Jeremiah 17:5-8

Jeremiah 17:5-8 This is what the LORD says:  "Cursed is the one who trusts in man,  who depends on flesh for his strength  and whose heart turns away from the LORD.    He will be like a bush in the wastelands;  he will not see prosperity when it comes.  He will dwell in the parched places of the desert,  in a salt land where no one lives.    "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,  whose confidence is in him.    He will be like a tree planted by the water  that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes;  its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought  and never fails to bear fruit." My Wise and Wonderful One,  You are an amazing word artist. Your illustrations are quite clear. I see a crossroad with two distinct choices: I can fear people or I can fear You.    If I choose to depend on my family and friends to make difficult decisions, and carry me through my dilemmas, I'll be dry and lifeless like a stunted shrub in the desert. Impoverished and spiritually weak, I won't have any strength to be productive. My hard work will be in vain and my blessing basket will be empty.    However, if I choose to rely on You, the Divine Gardener, I will flourish like a lush green tree planted by a gaily flowing spring of fresh water. Spending time in Your Word, my Bible, will nourish and strengthen me. When I allow others who are rooted in You to be my support system, I won't bend and break under the pressure of problems. Drawing deep into the steady Source of Living Water, Your Spirit flowing in and through me, I'll be exceptionally fruitful in scorching seasons of intense pain. Not only will I have enough vigor to meet my own needs, but I'll also have energy to meet the needs of others. Thank You for Your wise instruction. At the crossroads, I want to make the right choice: to follow Your Word and Your wisdom. Please give me a greater desire to dig deeper into Your precepts so that I'll take the way of Your will during tough and troubling times. I want to confidently face challenges, believing that You will bless me with peace, protection, and power in Your holy presence for the honor and glory of Your blessed name. Amen. The more we allow those who ridicule God to affect our thoughts and attitudes, the more we separate ourselves from the Source of nourishment. Delight in spending time in God's Word and develop a support system of people who love the Lord. Then, you will have the strength to stand up under the pressure of difficult people, problems and pain. You will be blessed with the delicious juicy fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Full of the Spirit, your countenance will be happy even when your heart is sad.

Proverbs 24:30-34

One day I walked by the field of an old lazybones,  and then passed the vineyard of a lout; They were overgrown with weeds,  thick with thistles, all the fences broken down. I took a long look and pondered what I saw;  the fields preached me a sermon and I listened: "A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there,  sit back, take it easy-do you know what comes next? Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life,  with poverty as your permanent houseguest!" MSG   Proverbs 24:30-34

Merciful Lord, Your Words paint a powerful picture that cause me to pause and ponder what my life will look like if I neglect spending time with You. Indifferent and inattentive to Your Word, my life will fall apart like the broken down fence. Help me, dear Lord, guard against neglect. I don't want to become sluggish or lazy in my walk with You.    O God, Your Word is Miracle Grow for my withering soul. Every time I read it, it perks me up, filling me with purpose. It prevents sin from scorching me. When I miss a day or two, I begin to imperceptibly droop. When I miss three or four days, I really start sagging downward. Without it, I'll eventually die spiritually. Please dear Lord, help me to be responsible in my daily walk with You. I want a rich life with YOU as my permanent house guest. In my life Lord, be glorified. Amen.

How is your relationship with Christ? Are you guarding it carefully? Are you leaning on Him in the hard times, or have you abandoned Him?    Jesus loves you! He hasn't turned from you. You're redeemed and forgiven. He's wants to restore you. Will you allow Him to? Cry out to Him in prayer. He will hear you. Open your Bible and seek Him. He will be there.

John 15: 9-11

John 15: 9-11 Jesus said, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."

