Tag: God

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life

food for thought

When given an opportunity to make a stand against the status quo, do your instincts tell you to speak up or run?

It can be very uncomfortable to be the “different”, but yet very rewarding.

Individuality in the world is celebrated, individuality in morality is shunned. Why do we do that? Why do we pick and choose from the Bible like a buffet. We don’t get to pick and choose which part of salvation or mercy we receive…why then do we pick and choose what to observe and follow?

If your children obeyed your rules, like we obey God’s, would you punish them?

Food for thought.

Ivy Out

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life

PACK EARLY

There are sooo many things that I really wanted to share, but I will settle on short and sweet. 

When you begin to pack for a trip to a new destination you can take one of two approaches. You can meticulously plan ahead and pack with time to spare…or you can rush and throw things together. The latter usually accounts for things left behind. Things of value and purpose. 

Why do we treat our lives in the same manner? Most of the time people long for destinations and things without being ready to transition there. If you want to work…generally you acquire skills needed to complete that work. If you want to cook a dish, it can’t be done without the ingredients. If you want to be married, it’s time to burn the black book. There is ORDER in preparation. (I could segway into people asking God to bless them but living however they choose…but I won’t)

Psalms 37:5 – COMMIT EVERYTHING YOU DO TO THE LORD, TRUST HIM AND HE WILL HELP YOU. 

If the steps of a righteous man are ordered…there are things YOU must do FIRST. 

 

**Disclaimer: THIS BLOG WAS FOR ME!**

IVY OUT

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life

Grow through labor…

There is a comforting place that can sprout out of discomfort when you know that you are in God’s hands. Things won’t always seem right, feel right, or feel comfortable. Comfort is actually a stagnant place. Comfort is where the dust settles and you’re ok. That is NOT a good thing. That means you aren’t growing, you are being tested – therefore you don’t know your strengths. Am I advocating a tumultuous life? Absolutely not! I do know that the life happens to us all, but God orders the steps of a righteous (wo)man.

Carved into every lesson, every new-ness, is labor pains. Thanks to some pesky fruit eating human beings (satirical truth), there is pain associated with birth. I have not given birth to children yet (as a wife, it would be on my “to do” list, lol), but I have heard many say that mothers forget or forgive the pain the first time they see their child. I have experienced this when something I’m assigned to do is difficult. You don’t enjoy the pain that is associated with carrying out a task, but once it’s done it’s an amazing feeling. I have planned events, worked projects with my hands, created new meals, set personal goals, worked with people (JESUS!), and worked with myself. Most all of these required a special measure of endurance which can only be accomplished by finishing until the end. In that, I find a place of comfort in the following words: God has all power. If God assigns me to do something, He has empowered me to complete that work.

If it’s beginning to look a lot like a storm in your life, put on your rain gear and gird yourself with a WHOLE HEAP of JESUS, and grow through it. That very storm maybe the deliverance testimony that someone on their way to your life will need. God is also awesome enough to send you not only the Holy Spirit to comfort you, but great friends. Friends who pray with you, stretch with you, and sometimes just hug you when words are too heavy to speak.

Daddy is good like that 😉

Ivy Out

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life

familiar text

So yesterday during my extended study/lax/reading time before Bible study I went to a familiar text to review…Ruth.

Now, I have read this book many times. Two years ago I taught a Bible study at my house with Ruth and Esther as the foundation. I even juxtaposed the preparation difference between the two thinking Ruth’s was significantly short. YESTERDAY I was corrected. She gleaned for the REST of Barley season. When I started looking at information that gave way to the length of this season…I gathered at least 5-6 months. Why is this significant? Glad you ask… I am a woman. Most women anticipate relationships or connections..and we get nervous if we don’t know anything definitive. I am also VERY honest. One thing being single taught me was to glean. Garner wisdom and knowledge from viable sources and respect time. God set time in motion and it doesn’t go backward or bend to human will. Ruth gleaned in this field at the instruction of Boaz and her mother-in-law Naomi. She FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS. She was PATIENT. She didn’t know Naomi was going to suggest Boaz redeem her, until she suggested it.

