Day 105 – God is the only one WHOOO can truly see to the Heart, so when we look at others we should look through the EYES of Grace.

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 5 – 7

2 Chronicles 6:30 “then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men,”

Early one morning a few years back, as my family and I were getting ready to leave for work and school, my children and husband were yelling my name to come quick to the living room. As I peered outside to the pool I saw the Mama Owl, who had taken residence in our backyard with her 3 babies, taking a bath in our pool. She must have heard the commotion coming from our house because she began to stare us down to the point you would think she could see through our souls and she was getting ready to devour us. Thankfully we were standing behind the protection of a screen and she would have a hard time making it through.

God, however, can see through all the mess to our heart, and no screen or window or door can hold Him back. He knows our every thought, our every prayer, and our every heartbeat. He knows when we are trying to hide our sins and when we are ashamed of what we’ve done. God also knows we are so hopeful, joyful, and grateful. He’s known He’s had my heart even in my roughest moments. He knows my heart even when others don’t. He doesn’t judge me by what he sees me wear or what others see me as, He judges my heart.

If only we could see others as Christ sees us. If only we could see to the heart of our fellow mankind, just think of how we would treat each other?

Or maybe it’s time to work on your heart because God can see what you’re hiding inside.

No matter what, we have been given the opportunity to get to know others fully, not passing judgement on outward appearance, instead showing each person the Grace they deserve. Don’t be like the Owl with Eyes of Fierceness, Lets be like our God and put on His Eyes of Grace.

Day 104 – Nothing can contain our Great God, so nothing should contain Us!

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 2 – 4

2 Chronicles 2:6 “But who is able to build Him a temple, since heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I then, that I should build Him a temple, except to burn sacrifice before Him?”

Have you ever read “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”? At the very end of the story, Charlie gets in this glass elevator that breaks through the glass ceiling, revealing that nothing should contain his dreams, not even poverty. How does your mind work? Are you what people call left-brained or right-brained? Left-brained tends to be more organized and systematic and Right-brained tends to be more creative dreamers. But very seldom will you see someone who tends to fall in the middle because both sides tend to be boxed in.

This is fine and all – we are all jars of clay, molded by God, however, God didn’t create us to live in a Box. We have a choice! God made us in His Image and no box can contain Him so no box should contain you.

His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways higher than our ways. In my adolescent years you would have called me left-brained, math and science just came easy to me and really it still does but creativeness was just not my cup of tea. Give me a box and a 5000 piece puzzle and I could have it together in a day, but give me a bag of Legos without instruction and I wouldn’t know what to build with them. But as I grew in my walk, God revealed to me that He made me for more than the instructions, And He wanted me to Dream Big. God wanted me to see this World through His eyes and to reach the World for His purposes. He broke me through the glass ceiling and out of the glass elevator and gave me the ability to Fly!

God cannot be contained and He doesn’t want us to be contained either. Reach for the stars and sit down on the moon because He has Big Plans for you and won’t stop until they are completed.

Day 103 – Out of the depths of our soul and the joy of our hearts we should open our hands to the Lord and say, “All I have is yours because you gave me all I have.”

Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 29 – 2 Chronicles 1

1 Chronicles 29:17-18 “I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you.”

When you offer a gift to the Lord it should be with a willing heart, not holding anything back because the only reason we have what we have is because the Lord gave it to us.

Sometimes we can get so greedy with our “stuff”. We may think we worked hard to earn it, so we deserve what we have, or we love what we have so much we don’t want to give it to Him. But God’s love is the reason we have “It” in the first place.

Every time I run across a picture of my son, Hayden, that God took to Heaven, my heart is filled with joy and a smile brightens across my face. Hayden was a gift that God gave to me, and thus far is the greatest Gift I’ve given back to Him. The day the Lord took him home it was hard to believe I had to let him go, but I knew God gave him to me for a time and now it was time to give him back. And I willing did so.

As David weeped and fasted and placed ashes on his head before his son passed on to Heaven, once he left this earth he returned to joy because He knew where he was and that he’d see him again. I too know where my son is and until I see Hayden again God has given me Joy in the memories. I’m breaking through the ashes now and discovering the beauty of the offering.

Day 102 – We all have a purpose in the Kingdom of God. We just need to uncover our gifts to put our Purpose to work.

Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 25 – 27

1 Chronicles 26:6 “Also to his son Shemaiah were sons born who were rulers in their fathers’ houses, for they were men of great ability.”

Today we see how all the Israelites had a special purpose for their life by the abilities they were given from birth.

Growing up on the farm, you could truly see the gifts, both physical and mental, that God distributed to each person as well as the gifts he grew from the ground. But one of the most amazing things to watch was how some of the greatest gifts grown from the ground didn’t look so great coming out of the earth. Take the onion per se, as I watch my father, the farmer, clean the grime and layers off the onion I see the beautiful and tasty sweet onion underneath.

