Shape Day 19

“9 Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 ‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread.
12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’”

— Matthew 6:9-13 NASB

Today we will continue our journey though the Lord's Prayer. Yesterday, we focused on "Our Father" and tried to live in unity with others by embracing the deep connection that we all have with one another. By embracing the connection, a well of compassion and consideration pours out. 

Today, we will be focusing on "who is in heaven". As I began to meditate on this part of this passage, these words resonated:

“Who is in heaven
Out of this world
Infinitely knowable
Who still sits on His throne”

— The Lord's Prayer a Spoken Word by Lauren Cancio

When I began to think of a Father who is out of this world, it brought such comfort to my heart, because the heart of God is like no other. He does not think the way we think. We are much harder on ourselves and on others, but God does not think the way we do. He does not talk to us the way we talk to ourselves. We talk so negatively sometimes, and we need to be reminded that He is out of this world. 

We don't have God fully found out. He is infinitely knowable. There is no start or end of who God is. We can keep searching and understanding Him. There is no end point of HIs mystery or the magic in His works. I love that the journey of searching and growing will never end. Some may be anxious of the fact that we will never stop growing up or maturing. I pray it beings humility and a reliance on something greater than yourself. It will take more than a lifetime to even begin to understand a facet of who God is. 

He is a Father of justice, who still sits on His throne. Even when the world is chaotic and unpredictable, we can still rest assured that He breathes love and order into this world through us, through the way we pour out love on others. 

I encourage you today to embrace the royalty and power of God's character who is in heaven. He is out of this world, infinitely knowable, and he still sits on His throne. 

TAKE AWAY:
1) Our Father is out of this world.

2) Our Father is infinitely knowable.

3) Our Father still sits on His throne. 

MEDITATION:

“16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. ”

— Colossians 1:16-17 NASB

DAILY CHALLENGE:

1) Meditate today on the fact that we serve a God that is out of the world, infinitely knowable, and a God who desires to being love and order to this world.

2) How do you feel that you are in a relationship with someone that is infinitely knowable? What is one facet of God that you desire to know more? 

3) How could you learn about this facet?

Shape Day 18

A few weeks ago, I was at a Tuesday Prayer Night with my church. It is a small group that gets together to connect, grow, and pray for others. My pastor was the speaker that day, and he had us go back to read and meditate on the Lord's prayer, and in doing so, I was given so many refreshing reminders of God's character and our role in this world. I really want to take the next week or so to soak and steep ourselves in pieces of this rich passage.

The Lord's Prayer is as follows:

“9 Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 ‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread.
12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’”

— Matthew 6:9-13 NASB

I want to focus on just the first part of verse 9: "Our Father". When I began to think of this part of the Lord' prayer, there were so many words and phrases that resonated out of these two words.

“Our Father
We are on the same team.
One heartbeat, one accord, one place - suddenly
No competition, no score-keeping
Enemies are sisters and brothers”

— The Lord's Prayer Spoken Word by Lauren Cancio

God is "our" Father not just my Father or your Father. He is our Father. The plural pronoun, "our", indicates and determines the solidarity and connection we all have. We are on the same team, same family. I think too many times in our relationships we see everyone else in a "us versus them" mentality. We should be able to genuinely celebrate one another and genuinely grieve with one another. 

We are all human with the same heart that beats. If only we could live at peace with one another, striving for something more beautiful, more loving. God works in unity, when we coexist as one heartbeat, one accord, one place - suddenly. I truly believe that there will be a lot more "suddenlys", spontaneous forms and outcomes of love, if we would just unify.

God is our Father, so if you win, I win. If you lose, I lose. I think if we truly saw each other as team-mates rather than rivals, we could make this a better place to live. No competition, no score-keeping - the tallying up of how many times that person has crossed you the wrong way. We have no idea or clue of the breadth and depth of what people go through every day.

We are human, so we all go through struggles and crappy seasons. When we begin to see God as the Father to the fatherless, the mender of the broken-hearted. We can see our enemies as so much more. If we accept that God is "our" Father, we cannot deny that those around us, strangers, friends, acquaintances, enemies, are connected to us. If God is the Father to all, our Father, we are all connected. We can let go and let God be the Father to those that have hurt us, shamed us, blamed us. God begins to replace our heart of stone with a heart of flesh; enemies are sisters and brothers. No longer does anyone owe us; we are free to live and love with the security that God is the ultimate parent that does not abandon or neglect. 

TAKE AWAY:
1) God is our Father.

2) We are all more connected than we even know, so lets treat each other with that kind of compassion and consideration. 

MEDITATION:

“5 A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.
6 God makes a home for the lonely”

— Psalm 68:5-6 NASB

“3 He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.”

— Psalms 147:3 NASB

DAILY CHALLENGE:

1) Meditate on "God our Father" for the day. Journal what feelings or reflections come your way.

2) How could you treat others with more compassion and consideration especially those that you tend to score-keep? 

Shape Day 17

As I woke up this morning getting ready for work. My body and mind seemed to be conditioned to busily do and busily think without even trying. I already starting thinking of all that I need to accomplish this week, and it really sucked the life and positivity out of my morning.

There is something important about living in the moment and not allowing the tasks of the day to distract you from missing out on the gifts of the simple act of living. How many moments do we miss when we live in the future or the past? I am committed today, and I encourage you to be committed to really be in the present. I know we have worries and concerns and extensive to-do lists, but what good will it do if all we do in the now is worry and stress. I encourage you to live in the moment. 

Today is my first day back teaching, and I am going to choose to be all present with my students and their detailed winter break stories. I am going to choose to be all present with my co-workers and catching up. I desire to be all present with my husband when I get home and leave my concerns of my job at work. Be with the people that are around you. I think in the end we would be far more productive and more sensitive to those around us if we don't consume ourselves with stress and anxiety. 

TAKE AWAY:

1. Live today by being all present with those around you and the task that you are doing. 

2. Surrender your worries and stress of the rest of the week and focus on the task at hand today. Don't burn yourself out on a day that has not even happened yet. 

MEDITATION:

“32 For the [pagan] Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; [but do not worry,] for your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.

