Picking up papers off the floor...

 

This may seem like a completely random topic but hang with me for a minute.  How many times have you walked past something in your house that fell on the floor and just left it there?

Well, most people don’t do that unless you are playing 52 card pickup and are waiting for the other person to pick up all the cards.  We used to play that with the kids when they were little.  It didn’t last long, and they didn’t play it more than twice.

 

Back to my subject on paperwork…

My husband and I recently prayed to reevaluate our priorities and came to the realization that we have been picking up papers on the floor that were not ours to pick up.  We have been picking up papers that God wanted left on the floor for someone else to pick up.  Now that was a hard lesson for me to learn.

Let me explain. 

I am a bit OCD and when I see something out of place I immediately go into ‘Fix It’ mode and want to adjust, fix, move, it.  Whatever it takes to ‘right’ the situation.

On one occasion my daughter and a friend were joking around making snacks in our kitchen when my refrigerator magnets caught his attention.  When he asked my daughter why they were so organized, she mentioned her mom’s need for order.  He took that as a challenge and immediately rearranged the magnets on the fridge.  They both thought it was funny and couldn’t wait to see my reaction when I returned to the kitchen.

I am sure you could guess I wasn’t happy at first.  But I did appreciate their sense of humor because it took a lot of effort to rearrange those magnets.  There were a lot of them.  We all laughed, they walked away, and then I immediately rearranged the magnets into their ‘correct’ order again.  All was well with the world once again.

Having those magnets in the wrong order was like the papers on the floor.

It was like having an itch in the middle of my back and I couldn’t reach it no matter how hard I tried.

But this was a lesson I needed to learn.  God often allows things to be placed at our feet, not for us to pick up, but for us to ask Him whether we should pick them up. 

You see - if I keep picking up the things at my feet that are not mine to pick up, then my hands are full of everything I think I NEED TO DO.  However, they might not be what God is CALLING ME TO DO. 

Do you understand the difference?

The papers are there.  Yes.  But they are not necessarily mine.  And if I pick them up.  I might be missing out on the blessing He has for me because my hands are too full of MY CHOICES.

I have to be honest here - the first thing I did was bargain with God when He gave me this revelation.

“The papers are right next to my big toe God!  That means I should be the one to pick them up right??” 

“This one is just a small paper God.” 

“This one won’t take long.”

“This one is just a tiny…”

I am looking down…

I am not looking up.

I am not asking His direction.

Again.

So, thankfully His Grace is Abundant.  So, I begin again. 

When my husband and I realized we were picking up papers that were not ours recently we sat down and prayed over each thing we were holding onto.   A reassessment so to speak. 
Lord, give us direction on each of these things we are holding.

Are they ours, or are they Yours?

Then lead us to the path YOU want us.

New Directions.

No more looking down at papers at my feet.

Well, at least not today.  I will fail again.  I am human.  But for today, I am doing better.

Love you guys! 

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalms 46:10

'My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. '

John 10:27

'But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. '

2 Corinthians 12:9

And to complete it for those who want to FIX things...  Here is something to make you smile...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4EDhdAHrOg

                                            Copyright © 2022 Peggy A. Priest. All Rights Reserved.

God's Timing

 

I am impatient. 

I wait in grocery lines and pick up my phone and scroll through social media. 

I stop at a red light and pick up my phone and see who called.

I sit on the phone waiting in que for my turn to be helped with a problem.  Instead of waiting, I go to my computer and begin to do other work while I wait. 

I can’t just sit still.

I am impatient.

I believe I am multitasking. 

But if I am being honest. I am impatient.

I want the grocery line to move faster. I want the light to turn green faster.  I want the person on the other side of the phone to pick up faster.

Can you relate?

When I pray, I tend to do the same thing. 

I pray for something.  I want God to move faster too.

I know better. But I will still try.

I rationalize that what I am asking for is urgent.  He knows.  So, He will move fast, right?

I rationalize.

You know what rationalize really means?

Rational - lies.  Moving those thoughts around in my head until they make sense to me.

TIMING.

 Now God move.  In His Timing.

 It is not in my timing.  It is always in HIS.

Sometimes when I pray, He answers right away because it is in His timing.

However - Sometimes He doesn’t.

For example, I recently asked the Lord for some volunteers for a specific position in our marriage ministry.  I woke up the next day and it was filled. 

JUST LIKE THAT!

Wow God, THANK YOU!

The next day He showed up.