Holy Gardener & Divine Vinedresser, Cultivate my heart to produce exuberant, extravagant, extraordinary love. I long for Your amazing love to exude from my pores so that it will be seen and felt by everyone I come in contact with. Saturate me with Living Water. Fertilize me with Your Word. Graft me permanently to You so that I will produce delicious juicy fruit for Your kingdom. As I grow in my relationship with You, submitting to Your snips and clips, Jesus will propagate from me into the lives of others.    Filled with Jesus Joy, my face will shine, my eyes will sparkle, my mouth will laugh, and my feet will dance. O Holy Gardener, please shape me in such a way that people will keep coming back to pluck more of the plump, luscious fruit produced from my branch. Create in those around me a ravenous hunger for more Jesus Juice! Make me a healthy source of spiritual nourishment. Release the flow of Divine Sap through the branch of my life as I rest and grow on Your glorious Vine. I am Yours O Lord, because of Jesus! Amen

Do you hear the words of Jesus? He says that He loves you. Do you believe Him? You will demonstrate that you believe Him when you obey His commands. If you remain in his loving hands and submit to doing His will His way, you will produce extravagant love and exuberant joy.  Apart from Him your branch will be brittle and broken by bitterness and fear. Claim God's promise and release the everlasting sweet "sap" of His Spirit into your life.      David Wilkerson wrote in his World Challenge Pulpit Series: "Listen to these words sung by David: 'Glory and honor are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.' (1 Chronicles 16:27). The root word for 'gladness,' in the New Testament, means 'jumping for joy.' God's heart leaps for joy over those enjoying the fullness of perfect love. Let the Lord put gladness in you now, today. Your glad heart will 'shock and awe' all those who are fearful around you.    Right now the world is drowning in fear. Humankind trembles over global warming, fear of terrorist attacks, nuclear warfare, a shaky economy, the AIDS plague, mass murders, the rise of Islam, political chaos, widespread addictions to drugs, alcohol, and porn."   If we remain in His loving hands, we will not be afraid, but glad. Our lives will produce the fullness of God's perfect love and a world full of worried witnesses will wonder why we are so happy. Remain in Love.

John 15:5

John 15:5 Jesus said, "If you remain in me, and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

Heavenly Gardener-  I BELIEVE You are the Divine Vinedresser. Jesus is the never ending Vine with deep roots. I am the branch. Apart from Him I am nothing but deadwood. Connected to Him, the sweet sap of the Spirit flows to my soul producing succulent fruit.    Please cultivate me with more of Your extravagant love so that I'll have a soft heart. When I'm shaded by the darkness of difficulty, put a sunny smile on my face that reflects the joy of Jesus.    Expand my harvest of peace as I yield to Your painful pruning. Produce in me patience that becomes more luscious with each irritating snip. Use the clippings from my branch to transplant kindness in the dirt of despair, and goodness in the soil of sorrow.    Pick me up and cleanse me, Jesus! Saturate me with the fertilizer of Your Word and grow my faith. As I spend time under Your care, please keep the soil of my soul tender and teachable. Keep pulling the weeds of faulty thinking that threaten to choke my mind. O please, Divine Gardener, do whatever it takes to grow everlasting fruit from me for the glory of Your kingdom. Amen.

Ask the Heavenly Gardener to cultivate everlasting fruit from your branch on the Vine. It will require you to succumb to His painful sheers as He snips and shapes the unruly shoots. Fully surrendered to His care, you will be astonished at the incredible crop Christ creates from you.

Watching God at Work: Divine Encounters

It has been a whirlwind week, and God was right where He always is … in the center of my activities.

Last Thursday, I met with a Captain of Delaware State Police. An officer, gentleman, and training director, he was a new friend I met at the FBI National Academy in Ocean City, MD.  Since he was curious about my background and how I landed a job in training and development, I shared with him the story of my successful career working for large corporations, and how I walked away from it all in order to pursue my greater purpose. Peering at me with eyes as big as saucers, he said, “Beth, this appointment was not by chance. I needed to hear your story. My wife and I have been talking about the next phase of our careers. You have been a big encouragement.” While I worked, God used me to inspire an executive police officer to pursue his greater purpose.

On Saturday I was invited to speak at Le’Chic Academy’s Pumps and Pearls Mother/Daughter Brunch and Fundraiser. I was seated at a table with the Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts for the State of Maryland. I mentioned that I was from Lancaster, PA. “Where?” she inquired. She had lived in East Petersburg for 11 years. Seriously? I live in East Petersburg, one half mile from where she lived. Our paths had never crossed.

