Confidence Breeds Confidence-A Lesson in Leading

"I think I can! I think I can!" the Little Engine replied as he pulled the long and heavy weight of the long train up the towering mountain. Other large and seemingly capable engines were asked to do the job but they refused. It may have been due to the condition of their engines. One may have been fearful, another complacent. Whatever the reasons the task was given to a simple little engine with a lot of confidence and a huge dose of availability.

This old time American Story Book is packed with the value of optimism. Critics say it is the metaphor of the American Dream. I say it is more so the metaphor of God's dream. His dream for us.

Obviously the Little Engine was no giant. There was no outward appearance that would win the confidence or respect of others.It was a simple "I think I can." that brought this outwardly puny little engine great victory and success. He did not seek fame or recognition. He just saw something that needed to be done and stepped in to do it. In a sense, the Little Engine's confidence was in something greater than himself. Just as Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

The other day as I was visiting with a friend, she shared with me a revelation that God gave to her mother. She said that there is not a verse in the Bible stating that God will never give us more than we can bear. Did the little engine pull more than he could bear in the natural? Yes. It took a miracle and much confidence to be able to pull the entire length of that train up a mountain. The fact is that God at times gives us more that we can bear or pull because it is His strength that enables us to bear under weights in our lives. If we could bear things alone we would not need our God who says His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

This also reminds me of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17). David was the youngest and seemingly weakest of eight sons. Goliath was calling out a man from the Israelite army to fight him. When Goliath defied the armies of God, they quaked with fear. (1 Samuel 17:11). David's three oldest and "seemingly well fit for the job" brothers folded in terror. One day, as David was tending his father's sheep, he was sent by his father to take food to his brothers and to check on them. As David arrived and inquired of this giant's demands, David volunteered to fight him. His brothers ridiculed him as they had little respect for the little brother who only tended scrawny sheep.

As the story continues, David went out to face the giant with only his staff, five smooth stones and a sling. The only armor he possessed was the armor of the Most High God. AS he faced the nearly 10 foot tall giant whose spear head itself weighed 15 pounds,he looked up into his eyes and boldly stated, "You come to me with a sword and a spear and a battle axe, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled. This assembly will know that there is an extraordinary God in Israel. And everyone gathered here will know that God doesn't save by means of a sword and spear. The battle belongs to God-He's handing you to us on a platter!"(1 Samuel 17:45-47)
We all know the ending. David did just that. Goliath was dead meat with no head after the fact. Now this is confidence and confidence is contagious. David was a man after God's heart and in the beginning he stood alone. God did the impossible through a young man who was only willing.

With this kind of confidence look what David did with the God who gave him sufficient strength. When God gives us His confidence what are we supposed to do with it? According to John C. Maxwell's book, "Be a People Person", we are to keep refueling it. "Confidence is not constant but fluctuates according to our success and failure ratio.
We all have defeats which occasionally and temporarily lower our confidence level. If you accept the fact that you will not be outstanding in everything you attempt, you will not be devastated when your best is not good enough."

God given confidence is meant by God to be contagious. It will spread throughout your sphere of influence. There were no giant killers in Saul's army because they shrunk in fear of the giant. However, David was one man with a great amount of God confidence. David the giant killer became king. Many giant killers rose up afterwards. Powerful giant slaying kings became a common commodity in the army under David's leadership.
This very thing demonstrates that it takes a giant-killer to make another giant killer. As you grow closer to God the more bold and confident you become. Then your friends, family and others around you will increase in their own confidence levels.

We must remember that David killed the giant and the Little Engine made it up the mountain not because of any special skills, but because they were full of confidence. David killed the giant because he knew he could do it. The Little Engine thought she could make it. She had confidence. Likewise we too can climb mountains and pull heavy loads. We too can strike a giant, serve him on a platter and be confidence breeders. It only requires a firm and bold conviction of 'I think I can"
And when we get to the top or when the head of the giant has been sliced off you will look with satisfaction and say, "I thought I could. I thought I could."