However, we have been praying for workers in our business for quite a while now.

God’s answer has been quiet.

He said wait.  Not yet.

I need to be patient in the waiting.

God is never late.

God is the God of Just in Time.

He will not be late in bringing the right employees to our business. 

He has a reason why we are waiting.  The timing is not right.  His timing is not right.

I need to be patient.

I need to not force it.

I need to Trust His timing.

The sooner we learn this - the easier life will be.

When the time is right, it will be perfect.

Trust His timing.

Trust Him.

Pray for me as I pray for you!

 

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

Ecclesiastes 3:1

 

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

 

More scriptures on God’s timing:

https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/God~s-Timing

 

                                            Copyright © 2022 Peggy A. Priest. All Rights Reserved.

Be a Berean...

 

So many things influence our daily life.  We don’t always notice these things around us.  But they do creep up and influence our decisions.

You might disagree with me but give me a moment here.

You got up this morning and brushed your teeth.  What toothpaste did you use?

You got dressed.  What clothes did you put on?

You then ate breakfast.  What did you eat?

You may have packed a lunch.  What did you pack your lunch in?

You drove to work.  What did you drive?

 

 Are you starting to see the pattern?

 

Everything we purchased was influenced by an advertisement, a friend, a billboard…

We are influenced by everything around us, even when we don’t realize it.

It is easy to fall for the social media ‘influencers’ if we aren’t careful and not paying attention.

Be a Berean. 

You can listen to the message.  But make sure you research the message and make sure it is biblical based. Don’t let a ‘feel good’ message lead you astray.

There are a TON of good messages on social media.  But there are also a TON of incorrect messages out there. 

Ask the Holy Spirit to give you discernment.  

Let Him be your Greatest Influencer.

Sometimes I need to take a break from it all and refocus on who is influencing me.  It helps to remove all the ‘noise’ and ask the Holy Spirit for clarity and discernment.

Who is influencing you today?

 

 

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Acts 17:11

 

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— '

John 14:16

 

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

John 14:26

 

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

John 16:13

                                            Copyright © 2022 Peggy A. Priest. All Rights Reserved.

Work in progress

 

It’s easy to compare our progress with our neighbor’s growth in the Lord.  The problem with that thought is we don’t know what is going on behind the scenes in their life.  Their walk is taking different steps than ours.  Let me repeat that statement in a different way. Their path is not the same as ours.  We are all a Work in Progress.

I was given a cool analogy recently by the Lord I want to share with you here. 

A new believer comes to Christ.  They are a bit rough around the edges.  But then again, aren’t we all when we start this process? 

I know I was… 

I know I still am…

That believer is taken in by Christ, flaws and all, and slowly He works on them to become more like HIM.  That is the goal.  Does it happen overnight?  No.  If it did it would destroy us or worse, we might walk away from the pain of the change.

Instead, in His patience with us, God works in and through us each moment of our lives from the time we accept Him into our heart. 

The work is slow and steady. 

Like going along on a train track and there is a slight shift in the track.  Just a small railway junction.  Not too noticeable.  But we continue that path with the small change He made.

Then there is another small junction.  Again.  Another change.

Then another one.

God moves us through tiny bits of change. Like a train going down the track moving with the railway junction ever so slightly to the right or left making those small changes.

Next thing you know the changes are larger when finally, you turn and look behind.

Look HOW FAR YOU CAME??  WOW!  How did that happen?

BUT GOD.  He did it.  One small step at a time.

If we did all of them at once, we would not do any of them.

So, God does them in small increments.

Be patient with each other…

We are all works in progress…

God is not done with you yet…

God is not done with your neighbor yet either. 

Please have patience with them.  Remember they are still a work in progress too.  Next time you start to judge where your Christian brother or sister is in their walk, remember, it is not your job to ‘fix’ them.  They are on the track with the Master.  He’s got this!  He’s got them!  Be patient with their rough edges and flaws.  They haven’t smoothed out yet.  They are a work in progress.

God was patient with you.  Remember?  

So next time you see a set of railroad tracks... remember to be patient with them.

 

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32

 

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

 

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13

                                            Copyright © 2022 Peggy A. Priest. All Rights Reserved.

2024 Thoughts...

 

What if 2024 was your last year?  What would you do differently?

I am sure you have heard the question – “If this was your last day on earth, what would you change?”  I thought about that question a few times over the years.  Each time my answers became more focused. 