Later they introduced her and read her credentials. She graduated from Millersville University. “When?” I asked. “1984,” she replied. Me too! “Did you live on campus?” I queried. “Yes. I lived in Lyle Hall,” was the response. “No way! Me too!” I exclaimed with excitement. We discovered we both lived on the third floor of the same dorm for one year, on different wings. She was a social work major. I majored in social work my freshman year. Neither of us recognized each other. I have no doubt God connected us 32 years later 80 miles outside of Millersville for a greater purpose than either of us can imagine.

On Wednesday, I met with a Deputy Director of Maryland Department of Public Safety, another new friend from the FBI National Academy in Ocean City, MD. I suspected she might be a soul sister. The minute I stepped into her office it was confirmed. Not only was she wearing two cross necklaces, but the sign over her desk read, “When life gives you more than you can stand, kneel.” No doubt God connected me with this beautiful sister and public servant who lives and works to shine His light in the darkness. Together, we may shine for Him in the state of Maryland while we work to improve their leadership development programs.

We were to meet with another Executive Director who didn’t show up. When my sweet servant sister called to locate her, her voice mail answered saying, “Live life on purpose. Have a blessed day.” Another sister!

Fifteen years ago Henry Blackaby’s Bible Study, Experiencing God changed my life.  He challenged me to find out where God is at work and join Him there. I’ve been doing that ever since.

The message of Experiencing God is built upon what Blackaby calls the “Seven Realities”:

1. God is always at work around you.
2. God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.
3. God invites you to become involved in His world.
4. God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes and ways.
5. God's invitation for you to work with Him always leads to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.
6. You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing.
7. You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplished His work through you.

It is an absolute blessing to watch God work around me. Because I love Him personally and intimately, He invites me to become involved in His work. Intentionally spending time each day in His Word, the Bible, He speaks to me revealing His purposes and His ways. As I step out in faith, trusting Him with all my heart, and am open to go wherever He sends me, I am overwhelmed to see and experience Him everywhere.

You too can experience God when you open your heart to His Word, obey Him, and walk forward in faith with eyes wide open.

Psalm 89:15-17, 24

Psalm 89:15-17, 24 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, LORD.    They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation. They exult in your righteousness.    You are their glorious strength. Our power is based on your favor.    My faithfulness and unfailing love will be with him, and he will rise to power because of me. NLT

O Lord God Almighty!           There is none like You!                    You are my glory and my strength! Walking in the light of Your presence, I'm pleased to proclaim Your wonderful works. Pondering what You've done sets my heart a dancing! I was weak and unworthy of even the simplest spiritual assignment when You chose me, changed me and charged me with telling people everywhere about Your unmistakable reputation for changing lives. An ordinary person with no extraordinary talent or training, I was inadequate and unqualified for the job. Nevertheless, You persistently pursued me, promising to empower me. When I finally stopped and surrendered, You sent the Holy Spirit to train me. Using the Bible, You taught, tested and equipped me. In the brilliant light of Your presence, I learned to trust Your wisdom and seek Your advice. Soon my empty mind was filled with knowledge and my hollow heart was filled with Your unending love. Your vivacious energy gave me the courage and confidence to conquer my fears. Before I knew it, I was doing the impossible. Surprisingly, my accomplishments were exceeding my expectations! Knowing who You are and what You can do was the secret to my success. Apart from You I am incompetent and incapable, but with You I can achieve unbelievable things. All that I am and have I owe to You, my Glorious Strength. Blessed be Your wonderful name! Amen.

