Discovering the Garden

When we had our first child, almost 7 years ago, I remember constantly hearing the same words from the lips of many well meaning older women. They'd smile at my little boy, look all wistful and say, "Enjoy him. They grow up so fast!"

My ungracious inner response, prompted by hours of a screaming baby, sleep deprivation, and life-change so drastic, I felt I was losing my sanity, was "GOOD!"

Six years and two more children later, I'm starting to see where those women were coming from. Life is just so busy. A few months ago, I realized I was addicted to rushing. There were all these important things I had to do, and places we had to be. When I did get a chance to breathe, someone would ask me about my week and I'd realize I could barely remember it. It was simply a sea of appointments, classes, meal preparation, feeding babies, diapers, coffee dates, ministry, and practices that went on and on and on. I was spending all my time mindlessly doing, planning, and hurrying that I never felt like I was LIVING. I began to feel a deep need to get the most out of these years, and this life, because it was flying by and despite the busyness, I was feeling empty.

We were not made to hurry. We were made to live in a beautiful garden, to rest in the presence of God, to experience the intimacy of being the daughters of a most unbelievable Father. A Father whose love is so incredibly relentless and breathtaking that we lose all our issues, our ugly parts, and our insecurities when we begin to step into the fullness of that love.

In the past, I have always come up with my own little "self-help" plans that usually involve more reading, more exercise, more devotions, more ministry, more soaking, more time with my kids, more healthy meals etc... This time it was different. God told me to do away with the lists and the plans, to just simply look for Him in my day. Find Him in the garden. We don't get the most out of life by doing more with our life. We get the most out of life, by recognizing life.

My kids are not the distraction, they are LIFE. My life. If the dishes stay dirty over night because we want to play games and have tickle fights, that too, is LIFE. If rushing my kids to the car (so we won't be late) becomes more important than hearing their stories or drying their tears, I hurt them. and I cheapen my LIFE. I know I won't remember which days my house was clean or which days we made it to church on time. Unfortunately, I will remember the days I hurt the hearts of my kids because I was hurried or irritable during my quest for the next thing on my to do list. But thankfully, I will remember the days in which moments were made because we paused time by EXPERIENCING it.

There are so many things that God has given us, we only need to stop and open our eyes. When we choose to seek out the gifts He has given us, we see life differently. We begin to see that everything is a gift. Fingerprints on a window become a beautiful piece of art. A child's whispered question becomes a holy moment. We all are homesick for Eden. We rob ourselves of the chance to experience the garden when we rush out searching for it.

This principle is changing me; this "looking for the garden" that is right here. I'm finding that everything takes care of itself when I seek to discover and uncover Him... All my desires to grow and change are being accidentally met as I move with God through the garden.

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13

Erin

Erin is a wife and mother to three. She is involved in leading worship in her local church as well as running "Experiencing the Father's Embrace" weekends with her husband.

Truth

I have been thinking lately about things that sound true but maybe aren’t true…those things which sound true so we repeat them…tell them to others…even try to live by them.

Some old wives’ tales can fall into this category and since I seem to be heading toward qualifying as one of those, I am going to expose a couple of them!

When you were younger, did your mother ever tell you to put on a sweater so that you didn’t catch a cold? Where does that wisdom come from? Did I miss the research showing the cold-germ-repelling-force-field of the cardigan? The real truth of the statement – put on a sweater, your mother is cold.

How about the ‘eat your carrots they are good for your eyes’ story? If you still resisted were you asked if you had ever seen a rabbit wearing glasses? Did that seal that truth in your heart?

Did you know (verified by my friend Google) that, although carrots do contain vitamins which are beneficial to your eyes, the whole idea of carrots actually improving your eyesight was largely manufactured by the British as a bit of war propaganda?? It seems that the Brits were developing a new technology, radar, which was beginning to give them a distinct advantage in spotting and destroying enemy aircraft. In an attempt to keep that from being discovered, they put out the information that their best fighter pilot ate a lot of carrots and that was responsible for his exceptional eyesight and night vision and therefore for his success at destroying the enemy. Even the British citizenry bought into this, consuming carrots at every opportunity with the hope that it would help them have improved vision as they stumbled about in the dark due to blackouts. It didn’t help!

Seems harmless enough…even though it’s not quite right…eat your carrots…

What if someone repeating the ‘eat your carrots’ advice forgets which vegetable is involved? What if they substitute turnips? Not only have we veered completely into untruth…we have burdened someone unnecessarily with eating turnips!

Have you ever been at a place in your faith journey when you have heard something that sounded true, sounded right, and so you repeat it…even try to live by it, but somehow it just doesn’t seem to work? It just doesn’t help? Maybe the carrots got switched for turnips!

