Tag Archives: Reward

Jun8

DAY 158 (2014)

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New roads on the journey are a gift from God. Don't be afraid to travel them. (Picture by Lisa R.)

New roads on the journey are a gift from God. Don’t be afraid to travel them.
(Picture by Lisa R.)

Today I was not going to post. I felt tired and my brain was NOT in the mood to share, much less learn. Thank goodness God does NOT work according to my feelings. I posted recently that I bought a book titled, Take The Risk. It was a coincidental purchase. However, this book that I purchased by “chance” on a night that I was about to NOT hang out with a friend, who talked me into meeting anyway (and said everything I needed to hear). This book has been an instrument in the hand of God to not only break me, but to also remind me that I have a personal responsibility in God’s plans for me. I have been avoiding my dreams for a while. because to me the likelihood of achieving them seemed to be such a risk, not just for me, but my family. I have been worried that I if I tried and failed, that we would have to live under a bridge and dumpster dive for food. Today I realized that all I have seen is the risk of failure, I have never really thought about what would happen if I succeeded. Weird, right? My risk analysis only asked “what’s the worst that could happen”? It at no point has asked, “what’s the best thing that could happen”? Well the best thing is success, what if I try and succeed! Today as I read my “by chance” book, God told me it was time to put the effort in. It was really time to TAKE THE RISK. If I didn’t do it now, the chance would not present itself again. He promised that if I put the effort in, He’d bless it. God directs our path, this is true. But we have the responsibility of walking the path.

“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

So what’s the plan? Go.

Jun1

DAY 151 (2014)

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It's not that God's not talking. It's that we are NOT listening.

It’s not that God’s not talking. It’s that we are NOT listening.

So as you all know (those of you keeping track). I am having a a hard time with a decision that I am making. Technically it has already been decided I am just diligently looking for ways to get out of it. Which is odd because normally when God says jump, I jump (I don’t even ask how high because once I jump He’ll get me as high as I need to be). This particular journey has me a little stumped because there is so, so, so much risk involved. If the risks only involved me I’d still be apprehensive, but less so because, well, it just affects me. But this risk involves my family. So I have questioned and re-questioned God. In fact recently I realized that my desire to find a way of escape has caused me to kind of ignore God, maybe ignore is not right; more like dodge God. You know that proverbial walk in the other direction when you see “that” person coming. Well, that’s what I have been doing to God. But despite it all God has been talking and not subtly at all. For you to get the full effect of just how much God will continue to talk even when we are trying NOT to listen I am going to take you back a couple of days. On Friday, I made plans to meet up with my friend Jackie at Barnes and Noble. I needed godly advice (translation: I wanted her to say, “Don’t do it… she didn’t do what I wanted :'( ). I got there before her so I decided to peruse the books (I LOVE the feel, and smell of REAL books). I stumbled on a book that peaked my interest, my area of study is neurological in nature and as such the author was what caught my eye. The author, Dr. Ben Carson, world famous neurosurgeon and humble man of God. I started reading the back it looked interesting so I carried the book with me to our meeting spot and sat to talk with my friend. She did not sugarcoat anything (one of the reasons I adore her), she told me straight out, “All I hear out of your mouth right now is me, me, me, and I, I, I, What about God, God, God?” (she makes me itch…). We wrapped up our “conference” that’s what we call our get togethers. I purchased the book and went home. Today I picked up the book, turned over the cover and this is what I read: TAKE THE RISK. HAHAHA! God’s got jokes, the title of the book is, “Take The Risk.” It is NOT a question. It is a statement of action. Here’s a simply truth: God is always communicating, always talking. He is not trying to hide His will from us the bible says so. We are just not listening (uhmm, the bible also says that).  So today I made a decision to listen. Why? I’ll let Dr. Carson answer that question. “No risk, pay the cost. Know risk, reap the reward.” I’d rather reap than pay (I’m stingy like that 😀 ).

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–His eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

So what’s my plan? Take the risk 😀