life beyond the well…

Tag Archives: growth


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Commit to the Lord…

I love the refreshing feeling of something new.  I believe that part of the reason that I enjoyed school both as a student and a teacher is because there’s always the opportunity to start anew.  Whether it’s at the end of the quarter, the semester, or the year; or even the next day, there are plenty of opportunities for a fresh start.  Purchasing new notebooks and planners gives me the same feeling- as if there’s a total blank slate laid out before me, and I have the ability and power to fill it with things that I desire.  Walking into something new, though challenging, always brings me fresh energy and excitement.

I feel the same way about 2013.  I recall being at the beginning of 2012 (or the end of 2011) and knowing that I was on the brink of major life changes.  And they happened.  I got married, started a new job, moved to a new (but still familiar) place.  And while change makes me nervous, the only way I know to handle it is summed up in the quote below:

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” – Proverbs 16:3

The best way for me to manage all of the things that I’m hopeful for and expecting in 2013, is to commit it all to the Lord.  All of the desires of my heart, my hopes and expectations- I must commit it to Him, and He will establish my plans.  This means that He will not only help it come to pass, but He will give me the knowledge and wisdom so that I may see those things through in excellence.

It’s hard to operate in faith like this, but it DOES get easier with practice.  Faith is like a muscle, it gets stronger the more you exercise it.  And for me, I KNOW that this plan works, because it’s worked for me before.  Let me show you how God works.

This past semester was my LAST semester of classes.  After completing these two classes, it would be all dissertation for me.  So, I went ahead and signed up for those two classes.  And I wasn’t really thinking about that whole wedding that I was having in the middle of the semester.  Nor was I thinking about the extent of my church commitments.  I was just ready to be done, and I figured that plowing through would be the best plan.  Preacherman and I talked about it, and we believed it could be done; with the right amount of discipline.  But it wasn’t enough for me to just finish- I wanted to finish well.  I wanted my final semester of classes to be all A’s, and earn that 4.0 that I knew I was capable of attaining.  After much work, many hours of reading, class chats, and discussion posts, I’m happy to say that I, with God’s help, did indeed earn that 4.0.  What I committed to him earlier, was established.

I’m not sure what you are believing God for in 2013, but I encourage you to commit it to the Lord, so that He can establish it.  Preacherman and I will begin this year as we have begun previous years, in consecration with our church; turning down our plates, and committing this year to God.  It will be a time of prayer, and listening for God’s voice so that we can be instructed on how to move so that He can establish our plans.  Please keep us and our family in your prayers as we seek to hear God’s voice so that we can serve Him as He directs us.

Cheers to 2013- Your best year yet!


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Your Witness- Lift Him Up!

“Oh! the world is hungry for the Living Bread, Lift the Savior up for them to see; Trust Him, and do not doubt the words that He said, “I’ll draw all men unto Me.”…Lift Him up by living as a Christian ought, Let the world in you the Savior see; Then men will gladly follow Him Who once taught, “I’ll draw all men unto Me.”…”

There’s power in our witness.  I’ve learned many things in my walk with Christ, but this always seems to resonate.  Sharing our testimony isn’t easy, nor is being a witness, but there’s power there and it’s necessary.

I’ve shared my testimony here before, expressed through a spoken word that I performed at my church years ago.  And while that testimony still has power, there have been more testimonies since then.  There have been more things that have happened in my life where I’m able to witness and testify to the power of God.  And it’s important to note that, because sometimes we view our testimonies as this stagnant “thing” that doesn’t change.  But as God continues to work through us, we have more things to witness and testify about.  Our lives are the sum of many, many testimony and witness experiences woven together and orchestrated by God.  And we have to share them.

I missed an opportunity to witness and was SO disappointed in myself.  Well, let me not say I missed the opportunity.  It wasn’t like it was a bus that came, and I was late.  But an opportunity to witness opened up, and I chose not to share.  Why? Perhaps out of fear.  Perhaps because I didn’t view that the time and place was appropriate. I can’t exactly pinpoint the reason that I chose NOT to share, but as soon as the moment was over, I was disappointed.  Not only because I misrepresented myself, but I also misrepresented God in my failure to share His truths with someone else.

The writer of the hymn “How to Reach the Masses” (quoted above) is right- the WORLD is hungry for the living bread.  We should always be ready to serve that living bread to others.  Many people won’t go to church, but they will observe us and our life.  We add power to that observation when we share our witness and testimony.

Lebron James had it right- we are ALL witnesses.  But what will we witness and testify to? I’m committed to being a witness and sharing the testimony of how God’s love, grace, mercy, and favor have changed my life.  And I believe that as I share that testimony with faith and conviction, lives will be changed.

It’s not about how I became better.  It’s about WHO made me better.  To God be the glory for the things He has done.

“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” – John 12:32 (KJV)