Pruning

When God prunes something or even someone from our lives, it hurts. We may wonder where we went wrong or why He’s doing it. We may try to ignore it and keep pushing forward with our own agendas or what others have told us. We may think we’re misunderstanding what’s happening, that God would never prune that so there must be something else going on.

I’ve been struggling lately with a lot of things He’s been pruning, wondering if there is going to be anything left of me when He’s done. I’ve cried out to the Holy Spirit for wisdom and discernment, knowing He is the only One who can really help me to understand what’s happening.

I’m learning through my own experiences the two reasons why God prunes things from my life:

Growth.

Protection.

Maybe this seems obvious to you, but I’m a little slow and sometimes I need God to teach me something more than once so I can “get it.” (I’m so thankful He’s patient!)

I find myself begging God to leave certain things and crying when He gently makes a few snips and cuts here and there as those things fall away.

To my human eye, I can’t see the reasoning behind it.

But I know better than to trust my own reasoning. (The mess I would be in today if I trusted me instead of Him! The very thought makes me cringe.)

Here’s an example: I thought I was supposed to start a business last year designing graphic art to inspire and encourage others. So I did.

But God trimmed that right out of my life not long after it was up and running.

Today, I am thankful. I have more time to do what He’s called me to do: take care of my family and write.

But when He first did it, I didn’t understand. The designs I created were encouraging people to turn to Him. How could that be bad?

I realized if it’s not God’s will for my life, then I shouldn’t be doing it because it takes the nourishment and sunlight away from what He is trying to grow in my life. No matter how those grapes might appear to me on the branch, if it isn’t what He has in mind, He’s going to snip it.

IF I surrender those pruning shears to Him.

Oh sure, I could have been stubborn and kept going with that little business. But I know it would have put a strain on my family and my writing.

And ultimately my relationship with God would have suffered because I would have pulled away from Him as I hid those shears in my hands.

Instead, I allowed Him to trim that business away just as I’m allowing Him to trim things from my life today.

Does it hurt? It sure does.

But the best way to grow closer to Him is to allow Him to clear away those excess things, those distractions, those toxic relationships, and anything that will harm us. Anything that hinders our growth.

And He will snip at those things we were not created to do. (Me? It’s cooking for large crowds. Oh, I get by for our little family, but it’s not pretty!)

When we allow God to prune those things out of our lives, we are allowing more of Him, more of His light to flood into our lives to produce the fruit He intended all along.

God-honoring fruit that will last.

“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV.)

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 NIV.)

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” (John 15:16a NIV.)

“Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:10 NIV.)

 

 

 

Shifting Seasons

Last year, I prayed about a writing opportunity. It seemed right. It seemed to fit with what God was calling me to do. But then as things started to move forward, I lost all peace.

Something shifted.

I didn’t understand it at the time. I just know I had NO peace. I mean, it was so bad I couldn’t sleep and found myself deeply uncomfortable in my spirit. I wondered if I’d done something wrong; did I not hear God right? Why would He lead me to an exciting path in the woods and then, when I’m only a few feet into the journey, would He stop me and tell me to turn around?

Undercurrents.

God knows all about those hidden things in every situation you and I face. He sees through the flattering and deceit. He is aware of the backbiting and hears the gossiping. He knows the ins and outs of everyone’s plans and whether there are secret agendas or selfish ambitions waiting to surface. He knows the hearts of all involved. He knows the big picture from every angle. And He can see way into tomorrow and to the very end of the path.

Sometimes God will allow us to see a fraction of those nasty undercurrents, and we can experience a moment of clarity and deep gratitude for His guidance to avoid that rocky terrain on the path we were on that was leading us to a cliff in the middle of the night.

But there are other times when we will never know why there was a shift but simply must trust the protection and guidance of our Father. We have to remember how deeply He loves us and wants us to follow Him, our Shepherd, to safety.

And yet there are other times when we’re smack dab in the middle of doing exactly what God called us to do; we’re experiencing such joy and excitement like the Holy Spirit is whispering within how important this moment is, not only to us, but to the Kingdom. We feel honored and humbled and thrilled and well, maybe a little set in our way thinking this is going to go on forever.

