Let Peace...

Greetings, Dear Friends!

Susie Larson here...

And to those visiting, I say welcome!

I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way.

Before I get into my topic, I wanted to remind you of a couple of things. Each month I give away a $10.00 gift card to Caribou to someone who posts on this blog. I love to hear from you! There were some incredible comments on last week's post. God is moving in the hearts of His people!

In celebration of my new release, "The Uncommon Woman" I will award a $50.00 VISA gift card to someone who posts in August. Each week I'll post about what it means to be uncommon and I want to hear from you! The call to be uncommon is straight from the Word of God, and I want to hear from you!

Now, on to my topic...

I don't know about you, but I've battled some real anxiety and angst lately. In fact, I know I'm not alone because many, many women have shared they've been battling the same thing. Maybe it's because the world seems to be spinning out of control. Maybe it's because of the wars and the rumors of wars. Maybe it's because it seems impossible to reconcile the sufferings in the world with our shallow, busy schedules. Jesus tells us that in this world, we will have trouble, but then He adds, "...but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world."

My friend called me on the phone yesterday. She said, "Susie, I was praying for you last week and God gave me the sweetest picture of you. You were resting in a boat; in fact you were so at peace and so focused on Jesus, that you were content to let Him lead you to shore, wherever that next place might be."

My answer to her? "Wow, that's a great picture, but I'm not there. But, oh, how I'd love to be. In fact, that'll be my pursuit today. I'll press in for peace and rest until I find it."

We said our goodbyes and I sat back and looked out the window. I thought of my friend's picture. And then I came up with a picture of my own: I'm sitting in the boat, holding onto the edge with a claw-like grip. I'm watching the waves lap up and spill over into the boat. On each wave is a picture of someone I've hurt; or mistakes that I've made; or conversations I've had...all in the past; all things I've repented of and embraced mercy for.

But there before me were all of the reminders of why I'd never make it to the shore of my next promised land. I'm a putz. If left to myself, I'll mess up everything. 

I looked out the window a second time and breathed a heavy sigh. Somehow, once again, my focus had become more self-aware than God aware. Hmmm.

I picked up my Bible, and wonder upon wonders, my next reading passage was of Jesus sleeping in the boat. The waves licked the sides of the boat. The water spilled over and threatened to capsize the boat and everyone in it. And Jesus slept. 

In frantic fear the disciples yanked Jesus from His sleep and frantically pointed to the waves. Jesus sat up, questioned their faith, and then spoke to the waves. And suddenly all was calm.

When the storm rages against us, the call for me and for you is twofold: We must use the authority God has given us, and rebuke the waves. When the enemy stands against us and reminds us of all the reasons we'll never make it across the water, we need to stand in the authority given to us, and point to Jesus. 

We must resist the temptation to make a bigger deal out of the wave than we should. The Bible says, 'When the enemy comes in like a flood, the LORD will raise up a standard against him!"

Instead of being bullied by the fears and threats hurled at us from the enemy, we stand in faith, we point to Jesus, and we refuse to let a few waves deter us from going where God is leading us.

Secondly, we learn to rest. We trust the mighty power of God (and His love for us) enough to get comfortable, and to take a good nap. When our faith allows us to recline at The Table in the presence of our enemies, our lives become a force to reckon with.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He calls us to peace at all times, in all ways. He offers us a fresh outpouring every single day.

He pours it out, we need to drink it up. We need to let it in. We need to receive it.

Let's read this powerful verse:

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful (Colossians 3:15)

Look closer...

To LET means to: give permission, grant the right to, allow, empower, enable, permit

Think about the potency of this verse. We have A LOT to do with the measure of peace we enjoy! God offers it, but we must receive it. But not just receive it; we're to grant the right for peace to RULE in our hearts. 

This verse strongly suggests that it's our calling. Our privilege. Our responsibility. 

And we're called to be thankful. Always. In everything (not for everything; but in everything). At all times.

Dear friends, there is a way to navigate through the storms of life with a heart at peace. The Bible also says that a heart at peace gives life to the body and health to the bones. Who doesn't need that?