34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

— Matthew 6:32-34 AMP

DAILY CHALLENGE:

1. What do you need to do and who do you need to be today? Focus on being and doing just that. 

2. How could you surrender your worries to God in a way that propels you to live more present and less distracted? 

Shape Day 16

As we surpass the middle of January, this is where we may begin to compromise and reconsider commitments we made when looking at the rest of the year. 

My husband and I started a whole-living commitment based on the Whole30 program by Melissa Hartwig, and we are on day 5. Honestly, some days go quicker than others, but today we were experiencing the cravings. We almost broke our commitment last night while we were watching The Office, and we were craving Jack in the Box's egg rolls (so good). It took so much to override the weariness and the cravings. We had to remind ourselves of our "why". Why are we committed to whole-living? 

As I began to think about ideals of myself that I have, I have ideals of myself of having a strong, toned, and limber body, being completely confident in my own skin, being able to be energized throughout my entire day without needing that 3rd cup of coffee at 3 pm, being committed to working out at least 5 times a day, making time for myself to write and pursue my writing. The list goes on and on. As I was contemplating to succumb to those delicious egg rolls, I found myself tired of always cycling the same sob stories of failed commitments. I am tired of breaking commitments to myself. I deserve better, and I wanted to tell you that you deserve better. 

I wanted to encourage you as you live and shape Day 16 of 2017 to be intentional with your time. I am about to start work tomorrow, and I know it is going to take time and dedication to stay committed to the promises that I have made to myself: 1) Write every day 2) Workout at least 5 times a week 3) Live a whole-living lifestyle

I know it is going to take sacrifices and planning when I get back into my 8 hour work day as an English teacher. I encourage us with this; you are important enough to keep promises to yourself. When life gets busy, don't compromise what really makes you a happier and healthier you. I am really going to choose to make time for myself every other day to take an hour to do something active, so I can workout. I am also going to be dedicating an hour a day to writing. What makes you a happier and healthier you? What promises did you make to yourself this year?

As we begin week 3 of 2017, plan ahead and make time to accomplish those promises. I would encourage you to fill your calendar in your phone with empowering reminders or if you are a paper-person to fill out your planner with a check-list. I promise you that you will end your day feeling happier and more fulfilled. 

TAKE AWAY:

1) You are important and valuable enough to keep the promises that you make to yourself. 

2) Plan your vision and make it plain, easy to follow, and manageable. 
 

MEDITATION:

“Then the Lord answered me and said,
“Record the vision
And inscribe it on tablets,
That the one who reads it may run.”

— Habakkuk 2:2 NASB

“26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”

— Janes 2:26 NASB

DAILY CHALLENGE:

1. Write down a plan of action that will support you to keeping the promises that you have made to yourself?

2. As you plan, make adjustments when you see unrealistic expectations. You do NOT want to burn yourself out on keeping promises. Like if you want to live a more active and healthier lifestyle and a full hour workout time window is too long, then limit it to 30 minutes. 

Shape Day 15

I have always envisioned Sundays as being the end of a good week, but I like to shift my mentality and try to envision my new week beginning fresh and new on Sundays instead of coming to an end. My Sunday tradition is going to church in the morning, eating lunch with some of my closest friends, and celebrating life. 

It is interesting because to end Foster's book review, A Celebration of Discipline, it ends with the last two corporate disciplines as being guidance and celebration. Let's allow today to position where we live for the rest of the week. As a teacher, my 3-week winter break (I know it is lengthy, and I have enjoyed every minute of it), is coming to an end, and I am beginning to feel that slump and restlessness, because I know hard work and early mornings are coming my way. I don't want to start off my week already in a slump and already restless when facing a week that is demanding but rewarding all at the same time. I don't think my negative attitude will serve me at all in the long run. 

Choose to live in the comfort and power of these words: guidance and celebration.

Choose guidance in the sense that there is power and transformation in healthy community. Find a church or a group of friends that you can enjoy life with and grow. I am so grateful that my husband and I have a group of people that we can count on and grow with. Healthy community can truly guide your life to better choices and outcomes.

Foster claims that "Spiritual direction is first born out of natural, spontaneous human relationships, A hierarchical, or even organizational system, is not essential to its function and is often destructive to it. The ordinary kinds of caring and sharing that belong to the Christian community are the starting point for spiritual direction. Out of them will flow “kingdom authority” through mutual subordination and servanthood" (186). It is not about who is above who; it is about serving, "caring and sharing" with one another. I love that he emphasizes that relationships were never meant to be a hierarchy of power or popularity; simply, love and care for one another. 

Choose celebration by simply enjoying life right where its at. 

“Celebration brings joy into life, and joy makes us strong. Scripture tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh. 8: 10). We cannot continue long in anything without it. Women endure childbirth because the joy of motherhood lies on the other side. Young married couples struggle through the first difficult years of adjustment because they value the insurance of a long life together...Celebration is central to all the Spiritual Disciplines. Without a joyful spirit of festivity the Disciplines become dull, death-breathing tools in the hands of modern Pharisees. Every Discipline should be characterized by carefree gaiety and a sense of thanksgiving.”

— Foster, Richard J. (2009-03-17). Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth (p. 191)

According to Foster, true joy comes from obedience and trust in God. I know we tend to wish that we can conjure up our own happiness and joy ourselves. I really believe that in the low and tough moments of life when we so badly want to compromise and give up, but we choose to override our discomfort by doing the best we can and trusting God, God blesses us in the form of joy - celebration. 

I encourage you to celebrate life right where it is. Find what makes you laugh and enjoy being human! 

I leave you with Foster's final words as he ends his book:

“We have come to the end of this study, but only to the beginning of our journey. We have seen how meditation heightens our spiritual sensitivity which, in turn, leads us into prayer. Very soon we discover that prayer involves fasting as an accompanying means. Informed by these three Disciplines, we can effectively move into study which gives us discernment about ourselves and the world in which we live.
Through simplicity we live with others in integrity. Solitude allows us to be genuinely present to people when we are with them. Through submission we live with others without manipulation, and through service we are a blessing to them. Confession frees us from ourselves and releases us to worship. Worship opens the door to guidance. All the Disciplines freely exercised bring forth the doxology of celebration.”

— Foster, Richard J. (2009-03-17). Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth (p. 201)

TAKE AWAY:

1. Choose guidance through committing to grow in a healthy community.

2. Choose celebration through doing the best you can to trust God and experience the fullness of joy.

MEDITATION:

“And do not be worried, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and your stronghold.”

