The Fix-It Girl's Guide to Faith

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I have never been great with tools - you know, the wrench, hammer, and stuff. I may attempt to fix something, but usually end up asking the husband to do it. (That ensures it will be done RIGHT.) But even though I am not handy with wrenches and screwdrivers, I like to use my tool belt full of life tools to help fix people and situations.


But some things are not meant to be fixed. Some things cannot be fixed. Then what?


I realized this in a major way the first time my mother was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. There was nothing I could do. I couldn't make it go away. I couldn't minimize her pain or sickness during her chemotherapy. I couldn't get out my tool belt and develop a plan of action to improve our situation. I was helpless. 


Enter God. He can do anything. He can and does heal. He can and does take away pain and sickness. Realizing my helplessness and smallness enabled me to focus on His power and greatness.


Faith is born and nurtured when our fix-it mentality fails. When we come to the end of our rope, our God is there waiting to hold us and to do His thing in a big way.


Paul, too, was a fix-it person. As godly as he was, he still tried in his flesh to do things on his own. 

We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.  (2 Co 1:8–9, NLT)

Not being able to fix things increases our faith in the One who is Able. 

And by the way, He raises the dead. What can He not do in your life?

So,when we are faced with affliction and difficulty, we need to:

• Realize our helplessness and inability to "fix" the person or situation.
• Release the situation or person to God who can do the impossible.
• Rely on God to comfort us and guide us.
• Remember that He can raise the dead!

But there's one more thing: what if it is something we can "fix?" 

Maturing faith still relies on God. Maturing faith realizes that without God we are truly nothing and can do nothing. There are times God asks us to bring our natural to meet His Super (quoting Steven Furtick) and then there are other times He asks us to drop our "fix-it" for pure faith. 

What are you going through right now that you are trying to "fix" and need to faithfully release to God? In what ways is He teaching you that He is enough - He doesn't need you... He desires your faith and relationship with you?  Would love to hear from you!

Have faith in God, He is on His throne!

Kelli

Linking with Jen at Finding Heaven and Seedlings In Stone and Playdates at the Wellspring

When God Turns Your World Upside Down

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In the most reverent of ways, I say, Oh My God... I feel awesome wonder, great humility and incredible excitement all at the same time.  What you have done these last few days is indeed a spiritual high, a pivotal moment that I will never forget. It has truly been one of those a-ha, write-in-your-journal, and blog-about-it kind of experiences. Only You can take a workshop meant to teach Spiritual Leadership Coaching and turn it into divine encounter with You. We make plans, but ultimately You do Your thing. And we are thankful.


You have completely turned my world and the world of about 35 others UPSIDE DOWN. My prayer is that others can tell we have been with You, Jesus. That others can see that we have experienced God. You have sure been with us. In us. Around us. On us. Through us. Now overflow from us!

 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.  Acts 4:13

Let it be said of us. Amen. 


Note: I have a lot swirling around in my head... not to mention I am exhausted. But I plan to write a full post about my experiences at the Blackaby Ministries Spiritual Leadership Coaching conference. Until then... Acknowledge the work of God in you and around you and feel free to share!


Kelli

That's What I Want On My Tombstone!

Today I have the awesome privilege of guest posting for a popular home school site called...  Hip Homeschool Moms!  And if you are questioning my "hipness," I will send you a photo! So, if you are visiting from that site, WELCOME! I am so glad you are here. Though this is not a "home school" site, I am a mom and minister who home schools! My 12 year old daughter came to us and asked to be homeschooled. To read that story, click here.


And before you "regulars" click away and quit reading, my guest post is not just for people or moms who homeschool... I think it is applicable for all of us! 




Here's a sneak peek of my guest post today...

"There’s a great verse in Hebrews in the Bible that refers to the awesome faith of Abraham. The verse reads, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place...obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” Honestly, that is a terrific description of my life, but particularly when it comes to homeschooling."

Click here to read the "rest" of this story...and I would love for you to comment on their site...or here...or both! It would just make my day to hear from you!


As for the tombstone...yeah...I would love to have:

Kelli Wommack

"Obeyed God and went... 

even though she didn't know where she was going."  

Now that is a goal worth living for! May we live a life of radical obedience and reckless faith. Live for ONE!

So, whatever...whatever He is calling you to do...obey. Though we do not have a GPS that tells us where we are going and how we will get there, we are following the ONE who is calling us. And HE knows it ALL...

