A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Light For Life January 2005
In so many areas of our lives it is the shortest distances and words that can make the biggest difference! I am sorry, I love you, I forgive you, yes, no, are some just to name a few. In the race that we run, that is our lives, one step can make all the difference too. It can mean the difference between winning and losing, living and dying, passing or failing, and forgiveness and peace. One LITTLE step in the wrong direction can set out course in the wrong direction for life, which in the end can mean we are thousands of miles off course!
When I was about twenty or so, I remember one of the pastors at my church using this powerful illustration, and to this day I have not forgotten it. He was talking about how when we make one bad choice, or step, if we never correct that choice that in the end it takes us way off from where we are meant to be. You see, the angle grows wider the further you go along. If you keep going 1 degree off course for a length, you will end up many degrees off course in the end. It is VERY gradual, so you don’t even notice it.
Sadly, many don’t notice till it is too late, they look over only to notice they are not where they thought they were. A clear picture that comes to mind is that of being in the water at the beach. You set all your stuff up on the shore and you head straight out into the water. After a little while you look into shore to find your things on the beach and realise how far you have drifted, or that the current had moved you. Once the motion has begun it is doesn’t feel any different so it just takes you willingly.
Now, if you drifted far enough out, or the conditions were right you could get caught in a current, but even without a strong current you can find yourself far off. Then we try to back track, we may find that it is harder to go against that current to get back but yet we seemed to have just got there without any effort.
One of the easiest ways to get off course and not stay true to ourselves and to God is via compromise. A lady I heard preaching a few weeks ago said that ‘compromise is when we do something that we truly don’t believe in’. How often do we do that? You would be surprised at the other things that could take you off the course God has designed for you – a dashed dream, hurts and un-forgiveness, bad attitudes, the wrong friends, bad influences, bad experiences, negativity, fear and worry, doubt, unreal expectations, high standards, low standards, poor choices, peer pressure, pride, … If you recognize one of these as being a point where you headed off course I suggest you bring it before God, work through it and do what you can to come about.
As it is my first LFL for the year – I guess I would like to pose the question – Do you need to take a step in the right direction? I will tell you honestly right now – I do! My prayer for 2005 is that I will take every step in the right direction that needs to be made and that I will do it without delay. 2004 seemed to take me off course, but then was it really off course or just not the course I planned to take? I think we need to have focus and vision and yet be WILLING to surrender to God’s best for our lives.
This is a fresh day, a fresh year, a fresh path, these steps have never been taken before and these days have not been lived before. God please give us the grace we need each day to know the way and to choose to go! Now is the time to take an inventory and correct the course.
Word For Life
Direction: The act of setting and holding a course. The act of managing something. A line leading to a place or point. A general course along which something has a tendency to develop. Direction or advice as to a decision or course of action.
The Word
Deuteronomy 5:32-33: Therefore you shall be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or the left hand. You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord you God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.
Saturday, January 01, 2005
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Annual Leave Anyone?
Annual Leave Anyone?
Light For Life December 2004
Don’t you just love holidays? When it gets to around this time of the year, I have one friend who tries to stop herself from getting into that ‘holiday mode’ to soon! Its that relaxed, laid back, easy breezy mode, she can’t let herself fully relax till its really the holidays as she is a busy Mum. Once we get into that 'holiday' frame of mind we begin to wind down, but in the midst of the crazy end of year season it is not time to rest just yet! Are you someone who has your annual leave around this time of year? Are you looking forward to a good break away from the usual routine, the mundane, the regular? Did you need it a month ago? Yep! Join the club.
I am a Mum who is on the go, I run kids around, am involved in many different things and I work. My work is part time, and my holidays can vary - not as rigid as ‘nine to five’ workers; which is fine because my job and my work are just perfect for me but when it is time for holidays I am hanging out for them and more than ready for them just like you. There are many people who are self-employed, and mums who work at home and don’t have an official title and so don’t have official paid or unpaid leave. If you are one of these, you don’t get this time off so you probably just keep on year round, that is okay for a while, that is until you are in a rough patch of life.