God calls us to perform tasks we can't do with our own brains or abilities to prove his unfailing love and faithfulness. What extreme challenge has He given you? Has He asked you to take the test of sickness and suffering? Or are you experiencing a job loss and financial challenges? Maybe your assignment involves legal matters that are complex and beyond your comprehension. Perhaps He's asking you to move to a new job, state, or country. Whatever the assignment, stop arguing and agree to the task. Admit your weakness and ask Him to teach, test and equip you. As you learn to trust His wisdom and seek His advice, you too will accomplish unbelievable things and people everywhere will witness God's unmistakable reputation for changing lives.    Apart from Him you can do nothing. (John 15:5) "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

John 4:23-24

John 4:23-24  Jesus said, "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

Father in Heaven, I BELIEVE You are omnipresent. I can worship You any time and any place. You don't care WHERE I worship. You're interested in HOW I worship. With Your Spirit hovering over me, I can worship in the driest desert, in the darkest valley, on the highest mountain, in the quiet country, in the busy city, in my home or in my car or in my office. Wherever I am, You are there helping me worship.    According to Your Word, My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. You have filled my heart with love, with joy and with Your Spirit.     Full of Your Presence, when I read my Bible, You will teach me, tucking the truth in the hollow of my heart. When the truth is in me, I can worship You in Spirit by obeying Your commands. Every where I go, every thing I do, think, or say can be a delightful act of worship when I deliberately chose to follow You. Because I am full of You, I will make music in my heart, meditate on Your Words, and pray without ceasing, always giving thanks to You, in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Everything you do can be an act of worship when You are filled with the Holy Spirit and the truth of His Word. Worship Him today with everything that's in you.

Psalm 16:7-8

Psalm 16:7-8 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;  even at night my heart instructs me.    I have set the LORD always before me.  Because he is at my right hand,  I will not be shaken.

Secure and Steadfast God,   I BELIEVE ALL You do is just and good. Thank You for graciously counseling me. Your timeless Words are very wise. Your timely advice is always right. Teach me to make good decisions that will please You. Tune my ears to recognize Your Voice, my mind to understand Your Words, and my heart to obey Your Ways. When I'm too exhausted to think clearly, in the silence of my soul speak to me. It's sure to be another exhilarating day with more unexpected twists and turns.   Please go ahead of me. I'm utterly dependent on Your wise guidance to lead me through uncertain situations. It is vital that I remain in constant communication with You by reading my Bible and praying. You know the way that will lead me to all Your hidden promises. Willingly, I'll take Your strong right hand and walk through briars, thorns, and thickets. I won't try to avoid pain, trouble and failure. Connected to You, they won't hurt me.    Dear Lord, please give me the courage to hold on tightly, trusting that You know exactly where You're taking me. Following Your reliable instructions, I'll be secure and steadfast. Looking forward to the riches of heaven, eternity with You and everlasting happiness, my heart and lips will cheerfully sing a sweet song to the glory of Your holy, awe-inspiring name. Amen.

I need God's counsel for __________________________________________. Pray, asking Him for wisdom. Open Your Bible and listen to His Voice. Obey His instruction and He will reward You with Words from heaven - the Truth! Then, you, too, will know that He is trustworthy and dependable. Praise Him!

Psalm 78:9-11

Psalm 78:9-11 The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; they did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by his law. They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them.

O Great & Mighty God, Your Word is a swift, sharp sword that cuts to the very core of my soul. We, as a church are big cowards like the Ephraimites. You've armed us to the hilt for the spiritual battle, yet we've fearfully run away. We don't believe in Your powerful, protective promises. We've ditched the indispensable weapons You made just for us.   Even though the Truth is readily available, we refuse to open our Bibles and access it. Because we don't open our Bibles outside of church, we're ignorant about Your Sacred Laws. If we don't know them, how can we obey them? We're busy making believers and baptizing them, neglecting to teach them to obey Your commands. We can't instruct what we do not know ourselves. We're a battalion of reckless rebels marching down a dangerous road. Forgetting the high price You paid to save us from death and destruction, we've conscientiously objected to following You into combat. It's each man for himself in this skirmish with the wicked world. Prayerless, we've abandoned our brothers and sisters, leaving them alone to fight the vicious foe. Self-absorbed, we've forgotten to declare the great works You've done. Have mercy on us for our lack of faith!   I never again want to withdrawal from the life-or-death fight with the Devil. I don't want You to associate me with the weak and spineless Ephraimites who lost favor in Your sight.   From this day forward, I'm surrendering my life and my agenda to enlist in Your massive Army of prayer warriors. Equipped with Your Word, I'll confidently open my mouth and speak in Your almighty power, watching until the enemy retreats. Show me a comrade who needs support today, and I'll join them in the battle at the altar for the glory of Your victorious name. Amen.

