Do Good Anyway

In the course of our lives, we will run across quotes, books, movies and songs that move us, challenge us and inspire us. They serve as the gas to get us closer to God.

I wanted to share with you one of my favorite pieces of inspirational writing, a poem, by Mother Teresa. It's called, 'Do It Anyway,' which has just enough gas to get us to our Destination.

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may often accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

~Mother Teresa

This did not speak volumes to me. The knowledge, wisdom, faith and truth spoke whole libraries to me! What we have to realize is this-- there are a lot of jerks in the world, but as Christians we can instead look at it in another way . . . there are a lot of lost people in this world. The thing I've found is LOST people act lost, so it should come as no surprise when people are ugly to us for seemingly no reason at all. Should it?

My Dad, @CowboySpirit, has taught me, and encouraged me, to love people with absolutely NO expectations at all. Love them because Jesus, who is Love, inhabits your being. He overtakes your body, your Earthly vessel, so much so that no matter how people 'treat' you . . . you always respond in love! You do nice things for people not expecting anything back. In fact, if you do something for someone just to get something back . . . you really need to check your heart because your motives aren't motivated by love! The truest litmus test of character is doing something out of the goodness of your heart-- not expecting, or seeking, any recognition. It's giving something-- your time, love, energy and fellowship-- to someone who has nothing to offer in return.

Love always requires sacrifice and putting the recipient's needs, wants and desires above your own. It's putting an action with your words. It's simply wanting to make that person's day better in that moment. It's adding sun rays, Sonshine, to their day no matter how dark of a place they're in or how blue their life's skies are! It's uplifting words, words of encouragement, smiles, hugs and just attention, and validation, we all need.

I am LEARNING how to take things more with a grain of salt. Praise, criticism, being treated well or being treated terribly, responding the same way in indifference or in love, but doing my best not to react or do what is has been done to me. Be more like a duck and let their hurtful words and actions be the water that goes flying off your back!

Through forgiving someone, and asking someone to forgive you, there is great freedom, so let things go . . . life is too short not to! It's not easy to have the self-control to respond to cruel behavior in the right fashion, but it definitely worth it. For God sees!!

"You are my friends if you do what I command." (John 15:14) What is that command? Look at verse 17-- "This is my command: to love each other." What a radical, yet nonetheless, powerful thought!! Do I have this perfected? HARDLY, but God, through me, is making strides in this area.

Am I offended when someone is rude to me for no reason? When someone acts hateful toward me when I've done nothing to deserve it? Of course I am. I am human, when someone is ugly to me it hurts my feelings, it temporarily angered me . . . as in past tense. But what we have to understand is what Jesus said was and will always be true! The world will HATE us the same way it hated, and hates, Him (John 15:18-25).

Look at Jesus' words and it will come as no great surprise, or no surprise, at all when we are treated as outcasts.

Verses 18 and 19. "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as it's own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."

But then look at verse 25 "But this is fulfill what is written in their law: 'They hated me WITHOUT REASON.'

So we should not EXPECT people to be nice to us, but we should assume the exact opposite. We get spoiled into thinking we aren't supposed to be ridiculed, shunned, disappointed and treated badly, but the reality is without expectations of how we're SUPPOSED to be treated . . . there is no disappointment.

Hurt people do what? They hurt! And let's face it . . . there are many, many hurt people in our daily lives. What's the easy thing to do when someone hurts you? That's right-- to hurt them back, but the 'easy' thing to do is never the right thing to do. It's not about what the offender 'deserves' ; it's about being who God intended you to be! After all, we didn't 'deserve' mercy, grace, forgiveness and love, but thankfully that didn't stop God from extending it when all we REALLY deserved was death.

It's not just about when someone treats you badly . . . it's also about being who God created you to be-- being who YOU ARE! It's no coincidence the Bible says we are made in His image (Genesis 1:27). With that being the case; we are made out of Love, to love, to share His love!

I encourage you to pray John 3:30 over your lives every day-- More Jesus to fill your body, your vessel, and less of yourself. Only through dying to ourselves, see Romans chapter 6, can He, through us, allow us to obey the Golden Rule. A big part of the Christian walk is taking up our cross (Luke 9:23) and sharing in the suffering of Christ (Romans 8:17). It's not fun, but it is what we are called to do.

