three things from us. First, we must be sensitive to Him. That is, we must nurture our relationship with the Father so we can hear Him when He tells us to wait. Second, we must trust His judgment. Does God know more than we do? Of course. Then doesn't it make sense to trust Him? Finally, we must be obedient. If we try to accomplish something alone after God tells us to wait, then we're headed for disaster. God blesses obedience, even obedient waiting.

The Lord doesn't operate in a vacuum. He works within His relationship with you. Never forget He is actively walking with you, even when He withholds an answer to your prayer. It doesn't mean He's not there. It simply means He's looking out for you even more." (Charles Stanley)

Random Thoughts and Pet Peeves

TV
You know, since I have been home during the day, I have seen some TV that I have not had time to watch in a very long time. There are some shows that are funny, and don't get me wrong when I watch TV or go to a movie, I like to be entertained; But, for a long time now I have seen TV shows especially undermining the family and especially the Father role. This really, really ticks me off big time! I see show after show where the wife is the only smart one, and very smart alec to the Dad in front of the kids, which in turn causes the kids to view the Dad as some dumb, stupid moron to be made fun of. And the kids do just that! And what does the Dad do, just take it. We don't see any Wild at Heart examples on TV. That is not God's plan. Girls, don't for a moment think that what you see on TV is the way it is supposed to be, don't model that, that is not God's heart! Read Song of Solomon, get Tommy Nelson's CD's and listen for the practical knowledge of what God has intended between Husband and Wife and the family as a whole. Guys, don't take it! Don't settle for the TV example. You are a warrior at heart, God made you that way! You are the head, to be the Priest of the home! Ephesians 5:20-33. Society may tell you that is not the way it is today, but God never changes, His word never changes. It is still as valid and relevent as it ever was. Believe it or not, there are still some of us girls that do still want it God's way! There are still those of us who want the guy to be Wild at Heart, be the priest of the home, take the lead and the headship. I truly mean it! Not just saying it to hear ourselves talk, but we really mean it! Does that mean we will still get exasperated with one another, still not understand one another at times, still have to work through difficult times.......you bet! But the Whole package God has intended it so worth it! Let me hear from you and what you think! Please don't tell me that you guys like for these girls to treat you like dirt.....put you down and pretty much act like a "witch". I see so many girls doing that to their guys and I can't comprehend it. You know the bible tells us out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.......
CHANGE
There are things in my life that are changing. There are certain ministries that I have been a part of for a while. My role has been diminishing for many months now, but it is a God thing. God is getting me ready for the next stage, next chapter in my life. Moving forward to the next adventure. Wherever I go, whomever He has me with, the one He gives my heart to; I want to make an impact for Jesus and walk in the destiny he has for us. Serving God makes you flexible. I am used to change, some has been overnight, some has been very slowly. It could be missions, music, serving, praying for others....I'm flexible. One thing I do know, my heart is so about Praise and Worship. I truly love to worship Him, I love to harmonize and sing His praises. It has been in me for the past 12-13 years to be not only a follower of Christ, but to be a worshipper of Christ and to lead His people into His presence, into the throne room of God. That holiest of holies where you stand in awe of Him, in His presence where you are totally abandoned to Him and He can then do the things in us that He needs to do.....Surrendured.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
I love being outside in the sunshine. I love nature, hiking, horseback riding, canoeing, volleyball, kickball, the mountains, the water, I love it all. I so enjoy the handywork of God. We have had some beautiful weather for February. Today is so pretty. The flowers will be coming soon. I love flowers. I love the stars and just sitting out there looking at them and talking to my Lord....my best friend. I can tell Him everything and He listens and talks with me too. That is something that I want in a husband.....a best friend.

Winter Jam 2007

Winter Jam 2007

Tonight several of us from The Loop and church went to the Winter Jam concert downtown. There was some good music (Sanctus Real, Jeremy Camp, The Following). What I liked most was the invitation for people to get saved, make Jesus Lord of their life, the emphasis on winning souls. We had a great time. I really liked Jeremy Camp's songs. That was the first time I had seen him in person. I got some good pic's just click on them. SCC was there too (Steven Curtis Chapman). There was a surprise visit by The President of the United States (well an impersonator).

Killing Desire May Look Like Santification......

Wow, I had to share this. God has truly been talking to me about how I look at Him. He has continually asked me to "get real" with Him and my heart. He has asked me to examine what is in my heart. What is my true hearts Desire? What is it I am most Passionate about, what is it that He keeps bringing me back to over and over again? What is the Core, what is it He has called me to do? What is it that I Love? Where is my Desire? He has shared with me not to bury that Desire, not to settle for something less than all that He has promised, all that HE has put in my Heart. Not to dim that Passion because He put that Passion and that Desire there! It is His nature which He has placed in us! He has asked me if I will Dare to believe Him. It is His Passion, His Desire and I DARE to Believe Him for it! I Dare to Believe Him for the Impossible! That is what He is looking for! He has asked me if I will Dare to Trust Him! (Malachi 3) Jesus, I love you.......