I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who gives me Strength. Phil. 4:13

My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Cor.12;9

NOW FAITH

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11: 1

Okay so I am way behind in my blogging. There has been nothing written here in a month. My plan was to write more on the parenting book. I hope to do that but for now my faith is being tested everyday. So I would just like to vent a bit the things stirring within my heart.

The just shall live by faith. We are just in God's eyes because of the price Jesus paid for us in giving His whole life. He gave His body, He gave his soul and He gave His spirit. He gave all He had to give. May this truth never become so stale and common in our lives as children of God. Lord, help me to never take this for granted.

As I was reading more into the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, verses 8 and 9 really stood out to me. It says, "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going. By faith, he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.

Notice that verse eight says Abraham went out not knowing. Not knowing was how he went. He did not know where in the sand hill he was headed. I wonder if he struggled with mind games as he went? Did the enemy come against his mind and attempt to plant doubt, perplexity, and discouragement as Abraham plowed ahead? I have been wondering about that.

However, he made it regardless of the struggle. He knew that we was journeying toward the promise but he did not know where...he just knew there was a promise to head after. How many times do we waver in our minds? We want to have a plan to fall back on in case it does not work. Is this really faith? Is this really wisdom? We say,"Well, we must be balanced and have wisdom. Therefore we should have a plan in place in just in case." I really been questioning this lately.

Oh yes, it is between me and God. However, it is a question we will all be faced with if not already. Faith is looking ahead and going without knowing. What was Abraham's back up plan? There was none. By his faith, he was given the priviledge to dwell in the land of promise.

As I was reading this scripture I noticed some words I had written at the top of the page years ago. These are the words.

FAITH SEES THE INVISIBLE
FAITH HEARS THE INAUDIBLE
FAITH BELIEVES THE INCREDIBLE
FAITH THINKS THE UNTHINKABLE.
FAITH ACCOMPLISHES THE IMPOSSIBLE.
FAITH INHERITS THE INDESTRUCTABLE.

Hebrews 10: 35-38 says Therefore do not cast away your confidence which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. for yet a little while,and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.

A Complete Love is Secure Love

If I were to interview hundreds of parents and ask them, "Do you love your children?", not one would say no. There would be no statistics to compare. The answers would be 100% yes. All parents love their children and most show their children love. However, we must aim to give them a secure and complete love.

Many children grow up insecure because the love they received from their parents was incomplete even though it was genuine. We want to send our children into the world knowing they were truly loved. Also, God has given us the keys to be the ones who transfer this secure love.

Why are so many children growing up into insecure adults? We must take a long look at ourselves and see if we possibly may contribute to this problem. Sometimes our love is incomplete because our children feel they must constantly compete for it. Are we choosing pastimes, careers, or even friends above them? Who or what are we spending most of our time doing?

Several months ago, my husband was transferred to a different area of his work place. Greater demands were put on his time causing him to be away from the family for 70 and sometimes 80 hours a week. Even when he was home, he had to answer calls and was expected to fill out reports on his computer. We value our family time, so after a few months, John went to his supervisor to see if he could work out a different plan. His supervisor ignored him and did nothing to help him. Finally, John went to his boss and told him he could no longer work that many hours because he needed to be home more with his family. He was accused of trying to dictate his work hours and was let go.

Because God values family and the time we invest in our children and spouses, He is providing for our family and we have much more time together now. God will honor your desires to have more time for your family. Sometimes we are forced to make decisions and even face losses for choosing what is right in God's eyes. We must transfer complete love to our children by choosing to let go of certain things.

Secondly, our love is sometimes incomplete because our children are made to feel like they have to earn it. They can discern if they receive our praise and approval if they are performing to make us look good to others or behaving in a way to make our jobs easier as parents. We must aim to show our children acceptance no matter how they choose to behave.

