Stop!

It is so easy to see our friends, family and neighbors hurting physically, spiritually and emotionally and say the ever so popular line,

"I'll be praying for you."

Quickly life happens... dinner needs to be cooked, it's time to go to work, kids are calling. There are hundreds of things that take place that cause us to forget or just be side tracked from pressing into God for the things that are pressing on the people around us.

The heart that was desiring to press into God on behalf of the ones we care about is divided and the need is forgotten.

It's not intentional but it is reality.

It isn't until we see a post on Face book or catch a quick glimpse of them that we say "Shoot, I was going to pray."

We get busy and the problems others are facing disappear into the busy day. When I have heard "I'll pray for you" from dear friends, I have taken comfort in the possibility of others lovingly taking my case before God.
I can't help but wonder how often those words are actually followed through on. How many times I have said those same words "I'm praying for you," but just got to busy.

Matthew 5:33-37 (The Message) talks about empty promises.
"don't say anything you don't mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, "I'll pray for you,' and never doing it, or saying "God be with you," and not meaning it. You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say "yes" and "no." When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.

I have been guilty of this SO many times.

When do our words and actions line up?

How do we make sure "life" doesn't get in the way of letting our actions and words line up?

How do we become that friend that really does pray when we commit too?

When you see someone with a need don't simply pass by missing an opportunity to intervene and take their case before God.

STOP!!  
Take their hand, look them in the eyes and pray when God has told you too.

Intervene!
The pain they are feeling is something that God is big enough to handle.

If you read on Facebook something that stirs your heart...

STOP!! Pray... then post I just prayed, because you already have. Or simply type out your prayer before you scroll any further.

Allow God to use you in a way that is not embedded in a tradition of Christian talk but is drenched in a life lived with a Christ centered walk. 

When you approach the throne of God on behalf of others, you are not saying that you have all of the answers... you are admitting that you don't, but you know the One who does.

Ask yourself how many times you have felt compassion, love, sorrow for the ones around you, but have given the Christian "line" backed up with zero action.

I urge you today to back up your words with action. Tell your brother or sister you are praying and do it.

Stop where you are and pray.
                     
                                Pray with them.

                                               Hug them!

                                                     Love on them!      
Put actions to your words.

vs. 37 "Let your yes be yes and your no be no."

You can make a difference not because of who you are, but simply by acknowledging who God is!

Be used today!

If you have a friend that you have told you will pray for them... call them and pray with them.

If someone is on your heart and you pray for them.... shoot them a quick message telling them "hey, you were on my heart and I want you to know I've been praying for you today."

Allow the Holy Spirit to be at work in and through your life.

Pray with and for your friends and family. Not out of tradition but out of a life lived in a Christ like manner.

Your prayers are heard. Your voice is known by God. Intercede with and for others.

Lord right now I come before you and ask for forgiveness for the times I have passed by and been to busy to pray. Help me to live a life that offers no excuse for not approaching you on behalf of others. Help me Lord to stop, take a hand and pray now and not put it off for later. Thank you Lord for hearing your children's prayers. Thank you for being a God of compassion and love. I love being your daughter. --Amen

"You are my child!"

"...the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir."

 It was time to start the search. I had grown up wondering, 'Was he tall, short, athletic or not?'

'Did I look like him? Did my son have his ears (they didn't resemble any of ours)? Had he thought about me over the years.'

'Did he even know I was born?'

I grew up not knowing who my dad was.

I wasn't the girl lucky enough to dance on her daddies feet or wrestle with him on the floor.

I never was tucked in tight, hearing the whisper... "Goodnight sweetheart, Daddy loves you and is in the next room if you need me."

He didn't send me off to the prom with the man I am still madly in love with to this day.

He didn't walk me down the aisle or offer my hand to my husband on my wedding day.

The joy of showing my new baby came and went six times without uttering the words, "Look dad! You're a grandpa, again."

At 28 years old, I was ready... ready to start searching.

Was I missing out on something? Was he searching for me?
Do I have any siblings?

I needed to know.

Knowing that this could stir many emotions within my mom, I cautiously asked for her help. She would be the one with the answers that could help locate him. My mom gave me the names of potential "sperm donor" because up to this point that was all he had contributed.

The first guy was Steve. I found his email address and emailed him. He responded!

He was so kind, loving, everything I had ever hoped for as a little girl.