May we stay in step with our Prince of Peace today. May we confess our sin, offer forgiveness, and refuse condemnation. May we learn to sleep through the storms and may we rebuke the waves when necessary. It's our privilege. Our call. Our right as ones who belong to the Most High God.

Until next week...

Celebrate!

Greetings, Dear Friends!

Susie Larson here...

And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way.

If you take the time to post on my blog in May, you may win a $10.00 gift card to Caribou, Target, OR Dairy Queen! Your choice. So drop me a note and say hi!

Now on to my topic...

I recently returned from speaking at the first ever, "Beloved" conference hosted by South Union Christian Church in Indiana, and I'm telling you, we had a wonderful time!

The event hosts treated me with absolute love and care. In fact, they bathed the whole weekend in prayer and we enjoyed a powerful time in the Lord's presence.

My reason for sharing this with you is because they they did a skit that is still affecting me. And though this at first glance may appear to be a post directed at women, there's something here for men too.

Prior to one of the sessions, the lights went down, the spotlight went up, the music played, and one at a time, women marched down a model runway, each wearing different banners that represented where their value came from. One banner said, "Ambition", another, "Model", and another, "Educated" and so on and so forth. One at a time, the women strutted down the runway with an empty but prideful look in her eyes. During this portion of the skit, the large Power Point screen displayed one timeless quote after another; each depicting true beauty; inner beauty and value.

Off to the side, judges sat on tall chairs, whispering and jotting down their remarks on each woman.

Once the women had done their walk, they disappeared back stage. A minute later, they all re-appeared wearing jeans and a "Beloved" t-shirt. They lined up on the stage, all looking very much the same. The judges approached the first girl, crowned her and hugged her. She jumped up and down with excitement and headed down the runway, this time with great joy and humility and celebration. The music was fun and upbeat and everyone celebrated her.

Then the next girl was crowned and celebrated and did her walk/dance down the runway. Everybody cheered. Everybody celebrated.

Every girl in the cast was crowned, cheered for, and celebrated as if to say, "You win. And, You win. And You win. And so do you, you win!"

And so it goes with you.

For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song (Zephania 3:17).

Maybe I'm reading into it too much, but I don't think so.

God has gifted each and every one of us and unless we identify ourselves more with the Giver than the gift, we'll subtly shift our weight, our hope, and our sense of value into the gift.

We'll strut our stuff, we'll look at others, size them up, wonder where we fall into rank with them on the scene, and in doing so, we'll miss out on the fullness of life and community we were intended for in the Body of Christ.

When we strive to be known for our gift rather than to be known for knowing Him, we separate ourselves from others and from the joyful song God is singing over us.

Think about the women in the second part of that skit. All dressed the same, all celebrated for their uniqueness, and yet, all in it together.

When we commit the sin of comparison - we miss out.

When we embrace competition over community - we miss out.

When our fears and insecurities trump our faith and sense of identity - we (and everyone around us) miss out.

It all goes back to the Giver.

Do you know that He sings over you? He does.

Do you know that He is pulling for you today? He is.

Do you know that He has already made a way for you? He has.

Do you know that He'll be faithful tomorrow? He will.

When I receive YOU and celebrate with YOU, and you celebrate me and receive me, we get to share our fruit and our reward is great. You're victory becomes my victory. My victory becomes your victory. One of us sends a thousand to flight; but two of us, ten thousand!

There is power in unity, in numbers, and in a group of people who know and understand that we are ALL made in His image.

This IS the day the Lord has made and He has made a way for you. Rejoice with Him and be glad.

He takes GREAT delight in you. He REJOICES over you with singing. And He watches you with GREAT CARE.

Whether this feels true or not, you have a cause to celebrate.

In His presence, the fullness of joy is found (Psalm 16:11).

Have a great week~

Maturity...

Good Day, Friends!

Susie Larson here...

And to those visiting, I say welcome!

I post every Wednesday and my goal is to nourish your soul and challenge your faith along the way.

I'm writing this from my sick bed and I'm scheduled to speak in Georgia this weekend. Please pray for a divine and swift recovery if you think of me. :)

If you take the time to post on my blog in March, you may win a $10.00 gift card to either Caribou or Target (your choice). So drop me a note and say hi!