Love to all of you,

Kelli

P.S. My new website is in the works and I can't wait to reveal it to you!!!!

Trust His Presence

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Let’s just get real. Sometimes I really want to see, hear, and touch God in the flesh. Sometimes I really need that tangible expression of God’s love. And it can be extremely frustrating when I am in one of those moments where “I am just not feeling it.” I know that faith is being sure of what I do not see. I have faith. But sometimes I want that faith to have arms, legs, and a face. I need to be embraced, hugged, rocked.

I know that I am not alone in this.  I know that you have felt this way, too.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.   (2 Corinthians 1: 3-4 NIV)
 

So, in light of that verse, do we really feel comforted?

The word comfort in those verses is the Greek word paraklesis, a derivative of paraklete. This word comes from the verb which means, “to call,” and para which means “alongside of.” The God of all comfort means, “He is right there with you.” In the form of the Holy Spirit, God is right there in it with us. We are never alone.

We must learn to trust His presence even when we do not feel it.

Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains!
For the Lord comforts his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.
But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me,
the Lord has forgotten me.”
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are ever before me. (Isaiah 49: 13 - 16) 

Shout! Rejoice! Burst into song!  Why? Because our God comforts... He breathes forcibly, consoles, and shows mercy, pity, and wonderful tenderness on His people. He loves deeply, soothes hearts, and shows compassion on His afflicted...His children who are depressed in mind or circumstances.

Depressed in mind or circumstances? Overwhelmed? The God of ALL Comfort is here.

But Zion (Jerusalem) said “ I feel like God has left me all alone, He has forgotten me, forsaken me.”

Do you ever felt forgotten? The Bible tells us that God will NEVER leave us or forsake us.

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will never, no not ever, forget you. See, I have engraved (etched, inscribed, written) you on the palms of my hands." 

Our names have been engraved on the palms of his hands by the nails that He endured on Calvary.

Have you felt forgotten?  Overwhelmed or depressed by your circumstances?  Let the God of comfort remind you that He has you etched in the palm of his hand.  Rejoice knowing that He is there to comfort you, to love you deeply, to soothe you, to have mercy on you.  Trust Him.

Trust His Presence.

When I desire to be close to God, to feel His presence, I like to worship Him, praise Him, and thank Him. It is amazing! God does indeed inhabit the praises of His people. So invite Him!

And here is one of my favorite songs to invite His Presence...

The more I seek you,

The more I find you

The more I find you, the more I love you

[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsty.com/kari-jobe-the-more-i-seek-you-lyrics.html ]

I wanna sit at your feet

Drink from the cup in your hand.

Lay back against you and breathe, feel your heart beat

This love is so deep, it's more than I can stand.

I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming

(Kari Jobe) The More I Seek You

Trust His Presence, today. He is there. 


Living for ONE by getting off the throne,


Kelli


Linking up with:


Jen at Finding Heaven Today and Shanda at A Pause on the Path

Looking for Trouble?

thanks, Flickr

We talked about God being the Father of Compassion and the God of all Comfort - the perfect source of comfort when we are need - on Monday. Today we are going to talk about the fact that we will suffer, we will endure hard times, we will face trials. But in those trials and troubles, we are able to experience God.

For just as Christ’s [own] sufferings fall to our lot [as they overflow upon His disciples, and we share and experience them] abundantly, so through Christ comfort (consolation and encouragement) is also [shared and experienced] abundantly by us. 2 Corinthians 1:5 AMP

The overflowing of suffering AND comfort. Paul is saying that sure we will have difficulties. In fact, hardships will abound!  But just as we have an abundance of suffering, we will be overwhelmed with comfort and consolation. Ironic it seems, but as Christians the two – suffering and comfort – really do go hand in hand. Our relationship with Christ guarantees suffering, but it also guarantees His comfort!

There are many times that I find myself praying for someone who is going through a “trouble” or hardship in life. This difficult situation may be tragic, or just a temporary trial. But, God has taught me lately that when I pray for these people and their situations I am to pray that God Himself will be revealed to them. I truly believe that His word teaches that His glory is revealed through our sufferings and trials. Many think that “His glory revealed” speaks of heaven or His return. No doubt it does. However, I believe that His glory is also revealed all around us here on earth if we look for it. What is God’s glory? What are we searching for? Christian author, teacher, and speaker Beth Moore says, “God’s glory is the way He makes Himself recognizable.” 


