Lilka Finley Raphael

Great and Grateful

Living here in the “Bible Belt” I read many a church sign. Some of them are witty and others are down right weird.

I did come across one that I did like. It read “A GRATEFUL MIND IS A GREAT MIND.”

As I reflected on that particular sign I thought about my various “states of mind” on any given day.

Some days I am focused.

On other’s not so much.

On occasion I can keep a very clear train of thought and accomplish much in record time. Then there are days I’m left looking around having nothing substantial to show for my efforts.

Yet, when I focus on counting my blessings, I gain clarity that at other times alludes me.

When I am grateful it puts into perspective all the minor and petty things that don’t really matter. Annoyances, headaches and temporary trials don’t compare to God’s great grace, mercy and favor.

If I did not continually count my blessings, I would get bogged down in the nonsense of the day, other people’s drama and become mired down in things that aren’t any of my business!

We must renew our minds daily as not to magnify our problems instead of God!

When we make a habit to appreciate how good God is to us, we are compelled to offer mercy, compassion and kindness as we have received it. The realization that we are not worthy but God loves us anyway should move us to love our neighbor/brother enough to not just pray for them but actually “do” for them.

Allowing our gratitude to move us into action produces great deeds and great love, the kind Jesus would have us show toward one another.

In this season of thanks, don’t merely settle for being grateful, act grateful. Allow your gratitude to move you to do something for someone else. What you may consider a small gesture can make a world of difference for someone else!

Allow gratitude to adjust your attitude.

Be grateful and B Blessed!

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NKJV

“Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! 1 Chronicles 16:8 NKJV

GIVE ME THAT OLD TIME RELIGION!

I live in the Atlanta area, kind of smack in the middle of the “Bible belt.” This long standing nickname would lead most to believe that Christianity is the most prevalent religion in these parts. It’s not.

The most prevalent religion around here is football.

I rarely see Christians rally together or cheer on one another the way sports fans do. Tailgating is the praise and worship that sets the mood for the sermon game. Season tickets sell no matter the cost. The pews may be sparsely occupied on Sunday but that stadium will be packed!

I can’t say that I’m a die hard fan by any means except for my alma mater (Go Rattlers!) but football occupies a more prominent place in the lives of many far above the basic precepts of love God and love your neighbor.

Yet, I don’t think I have ever seen anything break down barriers between people the way football can. Race, nationality, sexual orientation, religious affiliation and politics become irrelevant as long as you are for the home team. People who wouldn’t speak to one another at any other time will embrace, high five and cheer together.

We “Christians” might just learn a thing or two from these die hard fanatics.

I rarely see such levels of commitment and devotion for the church like I see for sports. Football season is priority for many.

How often do we “religious folk” schedule activities around God instead of squeezing God into a packed schedule?

Am I bashing football? Most definitely not!

Athletics provide an opportunity for many people to improve their circumstances. Football also teaches how to win and how to accept defeat. It instills the importance of working together for a common cause. Football builds solidarity among individuals. I would just love to see these same attributes displayed prominently in the church.

What if “Christians” shared this same type enthusiasm for people?

God’s people.

I’m talking about the people we glance over or would rather not deal with. I’m talking about those who are broken and when we ask how they are, we don’t want to hear their truth.

It is our commandment to love them.

I’d love to see Christians help those who are hurting as quickly as we would purchase tickets to enjoy the game.

I’m sure on any given weekend millions are cheering for their team. What about encouraging the addict or the mentally ill?

What if we chose to commit to something that lasts longer than the season?

What if for just one weekend, we offered our time and money for a charitable cause. Even assisting a neighbor, friend or family member will do.

These efforts, unlike those for the game, leave a lasting impression and demonstrate God’s love. God uses us to do His work.

Every sports team strives to build a legacy. Shouldn’t we want to do the same for God? And not grudgingly, but with that same enthusiasm we show the home team?

Just a few random thoughts today.