So what does complete love really look like? Dr. Tim Kimmel, author of Grace Based Parenting, defines love as "the commitment of my will to your needs and best interests, regardless of the cost." Doing the loving thing for our children is not always easy and does not necessarily come natural. Love is about making decisions based on the covenants we have with our loved ones. Love also sees our needs as second priority to those we are to love.Our children are our closest neighbors. Loving them in grace and truth is also about knowing what their God given needs are, not selfish ones, and meeting those needs.

Last of all we should remember that secure love is often inconvenient and sometimes painful. Loving our children costs so much. They cost our money,time and sleep. It may cost us our careers, it may cost us mother's our figures. It may cost you Dads a promotion. It may require that we do without.

Just the other day we took the younger children to Toys R Us to pick out a toy to buy with some Christmas money their grandparents had given them. As we were paying for the gifts, the cashier looked at me and said, 'Wow, they each get something. What do you get?" I pointed to the children with a smile and replied, "I get to enjoy them! That is what I get!"

Lighten Up or Tighten Up? A Note on Parenting

Two days before Christmas I looked out my back window and spotted a neighbor in the woods behind our houses ripping down a fence that seperates the residential lots from the privately owned property behind us. In fact, he was commiting theft because the fence does not belong to him but to the owner of the land. He continued tearing down the fence and the poles that supported it. Piece by piece he carried the parts into his yard and hid them in his garage. A few nights later, my son noticed that he had loaded the parts into his truck and drove off. We were puzzled at why this man would be so desperate that he would steal a chain link fence. Also, it was strange that he removed a segment of the fence from behind his house and from behind our other neighbor's home. However, the section of fencing directly behind our house was untouched. Maybe he knew we were home as I did notice that he kept looking toward our house as he was doing his work.

This event had me contemplating fences and how fences represent boundaries. This young man maybe had no boundaries as he was growing up and was free to roam and do as he pleased. He may not have been taught anything about consideration of other's property. Who knows. I am not here to judge the motiives of why he was stealing the fence. But I have been considering the whole concept of boundaries in parenting our children.

In our society of crumbling morals and decaying values, we as parents need to guard against falling to extremes. One extreme is that we become too relaxed which leads to being passive in our parenting. Just as the fence behind our home was removed and stolen, this same concept can happen easily even with parents of good intentions. Examples of this would be allowing our children to hang out with whomever they would choose or watching any movie that they would like. Also they would be free to act out any frustration with no consequences or look at anything they choose on the internet to read or view. These are extreme examples. However, one can turn on the news or read the newspaper to see that these are often the norm in our society today.

Even though most parents are well meaning, they can cave into this type of parenting to some degree. It is quite easy to become desensitized to this boundary deficient culture. We may do a good job raising our children when things are going well. But it is tempting to just let things slide when we are tired or going through dire circumstances. Many times it is just easier to feel good that to do good. In the book, "Grace Based Parenting", the author says that "raising kids with clear moral boundaries can be an extremely lonely job."

This brings us to the other extreme that can be as equally toxic to children. This type of parenting is based on an over reaction to a culture without boundaries. This refers to bringing in boundaries in far more tightly than they need to be to effectively train their children. These parents restrict and control everything. They tighten the fence regarding every area of their child's life thinking they are making it safer for their children to go through life. They think that this will be the derermining factor of how their children will turn out. There are clear moral boundaries which are set. This is needed. However, they have added an inner fence to make it more difficult for their children to even see beyond the boundaries of grace God has provided.

The key word here is grace. God parents us according to His grace and truth. We must periodically take inventory of the boundaries we have set for our children. Are they based on grace? Or have we constructed inner fences that are too tight and unnecessary? Maybe we have let our guard down and we have loose or no boundaries because we have been bogged down by trying circumstances and fatigue.

God's way of parenting us is by His gift of grace. We too must examine His model of parenting and apply this to our own parenting. God looks deep into our hearts and sees our need. He sees our needs because He knows our needs. In order to know the needs of our children we must understand what those are. This is what the next blog will be on. Knowing and recognizing the needs of our children and how grace is the key to effective parenting.