If you have followed my ‘Light For Life’ messages throughout this year, you may have noticed that I have learnt a lot of lessons this year, and not easy ones. We have seasons where things seem to come at us from every angle; I think this year was one of those seasons. Part way through this year, when things seemed most stressed to me I had ‘had enough’ of everything. I got this bright idea, a plan to provide myself an oasis in the desert. Actually it was most probably God’s idea, but it came to me very naturally so it seemed like me! I decided to put myself on annual leave. How about that? How you ask? Can I do that? Yes you can, it was quite simple. I looked at my diary, which is usually very full, and I decided that I needed at least three weeks break – right now would be good and I noticed that after the three weeks we would be going away for a week’s holiday, which we hadn’t had for a long time. Perfect.
So, I didn't‘ book in any more appointments and I cancelled a few as well to free up my time during this period of self-appointed ‘annual leave’. If anyone asked me if I could do something for him or her, or make an appointment, I was quite happy to say ‘Sorry I am on annual leave’. That seemed to work well and it was refreshing too, I felt a bit cheeky. It was so great to have a reason not to do anything, and a purpose in having a break. It was during the school term, so it also helped that the kids were at school and the time I had during the day was pretty much all mine.
I started to wind down, and I started to do some things around the house that I had wanted to do for a while. I did some things for myself; things that I enjoyed like watching a movie, reading a book or just go shopping and writing!!!. I think making this time for yourself should be do-able for most people if you give it a go. Another way of getting a break is by giving yourself, even one day off a month or a night or two a month. It doesn’t mean that you wag school or shirk work; it means you on purpose, free up some time for you. I used to try and give myself the last Friday in the month off. I don’t work on Fridays so that was the day for me. On that day I would do my best not to clean the house, make phone calls etc, just for that one day and it made a difference and was a welcome relief too.
So it is possible and do-able. Have a look at your diary today and schedule in some precious ‘you’ time. Give yourself a break and enjoy something, it shouldn’t need to be a luxury; it should be part of our plan to look after ourselves and our families. Like the nowadays work ethic, with power naps and other adjustments to make employees more happy in the work place, so too, if we are happy and fresh, those in our environment will also greatly benefit as will we, and it will be smiles all round. Go ahead – give yourself permission and make some space.
Thank you for you reading 'Light For Life' and for all the wonderful feedback and encouragement I get throughout the year.
I am His mouthpiece and these are His revelations not mine!
Bless you
Cam
God's blessing on you for the NEW year.
I pray that in 2005 we can trust God more in our daily lives and surrender ourselves to Him in
leading us into each NEW day and NEW experience. I pray that God empowers you with His grace
each day and that you will learn to lean on Him and His provision, letting go of the old so that
He can release to you the NEW! New creations, new life, new love, new peace, new start,
new leaf, new hope, new joy. He can make all things new!
Word For Life
New:
Having begun or been made only a short time ago, not used by anyone before, different from the earlier things done, just beginning or to be begun, new, fresh, recent.
God’s Word
Isaiah 43:18-19
Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold I will do a new thing now it springs forth; Shall you not know it. I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
Light For Life December 2004
Don’t you just love holidays? When it gets to around this time of the year, I have one friend who tries to stop herself from getting into that ‘holiday mode’ to soon! Its that relaxed, laid back, easy breezy mode, she can’t let herself fully relax till its really the holidays as she is a busy Mum. Once we get into that 'holiday' frame of mind we begin to wind down, but in the midst of the crazy end of year season it is not time to rest just yet! Are you someone who has your annual leave around this time of year? Are you looking forward to a good break away from the usual routine, the mundane, the regular? Did you need it a month ago? Yep! Join the club.
I am a Mum who is on the go, I run kids around, am involved in many different things and I work. My work is part time, and my holidays can vary - not as rigid as ‘nine to five’ workers; which is fine because my job and my work are just perfect for me but when it is time for holidays I am hanging out for them and more than ready for them just like you. There are many people who are self-employed, and mums who work at home and don’t have an official title and so don’t have official paid or unpaid leave. If you are one of these, you don’t get this time off so you probably just keep on year round, that is okay for a while, that is until you are in a rough patch of life.
