Rethink Possible

ATT has done a great job of branding this slogan across all media outlets. Last week while watching TV these two words seemed to linger in my brain so I scribbled the words down and pondered them for a couple of days. How does one rethink possible? People like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Dara Torres, and Martin Luther King, Jr. figured it out. They’re trailblazers who believed far beyond what they could see. Steve Jobs and Martin Luther King, Jr. are no longer with us but their legacy is stronger than ever.

Is there something you need to rethink? Have you sold yourself short on one of your goals? Has your family situation deterred your path? Have you failed at something you thought was going to work? The little voice in our head has everything to do with our success. The latest Weight Watchers’ commercial shows Jennifer Hudson mimicking voices in her head telling her she couldn’t lose the weight. This resonates with all of us on so many levels. King Solomon addressed this concept many years ago in the book of Proverbs.

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” Proverbs 23:7a

Take it from experience, it’s very hard to rethink possible! Only with God’s help can we even begin the process. Don’t listen to nay-sayers. Listen to God. Remember, His possible is not our possible. Thank goodness!

Encouragement:

Precious young ladies, God gives us urgings and strong desires to pursue. The journey can be tough, so please know a bump in the road doesn’t mean God has closed the door. Rethink possible but don’t give up.  The life God has planned for you will always be part of your DNA no matter how old you become. Many people live with regrets because they didn’t discover and pursue their gifts. Please get on the right track now.

Know I’m praying for you,

Sherry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Few of My Favorites

Music is such a powerful tool in influencing our thoughts. An environment of faith-filled songs will help us to stand strong in our relationship with God, while songs with degrading lyrics can influence us to think sinful thoughts. When fighting against discouragement, it is very important that the songs you listen to are uplifting. This week I wanted to share with you some of the songs that I have been enjoying lately. Click on the link to hear the song on Grooveshark!

Day by Day by Point of Grace

Blue Skies by Point of Grace

He’s Always Been Faithful sung by Sarah Groves

Absolutely by Starfield

Top of Our Lungs by Starfield

Have you heard any of these songs before? Which is your favorite? What other music do you like?

Good Growth

The enormous trees of the Redwood forest rose far into the air above our heads, blocking out the sky and creating the illusion of being deep inside a jungle forest. My family and I spent several hours walking the trails that wove through the forest, pointing out ancient trees that were especially impressive. Some of the largest trees were big enough to hold two or three laughing children for a picture within their hollowed trunks. This was one of the largest Redwood forests in the country: Muir Woods.

As we passed by the visitor center on our way out, I noticed a cross-section from a tree that had fallen several years ago. The cross-section, which was at least 4 feet in diameter, was marked at different rings with dates and events that evidenced how old it probably was.  Next to the cross-section was a tiny seed. It was hard to believe that this enormous Redwood tree had grown from a tiny seed.

The other day I was continuing to read through the Psalms when I came across Psalm 126. If you have a few minutes, take some time to read the whole Psalm (it’s not long!), but verse 5 particularly struck me: “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy.”

You might be going through some very painful things right now – things that you never imagined could happen to you or your family. Maybe you have spent many nights sowing your own tears and crying out to God. Let Psalm 126:5 speak to you.

You have been promised that you will reap joy from the tears that you have sowed. Picture that joy as one of the enormous Redwoods in comparison with it’s small starting point: the seed.

How have you reaped joy from your hardships? I know that I personally have reaped closeness in my relationship with God that is a direct result of suffering in my life. I turned to God in a way that I might not have if I hadn’t experienced sorrow from an early age. Those seeds grew into the joy of a beautiful relationship.

I’d love to hear how you have experienced the truth of Psalm 126:5! Leave a comment below and tell me about it.

 

Hand in Hand

The glowing bride floated slowly down the aisle with one arm hooked inside her father’s. From my seat I glimpsed the proud smile on that the father wore as he escorted his daughter to meet her groom. It was a beautiful picture of the close relationship the two held – the father protectively guiding his daughter as his prized possession.

If your parents have been divorced for a little while, you have probably considered the touchy question of who will walk you down the aisle on your wedding day. The tradition is supposed to symbolize the handing off of the mantle of protection from father to husband. But what if that role of protector has been totally missing? Where other girls have the subconscious knowledge that daddy is looking out for them, maybe you have always felt that you are your own first and last line of defense.

In Deuteronomy 10:18, God steps into the picture. He “executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.” The “fatherless” have the best Father of all! When our earthly fathers have abandoned us, God takes things into his own hands. The God that led the Israelites by a pillar of fire is your protector. In Psalm 121:7-8, the author says that “The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” I love the phrase, “the Lord will keep you.” It reminds me that my protection, both emotional and physical, is in his hands.

Today think deeply about God’s intimate protection over you. Ask him to make you fully aware of his defending presence. Then let the peace of God wash over you as you submit yourself to his defense. You are no longer alone in watching out for yourself. Rest in the joyful peace that God gives.