Think of the people in the Bible that God used in extraordinary ways to accomplish His purposes and make Himself recognizable. Abraham. Moses. Daniel. Mary and Martha, sisters of Lazarus. The disciples. Paul. Can you think of one of them that did not go through a trial or some form of trouble?


In every situation above, God’s glory was ultimately revealed.  He “was recognizable” in these difficult situations to show who He is to not only the one involved in the trial, but also the spectators looking on! Difficulties that we face ultimately reveal God to us and others. They often bring an intimacy with God we have never experienced before. 



So now, I ask you, are you looking for “TROUBLE?”  Probably not.  In fact, you are probably hoping that your relationship with Christ can grow without all the difficulties and heartache.  No, we would never ask for hardships in life.  But, when troubles come, and they will, we need to meet them with the longing and the anticipation of a closer walk with the Lord.  Because on the other side of that trouble is the knowledge and experience that God has revealed Himself and shown Himself to be the God of comfort and the Father of compassion.  


I want you to know that I am praying for you today, my friend. God loves you, He has a plan for your life, and He will never leave you or forsake you. He wants to reveal Himself to you. 


Living for ONE by getting off the throne,


Kelli




Linking with Winsome Wednesday, Internet Cafe Devotions, and Getting Down with Jesus

All in All

When I tell people that my favorite book in the bible is Second Corinthians, they often look at me funny. You can tell they are scanning their scripture memorization bank to recall any verse that might be worthy of memorizing in Second Corinthians. There are others who don't even know that there was a second letter written to the church at Corinth. 


For me, these thirteen chapters hold truths and powerful statements that have been transformational in my life and ministry. If you missed the first two posts of this series, I invite you to go back and read When God has a Different Objective and There's Only Room for One. 


So, if 2 Corinthians has never been your favorite book of the bible or if you've never memorized any scripture from this book, I pray that by the end of this series, you will have been prompted by the Spirit to do so. 


So, let's jump in! The third verse in the very first chapter of 2 Corinthians will stop you in your tracks. 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.  (2 Co 1:3–4)

There's so much packed in these verses, but I want to focus on the "alls" and the "any."  The God of all comfort is the One who comforts us in all our troubles. It does not say the God of some comfort is the One who comforts us in some of our troubles. Praise God, He doesn’t choose which situation in my life He will be there for me! He is always there for me.  And this verse even tells me that when I do run to others (spouse, family, friends) for comfort, guess what? He is the One who has empowered them to share it with me. The point is: God is the source of your comfort.  

I am reminded of a personal illustration. You see, if you know me, you know I enjoy talking – with just about anyone for just about any reason. Therefore, if a “trouble” comes my way, I often pick up the phone to call my Mom, or one of my closest friends to vent, and to seek the answers I want to hear. After “venting” recently to my Grandmother about a situation, she called me the next morning.  The conversation went like this:




“Hello?”
“Hey, Honey.” (She always calls me “Honey.”)
“Hey, Grandmother.”  (I always call her “Grandmother.”)
“Listen, Honey, I can’t talk long, but I just wanted to know if you were doing better today.”
“Yes, Grandmother, I am.  Thank you for letting me “vent” yesterday.”
“Well, Honey, I was listening to a pastor speak on the radio last night and I heard a very interesting comment.  In fact, I feel like the Lord wanted me to share it with you.”
“What, Grandmother?” 
“Well, this pastor said, ‘Get off the phone and go to the throne.’”
Silence.
“Ok, Honey, I’ll be going now.  I love you.” Click.
I. was. stunned.


You see, He is the source of all comfort. Our family and friends, or whomever we go to for comfort, are just the empowered distributors. Though it is great that we have people that we can go to and talk to, He would love to be your first stop for comfort. Tell Him what you are feeling. Let Him know your hurts and your fears. Tell Him how lonely you are. And when you can’t even put your thoughts into words, don’t worry; the Spirit is right there interceding on your behalf. Our Lord wants to be our Comforter, our Source of Compassion. He wants to be our All in All.  


What are you thinking right now? Do you allow Jesus to be your All in All? How has God been your source of compassion and comfort? I would love to hear your comments. In fact, as I prepare to write this book, your comments are more needed than ever. Please let me know if God moves you or if you have any insight. Reading by email? click here to go to the site to comment. If not, scroll down to comment.