If you have followed my ‘Light For Life’ messages throughout this year, you may have noticed that I have learnt a lot of lessons this year, and not easy ones. We have seasons where things seem to come at us from every angle; I think this year was one of those seasons. Part way through this year, when things seemed most stressed to me I had ‘had enough’ of everything. I got this bright idea, a plan to provide myself an oasis in the desert. Actually it was most probably God’s idea, but it came to me very naturally so it seemed like me! I decided to put myself on annual leave. How about that? How you ask? Can I do that? Yes you can, it was quite simple. I looked at my diary, which is usually very full, and I decided that I needed at least three weeks break – right now would be good and I noticed that after the three weeks we would be going away for a week’s holiday, which we hadn’t had for a long time. Perfect.
So, I didn't‘ book in any more appointments and I cancelled a few as well to free up my time during this period of self-appointed ‘annual leave’. If anyone asked me if I could do something for him or her, or make an appointment, I was quite happy to say ‘Sorry I am on annual leave’. That seemed to work well and it was refreshing too, I felt a bit cheeky. It was so great to have a reason not to do anything, and a purpose in having a break. It was during the school term, so it also helped that the kids were at school and the time I had during the day was pretty much all mine.
I started to wind down, and I started to do some things around the house that I had wanted to do for a while. I did some things for myself; things that I enjoyed like watching a movie, reading a book or just go shopping and writing!!!. I think making this time for yourself should be do-able for most people if you give it a go. Another way of getting a break is by giving yourself, even one day off a month or a night or two a month. It doesn’t mean that you wag school or shirk work; it means you on purpose, free up some time for you. I used to try and give myself the last Friday in the month off. I don’t work on Fridays so that was the day for me. On that day I would do my best not to clean the house, make phone calls etc, just for that one day and it made a difference and was a welcome relief too.
So it is possible and do-able. Have a look at your diary today and schedule in some precious ‘you’ time. Give yourself a break and enjoy something, it shouldn’t need to be a luxury; it should be part of our plan to look after ourselves and our families. Like the nowadays work ethic, with power naps and other adjustments to make employees more happy in the work place, so too, if we are happy and fresh, those in our environment will also greatly benefit as will we, and it will be smiles all round. Go ahead – give yourself permission and make some space.
Thank you for you reading 'Light For Life' and for all the wonderful feedback and encouragement I get throughout the year.
I am His mouthpiece and these are His revelations not mine!
Bless you
Cam
God's blessing on you for the NEW year.
I pray that in 2005 we can trust God more in our daily lives and surrender ourselves to Him in
leading us into each NEW day and NEW experience. I pray that God empowers you with His grace
each day and that you will learn to lean on Him and His provision, letting go of the old so that
He can release to you the NEW! New creations, new life, new love, new peace, new start,
new leaf, new hope, new joy. He can make all things new!
Word For Life
New:
Having begun or been made only a short time ago, not used by anyone before, different from the earlier things done, just beginning or to be begun, new, fresh, recent.
God’s Word
Isaiah 43:18-19
Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold I will do a new thing now it springs forth; Shall you not know it. I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
Monday, November 01, 2004
Can I Forgive Me?
Can I forgive me?
Light For Life November 2004
Do you ever struggle with forgiveness? Specifically forgiving ‘you’? I do. Last month I wrote about forgiving others on purpose, I had not planned to write about ‘forgiving myself’ or ' forgiving yourself' this month, but this follows on from that message and its worthwhile considering.
John 3:30 says “He must increase and I must decrease’. How this plays out in our lives, if we take up the challenge may not be all easy or pleasant. This year more than ever, I have been so confronted with my humanity, and that’s why I am feeling so yucky, at what seems every turn. It feels like I am on the increase, not decrease, but really it is the magnifying glass of God’s Light. Every stinking attitude, bad motivation, hurtful word, selfish decision is unveiling before my eyes and it is pretty hard to take for someone who thought she wasn’t doing too bad! The further I walk towards God, the more the holiness of God scrutinizes every area. It is not something that He inflicts on me, it is my choice to walk towards this holiness, it is my desire, and you know what happens when you walk towards the light – all the dirt shows up!
I find it difficult to forgive myself at times, at least recently I have. Perhaps its because I think I should know better; but then God is just reminding me that I am ‘only human’. But Lord, I can think of instances where I feel I have made the bad choices or I have not chosen correctly, isn’t that wilful? Strange as it might sound, sometimes I don’t even feel as if I am moving forward, sometimes I feel I am moving backwards. Am I a Christian at all?