— Nehemiah 8:10 AMP

DAILY CHALLENGE:

1. Get connected to a healthy community by getting involved in a church or a local small group that you can grow with.

2. Celebrate life by simply enjoying life right where it is at. Give yourself permission to laugh and love the life that you are living. 

Shape Day 14

After focusing on Foster's inward and outward disciplines, we are now moving onto the corporate disciplines: confession and worship. Just today, my husband and I had a deep conversation about confession specifically. As we were discussing about this process of confession, we noticed that we had a tough time with this concept, because it is a vulnerable process, but we agreed that it was very needed. We reminisced of times when we confessed to someone that we hurt or asked for accountability in an area that we struggled in. We reflected on the freedom we felt and the grace that was experienced in that moment, but there was so much fear that crippled and tried to paralyze us as we took steps forward to get to that very moment of freedom. 

As we spoke, we used the words confession and accountability interchangeably. Honestly, the core of confession is reaching up for help, and the beautiful gift is that the grace to start over fresh is there. I was taught in my church that in situations that you fall down and hit the floor and need help getting up, you look to the people or objects above you to reach out to receive support and help. It would not make sense to reach for something or someone that is on the floor with you, because there would be barely any stability or support to receive from that person or object. This common sense, I believe, applies to the areas we wrestle and fall in. Everyone's struggle is different, but I encourage you to reach up for help, reach up for someone that is experienced in that area, who has gone through what you have gone through and has victoriously overcome it. Don't reach down for help and try to receive support from someone that struggles or needs even greater help than you. Reach up. I really believe that God does something very powerful in the intimacy that community brings, so I encourage you to embrace it and use your loved ones around you as a resource and support.

The second outward discipline is worship. This discipline bleeds and is the heartbeat of my marriage and family. My family and my husband and I work in full-time ministry at our church. We find fulfillment and our "why", our purpose, in creating and building a welcoming atmosphere for people to experience God's love specifically through worship.

Worship is more than Christian music with a pretty lit stage with the lyrics being projected, so that everyone can sing along. Worship is a way of being, a lifestyle of appreciation. I believe that worship is not confined to only church services. It is a mindset and a mentality of appreciation. It is a conscientious positioning of the heart towards God in adoration and thanksgiving. It can happen anytime and anywhere - while you are washing the dishes, watching the sunset, embracing a loved one.

My Grandma Jo passed last night, and her passage that she would constantly rehearse when she would wake up in the morning is Psalms 103:1-5. I lived with her about 7 years ago, and being an elderly lady then, she dealt with pain and fatigue, but she would always remind to no matter what happens to worship and praise the Lord. She passed away at a 100 years old. I truly believed that she lived such a beautifully long and fulfilling life, because that woman really knew how to love her God and show Him gratitude and thanks in every way she lived. I dedicate this post to her. I pray that we can all follow her lead in the way she loved God. 

You will be forever missed, Grandma Jo. I love you, and thank you for all that you have taught me and others. Your legacy will forever live on. 

I encourage you today to worship God in the every-day, common tasks that we do. Thank Him for the air that flows through your lungs. Thank Him for the fact that you have a family and community that loves and supports you. There is so much to worship, adore and thank, God for. 

TAKE AWAY:

1. Confession is an interchangeable process where accountability is given, so grace and growth can flow. 

2. Worship is a state of being; God deserves our worship, adoration and thanks, in the everyday and monumental moments in our lives. Every moment is a gift.

MEDITATION:

“14 Inasmuch then as we [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior]. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. 16 Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].”

— Hebrews 4:14-16 AMP

“1 Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is [deep] within me, bless His holy name.
2 Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul,
And do not forget any of His benefits;
3 Who forgives all your sins,
Who heals all your diseases;
4 Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you [lavishly] with lovingkindness and tender mercy;
5 Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the [soaring] eagle.”

— Psalm 103:1-5 AMP

DAILY CHALLENGE:

1. If you are struggling in an area, I encourage you to find an accountability partner and "reach up" for help. Confide in them in an area that you desire to experience God's grace and freedom in.

2. Make a plan of action to move forward within this area.

3. Worship God in all parts of your day. Find and search the gifts God has placed in this very moment. 

Shape Day 13

Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, washed feet. 

Should a being with that much power, prestige, royalty do such a lowly act? 

As we move forward in Foster's book, A Celebration of Discipline, I cannot help but dedicate an entire blog post to the outward discipline of service, because it has seriously changed my life and my view of truly loving others. 

As an American, I have grown up very privileged, where being served is everywhere - in restaurants, coffee-shops, valet parking. It is very rare to find a place where you are in the position to serve others unless you are looking for that or it is in your job description. True service, unfortunately, has lost value and even meaning in our society. Many people look down on the lower-income jobs, that we desperately need to keep the very fibers of our society running. Many people look down on the act of lowering themselves to serve others. Many people stray away from service, because all they see is inconvenience and not an opportunity to truly make a difference and give. 

We all want to become great leaders, CEO's, bosses, department chairs, but you don't hear anyone say I want to be the greatest servant. God was revealing to me that serving and leading go hand in hand. We see Jesus as the greatest spiritual leader that has ever lived, and yet, He willingly chose, as an act of love to His disciples, to wash their feet. 

“Jesus washed feet
Feet that walked
Walked through mud and crap
Feet that journeyed
Journeyed through hell and back
Feet - calloused
Calloused from the beating of the soil
Calloused from toil
Feet - blistered
Blistered from scraping
Aching
Jesus washed feet
All walks of life
Men that followed Him
He was the leader
They were the followers
Yet, the leader
Cleaning
Willingly - washing feet
Of men that followed, needed Him
Modeling
True Servanthood through brotherhood
True love
Leading
Jesus washed feet
Our feet
He washed off the dirty
To show off our innate purities
He washed the lost
What He did on the cross
Modeling
True Servanthood through brotherhood
True love
Leading
Dying for the Judas, the harlots, the Pharisees, the Sadduccees
He washed us all
The greatest servant of us all
Follow Jesus
Not by leading, blindly
Wash this world
Wash feet
Through loving
Caring
Helping
Serving
Modeling
True Servanthood through brotherhood
True love
Now you are leading”

— Wash Feet by Lauren Cancio

TAKE AWAY:

1. Be the greatest servant to have the greatest impact you want to see as a leader. 

MEDITATION:

“2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”

— John 13:2-5 NIV

“12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

— John 13:12-17 NIV

DAILY CHALLENGE: 

1. Look for opportunities to practice the art of washing feet by serving others selflessly today.

2. What are some of your thoughts towards service? What are some areas that you are challenged in? 

3. How could you move forward in these areas to better serve God and others?

Shape Day 12

Submission is not really the first word that strikes instant excitement in a person of the Christian faith, because it takes trust. Submitting to someone to serving other takes dedication and selflessness. When I began to read the chapter on Submission in Foster's book, Celebration of Discipline, I did not expect it to impact me so deeply. 