Now on to my topic.

With one son getting ready to graduate from college, and another pondering the idea of marriage, and still another making plans to take his darling girlfriend to the prom, I can't help but think about the various phases of life.

I love my boys, and while I see plenty of areas in their lives that still need to be refined, I think they are exceptional young men because they each possess a tender, teachable, humble heart. And to me, that's worth more than gold.

I'm not one of those moms who is blind to her children's foibles. I'm a straight talker when it comes to addressing the low or inconsistent places in their character. I won't be sympathetic towards a trait that could very well diminish the kind of husbands, fathers, employees, and Christ-followers they are called to be.

Even so, every day, several times a day, I let them know I love them. They know it so well, that when times of confrontation come, they stand up a little taller knowing that this too will equip and mature them into healthy, fully-devoted followers of Christ.

According to Ephesians, we are all called to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves...rather, by speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body is joined and held together.

So what are the stages of spiritual growth and just what does spiritual maturity look like?

My guess is that spiritual maturity looks a lot like physical maturity.

Let's look at the various stages of life (of course, there are always exceptions).

Do you see yourself in any of these descriptions?

Infancy ~ Needs to be bibbed, fed, and burped. Is totally reliant on the adult for sustenance and care. Will die without adult supervision.

Toddler ~ Knows enough to be dangerous. Can get around but repeatedly runs into things, falls down, spills the beans, and throws tantrums. Needs to be loved, corrected, guided, and discipled. Needs grace and boundaries.

Pre-Schooler ~ Ready to venture out just beyond his small world but with supervision and guidance. Likes structure and feels safe within his predictable schedule. Learning to ride without training wheels.

Elementary Schooler ~ Feels scared and thrilled at the thought of new and various kinds of friends. Feels insecure and too sure of himself, sometimes at the same time. Thinks the world is as big as what his eyes can see (not knowing that his world is no larger than Who-ville). Likes to venture out for short stints, but likes the idea of coming back home again. Can be demanding.

Middle Schooler ~ Has morphed into a self-centered, 'the world revolves around me' alien. Thinks that if left to him and his co-horts, they could do a mighty job of running the world. Has learned advanced skills that the older folks know nothing about, but lacks the character, humility, and wisdom to do and be everything he thinks he can be. Thinking through decisions isn't something he thinks of.

High Schooler ~ While some are still self-centered at this age, others have eaten some humble pie and as a result, have gained a new appreciation for those who have gone before them. Some begin to think about the impact they might make in the world (others have to wait until college; still others, never get this far).

College ~ They know enough now to understand how little they know. Still, as the Bible says, "Knowledge puffs up, love builds up." This is the stage where there's a definite fork in the road. Some will relinquish faith and make an idol out of what they know. Others will appreciate knowledge while embracing their faith. Either way, there's a sense of how big the world is and how important it is to get out of the comfortable zone.

Young Adulthood ~ This is a tough time and an exciting time. Young adults are getting their legs under them, but understanding afresh just what it takes to make it in the big world. The elder people they once criticized they now appreciate, though they might never tell them. Though most start with small beginnings, here's where some plant seeds for tomorrow's big dreams. Some camp here and never get beyond the status they inherited, but others see the possibilities in their trials; they embrace hope and faith and love and through difficult seasons they are refined, and as a result, they are being groomed as tomorrow's leaders.