(Note:Some of my thoughts were based on the book, GRACE BASED PARENTING, by Dr. Tim Kimmel). This is one of the most scriptually inspired parenting books I personally have ever read. I would encourage you to get the book)

Bless the Broken Road

This song had been in my head all week. I knew the Lord must be reminding me of it for a reason especially when I heard it on the radio several times. In addition, I came across a CD I have had for months by SELAH that I did not open until this morning. I remembered that I had it, but I did not realize this song, "Bless the Broken Road" was on this CD.

The woman who wrote this song shares the testimony that she did not marry the man who was to be her husband until she was 34. She shares about her frustration of waiting for a husband and that she continually had to give God the reigns in this area. Along the broken road she knew that God was in control.

Everytime I hear this song, it reminds me of how I found God along so many bumps and cracks in the road. Those flaws in the highway even knocked me off the prefererd path God had for me. But He was always there waiting for me to turn to Him in my desperate moments of anguish and heartache. He rescued me and set me back on the road. I love the words to this song.

" EVERY LONG LOST DREAM LED ME TO WHERE YOU ARE
OTHERS WHO BROKE MY HEART
THEY WERE JUST NORTHERN STARS
POINTING ME ON MY WAY
INTO YOUR LOVING ARMS
THIS MUCH I KNOW IS TRUE
GOD BLESS THE BROKEN ROAD
THAT LED ME STRAIGHT TO YOU."

This is just one verse in the song. But if you listen to the words it really describes how God pursues us to save us. His passion for us is more than I can bear at times. He romances us all through our lives. And the road is truly blessed, no matter how broken, that leads us into deeper places with Him. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

ISAIAH 40:4

Every valley shall be exalted, And every mountain and hill brough low, the CROOKED places shall be made straight, And the rough places smooth.

I also want to dedicate this blog to Sara, my daughter who is eleven years old today. You are a treasure to my heart, a priceless gift from God. Happy Birthday. I love you.


Click on the you tube at the top of this page to listen to the song, BLESS THE BROKEN ROAD. Make sure you click on the first box to see the words as the song plays.

The Idea Verses the Reality

Everything and anything that relates to having a relationship with God is enough to set me off. I am not talking about anger, but excitement and pursuit. Yes, I am a Jesus freak. Some may say, "You are too heavenly minded to be any earthly good." Oh well. That is just an opinion.

You know, there are some people who want to get married because they are in love with the idea and the concept of being in a relationship and getting married. The idea of it is attractive. Then there are those who desire to marry because they really want the relationship and they will go to any ends to pursue the presence of the one they love so deeply.

There are many people who say they know and believe in God because the idea is interesting and attractive to them. However, we must not confuse the idea of loving God to the reality of loving God. We must be careful not to seek His presence for the wrong reasons. We must guard our motives for He is a holy God as His intentions toward us are pure....pure love and devotion.

There were times in my life when I read my bible and studied its contents not because I wanted to find out about His heart and to pursue His presence, but I just wanted to add to my knowledge and have things to say to others that sounded good and spiritual. I thought that if I did not have something to say to add to a discussion or conversation, then I was not being spiritual. Also, I loved the idea of being in love with God because I was thinking of all that relationship would do for me. Anytime you enter into any relationship with the idea of what it can do for you, you are setting yourself up for voids that will never be filled. For me, this was a religious spirit that I know was not pleasing to God. However, we serve a God who does not waste. May I say He is thrifty?

I believe all the times I thought I was being spiritual by getting into the word just to gain knowledge, the Lord knew where I would be. And the greatest thing was that He still delighted in me. The words that went in did not go to waste because I thought I was doing the right thing. In my mind , I was doing the spiritual things. Even though my motive was tainted, He in His mercy took
what I had to give and enriched the soil of my heart for later planting and revelation of His love and grace.

The reason I am sharing all of this is because as a mother I want my children as well as others who are in my life to be ready for this season that God wants to come and reveal more of Himself to us. He is a holy God. This means He is perfect, pure and unlike anyone. He is set apart from all others.