We are like this onion, after years of growth on the earth, we end up with dirt and grime all over us and our vision of what we were created for is hard to see. However, once we peel off the years of frustration, words of demotion, and hours of mistaken paths we can find the original identity of the person God created in our mother’s womb.

God always knew what He had planned for us and what He planned was Good!

He placed each piece together like a puzzle with a snug fit, buried every gift deep in our DNA, and mapped out every curve of our body from our head to our stubby toes. Once you see that person that God created, look at the gifts and abilities He gave you, find what it is that brings you the most joy, and discover a way that you can use those things for His Glory. You see there are many jobs in this world, from McDonald’s to Starbuck’s and working at a school cafeteria to being a pastor in a church. All of these are important but to one person it may feel like they just have a certain job to pay the bills, where as someone else might be the perfect person for that job because they can bring a smile to the next doctor who drives through for his breakfast McMuffin on the way to the hospital for an emergency surgery on the daughter of your best friend.

You were gifted with many abilities, just like each of the Israelites, peel off the layers so you can Identify your beautiful purpose in the Kingdom of God.

Day 101 – What kind of Legacy are you Leaving?

Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 20 – 24

1 Chronicles 22:5 “For David said, “Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands. I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David provided materials in great quantity before his death.”

While David was still king, God revealed to him that he would have a son named Solomon and this son would build the temple of the Lord. David knew that this would be a huge task, so he began collecting all of the supplies and arranging all of the talented craftsman Solomon would need in anticipation of what was to come. Essentially King David began to build Solomon an endowment because of his desire to see Solomon prosper and the work of the Lord continue. He was leaving a legacy for the future generations that would never be forgotten.

We all will leave some type of legacy for those that come after us. If I were to die today, and you were to come up to my children and ask them what it is they remember of me, one of them would probably say my morning prayer life. They could even demonstrate it for you, and if that is the only Legacy I leave, for me it is worth it. I want my children to know how to pray, when to pray, and why to pray, and the fact that they see me pray every morning and can show others, that does my heart good. Some people may leave legacies of money for their children or to help an organization thrive, some legacies may be of lies, and others legacies may be of accomplishments achieved over a lifetime. No matter what legacy you end up leaving I hope a majority of that will be a Legacy of Faith for those generations that follow you, to help them grow in their walk with Christ and allow them to continue to pass that legacy on to others for years and years to come.

Pause for a minute…..look at the cloud of witnesses around you, those that you are impacting….what kind of legacy are you leaving? It’s never to late to leave a legacy of faith!

Day 100 – Be Still and Be Amazed.

Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 15 – 19

1 Chronicles 17:16-17 “Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God. You have also spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, O Lord God!”

Growing up, I lived all my years in 1 house in 1 small country town. As soon as I turned 18 I moved out and have moved to 10 homes since, 7 of which have been during my marriage. One of our more recent moves came after a time of hard loss. So many memories, so many happy times, but the loss carried with it darkness and hurt. We wanted and needed to find a home that would allow us to rebuild and strengthen our family.

We searched and searched with the help of some wonderful friends; we prayed and prayed and even thought we might build. But after heartache and confusion, our marriage was feeling immense strain. One evening I was at my wits end and needed some fresh air and a place to pray so I drove off in my car for an hour or so. When I arrived home my husband had taken the kids to their counselor and I found the house to be quiet and lonely. So I jumped on the computer and looked at realtor sites. The first home that popped up had everything we were looking for, had just gone on the market, and was only a mile away from where we lived. It truly seemed to good to be true!

Since it was dark by the time Brett got home, we went the next day to see it. As soon as we walked through the doors I knew it was our home. In the very dated yet classic style, I could see the bones were good and strong, and we could make this house into something amazing.

Brett and I got home that evening, went into 2 different rooms and we prayed that if this was to be our home God would give us the specific number to offer the owner….30 minutes later we came back together with the exact same number, something neither of us thought was possible, but God knew. As watched our house be transformed over a 6 month period, rebuilding dreams that we thought were lost, I would sit in awe of what all God had done.

That may not have been our forever home, but that was exactly the home we needed in that season to rebuild our family and bring beauty from our ashes.

No matter where you are or what home you’re in, take a moment to sit and be in awe of all God has done around you.

Day 99 – One of the sweetest gifts you’ll ever get is the gift of a true friend.

Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 12 – 14

1 Chronicles 12:17 “David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in friendship to help me, my heart will be joined to you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong in my hands, then may the God of our fathers see and rebuke you.”

I can still remember my 1st best friend. She lived 2 farms away from me, and by foot or by car that wasn’t that far. Toni had a pool and every doll known to man (or at least it seemed). And just as vividly as I can remember my friend, I can also remember the day she moved away, the hurt I felt, my first broken heart. At that point, I knew what David knew about friendship, it joins your heart together in such a way that you feel like you are beating out of one heart.