I have heard this or variations of this often: God will not allow you to go through more than you can handle. I wonder if this is a misquote or misunderstanding of the verse that talks about temptation – that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear – and that he will provide a way out. (1Cor10:13)

But this sounds good. I like the idea of being able to handle whatever! It all goes off the rails though when life throws something at me that I cannot handle…and life does that…we live in a fallen world and stuff happens…and it is not all good and I can’t handle all of it. If I have bought into the idea that God won’t give me more than I can handle and now I am at a place of more than I can handle, then I am obviously doing something wrong. Obviously I am not good enough…spiritual enough…not trying hard enough…

Anybody else ever been there?

Remember the story of David & Goliath? (1Sam 17) King Saul told David that he couldn’t fight Goliath – "you are only a boy" (vs. 33). Saul was right. David couldn’t handle this. David recognized this too – here are his words to Goliath: "David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you over to me…"" (vs 45-46a)

David is telling Goliath that it’s not him – it’s God!

Remember the words from Isaiah: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour…” (Is. 43:2,3a)

Anybody out there who can handle walking through fire? Anybody? No – me neither! But that is just the point. It is not about what I can do or about what I can handle…it is always about who is walking with me. It always comes back to Immanuel…God with us!

Ruth

Character

Have you ever noticed that things like character development take time, intentionality and often a lot of work before it becomes a habit, second nature, or even noticed by others?

As believers we need to make a decision and a commitment, to become determined to grow and mature so we can live in a deep and meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ. This doesn't come from watching a daily talk show, nor from listening to the radio (I've tried both of these). However, I have found it does come with a heart-felt longing to know the heart of God and working to listen to His voice and doing what He says.

1 Tim 6:11 says, "But as for you, O man [or woman] of God, flee from all these things; aim at and pursue righteousness (right standing with God and true goodness), godliness (which is the loving fear of God and being Christlike), faith, love, steadfastness (patience), and gentleness of heart." Amplified Bible [my emphasis]

Let me encourage each of us to daily 'aim at and pursue righteousness, being Christlike, filled with faith, love, patience and gentleness of heart'.

We need to work at growing and maturing, putting scripture into practice and looking at our daily situations as opportunities to become more like Jesus. EVERY DAY living holy, righteous lives and representing Jesus well in what we say and do. I don't know about you but I find that to be a challenge. However, whether it's a challenge or not we need to still work towards becoming more Christlike every day.

Living a holy, righteous life also means we learn how to seek forgiveness and make things right with those we've hurt. When we do miss the mark and say or do something which hurts someone else, it is our job to feel the weight and impact of our words and choices, and then work towards making things right with them.

Sometimes we hear the whisper of God's voice in our heart; sometimes a well read scripture comes to life; and sometimes the audible voice of an individual speaks God's truth to us. Let us be sure we are open and hearing God's truth when He speaks.

The journey to become a mature, godly woman is a daily commitment to intentionally becoming the woman God created each of us to be. It's seeking His face in the midst of the valleys, it's savouring the Word of God and putting scripture into practice. It's working towards hearing the heartbeat of Father God and living in the shadow of His wings.

Jo-Ann

Scents

Many of our memories are associated with scents. They can be either positive or negative. Some of my favorite scents are freshly baked cookies, campfires, lavender, newborn babies. Some not-so-favorite smells would include burnt popcorn, a freezer full of meat that accidentally got unplugged and 13-year-old boys wearing copious amounts of Axe cologne.

In 2 Corinthians 2:15 it says “we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” What aroma does your life evoke when you come to someone’s mind? How are people feeling after a conversation/interaction/meeting you’ve been part of? The fragrance of your life can direct people toward or away from God.

We have all had interactions with someone who is dealing with the consequences of wrong choices in their life. The worst part is that those decisions affect family, friends, co-workers, fellow congregants and that stinks. The stench can be unbearable. Is there a stench coming from the garbage in your life?

Or maybe there’s hurt and anger that boils over and leaves people with the scent of a burnt stove element…unpleasant but inescapable. It can linger and take a long time for the damage to dissipate.

Perhaps you encounter someone who does not share your beliefs so you decide to hammer them with your theology, opinions and divisive arguments but without love…without wisdom…without permission. That kind of overpowering, overbearing odor may have the “Axe effect” on people. My response to that approach - whether it’s doorknockers giving me the latest religious literature or high-pressure salespeople at a furniture store or dealership - is “Exit stage left…I gotta go where this isn’t happening”.