Do you know someone in the midst of a spiritual battle? The enemy is strategically attacking Christ-followers from every vantage point. Who can you join in combat? I urge you, turn around and fight for someone in the name of Jesus. If you have a Bible and a mouth, you're fully armed and equipped for combat.   Our pastors and spiritual leaders are under siege. The enemy is torturing and punishing missionaries worldwide. Our nation is under fierce attack. Marriages are falling apart. Children are innocent victims. There's a whole world full of sick and suffering souls standing alone in their struggles. Everywhere there are broken hearts and shattered lives. You don't have to look far to find someone to stand in the gap and fight with.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Eternal, Invisible, Almighty God- Thank You for the prickly thorns of trouble and temptation sent to me by Satan. I now know that You authorized him to deliver them to keep my heart humble. I've repeatedly asked You to remove the pain of my afflictions and addictions. Instead You've empowered me with grace to endure them. Your magnificent grace is enough to enlighten and enliven me. It is sufficient to strengthen and soothe me. When I am worn-down, weak, and weary from sadness, sickness, and sin, please purify my heart and fill it with faith to believe in Your almighty power.    By faith, I BELIEVE You will turn my hurts to hope, my loss to life, and my difficulties to determination. In the turmoil twisting around me there is a purpose. During chaos and confusion, Your power is manifested and magnified in me. Rather than dreading trials and tests, I need to delight in them. Instead of focusing on my inadequacies and insecurities, I need to focus on Your unfailing, everlasting promises. You have pledged to keep me, protect me, and teach me. You've promised to abide in me and be my strength. Now, I need to walk in faith by acknowledging, accepting, and acting on Your holy name - El Shaddai. To Your all-sufficient, all-powerful, almighty name be the glory forever and ever. Amen

Identify the prickly thorns sent by Satan to torment You. Thank God that they were sent to keep you focused on Him. Instead of focusing on your difficulties and despair, focus on God's unfailing, everlasting promises. Search the Scriptures. Acknowledge God's faithfulness, accept His powerful promises, and act in faith. Then, you will discover extraordinary delight in the midst of your despondency.

John 10:27-30

John 10:27-30

Jesus said, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

Jesus,

O how Your voice resonates deep within the inner ear of my soul. The longer I walk with You the more definite and distinctive it becomes.

I BELIEVE You are the Great Shepherd of my weak, vacillating, trembling soul. Bought with Your precious, priceless blood, my heart is permanently branded with the seal of Your Holy Spirit. You can easily identify that I belong to You.

How precious it is to think that You gave me eternal life - permanent life that never ceases; imperishable, immortal everlasting life that never ends. People and problems will persistently pull at me. Trouble and temptation will tirelessly tug at me. Sickness and suffering will steadily assail me. Through it all, I will not perish but prevail. No one or no thing can ever snatch me from the grip of Your almighty, tight-fisted, nail-pierced hand. You paid too high a price to ever let me go. As Your absolutely treasured possession, You firmly hold onto me even when I let go.

O Lord, I believe that You are faithful to all Your promises. Without reservation or hesitation, I'm choosing to believe that You'll keep me eternally secure bringing glory, honor and praise to Your powerful name. Amen

If you are one of God's chosen sheep, you are branded with the seal of the Holy Spirit. The seal guarantees that you are His possession, bought and paid for with the priceless blood of Jesus. (Ephesians 1:13) He paid too high a price to ever let you go.

His sheep listen to His voice and obediently follow Him, not making up their own whimsical rules as they roam to and fro. His sheep imitate Him. As you read the Word of God, what do you see Jesus doing? Are you following Him producing spiritual fruit that will bring glory, honor and praise to Him?

Jesus promises His sheep who listen to His voice and follow Him eternal security. You can choose to believe Him or argue with Him about this incredibly powerful promise. His Word says, according to Your faith it will be done to you (Matthew 9:29). Are you standing on the promises of Christ the Lord?