The word submission as a hispanic female never sat well with me growing up seeing submission being abused. As I began to mature and grow in the church, there was a part of me that would grimace when hearing the church call wives to submit to their husband. I was not against submission; I just did not like the way that word made me feel and seeing submission abused in my life did not help. As I began to read this chapter with walls already up, heart guarded, God began to ease my heart. No one was trying to control me, and that was the part that I felt God was trying to reveal to me. 

True submission is "the ability to lay down the terrible burden of always needing to get our own way" (111). I am the first-born in my family, and I am very used to getting my own way. I notice that I do get upset and annoyed when plans do not pan out exactly the way I envisioned in my mind. When I think about Jesus and who He was, He was never abrasive or domineering. He was so gracious and selfless even to the point of death. With one request to His Father, he could have stopped his death on the cross, but instead he cried "forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:24).

"Jesus shattered the customs of his day when he lived out the cross-life by taking women seriously and by being willing to meet with children. He lived the cross-life when he took a towel and washed the feet of his disciples. This Jesus who easily could have called down a legion of angels to his aid chose instead the cross-death of Calvary. Jesus’ life was the cross-life of submission and service. Jesus’ death was the cross-death of conquest by suffering" (115). 

I want to redeem the word, submission, and make it a word that does not have abusive or condemning meaning. I encourage you today to self-reflect and look into your heart if there is a place that protects "your" way, "your" plans. Apply submission by simply giving up your way to make room for God's way and the way of others.

TAKE AWAY:

1. Submission is not a word for the weak. It is simply forfeiting your way to make room for God's way. 

2. Redeem the word, submission, by being an example to others of what healthy submission is. 

MEDITATION:
 

“30 He must become greater; I must become less.”

— John 3:30 NIV

DAILY CHALLENGE: 

1. Think about one area in your life that you get your way and if you didn't you would get upset. Instead of forging your way this time around, try a different way of being by surrendering your way. Be open to the suggestions of others and be flexible with what God is trying to do. 

2. What kind of person are you when plans change?

3. What is an area that you can apply submission and not live in frustration? 

Shape Day 11

The first two outward disciplines are my favorites: simplicity and solitude. Honestly, if you give these two practices a chance, they can really free you from excess and stress. 

Being a 25 year old female, I personally enjoy fashion, but I am not the one to have to stay completely up to date with trends, but if you met me 5 years ago, it would have been a lot different. There was a time in my life that if what I wore wasn't new, I would feel dissatisfied with myself. There was a time in my lief that I needed to wear something new almost everyday especially when I was going to social events and gatherings. I would spend so much of my money and time in stores finding what was in and paying a high price for them. I felt that there was a special way that stuff constructed my image and the way people viewed me. My closets and home started to fill up with stuff. I didn't really notice how much stuff I had until I got married, and my husband and I shared a closet. He brought it to my attention that I indeed had a lot of stuff, and he gave me "undesirable at the time but much needed" accountability towards my impulses to consume.

Just recently and especially after re-reading Foster's book this last few years, I realized that filling my life with stuff was a cry of desiring to find security in those items, but as we all know stuff breaks and wears over time. 

Foster explains the freedom in simplicity like this: "Freedom from anxiety is characterized by three inner attitudes. If what we have we receive as a gift, and if what we have is to be cared for by God, and if what we have is available to others, then we will possess freedom from anxiety. This is the inward reality of simplicity. However, if what we have we believe we have gotten, and if what we have we believe we must hold onto, and if what we have is not available to others, then we will live in anxiety" (88). 

When I began to apply simplicity to my life by seeking God more in my life, making this life more about God and others and less about me, simplifying my life became so much easier. I noticed I didn't want more for myself, because me needing and desiring to consume was not at the forefront of my mind; it was no longer what drove me everyday. Loving and serving God and others took precedence over needing to fill my life with things. I encourage you to let the unnecessary go and try to live simply by loving God and others today. 

Secondly, solitude is another outward discipline that takes places inward. It is more than seeking a place to be alone or just being silent in your room. It really takes the motive and drive of seeking God in those quiet and still places. Jesus was a prime example of finding places of solitude. In the busyness of ministry, He made it a point to have quiet time with His Father, alone in solitude. If Jesus, the Son of God, needed and strived for alone time, how much more are we hard-wired to live in solitude to? 

The need to be alone and silent in order to hear God and be rejuvenated is more needed than ever before especially living in a world that is so chaotic and loud. The beauty of solitude is in its results: the "fruit of solitude is increased sensitivity and compassion for others. There comes a new freedom to be with people. There is new attentiveness to their needs, new responsiveness to their hurts" (108). With the way the world is, we see news feeds and people's posts on various social media forums crying out for the need for more compassion and love for this world. Honestly, it begins with us taking time for love to change our hearts. It takes time for us to think of others and not ourselves by creating time and space for the compassion to actually take root in our heart so real change can occur. How can we get filled with love and compassion if our lives our preoccupied, overflowing with our agenda and drive for self-advancement? How can this world at all advance and move forward without the catalyst of our love and compassion?

TAKE AWAY: 

1. Be the change you want to see, but if first starts with getting filled back up with love and compassion.

2. Simplify your life by loving God and others first. 

MEDITATION:

“19-21 “Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.”

— Matthew 6:19-21 MSG

“34 “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

— Matthew 6:34 MSG

DAILY CHALLENGE:

1. Simplify your life by going through your home and try to get rid of things that you don't use. Give them away to loved ones or to Thrift Stores in need.

