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When Division = Multiplication

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“Bring them here to me,” (Matthew 14:18)

I love this story in Matthew 14:14-21. Jesus had spent hours teaching and ministering to the people. It was around 3:00 pm and well passed lunch time. The disciples were concerned that they were out in a remote place with nowhere for the people to go and get food. The Bible says 5,000 men. Traditional calculations say around 15,000 when you include women and children (How would you like that kind of crowd popping in unannounced this Thanksgiving?).

The people just couldn’t leave. They were surely hungry, but it was another kind of appetite they needed satisfied.

The disciples saw things as getting desperate and were worried about the outcome. Jesus said, “they don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

God wants to do the supernatural, and He wants us believe for it too


They were still thinking too small…..all we have are these five loaves of bread, and two measly fish.

We do that too!

Daddy says, I’m here….cast your cares on Me….I go before you…..I go behind you….no weapon formed against you will prosper….I have plans to prosper you…..I give you the Comforter….I give you my Son….you’re in the palm of my hand….I divide the seas…..I raise people from the dead….bring fire from heaven……create something out of nothing….and I’ve got this too

Sometimes things seem impossible. We’ve tried in our own strength and we’re still not seeing the big picture.

Daddy says, “Bring them to me.”


When a child has a broken toy, and tinkers away for a while trying to fix it, Daddy says, “Bring that to me.” What the child has put so much effort into attempting to do seems so effortless now as Daddy fixes it with ease.

Jesus says, “Bring them here to me”

“Them”

those issues
that mess…
your brokenness…
that marriage…
that potential man/woman…or lack thereof…
that job…or lack thereof…
your family…
that past…
that child that has stepped away from the church…
that situation you just can’t seem to forgive…
that situation you just can’t seem to get forgiveness for…
all…..them ALL
Bring them all to Him

And don’t hesitate at the multiple problems….”them” is plural….take it ALL

Jesus told them to sit down. Bring them to me and sit down—-I’ve got this…..sit down and rest while I do my thing.

Then…..and don’t miss this….Jesus broke the bread, and then it multiplied!

Did you catch it? Multiplication happens out of brokenness!

It’s when that thing breaks me–when I let it go–take it to Him–and sit it out–and let Him work–that His blessing multiplies

Whatever measly things we have….whatever seems hopeless, or too big…..take it to your Daddy first. He’s reaching for you and asking you to Bring them to Him. Obey. Take it to Him and sit down and watch Him do His thing.

Happy Thanksgiving from all the gang here! We love you all and pray abundant blessings for you, your family, your calling, your church, your work. This office will be closed through Monday. Give everyone great big hugs as you celebrate and enjoy Thanksgiving together.

Walk closely with the King!
Love,
Christy

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Full Tank: He Holds No Good Thing

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This is our “Thank Tank”

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It’s a wonderful container that I got as a gift and turned into a thank tank years ago when my children, who are now 23 (next week) and 18, were very young. The card I placed in the top says,

“Thank Tank”
That my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever (Psalm 30:12)

And this poem:
Consider what the Lord has done for you and those you love; then give Him thanks with hearts of praise for blessings from above

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It’s been filled with lots and lots of notes. Personal ones that are only for God. These notes are written by my family and countless other people who have been in our home over the years. Small groups. Teenagers spending the weekend for a youth group function. Traveling choirs filled with strangers that come and fill my home to the brim. Grown ups as we talk and praise God for His goodness.

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So many memories of year round teaching groups of girls, and guys and seeing them grab the empty pages and write their hearts on them

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This tank is full of thanks to Him for blessings passed, and blessings coming. Hopes confirmed by seeing His hand, and hopes confirmed by the promise of His hand.

This year finds me in the same place. I look back over the years and see His victorious hand through many, many, MANY hard things. The joy in the many, many, MANY wonderful things. And just like in Matthew 14:20, when the disciples took the remnants of the blessed miracle of feeding the 5,000 men into their future, I take mine and give thanks for all He has done, is doing, and will do.

God is the same God that has done all He’s done. God is the same God that is doing all He is doing. God is the same God that will do all He’s going to do. His hands are capable. I trust His hands. No matter what, He knows me better than I know myself and His bountiful love will always fill my life full and over flowing into my future too. He loves us and holds no good thing from His children.

That my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever (Psalm 30:12)

Forever

How Do You Live Out Your Love For God?

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I read this story online somewhere(?) and wrote it down:

A tired father came home from work, grabbed his newspaper, and settled into his favorite chair with a sigh of relief. All he wanted was a little peace and quiet. All that his young son wanted was his daddy. The little boy raced into the room and asked, “Dad, can I get you something to drink?” The man lowered his newspaper, smiled and replied, “No, thanks. I’m not thirsty. I just want to read the paper.” He then raised his newspaper and resumed reading. The little boy thought for a moment and then said a little louder, “Dad, can I get you something to eat?” The slightly exasperated father lowered his paper and said, “No son, I just want to read the paper!” As the father resumed his reading, the little boy tried again. “Dad, can I get you……..” but before the little boy could finish his question, the now irritated father lowered his paper and demanded, “What is it that you want son?” The little boy sighed and gazed into his father’s eyes as he explained,

“I don’t want anything, Dad.”

“I just love you so much that I have to do something about it.”


How do you live out your love for God?

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength (Deut 6:5)

Mighty To Save: Unleashed

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The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save (Zephaniah 3:17a)

My family had a Jack Russell named Eddy. He was such an interesting dog. He traveled with us leading worship and speaking so much that whenever he saw that big white trailer being loaded with instruments, he’d go ahead and jump in the truck ready to go on the road. He loved the youth groups. And they loved him so much that they would have me sign his name along with my name when giving autographs!