But then we experience the shift.

We lose all peace. We get a bad taste in our mouths like someone dumped salt instead of sugar in our lemonade. Honestly, it can be discouraging if we focus on it for too long. But when we remember God is the One who brought us here, then we know where He’s taking us next is probably going to be even better!

We have to be willing to surrender all of our plans to God, especially those that began with Him.

He is, after all, the One who causes the seasons to shift, bringing new growth through the death of winter in the form of a beautiful spring.

If you’re experiencing a shift, I’m there with you, my friend. I wonder what new growth is about to bloom in us? I’m excited to find out! 🙂

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” (John 16: 13 NLT.)

 “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.” (Philippians 1:9 NLT.)

Nestling Closer

I remember walking in the grocery store with our daughter when she was just a little thing, wrapping my arm around her like a momma hen while she pushed the cart with me. I knew it made her feel like such a big girl to help, and I loved keeping her close and protecting her.

As the years went by, she got taller and we’d laugh at how she could tuck herself under my arm when she stood right by my side. I loved squeezing her as she snuggled closer, making her laugh, and feeling her close. We could whisper and share inside jokes no one else would understand.

But eventually she got too tall to fit under my arm, and she got too old (as teenagers sometimes do) to want to do such a thing.

Honestly, it made me a little sad.

I wonder if that’s how God feels when He wants to hold us close and tuck us under His arm, but we pull away. Is it because we’re too grown up in our thinking to do such a thing? Do we feel like we can handle things, we don’t need Him, or we’ve just outgrown our need for Him, our desire to have a close relationship with Him?

But what if God wants to pull us to His side to protect us from running ahead of Him when it’s not safe. Or maybe He’s trying to draw us closer so we don’t trip by turning around to look back at our past.

When God holds us, when He holds you close to His side and sings over you while you nestle closer, singing praises to Him, perhaps that is when your songs intertwine as a single, lovely song, just between the two of you; something so personal and deep the world and all that’s in it can’t touch or change a single note.

And the truth is, we need that closeness with God. We need our Heavenly Father to hold us close, to heal our brokenness, and to teach us to sing when our hearts have forgotten our song. We will always need Him to protect us, to be the safe place we don’t just run to but the safe place we reside and thrive in.

When God pulls us close to His side, my friend, we can pull away. But why would we ever want to do such a thing?

“How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” (Matthew 23:37b NIV.)

“Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.” (Psalm 63:7-8 NIV.)

“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV.)

 

Obeying God in the Little Things

I made a little batch of chili last night and by “little” I mean a teeny tiny saucepan just for me. My husband and daughter were having something different that they liked, but I had my heart set on a baked potato slathered in chili with a generous spoonful of sour cream on top.

I was actually excited as I popped open the lid of the sour cream, thinking how good this was going to taste; the spicy heat of the chili and the cool and creaminess of the sour cream. Yummy!

So when I dipped my spoon into the sour cream and heard “No” in my spirit, well, I was honestly upset. (Imagine a bratty little kid with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face and you’ll see me in that moment.)

A little side note here: I’ve been waiting to post what God is doing in my life concerning food, waiting for His timing and the lessons He’s working through me. So I can’t explain everything yet, but let me just say I’ve been disciplined by God recently and reminded to use moderation and wisdom when it comes to what I eat.

Well, I reasoned I wasn’t using too much of the sour cream and I knew there wasn’t a problem eating it. So I stood there debating with myself. I wanted sour cream. I knew the potato and chili wouldn’t be nearly as good without it. Besides, why would God tell me not to eat it?

I didn’t even wait for an answer. I thanked Him for the food, dismissing that I didn’t hear Him right, and proceeded to stuff my face.

So…I devoured my little meal, leaving the empty and dry potato skin staring up at me. I wanted to eat that part too (am I the only one who loves the potato skin?), so I went back for some more sour cream.

I dipped my spoon into the tub and began scraping the side, and that’s when I saw it. Mold. There was this dark and nasty mold on the side of the tub that I obviously didn’t see the first time. (And yes, I had checked the expiration date earlier and it was still fine.)