2. Find some solitude in your life by finding a quiet place to be alone. Engage with God's presence and be re-filled with love and compassion for those around you. 

Shape Day 10

Yesterday, my husband and I got the chance to get away to a quiet cabin in Lake Arrowhead. There is no internet connection, so we had to venture to the village to ensure that this posted for the day. Leading up to writing this and as I began to pray about today's inspiration, I began to focus on Foster's last two inward disciplines: fasting and study. These two practices are more of my weaker ones compared to meditation and prayer. Before I began writing this entry, a part of me felt disqualified to write this one; God met me here.

According to Foster, throughout "Scripture fasting refers to abstaining from food for spiritual purposes" (48). This discipline is a process, and if you are just starting out with this practice, let's begin somewhere manageable. This also applies with the discipline of study. In the chapter about study, Foster enlightens us with the simple truth that "the ingrained habits of thought that are formed will conform to the order of the thing being studied. What we study determines the kind of habits that are formed, which is why Paul urges us to focus on things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and gracious" (64). If you are just beginning your spiritual journey, I encourage you to begin at the place that God started with me today. Too many times, when we learn something new, we want to do it all. We take on too much at once, and we end up failing, paralyzing ourselves from moving forward. I really believe God honors movement regardless of the magnitude. Let's make movement together for Day 10 of 2017.

He began to redeem these two words, fasting and study, and started me out with baby steps. This is actually where I want to start off with you. Fasting and studying does not need to disqualify you today. All I ask is that you are open to what God revealed to me this morning. As I began to experience the buzz in my brain about needing to busy myself with getting this devotion done, pronto. I began to experience the stress of not having internet connection and trying to fix my problem with medicating myself with the idea of "doing more". I was already beginning my day with going a million mph, and God met me in the busyness.

As I was beating myself up this morning about how I don't fast enough and I am not a good student with deep, exegetical analysis, God paused me and lifted my condemned heart. He reassured me this morning by meeting me right where I was at. Getting to a place of fasting food would take time, and God still met me here and said:

 Fast busyness.

Being a deep eschatological thinker and studier would take time, and God still met me here and said:

Study Me.

Today, I challenge you with what God challenged me with this morning. As human beings, we live very fast-paced lives. Getting away and being surrounded with the quiet and calm of the mountains revealed to me how uncomfortable I am with NOT being busy.

We are human-beings not human-doings. I encourage you to fast and abstain from unnecessary busyness. Take time to just simply "be" you at your job, with your family, with the presence of God. Accomplishments and your completed to-do list is not what validates or affirms your worth or value. Choose to fast busyness by being still with your Creator.

Lastly, while fasting busyness, choose to study God by simply acknowledging and recognizing Him. His love is present in this very moment that you live and breathe and have your very being. Study him through the intricacies of nature. Recognize Him through your breath, laughter amongst friends. Engage with Him even in this moment while you are reading this.

 TAKE AWAY:

1. God honors movement not the magnitude of it.

2. Fast busyness and take time to study, engage and recognize, that God is in every moment.

MEDITATION:

““Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.

 “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

Matthew 6:6, 30-34 MSG

DAILY CHALLENGE:

1. When practicing fasting and study, start at the level that you feel God is calling you to. What do you think God is calling you to fast and study? Remember, God honors movement. How will you move forward in these areas?

2. How can you take a break from busyness, so you can acknowledge God's presence in the everyday?

3. How do we decipher what is necessary busyness compared to unnecessary busyness? How do we live in a healthy rhythm of being a human-being and not a human-doing?

Shape Day 9

I wanted to take a step back from the disciplines, and share this spoken word that I feel is a timely reminder especially when facing a Monday. We may feel in our day and age that there is no good left in the world. We may feel alone or that we are wandering throughout our day by default, but I want to encourage you that its not the case. My friend wrote a song recently with the following lyrics: 

“Oh light of the world where have you gone
Oh light of the world have we lost hope yet
You used to be so bright so brilliant and so warm
But now I see your flames are flickering growing dull and fading and this world is getting colder oh where have you gone

I am here I am now I’m in this very moment with you
I am here I am now will you take the time and listen, listen to me say ”

— The Light by Allie McGinn

One of my best friends wrote this song going into the new year, and it rooted so deep, because this idea of light being lost and gone rang so true. I had the honor of writing a spoken word to complement my friend's song. Please allow the words to penetrate your heart. 

“Lost and so dim
Wandering
Wondering
Drifting
Roaming
Searching
A spark, a glimmer of hope
We follow, panting for a drink of something different
A drink that doesn’t leave us thirsty
A drink that satisfies
Searching for
A light that brings comfort, guides, and warms
Not a light that burns and scorns
We catch the spark
Hearts lifted
Fears sifted
We feel whole to love, to live, to dream again
But our flame, we begin to dim
We fear that we may offend,
Fear to fail
Fear to succeed
Fear
So we dim, dim, dim
Lost and so dim
Once again
Wandering
Wondering
Drifting
Roaming
Searching, but have tasted and seen what was once good
Arise and shine
Be still our heart
We know that You are God
You are light
Fear no evil
For we know that You are here
Your light will lead the way.
You hear our prayer.
Trust in our light
The light in us
The light in our
Music
Motherhood
Fatherhood
Words
Smiles
Love
Passion
What makes our heart tick and soar
All the way to the finite and the vast
Everything in between
Don’t be afraid
We need your light
The lost and cold need our light
God has heard our prayer, and
We are the answer
So Light your world”

— Don't Be Afraid of Your Light by Lauren Cancio

These words rang so true. I felt that they were so timely especially in time of transition. We need to be the light and be confident with the light God has placed in us. 

TAKE AWAY:

1. Be confident in the light called has called you to be.
MEDITATION:

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

— Psalm 56:3-4 NIV

DAILY CHALLENGE: 

1. Contemplate the light you want to emulate in this world. Choose to magnify who God is in your life.

2. What are the areas in your life that you try to conceal? How can you be the light more confidently? 

Shape Day 8

As we venture into the 2nd week of 2017, we are going to be looking into Foster's inward disciplines, meditation and prayer, more closely today. Please do not take this week's inspiration as a to-do list that makes you feel like you are not doing enough. These disciplines are meant to free us, not confine or belittle us. Try to stay open-minded and be open to trying new things especially in practices that you are not accustomed to. 

