5 minute write with Kate Motaung at Five minute write community
Cancelled a word that brings a great deal of emotional baggage with it.
Many times when I was younger I would be excited about events or meeting with friends and then I would get a phone call and it was cancelled. How my heart would drop.
This year has been different, all the regulations and rules around covid have made life a bit disappointing, yet God whispers, “I’ve got this”.
So I rest.
The Government may be able to cancel gatherings, limit our social life but they can never cancel God’s movement in the earth. They cannot cancel life for Jesus is Life so, life will go on and it will be what it will be. God will still be on the Throne, the Head, the Ruler no one can cancel His power and authority.
God’s people can still gather, in smaller groups, but still they can worship and praise God, listen to his word and spend time with each other encouraging and praying for one another. Fellowship is not cancelled, creativity makes a way to stay connected.
God’s got this, He has got a plan even in all cancellations.
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
The road ahead is obscure, at times it twists and turns.
So many unknowns, so many questions of what the future holds.
Will there be enough to meet my needs?
Will there be some naturalness to life again?
What is ahead in this coming year, more rules of engagement ?
What sense can be made from all of this?
Who knows what tomorrow holds?
Only One knows the beginning to the end,
Only One knows what will come,
Only He can make sense out of all this unknown,
Only He can get me through tomorrow.
Only He can provide for each need, especially the ones in my heart and soul.
I praise Him for each morning I can rise and walk this earth, to see the beauty all around; the changing colors of the leaves, the sunrises and sunsets, showing another day has come and gone.
Out walking, beauty all around, in the Spring, Summer and Fall.
Birthday Blessing from My Heavenly Father as I walked on my Birthday.
A kaleidoscope of Monarch Butterflies (what a perfect name for they are like that when they rise and fly together) of them flying around these flowering plants, I tried to capture the greater amount but alas they were too quick for my reaction.
Beautiful Day to enjoy God’s creation
On my way to one of my jobs one day I took a trail walk
Today I headed out to meet friends from school. I was feeling good and excited, looking forward to a pleasant afternoon. I walked a couple blocks to a nearby western style restaurant to enjoy a light breakfast. After enjoying a chai latte, yogurt with granola and a banana chip muffin, I began my journey. Walking down the street I heard the bus coming, I turned and waved it down. People were squashed in tight and there was only standing room on the steps.
One thing about Nepali buses is that the door stays open, there is a young man at the door who calls out to people and takes the money when people get off the bus. That takes a bit of a switch of thinking, because in Canada there is a box at the door and you put the money in a box or you show your bus pass to the driver when you get on.
I took the bus a short way, enjoying the warmth of the day I got off and meandered to where I would meet them in Lagankhel. I was early as usually so was in no rush, except to cross the busy street with 6 lanes to cross, its not a good idea to dottle too much, although one does need to be cautious that the cars in each lane are stopping. Enjoying the sights and expressions on peoples faces I continued on my way, browsing in shops and greeting people in the traditional Namasta. My Nepali was slow in coming, so conversation was interesting.
I bought some oranges from a lady selling them on the street, then I had about an hour until my friends would arrive (usually I am not that early). So, I decided to explore the area and get a feel for where I was. Suddenly I went over on my ankle, stumbling, I caught myself by grabbing a railing that happened to be there. I slowed down and started watching every step. Arriving at Salesberry I saw some tables so I bought a coke, and sat down to rest. I checked my ankle and foot, it seemed okay, deciding to continue exploring, I got up to walk on, forgetting to watch every step because I wanted to see where I was and what was around me, whoops over I went falling on my right side. It was not only embarrassing but also painful. I sat on the sidewalk for a few moments until a gentleman, who had seen me fall, reached down and helped me up. He asked if I was okay. I had tears in my eyes as in fact I was in quite a bit of pain and was a bit shook up. I could not believe how my beautiful day turned upside down, quite literally with me turning upside down, (well okay almost). I took a few minutes to gather myself wondering what I should do. Reaching for my phone I called my friend and told her I was going to take a taxi home, I kind of regret that decision now as I never had that chance again to spend time getting to know the beautiful young lady. Yes we talked some at school but it would have been a blessing to spend the day with her.