"You may recall the story Jesus told of the man who entrusted three of his servants with thousands of dollars (literally, “talents”), urging them to handle his affairs well while he was away. When he returned, he listened eagerly to their reports. The first two fellows went out into the marketplace and doubled their investment. As a result, they were handsomely rewarded. The third servant was not so fortunate. His gold was taken from him, and he was thrown into “outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” My goodness. Why? All he did was bury the money under the porch until his master’s return. Most of us would probably agree with the path he chose—at least the money was safe there. But listen to his reasoning. Speaking to his master, he said, “I know you are a hard man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it” (see Matt. 25:14–30 NLT). He was afraid of the master, whom he saw as a hard man. He didn’t trust his master’s heart.

The issue isn’t capital gains—it’s what we think of God. When we bury our desires, we are saying the same thing: “God, I don’t dare desire because I fear you; I think you are hard-hearted.”

Even though we may profess at one level a genuine faith in him, at another level we are like the third servant. Our obedience is not so much out of love as it is out of carefulness. “Just tell me what to do, God, and I’ll do it.” Killing desire may look like sanctification, but it’s really godlessness. Literally, our way of handling life without God. The deepest moral issue is always what we, in our heart of hearts, believe about God. And nothing reveals this belief as clearly as what we do with our desire." (The Journey of Desire , 57–59)

Passion or Indifference?

This is today's devotional from the Eldredges. To be indifferent or passionate, there is no choice for me. I have always been passionate about everything I do, for the most part. This is no different. Life is too short to not live it with passion, espcially in marriage. It is your heart, your life you are sharing, if anything it should be passionate. Don't settle for anything less than God's best.....He gave us the passion, and we serve a passionate God!

"I thought of the last story we have from the life of the prophet Elisha. Jehoash was king of Israel at the time, and he went to visit Elisha on his sickbed. He knew that without the help of this great prophet, the future of Israel was looking dim. Enemies were closing in on every side, waiting for the kill. Elisha told the king to take in hand some arrows.

And the king took them. Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated [your enemies] completely . . . But now you will defeat [them] only three times.” Elisha died and was buried. (2 Kings 13:18–20)

That’s it? What a strange story! Why was the old prophet so angry? Because the king was nonchalant; he was passionless, indifferent. He gave the ground a whack or two. His heart wasn’t in it. God says, in effect, “If that is how little you care about the future of your people, that is all the help you will get.” In other words, if your heart’s not in it, well then, neither is mine. You can’t lead a country, let alone flourish in a marriage, with an attitude like that. To abandon desire is to say, “I don’t really need you; I don’t really want you. But I will live with you because, well, I’m supposed to.” It is a grotesque corruption of what was meant to be a beautiful dance between desire and devotion." (The Journey of Desire , 56–57)

Unbelievable!

This is the world [God] has made. This is the world that is still going on. And he doesn’t walk away from the mess we’ve made of it. Now he lives, almost cheerfully, certainly heroically, in a dynamic relationship with us and with our world. “Then the Lord intervened” is perhaps the single most common phrase about him in Scripture, in one form or another. Look at the stories he writes. There’s the one where the children of Israel are pinned against the Red Sea, no way out, with Pharaoh and his army barreling down on them in murderous fury. Then God shows up. There’s Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who get rescued only after they’re thrown into the fiery furnace. Then God shows up. He lets the mob kill Jesus, bury him . . . then he shows up. Do you know why God loves writing such incredible stories? Because he loves to come through. He loves to show us that he has what it takes.

It’s not the nature of God to limit his risks and cover his bases. Far from it. Most of the time, he actually lets the odds stack up against him. Against Goliath, a seasoned soldier and a trained killer, he sends . . . a freckle-faced little shepherd kid with a slingshot. Most commanders going into battle want as many infantry as they can get. God cuts Gideon’s army from thirty-two thousand to three hundred. Then he equips the ragtag little band that’s left with torches and watering pots. It’s not just a battle or two that God takes his chances with, either. Have you thought about his handling of the gospel? God needs to get a message out to the human race, without which they will perish . . . forever. What’s the plan? First, he starts with the most unlikely group ever: a couple of prostitutes, a few fishermen with no better than a second-grade education, a tax collector. Then, he passes the ball to us. Unbelievable. (Wild at Heart , 31–32)

Again we see that God is a Risk taker. He took a risk by giving His ALL for us. That's His nature, and He has placed His nature in Us. Shouldn't we be after God's heart, take risks, give our ALL for each other? Wouldn't the results be one great adventure after another? THE ULTIMATE RISK THAT ANYONE WILL EVER TAKE....IS TO LOVE

Bowling Blast!

The Loop Bowling Pics

About 25-30 of us from The Loop had dinner at La Mariachi and went bowling tonight despite the weather. We had a great time, and everyone hammed it up for the camera. Our team had the last lane and Buck even got credited for a strike when he went down the gutter. Now that's the way to keep score! It was cold, and the roads were icy, but it was a good time.

God is a Risk Taker..........What About You?