Tim (my husband) was very protective and didn't think it was wise that I speak on the phone until a DNA test was completed. The possibility of finally having a dad quickly sent me into dream land.

He wanted me to be his daughter and I desperately hoped I was his. 

I had often heard well intentioned people say, "Nicole, God is the father to the fatherless"....blah blah blah!

Easy to tell someone when you have never been there. Well, the view I had of God was unknowingly tainted by the lack of a "father" in my life.

If God was anything like my earthy father than I probably didn't matter much to him either. 

Kind emails came and went, DNA was submitted and IF the results rendered a "yes" a meeting was set up.

Would I finally look into the eyes of my father? Would he tell me I was beautiful and that he wanted me? Would he hug me and lovingly wipe away my tears? 

The wait was so long and the fear was always present.

The thought, 'Steve really wants me to be his daughter' was never far from my head. He is ready to introduce me to his entire family. The thought of belonging and being wanted captivated my heart. 

The DNA results were in. I was at work and my husband picked me up for lunch so that we could read the results together.

Would I finally call someone dad?

It read... 'Steve is excluded with a 99.9% chance.'

The bottom dropped out of my world and I felt crushed. I felt abandoned and alone. My husband couldn't help. My mom couldn't help... I needed a dad. I needed someone to want me!!! 

Oh Lord!!! Why?!!

He wants me to be his daughter... I want to be his. This was SO unfair. 

For the next week I withdrew from everyone as I processed this huge disappointment. One day on my lunch break I felt alone, confused, and unsure of who I was or why God even created me.

I turned on the radio as the song "By your side" by Tenth avenue North played. I was broken! 

The lyrics spoke straight to me...

"Why are you striving these days? Why are you trying to earn grace? Why are you crying? Let me lift up your face, just don't turn away." 

I realized that I was striving to have a father. I thought that somehow by being "good enough" I might earn God's grace. Maybe God would finally let me have a dad.

I was so desperate for a dad that I stopped pursuing God. 

The next part of the song hit me so hard that I was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Why are you searching for love? Why are you still searching, as if I'm not enough? To where will you go child? Tell me where will you run? To where will you run?"

I had forgotten how many nights I was tucked in by a loving Father!

I had forgotten that when we were homeless, without food, sleeping in our car, on people's couches... I was taken care of.

When my mom was lonely and searching for her own identity I was taken care of.

I wanted the fairy tale.

I wanted to be loved for who I was.

I wanted to be wanted by my dad.

I didn't realize the father I desired, was already there.

The lyrics to the song were straight from the heart of God speaking straight to the heart of His daughter...  "ME."

"I'll be by your side whenever you call in the dead of night, please don't fight these hands that are holding you. My hands are holding you."

For the first time in my life I was ready for a father. I was ready to let Him love me.

The father that made my DNA.

The father that breathed life into my body.

The father that had always loved me.

He was always there.

The distant, absent father that I thought I never had as a child was always there.

He made me. He carried me. No matter what ugly things I saw and faced as a child, He was always there.

He handed me over to my husband on our wedding day. He smiled as I held my own babies in my arms.

He has always loved me. He has always cherished me. He has ALWAYS called me his.

His name is God -- Abba Father!  

Galatians 4:6-7 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

I realized that I have the great distinction as a child of God to be called a 'heir.' 

God is the King of Kings which makes me a princess. 

The words, "Nicole, God is the father to the fatherless" never had meaning until the day I was told my DNA didn't match anyone but Gods. 

Psalms 68:5 says, "A father to the fatherless."

While I was desperately searching for a dad, my father had never left me or abandoned me. My father had already introduced me to his family. 

He already wanted me to participate in the banquet honoring His daughter. 

God allowed me to walk through the pain of never having a father here on earth so that I would always remember the place He'd set for me at His table. 

I was always welcome in His arms. 

At anytime I can curl up and whisper "I'm scared." 

When I turn my face away, He is there to whisper "don't turn away." 

He is by my side, day or night, whenever I call. 

I am not a bastard child, I am a child of God. 

I am 'Set Apart' to do great things in His name.

He knows and loves me.

He is not there just for us to reach up--- He is there ready to pick us up and carry us home. 




He wants you to sit at His table. 

He wants to call you son or daughter. 

Have you called him Dad? 