As I sat, soaking my ankle, I wondered what it was that caused me to fall. I fell one other time and I have successfully twisted my ankle several times. What makes me so accident prone I don’t know but I do know I am so glad God has given me the gift of laughter. After all that I sat on my couch with my feet up, laughing. I am sure I must have looked quite funny going down like I did, for no apparent reason.
Well you’ll be glad to know my ankle healed, although slowly. I still lose my balance once in a while when a cracked sidewalk or stone gets in the way, but I am still laughing and enjoying life.
General traffic between my home and school.
View from a rooftop.
This was written a while ago but finally got back to it, it happened one Sunday in the fall or winter.
Hold : ‘To have and to hold’ from this day forward
Words I have only heard in relation to others but this morning it was a whisper from my Lord, ‘to have and to hold’. In this is a promise: “The Lord who made you and helps you (will hold you), Do not be afraid.” (Isaiah 44:2)
How many times in the past 3 months have I heard him whisper, “I’ve got this.” He is holding me and helping me. He has got this, this whole pandemic, every change that has and will come, every financial stress, every meal needed and rent owed. He has got this, He holds it all in His hands. He created me and made me and he helps me, He has got this, my future, the future of the world and eternity in His hands, he holds it all. To remember He is the one ordaining it, He is the one working out the end so He can return for his bride.
The questions are: Am I ready? How do I prepare?
By holding on to Him. He is my husband, my father, my helper, my guide. Everything I need, He is. So Hold fast to the Father’s hand and spent much time with him to become ready for whatever may come.
“Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life” (Phil 2: 15b-16)
Your will be done Lord as it is in Heaven let it be done on earth.
Your, such a small word and yet can be used so powerful. How much I wish at times my will could be done, however I know that would not be good. I am far too selfish and me focused, especially right now. This year has not looked at all like I had hoped or expected and I am not happy about it.
In April I came back from Nepal because God ordained it. However, I tend to think way too much and imagine all the good that can come from coming back to Canada, just to be disappointed again.
What is God up to? Of course with that question is What is Your will Lord in what is happening in this world, in my life at this moment in time and history.
His-Story, Your Story Lord, that is what you are up to, the Greater Story you are writing and have ordained for this time. It is always about the people, for the people, Your people Lord.
Help me to be the same, to be your hands and feet and to pray earnestly for all the needs.
Fill me with Yourself Lord, that I would not be lonely but full, full of Your Love
So that, I could pour out rather than take.
Help me be an instrument of they grace, mercy and truth
that I would love others no matter what they do.
To forgive, remembering I’m forgiven too.
To bless and not curse;
To serve and not take;
To allow the Holy Spirit to work in my life;
Change my heart and renew my mind so that I can think like You, act like You and speak like You.
Blow my mind with your Word;
Ignite my heart with a pure Love;
Open my eyes to see what actions to take, steps to follow
and may Peace pursue me as I pursue it.
Currently I am reading UnInvited by Lysa TerKeurst today’s chapter was on Friendship Breakups. This hit home because I know I have in my past a wake of broken relationships. Lysa mentions how “when people care more about being right than ending right prove how wrong they are”. I see how this can cause a lot of trouble in relationships and create distance and disunity. I am sure none of us have to look very far to see how true this is.
“Time grows seeds that were planted, watered and fertilized.” Another picture of how the words we speak and the actions we take become the seeds, then plants that grow over time. I am becoming more and more aware of how my words and actions grow or destroy relationships. Even words spoken in my conversations with God and self can impact my relationships. Am I coming to God, complaining about so and so or fighting for them with prayers of supplication?