There will always be people who speak destructive words instead of words brimming with life. There will always be words filled with doubt, fear and hate not of faith, courage and love. There will always be people telling you you can't do something as opposed to encouraging you to achieve those special goals you have in mind. There will always be those telling you to be realistic when you want nothing more than to chase your dreams.

They can easily steal your joy if you let them. They can certainly chip away at the peace, which has been given to you, that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

But remember, it's not about them . . . it is between you and God, so DO GOOD ANYWAY!!''

He has shown you, O' mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Gonna Get Mine . . . Gonna Give God His

I was faced with a decision. To me, it wasn't much of a decision at all. I am going to get mine. That's it-- short and to the point. No, I am going to give the Lord His!

With boldness, I asked my employer if I could have church hours off on Sundays and with equal boldness they said no. They told me I was granted every other Sunday off-- a 'compromise.' While 'fair' in some people's eyes . . . to me, I was left wanting more. But more than resentment toward them for not letting me off until 12:30 or 1 p.m.; I focused on how I could get and give what I NEEDED and that was Jesus.

There have been many times I've voluntarily missed church and when I say many I mean MANY, but that was a different season of my life. I've changed. Now, I can't get enough of Him. I pray often, I read the Word every day, I seek Him in the big matters of life and in the small details as well. It's a hunger I've never felt before. More insatiable of a desire than the lust for sex and women that permeated my life for years. More insatiable than any desire I've ever had.

What would I do? What could I do? I mean my hands were tied. If I refused to work on Sundays then I would be fired. Then it dawned on me-- I would go on my lunch break! I'm not sharing this with you to get pats on the back or to get any glory or recognition. I felt compelled to share this because it's AWESOME to see that's not only where I am in life, but it's more importantly WHO I AM and it has nothing to do with being religious or seeming holy, because Lord knows I've been anything but holy at various points of my walk with Christ.

I am going to get mine and I am going to give Him His. What does that mean? I am going to press through the throngs of people just to touch the hem of Jesus' garment. (Luke 8:40-48) I'm not going to let my flesh, my girlfriend, my job, my pain, my anger, my emotions, my feelings or my doubt hold me back. I am not going to let my PAST, especially my past, hold me back from reaching the Way, the Truth and the Life. I look at each one of those as obstacles to keeping me from reaching the destination I know He has for me. I include my girlfriend because it's so easy to let the person, or people, we love the most distract us. It's easy, yet nonetheless dangerous, to let our significant other distract us from what should be our No. 1 pursuit (God). And when we do, we give them lordship over our lives without even realizing it. I've told her many times I want to be her No. 2 biggest fan. NOBODY no matter how much we may try can fill the physiological needs of L.A.W.S. (Love Acceptance Worth and Security) like Jesus. It can be our spouse, our children or other family members. He belongs on the throne of our hearts . . . no one else!

The thing is I KNOW when I touch the hem of His garment . . . that's when my faith will be realized, when the impossible becomes possible, when what others looked at and scoffed at my God says, Piece of cake!' But to me-- getting mine-- is about so much more than just spending time with Him. It's about making sure the people in my life get their's too! I believe I will be married and have children and I honestly believe what greater privilege and honor, as the head of the household, is there than to make sure YOUR house gets their's?!? What's the key? Knowing YOU can't do it, but the key is Christ through you CAN! So simple, yet often overlooked and hidden from view by the enemy.

We often think of a man as the 'provider' yet it's not hard to look around and see the No. 1 provision we should, and are commissioned to, make we entirely neglect. You can make all the money in the world yet if you aren't making sure your wife and kids are getting their spiritual needs met, then you are indeed poor. As for me and my house; we WILL serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15) and no matter how much $$ we have; we will be rich in the things that matter! Praying with, and over, your wife, saying your prayers with, and over, your children, even worshiping together are all essential to not giving the devil a foothold to infiltrate your home. If you give him a place; He WILL destroy it.

It's YOUR territory . . . it's your turf . . . it's your ground-- DEFEND IT!

Gonna Give Him His

Our walks with the Lord are about so much more than blessings. Yet many seek God's hand instead of His face. He is NOT Santa Claus. Are blessings nice? Of course-- it shows God has heard your prayers and has provided things you have asked, but shouldn't we be more consumed with wanting to BLESS HIM vs. getting BLESSED? Jesus died on the cross for us, so honestly if He never does anything else for us, don't worry He WILL, the rest of our lives; Has he not already done more than we deserve?

