The Places You'll Go

"Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose.

You're on your own. And you know what you know.

And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go." Dr. Seuss in Oh, The Places You'll Go

Place is a big deal to me. It's where I find inspiration, something I identify with, something I connect with and attach to. I love to travel. Recently, I traveled to England, Ireland, and Scotland. Both sides of my family have deep roots in Ireland and Scotland, so I really felt a connection with those places. But in all honesty, there's nothing magical about place. The Lord calls us to go into all the world. So, I can use that as an excuse to travel, right? Listen to this song by Steven Curtis Chapman as you read the rest of the post.

© Steven Curtis Chapman, Youtube

As a kid, life looks simple. Or at least it did to me. Finish high school, go to college, get married, have 2.5 kids, work, get a dog, buy a house, live happily ever after, and do it all over again when grandkids start rolling around. Simple, right? I think a better word for my state of mind was "naïve." Once I graduated college, the Lord rocked my world. I often wondered what He was up to, why life wasn't going the way I planned. But life rarely goes as we plan.

In Joshua 1, the Israelites are preparing to enter the Promised Land, but another people group is occupying it, and they are terrified. The Lord makes Joshua a promise, "I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you" (vs 3-5). I tenaciously claim this promise as my own. I know the Lord never leaves me, or at least I embrace that more every day. I want the confidence to go wherever He leads and know that wherever I set my foot is claimed for Christ.

The main character in my book is a young college graduate who chooses to give up her dreams for a greater calling to serve in Haiti. She thinks she is going to help the people and essentially save the world, but that isn't how life works. The earthquake strikes, and lives are forever changed in the aftermath. As I created her character, I tried to put myself in her shoes. Would I trust the Lord in the middle of something that catastrophic? Would I truly believe that every place I set my foot was claimed territory for Him? As my character wrestled to understand why the Lord would take her somewhere to help and then allow something that awful to happen, I wrestled with her. The truth is, the Lord asks us to change jobs, move, go and serve somewhere and we fight Him in that new place because we doubt He is with us or has our best at heart. Wrong! As the Lord told Joshua, He will NEVER leave or forsake you. You never walk into a new place alone. He goes before you, claims it as your promised land, and then enters it with you, promising you every place you set your foot. If He truly is a God who never changes as His word says, then the promises made to Joshua hold true for you.

What promised land does the Lord desire to use you to conquer right now? Will you trust Him?

A Series of Questions

"Where my gifts and abilities meet the world's need, that is where God wants me to be." Albert Schweitzer

WHAT NOW?
I recently finished writing my first book and now am into a heavy editing stage. "What now?" I asked my mentor during our first phone conversation after completion. I knew I needed a new purpose, a new goal, a new finish line to look forward to and accomplish. Maybe you're there. Maybe you're in a stage of life where you're asking, "What now? What's next, Lord?" I've been there too many times to count in the last couple of years. This is one of the most frustrating and liberating questions in the world. It requires complete dependency on God and an anticipation of what He promises to do.

WHAT BREAKS YOUR HEART AND BAFFLES YOUR MIND?
When I was in Colorado, one of my mentors posed this question. After making a list, my eyes were open in a new way to how the Lord has made me and different directions I should pursue. You can see a portion of my list here. He prayed the question would haunt us. Well, mission accomplished. Every time I ask the Lord what He wants me to do next, I remember this question and look to my list. Jeremiah 29:11 promises that the Lord has good plans to give us a hope and a future. I can rest in that promise, but so often it is hard to trust in His good plans for me right now. I pray this question haunts you until you identify these areas the Lord has wired you for.

WHAT PASSIONS AND GIFTS HAS THE LORD INSTILLED IN ME?
I fail to remember that God has promised good plans for me when I focus on my insecurities instead of His consistent character. In my uncertainty, I run back to my list of what breaks my heart and baffles my mind, and then I look and see the passions and gifts the Lord has given me. The areas where they line up are the areas I need to be pursuing service and work. My job will never fulfill me, but my purpose and motivation behind my task can and will if I am seeking to bring others to the Lord and help instill a passion for Him within them.

HOW AND WHERE CAN I USE THESE FOR HIS GLORY?
I firmly believe that life is an adventure. I'm not talking about high speed chases, guns blazing, James Bond always gets the girl kind of adventures. I'm talking about the twists and turns of daily life, the drastic shifts in direction, the wondering and waiting and hoping. I'm talking about hopping on a train without knowing where you are going, only knowing that you can trust the train to take you somewhere you've never been. That's what trusting Jesus is like, and we should look to our destination with anticipation. Psalm 138:8 says, " The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me; Your love, O LORD, endures forever-- do not abandon the works of Your hands." "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10. The Bible is full of God's promise to fulfill a purpose for us, to place us right where He wants us for His glory. That doesn't always mean that you will enjoy that place. Sometimes it will be a time of growth, challenge, and trusting Him in greater ways. But He will place you there for a purpose. Look for it. Don't miss it!