Will you call Him Dad? 

Lord, I don't know why the image of father has always been so painful. I don't know why I was a girl that was raised without a dad. But I thank you for always loving me. Thank you for always being there to pick me up, hold me in your arms and whispering over and over again 'you are safe.' Thank you Lord, for the new understanding of what you mean when you say you're 'the father to the fatherless.' Thank you for the ears that you gave my son. They are unique and are handcrafted by you. 
Unlike any others!! I am unlike any other created.... I am totally yours!  
Thank you Lord for loving me... --Amen

Be blessed friends, 
Nicole

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J95rAr0gOFU

The link to the song by Tenth Avenue North

"Hey, over here!"

Do you ever feel like you are screaming in your head "hey you! Do you even see me?" The days that you feel so unimportant, and feel like your value is never going to be seen. The people that do see you aren't the people that you thought would care. The people that give you the "adda-boy" just aren't filling that little void that desperately is crying out to be seen.

Is God seeing me? Does He care what is happening in my life? Does He really have "big" plans for my life? Why do I feel trapped ready to explode if He really cares? If I was gone would anyone be different because I lived?

What does your default button say in your head? Does it tell you that you are fat, ugly, worthless, stupid......?
Maybe you hear that you aren't really who you think you are.

Possibly you are tempted to say to yourself that you aren't an effective parent, a terrible spouse and that you are just worthless.

What do you hear? Is it okay to have those thoughts? Is it even normal?

YES!!! It's normal! You are alive!!!!

HOWEVER.....

Don't stay there...

When you are overwhelmed with self-doubt, dig deep and start speaking truth back into your life. Truth that God has given us through His word. When desperation sets in usually the last thing we "want" to do is reach out to God. But this is the first thing we "must"' do to begin to live again.

When do you rise up and stand to your feet and say, "enough is enough. I am a child of God! I am a new creation! I am valuable! I am chosen! I am set apart! I am loved! I am valuable!

When do stop satan in his tracks and say, You no longer have a hold over my thoughts! You no longer control my marriage! You have no authority over my life... period!! Satan be gone from my thoughts!!
You must stand up and take ownership of where you are and why you find yourself in this situation of feeling no value.

Recognize it! Own it! Take authority over it!! and get your butt in gear.

If your marriage is falling apart stop looking at your spouse. Let God fix where you are broken and trust Him with the rest!

If your kids aren't serving the Lord, stop concentrating on them and start pressing into God. "Show them" how to live! Their sick of hearing you talk. It's time to show them!

You are facing losing your home, your car, your "stuff," Stand up and say 'God, it's yours take it!' But trust Him, He will not abandon you!

You feel trapped at home because God has "called you" to be a stay at home mom. Really!! God is a God of relationship. Get out of those four walls. Shake up the routine. "Get a life!" Take your kids with you, get involved. They need to interact. You need to interact.

When was the last time you and your spouse went on an actual date. The kids will survive!! But your marriage may not, if you don't start investing in that relationship.

Check your priority list...
GOD
Spouse
Children..... then let the rest follow.

When the first two are top than you may be surprised how quickly your attitude changes towards your children. People may actually enjoy spending time with you.

Are you scared that nobody will want to meet you for coffee just to talk....?  TRY IT!! and then try it again!

Stop doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
You are so valuable to God. Listen to what he has to say...

Matthew 6:25-34

²⁵"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?²⁶"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? ²⁸And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
³¹"So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

In verse 33 we are given instruction to seek God first, everything else will follow.

The birds are valuable to God and he takes care of them. When you wonder if you are valuable to God, speak truth into your life. Yes you are valuable.

When you self-talk saying that you are fat and ugly. Remember that you were made in the image of God!

Who are you? You are valuable and precious to a loving father named Jesus.

He can handle your marriage. He can handle your children. He alone can handle whatever you are facing. He created you with purpose... do you know that purpose? Maybe not. But start seeking him, serving Him, and giving your everything to your creator. You will then realize that was exactly what you  were made for! Oh and it is amazing!!! You will forever be going deeper and deeper to know Him!! Start pressing in!


