Living to Expect

Have you ever had a common word, a word you have heard more times than you can count,  all the sudden make you sit up straight and listen?  A word that once you look more closely at makes your eyes grow wide and your lips part as you realize your chin is dropping to the ground?  A word that just might have become a game changer in the way you look at it ever again?

For me this happened recently with the word EXPECT.  As the end of 2014 drew to a close I was struggling with life situations.  I was at a quandary as to how I was to proceed with 2015 regarding a passion and purpose.  Frankly things just seemed ho hum and I didn't know how or where to place my next step so I began praying for God to show me a word to study or something that would direct me or even restore a passionate life.

Not knowing where to really begin I grabbed my Bible…OK I know that is where you always begin but I didn't know how to “hear” which word God had for me.  I turned to the concordance in the back and started reading aloud the words found there.  Starting in the A’s I would read a word then jotted it down and thinking halfheartedly, “Well I could do this one.” 

Page after page, I sat jotting down words that were safe in my mind.  Sitting at my kitchen table I was combing through the alphabet…A…B…C and so on until I reached the end of E.  The word Expect struck a chord.  I tried to flip the page and go on to F but it was like God wouldn't let me pass that word.  I know then that God’s word for me was EXPECT. 

Expect: a verb meaning to look forward to; regard as likely to happen; anticipate the occurrence or the coming of.

I know what you might be thinking here…”Um… Cynthia, this is no news alert. We know that definition.”  I agree!  I knew that meaning as well but what I didn't know was the Hebrew and Greek meanings of the words that were translated into English as expect.

When reading the original meanings of the word I sensed a deeper pulling of the words. Within the definitions came the gripping words of hope, intense anticipation, apprehension, earnest expectation, wait, that thing I long for and looking hopefully in a particular direction.  But the one that struck me odd until I dug further was “a cord as an attachment.”  Where in the world did that come from and how did it fit?

Over the next few weeks we will look at this word expect. Digging in and hoping to find more of a reason to expect.

Are you expecting something?  

Have you given up expecting something from God?

Edwin Louis Cole says, “Expectancy is the atmosphere of miracles.”

Father, I pray that you will teach us to expect you more, to place all our hope quietly before you.  For everything that we long for is in you, O God, alone.

EXPECT....The Word God gave me to study.

God gave me a word at the beginning of this year.

That word is EXPECT.

Please listen to my radio show "My Journey of Faith" as I share what God taught me.

This would be a great topic for a ladies night out or a retreat.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/…/20…/04/09/my-journey-of-faith



Praying that you will Expect God every day!

Blessings,

Cynthia

They Need Us....Gray Hair and All

Sometimes I get tickled at God’s sense of humor.

I mean really if anyone should have a great sense of humor it would be The Creator of all things.

For example look over to your right at my profile picture.  See all that gray hair?  I mean really I am not even 50 years old yet.  Close but not yet.  I tried so hard to keep that gray in check.  Spending hours upon hours and going through bottles upon bottles of colorant to hide what was sprouting out of my head.

Finally I gave up.  After every couple of weeks looking into the mirror to see a growing halo (and not the angelic kind) I bit the bullet and stepped away from the bottle.  Surely I could find better ways to spend that money that I was investing at a losing speed on hair color. My only prayer was God please let it look halfway decent.

It took over a year to let it grow out and subject family and friends to the awful transition but it finally got there.

Then as I was reading in Psalm I came across a verse that tickled me and had me saying “Yes, Lord Yes” at the same time.

Here’s the verse.

“Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.”   Psalm 71:18

Isn’t that first part a hoot?

But more than that I do desire to proclaim His power and His mighty miracles to all who come after me!

This new generation needs every one of us. They need to hear how God has been faithful to us. They need to know that He too will be faithful to them.

Share your story. Proclaim His Power. Speak of His miracles.

Let’s impact the next generation.  

Do you have a God sense of humor story?  Please share.

Blessing!

Cynthia

After the Miracle

You may not know this but I am also a radio host.

Yep God caught me out of the blue when He directed the founder of My Journey of Faith Ministries to call me and ask me to host the radio show.

Can I tell you it was NOT on my radar!!! But God....

God would not let me dismiss it and I have almost been doing it weekly for two years.  YES 2 years!!!

Every so often a show captures my heart like the one I am going to share with you.
If you have 30 minutes I ask that you listen to the story by Rachel Pferi about After the Miracle.

You will be blessed.

I'll post more shows in the future or you can listen live every Thursday.  Join my facebook page My Journey of Faith Radio to find past and future links.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cwa-radio/2015/02/19/my-journey-of-faith

Enjoy and Blessings!

Cynthia

The Best Guide Ever!

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life, I will advise you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:8

Have you ever been lost, whether physically or maybe mentally?  It is during those times when you just weren’t sure where you are.

I have!  In both circumstances that is for sure. Several years ago I went on a mission trip to Peru. At one point the group split into two smaller groups and headed out.  The further the group I was in got from the other group and the higher we got into the Andes Mountain the more we became aware that we were lost.  You know there aren’t any street signs up on those dry dusty roads and goggle earth wasn’t even up and running at that time.  The only life we found at one point was a pack of llamas and they refused to give good directions.

It did get a little frustrating but eventually we found the village we were looking for and the rest of the trip we laughed about it.

But it is those times when we are lost mentally that seems to cause more of a struggle.  Maybe it is in the not knowing what the next step in life should be, what direction a ministry should take or maybe it is closer to the heart of parenting, raising that child and making the correct choices.