However, He is so good and full of grace that He wants to rip open the heavens within you and show you more of Himself. He wants to give more revelation. However it is not about revelation , it is about relationship. Yes we have heard this over and over. But we must ask ourselves, "Is my relationship with God a reality or an idea?

The reality is that God is coming in greater ways this year. He is inviting all to be recipients of the greater measure He wants to bring to us. Maybe you are in the place of "the idea". You are drawn to the concept of having the reality of a closer relationship with God, but you know you do not genuinely live in it. You are not experiencing it and you really do not have a true desire. There is no condemnation for you are in Christ and He is in you. All you need to do is stand before Him and simply ask, "Lord, I love the idea of being passionate for you and I want to have the desire, but it is not there. Will you Lord, give me the desire to pursue Your presence? Dear ones, this is worship. Bless the Lord Oh my soul and all that is within me (Psalm 103:1). If all you have is the idea of being intimate with the Lord, give it to Him. He is pleased with your offering of honesty. Be encouraged and be expectant because you are entering a quest for a real, yes I MEAN REAL, encounter with God. Is this mystical? Yes. Is mystical real? Yes. Is a mystical God practical? Yes. He is a real and mystical God who is getting ready to show up. You only have to ask. Get ready to receive!

Thrones or Thorns?

The other day I was reading a devotion which stated, "The ministry of THORNS has often been a greater ministry to humankind that the ministry of THRONES. For some reason these two words have continued to stick within my heart and mind. What would I choose? Would I choose to sit on a throne of ease and comfort in this life and never feel or experience any pain or disappointment? Or would I rather have a position to touch another life and to feel one's pain because I have thorns myself?

How can I truly encourage others and be a vessel of hope in this world if I never had a thorn? Satan wants to crown us with many thorns just as Jesus was crowned with the same. The enemy has set about to pierce our minds with daggers of lies that God is not for us. Our adversary also wants to discredit us so that we will be of no influence.

However, we are more than conquers through Christ Jesus. Everything that the enemy uses to flatten us and to damage us is merely pavement for the road God is constructing in our lives to lead us to victory. In the storms of this life, we can use the winds to our advantage. An eagle does this very thing. He sits upon the ledge of a mountain and waits. When the storm approaches, he soars and uses the stongest wind currents to help lift him to a higher place. We too have the opportunity to be like the eagle. As we wait upon the Lord in the midst of the storm, He will enable us to use the winds to lift us above the storm that we may fly above the clouds.

What are some thorns you are suffering today? Maybe you are struggling in a relationship or have financial struggles. You may be facing an illness or have lost a loved one recently. It could be a weakness in your soul such as rejection, depression or loneliness. Jesus wore a crown of thorns for a greater reason than the obvious mocking and humilition He received. Paul had a thorn in the flesh for a greater purpose than just a physical weakness. These lives demonstrated that God will bring us to a place of victory if we choose not to lose. He said we are more than conquerers through Him who loves us. (Romans 8:37)

When we claim victory in ourselves we set ourselves up for thrones of pride and self sufficiency. These thorns are damamging to us as well as to others. However, when we claim victory through Christ, calling to Him constantly and leaning upon Him moment by moment, our thorns then become a throne that is everlasting. I like to think of it as a THRONE OF THORNS. May our thorns be turned into thrones of hope for others. May the briers of our lives pierce our hearts to release a gush of love that others so need in their distress and plight. As painful as it is at times, I choose thorns. Jesus' crown of thorns was transformed to crowns of glory...the Glory of the Father. May we all choose to allow our thorns to be a ministry unto our Lord and to others. So what will it be? Thrones or Thorns?


CROWN HIM THE VIRGIN'S SON
THE GOD INCARNATE BORN,
WHOSE ARM THOSE CRIMSON TROPHIES WON
WHICH NOW HIS BROW ADORN;
FRUIT OF THE MYSTIC ROSE,
AS OF THAT ROSE THE STEM;
THE ROOT WHENCE MERCY EVERY FLOWS,
THE BABE OF BETHLEHEM.

(From the hymn, Crown Him with Many Crowns)