Adulthood ~ It's no longer so important that we impress others; it's more important to have peace in our heart and right thoughts in our head. Instead of making a big deal out of the big things we accomplish, we make a big deal out of the little things our kids accomplish. We are more intent on making a broader impact than on being the center of attention.

~~~

Okay, that's just my take.

We are called to go from strength to strength, and from glory to glory. And yet, some never mature beyond spiritual infancy. As soon as it's time to stand up and learn to walk and feed themselves, they walk out the door in search of a bigger high chair.

In his study, "Consider Him" author Tom Kelby writes, "Spiritual infancy is not a bad thing for those who are truly newly born in Christ. However, healthy babies grow. If they do not, something is wrong. And this is one of the greatest problems in the church today. Babies are not growing."

Read this confrontation from Ephesians 5:11-14:

"About this (immaturity) we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil" (ESV).

Regarding this passage, my Believer's Commentary states: Professing believers who stay on a milk diet are unskilled in the word of righteousness. They are hearers of the word but not doers. They lose what they do not use, and remain in a state of perpetual infancy."

The mature believer understands the paradox that she is nothing and everything. She is everything to God and nothing without Him.

She allows hard times to refine her, but not define her.

She remains teachable in times of correction, but confident in God's love (He disciplines those He loves).

She applies what she knows and wants desperately to grow.

She'll take on things that seem over her head when called to; she'll also tend to things that seem beneath her with the same humble confidence.

Dear friends, let us run this race set before us and fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith - who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross.

May we grow into the beautiful, holy, and confident people God has called us to be!

Until next week...

~~~

My next quarterly Ezine comes out in April. If you haven't already subscribed, be sure to go to my website and do so. I give away lots of great stuff and people seem to like the content!

Here's a look at January's Ezine:

Susie's January Ezine

Your Turn...

Greetings, Dear Friends!

Susie Larson here...

And to those visiting, I say welcome!

I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way.

If you take the time to post on my blog in March, you may win a $10.00 gift card to either Caribou or Target (your choice). So drop me a note and say hi!

Now on to my topic.

Though I'm an early riser, I wake up extra early on Wednesday mornings because I'm scheduled to stand on the wall and prayer watch on behalf of my church family.

I sat in my usual oversized chair surrounded by my devotional books and Bible, and I wrapped my hands around my warm cup of java.

It was pitch black outside. I couldn't see past the window.

I couldn't help but ponder the days preceding Christ's death. Talk about a dark night of the soul.

And yet, in His knowing and understanding of what was ahead of Him, He kept moving forward. Each day, He taught, He loved, and He lived.

He pointed His followers to life and to the provision and promises of God. He modeled love. He stayed focused.

Furthermore, when He defeated death on the Cross, the Bible says that He made a public spectacle of the powers that opposed us and stood against us.

Colossians 2:13-15 says,

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Though I could have spent the whole morning meditating on what Christ did for us when He made a public spectacle of the powers that stood against us, my thoughts quickly turned from what He did for us, to what we do for Him.

God is serious about His investment in us and He is intent on a return in this investment.

Matthew 25 illustrates our differing responses to what God has entrusted us.

With regard to the parable of the talents, some give their Master a great return on His investment. Others, motivated by fear, bury their talents, and instead of taking ground, they lose ground because of missed opportunities and unbelief.

What will you do with what's been given to you?

I had to ask myself the same question this morning.

In light of everything God has deposited in me, am I walking in a manner worthy of the calling?

Am I living a life of abiding, of sowing, and of reaping?

Am I cultivating my gifts in a way that makes me a more effective and reliable messenger?

But it doesn't stop there.

Giving God a great return on His investment isn't just about our talents and what we do with them.

On a much bigger scale, the return we offer God has everything to do with the provision made available to us.

The Heavens are bursting with promise, power, and provision!

Jesus died a brutal death and won a smashing victory...for us.

Through His victory on the Cross, He secured storehouses of provision that we may lay hold of what we need to live in a manner worthy of His name.

What are you doing with all that's been offered you?

Because of your faith and faithfulness, are others blessed?

Are circumstances changing because you have reached up and grabbed hold of a promise made for that situation?

Is your life marked with power and expectancy?

If not, why not?

I had to ask myself these same questions.

What better time to ask the hard questions about our effectiveness than Easter week.

May we pause and ponder what Christ did when He won the victory.

And may we live totally different, other-worldly lives as a result.

Ask yourself today, "In light of the Cross, how will I live differently today?"

And then walk on, for His Name's sake.

Have a beautiful and reverent Easter celebration.