Oh Lord break our hearts! Break our hearts for the things that breaks yours. I am so overwhelmed by life at times that I can't see beyond my own situation. Help me Lord to get up and start moving. Help me to press into your heart. Reveal your truths about who I am in your word. When doubt, fear and any negative thoughts come over me, let me take captive of those and stop them in there tracks.
Thank you for loving me! Thank you for purposefully creating me. I love being you child! Thank you Lord for another day to press into you. --Amen



  --Nicole Howes

"I forgive you!"

"Mommy!! Mommy!!!" those are the words that my daughter cried from the moment she was hit by a truck and for days to follow.
Upon arrival at the accident scene I ran to see my beautiful Ellie laying helpless in the middle of the road it terrible pain. I was at a loss wondering how I could help her. All I could do is be there in that moment.
When the paramedics arrived they were busy taking care of Ellie so I had a minute to look up to catch the eye of the young man who hit her. He was broken, sobbing and desperate. I couldn't help but think that could easily be my son in a few short years.
He was hunched over the driver seat with his legs hanging out of his truck. He was sobbing uncontrollably. "Oh Lord this poor boy" I thought. I stood up and walked toward him. I saw the people around me looking as I walked in his direction. I think they were wondering if I would scream at him, hit him, they just looked nervous. Was she (me) about to lose it on this teenage boy?
I grabbed his knee and said "please look at me!" "Look at me!!" With swollen teary eyes the boy looked at me with a great sadness on his face. I told him "you need to know something about Ellie. She is a child of God. No matter what happens today... whether she lives or dies... she is going to be okay. Our family will be okay!" "I need you to know that WE FORGIVE YOU!"


Forgiveness is an interesting word.


Forgiveness is defined: a) to pardon an offense or offender. b) to cease to feel resentment against. c) to give up all claim.


I had already forgiven the boy before I even arrived at the scene. I needed to forgive him because that is what God wants me to do.
I wanted to give up all claim and pardon the offense and the offender.


Colossians 3:13 Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has (freely) forgiven you, so must you also forgive.


I certainly had a grievance with this young man... He hit my daughter, throwing her over 120 feet and possibly making that the last moment I would ever see her again on earth. 


Ephesians 4:32 And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another (readily and freely) as God in Christ forgave you.


Forgiveness is sometimes so difficult because just as an onion has many layers, forgiveness also does.
To think that you can forgive and never look back is naive and will set you up for failure. Forgiveness is a day to day process. 


Since the accident there has been new evidence, new rumors, new understanding of what has taken place. There are days when I have to forgive again and again. But God has forgiven me and I will forgive this boy. 
He does need to be held accountable for his part in the accident but I am not responsible for what the law does or doesn't do. I am responsible for the women of God I am called to be. I must forgive. 
I must live my life different than what the others say is acceptable. 


Unforgiveness feeds into bitterness, bitterness gives way to death. 
Death of my relationship with God, death of my relationship with others.
Death of a life lived with hope and love. 
If bitterness is watered and given permission to grow in your life it will plant roots into every area of your life. Even when you think it is contained in this little planter box it can spread, taking over the whole infrastructure that your foundation is made up of. Bitterness will choke the life out of "life." 


Can I tell you a little secret though... the person that you are bitter with... will not be effected by your bitterness because their "offense" against you 1 may not even be known by them 2)they have already moved on 3) unaware of what their actions have done or the negative impact they have caused (in my case a daughter in the intensive care unit for 8 painful days, loss of three weeks wages... ect ect ect.) or 4)it was not their problem in the first place it was yours. 




but guess what.... it does not matter! There is no place for bitterness in my life or yours!

Ephesians 4:31,32 "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you" 

You are responsible for you!! You are responsible if you give yourself the title of "christian" to be Christ like. Not to be a door mat but a person that offers love when others don't "deserve" it. 

I don't "deserve" that  forgiveness I have been given by God, but it is freely given. 

I know that there are far worse things that have taken place to you!! You have been wronged by someone and it seems unforgivable but it is not. It is allowing bitterness to take root. You must forgive. 

Whether you have been raped, molested, divorced , cheated on, seen your husband/wife view pornography, been lied about, been _______ (insert the offense that is holding you captive), and say I no longer chose to be held captive. 

I forgive you because I want my father in heaven to forgive me. 

Matthew 18:21-35

   ²¹ Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” ²² “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

   ²³ “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. ²⁴ In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. ²⁵ He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.

   ²⁶ “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ ²⁷ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

   ²⁸ “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars.^[d] He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.