Isaiah 40:11

Isaiah 40:11  He tends his flock like a shepherd:         He gathers the lambs in his arms         and carries them close to his heart;         he gently leads those that have young.

Good and Gentle Shepherd,  So tenderhearted and compassionate, You certainly love Your sheep! You carefully lead us to the lush mountain pastures in our Bibles where we can graze to our heart's content on the fertile food of Your Word. Faithfully, You guide us through barren deserts to refreshing streams of Living Water to quench our dry and thirsty souls.    Along the way, You protect us from animalistic humans who threaten to attack our character. Prone to wandering, we slip into clefts of criticism and condemnation, plunge into ravines of rejection and ridicule, and sink deep into depressions of disgrace and despair. In our times of trouble, You never fail to hear our cry, find us and set us free. I BELIEVE Your sheep are Your most prized possession.    Bruised and bloodied from the fall, You meticulously bandage our broken hearts. Scooping us up in Your powerful arms, You hold us close to Your loving heart and carry us to safety. Resting in Your presence, we have nothing to fear. You are bigger than the people, problems and pressure pursuing us.    Thank You dear Shepherd for diligently doing Your job twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, year in and year out. Because of Your hard work I'm alive and well. I know from experience that danger lurks around the bend. It's crucial that I trust and obey You. Huddled in Your flock, there's protection, provision, and perfect peace because of Jesus. Amen.

Are you sticking with the Shepherd or have your wandered away from the flock? You are valuable to Him! He wants to take care of you, but you need to follow Him.    If you've lost your way and are stuck, cry out to Him. He'll find you right where you are, pick you up in His strong arms, and carry you close to His heart to the safety of His presence where there's protection, provision and perfect peace.

Psalm 92:1-5

Psalm 92:1-5 It is good to praise the LORD         and make music to your name, O Most High,  to proclaim your love in the morning         and your faithfulness at night,  to the music of the ten-stringed lyre         and the melody of the harp.  For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD;         I sing for joy at the works of your hands.  How great are your works, O LORD,         how profound your thoughts!

O Lord Most High, It's a delight and honor to sing of Your wonderful works. In humble adoration, I gratefully thank You for Your ever loving kindness each morning. Your unbelievable mercy has kept me from complete obliteration. Each evening, I fondly remember Your incredible faithfulness. With a cheerful song in my heart, I love to tell of Your excellent greatness! My eyes have seen Your magnificent handiwork!   Merrily, I sing the praises of my drastically changed life. Your marvelous grace has miraculously covered all my past, present and future mistakes. Clothed and unashamed, I'm free to come into Your holy presence and worship You. With sheer confidence, I can stand up and assuredly sing with all my heart, "How great is my God!"    Jesus, You mean the world to me! The amazing works of Your hands have made me glad. I'll sing of Your love forever because of the blessed promise I have in Your gloriously beautiful name. Amen.

It is good to praise the Lord! Bless Him for keeping you from complete obliteration! If you're alive today, thank Him! It's only by His amazing grace.

Watching God at Work: Making Connections

While I was representing Insight Management Consulting in Ocean City, MD at the Training Officers’ Consortium Annual Institute, God connected me with several key contacts, assuring me of my footing on this career path. Sometimes it feels like the way is congested and confusing. A door seems to open. I make seemingly important connections. The door closes, and I discover that I’m still standing at ground zero and haven’t really advanced at all. For a results-oriented over-achiever that can be quite frustrating. Then I remember that God defines success differently than the rest of the world.

Arriving at the convention center, we were meeting and greeting guests when a fine-looking bearded businessman approached me with a big bright smile, “Beth Rudy!” he exclaimed with excitement. “Brian Hammill.” He reached out his hand to shake mine. “Remember me?” How could I ever forget! The handshake turned to a friendly hug.

Brian and I had worked together a few years prior.  In fact, when he was promoted to a new position, I was promoted to his position. We took a selfie to show our friends that we bumped into each other at the beach. Talking the evening away, we reminisced about by gone days and mutual friends. Rick, Jane and Laurie report to him now. I learned how he earned the nickname Felix by our beloved boss Sherrie. David works with me now, and I was able to introduce him to David’s brother, Paul. What are the chances of meeting a former co-worker from Minneapolis in Ocean City, MD? God gave me a warm welcome by placing a nice guy from my past in my path.

