I'm Done.

I've been a serious follower of Christ for years now. I do everything I can to stay on God's path for me and exemplify Jesus in everything I do. However, one area I have always seemed to get caught up on was this world itself.  I could never honestly say that I wouldn't be more than a little miffed if Jesus returned before I had a chance to see my kids off to college, or hold my grandchildren, or live in a house with my husband and no one else.....until Friday.

Did you hear that?

So many times I have wondered, and asked, and prayed, for God to show me His will for me. I've asked for guidance in all kinds of situations; big and small, short-term and long reaching. So many times I've opted to do nothing (sometimes we Christians call this "waiting") because I just couldn't be sure of what it was that God was calling me to do. This morning however, I have heard Him loud and clear, despite the fact that I have earplugs in to block out the noise of my kids who have decided to get up hours before the sun.

After Jesus rose from the dead, He made several appearances to key people in His life. The third time He payed a visit to some of His disciples, He had a conversation with Simon Peter that went like this: 

15When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

16Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

17The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?”He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. (Jn 21:15-17) 

Did you hear Him? He's practically drilling it into Peter's head the way I hound my kids to cover their mouths when they sneeze. Three times He repeats himself, much to the chagrin of Peter. Three times He makes the connection: "If you love me, then you'll take care of my people." Now He's told me three times and, if you read the above, He's told you three times now as well. How many countless other times has He told me this before? Could His will for our lives really be that simple?

I believe it is. Sure, what follows has plenty of details but at the very core of what He asks us to do is this simple command. Everything He asks us to do can be boiled down to this very basic direction. If not, then I'd present to you that you're not in His will for you in the first place. If love for people isn't driving you to do what it is you think you're doing for God, then what is? This can be a real hard question to ask, but it must be done if you truly want to remain on the straight and narrow. I've found my true motivations to often be quite humbling, but facing the hard truth is what has brought me closest to God. I know without a doubt that if it weren't for Him and His Spirit living within me, I'd be an almost completely loveless person, for it is He who has put me back on the path of love time, and time again. And you know what? The more I step back on that path, the more my love for people grows. Funny how that works.

Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

It's that simple. Don't try to make it more complicated than it is. Once you start to operate on this most basic level, God will take notice and lead you where He wants you to go, but you have to start here. I didn't wake up one morning and say "I'm going to go on a mission trip to Haiti!", it was a long walk I took with God that lead me to that place, and it started with me finally hearing what He'd been trying to say to me all along: "Take care of my sheep.", and acting on it.

Everyone can do something! A friend of mine started an organization called LOVE Locally to help raise money for a local crisis pregnancy center, my 7 year old had a charity birthday party and raised enough money to change the lives of 7 families through World Vision. No matter how little time or money you have, you can take care of people in some way. Who will it be today?

Meeting For Coffee

For years now God has been telling me to get up before everyone else in my house and spend some time with Him. Years. Ask anyone I've ever been in a post-marital small group with and they'll verify that it was always a prayer request. With four kids (and even before), getting time during the day where it was quiet enough for me to be able to focus (Read: "silent". I have trouble focusing otherwise) was nearly impossible. Waiting until they had gone to bed proved equally as impossible as my brain has a built in shut off timer which seems irreversibly set to 7:30pm. Once 7:30 hits, there's just no hope for any brain activity above the basic maintenance level necessary for life.

On multiple occasions I would try getting up 30 minutes before everyone else. Seems good right? Wrong. By the time I was up, hit the bathroom, got a cup of coffee, and grabbed my bible, I had 15 minutes left before the proverbial bell rang and chaos ensued. Not much time to read, pray, and listen. At least not effectively anyway. So, after dabbling in the 30 minutes of failure repeatedly over the years, I knew an hour was what I really needed. In this house, getting up an hour earlier than the rest of the tribe means 5:00am. Five-flippin'-AM.  It is widely known that I am not a morning person. The thought of being conscious enough to witness that hour was brutalizing to my soul, but I knew that's what it would take. God had been telling me as much all along. Even Joyce Meyer told me once. Well, not just me, she told her entire broadcast area but I swear she had me in mind when she said it. (See Mark 10:27)

I am happy to report that by the grace of God, for about a month now, I have been getting up every day @ 5am to spend some time with God (6am on weekends since I force my children to remain in bed until 7am), and you know what? I LOVE it. I thought I would be more exhausted than ever shaving off an hour of sleep, but I find that the opposite has been true. All those years when God would wake me at 5am only for me to mumble some excuse as to why it couldn't be done and then go back to sleep....if I would have just done it anyway, where would I be now......? I do make sure to be in bed as close to 10pm as possible, but I've found that rather simple as well. I do nothing of value past 10pm and neither does the television so that hasn't been hard. What has been truly amazing to me is that I really don't miss the sleep. Spending that time with God has proven to be more rejuvenating than sleeping longer ever has been and now I find myself sincerely looking forward to getting up each day. If something happens and I miss that time, I feel it. The day seems a little darker without it.


Has God been nudging you to do the same? I write this to encourage you to DO IT! I promise you will not regret it! There is no better way to start your day and I know you'll agree if you can just make up your mind to start. Don't give up; keep trying until it sticks. Jesus is waiting for you there.

"In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly." Ps 5:3