Notice the life of Jesus…people were drawn to Him not repelled by Him.

My goal is that my life smells like Jesus. I pray that the fragrance of your life is inviting and pleasing to the Lord. I pray that when people have been near you, they feel like they have been near God.

Brenda

What If...

What if… If only… Do thoughts that begin with those phrases keep you awake at night, tossing and turning? Do they disturb your thoughts through the day?

Regrets… mistakes… missed opportunities…. longing for a second chance… worrying about the impact of yesterday on today….

We can give the past so much of our present, carrying the burden of it with us… letting it control… even paralyze…

When my days and nights are consumed, even dominated, by the what ifs of yesterday, I am setting myself up for more of the same… that today will be tomorrow’s regret filled with what if…

What if my focus changed… what if I lived today with what is my promise for today?

What if I listened to a different voice… to the One who will not only “repay you for the years the locusts have eaten…” (Joel 2:25) but is in fact willing to blot out my transgressions … (Is. 43:25), removing them as far as the east is from the west… (Ps. 103:12). What if I believed that… what if I walked in that?

What if instead of reliving those moments of rejection and hurt, I believed that I am loved with an everlasting love… (Jer. 31:3). Think on that! Everlasting… always was… always will be…

What if instead of focusing on mistakes, missed opportunities and missteps, I believed that there is mercy for me… everyday… every morning because He is faithful and that mercy doesn’t depend on me… or on my faithfulness…(Lam. 3:22-24).

What if I believed that my steps are directed… (Prov. 20:24) even that the way is prepared for me… (Ps. 85:13)?

What if I believed that my worrying was pointless because the One who cares for the ravens and the lilies of the field sees my need and will provide… (Luke 12:22-30).

What if I believed that there is Someone who has carried my sorrows so that I don’t have to… (Is 53:4)?

What if today I listened to the One who loves me, who died for me, who doesn’t condemn me instead of to the one who accuses me… (John 3:16,17)?

What if I listened to the One who had the final word instead of to the one who has only words, and none of them true… (Rom 8:31)?

What if I choose life over death… every day… (John 5:24)?

What if…???

Ruth

Caring For Others

I find myself asking the question; what does it look like for my heart to genuinely care for others?

1 John 3:11 says, "We should love one another"

Are you like me and have you ever asked the question; what does that look like? For them? For me?

As I read a little further in 1 John 3:16-18 it then says, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."

I am often stirred by the words to the song "Hosanna" by Hillsong. The entire song touches something in the depth of my being, however it's the words in the bridge which challenge me and stir me the most.

"Heal my heart and make it clean

Open up my eyes to the things unseen

Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart for what break yours

Everything I am for your kingdom's cause

As I walk from earth into eternity"

What if I earnestly prayed this and what if God answered the longing of my heart?

You see, I know people are valuable to God and they really matter to Him - He sent His son Jesus to earth to take their sin upon Himself and died on a cross so we could have access to our Holy God. Yet I often find myself wrestling with the question, do people really matter to me? Why is it so easy to walk past the individual on the street asking for a handout? Why do I take a different route home so not to drive through a "questionable" area of the city? Why do I want to avoid the mess in someone else's life while longing for someone to help me with mine?

I really do want the Lord to show me how to love like He does. I want my heart to break for what breaks His. And I do want to walk from this earth into His eternity without missing a step.

So I continue on this journey towards caring about others, not in theory, but in reality; and finding ways to communicate it to them so they receive it well.

"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:18

Jo-Ann

Who do You Say I Am??

As I prepared for the PAOC WOMEN’s Retreat in October, I had a million thoughts race through my head. A million lies whisper in my ear and a million more questions come to mind. 

Why would they ask You? LIE

What if you make mistakes? MADE LOTS OF THEM, SO WHAT?

You’re not good enough to even be up there. REALLY? THAT’S ALL YOU’VE GOT??

Who do you think you are? SERIOUS – Hmmm, good question!

These questions got me thinking:

1. I need to take every thought captive – CHECK!!
2. Who DO I think I am? Hmmmm…

Was I good enough of a musician, singer, worshiper?

Was I capable of leading this group of incredibly gifted, talented and anointed women into the throne room of God? (Take. Every. Thought. Captive.)

And then came a deep whisper in my soul, “Who do I say you are?”

In that moment everything else was silenced, I could finally hear clearly. As I sat in the weighty presence of the God of the Universe I quietly turned my ear toward His voice. I sat. I listened. I smiled. I breathed deeply. And I knew, OH HOW I KNEW HIS TRUTH!

