Was It a Bad Day?

I’m thanking you, God, from a full heart, I’m writing the book on your wonders. I’m whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy; I’m singing your song, High God. ~ Psalm 9:1-2 MSG

Maybe your day went something like this: Your 20-minute drive to the doctor took 100 minutes because traffic was at a dead-stop on the interstate. And after leaving the office, you had to go to the bathroom really badly, so you stopped into a fast-food restaurant across the street (because you were too shy/embarrassed to ask to use the bathroom at your doctor’s office). But when you were ready to leave, you discovered the lock on your stall door was jammed. You perused your options: call for help, try to scale the stall wall, or drag yourself out underneath the door and pray you fit. You chose option #3, praying the whole time that no one would come in—not because you’d be embarrassed to be caught, but because the door would likely smash into your head upon their entry. You safely escape that episode, drive to your friend’s to pick-up your kids to take them home for nap time. Your day looks brighter now…until your almost 4-year-old gushes pee onto the floor in front of the toy bin. But she did it just for you because she didn’t want to have an accident on your new couch…

Drs. Cloud and Townsend define a boundary as a way of defining ownership of feelings, attitudes, and behaviors, because when we understand who owns what, we know who must take responsibility for it. I am responsible for my feelings, attitudes, and behaviors. Others can’t make me feel frustrated or happy. I am responsible to choose how I will respond to circumstances. That means, you can choose to laugh off the entire day—maybe even write about it as a way to encourage others—or sit down and cry, focusing only on the negative events. Which will you choose?

©Heather Potts 2016

Security

Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God, turn your backs on the world’s “sure thing,” ignore what the world worships ~ Psalm 40:4 MSG

People do the craziest things in their cars: shave, brush their teeth, even change clothes. Everyone does it, we climb inside a routine that makes us feel secure and invisible to others, when in reality, we are very exposed.

From July 2015 until last month, Brad was looking for work, the kind with set hours and set pay. Last October, Brad thought he’d found it. But that wasn’t God’s end-game and He closed the door. Though hurt and frustrated, Brad kept applying for the job we were certain we wanted: the safe kind, with set pay. After several more interviews and just as many closed doors, we were frustrated and confused. We begged God to lead us. In that time, He never failed to care for us, but it wasn’t how we thought it was supposed to look.

God did open one door. Two of Brad’s friends encouraged him to start his own business, which he did, and began doing small projects. At the beginning of this year, one of Brad’s friends submitted a bid for a project, an undertaking which was far beyond what he could manage on his own. He told Brad that if won the bid he would need to hire Brad to coordinate it for him. Was this really the direction God was sending us? Through a series of more closed doors with this being the only open door, God confirmed this was the direction He was leading us.

I recently told a friend that we never would have gone this route had the events of last year never occurred. It doesn’t offer any security; it doesn’t come with guaranteed work or guaranteed pay… But nothing is truly secure unless directed by and held in the hands of God. If you’re walking a path and the way seems unsure, submit yourself fully into God’s hands, for His is the only way that is truly secure.

©Heather Potts 2016

What It Needs

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. ~ James 1:5 NLT

When I started running, I quickly learned what my body needed. Some things were obvious, like stretching and hydrating, but not all things. I quickly learned that eating before running would make me sick. Maybe you’ve always been the athletic type and the things I learned through trial and error are obvious to you. Whether it’s in exercising or other areas, we won’t always have all the answers; we all need wisdom at some point.

1 Thessalonians 5 has some great wisdom:

Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part…Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs…Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out. Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens…Don’t suppress the Spirit, and don’t stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted with evil, (vv. 13-22, MSG).

How do we exercise the wisdom given? How can you be cheerful when your kids have poopy-painted their bedroom walls, toys, and bed? How do you thank God no matter what? This is where instruction and relationship meet. Just as watching how my body responded to my actions guided me through adjusting my habits, if we pay close attention to God’s leading, He will teach us how to follow His instructions. This isn’t a pass/fail test; it’s a relationship. His desire is for our success. If there’s something you need but can’t figure it out, ask God. He promises to give you the wisdom you need. So what do you need?

©Heather Potts 2016

Seedlings

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some…seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted…” ~ Mark 4:3, 8 NLT

Seedlings (in essence) are the sprouts that poke out of the ground, the product of planted seeds. A light bulb moment feels a lot like seedlings, the product of thoughts that have been planted over time which finally come together to illuminate the light bulb. But a light bulb is only enough light to brighten up a small area, it’s not enough to help you see the whole picture. And that’s where I feel like I’m at right now: God’s been planting all these little seeds—seeds of knowledge, wisdom, and truth—and they’ve been in the fertile soil long enough that they’ve planted roots and have begun the ascent toward the light. There’s no fruit on them yet. They certainly aren’t full-grown, but the idea has begun to sprout, the light has been turned on, and life is growing.

