Where did you meet God?

My nephew and I had an interesting conversation the other day about his future, and mine for that matter. He's a young man full of dreams. I'm a getting older man, but still full of dreams. We started talking about his dreams and what it would take to get to them. Of course, the old "if that's what God wants, it will happen" statement came into the conversation. Me, being the "getting older" man, challenged that. Not because I think I'm wiser, but because I'm learning. I asked the "younger man" this question: Where does your obligation and God's opportunity meet?

I described to him what I believe is God's perspective of our dreams. I believe those moments when a dream starts to awaken in us is God whispering to us saying, "Hey Glyn, I've got this idea and I want to share it with you. Here it is . . . What do you think? I wanted to share this with you because I wanted to give you the opportunity to do something with it."

Here are a couple of things I've discovered:

1. People who seem to be doing the most FOR God are really just doing something WITH God. When God whispers a dream to you, He is inviting and igniting you to work with Him.

2. If God has to tell you every detailed step, then you've not been given opportunity, you've been given orders. We can get so hung up in trying to do the dream for God that we strip the opportunity down to an order, and thus discourage ourselves when we can't do it.

3. Do all you can in the human realm, and let God be responsible for all else. Let your obligation meet God's opportunity. A favorite line from a song I have been listening to lately. "The waters never part until our feet get wet!"

If it's a ministry you're dreaming of starting, go get training, experience, a 501c3, advice. If it's a business, check out the competition, loans, buildings, equipment.

Where will you and God meet???

I Dare You To . . .

I would be willing to bet 95% of you filled in the blank before you started reading any further. I'd also be willing to bet you filled it in with an action word, and the word you chose reflected some form of movement. So what is it that I am daring you to do...

NOTHING.

I dare you to do nothing. Sometimes nothing is all you can do, and yet nothing is everything God wants you to do. In fact, doing nothing may even be His command to you. Wow. Have you ever offered to help someone because you genuinely wanted to bless them, and when you offer, their response is, "nothing." If you're like me, that can be a little frustrating. Dog gonnit, I'm trying to help you... don't tell me I should do nothing.

Dog gonnit, God, I'm trying to help you do something, for me. Don't tell me to do nothing. Funny how we want to do as little as possible and still reap full rewards, but can't handle it if God tells us to do just that, nothing, as little as possible.

God is big enough to do things the way He wants, but He's not as bull headed as we are. He'll let us keep pushing something when what He really wants is nothing.

I dare you to . . . DO NOTHING!!

Steps of Faith

This seems to describe exactly where Rebekah and I are, and have been for some time. I can't tell you how many times, in the last 3 days, you could have heard either of us make statements of surprise about being once again in Rome, Georgia. This isn't what we foresaw for ourselves. This isn't what we imagined as our "next move". This wasn't in the plans . . . , but I hear the Spirit whisper. . . My ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. . . For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper and not harm you, plans to give you the future you hoped for. Rebekah or I neither one "hoped for" Rome, but nevertheless it is part of our future once again.

If I were to paint you a picture of where we are right now in this walk of faith, it would be something like this: You're walking down a well lit hall with a door at the end. The door is open, but the closer you get the door begins to close, and your time is limited. As you slip through the narrowing space, you find yourself in a room with no light, and yet somehow you feel secure. The room seems empty, yet you feel satisfied. You know there will be light to come, but it is not now.

So here we are walking the same path as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. On the same journey as Joseph, and it's all in the hands of God. These days are steps of faith.

Schools In

It's school season once again. Looking back at this last year, I realize I have been in God's school. It has been a time of personal growth and learning. Actually, it has felt more like graduate classes than anything. God spoke to me some time ago that it's not about asking Him to speak when WE think we need Him to, but whether or not we're close enough to listen. In other words, don't be too cool for school. Cheesy, I know, but none the less true. It is far better to pay attention to and be aware of those ways God is speaking through what is around you than to plead and beg so loud for Him to speak that we cannot hear Him.

One thing I've noticed during these times... Scripture seems to open in a deeper way to you when your in this learning process. It's very satisfying to your soul.

Stay in School!

Seasons Change

Life is a roller coaster, to say the least, but one thing I am learning as I get older (please, no old jokes) is that life is nothing more and nothing less than a series of seasons. We had a Hospitality Department Meeting last night, and this sort of came up. After talking with the leaders in this department we all began to realize that the lull we have been feeling is not confined to just us, but the entire area is experiencing it. It's funny how we can be so arrogant as to think that anything, good or bad, is only about us. Our area has been hit by a snow storm, an ice storm, , and a financial storm. Everything seems to be in slow motion, no matter how much we add to our to do list. It's like ol' man winter has crept into every aspect of life and begun to put a freeze on more than just the air. BUT SEASONS CHANGE!

Today, for the first time in a long time, it is suppose to reach 70 degrees. The snow is all gone and now the birds are starting to sing, and the birds on the bat are starting to play (Did you really think I could talk about spring and not mention Cardinals Baseball?). SEASONS CHANGE! The natural always mirrors the supernatural... something is changing. It's time to stir, arise and shake ourselves, for winter has passed and the springtime has come. Our SEASON IS CHANGING!