Glass? . . . FAIL! Me? . . . PASS!

"You cannot always help what happens TO you, but you can help what happens IN you."

"The kingdom WITHIN you will become the kingdom AROUND you."

"You are not a product OF your environment, but you are a product of the WAY YOU RESPOND to your environment."

- Kris Vallotton

These were the words that I starred and underlined in my notes last night as we listened to Kris Vallotton speak about "The Process of Developing People". He had so many good things to say - about making mistakes/failing (not morally), understanding that when we work with people - it will be messy, how to develop the structures (prepare the "soil") within us so that our spirit will accept the teaching ("seed") God places in our life, and so much more.

In fact - he even said that in order to pass this class - we will have to FAIL 3 times! :) Yes - you heard me right. If I don't fail 3 times - then I fail the class. :) Why? Because if I fail 3 times (or more . . . and we're not talking moral failures here) - then I am taking risks . . . I am stepping out of my comfort zone to do what I've never done before - to reach for the impossible (or just the difficult) - to create an opportunity for God to show up with miracles, power, glory and love! :) Pretty cool, eh?

So - today - I give you permission to FAIL! :) Try it . . . it's not so bad. I'm still alive! And what's the worst thing that could happen . . . you might actually succeed! So you pray for a woman in a wheelchair and ask her to get up out of it . . . what's the worst that could happen? She might not be able to get up. That didn't change anything. She couldn't do that before. But what MIGHT happen . . . she just might get up and be healed!! :) Why aren't we risking that?!

So -if you see me fail along the way . . . be happy for me . . . and don't judge me for my mistakes. I'm willing to take risks to see what I've never seen before, to do what I've never done before, to go where I've never been before! Are you?

I heard another familiar saying this week - "If you want what you've never had, you will have to do what you've never done."

Are you willing to do that?

What do you want? (in life? to do? etc)

My son recently told me - "Edison didn't fail 1001 times when inventing the light bulb. His invention of the light bulb had 1001 steps!" :)

I started off this blog post with the quotes by Kris Vallotton. I didn't know they would be tested in my life so soon! After our meeting last night (and thankfully - after a good time of soaking in God's presence!) I went outside to get in my car. I was watching my surroundings instead of my car, and when I opened my door I was surprised to hear something falling out of my car - like chunks of ice . . . . . . But it was glass. My driver's side window had been smashed - pried into along the side of the window and busted - I'm assuming, to get in and steal things without making too much noise while cracking my window. I wasn't the only one. The Pastor's car had the same damage. The strange thing is, though . . . nothing was taken (not that I had anything to take . . . a couple car seats, Psalty's Family Chirstmas tape . . yes . . TAPE . . I don't even have a CD player let alone a GPS or anything worth value. I even have a VCR (yes - those are still around) in my van! Who would want that?! Had they fully looked at my van without 2 hubcaps, a scary spray paint job on the front hood, etc - I don' t think they would have bothered. I guess it all looks better at night!). It didn't even look like they had opened the door as a good amount of the glass had still been in the window. So, either they were scared off (good chance - because the fire dept sirens went off during our meeting), or they were just vandalizing our 2 cars (out of at least 10 cars) - but doing it quietly?? - and only doing the one window?? Who knows?? Who cares? Really. What's done is done.

The thing that amazed me though - was the peace in my spirit and the joy actually. We stood out side (for a looong time) waiting for the cops to come and fill out a report - and we laughed and joked about the situation - especially in light of what we just learned! ACTIVATION/ APPLICATION TIME! :) I think I passed this time!

I don't attribute the peace or joy to anything I could muster up . . . it was truly the "kingdom of God within" becoming the "kingdom of God around me". I had been resting in His peace and presence - accepting His peace and joy - and letting Him fill me up.

When you soak a sponge in lemon juice - what will you get if you squeeze it? Lemon juice. If you soak it in water . . . you will get water. Sometimes we have been soaking in lemon juice (the world), but have been trying to replace it with water (God's kingdom) - and it's coming out a watery lemon juice mix instead. That's ok! It's better than just the lemon! Keep soaking in the water, and eventually - it will be mostly or all water that comes out!! But sometimes we have been soaking in lemon juice but expecting water to come out. The sad thing that I see in the church and in so many people's lives (who say they are Christians) is that when times get tough (ie - squeezed) - it's not CHRIST who is being squeezed out of them. It looks more like the sour lemon juice! We are known by the "fruit" people see in our lives - not just in the good times - but in the bad as well (especially). We can't put on airs and pretend that "it is well with my soul" . . . it has to come from within. If you are not soaking in God's presence, the kingdom of God, etc - you can't expect it to come out of you in those hard times.

So . . . my challenge for you today is this:
1. FAIL! - Take risks in your relationship with God, in living out your Christianity, etc!
2. Soak in more of God today! Drink DEEP! Take in God's word - meditate on it - put on some praise music and sing (it's helps get rid of depression, anger, and more! "Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness"! You have to PUT IT ON . . . that's an action . . it doesn't just "happen". It's a choice!), spend some time in prayer - just letting God/Daddy love on you. Listen to Him. Talk to Him. Love on Him. Accept His love. Stand on the TRUTH in God's word instead of the FACTS of your situation. Truth ALWAYS trumps facts!!

Drink Deep and let that water flow out of you in the hard times!

L :)
ps - Update - I just had to share this with you . . .
Ok . . . I just finished thoroughly cleaning out my van (glass, dirt and cookies crumbs!) - and I found out that something WAS stolen (unless the guy from church removed it when cleaning my car out).

I had to laugh out loud! Under my front seat I always keep my bright blue and black reusable Walmart bags. I have them all inside one of the bags. I had just gone to the store that morning, and had stuffed them back under the seat that afternoon.

So - some thief got a disappointing surprise when he grabbed that bag and ran - thinking he probably had my GPS or something good . . . only to find that all he really had was 6 more Walmart bags! Well - now he has something to put his loot in that he steals! :)

Just had to share!
Lori :)