Since this time I’ve had many best friends, great friends, and true friends. Some friends are for short seasons and some are for a lifetime. Friends are a treasure, a diamond in the rough, a shoulder to cry on, a giggle fest, but sometimes friendships can hurt. You may lose your friend, they may move away, they may deceive you, they may go on to eternity before you, or maybe they never were a true friend after all.

David saw both sides, Jesus saw both sides, and He knows we too will experience both sides. But Jesus opened His heart to both the friend and the fraud. He did life with His disciples and one chose to defy Him, but He opened His heart to him anyways. Luke 6:32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.” Treasure your friends for they are a gift, but show love to your enemies because you may be a gift for them.

Day 98 – Don’t let a crack on the path trip you up on your journey.

Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 9 – 11

1 Chronicles 9:1 “So all Israel was recorded in genealogies, and these are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was taken into exile in Babylon because of their breach of faith.”

On the journey Judah was taking with God, instead of landing in the promised land they found themselves facedown in the hands of Babylon.

Many moons ago, at least 25 years, I loved to rollerblade. I pretty sure it helped to keep my afternoon snack of 2 double cheese burgers off my hips. One evening as I was leaving a friends house in the only country club community in my hometown, I headed out on my rollerblades to make it to my grandma’s house before my mom came to pick me up. Well, thankfully, my grandma only lived about 5 miles away and I could easily get there following the sidewalks, especially with my suave skills on the rollerblades. Cool doesn’t quite explain how good I thought I was on those things. But while speeding past the golf course, my wheel caught a crack in the cement and the next thing I knew, my skates were in the air, my back was on the ground, and someone was standing over me calling 911. Instead of reaching my grandma’s house like I planned I met my mom at the hospital.

Our faith journey can feel this exact way. We are going along feeling all “Cool” not watching our steps and all of the sudden we find ourselves tripped up by a crack in our life. We never saw it coming, but it placed a breach in our Faith and we aren’t where we had hoped we would be. And the next thing we know, Babylon has taken us captive. From this point forward, through all of my races, walks, or the occasional reminiscent rollerblading ride, I always keep a visual of the sidewalk in front of me so I don’t trip on a crack and break my own back…..or worse yet, my Faith. No matter what life throws at you or what crack may be on the way, if you stay prepared, strengthening your faith along the way, you’ll be ready when they come and stand upright on solid ground.

Day 97- Your genealogy can reveal the miracles and mistakes in the history of your story, but be sure to remember it’s “His-story” that guides you forward.

Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 6 – 8

1 Chronicles 6:9-10 “Ahimaaz fathered Azariah, Azariah fathered Johanan, and Johanan fathered Azariah it was he who served as priest in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem.”

A huge part of God’s original book, the Old Testament, and even the beginning of the New Testament is focused on the genealogy of the Israelites.

Genealogies prove that everyone’s history is made up of good and bad, happy and sad, all types of talented individuals, and the ability to change direction if we are focusing on the ways of the Lord.

Even people today love to research their own heritage, including my mom. She’s known we’re related to George Hamilton, one of the first pioneers in Polk County, but more recently she found out that we trace back to Jesse James and even possibly a disciple. However, some of us may never be able to know what our genealogy is made of because we’re adopted or all our closest relatives are long gone, and that’s ok too.

In reality, we are all adopted into the family of God, that is, if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Then our Genealogy is His Genealogy – His Story our Testimony. And that’s even better than being 5th cousins with Abraham Lincoln!

What’s your story? Is it His Story? Why not join my family lineage and be my brother or sister in Christ?

Day 96 – Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can hurt even worse.

Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 3 – 5

“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be fine with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.” 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

From the time we are born, names, nicknames, hurtful names, and funny names can all be bore into our minds because of what others have called us. We may start to believe that we are what others define us as. Or we can take those names and use them as a building block God can use to strengthen us.

Jabez was named by the pain he caused his mother during childbirth. But Jabez fought this name by praying that God would bless him and keep him from any harm or pain. And God heard and answered his request.

As I was growing up I had multiple nicknames. My given name, Kristen, my family names, Kris, Krissy, Kiss, Kissy, my friends names, KP, Smiley and WT (wild thang), and then the names that were placed on me as hurtful – suckup, stuck up, not good enough, used…and all of these weighed on me more than running through burning ashes.

All I wanted was to be liked, to be loved, however, as a defense from past pains, I came across different to others. But once I was done with being hurt, once I gave God the thoughts others had of me, God used these names to make me stronger. He used these names to help others find healing, to be a protector of the broken-hearted, and to encourage others when they got knocked down.

Our bones may break, our knee may hurt, our back may ache, but the names others put on us can build layers around us that shield the person God made us to be. Let God peel off your layers and use those names as a building block to grow a stronger You! Because Sister, your bones can heal, but your soul may be hurt forever.