   ²⁹ “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. ³⁰ But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

   ³¹ “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. ³² Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. ³³ Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ ³⁴ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

   ³⁵ “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”

You can forgive!!! You can be healed from the bitterness that has been holding you hostage!!! 

You cannot move forward and have healing in the area you seek healing,  BUT remember there are many layers to that forgiveness and as you uncover different layers, new forgiveness will be required of you. 

Be patient with yourself but get moving! Start forgiving so that God can finish the good work He has started in you.

Sometimes you even have to get mad and even forgive God for allowing things to unfold in your life. 

Lord again today help me forgive the young man who hit my daughter. Thank you for sparing her life. Lord I forgive the deceit that has taken place. I forgive the dishonesty. 

Lord thank you for forgiving me. Thank you for dying for me. Lord I ask that you reveal areas in my life that I need to forgive. I give you permission to open up old wounds. Root out the things that are keeping me from doing your will in my life. I trust you with all areas in my life. --Amen

"Ellie I love US enough to let you go!"

"Mom Ellie has been hit by a truck!!"

Those words were screamed by my son as he bolted through the front door on a warm August evening. Frantically I searched for my keys, knowing I had to get to her. I was keenly aware that every second could be her last here on this earth with us.


As I drove out of the driveway my son was replaying the horrific scene he had just witnessed. Ellie was laying on the ground a mile away screaming "mommy, mommy!!!"


My heart was pounding and I couldn't get to her fast enough. Caleb's words were preparing me...

Preparing me to say goodbye to my precious eight year old daughter.


With one ear I listened to Caleb and with my heart I was talking to my creator. The one who loved me and loved Ellie more than I could ever love her.

I plead with him for my daughters life. I said "Lord please protect Ellie, Lord today spare her little life." Fully aware that God is sovereign and has a bigger plan than what I see. I said, "Lord if you take Ellie home to be with you, please let me say goodbye."


I arrived at the scene. I bolted out of my car and ran to be by her side. I saw a bloody broken little girl. She was sitting up with her arms stretched out screaming, "Mommy, Mommy!!!"


People from nearby houses heard the accident ran to help her. They lovingly wrapped her in blankets and were holding her as they waited for help to arrive. Her arms and legs were covered in blood.

I looked up and saw the truck that hit her and knew that she may not make it to the hospital.


God was letting me say goodbye. He was allowing me to touch, to smell, to hold her for the last time. I said to God "Thank you! Thank you for loving me enough to let me love her." "God thank you for eight years with my beautiful little girl." "Lord I love us (my entire family), myself enough to trust you, I will let her go.""If you want her I will give her to you, I give her back to you!" I looked up as the paramedics arrived and began to prepare her to be transported to the hospital.

As I stood there--- chaos and uncertainty surrounding me. I knew I had to love myself and my entire family enough to not be bitter at circumstances that were forcing me to hand my daughter back over to God.


The sadness and confusion forced me to trust God and love US enough to let her go.

You see I had to make this decision not because I am strong or because I had some super power to be suddenly at peace with the possibility of losing my daughter; but because I would be a prisoner and hold my entire family captive if my decision to trust God would have been anything less than full surrender.

For the first time I realized that Ellie didn't belong to me. She is a child of Gods. I was given the huge responsibility of daily giving Him full reign to let His will be done and not mine.

Even to the point of death.

I was uncertain but not fearful. I was crushed but not abandoned. I was stuck down but would not let this destroy the bigger story God was writing. He alone is God in life and death. He alone is the author and finisher of my faith.

He alone is worthy of my everything!!
He alone loves me with an everlasting love.
He alone was crucified and died so that on this day I could confidently hand my daughter back over to her creator.
He alone is worthy to be praised in ALL situations and circumstances!!!


So today I ask you...

Do you love yourself, your family enough to hand that struggle you are having over to God and realize that you are a prisoner and paying the price for something that God has already paid the ultimate price for? Out of fear of the unknown are you keeping one finger on your circumstance because complete surrender might come at a high price. Let me tell you... your lack of full surrender is already causing you and the ones you love to pay a much higher price than what was intended. Your full surrender is not saying "God I am expecting a bad outcome." It is instead saying "God no matter what the outcome you are still God." "I will still serve you, I will let you do as you will through me because of your sacrifice for me."