“God has given us the Disciplines of the spiritual life as a means of receiving his grace. The Disciplines allow us to place ourselves before God so that he can transform us.”

— Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth (p. 7).

Meditation is a practice that can tend to be shoved aside when life gets too busy. We all live busy lives, and thinking to be still, silent, and attempting to center yourself may seem unrealistic and unproductive. Meditation has become misunderstood, and it is a vital practice in the Christian faith that has many benefits. The purpose of meditation is to establish a "familiar friendship with Jesus" and "the aim is to bring this living reality into all of life" (19-20).

There are 4 different types of meditation that Foster's book highlights: Meditatio scripturarum, Re-collection (Palms Down, Palms Up), Creation Meditation, and Prophetic Meditation. 

1) Meditatio scripturarum is picking a portion of scripture in which you meditate and rest your mind on. This exercise is really useful with short verses that are easy to memorize. You focus your mind on this verse as a means to slow down and to be able to reflect on this verse throughout the day. 

2) Recollection (Palms Down, Palms Up) is a time of releasing and receiving. The first step is to put your palms down and recollect all the memories or experiences in your day and life that was negative in which you want to let go and release. After you have this time, you then move your palms up, and receive God's love, peace, and anything He desires to give you in that moment.

3) Creation Meditation deals with going outside and becoming observant and reflective to the nature around you. Choosing to identify God in the details of creation. This is a good way to slow down and enjoy the outdoors in a whole different way.

4) Prophetic meditation is a time of becoming updated with current events and going into deep prayer and meditation to search for God's guidance for the future. 

I encourage you to pick 1 of these 4 meditations that intrigues you and implement one of them today and throughout this week.

The next inward discipline that we will be looking at is prayer. Foster claims that "to pray is to change" (32). I think when we attempt to have an honest conversation with God about our needs and the needs of others, we are left changed and so do our circumstances even if it is does not happen right away. Prayer is a practice that many Christians are open with but being honest or vulnerable in our prayers lives, some may not be as open. 

I encourage you today to practice meditation and prayer with the mentality that these practices are not what change us; "it only places us where the change can occur" (8). 

TAKE AWAY:

1. Meditation and prayer are two practices that help us slow down and makes change in ourselves and in the world around us. 

MEDITATION:

“9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

— 1 Corinthians 3:9 NIV

“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

— Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

DAILY CHALLENGE: 

1. Pick 1 of the 4 meditation practices and implement one of them. Comment and share with others your experiences. Everyone's personal experience will be different. Connecting with God is the main purpose. 

2. Take time to pray throughout the day and make it as seamless as your breathing. Try to stay connected with God no matter if you are in the busiest or quietest part of the day. 

3. Between the two disciplines, which one is most challenging for you? Why? 

Shape Day 7

We completed week 1 of 2017. As we venture further into our 2017 journey, I highly recommend you read Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster. It's a book that reignites life into Christian traditions that people deem archaic, irrelevant, and outdated. Foster breaks his book into 3 disciplines: inward, outward, and corporate. Week 2 of 2017 will be focusing on breaking down these disciplines. For now, we are going to look at Foster's book through a bird's eye view. We will be extensively looking at all of the practices next week, so start reflecting what area you want to grow in.

The inward disciplines encompass meditation, prayer, fasting, and study. We may not deem these four practices as irrelevant, but we may not discipline ourselves in all four of these areas. This daily dose of inspiration desires to equip and challenge you to work out in one inward, outward, and corporate discipline for week 2. Pick the one out of the three that intrigues you and that you desire to grow in. If you want extensive information about those four practices, please take time to read Foster's book and look out for next week's devotionals. It is seriously a breath of fresh air.

The outward disciplines encompass simplicity, solitude, submission, and service. Simplicity deals with the attitude that "less is more". Solitude calls us to practice stillness and silence in a world that can be so loud and chaotic. Submission and service challenges our view of following others and our mold of true leadership. Lastly, the corporate disciplines encompass confession, worship, guidance, and celebration.

I want to encourage you to grow in an area that you are not familiar with in 2017. As we venture into Foster's book for the week 2 of Shape 2017, find a discipline that you can commit to grow in. 

TAKE AWAY:

1. Challenge yourself to grow in an area that you are least comfortable with. 

MEDITATION:

“1 As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for You, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God”

— Psalm: 42:1-2 NIV

DAILY CHALLENGE: 

1. I challenge you to pick 1 discipline in all three areas: inward, outward, and corporate. Focus on three discipline areas to grow in this following week.

2. Reflect on your attitude toward the discipline. Challenge yourself to not grow weary in your week 2 journey through 2017. 

Shape Day 6

Don't get tired doing what makes you a happier and healthier person. There will be days that are uneventful and seem unproductive. Sometimes we question whether we really make a difference in who we are in this world - the roles we have here on this earth. We question if these new commitments to ourselves at the beginning of the year are really going to stick or are we going to fall back into bad habits and old routines.

I am a wife, minister, teacher, daughter, sister, auntie, friend and in these roles alone, I question at times if I am holding my weight. That same question is asked whether I am really making a difference. Does it make a difference to go above and beyond for a friend who seems to only want to be heard and not to change? Does it make the difference to forgive and love one's spouse without expecting anything in return? Does it make a difference to plan and push ministries forward when you feel like you are not seeing the fruit right away? There is plenty of frustration when current reality does not reflect our hopes and expectations, when our present is not what we saw in our dreams.

Sometimes current reality can seem to deflate us - to pacify us with being complacent. I encourage you to accept current reality but live and operate above it.  

Good things take time to grow and come to full fruition just like crops, relational healing and restoration, rebuilding a body's stamina and strength. We need to hold on to God's words and call when moments in life get difficult. 

I encourage you today to stay striding and moving forward each day even if you feel like you are not seeing immediate results. If you fall, fall forward. Something is better than nothing. The beautiful thing about serving a God of grace is tomorrow is a new day! Good things come in time, so don't rush the process and do not be pacified to grow complacent. Keep striving for the changes you want to see in 2017 even if you do not see fruit right now. Keep planting and sowing, our evidence and reminder of a more fulfilled tomorrow. 