I would spend a small amount of time making sure my affairs were in order.  But then I would change my plans for the day.  My focus would be on my husband and those closest to me.  I would pick up the phone and start calling those important to me.  I would then reach out to a neighbor or a family member in need.  I wouldn’t care about the small stuff around the house.  Petty arguments wouldn’t seem so important with only 24 hours left to live.  I would not think about the time - but pack in as much love as I could in those hours before I left this earth.  I would want to spend the last moments with my husband and my God in sweet communion.  Would it be perfect?  No, it probably wouldn’t but it would be with my God and my man and that’s all that would matter.

We might ponder that question above for a while when we hear it, but eventually the daily grind comes into focus and then we would just walk away.  Work, life, stress, gets in the way and next thing you know we lose our true focus – Jesus.

Today I am asking you to take this question a step further. 

Again, what if 2024 was your last year?  What would you do differently?

This could be your year God has been speaking to your heart to step out and finally do what He has called you to.

365 days.

That is the time we have.

We are not guaranteed a day longer than God has planned for us.

You are here for a reason.

You are here on this earth for a purpose.

What is your purpose?

What have you been sitting on that God has called you to do?  What if He is just waiting for your willingness to answer His call?  Someone is waiting for you!  God doesn’t need us to do His will.  He doesn’t need us to do His purpose.  However, we can receive the blessing by being obedient to His calling and be a part of His Plan.

How are you using your 365 days?

Pray for opportunities this year!

Get Ready!

Buckle Up!

God Has A Plan for You!

Will you join me?

 

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

 

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

 

                                            Copyright © 2022 Peggy A. Priest. All Rights Reserved.

My Husband's Super Powers...

 

I woke up in the middle of the night and suddenly realized I had discovered my husband’s superpowers!

Okay, stay with me for a minute.

For those who know me and my husband, you may be thinking you know some of his ‘superpowers’ already, and you might be right.  He is quite the talented man with many gifts.  However, I discovered yet one more of those gifts last night in a crisis.

These past few weeks have been a little stressful for our home.  Burning the candle at both ends would be an understatement.  Clinging to our God and the prayers of those around us has brought us through it all.  We are completely grateful for those who stand in the gap!

So back to my story!

Christmas is normally an event that starts mid-year with an excel spreadsheet and a game plan for me.  However, this year there was no game plan.  In fact, there was no plan.  There was no spreadsheet.  There was only a mad rush to the post office.

This week I was scurrying around the house like an elf on Christmas Eve attempting to get all the cards completed, gifts purchased and staged to be wrapped, then mailed out in time for Christmas.  Time was not my friend this year. 

Last night after a long day at work my husband came home and asked what he could do to help.  I grabbed him and escorted him into the bedroom.  What happened next was not what he expected or planned.

He walked into the bedroom to what could only be explained as a landmine of gifts and boxes stacked all over the bed with my laptop in the middle.  I was in the final stages of wrapping.  Each box had its set of gifts to be wrapped in a section ready to go.  Wrapping paper was poised with tape and scissors in que.  Cards, pens, name tags, and confetti ready to go. 

Yes, confetti for the cards.  Another story for another time.

I asked Carl to assist with the wrapping process so I could get the boxes mailed out in the morning. Without hesitation or complaint, my husband asked me about the process and then proceeded to request tools for his task.  His own scissors and tape.  I agreed but thought it would be easier if we shared.  “How fast would this be?” I thought.  Meh, either way I would do whatever it took to get the job done.

I handed him the first box to wrap and started to organize my space to wrap as well.  Before I could get my personal space set up - Carl handed me his wrapped gift.

WHAT?

I took the gift and proceeded to hand him another to wrap while I put the tag on the wrapped gift and organized the box it would go into.  Before I had a chance to complete my task he handed me the second gift, wrapped.

Seriously?

Now I was starting to get curious. 

I handed him another gift and just watched this time.

In stealth-like fashion, Carl picked up the box, turned it around a few times, cut up a piece of new wrapping paper like it was butter and immediately wrapped the gift like he was at Macy’s wrapping center.  Not only did he wrap it, but it was better than I would have done.

I decided to test him.

I handed him a mug - without a box.  Okay, sir, wrap this!

He did! And he put a bow on the top.

I didn’t have time to wrap even one.  I couldn’t keep up with his wrapping.

So, I decided not to fight the system.

I handed him each gift one by one and organized the boxes.