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but of power (1 Corinthians 4:20).

~~~

My next quarterly Ezine comes out in April. If you haven't already subscribed, be sure to go to my website and do so. I give away lots of great stuff and people seem to like the content!

Here's a look at January's Ezine:

Susie's Ezine - January



God Bless You!

Love Him More...

Hello, Everyone!

Susie Larson here...

And to those visiting, I say welcome.

I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way.

If you take the time to post on my blog in March, you may win a $10.00 gift card to either Caribou or Target (your choice). So drop me a note and say hi!

Now on to my topic.

If you've heard me speak before, you've no doubt heard me drill home the message of God's boundless love. It's not that we loved God, but that He loved us (1 John 4:10), and it's not about how high we can jump, but that He stooped down to make us great (Psalm 18:35).

The Church is full of striving, jumping, straining people. We're exhausted from trying to earn enough God points to be good enough, or just so we won't seem so bad.

Though this is not new news, it's certainly great news...God loves us.

He sent His Son to pay our debt that we might be free, forgiven, and linked in fellowship with Him.

Love, love, beautiful love, that's what we have access to every single day.

His mercies await us with each new morning and His faithfulness is there during those dark nights of the soul.

The more we let His love pour in to every pore of our being, the more we will be healed, restored, and assured that He's enough for us.

Yes, His love is the best news of all.

His love is the foundation of the free and true life of every Believer.

But where do we go from there?

Mark 18: 30 says:

The Lord our God is the One and Only Lord and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength...

After pondering this verse for a while, I realized how necessary - for me at least - were each of the phrases in this verse.

I have many aspects to my character (as do you) and God deserves for my love and devotion to ooze out of every expression of my being.

"I love You with all of my heart..."

This begs the question, "Do I have passions and affections that undermine my devotion to Christ? Do my hopes and dreams line up with His wonderful call on my life?" To love God with all of my heart is to wrap all of who I am into the idea that I was made by Him and for Him. Living for Him is my highest goal, my greatest honor, and my deepest pleasure.

I can think of a few things in my life that compete at times with God's request that He be my highest passion. How about you? What comes to mind?

"I love You with all of my soul..."

In the soul I find my fleshly ambitions and desires. I find unrest because I'm not resting in Him. To love the Lord with all my soul is to make my lesser ambitions bow to call of God on my life. When I'm tempted to chase after lesser things, I say loud enough for my ears to hear, "I've been crucified with Christ, and it's no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loves me and gave Himself up for me" (Gal. 2:20). When there's unrest in my soul it's often due to two things: other's opinions of me and my opinion of God. Do I care too much what people think of me? And will I allow myself to be stressed by all the things I have to carry, forgetting that God carries me? I've come far in the area of other's opinions. There is now a much bigger gap between how people affect me and how God affects me. But still, loving God with all my soul seems the hardest of these for me, but definitely the most liberating.

Are there areas in your life that call for the cleansing, healing work of the Holy Spirit?

I love you with all my mind...

For me to love God with all of my mind, I must refuse to give my thoughts free reign. To love God with my mind is to be transformed daily by the renewing of my mind. When I rehearse His promises more than I rehearse my woes, I'm loving God with all of my mind. When I choose to trust Him when I'd rather worry, I'm loving Him with my mind. When I put strict boundaries around where I allow my thoughts to go, I'm cultivating a healthy atmosphere for faith to grow and peace to stay. He keeps in perfect peace those whose minds are set upon Him. May I love Him with my whole mind!

How about your thought patterns? Can you think of an area where you consistently struggle (e.g. worry, other's opinions, fear, pride, etc.)?

I love you with all my strength...

When I use my best energies and my first fruits to serve the living God, I am loving Him with all my strength. When His Kingdom, more than my fame, is my highest goal, I am loving Him with all my strength. When in sickness or in health, I offer Him myself, I am loving Him with everything I have. No matter if my occupation ignites the admiration of my peers or not, if I do it as unto the Lord, He is pleased, and I am blessed.

Are you walking out your God-given call? Are you heading toward the Promised Land that He has set aside for you? Or are you living a life of responses and reactions to whatever stands in front of you?

May we all take in - every single day - a fresh revelation of God's abundant, abounding love.

And may we live a life of response to that love. Loving Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Have a most blessed and joy-filled week.

Love you all~