TAKE AWAY:

1. If what you see (current reality) is not what you saw (hopes and dreams), you have not arrived to where God has called you to. Keep pushing forward. 

2. Don't allow current reality pacify you to complacency.

MEDITATION:

“9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”

— Galatians 6:9

“Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;”

— Isaiah 46:10 NASB

DAILY CHALLENGE: 

1. What do you want to see come to pass this 2017? How could you endure to keep your commitment? 

2. When you begin to grow weary in doing what God has called you to do, who could you reach out to? Who is your community to support you in following your dreams? 

3. If you do not have a community, find a community of friends that you can connect, grow, and belong. 

Shape Day 5

Shape today by living in the present. Observe your surroundings, soak up the colors, smell the different fragrances, notice your loved ones around you.

Today, my husband and I spent our day in Anaheim in hopes to enjoy Disneyland. I wanted today to be unforgettable - completely epic. I placed such demands on my day and on my husband to make today perfect. We drove into the Mickey and Friends' Parking lot to only be greeted by a sign forewarning us that the Disneyland Park was full. We decided to try to weather the crowd, yet everywhere we went in the park we were surrounded by horrendous crowds of people, where you were seriously shoulder to shoulder with complete strangers. Our Disney date failed, so we decided to go to Target and buy a movie to accompany our new sound bar in our room. We spent at least an hour having such a difficult time finding a movie that was compatible with our sound bar. I began to think about how I spent my day, and I felt a little deflated, and I could tell my husband noticed my dissatisfied attitude. This is when he kindly reminded me with the following words: "Relax and enjoy your day. We aren't on a schedule". It dawned on me that I had an attitude all day because our plans have not gone our way.

Why does my success or failure of plans need to hold that much power over how I feel about my day?

As I began to self-reflect, I began to realize that "epic" or "unforgettable" moments aren't shaped by success of plans; it has to do with my attitude about the journey to these plans. I began to realize that experiencing love and fulfillment in life is not wholly confined to journaling privately in my room where God can speak and love me. He can love and reach me in the crowds of Disneyland, running errands at Target, or at a restaurant eating dinner with my family. I think we overcomplicate God's character. He is interested in the big and small details of our lives. I think if I chose to recognize and include His love throughout my day, I could have enjoyed my journey instead of being distracted with just my plans, the destination. 

I challenge you today to see life as a journey and not just plans that come and end, like a box on your checklist to complete. Choose to analyze and decipher the beauty and meaning of what you are doing whether it is your job, your hobby, coffee with a loved one, a church service, baby-sitting, celebrating a birthday. Begin to just enjoy life for the journey that it is, recognize God's love in it, because He is already there with you in the work grind, at your church service, at your Starbucks run, in the conversation with your spouse, in the car ride home from work. God is here and desires to shine light to the beauty and gift that the present really is.  

TAKE AWAY: 

1. God is in the finite and infinite layers of life. It just takes us recognizing that He is there.

2. See life as a journey and not just sporadic and definite plans. 

3. Live in love, in God, throughout your journey. See all parts, common and the everyday, of life as holy and sacred, because God is all ready there. 

MEDITATION:

“1 You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.
3 Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.”

— Psalm 63:1; 3 NIV

“7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.”

— Psalm 139:7-10 NIV

DAILY CHALLENGE:

1. What is one layer of life that you don't tend to recognize God's love in?

2. How could you recognize and live in love in this area? Give practical actions.

3. Enjoy today for what it is. Be observant and thankful for this part of your journey. Try to find meaning in it. What is God trying to teach or show you in this part of your journey? 

Shape Day 4

“To hear a new song
It takes tuning out the old
It takes stopping the old song
The bad habits
The insanity - doing the same thing, but expecting different results
The routine
The same old stories
Glass is half empty
Same crap just different day
Stop

Pause

Be still and hear the song of
Hope
Love
Fun
Fulfillment
Healing
Breathing and living
Hear the new song
Partake and sing the
New habits
Spontaneity
Intentionality
On purpose
Glass is half full
Different day with different results
Trust in your song
Trust its novelty
Trust God in His creativity
Your individuality
Have courage
Sing it out
Live it loud
Sing your new song”

— New Song, A Spoken Word by Lauren Cancio

If we were to describe life as a song, what would your life radiate? What it sound like a lament? Or would it be a song of joy and hope? Would it have characteristics of a sonata or a symphony? What kind of song does your life sing? Many of us look back at 2016 irritated and drained from the same repetitive and monotonic song that our life emulated. We desire something different and alive.

It begins with living life differently. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. How can our lives sing a different song if we are playing the same instrument with the same attitude, and singing the same lyrics? We need to be willing to let go of bad habits and form new ones. We need to be willing to get out of the routine of life and be comfortable being uncomfortable, being okay with the unpredictability of taking risks and walking by faith. Let's embrace spontaneity and apply intentionality. 

Trust in your song
Trust its novelty
Trust God in His creativity
Your individuality

These specific words need to root and bear deep into our soul. We need to trust in our new song and be okay if it causes discomfort. Trust its novelty; it will be new for others to see you do and be someone that they are not used to experiencing, but it will be refreshing and empowering for you and others around you. We need to trust in God's creativity; what he has placed in us, our talents, our desires, is worth something to this world. You are the only person that will ever sing your song of life. People need to hear it. What do you want people to remember about the song your life sang? Your new song this year needs to be heard to bring hope and encourage others to sing their own. 

TAKE AWAY:

1) God has a new song for us to sing, and it is up to us to tune out the old and live out the new. 

2) You are the only person that will ever sing your song of life. 

MEDITATION:

“1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.”

— Psalm 40:1-3 NIV

DAILY CHALLENGE: 

1) Reflect on the song your life sang in 2016. Think about the changes you want to make to your song for 2017. 

2) Commit to making practical changes that take a plan of action.

For example, if you sang a song of low confidence and of self-hate, make a plan of action to commit to loving yourself better by eating healthier and surrounding yourself with more positive people. 

Shape Day 3

Life is more about people and less about things. If we look at what fills our home or the vehicle we drive, what tends to stand out are the items or features that adorn the “necessary”. As an American, I am an experienced and trained consumer. I find myself sometimes lost in the rat race of having the most up to date fashion or going to Target for one item but somehow leaving spending $60 on pointless stuff that I thought in the moment that I really needed. 