Systematically he wrapped each gift like a ninja as I barely had time to write the names on the tags and place them carefully in the correct boxes to be mailed.  The next thing I knew, all five boxes were completed and sealed ready to go.  What a BLESSING!

And all these years I have been doing this by myself.  And not well at that because I am not a wrapper...

Carl normally doesn’t have time to assist with this process, but this year has been different.  The business has been slower.  My normally executed plans were thrown in the water with all the pitfalls that came our way this year.  But I would have never discovered my husband’s hidden superpower if all of these things hadn’t occurred.

My husband has never experienced what I do each year for the family.  He just hears about the infamous ‘boxes’ that must be sent out in time for Christmas.  He has never seen the process or been a part of the action.  This year he was.  It was a blessing for him as well.

And now you know his superpowers too…

And next year is going to be different… 😊

 

Galatians 6:2

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

 

Matthew 18:20

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

                                           Copyright © 2022 Peggy A. Priest. All Rights Reserved.

What I learned from fasting

 

I know this is a strange topic after Thanksgiving and going into the Christmas season but hang with me for a minute.  In less than 30 days we are looking at a new year, 2024.  Time is flying by faster than we can watch the second hand on a clock.  And as I have aged, I notice the seasons are like a quick movie at the theater.  Wasn’t it just Spring?  Didn’t we just turn the calendar over to 2023?  How is it going to be 2024 so soon?

So maybe it is time, no pun intended, to sit for a moment and take stock of 2023 and see where God wants us in 2024.

Hence, one of my reasons to fast.

Everyone looks at fasting differently.  Some fast for a meal.  Some for a day.  Some for a week or more.  There are many examples in scripture of those who fasted and how God granted supernatural revelation through that practice.  Whichever way you choose to fast, research scripture, pray, and let God’s Spirit lead you each step of the way.  Take fasting seriously and with reverence.  It can be an extraordinary time with Holy God.   You don’t miss out on the blessing.

I fasted for different reasons over the years.  Often to get closer to my God and seek HIS will in a situation.  I recently walked into fasting with a list of requests.  I knew it was time, and there were so many reasons I needed this moment with my Lord.  I asked a friend to pray as I stepped into the moment.  I took my list of concerns to the Throne and closed the door behind me.  I wanted answers.  I wanted clarity.  I wanted time alone.

I fasted each day until dinner.

The first day I didn’t know what to expect.  I just came to my God and said here I am with my list.  After a bit I realized my list wasn’t as important as HIS will.  He listened to me and my fancy list as any father would.  Then He just quietly guided me to HIS will. 

That first day He gave me one simple task.  Nothing earth shattering.  Just one task.  Not an overwhelming task.  In fact, it was so menial that I can barely remember it right now.  All I remember is that I said, “Ok Lord, that is easy I can do that.” And I did it. And I didn’t stress about all the other things on my list.  I just went to bed that night knowing He had them in HIS hands.   

Each day it became easier to hear HIS will.

Each day I would see an answer.  Not to what I asked for, but what I needed.

Each day was a new blessing.

Each day was a new answer.

I came out of fasting different than I walked into it.  I expected to have my list checked off and neatly completed.  Instead, I was changed, once again, to HIS will.  My focus was realigned. My heart was tuned to HIS.  My list was now HIS.  We were now on the same page.  What a concept?

Breaking the fast.

What surprised me the most was my feelings of sadness by the thoughts of breaking my fast.  I didn’t expect those feelings.  Honestly, I expected more feelings of excitement to get back into my normal eating schedule but what happened was the eating desires had dulled and were pushed back by my overwhelming desire to spend more time with my Lord.  The sad feeling was like getting ready to leave an amazing vacation and getting ready to go back to work.  There was work involved in fasting and praying, don’t get me wrong, but there was a sweetness and closeness that spending time with my heavenly Father couldn’t compare to any banquet.

What my heavenly Father left me with before I broke my fast was – “I am always here” “You can come to me anytime just like this” “You don’t need to fast to be this close to Me” “You just need to step away from the distractions.”

Distractions…

Another blog for another time… 😊

Merry Christmas!

 

Click here for some bible verses about fasting:

https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/bible-verses-about-fasting/#:~:text=Matthew%206%3A16%2D18&text=17%20But%20when%20you%20fast,in%20secret%2C%20will%20reward%20you.

                                           Copyright © 2022 Peggy A. Priest. All Rights Reserved.