Well I made a doozy of a face, tried to keep my food down, and abandoned the spoon on the counter.

And then I apologized and asked God to please forgive me for not listening, for not obeying Him when He clearly told me “No.”

God was trying to protect me.

The lesson I learned: If you and I don’t obey God in the little things (like me walking away from sour cream and telling my bratty flesh to take a hike), how will we obey Him in the big things? How will we handle those crucial moments of forgiveness or extending mercy to someone?

And what about blessings? How many will we miss because we don’t obey Him in the little things?

But really the question is this: How can we honestly say we love God if we don’t obey Him?

My new prayer for the year has been, “I want more of You, Lord. And I want to love You more.”

And He has shown me through a tub of nasty and moldy sour cream (a fitting image for disobedience) how to love Him more:

Through obedience to Him in all things.

“If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15 NIV.)

‘“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”’ (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT.)

When a Dream is Detoured

When a dream doesn’t come true, it hurts. I should know. I just spent last week sulking and pouting over how much it hurt when my dream come true popped, sending my thoughts flying around in my face in a taunting sort of way. The worst part?

I was mad at God.

Did I have the right to be mad at Him? No. But am I a human being with bratty flesh wanting to get its way? Sure am. And when that toddler-style flesh of mine began to butt heads with the godly spirit inside of me, tugging me in different directions, that’s when the pain became excruciating.

Flesh: I can’t believe God failed me. I can’t believe He let me get hurt.

Spirit: God never fails. Trust Him.

Flesh: This is it. I can’t take any more of this. I’m just going to figure this out on my own and do it my way. Or maybe I’ll just quit.

Spirit: You know better than that. You’ve tried that before. Remember? God has a plan.

Flesh: I’m tired of waiting.

Spirit: Too bad. Look how long Abraham waited. How about the Israelites in the desert?

Flesh: I can’t take the pain of trying and failing over and over again.

Spirit: Who says you’re failing? God never told you that.

Flesh: I may as well get used to folding towels. That’s about all I’m going to do with my life.

Spirit: Now you’re just being ridiculous.

When we believe our dream come true is on this road just up ahead only to find ourselves crashing into a brick wall, a deep and dark discouragement creeps in like a cold shadow on a sunny day. And of course Satan watches from that shadow, waiting to pounce. And when he’s got you pinned to the ground, he will go for your jugular with one of his biggest lies: You don’t need God. That’s. One. Big. Fat. Lie.

My friend, if I’ve learned anything at all this week it’s this: Sometimes God’s plan hurts. But it isn’t meant to hurt us but to grow us, to increase our faith, and to show us another way. And quite possibly it is to prepare us for an even bigger, better plan. Thankfully His plan always includes an airbag.

An airbag? Seriously?

That’s right. If you get your sights set on a goal and you go after it with all you’ve got, speeding and missing God’s warning signs, He will provide an airbag to protect you when you crash into that brick wall.

What are His warning signs?

Stop Ahead: Be Still and Pray

Caution: Approaching Idol Worshipping

Danger: People on Pedestal Zone

Detour: God’s Way, Turn Here

Just this morning I crawled out of my “car,” brushed myself off, and when I looked back to see the wreckage and my pitiful attitude, I took one step from that mess and hit my knees. I thanked God for His protection. And I asked Him to forgive me for being mad at Him because He didn’t give me rocket fuel to propel me into my dream like I wanted. He didn’t work the impossible (which I know He can do) for my benefit. Hmmm. For my benefit?

That is precisely why God let me slam right into the brick wall, my face hitting the airbag. There’s no telling what was on the other side of that wall for me, but if I know my Heavenly Father (and I do), it’s probably much worse than a week of tears and a lonely pity party with a mess of soggy confetti lying around. Perhaps it was the very thing that would lead me away from Him and into the land of Pleasing-Myself where the My-Way trees and the It’s-All-About-Me bushes grow wildly while the Self-Reliant rapids rage.

Or perhaps He simply wanted to protect me, to keep my heart safe and secure with Him.  Now that is a detour worth following and a real dream come true.

“We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” (Proverbs 16:9 NLT.)

“Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” (Exodus 34:14 NIV.)

“‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.’” (Psalm 91:14 NIV.)

 

A New Year and a New Road

I’ve got a problem. I live in the past too much.

There’s nothing wrong with turning around and looking back.  It’s like using the rearview mirror when you’re driving.  You need to look back to see what’s going on for safety reasons, just like it’s important to look back at your past to learn from your mistakes, to protect yourself from making the same blunders.

But what if you’re actually staring back, your eyes fixed or glued on all you’ve done wrong and you keep reliving your mistakes over and over again?  It can be just as detrimental as driving while fixating on the view behind you.  You’d miss your turn, swerve into a ditch, or possibly rear-end the vehicle ahead of you.  Having your eyes glued to the rearview mirror is like living in the past.  It’s a dangerous way to live.

Are you reliving some of your relationships from your past, how great they were and how things have drifted so far?   But the sad truth is those people you remember so fondly don’t even know who you are anymore.  And really, you don’t know them either.  The whole thing can leave your heart aching for the past or harden it because the drifting has made you angry and you refuse to let something like that happen again.

Eventually, you start to drive faster to escape it all but you still keep looking back and you miss what’s right there in front of you, some wonderful blessing God has for you.

I went to God with all of this.  Like I said, I’ve got a problem with living in the past.  I remember things, people, and I ache for the way things used to be sometimes.  Do you know what God told me? Look for Me back there.

Really?  Why didn’t I think of that?  I started looking back specifically to search for God.  And He was there.  He was there when I was so depressed during junior high school, when I would sit on the top of this huge hill in our back yard and cry.  He had His arm around me.

He was there when I went off to college and thought drinking was a huge part of being there.  He was there protecting me, leading me back to my dorm room every time.

He was there when I was smiling at graduation, the sun skimming the top of the building and landing on my face.   His hands were warm on my cheeks as He kissed me on the forehead, only I didn’t know it was Him at that moment.  But I know now.

God was there when I met my husband, making my heart swell, and He was there in the hospital room when our daughter was born and she cried, strong and loud.  And again, He was with me in a hospital room years later when my Mom had a massive stroke, and again when my Dad had complications after quadruple bypass. He held me tighter than ever on those days, listening to my prayers, my tears, as I begged Him to help them.  And He did.  And He held me so gently, warmly when I stood at my Grandpa’s funeral in December years ago, and again in the warmer Missouri air at my Grandma’s gravesite in April.

So all the moments in my past when I really needed someone, God was there.  And yet, I see Him there by my side the countless times I’ve washed dishes or folded laundry, when I got up in the middle of the night all those times to give our daughter medicine, and every morning when I fixed coffee.  He’s always there when I look back, at every memory.

But I can’t live back there because the bad finds a way of mixing in with the good, and that’s where the pain can take hold and sprout into something ugly and harmful.  It’s time to take hold of those memories I have of God and all the good, the lasting relationships He’s brought into my life, and bring them with me as I look forward; like snapshots I can tape to the dashboard.

A new year is coming and I love the idea of new; a clean slate, endless possibilities on the horizon as I drive forward on this new road.  I can still glance back and remember the lessons I’ve learned from my mistakes, but it’s time to let my failures go, leave them in the dust, let them fade.

I’ve asked God to forgive me for all those things I’ve messed up and He has.  So now it’s time to drive, to put the windows down and feel the freedom rush over me.  No more regrets.  No more guilt.  No more shame.  Now it’s just the touch of God on my heart as He tells me which way to go.

And with His direction, my friends, we won’t miss our turn.

“But one thing I do:  Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 3:13b-14 NIV.)

 

 

 

Running Out of Steam

If you’re running out of steam, God may stop the train you’re on altogether.  He’s not doing it to punish you or hold you back.  He’s doing it to protect you.  He knows derailment can happen if you push forward too fast or out of sheer exhaustion.

As the train stops and sits idle, you feel antsy as if you’re wasting precious time staring out the window until God asks you to get off the train. He reaches out His hand to you and whispers, “Come to me.”

You take His hand, step down, and take a deep breath. Perhaps God wants you to look around because you may never pass this way again, and you don’t want to miss what He has for you in this very moment.

