proverbs {paraphrased}

proverbs 14:23

"all hard work brings a profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty"

talking is good. planning is important. but it's the doing that makes a difference. after you've made your plans, put them into action.

laboring on a project, bringing an idea to life, taking a concept from thought to reality... these are blessings from The Lord. our hands, our brains, our abilities and skills are all gifts from God and when we use them to the best of our capability, we honor Him. and He blesses our diligence.

on the other hand, the longer we think and talk and plan and imagine and sit on our hands while wagging our tongues... the sooner our dreams dissipate. and nothing comes of them at all.

the STANDard:: May

i have often quoted the phrase "when you fail to plan, you plan to fail". i don't know who originally said it, though i'm pretty sure my kids will forever attribute it to me since they've been subjected to my saying it so often. truth is... i'm not a great planner. i love talking about planning. i love thinking about and writing out plans. the execution of said plans is not my forte. i want to do better at that part and i guess acknowledging my fumbling and frustration with it is the first step toward growth.

it's at the forefront of my mind because of the current situation i find myself in. planning the future. what's next? musically. financially. spiritually. i think part of my failure in executing a plan is a tendency to over think. i drive myself crazy with what if's and yeah but's. i know i need to relax and be still and wait and listen. and then move forward. perhaps its fear of the future that keeps me shackled to the planning stage. that keeps me from gaining ground and creating momentum.

oddly, i've read alot recently about planning. from several verses in Proverbs to passages in books and devotionals. i'm pretty sure God is moving on my heart to help me grow in this area. with that in mind i've chosen Proverbs 16:3 and 9 in the Amplified version to memorize and mediate on for the month of May.

16:3 Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed

16:9 A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure

during the coming weeks i want to think through motives. the 'why' in my plans. i want to think through potential outcomes. the possibility of changes. i love verse 3 and how the Amplified version expounds on the idea of my thoughts becoming agreeable to HIS will. when i commit my plans to The Lord, he weighs the motives, he helps me have the ideas to begin with. and when they are born out of my flesh rather than his Spirit, i want to be so closely connected to his heart that i'm easily able to re calculate and adjust my plans accordingly.

i'm in full blown 'overwhelmed-mode' at the moment, as i consider a couple of plans i'm right-smack-dab in the middle of figuring out how to facilitate. and i need this.

i pray that God will help you make sense of your own plans too. as we seek to live our lives in light of his coming, with eternal perspective, our plans become clear, i think. so together lets do just that.

love you guys...

baby V

there's nothing quite like the birth of a baby... the joy is indescribable!   in anticipation of one such joyous occasion, i had the privilege of hosting, along with my friend Ashley Rodriguez, (who was responsible for the darling invites, the chalkboard art and the 'v's on the nail polish) a baby shower for one of our precious friends, Leah Eash!  my darling daughter, Izzi Ray, made the lovely...and delicious... cake as well as the chocolate macaroons.  the china is borrowed from my daughter-in-love's mom, it's the same china we used for her wedding to my son, Solomon, last summer.  and finally, my husband was kind enough to create the carrot/ginger soup.  here are some snapshots of the day:

and here she is!! Vera Irene Eash... destined for greatness!!

proverbs {paraphrased}

proverbs 13:14

the teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

reading and listening to the words of gifted, godly men and women will not only help you have a better day.... it just might save your life.

when we allow daily distractions to draw our minds away from the truth, we can suffer the consequences... bad moods, negative attitudes or aloof, uninterested interactions.
but, if we're willing to choose the best over the bad, our moods soften and we become tender, our attitudes become positive and we begin to interact with the people around us in love and with joy.  it starts with prayer, confession, surrender.... and a good word.

choose to turn off the tv and instead watch a message from your pastor online.  if your church doesn't archive weekly messages, pick a pastor you've heard of before or that you like.  i often listen to messages on my iPod while cleaning.  my mind is filled with wisdom, knowledge and truth.... and i'm getting a not-so-enjoyable-job completed as well.  i even find i have a better attitude about the cleaning itself when i do this.

instead of flipping through a fashion magazine or gossip rag, pick up a book by a well known Bible teacher.  let the truth of THAT sink into your brain rather than the worlds view on political and social subjects.

rather than getting caught up in blogs and websites that make you feel inadequate and fuel your insecurities,  do a Bible study written by a godly man or woman that will serve to instruct and inspire you.  you'll learn and grow in the person YOU are supposed to be and won't be so tempted to imitate or covet someone else's life.

these should not be 'alternatives' to the norm.... they should be our go-to choices

*disclaimer/confession*
i love a few tv shows. i enjoy a couple of fashion magazines. i follow several blogs.

that may at first sound like a double standard but hear me: the goal here is to get you to see the value and importance of filling up your heart and mind with truth so that when you have some extra time on your hands (extra. meaning you did all the other stuff first) you can filter through the rest and enjoy. time management is not my forte. i have to work at it. and i admit i often fail at it.  the idea here is to put the first things first, let God have the first shot at inspiring you. let his Word be the first, life-giving thing you drink. your whole life will reap the benefits.