The next day, I introduced myself to a spunky vendor named Chris. Since neither of us had meal tickets, I invited her to join me for dinner. Not only did we have a delightful and delicious dinner watching the brilliant reddish-orange sunset over the bay to magnificent sounds of the 1812 Overture, but we also discovered that we are both super achievers who left big careers to pursue our passion. Chris, the mother of two young adults like me, was a crime analyst with the FBI, climbing the ladder toward Senior Executive Services. Noticing massive inefficiencies and waste, and unable to influence change, she decided the organization and job no longer fit her character. Courageously, she walked away from the FBI to pursue writing, speaking and coaching. Her book, "Quit [Bleeping] Around: 77 Secrets to Superachieving" - is meant to help superachievers like us get out of their own way and step fully into their potential.

Superachievers Buy Here

Surely the restaurant received an electrical surge while we were there; after all, two high-energy super achievers were in the same room at the same table generating momentum while sharing our similar paths and passions. I believe God connected us to encourage, inspire, and motivate one another.

As we were winding down on the third day, the exhibit hall was about to close when a sharp looking professional woman approached me to talk about our leadership development programs. Very intrigued, she handed me her business card and asked me to call her to schedule an appointment to further discuss her needs and our programs. Her card read: Director, Employee Development FEMA. Wow! Did God just connect me with a key decision maker at a 5,000 employee government agency?

Someone gifted me with a ticket to the send-off brunch the following morning. My intentions were to sit at a table at the back of the room, enjoy a nice meal, and then head back to my 16^th floor condo overlooking the magnificent Atlantic Ocean to work. Wearing jeans, a bedazzled velour jacket, and flip flops, I planned to be obscure. Trading my brunch ticket for a blue folder emboldened with the letters FEMA, my imagination wondered if my new contact had anything to do with its contents. Sure enough, the Director of Employee Development at FEMA was the keynote speaker.

God provided the ticket, and changed my plans so that I would hear this inspiring woman talk about the incredible leadership programs she’s brought to FEMA. Our programs will fit like a hand in a glove. Wearing my jeans, bedazzled jacket, and flip flops I approached her afterwards apologizing for my less than professional appearance. I boldly told her I wanted to work FOR her. She was a high-energy, passionate, people developer like me. I don’t know if I’ll ever work FOR her, but I have a pretty good inclination that I will work WITH her.

Over four days, I watched God work to connect me with some really amazing people to encourage me to keep walking this path, pursuing Him, and success His way. I am incredibly blessed that God leads and guides me every step of the way. No encounter is by chance. He creates everything, owns everything, and makes everything work together according to His plans for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Psalm 116:3-6

Psalm 116:3-6   The cords of death entangled me,         the anguish of the grave came upon me;         I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.   Then I called on the name of the LORD :         "O LORD, save me!"   The LORD is gracious and righteous;         our God is full of compassion.   The LORD protects the simplehearted;         when I was in great need, he saved me.

Lord of Life, I BELIEVE you are gracious, righteous, and full of compassion. I was intertwined in a web of confusion, trapped by trouble and seized by sorrow. Satan choked me with his charm, strangled me with his shams, and was slowing killing me with his lies.  In fearful desperation, I cried out to You, "O Lord, Save me!" In Your loving kindness, You rescued me and saved my life. I didn't deserve to be released from Satan's snare, but because You abound in love and mercy You set me free. Unwrapped from the cords of death that entangled me, I'm free to stand upright and tell others the wonders of Your love. Because You have done great things for me, I will extol You.  With a grateful heart I will always praise for caring enough to save me, keep me, and wash me with the crimson blood of Your Dear Son through whom I live and move and have my being. To Him who is seated on the throne of heaven, and to the Lamb, be glory and honor and praise forever and ever! Amen.

How will you worship God with all your heart this week for His wonderful work of salvation?