Maybe these tracks are leading you to something new, a new adventure with God, and you’re about to go through some major changes in your life.  Take a moment to relish the excitement, to hope.

Maybe it’s just been a long time since you’ve stepped away from the train to rest.  Take some time to catch your breath.  Breathe deeply.

Or perhaps the clinking of the wheels on the rails and the lonely echo of the whistle have been blocking out the still, small voice of God and He’s been trying to tell you something.  Take a moment to still your thoughts and listen for His voice.

As you’re holding His hand, standing a few feet from the tracks with the train at your back, relax.  The train is not going to leave without you. Focus on God.  Feel His hand gently holding your own.  Memorize the scent of autumn leaves mixing with the cold winter’s wind as it rushes to you from the horizon, the sunlight kissing your forehead.

Change is coming.  A new season is approaching.  Take it all in and cherish this time you have with God.

That’s why He stopped the train.  Not to discourage you or stop your momentum.  He simply wanted to take your hand and spend a little time with you.  He misses you when you’re rushing full steam ahead.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  (Matthew 11:28 NIV.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brick by Brick

We all build walls.

Someone hurts you and you quickly learn how to stop that from happening again by building a nice big wall between you and that person.

Only sometimes you go a little too far and you build it all around just in case someone else would come along to hurt you.

So you build this wall, brick by brick, to protect yourself from pain.  But when you stop stacking because you can’t reach any higher, you realize that without any windows and bricks all around, you’ve built yourself a prison cell.

And since the bricks reach so high and are so thick, no one can see you or hear when you cry for help, when the dark shadow of loneliness fills your cell.

Only God can reach you in that dark and painful place.

But maybe you’re afraid to ask because the world is too cruel and you don’t know if your heart can handle another blow.  So you stay there for a long time.

Finally, the walls close in too tightly and the darkness grows too thick, so you decide you must try again.  You whisper a plea to God, but as He lifts you up to the top of your wall and sets you there, you totter.  You look down at the safety of the prison cell, the darkness looming below, and then you look out at the contrasting sunlight and the people all around and the drop-off to get to them.

You freeze.  You’re afraid either way will bring you unbearable pain; pain that will wound you so deeply you’ll never recover.  And suddenly you don’t sense God’s hand anymore.  You wonder why, in this worst predicament, would He leave you now.  So you cry out to Him, begging Him to remember you.

You don’t hear His voice or see Him, but you notice your wall is different; a brick here and there has been removed to build a set of brick stairs leading from the top down and into the sunlight.

Who built the staircase? you wonder.  God?  Someone else?

You don’t know.  Perhaps God did it Himself or maybe He led someone else to do it.  Either way, the stairs are waiting.

Life is waiting.  And God is waiting to help you escape your prison cell and the cold that climbs the wall and reaches out to you like an icy hand, reaching from that place with all the pain from your past.

All you need to do is take God’s hand and take it brick by brick down those stairs and into the sunlight.

“For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”  (Isaiah 41:13 NIV.)

A New Year and a New Road

I’ve got a problem. I live in the past too much.

There’s nothing wrong with turning around and looking back.  It’s like using the rearview mirror when you’re driving.  You need to look back to see what’s going on for safety reasons, just like it’s important to look back at your past to learn from your mistakes, to protect yourself from making the same blunders.

But what if you’re actually staring back, your eyes fixed or glued on all you’ve done wrong and you keep reliving your mistakes over and over again?  It can be just as detrimental as driving while fixating on the view behind you.  You’d miss your turn, swerve into a ditch, or possibly rear-end the vehicle ahead of you.  Having your eyes glued to the rearview mirror is like living in the past.  It’s a dangerous way to live.

Are you reliving some of your relationships from your past, how great they were and how things have drifted so far?   But the sad truth is those people you remember so fondly don’t even know who you are anymore.  And really, you don’t know them either.  The whole thing can leave your heart aching for the past or harden it because the drifting has made you angry and you refuse to let something like that happen again.

Eventually, you start to drive faster to escape it all but you still keep looking back and you miss what’s right there in front of you, some wonderful blessing God has for you.