“Fight for her” Wow those words struck me, because just recently I battled rejection with a fairly new friend who though we have not spent a lot of time together, I have connected with her in my heart. She has a beautiful heart of love for those less fortunate, and wounded by men. I love her dearly because she loves others so well. She is vibrant and energetic, full of life and lives loved. I really appreciate her and now see how the enemy, the true enemy which is not flesh and blood, works to destroy what can be a beautiful friendship through our weaknesses. People are not the enemy, Ephesians 6 reminds us of this that there is an adversary that we need to be aware of as does 1 Peter 5:8-9 reminds us. It is important to stay alert to his ways because he is real.
Last words of Lysa’s from today’s reading (pages 72-73) I would like to share are these:
“Honor God – Obey God
Speak with honor in midst of being dishonored
Speak with peace in midst of being threatened
Speak of good things in midst of a bad situation
Be obedient to, trust and believe God and let Him, boss around our contrary feelings.”
It is not always easy to obey God, put our feelings aside and move towards people but it is the right thing to do, to fight for the other person is to “stay right in step with honoring God”.
Thank you Lysa for the encouragement to keep on Living Loved and for showing how to bring the fullness of God into difficult relationship situations.
This began as a travel blog for my time in Nepal but has morphed into a greater journey than that. It has become a journey into the heart of God and the ways of man, learning and growing, becoming and knowing we are not yet what God made us to be, not yet all He has formed us to be. To be not to do…..
To Love others as Jesus loved and loves us…
It means going the extra mile when you see a need, whether it be a smile, a word, a touch, a hug, a helping hand with a job, food, shelter, clothing, childcare, a drive somewhere, money for medicine, being a good listener or prayer.
There are so many ways we can help but too often we get caught up in our own life and we fail to notice others. We fail to see the needs, the open window to joining with God in what He is doing this day. How can others know the loving care of a God that is there if His people, His children, decide to stay safe in their own world busy with things that He did not ask them to do, but that the world says are good and okay?
How can we love if we are emotionally, mentally, physically drained from the doing that the world demands?
How often I see myself on the sidelines, not moving forward into all My Heavenly Father has for me. I hate that I don’t have the energy, time or resources to love others well. That I stuggle to survive each day, trying to meet the demands of man, when My Father has no demands on me but to love.
Romans 12: 1-2 says,
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
God’s will is that we love one another
Real life is a life of love, a love that puts the other first, honors them (whether rich or poor, Christian or not, whole or broken), real genuine love that moves one to do for the other what they would want done if they were in the same circumstance. It goes even beyond that golden rule to a deeper rule: to lay down one’s life for another. To not seek one’s own but to give to the other first, to honor them first, to give them first choice. However, this has to be done without complaining, without reminding others how much you have done but in a quiet, humble attitude always looking out for the welfare of the other before self.
Man drives, pushes, demands and expects, but God leads with loving kindness wanting a relationship with us. He wants us to learn to just be, just be……loved and to love, that is His will for us. To learn to be….loved and be……..love for others.
What does love look like? It looks like feeling what others feel, walking beside the downtrodden and broken. It looks like outstretched arms, to embrace and catch others when they fall. Love looks like Jesus. Love looks like acceptance with no judgement just because others are not like us. Love looks like a hand reached out to support, encourage and embrace as well as an ear bent to listen, really listen to the heartbeat of the person, to really know the person, to know their heart. Love is seeing with the eyes of the Savior who he made the other to be. Love is not demanding others be like you. You may be great, but they are great too, because Jesus made them just like he made you, different but just as great.
We are all different but the same. We have strengths, weaknesses, abilities and the same creator, the creator who loves us all the same, because He knows us He knows how to love us well.
Isn’t that love, to know someone well and then love them well out of knowing them. Is that not why He said to love like He loves, He always loves out of that knowing, not from His own perspective.
Don’t you ever imagine ‘what if’? What if it was me in their position, could that not be the most powerful motivator to get us to truly love one another. Asking what would I want them to do for me if I was the one who…..
I can only imagine…..
Christ loves us without judgment because He took that upon himself, He never quits on us nor gives up on us. His love is extreme and not like this world. Can we try to love each other with that layed down kind of love?
An Adventurous Life 