Thing is, I need to forgive me to move forward. I think the key is I need to be willing to let go of things like the way I feel about myself, and that can be a process. If I don’t let go, one thing is for sure, round and round a mountain I will go. I am not perfect and in this lifetime I will never be, but when that imperfection rises to the surface, if I can face it and be willing to let go of it to God then I can keep moving forward.
I read a scripture today that really relates to all this, it gives me some peace in learning to forgive and accept myself in the face of this weakness. Psalm 51:16-17 – ‘For you do not require sacrifice or else I would give it; you do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a contrite heart – these, O God, You will not despise’.
God wants us all to know that the main thing we all we need to have is a broken spirit – humble and repenting. I think we have a broken spirit when we have seen the truth and are changed by it. This is all we can do, and then forgiving ourselves is a matter of grace, of choice and of discipline; after all these flaws are no surprise to our Father who has, and always will love us unconditionally. When I get a grip of that, it frees me up from thinking that this is something new in my life. It is not new, it has probably always been there.
In deciding to hold onto unforgiveness, shame and condemnation we are hindering the work of God in our lives and preventing the flow of the good things He wants to give us. Can we join each other in forgiving ourselves? - Lets make God's job a little easier!
Bless you
Cam
Word For Life
Contrite:
Feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offences.
Feeling regret for a fault or offence.
God’s Word
Psalm 51:16-17
‘For you do not require sacrifice or else I would give it; you do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a contrite heart – these, O God, You will not despise’.
Light For Life November 2004
Do you ever struggle with forgiveness? Specifically forgiving ‘you’? I do. Last month I wrote about forgiving others on purpose, I had not planned to write about ‘forgiving myself’ or ' forgiving yourself' this month, but this follows on from that message and its worthwhile considering.
John 3:30 says “He must increase and I must decrease’. How this plays out in our lives, if we take up the challenge may not be all easy or pleasant. This year more than ever, I have been so confronted with my humanity, and that’s why I am feeling so yucky, at what seems every turn. It feels like I am on the increase, not decrease, but really it is the magnifying glass of God’s Light. Every stinking attitude, bad motivation, hurtful word, selfish decision is unveiling before my eyes and it is pretty hard to take for someone who thought she wasn’t doing too bad! The further I walk towards God, the more the holiness of God scrutinizes every area. It is not something that He inflicts on me, it is my choice to walk towards this holiness, it is my desire, and you know what happens when you walk towards the light – all the dirt shows up!
I find it difficult to forgive myself at times, at least recently I have. Perhaps its because I think I should know better; but then God is just reminding me that I am ‘only human’. But Lord, I can think of instances where I feel I have made the bad choices or I have not chosen correctly, isn’t that wilful? Strange as it might sound, sometimes I don’t even feel as if I am moving forward, sometimes I feel I am moving backwards. Am I a Christian at all?
Thing is, I need to forgive me to move forward. I think the key is I need to be willing to let go of things like the way I feel about myself, and that can be a process. If I don’t let go, one thing is for sure, round and round a mountain I will go. I am not perfect and in this lifetime I will never be, but when that imperfection rises to the surface, if I can face it and be willing to let go of it to God then I can keep moving forward.
I read a scripture today that really relates to all this, it gives me some peace in learning to forgive and accept myself in the face of this weakness. Psalm 51:16-17 – ‘For you do not require sacrifice or else I would give it; you do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a contrite heart – these, O God, You will not despise’.
God wants us all to know that the main thing we all we need to have is a broken spirit – humble and repenting. I think we have a broken spirit when we have seen the truth and are changed by it. This is all we can do, and then forgiving ourselves is a matter of grace, of choice and of discipline; after all these flaws are no surprise to our Father who has, and always will love us unconditionally. When I get a grip of that, it frees me up from thinking that this is something new in my life. It is not new, it has probably always been there.
In deciding to hold onto unforgiveness, shame and condemnation we are hindering the work of God in our lives and preventing the flow of the good things He wants to give us. Can we join each other in forgiving ourselves? - Lets make God's job a little easier!
Bless you
Cam
Word For Life
Contrite:
Feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offences.
Feeling regret for a fault or offence.
God’s Word
Psalm 51:16-17
‘For you do not require sacrifice or else I would give it; you do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a contrite heart – these, O God, You will not despise’.
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