“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty,” (Jeremiah 15:16 NIV). For years, God’s been planting kernels of knowledge from His Word, anointed speakers, book studies, etc. and they keep bringing me back to the idea of bearing the Lord’s Name, being His bride, and being His daughter. I had a girl ask me a couple weeks ago why my last name was Potts. I told her it was because when I got married, I took on my husband’s name.  She then asked what the name meant. I said I don’t know…maybe it means, “Good cook.”

As the King’s daughter and the bride of Christ, I bear the Lord’s Holy Name. Shouldn’t I know what it means? Shouldn’t I know and walk in the power and authority that His Name carries with it? Spend some time with God, asking Him to show and teach you what it means to bear His Name.

©Heather Potts 2016

Nothing Wasted

God doesn’t waste your pain. ~ Tim Tebow

Ephesians 2:10 says we’ve been called for God’s good works and we are His poem. As a writer, I love that last part. But the enemy comes and spews his lies over me, saying, “Who are you?! They will see right through you, will see that you’re nothing! You’re not a Beth Moore or a Christine Caine. Who are you to tell your story?”

Jeremiah 15:19 has always resonated with me, “if you extract the precious from the worthless, You will become My spokesman.” In Romans 8:28, we’re assured that God causes all things to work together for our good. Not everything in our lives will be good—I have seen my share of pain and deep sorrows—but God is calling us to something greater. First, we must separate out the precious things from the worthless. In one hand we hold the lessons, blessings, times of growth, times of victory, times of walking closer with God and of being completely humble before Him. And in the other hand is everything else—this is the stuff we are to discard, never considering again. We are to give over to God the precious things and allow Him to finish working us into His masterpiece.

When the enemy lays out before me all the pain, hurt, suffering, failure, trials, mistakes, and heartbreaks and demands I give an explanation of who I think I am to dare share my story, it’s my turn to speak up:  I was created to be God’s love story, His poem. I choose to separate the precious from the worthless, casting off the spirit of fear and walking in the Spirit of life, power, love, and self-control, recognizing and fully receiving the truth that I have been adopted as His precious daughter. It’s true I’m not the women and authors I look up to, and that’s ok. I am a daughter of the King, which makes me a princess. I am God’s Princess! I am valued, treasured, loved, and precious in His sight. I don’t know who the world will say that I am and I refuse to listen to what the enemy says about me. Because my God, my Abba Father, says that I am His!

©Heather Potts 2016

Seeds of Victory

Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. ~ Joshua 1:1-9 MSG

Through Jesus, God has given us victory. We must take the seeds of victory He’s already planted and, following the instructions in His Word, help them grow into beautiful fruit-bearing plants. Joshua 1:1-9 gives us some of those keys.

All your life, no one will be able to hold out against you. ~ Joshua 1:5 MSG

Jesus said that because we are called by His Name, people will come against us (Matthew 5:11), but He also says that He has overcome the world, so we need not fear, (John 16:33).

I’ll be with you. I won’t give up on you; I won’t leave you. ~ Joshua 1:5 MSG

Over and over, God promises to never leave us, never abandon us, never forsake us. He says He is with us and He is for us, (Romans 8:31). On our good days and rough days, in our celebrations and our set-backs, He’ll be there. We need to reject the lies of the enemy that we will ever be abandoned or alone! Our Father God promises to never leave us. He is for us and He loves us!

Don’t get off track…get to where you’re going. And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. ~ Joshua 1:7-8 MSG

The enemy fights hard to steal the victory. But we have been given both power and authority to overcome the enemy, (Luke 9:1). Throughout His Word, God gives us instructions to live by and promises to stand upon so that we are able to live victoriously!

God, your God, is with you every step you take. ~ Joshua 1:9 MSG

“You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me,” (Psalm 139:5 NIV). God goes with us, protects us, and guides us. From the highest height to the deepest valley and every place in between, He will be there if you are there, because He loves you!

©Heather Potts 2016

Preparing the Land

Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17 MSG

I like words… I like to look them up and see all that they mean. I enjoy creating pictures using words. I like to paint on the canvas of people’s minds using a collection of strategically placed words.  I desire to share with others what I see when Father God speaks to me.

I love to read my Bible and have Holy Spirit shine a light under a certain passage as He says, “Write this one down and hear what I have to say.” And down it goes into my journal. Sometimes the words are a refreshing spring to my soul, pouring on just what I need in a moment of desperation and need. But sometimes the words taste bitter and feel harsh. And when I read them I think, “Why this word, God? Why not some fun promise or refreshing psalm?” Oftentimes, in the moment He doesn’t tell me those answers. He just makes a deposit, a little seedling in the dirt.

“When your words came I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty,” (Jeremiah 15:16 NIV). The first time I read this verse, I thought, “Of course, because Your words bring me life,” but I only thought of “fun” passages. God brings life by having us cultivate all untilled land. We do that through examination and allowing His Word to divide the places of our hearts that need His light. If I am to be a student of the Word, I can’t just consume what I deem as “good” words. I must also ponder and chew on the “difficult” passages, in order that He might break off of me any waste material. When I’m not weighted down by waste, I’m free to shine His light in dark places.

©Heather Potts 2016