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

That's what church is about to me. It's me giving Him what he so rightly deserves! For new life (salvation), for waking me up this morning, for my health, for my family, for my job, for my gifts, for my talents, for my money and possessions I praise Him! But I praise and I worship Him also for who He is!! I praise Him for being faithful, for being loving, for always having my best interests at heart even when I can't see how He's possibly working it for His good. I praise Him for His very nature. He is GREAT . . . no matter our circumstances, the adversity and hardship in our lives or the pain we feel. He is bigger!!

Rushing to be in God's house for 45 minutes, in my work clothes and hat, wasn't about drawing attention to myself . . . it was about ALL those times when it came to me making sure I got mine in terms of satisfying my flesh. It was about all the times I made sure I gave the Devil his. No I was never a 'devil worshiper,' but I sure have, with my actions, worshiped the devil. Why else did Jesus say you can't serve two masters? To serve is to pledge your allegiance to in any relationship. It's giving a part of yourself to the entity you are doing acts of service for.

When I set out to get drunk; I got mine. When I set out to get high; I got mine. When I set out to meet my physical needs, which led to acts of sexual perversion; I made sure I got mine, so NOW I will make sure Almighty God gets His in my life!

We have largely become such an ungrateful people; there seems to be only a remnant of believers who don't have amnesia. Have you forgotten what He snatched you out of? The place Jesus delivered you from? I know I haven't. I am instantly brought to tears when I think of how I have treated Him and how He not only loved me through it, but how He loved me enough to pursue me and once I let Him catch me how He loved me like I had never left!!

Me? I know I'm a sinner. But I also know my 'old man' is no more! (2nd Cor. 5:17) I know in Christ there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1). God not only has blotted out my trangressions, my sins, He remembers them NO MORE (Isaiah 43:25). He has separated my sin as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12) and casts them down onto the bottom of the ocean floor (Micah 7:19) and if my God does ALL those things . . . then the very least I can do is.

GIVE HIM HIS!

The Inconvenient Truth

Since Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life . . . wait a second, rewind that! See that second word? He is the TRUTH. With that being the case; you would think His followers would be able to better deal with the truth. Honesty and holding someone accountable is not being judgmental-- it's part of our Christian walk.

The truth is we as Christians want as much of Jesus as possible and desire to have everything He will give us as long as He doesn't inconvenience our lives! That's what I call the inconvenient truth. Why do I believe this? Because I used to be one of the worst. Who knows how many years I talked about wanting to get involved in the community, give back, go on mission trips and be a servant. There was only one problem-- you can't be selfish, prideful and inconsiderate and also walk in humility, thoughtfulness and altruism.

I've worked diligently over the past couple of years of letting God mold me into being less ME, ME, ME, but it's really just been this year where I started to embrace the notion I was TRULY second. It's not that I cared any less about me or lowered my self-worth by coming to his conclusion. In fact, it was just the opposite-- because I have begun to grasp my self-worth, started to answer the call on my life and have let God take a look under the hood and begin to make my engine (Spirit) run better; I've come to the realization what truly matters is putting others above ourselves. (J.O.Y- Jesus Others Yourself).

At the urging of my best friend Sara, I started volunteering at the local Christian Ministry soup kitchen. After talking about it for years, I finally took the plunge and diving into the waters of benevolence has been one of the most rewarding things I've ever experienced! These waters have baptized me into a life of greater purpose. If you want to truly test your motives and purity of heart . . . do something for someone who has nothing to offer in return. In doing so, you will find a rare and special type of fulfillment. That's a guarantee.

See, I am concerned. It's like the Casting Crowns song says, "If we are the body (of Christ), why aren't His arms reaching? I believe the reason is-- it's not convenient. The greatest directive our Savior gave us, after loving Him, was to love our neighbors as ourselves and treat them the way we want to be treated also known as the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12). I feel we are treading on very dangerous ground brothers and sisters. In a 'feel good,' instant gratification society, many have adopted that same attitude in their walk with Christ. They just want to feel good! That, in and of itself, is not a bad thing, but what I've learned, primarily through Jesus' 33 years on this earth, is love is not love without sacrifice. Can you love without giving up something? Can you love without putting the other person's needs, wants, desires and dreams in front of your own?