Before we could start taking him on the road with us, we had to get him trained to walk with a leash. Training went smoothly. One day we noticed that he had gotten so used to the lifestyle of walking with the leash on, that even when he didn’t have it on he would follow closely and never leave our side. It was hilarious how he would move along with every move we made when he didn’t need to.

Because he assumed he was leashed, he was acting as though he was caught and couldn’t move in the freedom he had

The enemy tries that with us. He gives the allusion that we’re caught with no way out. Like Eddy, we get used to the lies and the lifestyle and walk like leashed dogs…..following his movement.

Turn to him in all the authority the name Jesus stands on and declare NO MORE!

Jesus came and paid the price and broke those chains!

    Victory and freedom are yours

    He is with you

    HE is mighty

    HE is mighty to save

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Photo Credit: Christy Rawls©

All-out Control Freak: There’s Treasure In Letting Go

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This is a picture I found somewhere on the Internet at some point. I don’t remember where or I would give credit to the author. That isn’t a picture of me, but I have a lot of hair…maybe not as out of control as hers….and I can relate. It’s a big picture because I think sometimes….a lot of the time….ok….all of the time, we need a BIG reminder about control.

My husband likes it when I wear my hair up. At any given day, it takes AT LEAST this many barrettes to keep it tucked in, up, down, and over or whatever:

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Sometimes I even use more!

As leaders and decision makers of our home, and in our workplace, we have a lot to be in charge of as women and men. But sometimes our strength of being conscientious can morph into the weakness of being slight–or all out–control freaks!

I think this stems from that age old fear of the dark. The unknown lurking in the shadows. Outright fear.

We’ve been hurt before by things out of our control, so controlling what we can feels powerful.

Today I was reminded of a verse that I had marked very well in my Bible and had notes on.

I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. (Isaiah 45:3)

“Wow! The truth of this verse rocks my world. Don’t miss it!”

“God has gone before us and buried a treasure in every problem and stored rich truths in every minute of darkness we will face. The only way we can discover that treasure is to embrace it as an opportunity to trust God and uncover a new seed of victory. Some things cannot be learned in the light–they are treasures of the darkness” –GiG

I challenge you today to let go and let God have His way with you, and that situation. There’s a treasure waiting for us there in the unknown.

Everyday (Not-so) Ordinary Gifts

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To pause and give thanks for every gift God blesses is a good thing. It’s a great thing.

“This giving thanks–this is what we are made for: To give Him more glory. More thanks. This is more joy!”

Not only do I want to thank Him for all the huge ways He shows up in my life, but also the little ways….the “kisses from Daddy” as I like to call them. All blessings no matter the “size” are kisses from Daddy!

For that favorite bird that flies in my path, that favorite flower I see, that encouraging phone call or text from a dear friend, that Bible verse at just the right time, that hug from one of our sweet darlings, that pleasant greeting and smile, that…….

“God’s presence is always present. And He is the gift, the One I can’t stop giving thanks to.”

The world is full of reminders of how cruel things can be. I want to off set that every day by listing the gifts of grace He brings. Ann Voscamp has inspired me to do just that.

In her book she introduces a way of seeing that opens your eyes to the ordinary amazing grace, a way of living that is fully alive, and a way of becoming present to God that brings deep and lasting joy.

I plan everyday to tell about a gift in whatever form I’ve received it….A verse, a kind word, a gift, a smile, a show of kindness, whatever. Won’t you join me? Let’s hastag them #1000Gifts and spread the joy.

Let’s sling open our arms, and throw back our heads and dance in praise to the Giver of the ultimate Gift and say……..Thank You! Thank You! Thank You and tell others of His great goodness!

Rescued…

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If you’ve ever been in a city during rush hour traveling down 5 lanes of traffic, you know the busyness of it. Everyone in a hurry to get where they’re headed so they go…and they go FAST.

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It was on a day like this, at just that time of day, that I was traveling home from work. Suddenly, right in the middle of that 5 lanes of busy, rush hour traffic, my vehicle just stops. Dead. In the middle of those 5 lanes. No puttering to stop. Just stops with no engine running. Stopped dead. As I look in my rearview mirror and see that 18 wheeler and all those vehicles headed right at me, I yell….”Jesus, no!”

“When they call on Me, I will answer; I will be with them in time of trouble. I will rescue and honor them” Psalm 91:15


It wasn’t a rhetorical using-of-His-name-in-a-sentence type usage (which I can’t, stand by the way). I was literally talking to my Savior, needing Him to save me in the physical realm this time. As if there was a bubble around me, the vehicles started parting. That 18 wheeler got close enough for me to see the panic on his face as he yanked hard and fast on his steering wheel to the left to pass by. My Lord saved me that day. My vehicle finally started and I went on my way, calling my hubby to praise the Lord with him.

There are days when we wake up and look around to say, “How in the world did I get HERE, and how did things get THIS way???” Call out that name: JESUS….the sweetest name I know. Don’t try to clean things up before you do, like some people do just before the housekeeper comes, or when company is coming. He says, come as you are, mess and all. You are tired of the mess, of the juggling, of the hiding, and the keeping of the secrets….

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” Matthew 11:28

Pray:
Dear Lord, thank You for meeting me just where I am, mess and all. Thank You that You rescue us….over and over again. Your love never fails. Your love endures forever. There’s power in Your name. Lord, I call on your name right now. I need You. I thank You……

Photo credit: tomtom.com