The outcome of trusting God didn't change because I was willing to love Ellie, the rest of my family and myself. The outcome of trusting God allowed me to say "It is well with my soul no matter what!"

Today trust HIM and HIM alone!! HE has already gone before you... now follow him.
Hand Him the weight you have been carrying on your back. Your bones are crying out for relief... HE is strong enough to carry it.


Matthew 11:28 says, "Come to me all who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."


Jump into the front pouch and hand God the backpack that you a so weak from carrying. Be like a little child and trust your father.


Lord God!!! Today I trust you!! I am terrified to hand you this enormous backpack... but I just can't carry it anymore. I am trusting you with the outcome. I am trusting you even to the point of death. Lord thank you for loving me, thank you for dying for me. Thank you for carrying my burdens and offering me something bigger than what I usually settle for. I love you Lord and love being your child. --Amen

Get away....

Baby screaming, toddlers need to be fed, run the kids to football, wrestling, piano, go to work, laundry, life group (small group), meetings, dishes, phone calls, emails to return, spouse upset and needs more of you... ahhhh!!! The list just goes on and on.
Life is just plain frustrating at times!! Everything is pulling at you. When do you get to scream, "Calgon take me away!"
How can you offer anything to anyone when you barely have time to breathe?
We all have days that life just beats us down. Days that as soon as your feet hit the floor you wish you could climb back into bed and start it differently. You think maybe all of this would disappear and not be so demanding on you.
These are the moments that it is okay to put your kids in their rooms, and hide for a moment in your closet. Do the drop off at practice and sit for a moment in your car. Push away from your desk at work and take a bathroom break. Lock yourself in the stall, just get away!
It is necessary to get away if only for a few moments. Hebrews 4:16 instructs us, "Let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Don't take another grumbly step until you obtain mercy and find grace to help you in this overwhelming time of need.
Don't forget that Jesus himself had to get away.
Mark 1:21-34, describes one of the busiest days in Jesus' ministry. He had taught in the synagogue, healed all he encountered, and drove out demons.
But.... The next morning he got up early while it was still dark and went to a solitary place and prayed. vs. 35.
Everyone and everything was demanding Jesus' attention: Simon and his companions went to look for him and when they found him, they explained "everyone is looking for you!" vs. 36-37


Sound familiar in your life?


He knew what pressure felt like and gave us a way out, a way to be ready for the next moment or day. Because Jesus took the time to get away and pray he was ready to get back in the game. In verse 38, Jesus is now ready to go into other villages and do it all again. He was recharged, renewed. He sought after the heart of his father.
We are not promised that life as a christian will be easy, but we are promised that He will be right there with us.


Isaiah 41:13 "For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will be with you."


He is right there with you. Stop and pause for a moment in your crazy day and say, "Lord I need you!"
He will come to your rescue. You are precious to Him! He longs for you to seek after him and find rest in His arms.
Will you stop for a moment, "in the moment" and not take another step without Jesus holding your hand?


Lord, I am weak, I am vulnerable to everything that is coming at me. Come to my rescue. I surrender everything to you Lord right now! I don't want to take another step without you. Give me patience and understanding in the craziness of my day. You are always stable, always calm, always a loving father. I trust you with my day. I trust you with my future. --Amen

Now breathe and rejoin the living without grumbling. Display the joy of the Lord. You have purpose in this organized chaos called life!


--Nicole Howes

Do you still like me?

"Time to get jammies on!" I yelled to me kids last night as we started to close out our night. Three of my four kids obeyed without question while one decided she had plans of her own. I asked her why she was choosing not to obey. She tried to make up every excuse why she didn't want to... and how she couldn't at that very moment. I quickly realized that because of her disobedience she was going to have a consequence. I told my daughter that her arguing and making excuses wasn't going to change the fact that she needed to obey when I told her to do something. I told her what her consequence for not obeying was going to be.

Her time of discipline was up, so I called her over and explained that I was disappointed that she chose to disobey and expected her to obey right away in the future. She quickly said she was sorry and I forgave her. We hugged and she went to put her pajamas on. I went about my business finishing the things I needed to get done so that I could go to bed. She returned with her jammies on and a note in hand. The note in big letters read "mom do you still like me?" I was taken back by her question and immediately thought that I forgave her and could almost no longer remember what had even happened. I thought to myself, why would she even think that? You see I had forgiven her and had already forgotten what had taken place minutes earlier. 

