Greater Things

Greater Things.

My thoughts on this week’s reflection verse.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” ~ John 14:12 NIV84

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” ~ John 14:12 KJV

 

WOW. That’s awesome! To do greater things than Jesus? How is that even possible? I have often wondered this same thing myself. I thought it would have be someone who had earned this opportunity with their works. Someone greater than me. So I accepted the mediocre life, and settled in. Average me.

But in reading the Greater Book, by Stephen Furtick, I have realized that this is not so. Oh Satan wants us to embrace the averageness of life. Accept that we can’t be greater than just the average run of the mill individual. He feeds each of lies that our past will go before us, whispers that we aren’t cut from the cloth of greater people. Satan wants us to believe that we can’t be anything more than we already are. But there is power in this verse. Just read it. Let it sink in. Remember, the word of God is alive. It can be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path if we just chose to pick it up, dust it off, read it, embrace it, let it feed our souls.. It is sharper than a two-edged sword, going before us, to show the way. In the pages of his word, is the way to live a greater life in our walk with him. Oh to do greater things... To live a greater life…  If God is for us, who can be against us?

 I was so engrossed in reading my Greater book that I found myself ahead in chapter 3. I can relate in so many ways and realize that I do have a lesser loser life that I am abolishing. I don't want to be mediocre. I want more. I want more of him (God) and less of me! I want to be greater than just the loser Satan wants me to be. As I sat there reading my book on my lunch time at work(the only time I can have complete aloneness, since I have a crazy busy life), I realized that I allow the circumstances of life to engulf my thinking, my being.. I laughed, I cried, I nodded in agreement.    I am kicking the loser life to the curb and am embracing the greater part of me that God called me to be.

Oh God, help me to be greater in you. Help me to reach those who so desperately need you! We ALL need you. I want to do more than just exist in this life, going thru the motions, pretending to be happy with the mediocrity. Yes, you have moved in mighty ways in my life recently. Then I got complacent. I got comfy. I forgot to see that there is a greater calling than just being me. So today, I chose to embrace the grace and let you move in me, thru me and for me!

 Cynthia Hunter
29 November 2012

 

 

Unglued Moments

I dislike coming unglued. I really do. But, like anyone else, I do come unglued. You know, those sticky situations that rise up out of nowhere like a sudden summer storm that comes rolling in unexpectedly. And, even if I have promised myself a thousand times over I will not come unglued. It happens. Right when I least expect it too. I might have just mentally told myself, that today will be different. I'd internally say , "Today, I. will. not. lose. it". But then something would happen, and I would. What triggers those unglued moments for me?  NO towels, empty shampoo bottles, nearly empty milk containers,1/2 eaten packages of chocolate chips,unfinished homework, waking up/ coming home to dirty dishes, etc.

I have my share of unglued moments, that's for sure. That is why I am participating in an online bible study to focus on ridding myself of those unglued moments altogether. In order to participate, I had to sign up for the Unglued OBS on Melissa Taylor's blog, http://melissataylor.org/ ,a writer for Proverbs 31 ministries. Easy as pie. That is when I learned over 15,000 people are participating.  Now that's awesome! Evidence we all have unglued moments in our lives. Moments we lose it and then live to regret. Then, I bought the book Unglued – Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions by  Lysa Terkeurst with Proverbs 31 Ministries.  Let me just say that in the pages of this book, to me, it seems as if Lysa has stepped into my life, and recorded a few scenes to help her write this fabulous book titled Unglued. Seriously. The first chapter is so much like my life, I laughed, and laughed. You can read it for yourself in the link above for the book. Currently, the first two chapters are free downloads. I encourage you to read it.  You won't be able to stop reading, and if you have unglued moments like me, you'll totally relate. I have to say this book and bible study is something that God has totally directed me to. You see, my husband and I lived for several years without either of our children living with us. His ex wife took their children 2700 miles away, and mine lived with their father. In both situations, our children were given permissions that caused me to lose lots of sleep at night, spend countless hours worrying, and left me feeling helpless . We'd often get calls in the wee morning hours from his very young sons, who would be home alone, or from the older boys who would be in some sort of trouble. One night, I dreamt, I was along the sidelines of life watching our children being permitted to do things that I would never allow, there was danger lurking around,  they were making bad choices, etc.Things I had no control over, and try as much as possible, as dreams go, my voice went unheard. I was ignored. Then, somewhere in the midst of my dream, a voice spoke to me, saying that prayer is the best/only weapon I have.When I awoke, I began to pray for God to restore them to us, in our home, so that I can teach them of him.  I prayed often. Silently in crowds, out loud when I was alone, mentally while working, etc. I prayed and prayed and prayed some more. Then things began to happen. God moved, and several months later, his children and their mother came home, which has left me in complete awe of God. I still stand amazed. After nearly 3 years of  she and the children moving from place to place to place, my husband was finally awarded full custody of his minor children. God has blessed us with a much bigger and better home. Something else I had prayed for..  and um... yes, there are 5 boys that live with us..

Fast forward to now, my daughter has received the gift of the holy ghost (holy spirit), and was baptized over a year ago. Also,God is moving in many other facets of our lives. I have witnessed transformations in attitudes, actions, etc, over the last few years, and I give God all the glory and praise. He is worthy to be praised.  But, given all the wonders he has done for us, I still find myself having unglued moments. At the simplest of things. Stuff that matters but in the grand scheme of things does it really? I would find myself getting so annoyed because it was all of them and one of me. No matter what I did, I just couldn't keep up. So, I'd lose it, then find myself, much like Lysa, regretting it later.  I would think how am I going to be a godly example this way? I'd tell myself that I need to come unglued sometimes. How else will they know? For example, the laundry was a task in itself. Then my washer broke. That was hard. But somewhere in the midst of dirty laundry, I kept hearing that still small voice saying, "do the work, without complaining. It'll be worth it, you'll see." But at times, it became so much to bear, that I'd let my frustration get the best of me. And I'd complain. But through that experience, I found that by listening to God, and turning the situation completely over to him, rewards happen. I eventually was blessed with a new washer and dryer set that accommodates my large amount of laundry for a big family. But even still, I'd complain. Then along came this book, and I knew. I had to read it. So, that's why I feel as if I have been directed to participate in this study. To dig a little deeper, take a look at myself, why I come completely unglued, and how to fix it. All I can say is this is an opportunity to find space for grace in my crazy life. God knows I need it and need to extend it.

So, if you get a moment, take the time out to read this book, sign up for the OBS and you won't regret it. Yes life is hectic. But the time and effort we put into this will be well worth it. And, it's taking time out of our lives to connect with others who have very similar issues. And families, and pets, and husbands..  and lives. Life. We only get one. So, I choose to take a moment to pause and say, "God, help me to stop coming so stinkin' unglued, everyday!" It says in his word, if we ask we shall receive. So I'm askin.. Hope you do too.

With Space for Grace,

Cynthia