I kind of POPPED UP out of my comfortable reading position when things began to click. Often times, when we don’t follow the wisdom available to us, we move out of turn. We anticipate moves before it’s time. When we do this, we destroy order. (or we make emotional decisions and ignore wisdom)

The last thing I will leave you with is this: twice I can point out the fact that Ruth’s character preceded her. The people around her knew of her. They had nothing negative to say. Are we living in a way that people have nothing negative to say about our character? As a single woman, it doesn’t behove me to have a bunch of people doubting my character, suitors or not. I am not referring to those who are just malicious and vindictive. Boaz mentioned her character TWO significant times for good reason(s).

I have more reading to do…I will continue to share as I read. Growth is a process. I see growth in my life, but I’m not close to the pinnacle.

Ivy Out

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life

How Do You Define?

Can people live without definitions?

In school you learned the definitions of terms to help you understand new concepts. Let’s face it, every new concept comes with its own vocabulary. Every grown up knows that industries come with their own language…we call it jargon or acronyms. And yes, I said grown up, maturity doesn’t play a part in detecting that jargon exists.

Can we exist without clear definitions? If we can’t, why did the dictionary fail to define ministry for me? Seriously, I went to two online dictionaries, which left me baffled. The definitions given, although extensive, didn’t tell me what I wanted to know. The perimeters, the confines, the structure of the meaning of the word “ministry”. Ministry, Love, Healing…these are all heavy concepts. Healing as it relates to the medical field could be defined, easy enough, but what about as it relates to the human existence. So many people are seeking healing but they can’t define what they are healing from or what’s needed to heal. So how do you do what you can’t define. How can we effectively minister if we can’t define ministry? It’s simple…you don’t look in the wrong source for the definition.

*insert audible*

Love: can not be defined by man because man didn’t create it. Have you ever realized that if you ask a child (and some adults) what color love is, they will begin to hypothesize answers. Seriously, I work with students, I’ve done it. Our social concepts are constructed without formal education’s guidance because it can’t teach everything. Love is best defined in the word. It’s defined in actions. If I want to know what love is, I look at what love causes people to do. I use the term people lightly because the ultimate view of love was shown by God. From this can I surmise what love “is”. Ministry can also be defined this way. When I looked in the wrong place for the answer, I came up empty handed.

I do NOT believe that human beings with minimal intelligence can live in a world without definition…which means the “super-smart-intelligent-can-figure-out-anything” human beings MOST CERTAINLY CAN NOT. So throw caution to the wind and realize that you must look in the right place to set your foundational knowledge.

*women define relationships, men define boundaries, politicians define policy, God defines love. (not an inclusive statement…but definitely true by definition, lol)

Ivy Out

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life

The BIG-NESS of GOD

Seriously, I believe we worry about too much. I can only speak from experience. I worry too much. Not that the reasons behind my concern aren’t worthy, but who am I to doubt God’s ability to do EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY, ABOVE ALL I CAN ASK, THINK, OR IMAGINE? God knows me. He knew me in my mother’s womb (Come On Word), and he knows the capacity in which I can operate. Which means…if it’s coming my way I either have the capacity to deal with it, or it’s a reminder that I need to know when to turn it over to Daddy (see previous post about me REALLY calling God Daddy).

There are things that concern me that my hands can’t fix. For example, I am truly praying for those on the East coast. But my two hands do not bring that region relief. I can pray to the Father and then donate anything applicable within my scope. I am not saying that we should ignore our part because Faith w\o Works…yea no bueno. I am saying that most of us pray while still holding on to the issue. We have got to pray with the courage and faith that it is done, in JESUS’ name.

Don’t tell God how big your problems are, Tell your problem HOW BIG YOUR GOD IS.