It started me thinking of how often we do the same thing to God. We sin, start making excuses for why we did it, why we had so many other things to do. Our excuses seem to justify disobeying what God has clearly told us to do or not to do. All of a sudden we are confused and hurt when the creator of the universe gives us a consequence for our disobedience. How much more does Jesus Christ the one who gave us life have the authority to say "No" "stop" or on the other side "GO," "do it." But somehow it's okay for us in our "all knowing" attitudes to argue and continuously justify our own disobedience. He is a loving God and a good Father and with that comes obedience on our part. Sometimes we want to justify saying "his grace" is enough to cover this act of defiance. Your right it is! That's what he did on the cross. He gave his life to cover those sins. The grace is already so amazing.

We come to a place of asking for forgiveness but sometimes forgetting there are unfortunate consequences for our actions. We seek forgiveness and pull out Psalms 103:12 "...as far as the East is from the West, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." Cross our fingers, peek through one eye, take a deep breath and say thank you Lord move on.....

But wait....  sometimes we still have a consequence and when we realize that we come to God just as my daughter came to me and say "do you still like me?" We suddenly are still confused of the true character of God while we are reaping the reality of our disobedience. The sin is forgiven! But the consequence of that sin is still there.

I realized with my daughter that I love her and desire the best for her life, therefore  I must discipline her so that in the future she will stop, pause and remember to obey. I want her to recognize that she will always be submitted to the authority of someone. When it is no longer me there will be a boss, husband, teacher, pastor and ultimately God that will expect obedience from her.

Whether you decide to submit to the authority of God or not you will always be under the authority of someone. The love of God is something that even a parent cannot  compare to the love of their own children. Yet we still question "do you still like me, do you even love me?" 

Jeremiah 31:3 says " I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving kindness." he loves you enough to discipline and keep on loving after and through it. 

Lord today help us to keep your commandments and to draw our hearts close to yours. When we question your love for us, help us to remember that you love us enough to want us to learn and and no longer sin. Remind us in the midst of our consequence that you are correcting us and still love us. Thank you Lord for the gift of being a parent! Thank you for the daily reminder in our children that we are yours. We can trust you God! You have established authority to benefit us and not to harm us. Thank you for loving us even when we blow it. You are a good Father and we can trust you!. --AMEN-

--Nicole Howes

A sweet aroma

As I walked into the salon the strong overpowering smell of chemicals surrounded me. The aroma smelled so strong of chemical, subtly masked with a perfume fragrance that only makes the smell worse. The smell wasn't calming, pleasant or inviting. As I sat having my own hair processed, I quickly began to take on that same aroma that minutes earlier was so repulsive to me. Ten minutes in the salon turned into fifty and the longer I sat the less I smelled the strong fragrance. 

My favorite part of having my hair done is when I am leaned back with my head in a sink and the stylist  washes away the unpleasant fragrance and replaces it with a new sweet aroma.

I felt the warm spray as it massaged into my scalp, removing all of the chemicals from my hair. I was lost for a moment in complete relaxation of it all. Comfortable in the chair leaning back a new aroma took over the room. The aroma was sweet, calming and helped me to slip further and further into a relaxed state. With my eyes closed, I was able to rest in the quiet tranquility of the moment.

I was suddenly unaware of the aroma that had once filled the whole building and was overtaken by the sweet smell that brought relaxation and peace to a crazy busy day.

2 Corinthians 2:14-17; says "...but thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task."

The aroma that penetrates your life is often quickly overtaken by the aroma that surrounds your body.

The putrid smell of trash on a hot day at the dump...

Curdled sour milk that unnaturally makes your face turn in the craziest of positions.

The unpleasant scent of cigarette smoke being blown directly into your face.

OR

The aroma from a freshly cut rose...

The sweet smell of a new born babies skin...

The fragrance from a fresh rain that causes you to feel as free as a child to dance in circles looking up without a care in the world.

God has given His children this unique ability to smell the unpleasant aroma of life. The ability to walk into a room and sense the tension, fear, death and life of your surroundings.

People know the aroma that you will bring before you even arrive. Those that are in daily contact with you anticipate your arrival, whether that will be good or bad.

The aroma you bring has the potential to change the fragrance of a room. A room reeking of gossip, slander and unpleasant talk can be exchanged for the sweet smell of laughter, hope and love. 