I am the Daughter of the King. 1 John 3:2
I am an Overcomer.1 John 5:4

I am a Co-Heir with Christ. (Ya, you heard that right, WITH CHRIST!!!) Galatians 4:7
I am Sanctified. Hebrews 2:11

I am Free. John 8:36
I am Blessed. Ephesians 1:3

And so, I sing because sometimes, no, ALL the time MY words are never quite enough to describe what my heart feels. I praise because there are no other ways to accurately embody what it means to stand in the All Knowing, All Seeing, All Being presence of the Holy One. And so, this Mother, this Wife, this Daughter of the King who is an Overcomer and a Co-Heir, is sanctified, free, blessed and a MILLION other incredible things that HE says I am, will stand tall and courageous. I will “Bind these things continually upon my heart, tie them around my neck. And when I roam, they will lead me; when I sleep, they will keep me and when I awake they will speak to me” Prov 6:21-22 (Changed you to I). And I will remember WHO I am, WHOSE I am and walk in the Authority that He has given me. JUST ‘CAUSE HE SAYS I CAN!!!

Who does He say YOU are?

Tara W.

Lend & Borrow

“Neither a borrower not a lender be.”

Though this may sound like a statement that could have been taken from scripture, it is not! It is actually a quote from William Shakespeare’s work that is also sometimes attributed to Benjamin Franklin.

The Bible does have lots to say about money and even the borrowing and lending of it, but this statement isn’t there.

It is one of those quotes however that we repeat and hear repeatedly to the point that it can become part of our mindset, shaping our attitudes towards more than money.

With a self sufficient mindset, this can easily shift from an attitude just about money to even include how we share our time, our possessions, our love, and even our faith. Instead of giving of ourselves . . . lending of ourselves, our mindset can become one of maintaining for ourselves . . . not giving or lending because I need to make sure that I take care of me . . .

I was recently reading “Nurture” by Lisa Bevere and a phrase that she used jumped out at me: “I just lent her my strength” . . . lend her your strength . . . it was used in the context of walking along side someone who is in the midst of a struggle . . . lending faith where faith is wavering . . . lending strength where there is weakness . . . lending hope when hope is lost . . .

Sounds a little bit like “carrying each others burdens . . .” – and that is in scripture! (Gal 6:2)

This reminded me of the story from Exodus 17. Moses and the Israelites are not long out of Egypt. They are attacked by the Amalekites so Moses sends Joshua and some men out to fight. He promises to do battle as well as he tells Joshua he will “stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands . . .” (vs. 9)

As the battle rages, as long as Moses holds up his hands the Israelites are winning but whenever he lowers his hands, the Amalekites begin to prevail.

It was a tough battle. Moses got weary. He needed someone to lend him their strength.

“When Moses hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up – one on one side, one on the other - so that his hands remained steady til sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.” (vs. 12,13)

Are you in a battle right now? Does it feel like your hands are getting heavy and the battle will be lost? Do you need to allow someone to walk with you . . . to lend you their strength? Allow yourself to be a borrower!

Look around you. Someone else is in a battle right now too. You may have already walked the road that they are on. On the other hand, maybe you haven’t. Remember that Aaron and Hur didn’t have a lot of battle experience to draw from – they were very recently slaves themselves but they stepped up and supported Moses until the battle was won. Someone needs you to come along side them to hold up their hands . . . they need you to lend your strength until the battle is won. Go ahead . . . be a lender!

Ruth

Words

"Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad." Proverbs 12:25

Can you remember a time when someone said something to you that *really* hurt you? Deeply? A word that still feels alive in you today?

Thoughtless comments can have lasting results. Oh, the power of the tongue! We must commit to giving hope. Ephesians 4:29 encourages us: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

This week when I was reading through this text in The Message, it referred to each word as a gift. Each word an opportunity to minister grace. What if people said of you: wait until you meet this woman, so gracious, every word leaving her mouth: precious, positive, prayerful, like a present.

Sue Keddy shared some wonderful words of encouragement at the retreat earlier this month. One that I have been particularly chewing on is that of “being a first responder”. Every moment we have an opportunity to respond to others and situations around us with Jesus in our mind, on our heart and with life-giving words on our lips. Picture yourself as a travelling first responder, dispensing word gifts that renew others’ strength, sharing joy and hope. Bringing life to dry, weary bones. We cannot solve other people’s problems, but we can hold their hand, remind them of Hope and walk with them through whatever they are facing. Never underestimate this powerful gift we all possess. Feeling rusty? Dig into the Word yourself, connect with a mentor and get ready – God needs you! We need each other!

Today, re-commit to bring out the best in others with verbal gifts.

Press in and press on,

Giselle