New Beginnings

This morning I woke up and went straight to my knees to pray. I'm not sharing this to sound impressively spiritual, because the reason I fell to my knees has nothing to do with that. I was suddenly reminded that this is the week we celebrate the cross, and I have spent far too little time pondering it.
As the wife of a professional baseball coach, this week marks opening day (which happens to fall on Easter weekend) and with family flying in to celebrate the ceremonious start to another baseball season, Easter was sadly pushed to the back of my mind...until this morning.

This morning I prayerfully walked through the days leading to the cross. Like a DVD playing through the mental files of my mind, I saw Jesus praying in the garden; shaking and sweating as He realized what He was about to do. I saw his friends, Peter, James and John wiping the sleep out of their eyes as they realized Jesus looked different. He was drenched with a holy perspiration as He told them it was time to go. "Go where?" they probably wondered as the guards came for Jesus. Peter was so confused that he wildly cut one of their ears off.

The part of Easter that bothers me most is the fact that Jesus was made fun of, spit on, and whipped. I hate bullies...and it seems that the most violent kind of bullies were set on destroying Him, as they placed a crown of thorns into His head and pushed so hard that the thorns made his forhead bleed. What had He ever done but heal, love, and speak truth?

Finally comes the cross, splintered and heavy

Rough Stones to Precious Gems

In an effort to provide affordable but exciting entertainment, my seven year old and I headed to the local toy store to see what trouble we could get into. We spotted a rock tumbler on display. On the box it read, “changes rough stones into beautiful high-luster semi-precious gemstones.” So basically, the process was to place the rock in the tumbler with other rocks and/or a grit substance. As the tumbler turns the rocks fall, crash together, and are rubbed by the grit. When the once rough and jagged rocks emerge from the tumbler they are smooth and polished.

Watching this process was intriguing. The more friction these rocks came into contact with, the more beautiful they became. My thoughts turned to my own life and the trials I come up against. As Christians, we are to use our hardships and any friction in our lives to polish ourselves and grow more beautiful to the Lord.

Paul spoke of the thorn in his flesh, a messenger from Satan that was sent to torment him. He begged the Lord to take it away:
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
"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. 10That 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."

Delight in weaknesses??? Hmmmm. So what does that mean? In times of trial typically the last thing on my mind is how I can grow from the situation. However, the Lord is not expecting that we jump for joy when something terrible happens. He is asking that we find the will of God in these situations and use them to beautify and polish our souls.

For when I am weak, then I am strong??? More strength is required to stand up from being knocked down than to remain standing without adversity. The rocks in the tumbler did not break, they changed. The act of changing requires more strength than deciding to give up.
To illustrate my point (and add a bit of humor) I found this cute comic about a lump of coal:

May we all use the friction and adversity in our lives to change from rough stones into beautiful high-luster precious gems.
“….for my power is made perfect in weakness….”
Blessings,
Jessica

Wandering and Wondering...Is there a Purpose?

I love this time of year. In our family it's referred to as "spring training time." When you live life on a baseball calendar you don't count time like normal people do. Our year is explained as a season...and that season is split into three sections: the pre-season (spring training), the season (games count and the pressure is on) and the off-season (breathe, regroup, and get to know your family again). Spring training is one of my favorite times of the year because it holds new beginnings. Regardless of what the past year held, there's the excitement of a fresh chance to be great.

This year has been especially sweet for Bobby and I as our spring training home is in Orlando, Florida. Of course, Orlando is great for many reasons (a little black mouse with big ears being one of them), but Bobby and I had a moment of clarity a few nights ago as we pulled up to a stop light. He practically gasped as he looked out the window to a building on our right. "I know that place!" he said, with a voice filled with bewilderment. I looked out the window and saw a fancy restaurant called Japanese Steak House facing us. "Have you eaten there?" I asked, thinking that it looked a little rich for our lean budget. "No, that's not it..." Bobby replied, deep in thought. Suddenly it came to him, "I cleaned carpets in that place late one night." Both of us scrunched our eyebrows as we recalled a time in our lives much different than what we were living now.