This is where today's verse gives me a pause of thankfulness.  God says He will guide, advise us and watch over us.  Can I get a collective sigh of relief?

Guide- Have you ever been on an adventure with a guide?  They point out the best places to put your foot when the terrain gets rocky.  They direct your eyes to the best vantage points and they show you the things that an untrained eye would normally miss.  God is telling us that He is our guide and He not only knows the best foot placements but also knows the best vantage points and what we might miss along the way if left to ourselves.  

Advise- God is the ultimate advisor!  He is better than the college professor that helped you coordinate your classes for obtaining the degree you longed for.  He is better that the financial pro that helps you put your portfolio together so that funds will not run out for retirement.  His advising doesn’t rely on stock markets or academic requirements.  God knows the BIG picture and advises you for what is the perfect, very best for your life to bring Him honor and glory! God only advises what is best with no risk to your future with him.  

Watching over-When my boys were little I would watch over them with a close eye.  I would see when they were headed in the wrong direction and reroute their steps.  However there were times when I would let my mind wander and my watch over them wasn’t as on point.  They would veer way off track before I could correct them quickly enough.  With God that isn’t so.  His watch is constant and doesn’t get altered by things fighting for his attention.  He is ever seeing!  God watches over us without delay, interruption or slackness. 

God sees the big picture! And for that I am so thankful.  I am called like a child to his parents to listen the God’s voice. God is and always will be the best guide, advisor and one to watch over me!

Are you allowing Him that role in your life?  Are you listening to His voice?

May we all be open to allowing God to do in our lives what He alone can do best!

Words of Wisdom

People go through struggles and sometimes I feel like I simply don’t know what to say.   

And you know what?  That is ok!

Sometimes it is best not to say anything.  Sometimes when we speak out of our own thoughts it comes out wrong and it doesn’t accomplish what we want.   

But there are times we can speak the perfect thing to comfort someone.  So how do we know when and what to say?  

It is simple!  We learn what to say when by staying connected with God. 

“The Sovereign Lord has given me His words for wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning He wakes me and opens my understanding to His will.” Isaiah 50:4

Our verse today says that it is the Lord that gives us His words for wisdom.  What are these words?  They are His Words found written in His word the Bible. They are the words that guide us and our voices into action when needed.

I have a very special friend that has taught me so much about God’s word and one thing in particular is the two words found in this verse…”so that”.

Those two words are a purpose clause.  This clause is the connecting words that tell you why the former statement was made.  In other words, the meaning for what purpose that statement was given to us.  In this case it is for us to know how to comfort the weary.  

Isaiah tells us that God’s words give us the wisdom to comfort, to speak and even to know when to stay quiet. 

I love that Isaiah also tells us that morning by morning when we open His word and God also opens our understanding to His will.  It is a daily process and one that will impart valuable wisdom into our daily lives.

Are you gleaning His wisdom daily? 

Are you learning how to comfort the weary through His power?

Please share what God is teaching you as you open His Words and He opens your understanding.

Go Back or Continue?

One of the places that seemed to grab me was on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee.  If you look at a map of Israel and pay attention to the shape of the Sea of Galilee you will notice it looks like a harp from Biblical times. We were in the Northwest rounded area when we came upon a small church right on the shore. At first I thought we were at a monastery, which we were, but why?

As we walked in the doors of the church we learned that upon this part of the shoreline was where Luke 21 had taken place.

I pulled out my Bible and read this passage (Why don’t you do the same and then we’ll continue.)

Can you imagine all that had been going on at that time?  Jesus was placed on trial, beaten, crucified, buried, risen, had appeared to the disciples in the upper room and had breathed the Holy Spirit on them.  BUT what did they do?  They went fishing?  Ummm ok? They just went back to what they knew.

Take a look at verse 7.  

When John said to Peter, “It is the Lord” what did Peter do?  He put on his outer garment because he had been working and had removed it.  Have you ever considered why he put it back on?  Do you think it was because every time something unknown happened or he was no longer with Jesus he resorted back to what he had known (his secular occupation)and this time he wasn’t going to let Jesus find him doing that again? Do you think Peter maybe tried to cover up his real actions?

I love how Jesus didn’t let him skate by because in verse 11 it tells us that 153 fish were caught and the net was not broken.  Hmmmm…think the net might not have been broken because Jesus wanted him to know you can’t hide or cover up this and I am who I say I am?

As we stood on the shore we speculated what the 153 fish meant.  You know numbers are important in the Bible.  One suggestion was that each number 1, 5, 3 was representing the letter in the Aramaic alphabet and it suggested something like I AM God. Another suggestion was that the 153 represented the number of known kingdoms across the world at that time and the disciples were to go and preach the Gospel to each of them.  I don’t think we know exactly what the 153 means.  I do know that the meaning of the number of fish caught that day is not something we should be debating but both of the suggestions are correct.  Jesus is the Great I AM and He has commanded us to fish for men all across this round sphere we call home.

As I walked back up the sloop to our ride and turned to view again where this encounter with Jesus, Peter and the disciple that taken place; I wondered.  “After being on this soil, placing my feet where Jesus walked will I simply go back to my home to do what I had always done or will I continue on to what I and other Christians have been called to do?”

What about you?  After going on this virtual journey to the land where Jesus walked will you read your Bible differently? Will you more importantly go back to what you have always been doing or will you be more proactive in sharing about The One who calmed the sea and your heart?