I’m off to watch the game.

Work It!

God and The Garden

Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.
Proverbs 16:3 NKJV

Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.
Proverbs 22:9 NKJV

Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
Ephesians 4:21 NKJV

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
Thessalonians 2:16-17 NKJV

If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things…

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Good Eats!

Apples and pears have never been my favorites. I eat them because they are good for me. They are hardly as sweet as my summertime berries, yet they fill me up and keep those hunger pains at bay. Fall fruits also last longer, aren’t nearly as fragile and help scrape out the yuck in our gut!

There comes a time to push aside those sweet things that are tasty for those heartier things that will sustain.

I love devotionals and encouraging words but we must diligently seek God and study His Word. We need all of it and not just those verses we pick and choose. It is comforting to know better days lie ahead but we must prepare as best we can to stand strong against dark days and disappointments as well.

Spiritual fruit takes time to grow and develop. Many people are led to Christ in a moment. Yet, it often takes years to transform us from who we are into who we can become.

Love, joy and peace are sweet fruits for me.

Long suffering? Not so tasty.

Faithfulness and gentleness require a bit more from me as well. It is often our trying experiences that cultivate the characteristics we lack and allow us to produce good fruit.

If we are to mature and fulfill our purpose, we must partake of some things that aren’t so sweet.

Forgiveness. Obedience. Submission.

We grow when we choose to partake of things that are good for us and not merely those things that taste good.

What are you hungry for?

“For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil,” Hebrews 5:13-14 NKJV

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV

Turning Points…

We all have times in our lives when we can look back and reflect on events or places where our lives took a turn in a singular direction. For some people this turning point is a positive. Perhaps a birth, a marriage or a graduation. For others, pivotal moments are directly related to a person who was influential in good choices made such as coach, a teacher or even a spouse.

Then there are other turning points that seemingly crush us under their weight.

Death. Failed relationships. Financial difficulties.

Our experiences, whatever they are, help mold us into the people we become. Hopefully, we learn to appreciate the good, endure the bad and gain wisdom from the lessons life has to offer.

Thankfully, we aren’t relegated to circumstances dictating our destination. Our experiences do indeed impact the people we become, but they don’t have to define us.

God allows us to decide if the experiences we are forced to endure will build us up or tear us down.

Our lives have many paths that lead to the same destination. Sometimes we take the scenic route. At others, there are painful detours. A few people actually do reach their goals with a straight sprint from point A to Z.

Yet, most of us are more likely to walk and even crawl along our way. The fact that we keep moving is all that really counts.

I am reminded, as we transition from one season to another, to allow my turning points to turn me in the right direction.

Sometimes we need to turn away from people, places and even our own negative thoughts. At others, we may need to turn toward God when we find ourselves lost, disoriented and lacking the direction we need to fulfill our purpose.

Take some time to look back on the good and give thanks. Reflect on the negatives and know that they too can serve a purpose.

Make the choice to reassess who you are and what you choose to do.

The change you seek begins with you.

If you’ve made mistakes along the way that’s fine too. Simply acknowledge them and learn from them. It is often the worst of times that eventually allow us to receive God’s very best.

It is faith that enables us to turn away from what was and look toward what can be. Turn toward the Light.

For He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. 1 Peter 3:10-11 NKJV

New Skin!

God and The Garden

Just as our bodies continually shed skin to accommodate growth, we must also shed those things that prevent our mental and spiritual maturity.

Great wisdom cannot enter a narrow mind.

The new things God would reveal are often hampered by outdated mindsets and behaviors.

Growth requires a fresh perspective and a willingness to do things we haven’t done before.

Outgrow prejudices.

Break your “spiritual” routine.

Expand your circle to include people who can build you up, not tear you down.

Read a new book.

Try different food.

Take time to enjoy life.

Make room for God’s increase.