After all, don't you think the Creator of the Universe, who sent His son to die for you, deserves at least that much?

Many of us, in the body, want everything God has to offer us, except the privilege of sharing in His suffering. That's where we draw the line! It's in our trials, tests and tribulations, in our suffering, we find dependency on Him. It's during those times we are finally honest with ourselves and admit we don't have ALL the answers.The reality of our Christian walk is it's not supposed to be easy, but it is meant to be rewarding. I believe there is an epidemic in our churches-- we want to feel good for an hour and a half, we want God's blessings, but when it's time for us to put the work in . . . we want none of it. I know there are many who devote their lives to service, serve the poor in their cities, towns and in foreign lands and love the downtrodden, but to put it bluntly most Christians just want a 'cake walk.'

We just want to 'feel good.' We want to get caught up in a feeling of euphoria. Do we want each word we sing to be doused in love, adoration and gratitude for our Heavenly Father when we worship or do we just want to find an emotional high we can carry throughout the week? We want God to have control of our lives except for this area or that one-- as long as He doesn't step on our toes, change our attitude about that one person or make me look like some freak and turn me into an outcast; we're all for Him working in our lives! Don't even get me started on how much we hate the thought of God asking us to sacrifice anything for the sake of the Kingdom. We don't want to sacrifice-- not OUR money, not OUR time, not OUR energy and not OUR resources. . . even though it's NOT our's to begin with and never will be (James 1:17).

If you love Jesus; that love compels you to serve Him, to obey Him, to please Him. . . to do more! It's not about your salvation, that was purchased through unmerited Grace through the Great Sacrifice, and it's not even about storing up treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:20)-- it's about knowing there is not a better feeling this life can afford than being obedient to God and making Him smile.

Life is about trifold blessings-- when we do for others-- they bless Him, bless the recipients of our acts of love and we get blessed as result. To see someone who has very little light up just because you gave a little bit of your time. To hear a homeless person tell you thank you profusely and how much they appreciated the meal. To bring people in out of the rain and feed them the only warm meal they will eat that week. To live those moments is to find true love. To live those moments is to look straight into the eyes of Jesus.

I encourage you to find the courage, the time (yes you have it) and enough love for Jesus to sacrifice. When you do . . . You will find more purpose, more faith, more character, more perspective and what this life is truly all about.

In short, you will find the TRUTH and not an inconvenient one.

The Walls Come Tumbling Down

Within the month, after more job applications filled out and places of employment visited, at the urging of my girlfriend; I reached out to Lowe's one more time.

I was supposed to hear from one of the managers and I hadn't yet, so I reached back out to them again. But this time; something was different! I could sense it as soon as the assistant store manager Shelley picked up the phone. Although she was eating breakfast; she dropped what she was doing and told me about two jobs they had posted just minutes earlier.

I wasted no time. I jumped in the car, since the jobs weren't posted on the website yet, to go into the store to fill out the applications . . . I was standing in the store in a nice shirt and jeans within 20 minutes. It was a Monday. Before I left the store, with tears in my eyes, I told Shelley how grateful I was for the oppportunity to interview as she assured me I would at least have that.

This was only the second interview I had been granted and the first one for a full-time job in since I had lost my job. I heard from Shelly six days later, telling me I had an interview the next day-- I was ecstatic!

Most of the time when I pray; I pray for God's will to be done, but I do believe there are times in our lives when He wants us to step out in faith, saying, "Lord, I know You are going to move on my behalf. I am not asking for anything excessive. You say You will give me the desires of my heart if I delight myself in You. That's what I've been doing, so I believe you are going to give me this."

That's what I did. I had marched around these walls for six days and I was believing Monday was the day they would come crashing down! I had marched around these walls for over four years-- through the loss of my job, loss of lives and loss of relationships depression (the only one I've ever experienced in my life)-- and this was the moment I was going to seize not what I deserved, but what I believed God was going to be so gracious to give me.