here are some links to a few preachers, teachers and writers that God uses consistently to inspire and instruct me:

fresh life church
levi lusko
anne graham-lotz
beth moore
john piper
matt chandler
charles spurgeon
eugene peterson
mike erre
john eldredge
priscilla shrier
greg laurie
cathe laurie
skip heitzig
lenya heitzig

what a friend...

have you ever been discouraged and had just enough heart left to call a friend?  that friend you just know will help you feel better... that friend that you've known long enough that there's no need for lengthy explanation or long-winded clarification (although he/she would patiently listen to all of that). that friend that will not just willingly be a shoulder for you to cry on, but will cry with you, as if they truly know and feel it too.   that friend that will just start praying on the phone.  that friend that will share their own story to give you a reality check.  they'll be honest and blunt while being loving and kind.  and you'll walk away from that conversation energized and encouraged. (*side note: we should all strive to be this kind of friend)

i am overwhelmingly grateful that i have 4 or 5 of these in my life.  that's a monster number.    if we each had just ONE our hearts would be happy.

oh. but we do.... and i'm tempted to use a very Beth Moore word here.... BELOVED!!
to know that we can, at any moment, run into our precious, best friends arms and find exactly what we're looking for.  but how often do we instead hold on to that hurt, harbor that resentment, cling to that bitterness, soak in the nasty, luke-warm, sorry-for-ourselves bath water that neither cleanses nor calms.
i know i'm speaking for myself, here but i also truly believe i'm not alone in this.

my personal experience is, just like David says in Psalm 32:4, when i resist the Fathers affection my strength is depleted.  when i accept His loving care of my soul i'm refreshed.  if i have surrendered my life to Him, not only am i His... but He is mine! my caring savior, my loving father, my very best friend.  in the same way Abraham was considered a friend of God (James 2:23), you and i are considered friends of God.

i need this reality often.  yes, i have a handful of precious girl-friends (including my mom and sisters) that i can freely talk to and share with. however, it gives me great joy and an overwhelming sense of relief to know what a friend i have in Jesus.

what a friend we have in Jesus

all our sins and griefs to bear

what a privilege to carry

everything to God in prayer

oh what peace we often forfeit

oh what needless pain we bear

all because we do not carry

everything to God in prayer

have we trials and temptations

is there trouble anywhere

we should never be discouraged

take it to the Lord in prayer

can we find a friend so faithful

who will all our sorrows share

Jesus knows our every weakness

take it to the Lord in prayer

are we weak and heavy laden

cumbered with a load of care

precious savior still our refuge

take it to the Lord in prayer

do thy friends despise, forsake thee

take it to the Lord in prayer

in his arms he'll take and shield thee

thou wilt find a solace there

the STANDard :: April

have you ever had your hopes up only to have them dashed in disappointment? maybe as a kid at Christmas... desperately wanting that one thing that you HAD to have. you went to great lengths to make absolutely certain that your parents knew EXACTLY what it was and where it could be purchased. or perhaps you were sure that Santa Claus would bring it to you. either way, lets say you didn't find it waiting for you under the tree. what was your response in the face of disappointment? and lets just say similar situations continued through adolescence and on into adulthood. relationships you invested in fell apart. friendships you thought would last forever ended in betrayal. a job you were banking on fell through. an open door of opportunity slammed shut. what is your response? i know for me, i've experienced this many times and i've often come to the conclusion that it's not worth the borderline depression that can accompany the feeling of defeat. i've gotten my hopes up so high, that the inevitable fall feels too far. so far down that i question the effort it would take to climb back up. so maybe i just won't get my hopes up at all. which leads to an utter lack of joy. a total lack of try. a deflated sense of hope.

enter Jesus: our eternal hope. the real thing. disappointment's true enemy and our hero! because of His death and resurrection my hope is restored! my joy renewed! my disappointment disintegrated!

sometimes our trials and sufferings can feel so heavy that the weight of them keeps us from looking up. this happens to me too often than i'd care to admit. even though i know there is far greater suffering happening in this world than my (or your) daily disappointments. i've got friends staring into the face of death, dealing with the reality of cancer and Alzheimer's, divorce, drugs, even prison. i'm not trying to in any way make light of depression or the decisions we all face in everyday life. but what i am seeing, right now, in the lives of those around me... this reality helps shift my perspective.

in light of this, the passage of scripture i've chosen to meditate on (and attempt to memorize) this month is Romans 5:3-5. the amplified version really brings it home for me:

Moreover [let us also be full of JOY now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident HOPE of eternal salvation. Such HOPE never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5 AMP)

it's completely safe to put our hope in Christ!!! to get our hopes up where Jesus is concerned! in HIM we will never be disappointed...