Living for ONE by getting off the throne!


Kelli

Linking with: Jen  at Finding Heaven Today and

There is Only Room for One

I told the first part of this story on Tuesday. So, if you missed it, you might want to go here to read it.

thanks, Flickr

I left the classroom that day knowing that God was beginning something in me. I once again reminded Him that I really just needed some school credit and that perhaps we could put off transformation for another time. 

                                                                                                                            But He was persistent.

My thoughts quickly moved to getting some lunch. As I walked down the hallway, I saw a professor that I had not had for any of my classes. I smiled and gave the normal greeting. Out of the blue, she asked me if I had plans for lunch. I did not. We decided to go to the cafeteria together.

We sat down with our lunches and begin to chat. We shared comments about the summer, about seminary, about classes. Then she asked me to tell her about my life, my family, my ministry. I launched into this glowing description of my life.  My marriage was great. My ministry was booming and growing. My grades were great. I was moving forward in my calling. I told her that our extended families had just gone through some recent trials and that I had helped them through it. I was there to be strong. I was there to give comfort. I was there to provide advice and counsel. I was there to hold things together. 

My. My. My. I. I. I. I. Me. Me. Me. Me. 

She leaned gently across the table. I thought she was getting ready to applaud me and my efforts. But instead she said,

"Will you please get off the throne?"

                                                         I was mortified. I was humiliated. I was humbled. 

My heart lay there fully exposed on that cafeteria table.  And before you get defensive on my behalf and wonder who she thought she was saying that to me…those words weren't hers. Those words came from a God who loves me, who has a plan for me, who knows me, and who wants relationship with me. Those words began a journey of transformation that I am still on after fourteen years. 

It was then, right there in that cafeteria that I realized that as long as I sat on the throne of my life – in control, taking the credit for my accomplishments, and relishing in pride – I would never really see the power of God at work in my life.  There is room for only one on the throne – will it be you or Christ?

Going through the motions doesn’t please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered.  Psalm 51: 16 - 17

Friends, this is the introduction to a bible study/book that I am writing. The rich verses of Second Corinthians are woven throughout as Paul also addresses the issues of pride, self-sufficiency, and self-reliance. I invite you on this journey with me as we seek to get off the throne of our lives and let God be God. I would love to hear your comments. If you are reading by email, click here.

Living for ONE by getting off the throne of my life,

Kelli

When God Has a Different Objective

thanks, Flickr

The day began just like any other day. My husband left before the break of dawn to go to the hospital for his residency program. I got up not too much later and began to get ready for school. I was in seminary. It was the first day of summer semester. 


I had chosen to take a two-week course in Second Corinthians. How difficult could a thirteen chapter book be, right? Easy peasy. I walked in the classroom, sat down, and prepared to listen to my simple objectives for this two week course. Two weeks, thirteen chapters. Surely, we will just write a paper and be done. Unfortunately, the British-accented professor had a different plan.

And fortunately for my life course, God did, too.

So, the professor began his objective list for the course. I began taking notes. This is what he said:
At the end of this course on Second Corinthians, I would like for you to:

• Be less sure of yourself. 
• Understand that things go wrong in ministry, regardless.
• Develop a theology of weakness, not power.
• Realize we all have and will have pain and suffering in our lives.

Whoa. Wait a minute. 

I am here for information, not transformation. I do not have time for that! 

Seriously. I needed this two-week course to be simple and easy. Those objectives were not simple and they sure weren't easy. I contemplated dropping the course, but really needed the hours. So, I decided to stay. The rest of that day in the summer of 1998 only emphasized my need for transformation. 

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  Romans 12: 2

Many times in life when we think we know what the goal is for something we are doing, God has a very different objective in mind. 

I will tell you the rest of the story on Thursday of this week. Stay tuned. :)

For now, I would love to hear how God has or is transforming you. Have you ever walked into something thinking that it was for one reason, and God used it to knock your socks off? I would love to hear. And promise me you'll be back on Thursday. Reading by email? Comment here.


Living for ONE,


Kelli


p.s. For all of you that watched my recent video blog, thank you. Your encouragement has been overwhelming. You are such a blessing!


today I link with my SDG girlfriends over at Finding Heaven, and Laura over at the Wellspring. Visit their sites for some awesome blog posts.