My approach to my interview was CX4-- Christ, Cool, Calm and Collected. It was two parts-- two managers taking 30 minutes apiece to drill you. In the interview, I was told it was the best interview she had conducted in 13 years. That's what happens when you put your faith, and trust, in God . . . He does exceedingly more than anything we could dream, ask or imagine! (Ephesians 3:20).

Never in my wildest dreams, would I have pictured me getting the job on the SAME DAY I interviewed for it, but that is exactly what happened! All of the prayers, all of the tears, all of the sleepless hours, all of the frustration and all of the discouragement were WORTH it-- the monkey, no one thousand pound gorilla, was off my back! As I was officially offered the job; I cried . . . slow, sweet tears of JOY and gratitude. Feeling the tears flow down my face was one of the best feelings I've ever felt in my life.

My family showered me with love, telling me how proud they were of me. Their words made me feel great. I love making them proud of me. I don't always need their validation, but any time I receive it . . . it always means the world to me! After I had soaked in their praise, I couldn't wait to tell my girlfriend Sara.

When I got to her house; I could barely hold in my excitement. I handed her my work schedule and asked if she had left her work schedule in my car. She looked at it, studied it for a minute, before handing it back to me. "No, that's not mine," she said. "It looks like your handwriting," she followed up as she awaited my response.

"That's because it is MINE," I said smiling.

"You're kidding. Are you serious!?!"

"I'm not. I'm serious . . . I told you I was going to do it this month and I did."

"I am SOOOOOO proud of you. That's awesome!!," she said.

I was so grateful. Without her encouragement, and direction, I never would've followed back up with Lowe's after already doing so once. She had lit a fire under my butt. She had pushed me to reach my potential because she cares about me and about us. She wants to know I will help provide when that day comes we are a family and that I will meet her at least halfway in every area, what a job is symbolic of, and I am more than happy to do just that. I also was excited about how a good job, with a proven company, would impact my girlfriend, her kids and me in the future. There were not enough words to reflect my gratitude to her and my family who believed in and pushed me along the way, but being able to tell them, and us sharing in that special moment, was the best 'Thank You' I could offer.

With as much love and respect as disgust and frustration, in earlier conversations, which were meant to motivate me, she lavished me and I soaked in every single minute, every single second! Each of her words were like small hugs wrapping their arms around my heart and telling me how special I was. There are few things I enjoy more in life than making her smile. I'll never forget that moment-- the moment where the one I love the most and I overcame our first major obstacle!

It was a milestone moment, a benchmark, it was the moment the walls came tumbling down!

Marching Around the Walls

When I was given the choice of resigning or being terminated I didn't think much of it. Sure it was disappointing, but with a good resume, solid work to showcase and my charismatic personality, I wouldn't be out of work long.

Then days became weeks, weeks become months and before I knew it months had turned into a year and then two. At times I was very pro-active in my job search and other times, because I hadn't even had so much as a sniff, I wasn't at all. It was a vicious cycle. The more I heard nothing . . . the more likely I was to just sit on my butt and not do anything to try to find a job.

Frustrated, sad, ticked off and way past discouraged; I would often cry before I went to sleep and sometimes during the day as well. When was something going to work out. Finally, I got a breakthrough! As I signed the acceptance of my job as a proofreader, I was ecstatic . . . so much so that when my boss walked out of his office to make a copy of it tears rolled down my cheeks. My tears of sadness had become tears of joy-- what a blessing!

Then a year later my 30 hours got cut. "No big deal," I thought. Then weeks later, bam, they were cut again. After the third cut, which cut into my spirit just as much as my hours, I was left with 12 hours! Almost back in the same boat as before.

Only this time I was more determined. Fifteen, 20, 25 30 applications. Phone calls made, cover letters sent, emails in their inboxes. Going to indeed.com had become a staple of most of my days. NOTHING. Arrrrgggh, it was happening again. I felt like God had put me right on the verge of the Promise Land and now here I was back in the desert. Over the course of several months, I had one interview and it went extremely well, but when they informed me it may only be for 10-15 hours per week; I was not interested.

Do You See Me God?

Many nights I cried myself to sleep. Some may say that's soft, but I just felt like it was all hopeless! Even though my Mom had been my life-jacket financially and rescued me from drowning; I was drowning emotionally.

I continued to pray, kept tithing more than 10 percent every Sunday and kept believing a miracle was on its way (it just was stuck in traffic). I found hope, direction and the strength to endure in my Bible readings and in my worship: in the car, here at home and at the gym, as set after set kept me sane and served as a good release.