IVY Out

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life

For once in my life!

i respect the necessary

i understand patience

she isn’t out to get me

she is working in my favor

for there are some clouds that come with the rainbow

first it must rain

i’ve been through four years sprinkled with pain

i’ve had to say hello and good bye countless times

i’ve had to grow up and face the facts

some of the people that hurt me,

i let them do that

i now realize that time isn’t my enemy

she’s stood by me

quietly waiting

for me to get to today

my hope is in the Lord

not in man

and with all the emotion in my body

i am not over come

my prayers are my BEST friends

they fortify me when life seems to sink

my praise uplifts me

and there is NOTHING like my worship

you’d think we were siamese twins

because loose or win, I worship

this is a good place.

i don’t touch everything i like

i don’t like everything i see

and what i like, i wait on the Lord to give me

put yourself in my shoes,

for once in my life,

i can say…I’m GOOD. =)

Categories
life

Deadlines

If we processed how many people just drifted through life, we could sort them in life lines and dead lines.

If we categorized Christians by those who operated in the spirit, we could sort them into life lines and dead lines.

If we could send a message to all of the people in the world who misuse time, which humans can not subdue, I’d remind them that there is a deadline.

Matthew 24:36

Ivy Out

Categories
life

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT

Before the world became addicted to technology…there was an application put in place for our lives: THE BIBLE.

That’s it. Nothing super-deep.

Ivy Out

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life

Golden Honesty

The good thing about honesty is it keeps its own track record.

When you are faced with the opportunity to be honest with yourself, you then have to deal with the implications of that honesty. Are there things you can do better, and more importantly, are there things you haven’t celebrated enough? One of my mentors told me that I’m too hard on myself. My reaction: Really? I don’t really think I’m hard enough on myself. That’s probably part of the problem. Not having a realistic scope of what is acceptable and what is not. I blame my prior high achievement. I grew up not really “accepting” compliments based on things that I should do well naturally. I mean…I’m supposed to do well in school. I’m supposed to perform well in competition (isn’t that the point of rehearsal?). I am supposed to excel in everything I do, right? Well, kinda.

I have created a Ft. Knox around my life to shut people out who don’t enhance my life. That conversely means that I have shut myself in. I have walled up a huge defense system with no offensive mechanism. My football fans can attest…you can’t win a game without Defense AND Offense. Blocking out others maybe useful at times but it won’t WIN for you. My entire scope of winning was based on my past alone. Well, the world isn’t just built on my personal past. There are the “cloud of witnesses” looking down on me and either encouraging me or praying for me, lol. There are those who paved the way before me. (Good practice, know who paved the way in your particular field of endeavors) There are those who are running this race with me at the present time. They are not in competition with me, we all have our own destinies. There are valuable people in this world who are planted to help me advance. Our relationships are symbiotic. It is a true give and receive relationship that isn’t one sided. I am grateful for people who plant seeds in my life. I am grateful for those who served in their season and were plucked and pruned. I am grateful for those who are dormant until their harvest season. I am grateful for my heavenly Gardener who doesn’t give up on his little orchid in all of the delicate environments that I have lived in. I am thankful for my earthly gardeners who groomed and watched over me as I began to mature. I am distinctly grateful for my LIFE mentor who told me to STOP beating myself up. She, someone I greatly respect and admire, has gone through life and learned a great deal. She didn’t bottle it up, she shares it with others in hopes of seeing them elevated. She is a very pretty reflection of God’s grace and growth. Her words to me echo in my ears now.

In my little fortress there is one way in and no way out. That leaves me with one solution. To relive the pressure on myself, I have to decompose the bricks. One by one, I am honest about my growth. I am honest about my accomplishments. I recognize where it is that I’ve come from. I most certainly am grateful to God for the ability to see far beyond my current situation. I am going to remove the bricks of my fort and build a monument of gratitude. I will use what I’ve experienced and been taught to enrich others. I will take time for myself. If I don’t preserve the self I have now, someone else will be burdened with my final preservation. I’m not ready to lay down and die, so I have to wake up and live!

If you can share my thoughts on “living” and not “existing” then know that you are human too. Every plan doesn’t end well. Every day doesn’t slaughter your to “done” list. Each vision doesn’t come quick. Ahh, but every day you have a reason to celebrate. Start there. Live celebrating the fact that you still have life!

Brick by Brick,

Ivy Out (With special reverence to Ms. Jade Gold)