it's not too late to join in and begin to choose a verse or verses to memorize and/or meditate on each month. the Word of God is the STANDard under which we live. choose a verse and post it in the comment section!

power

i hope your Easter was spectacular! a glorious celebration of the Savior!! i'll bet that looked different for each of us. i'm sure your idea of a grand and glorious celebration isn't identical to mine. or your mothers. or your friend's. while we're on the subject, what IS your idea of an appropriately awesome way to remember and celebrate the joy and victory we have through Jesus' death and resurrection? i know from extensive experience that churches everywhere each have their own ideas and interpretations of 'Easter Sunday'. some feel it's better to be solemn while others go 'all out' with special music, special guests, or elaborate productions. one isn't right and the other wrong. one isn't better, nor the other worse. just different. i figure as long as the true focus is JESUS and not all the hoo-hah it's all good. honoring God, making much of HIM is the point. if it's not, there isn't one.

this past weekend i had the privilege of partnering with a great group of people in Shreveport, Louisiana.  they had a fantastic plan in place! all day saturday there was a family Resurrection Celebration with rides and games, food and fun for young and old. there was a giant stage set up with a great big ol sound system, Curvine,  a great rapper, preformed and then i took the stage after that. there was talk of rain. and the rain indeed showed up. but it only caused minor delays early on and all of the tents that had already been set up provided shelter for anyone that wanted it. however, as i finished my 4th song, the sound guy motioned to me on the side of the stage and said...." i think you can squeeze in one more song before the storm". so we jumped to 'people get ready' and as i sang i could clearly see the black clouds creeping in with lightning and thunder to boot! several super-fans stayed where they were, but most sensed the closeness of the storm and within minutes bounce houses were deflated, tents taken down, and folks scurried to their cars or went inside the church. even while i was singing the volunteers were covering the giant stacks of speakers with tarps and trying to get the equipment inside. i finished and went back to the green room. no sooner did i sit down than i heard the storm. i mean HEARD the storm. rain...hail...wind...thunder. and everything went black. all the people that remained were ushered into the sanctuary. the emergency generator kicked on and we at least had some dimly lit spaces. this was a full-blown, real-life, honest-to-goodness tornado. Louisiana style. there were some heart-pounding moments of true fear. later as we drove back to the hotel (which also had no power...) we saw the results of the storm. roof tops ripped away, huge trees split down the middle, signs down, lights out. words don't really suffice in moments like that.

later that evening the worship team ( led by jeremiah woods) and i gathered to practice... and pray. the power had not yet fully returned to the church building, although for whatever reason we were able to have lights only in the nursery, so that's where we rehearsed. we went over the songs with acoustic guitars and hoped for electricity by morning.

morning came. still darkness. so, we made due. at 7:30 am, the first of 3 services, in a dark sanctuary, as ushers led people to their seats by flashlight, we worshipped. i mean WE WORSHIPPED!! with 5 acoustic guitars, 7 singers and no microphones we sang. and you know what? it was EPIC! yes there had been an enormous amount of hours, effort, and no doubt money spent in preparation for an 'all out' celebration. but for whatever reason, God saw fit to show HIS POWER through the lack of electrical power. it wasn't about the special guest (me), it wasn't about the cool video (that we eventually did see at the 3rd service and that WAS in fact great), it wasn't about the high-tech lights...it became about JESUS and Him alone! (Proverbs 16:9... we can make our plans, but The Lord determines our steps)

listen to me: i'm NOT saying had everything worked and gone according to plan that Jesus wouldn't have been the focus. from what i know about the people at Word of God, He absolutely was and would've been.  nor am i saying that Jesus wasn't the focus at churches around the country whose lights and cameras and videos worked perfectly and whose productions went off without a hitch. we'll never truly know this side of Heaven the why of it all. all i can know for certain is that we saw God move in POWER in spite of the lack of it. maybe it was for me? i certainly was able to think clearly about churches around the globe that meet on dirt floors with no electricity and praise Jesus with all their hearts. some that do it secretly and risk their lives to do so.

this Easter will go down in history as one of my favorites for sure. despite the changing of hotels, the added bonus of weather elsewhere that caused flight delays, which in turn caused missed flights, which in turn led to extra nights spent not at home etc..... it gave me time to think on Easter. it allowed me the chance to reevaluate my idea of a real celebration. and to see first hand Gods power on display in magnificent ways. it's so easy, in our current culture, to begin to rely on our technology, our production, our advanced abilities. but i would encourage us as a body... as THE body of Christ...to not let anything take the place of the simplicity of true, explicit worship of Jesus.

(below: i was able to watch www.freshlifechurch.com Good Friday service on my ipad. THEIR lights and production worked!!! and yes... Jesus was the focus!; this is a shot of our rehearsal in the nursery; this is the dark greenroom; a beautiful reminder of the reason we do what we do. this sign was on the green room door)