WHAT'S YOUR PURPOSE?

Package Deal

How awesome would it be to have a genie? This magical being would come at the slightest rub of our fingers. He would grant our deepest, most desperate desires, and the world would be beautiful and perfect. Right?

Too often we treat the Lord like our personal genie. He should answer when we call, give us exactly what we ask, and make us happy all the time. The fact is, the Lord isn't a genie in a bottle. He is both GREAT and GOOD, the total package deal. The Lord is the Maker of the heavens and the earth (Isaiah 40:28). He fashioned man from the dust of the earth and breathed life into him (Genesis 2:7). Your every breath is a gift. God is beyond your understanding. He is holy, and therefore, should be honored and revered. Unlike the genie, there is nothing He can't do. He is not limited or contained by our fears or imagination. He is not confined to a box of our beliefs. Like Genie sings, the Lord is the power in our corner. He is GREAT.

The Lord is also GOOD. I can't explain all that this word means to me. Nahum 1:7 says, "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who trust in Him." He is holy and above all, but because He created us and loves us, He desires a relationship, a friendship as Genie's song said. That friendship is not lost or swayed. Unlike Genie, because the Lord loves us, He does what's best for us. "'I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'" Genie must obey Aladdin's every whim. The Lord does not answer our every request because, like a good friend, like a good father, He loves us too much to give us that which will harm us.

With Jesus, we get the total package deal. He is a God who can do anything and is beyond our wildest imaginings. He is holy and above us, which requires respect and reverence on our part. But He is also a friend, good, and loving. His relationship with us includes doing what is best because it will be far more than we can ask, think, or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). He knows our three wishes, and the ways in which He chooses to answer the requests that are God-honoring will bring Him glory because He is GREAT, and be for our benefit because He is GOOD. Better than the most powerful genie and not limited by a lamp.

Copyright of video belongs to Disney.

Contest!

Hey fellow bloggers, friends, and lurkers,

Head shots are up on my facebook fan page. "Like" the page and select the photo you think should be sent to the book publishers. Proposals go out next week! I would appreciate your support.

God bless,
Kariss

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Wrestling Match

As kids, my brother, sister, and I would have wrestling matches. Many times, my parents had to stop them because one of us got angry or frustrated. In our family, all five of us are stubborn and giving up is rarely an option. In the Bible, Jacob reflects this stubbornness on an even greater level.

In Genesis 32, Jacob wrestles with the Lord. Literally. Now on this side of the Old Testament, that seems pretty stupid to me. This is the same God who parts the Red Sea, reveals His glory to Moses, makes a donkey speak, destroys Sodom and Gomorrah. I don't think I would willingly wrestle with Him. But as I studied this passage over the last few days, I realized that the last two years of my life have been a wrestling match with God. Here's what I learned from this passage:

1) The Lord ALLOWS us to wrestle with Him. He could stop it at any time. He isn't backed into a corner or on the ropes. He knowingly allows us to wrestle with Him. Verse 24 says, "Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the break of day." Jacob wrestled with the Lord all night. Man, to have witnessed that in the middle of the desert.

2) When we wrestle with the Lord, we will ALWAYS walk away changed. We never leave that match unscathed. It is a turning point where a decision is made one way or another. Will we follow the Lord? Verse 25 says, " Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him (Jacob), He (God) touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as he wrestled with Him. Jacob refused to give up. He was stubborn and persistent and desperate. I almost wonder if the Lord allowed Jacob to wrestle with Him to see if he would hold on no matter what.

3) The results are ultimately for the Lord's glory and our good. Jacob refused to let go unless the Lord blessed him. Verse 28 says, " And He (the Lord) said, 'Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.'" Then, the Bible says that the Lord blessed Jacob. Because Jacob refused to give up, the Lord gained a man who became the father of Israel and gave him a new name and identity. Jacob meant "deceiver." Israel means "God's fighter" or "he struggles with God." The Lord took a man who cheated his brother of an inheritance and made him God's man, a tool, a beautiful picture of God's grace, and a blessing to generations to come. Jacob gained a blessing from the God he worshipped. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

Ultimately, God is holy and we are human. We can never forget that distinction if we choose to wrestle with the Lord. Seek out the hard questions. Wrestle and talk to the Lord in the middle of tough times. Cling to Him. Refuse to let go until He blesses you. He's God, and He can handle all that. But NEVER make the mistake of thinking you will come out the victor against a holy God. He is in control. Because the Lord touched Jacob's hip, Jacob walked with a limp, possibly for the rest of his life. When we wrestle with God, we are never the same. It is a life-defining and altering moment.