Sometimes the blessings we seek require us to shed the skin we’re in…

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved…

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Lessons From A Spider…

I do have a few neurotic and irrational fears but spiders are not one of them. Thanks to E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web I’ve only viewed spiders as helpful…as long as they don’t crawl on me.

There are lots of spider webs in my garden these days. Makes me wonder if they are moving toward their eventual demise as “fair season” is underway here in Georgia. One of the great things about Charlotte was that she simply used what she had to make a difference.

Charlotte was smart.

She was also eager.

She could have simply felt bad for Wilbur and watched him go off to slaughter. Instead, she used what she had, her smarts and “web design” to save him. She didn’t do so seeking accolades for herself, her goal was simply to help someone in need.

How many times do we do “good deeds” expecting nothing in return?

Sure, it’s great when someone appreciates our efforts, but if they don’t we should not allow their indifference to dampen our joy of giving.

Wilbur was grateful for Charlotte’s efforts but people in our lives won’t always have that same affection for us when we do things that help them.

As I photographed my own “Charlotte,” I thought of what a great testimony this spider is.

My spider has done all it can to help itself by spinning a huge web. Now it simply waits patiently for breakfast to come to it. It is not crawling around stalking other bugs in my yard. The spider waits confidently knowing that what it needs will eventually find it.

How many of us are this confident in our faith?

We often sweat and toil trying to make things happen. We often struggle to keep our faith all the while playing out various scenarios in our mind. Very few of us wait as patiently and assuredly as this spider as we wait for God to deliver what we need.

Instead of waiting, many of us construct our webs without Divine guidance. We may waste time, energy and end up frustrated as we attempt to concoct our successes instead of “being still” and allowing God to work on our behalf.

Often, we strive to “do something” when all God really wants in a situation is for us to “be still and know Him.”

It takes maturity to wait patiently. Young children lack this trait. Some of us “older kids” take a bit longer to learn it as well. Yet, at some point we must mature from mere infants into mighty believers in regards to our faith.

I am waiting on a few things in my life to bear fruit even as I’ve made my share of mistakes while I wait. Despite my shortcomings, God proves Himself faithful again and again. I just need to remember God’s faithfulness the next time a crisis comes knocking on my door.

Patience and Expectancy. If God can speak through a donkey, surely I can learn a thing or two from a spider…

There are four things which are little on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
The ants are a people not strong,
Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
The rock badgers are a feeble folk,
Yet they make their homes in the crags;
The locusts have no king,
Yet they all advance in ranks;
The spider skillfully grasps with its hands,
And it is in kings’ palaces. Proverbs 30:24-28 NKJV

Put On Your Armor!

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
Romans 13:11-12 NKJV

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Ephesians 6:10-13 NKJV

Seek Wisdom!

Choose wisdom today…

God and The Garden

My son, if you receive my words,
And treasure my commands within you,
So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;
Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.
Proverbs 2:1-5 NKJV

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7 NKJV

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Wait On The Lord!

We all have days, stuck in our fears

Sometimes, those days turn into years

I’ve had some times, not one or two

To lean on God to get me through

Years later here, in such a way

God favored me, this awe filled day!

I stood my ground, I kept my joy

Chaos that loomed, was just a ploy

Today in peace, I would not stress

No fear today, I passed a test

When God answers us, with mighty roar

Our minds can’t see, what’s yet in store

God hears our whispers, feels our tears

His mighty hand to stem our fears

I see a “sign,” I stop and stare

Confirmed by things, only we two share

Out of the problem, God can form

His rare solutions, quiet my storm

Then bam, bam, bam; burdens off my back

Releasing blessings that strangle lack

God had a plan, from start to end

Transforms the broken, I’m on the mend

God heard my prayers, He hears yours too

Just don’t give up, He’ll get you through!

And years may pass, and that’s okay

Our Lord above, a better way….

To answered prayers

You’ve long forgot

Cast off, forgotten

Is not our lot

His joy above

Will find you too

Wait on the Lord

His Word is true

Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart;Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Psalm 27:14 NKJV