In other words I kept marching . . . just like Joshua.

I knew God saw me. I knew He was catching each tear I cried (Psalm 56:8), but it really didn't feel like it. But my Dad told me, "Son, when things are still and it seems like nothing is happening that's when God is doing the most work behind the scenes. Hang in there." I was hanging, but with frustrations building within me, with my girlfriend and my family . . . it was only by a thread!

They all were praying along me, and wanted the best for me, but saw nothing happening. The worst feeling was it wasn't due to lack of effort. I was doing my part. I was putting my feet to the pavement and beating down the proverbial bushes. Still NOTHING. Mad enough to scream, sad enough to tear is how Eminem said it in "Rock Bottom" and that's exactly how it felt.

My girlfriend had two separate conversations with me meant to light a fire under my butt. She knows my potential and could see me not realizing it . . . not when it came to a job or realizing my dreams as a writer. The first conversation did exactly that. The second one, which took place several months later, served that purpose, but each word were like fiery darts with each striking my spirit and hitting my heart. I was a wounded warrior. Not a victim and she wasn't the bad guy. I just had no answers for her. I knew her words were said out of love and draped in encouragement in a 'tough love' sort of way, but I was just as fed up as she was.

I just listened.

And while I did, through the tears forming in my eyes, I silently cried out to God. I deeply love this woman and if I EVER lose her; I sure as heck don't want it to be because of something I had little control over (as all you can do is your part). Please help me Lord! You aren't just the Way-Maker; You are the Way . . not just the Truth-Teller; You are the Truth . . not just the Life-Giver; You are LIFE. I believe.

Despite any evidence; I continued to believe. Isn't that what faith is!?!

YOU ARE born to fly!! By Teena Griffin and John Mark Brooks

I have had this butterfly picture for weeks. I knew that it would be given to you eventually, but today is the day I awakened feeling it was time to give it to you! I am slowly learning that when the Holy Spirit prompts me to do something, I do it even when I don't understand why! I also feel I should share with you the importance of the butterfly in my life.

The Change

The butterfly has always been a beautiful creature to me. However, in the last few years (especially the last seven months) I have come to really appreciate the true beauty of the butterfly and it's more than what it is on the outside. The butterfly hasn't always been the beautiful creature that flits and flutters for all of creation to enjoy. It was once a caterpillar that was often overlooked and sometimes even squashed! Many caterpillars never even make it to the butterfly stage! However, some do.

When they begin to go through "the change" it is a dark and painful process. They are literally encompassed in a dark cocoon. Maybe to the caterpillar they think their life is over. Maybe they want to give up. Maybe they think they have no hope. OR maybe they realize they are surrounded by darkness and things have to get better. They don't know what lies around the corner, they just know that it is in their heart not to give up even when it seems they have literally been buried alive. It is in their darkest moments that they realize that God has given them heart to fly. (Even though they don't have a clue what that means.)

Eventually, they begin to emerge from their darkness with a new hope and resolution. It is a difficult process and they are still so weak and frail, but they know what their Creator has created them to do and they refuse to give up hope. Once they have emerged, they are so excited! "I have wings. I can fly. I can do this!" Until they hear that small voice say, "Be patient. It's not time."

Not Time to Fly~ Time to Dry

The butterfly has to go through a drying process. Their wings aren't ready for them to use. Eager to do what they were created to do, they are halted once again by their inability. Again, they have to be patient and wait on their Creator. And finally the time comes!

What the Father Comes to Say

Our Heavenly Father looks at the butterfly and says, "It is time for you to be what you were created to be. The beautiful creature that you have been all along! Now, fly butterfly, fly!"

What an AMAZING story of the butterfly and the Creator! However, the story doesn't end there. The average adult butterfly only lives two weeks and in those two weeks they have to travel thousands of miles when they migrate. But they never stop being the creature they were created to be. They don't lose their focus by worrying about the little time they have left as a beautiful butterfly. They do not stress on the difficulty that they will have in their lives.

 Tattered, but STILL They Fly!

Their wings may become tattered because of another insect or animal preying on them, but STILL THEY FLY! They may fight the winds that blow against them, but they still fly. They do not know from moment to moment what their lives hold; all they do know is their Creator told them, and made them, to fly-- so they fly!