In an attempt to secure the sovereignty of God, theologians have overstated their case and left us with a chess-player God playing both sides of the board, making all his moves and all ours too. But clearly, this is not so. God is a person who takes immense risks. No doubt the biggest risk of all was when he gave angels and men free will, including the freedom to reject him—not just once, but every single day. Does God cause a person to sin? “Absolutely not!” says Paul (Gal. 2:17). Then he can’t be moving all the pieces on the board, because people sin all the time. Fallen angels and men use their powers to commit horrendous daily evil. Does God stop every bullet fired at an innocent victim? Does he prevent teenage liaisons from producing teenage pregnancies? There is something much more risky going on here than we’re often willing to admit.

Most of us do everything we can to reduce the element of risk in our lives. We wear our seat belts, watch our cholesterol, and practice birth control. I know some couples who have decided against having children altogether; they simply aren’t willing to chance the heartache children often bring. What if they are born with a crippling disease? What if they turn their backs on us, and God? What if . . . ? God seems to fly in the face of all caution. Even though he knew what would happen, what heartbreak and suffering and devastation would follow upon our disobedience, God chose to have children. And unlike some hyper-controlling parents, who take away every element of choice they can from their children, God gave us a remarkable choice. He did not make Adam and Eve obey him. He took a risk. A staggering risk, with staggering consequences. He let others into his story, and he lets their choices shape it profoundly. (Wild at Heart , 30–31)

Life is full of changes, ups and downs, joy and heartache, but adventure for sure. Life is not worth living without taking risks. There is so much out there that is worth the risk; True Love - sharing your life with the one God has given your heart to in one great adventure after another. There is Joy unspeakable, We can walk in the "exceeding, abundantly above all that we can ask or think." A Life worth living for sure. God is a risk taker........will you be too?

Please Pray......................

I just found out that I have been laid off of my job. I also have to find a new place to live by the end of the month. To say it has been a challenging week is probably an understatement; a little overwhelmed would be more accurate. I am not sure of what direction God has in store for me, but I know that I am in His very capable hands. I ask for your prayers for the doors to open where He wants me and to close where He does not. I always want His will and His plan and I am open to whatever He wants, I truly mean that. Thank you so much for your agreement prayers. To God I give ALL the Glory! Love, Tammy

The Loop.............great service!

Ok, I was down at The Loop for the second week in a row and it was definitly a great service. The praise and worship was great and God really spoke to me in through this message. It was the last part of a two part series...Meaningful Relationships. Bringing people into the Body of Christ and creating relationships in order for them to stay. The guest speaker this week was Chris Conlee from Memphis. He started with John 15:12-14 "This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you."

He talked about the 2 Great commandments "Love God, Love People" and how are we walking that out. If we come to great services, and the speakers are awesome, but no meaningful relationships are built, then people won't stay.

God's commandment isn't to KNOW more, but to LOVE more.
Independence from relationships is independence from God.

He talked about Excellence attracts people, but Relationship keeps them. Without friends, meaningful relationships, it is impossible to be happy, healthy and holy.
He said "What is more important than meaningful relationships? What is more difficult than meaningful relationships? What is more rewarding than meaningful relationships?"

God built the church on meaningful relationships. It is important to have Friend development rather than always having Self Development (speaking about all of the self help books out there).

The Information Age we live in has given us more information at our fingertips, more knowledge at our fingertips and we are lonelier than ever before. It has brought more Isolation from meaningful relationships.

Hebrews 10:24-25 This verse isn't about attendance, it's about relationship. It is far more difficult to drift out of friendship than attendance. Faithfulness depends upon connectedness. Friendships can inspire faithfulness or faithlessness. The church is at it's best when we build meaningful relationships.

You need God's people, just as much as you need God. You will not overcome problems without God's people. You can't reach your full potential without meaningful relationships.
Anyway, this was from my notes and it was really good. I can honestly say that I don't know when I have ever had a group of people make me feel so welcome and helping me to get plugged in. People I met last week looking for me this week, coming to sit with me, making sure I knew about all of the upcoming events. Emailing me to do lunch and stay connected. It is a great atmosphere that makes you feel like you are not going to fall through the cracks. If your single, check out The Loop on Monday nights in Brentwood. Starts at 7:30 and here is their link:
www.theloopnashville.com
Lot's of great events coming up, and they really want you to be a part. I have already been invited to 3 other events. When you see people practicing what Jesus did, it draws you and endears you. Love you guys!

Beautiful Snow!

Snow, Beautiful Snow

I woke up this morning and was surprised to see the snow. I did'nt watch any weather reports, so it was a nice surprise. I love the snow, it's beautiful, clean, pure. When it snows there's just this hush that comes over the area..........a quiet calm that says "slow down, take your time......enjoy the moment." Too bad it wasn't enough snow to build a decent snow man. I really want to go snow skiing this year. I just know it would be breathtaking!

I drove into work late this morning and I saw, in 2 different locations, Dad's that had taken their kids out snow sledding. It was awesome to watch the wonder of it. Pure joy and delight on those kids faces as they sailed down the banks. I wanted to jump out there and join them..........