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

My Life on the Mine Train

I remember it vividly. As we loaded onto the cars that would take us up and down and twisting and turning, there was a mixture of fear and thrill. You know that blending of emotions that causes you to want to throw up and jump up and down simultaneously. The fear starts to produce doubts, but the opportunity of a thrill enables you to get on this crazy roller coaster.

Yes, we climbed into our two-passenger seats and waited for the rote instruction... "Arms up as the safety bar comes down and locks in front of you." Except it didn't come down. The safety bar did not come down! We screamed for help and for the attendant to stop the train from beginning to move, but no one could hear us above all the other noise.

Thrill seemed to fade quickly as we literally hung on for life to the front of our car. Thankfully, there were only minor turns and hills before we saw another attendant. As we ascended onto one of the major hills, we yelled for the attendant to stop the train and pull down the safety bar. Once again, we were not heard. By now fear was our faithful attender. My aunt who was in the car with me did her best to support my twelve year old frame. The mine train coaster was in full motion now and we were about to rise to our highest peak. 

There at the top of the biggest hill was another attendant. Screaming at the top of our voices, we frantically yelled for the car to stop. Finally we were heard. The coaster was halted. Our safety bar which served as a belt to hold us in finally came down around our waists. Relief does not describe our feelings. Had we not been protected with the safety bar at that time, we most likely would have been thrown from the cars and badly injured.

My life has resembled that crazy mine train roller coaster lately. 

I am having my first article published in a printed magazine in April. UP.

My parents are both going through cancer treatment right now - Mom in chemo and Dad in radiation. DOWN.

My speaking ministry is taking off and I am so excited to see what God is going to do! TWIST.

My house is so disorganized, it is a miracle that I ever get anything accomplished. TURN.

Just spent the weekend with my husband of 20 years ministering together at a Marriage conference. UP.

There are relationships in my life that desperately need healing. DOWN.

You get the picture. There are times I jump on board this roller coaster called life with that same mixture of fear and thrill. And there are times that I wonder if Someone forgot to pull down the safety bar. I feel out of control. Desperate. I cry out and don't feel heard at times.

BUT JESUS. Even though life is crazy, unpredictable, lonely, and broken, we have a GOD WITH US. We have a GOD WHO SEES. We have a GOD WHO HEARS AND LISTENS. We have a PROTECTOR and a PROVIDER. JESUS is our SAFETY BAR. He is our ATTENDANT. He will never leave us or forsake us. He LOVES US! 

I hold on to you for dear life,

and you hold me steady as a post.  Psalm 63:8

Friend, whatever you are going through, I want you to know that God loves you and He will never abandon you. Even when you feel you are not being heard, He is there. Trust Him. He has a plan for your life and it is greater than you could ever ask or imagine. I feel that we are a community here. I have shared some of my struggles, would you share yours, so we can pray for you?

Living for ONE,


Kelli 


joining in with Jen at SDG...come join us!

A Date with the ONE and ONLY

It was a morning I would rather forget. Life seemed to be going so smoothly, so well. And then it all seemed to fall apart in a matter  of minutes. 

Ever had one of those days? The more I tried to fix things, the worse they got. 

I had been invited to attend a women's ministry Christmas gathering later that night. That was the last thing I wanted to do. After all, I would be surrounded by cheery voices and laughter. I just didn't feel cheery and laugh-y. 

I argued with God for a while about going. He nudged. I resisted. He paved a way for me to go when my sweet husband volunteered to watch the children. I finally gave in.

All the way there, I cried. Seriously, Lord? This is supposed to be a happy event -- I do not want to show up with a white-washed face with swollen eyes. I do not want my pain to be visible!

I walked in the door of this very welcoming home with my Apple Dump Cake in hand. Just as I had suspected, I was met with smiling faces and warm hearts. Ordinarily, I would have been so excited to be with other women and share such sweet fellowship. But today was different. I really wanted to go dig a hole, crawl in it, and somehow disappear from life for a while.

I reluctantly joined a few conversations. Then our women's ministry leader who is a sweet friend of mine explained to me that there were "reflection" stations scattered throughout the house.

The stations were all different. One had a board on which to post prayer requests and pray for others. Another station had some Scripture to read and offer reflection. The third station was near the fireplace and had a cross. The cross was to remind us that Jesus carries our burdens -- whatever they are. My eyes welled up.

But it was the final station that got me. There was a basket filled with small rolled up pieces of paper. We were to take one as a gift from Jesus. I assumed that these papers would contain words of affirmation, words of hope, words of love. This excited me as God knew I needed that, especially today. I opened my small yellow scroll slowly, anticipating what God may say to me. And this is what He said:

I wept. I actually had to excuse myself. 


One of the reasons this was so profound and so personal for me is that a few weeks prior to this I had gone to Starbucks while I was waiting for my daughter during drama practice. I had taken my journal and Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts with me. I approached chapter 7, "Seeing Through the Glass." The more I read, the more I cried. Right there in the middle of Starbucks. God spoke in volumes that night and I declared that Starbucks was a date venue for me and God. 


So, you know how much this little yellow scroll of intimate words meant to me. Yes, there was a gift card waiting for me on the fridge. Yes, anyone would have been happy to receive this token. But for me, it was a reminder to me that the God of the Universe knows me intimately. He knows when I am having a terrible, no-good day and I need to know He is still in control. 


I am continuing my Love List today. I know this post is long. But I wanted you to know that I LOVE the fact that my God, our God, is so very personal. He longs for intimacy with us. He desires deep relationship. And He loves us like no other. 


Whatever kind of day you are having, or whatever trial you are going through, God wants to be WITH YOU. He is GOD WITH US. I would love to hear from you and pray for you.


Now go...

He is waiting. (Maybe even at Starbucks!)


Living for ONE,




Kelli


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