I went to God with all of this.  Like I said, I’ve got a problem with living in the past.  I remember things, people, and I ache for the way things used to be sometimes.  Do you know what God told me? Look for Me back there.

Really?  Why didn’t I think of that?  I started looking back specifically to search for God.  And He was there.  He was there when I was so depressed during junior high school, when I would sit on the top of this huge hill in our back yard and cry.  He had His arm around me.

He was there when I went off to college and thought drinking was a huge part of being there.  He was there protecting me, leading me back to my dorm room every time.

He was there when I was smiling at graduation, the sun skimming the top of the building and landing on my face.   His hands were warm on my cheeks as He kissed me on the forehead, only I didn’t know it was Him at that moment.  But I know now.

God was there when I met my husband, making my heart swell, and He was there in the hospital room when our daughter was born and she cried, strong and loud.  And again, He was with me in a hospital room years later when my Mom had a massive stroke, and again when my Dad had complications after quadruple bypass. He held me tighter than ever on those days, listening to my prayers, my tears, as I begged Him to help them.  And He did.  And He held me so gently, warmly when I stood at my Grandpa’s funeral in December years ago, and again in the warmer Missouri air at my Grandma’s gravesite in April.

So all the moments in my past when I really needed someone, God was there.  And yet, I see Him there by my side the countless times I’ve washed dishes or folded laundry, when I got up in the middle of the night all those times to give our daughter medicine, and every morning when I fixed coffee.  He’s always there when I look back, at every memory.

But I can’t live back there because the bad finds a way of mixing in with the good, and that’s where the pain can take hold and sprout into something ugly and harmful.  It’s time to take hold of those memories I have of God and all the good, the lasting relationships He’s brought into my life, and bring them with me as I look forward; like snapshots I can tape to the dashboard.

A new year is coming and I love the idea of new; a clean slate, endless possibilities on the horizon as I drive forward on this new road.  I can still glance back and remember the lessons I’ve learned from my mistakes, but it’s time to let my failures go, leave them in the dust, let them fade.

I’ve asked God to forgive me for all those things I’ve messed up and He has.  So now it’s time to drive, to put the windows down and feel the freedom rush over me.  No more regrets.  No more guilt.  No more shame.  Now it’s just the touch of God on my heart as He tells me which way to go.

And with His direction, my friends, we won’t miss our turn.

“But one thing I do:  Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 3:13b-14 NIV.)

 

 

When a Warning Slaps You

I slapped myself in the face yesterday.  And pretty hard too.  I had been rushing around, gathering shopping lists, coupons, and a few snacks and drinks for the long day ahead of me when I felt a little tickle on my face.  At first I thought it was just my hair brushing across my cheek until I remembered my hair is really short now, AND this tickle was moving and crawling up my face.  I went into panic mode, slapped myself in the face, and jumped from the car; thankfully I was still sitting in the garage!  I ripped off my jacket and shook it out, brushed madly at the rest of my body, and began to search for the creepy spider with long legs I just knew was on my face.  But I never found it.

What I did find, however, was a memory buried in the back of my brain that reminded me of another time when I was frantic, trying to get to the store with our daughter (who was only about two at the time) to pick out a Father’s Day gift for my husband before I had to leave for work. I made sure she was buckled in, got myself situated, and backed right into the garage door.  I forgot to put it up.  I remember looking back at our little girl, so thankful the door was the only thing that got hurt.

Sometimes God will do things, outrageous things, to slow me down just to protect me. Traffic jams, the car won’t start right away, or someone else is running late that I’m waiting on.  The phone rings right before I head out, or I can’t find my keys.  Or God allows me to back into the garage door or slap myself in the face to wake me up right then and there to reveal the panic mode I’m in and to snap me out of it.

So I have to wonder, what did God save me from yesterday? I may never know.

Hmm. Maybe He didn’t do it to protect me but to protect you.  Maybe that’s why He wanted me to share this with you, to help you slow down.  Maybe this post is your “slap.”

Please don’t rush past His warning.

“Hear, O my people, and I will warn you.” (Psalm 81:8a NIV.)