Thank you for taking the time to read the story of the butterfly and why it's important to me. I hope it touches your life as much as it has touched mine! You are loved. GRACIE @HisGraciE

Teena Griffin

~~~~~ Why this story meant so much to me~~~~~

I was broken. My spirit was broken, my heart was broken, I felt abandoned and alone. I couldn't even listen to words of encouragement without crying . . . because I didn't feel I deserved them and because they touched me so deeply. This story, along with looking at the picture, was something I read numerous times because I knew then what I know now-- I was CREATED to fly!!

It doesn't matter how long I was in the cocoon . . . it doesn't matter how long it took for my wings to dry and it certainly doesn't matter how long my life is-- ALL THAT MATTERS is the Creator has told me to fly, so I WILL! The picture and her heart-felt letter both meant the world to me. A dear friend and member of my family, as she is my Dad's, twitter handle @CowboySpirit, fiancee, had taken the time out of her schedule to speak AWESOME, powerful words of life (Proverbs 18:21) into my life and that was not something I took lightly or take lightly as I read this story!

During that dark point in my life, they came over to my house and encouraged me through investing time, energy, effort and love in me through telling me they believed in me and that ultimately I was going to be OK! They helped get me through the tunnel.

See, you can take this to the bank. You can always count on a few things: death, takes, that Jesus loves you and how FAR God can take SMALL acts/steps of obedience. In this case, His words, through Teena, mended my broken heart and spirit. They didn't make everything instantly OK, but they gave me something that had long been missing . . . HOPE. They were the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. When you are in the tunnel; you feel alone, desperate, not worthy, frustrated, disenchanted, but when you see the light . . . praise God when you see the light, then you have HOPE, you have comfort, you have faith everything is going to be OK!!

Any time, we are obedient and any time we speak words of life, vessels of positivity, into someone else's life . . . we provide that light! What an amazing thought and profound truth-- how great an honor!! So today, help someone else fly-- you may not have known this until now, but helping someone else fly is part of YOUR FLIGHT!

"The quickest way to realize your own dreams is by helping someone else reach their's." @BishopJakes T.D. Jakes

I've Broken Them All

The next time you think you on a spiritual mountain top, I encourage you to think of The Ten Commandments. That's a great idea, you say, it's always good to mentally-review the checkpoints that helped you reach the summit. How can you appreciate the peak, to the fullest extent, if you don't first look back, and reflect, on how you arrived there.

You know what? That is exactly the the polar opposite reason I'm asking you to reflect on The Ten Commandments. Few things, in my spiritual walk, have been as humbling as going through The Ten Commandments not to see how many I have obeyed, but to count how many I have broken.

Guess what I found? I have broken EVERY SINGLE ONE-- that's right, the holy and sacred directives God gave to Moses . . . I was GUILTY of breaking them ALL!!

1. You shall have no other gods before me-- there have been many times in my life, I've elevated family, friends and things onto the throne of lordship of my life. GUILTY.

2. You shall not make for yourself any carved image, or any likeness that is in Heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bown down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love me and keep my commandments. GUILTY.

3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

It's not something I've done many times in my life, but I remember in middle school when I would get real mad . . . I would say God damnit-- something now that is one of my biggest pet peeves when I hear it, along with Jesus Christ, Christ, God, swear to God, etc. I hate hearing my Savior's name taken in vain, and used in ANY way except ways to honor Him, revere Him and exalt Him, but you know what? I've done it myself! GUILTY

4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is within them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

I don't know about you, but there have been many times I've done yard work or the duties of my job on Sunday, so without a shadow of a doubt . . . GUILTY

5. Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

There have been WAY too many times, I've disgraced myself and my parents through disobedience-- disobedience to the Lord, disobedience to them and disrespect to them. GUILTY

6. You shall not murder.

When I stumbled upon this one . . . I thought FINALLY, I found one I haven't committed, but . . . the reality of it is if we commit the sin in our minds; it's the same as actually doing it, so much to my chagrin I found myself in a familiar place. GUILTY

7. You shall not commit adultery.