What is the aroma you bring into a room?

Is it an aroma that quickly overtakes everything around you and brings with it an undeniable peace and relaxation that leaves others without words?

or

is it an aroma that is fragrant when you first come close but the freshness of it is quickly extinguished by the rotting and decay around?

Do you take on the smell already present in a room or do you allow the love of Christ to permeate from your pores causing the smell in the room to be changed?

I daily have to lay back in the sink and allow God to wash me clean of the unpleasant smell and replace it with a fragrance that can only come from Him. The aroma that comes from a life surrendered to God that is willing to follow His lead.

There are days that my stay at the sink take longer than others. With my eyes closed, the warm water of God's forgiving and renewing power wash over me. It is there that the skillful hands of my creator allow me to take on an aroma that is pleasing to Him and gives me the ability to offer a new fragrance in every room I walk into throughout my day.

Today will you allow God to wash you completely? Will you allow Him to take away the unpleasant aroma and replace it with His. Will you decide to take that aroma with you into whatever room or circumstance you encounter throughout your day?

Today I encourage you to be the sweet aroma of God to a dying and hurting marriage, family, work ......______________!

Lord, today as we navigate this short life on earth may our interactions bring a sweet calm into the most trying of situations. Help us not to be overtaken by the unpleasant smell and overtake the world with the sweet fragrance that comes only from a life completely devoted to you! Let our lives ooze with a smell that is so different than anything smelled before and calls for all to ask for that fragrance. Lord help us to live solely to honor you. --Amen.

--Nicole Howes   

Light onto our path

The thunder and lightening rattled through our house. The sound sent our dog barking, she couldn't see but felt powerful enough to give it notice that she was protecting our house. The thunder had not yet turned to rain but the sky looked ominous with dark grayish black clouds. You could feel in the air something was about to come.  

I loaded the kids up to take them for some late night dessert at dairy queen. As we began to drive the thunder and lightening turned into a downpour. At times I was unable to see the lines that were guiding me on the road. I had to concentrate on the road ahead and block out all distractions. 

Sitting in the back seats were my kiddos eager and ready to experience some yummy ice cream unaware of the dangerous road I was navigating. 

The trecherous road was relentless. Once we arrived we got out of he truck while it was pouring and ran in for some yummy ice cream. Once inside we could sit and enjoy our treat and the beauty of the rain. 

Sometimes in life as we are tucked away in the security of our home, job, life whatever it is for you. We forget that we need to go out into the storm. Face the trecherous rain and trust that God is the author and finisher of our story. He is the one who will complete the work he has started within you. 

As I was driving my kids, they were safe in the back seat and were unaware of the dangers of the road. They knew that they had clear instruction not to yell, no loud talking and to  stay buckled up. I was never questioned by them about why these instructions were given because they trusted me and knew I was taking care of them. 

At any moment they could have disobeyed by yelling, unbuckling therefore unknowingly making a choice to put there own lives at risk. 

Oh how I wish I could be that obedient to God! When he calls me to go out in the storm where the lines in the road aren't clear and just obey. I desire to not question God! Not to ask why I can't unbuckle. 

All to often we tend to feel that little soft, sweet nudge to trust him even when everything is unclear. God has a special, unique story to be written that will be like no other persons. Will we stay in the safety of his loving arms (seat belt) or move out loudly proclaiming we can do it on our own?

When he softly speaks to your heart to trust him.... trust him! He has already navigated the rough road and will carry you to the place where you can sit back and enjoy the beauty of the trial you just faced. It takes time though and won't happen right away just because you are starting to get loud and threatening to unbuckle.

Psalm 119:105 declares, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."

  

Each step you take will be secure and you can trust him as he writes your story! When you run ahead out of the security of his lamp and realize it... run back, he will continue guiding you. 

 Lord.... Thank you for not expecting us to go through this life alone. In fact thank you that in our darkest moments and with an uncertain future you always go one step ahead of us to light the path. Help us to stay close to you so that the paths that seem to lure us would be lit by the truth of your word. Lord today, navigate my life... I put the seatbelt back on and trust that you are going to allow me to see the beauty of the storm I'm in when it's time. When you start moving in a different direction and lighting up a different path help me to follow. You are great father. A father that delights in his children. I am yours! --AMEN--