After Bobby retired as a ballplayer, we immediately took a job coaching in the minor leagues of baseball. We thought it would be a short stint, after all, how hard can it be to make it to the big leagues as a coach? Sixteen years later we still found ourselves in the minor leagues. During this time Bobby and I both took on several jobs to make ends meet. Our memory of this steakhouse came to focus as we recalled selling our home in New York, putting our belongings in storage, and renting a small apartment with our kids in Orlando. Our girls Brooke and Ally were in Kindergarten and first grade, while Colton was a blankie toting 2 year old. Bobby would coach in the day for the Kansas City Royals, and then work for a carpet cleaning company at night. We almost cried as we realized we could now eat at a place that formally we could only clean the carpets of.

Sometimes I think life mirrors the experience of the Israelites, who wandered in the desert for a few decades before entering a land that promised a different type of life. They wandered because they weren't ready; and it was in their wandering that they learned to trust God. I know that Bobby and I wandered in our desert for 16 years because God wanted to cleanse, purify, recreate, and commission our hearts for His glory. Any other agenda simply won't do.

If you find yourself wandering today... stuck in a job that seems like a dead-end, raising a child that doesn't learn good lessons, loving someone that doesn't love you back, feeling lonely and looking for a greater purpose--may I encourage you with the words God spoke over those that wandered and were about to enter a new land? He simply said "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

No matter where you find yourself today, He sees your wandering, and will bring you to a new land when you're ready. Don't fight your wandering, but rather, thank God for it. It's often in the wandering that we see God's purpose take shape...even if it includes cleaning carpet to get there.

Blessings!
Gari

Reach, Receive, and React

Living on a farm in Texas was the slow and sweet kind of upbringing where buttermilk was a staple ingredient, you meet up at the church house 3 times a week, and the men all smell of cut grass and farm animals. It was a peaceful place. The land stretched out for miles and there were no neighbors in sight. It was a simple but beautiful childhood and I could not WAIT to get out of there. I had big dreams that required the opportunities and amenities of the big city. At college I found a nice city boy to lift my veil and I was on my way. Ten years went by and I found myself wrangling two misfit boys and wondering what the next plans were for my life. I started a spiritual journey that I am excited to share and continue with you all.

I reached out to the Lord in prayer to ask for direction and clarity. There was never a time in my life that I didn’t know God. Spiritual teaching and bible doctrine had been poured over me from the time I was born. There was no drama that led me to the Lord. No personal testimony there for me to share with others. So what was my spiritual path? What could I use to bring others to the Kingdom of God?

Isaian 30:19 People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you.

No matter where you are in your life reach out to God in prayer. He has promised to answer when we seek direction or clarity.

But what happens if we miss the answer?

When we pray the same prayer without ceasing we must open our minds and hearts and prepare to receive the answers. In my case, a sweet Christian Woman by the name of Gari Meacham asked if I would like to co-write this blog with her. I was so excited to have the opportunity to share my spiritual journey with you all and hopefully share in your journeys as well.

My Grandmother used to tell me the story of a man who was falling from a building and prayed “Lord please save me.” His coat caught on a nail and stopped his fall and he said “Never mind Lord this nail caught me”.

Seize the opportunities that cross our paths and always be vigilant to what message the Lord is trying to send us.

Isaian 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Once we recognize and receive the answers or direction from God we must then react.
No matter where you are in your life, how many people you know or don’t know, or how functional or dysfunctional your life has been we all have lessons to teach and hands to reach out to others. If you know the next step in your spiritual journey share it with others. You might just be the inspiration or motivation they need in that moment. If you are still looking for your direction and clarity it starts in prayer. Reach out to the Lord, he has promised to answer.

This blog is my first step to react to the answers and direction I have received. I am so excited about this journey and even more excited that you all are a part of it.

Blessings,
Jessica