Have you wrestled with the Lord? What did He teach you?

Beating My Best

 In my past life, I was a band nerd.

Okay, maybe it wasn't my past life. Maybe it was just a few short years ago. But it is a title I claim proudly because I love music and I loved playing my clarinet. Every day was a challenge. I worked hard to make my fingers and tongue move in perfect rhythm. Many felt the need to compete. I felt the pressure, but my band director had a phrase that he often told our band:

"Your main goal in this competition is to be Poteet (that was us). If you can beat what we were this time last year, you will have accomplished our goal."

I still remember that admonishment. While I am not the most competitive person, I do understand the need to beat myself. I don't need to be the best, but I do need to be my best. I constantly push myself to beat my previous standard of "best," and in this way, I am always growing.

Mr. Jones was another of my band directors. He taught me to play my clarinet and was present and active in my life from the time I entered middle school until I graduated. He was my silent cheerleader. I never knew how much until recently.

When I graduated, Mr. Jones gave me a book written by John Maxwell called, Developing the Leader Within You.  This book teaches leadership skills rooted strongly in Maxwell's faith in Christ. When I went to college, I attempted to read this book, knowing that Mr. Jones had given it to me for a reason. It was above my head as an 18-year-old who was only focused on making good grades and meeting new people. I've recently read through it, and value the lessons I have learned. But I value something else even more.

In the front of the book, Mr. Jones wrote me a letter. Several lines stuck out to me and have bridged the 5 years since I was his student. "As you embark on this new journey, I know you take a strong faith in the Lord and His teachings. I have no doubt that you will bring Him much glory! I pray that you will hold steadfast to His promises even in the hard times."

Mr. Jones believed in me before I believed in myself, before I recognized the hardships life would throw my way, before I realized my own leadership potential, or before I realized that Maxwell's words would help me grow in my people skills and my faith. Mr. Jones challenged me throughout my teen years and his words continue to challenge me today. Hard times have hit, and I am clinging to the Lord for dear life, just as Mr. Jones prayed I would.

He left me with a verse that I leave you with today, "Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58

I pray whatever you do brings God glory, that your hardships point you to the goodness of God, and that you remember that what you do for the Lord is never in vain. I pray that you don't compare yourselves to others but constantly push yourself to excel beyond what you were previously capable. Beat your best and stand firm in the Lord.

HE IS FAITHFUL.

Letting Go

I think one of the hardest things in life is letting go. I struggle with change more than anything else in my life, and it's only in hindsight that I view it as beneficial and necessary.

For over a year now, I have lived back in my home town. College was a cliche time of "finding myself" apart from the people who have known me for years. It was a time of reinvention. I had a clean slate and continued to find the voice I had only begun to scratch the surface of in high school. Being home has been an all new adventure in understanding who I am. But, it isn't a mission to find myself so much as it is one where I remember who I am in Christ. "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Phil 3:13b-14

My old haunts bring back memories of people I loved whom time has removed; activities I excelled in which I am now incapable of returning to; and places full of memories and milestones. These things I see as I drive through town, and I struggle to let go. I struggle to forget, as the Bible says. I am a firm believer that our past shapes us. Every day adds to the person we will be tomorrow and next year. Often the days that have come before are more comfortable, or, dare I say it, safe. Maybe that's what makes change so hard. It isn't safe. It's unpredictable and often equates to loss and heartache and more misplaced memories.

But, I will choose to look at it this way: Proverbs 25:4 says, "Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes material for the silversmith." Dross is equated with impurity. When the bad material is removed, the silversmith is free to mold the material into a planned shape and design to serve a specific purpose. When the silversmith sees the correct image, his job is not only complete, but perfected. I am choosing to view change as the process by which the dross is removed from my life, so that in my next transition stage to God knows where, I am a little better for having gone through the process.

"We fight to hold on. We fight to let go." I wish I could tell you that I've mastered the balance. The truth is, I wish I had. This will be a lifelong process for me. Maybe my struggle to let go at the moment exists because I am on the brink of finishing something that could potentially change life as I know it. No going back. That reality is not safe.

But forgetting what is behind, I move on to see what the Lord has in store for me next. Hopefully, in the next stage, I will be a little wiser and slightly more equipped to let go of clinging to my comfort zone.

What are you holding on to?

"I'm Letting Go" by Francesca Battistelli