The old me did this on more than one occasion. Not something I am proud of, but something I have learned from. Cheating on your wife or messing around with someone who is married leaves you feeling one thing and one thing only-- empty! GUILTY

8. You shall not steal.

We often think of stealing as in possessions, and while that's true, there are other things you can steal. Not using your potential, squandering minutes, hours, days, weeks, that is stealing from the Lord and stealing from YOURSELF. I'm sure I stole things when I was a little kid, and I've definitely robbed God through not tithing and through throwing away days. In either case. Once again . . . GUILTY

9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Although I pride myself on being honest with people, it would be a complete and TOTAL lie if I said I haven't lied in the past, don't lie presently (try not to) and will lie in the future. Am I a compulsive liar, or habitual one, no I'm not, but I definitely have been a liar in my lifetime: to God, to myself and to others. GUILTY

10. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife; nor his manservant; nor his maidservant; nor his ox; nor his donkey; nor anything of your neighbor's.

A PERFECT, or in this case IMPERFECT 10 for 10, I've coveted what other people have a lot! In recent years, I've tried to do a better job concentrating on the blessings that do fill my life vs. focusing on the things I don't have, but it's very easy to focus on everyone's little red bouncing ball instead of being content and grateful for what you DO have! GUILTY

That's a WHOLE LOT OF GUILT, but here is the GREAT NEWS God loves me and sent Jesus to die for my sins (past, present and future ones). He did the same for YOU! I think God made these Ten Commandments so easily broken to show us, while he appreciates obedience, loves hearts after His own and wants the best for us, one thing: we are SINFUL. That's not a copout, and I believe we shouldn't abuse grace, but it's the truth. We as humans just don't get it right all that often. We are easily led astray, deceived and many times chase the 'wind' more than we chase after the Lord.

I AM INNOCENT!

God paid a debt He didn't owe and one we could not pay when He sent Jesus to 'give us a way out' and reconcile us to Him. That's way past AMAZING!

"God sent His Son not to comdemn the world, but to save it!" John 3:17.

I don't need anyone to tell me what a fake, sinner, hypocrite I am, or have been, because I already know. If I could've saved myself; I wouldn't have been in need of a Savior and wouldn't need one now!

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." Ephesians 1:7 Hear that!? REDEMPTION.

Or Ephesians 2:13.

"But now you who were once far away have been brought near by the blood of Jesus Christ."

It doesn't say if you are addicted to drugs stay far away . . . if you are addicted to sex . . . stay over there . . . if you are a drunk . . . cheat . . . a liar . . . a thief. . . if you've been locked up-- NO praise God ALL, who want it, are brought near by the blood of Jesus! That's awesome!

Don't tell me God can't change a person. I used to be a SEX ADDICT. . chased satisfaction and instant gratification in many forms with many types of women. . was into porn-- the whole nine yards, but it's been over a year since I've had intercourse.

In that time span, I fell back in love with the most beautiful, inside and out, woman I've ever known. I've never respected someone as much, found someone to be so insatiable, been more attracted to someone, thought someone was as sexy and never desired someone the way I desire her. Her spirit, her mind, her body and her heart are some of the most beautiful sights I'll ever see, so you can imagine between my love for her, the attraction I feel toward her and my human needs how great the temptation is! But those doors will not darkened until our honeymoon-- not necessarily because that's what I want, but because my desire to please the Lord overrides, and trumps, what I want. God can, and WILL, redeem you! If you will let Him. He took a whore, that's how I treated myself at times, and has made him pure once more!!

The chains of addiction can BE broken if you come to Jesus. You don't have to keep losing battles you could be winning, but ONLY through God's strength!

Finally look at Romans 6:23.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

We ALL deserved death-- that's the BAD news! But the unbelievable, yet true, news is we ALL can receive eternal life. It's my hope, belief and prayer you will see NOTHING DISQUALIFIES YOU FROM COMING TO JESUS!!

You don't come to Jesus cleaned up; you come to Jesus to get cleaned up. Won't you come to Jesus?

Read this prayer if you want to ask Jesus into your heart for the first time or if you want to recommit your life to Him:

God I confess I am a sinner and can not free myself. I ask you Jesus to come into my heart as my Savior. Forgive me of my sins and help me forgive those who wrong me. Lord from this day forward guide me, protect me and bless me all for your glory. Keep me safe from the Devil and give me strength. AMEN.