When we are on our death bed, who will we call? Will we ask to see the legacy we leave in our bank accounts or the rewards and accolades that we have completed over the years?

We will ask for our loved ones to draw near - the very people we have shared life with. 

I think for Day 3, we need to re-value and esteem relationships and human connection. Life is more about people and less about the things that take up space in our lives. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe that there are some precious items that hold dear and sentimental value that we should keep and celebrate about. A memory that reminded me of how beautiful and valuable human connection is was this New Year’s. While ringing in the New Year, a gift was imparted into me. My 2-year old nephew embraced me with such an overwhelming flow of love and care that I have never experienced before from him. As the clock ticked midnight into 2017, he jumped into my arms - holding me so tight without any reserve of his love. It began to dawn on me that this is what life is about. Giving attention and bringing emphasis to what really matters. All of those uninterrupted and focused moments of choosing to put the phone, iPad, laptop, Netflix, stuff down, and choosing to just connect with my nephew, my husband, my loved ones, the cashier, God, those around me. is what really makes lasting and unforgettable impact. This is what being human is about. 

People - our spouse, friends, co-workers, pastors, acquaintances, pedestrians, cashiers, waiters, waitresses - need to bear more value and importance in our lives.

It may seem that in our society that stuff and assets is all we really will leave on this earth, that they have an eternal and lasting effect that makes us feel secure like a home or a car, but people are now; we don’t have forever guaranteed. 

On the other hand, stuff will wear and tear, become out-dated, break over time. My husband and I had a few items act up on us today - our dryer decided to malfunction and our Phillips Hue light accidentally shattered. Of course, in the moment of it, we were heated and angry that this stuff was not invincible. But in the moment of frustration it dawned on us, how much of this finite issue was stealing our joy and hope away from those around us. Stealing from our “now” with our family and from each other. 

I encourage you today to spend more time with people and less time with stuff. I am not saying to throw all things away, because whatever does hold value, keep it, because these items have meaning to you, and they do matter. I am saying to question yourself when you begin to fill your life with things that are not necessary, putting you in debt, and mooching on your precious time on this beautiful earth.

I encourage you today to invest in the eternal - saying something positive, smiling at a stranger, genuinely engaging with a cashier about their day, serving others without reserve, attentively listening to your friends' stories.

TAKE AWAY: 

1. Life is about people, so engage with those around you no matter who they are. 
2. Invest in what is eternal; choose to invest more time and energy towards that. 

MEDITATION: 

“19-21 “Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. ”

— Matthew 6:19-21 MSG

“30-33 “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

34 “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. ”

— Matthew 6:30-34 MSG

DAILY CHALLENGE: 

1. Make people more important and valuable by simply living in the moment. Give the people around you your full and undivided attention.
2. Take some time and reflect on the things that fill your home and commit to doing something different the next time you decide to buy and consume. Ask if it this item is really serving you and others. 
3. Choose today to love others well. Think of 1 positive thing you typically would not do for someone and DO IT. Comment on your experience! 

Shape Day 2

“Unforgiveness:
an enabler,
a thief of opportunity,
a minimizer of the quality of life,
a deviator of man’s true potential”

I think we can all agree that we want to live out 2017 without the baggage and stress of 2016. We all have hurt and pain that dictates the capacity in which we love, live, and have our being. I have been taught that harboring unforgiveness is like taking in poison with the hope that it will hurt the other person. When you think about it that way, we could deem that sheer stupidity and completely counter-productive. From my experience of just being human, I know living in unforgiveness is not a productive state of mind to live in. We become easily irritated. We take things too personal. We over-analyze to prove our stories right. We get frazzled and distracted by the smallest things that shouldn't even bother us. It really impacts the quality of our life. 

If we want to not just live 2017, but Shape It, then we really need to take an inventory of our relationships and let go of some of the baggage. Starting off the new year without the extra weight of remorse, regret, anger, frustration will allow us to get to destinations that we haven't arrived to yet, because the unforgiveness disqualified us too early. How many destinations, levels of intimacy, in relationships, have we not arrived to, because of our own stories and our past hurt? How many opportunities were lost, because we chose to not invest based on mere prediction? 

We take less risks when we are hurt, because we want to protect ourselves from re-opening that scab that has not fully healed. Unforgiveness enables us to relive the hurt, and our brain does the rest by sending the same negative chemicals that you felt - causing us to relive that moment in its fullest. Re-opening the scab, making us live the painful experience of betrayal and belittlement all over again - no matter if it is was yesterday, a week ago, or 10 years ago. When something is reopened, scuffed enough, and rubbed up against the wrong way over and over again, the full healing process cannot take place. Our bodies natural form of self-protection on the human anatomy is to callous the area that is consistently being damaged. How many times do we self-inflict damage when we choose to repeat the same painful memory in our brain? I truly believe that we can become emotionally calloused if we do not allow time for the full healing process to take place.

So, where do we begin with the healing process this January 2, 2017? Well, we can first realize that forgiveness is a process that takes time just like any wound on the body takes time to heal, but it is up to us if we are going to be intentional with this wound or not. People with cuts that are not attentive, who avoid the pain and discomfort of cleaning it, can sometimes deal with infection or a really long healing process. People who are intentional may clean it, put peroxide and Neosporin, and protect it with a band-aid. Same with our emotional hurt, we need to be intentional. In cleaning it, we could have a genuine conversation with that person instead of avoiding them and try to clear (clean) the air. Cleaning our emotional wound could take many forms whether it is full on conversation or sometimes distance for a time. Address your wound with helpful resources like surrounding yourself with positive people instead of isolating yourself. Choosing to take notice of yourself if you are operating out of your hurt and choosing to make changes in that moment. Place a band-aid by seeking wisdom about these relationships that did cause hurt. Truly search your heart and the heart of God to what level of relationship you are called with this person. Are they a family member, church friend, spouse? Seek guidance from a close friend or counselor to help you build healthy boundaries and place those band-aids to help protect yourself from unhealthy relationships. 

I encourage you today to cast your cares on God, because He deeply cares for you. I know everyone goes through different levels of hurt, but I do believe that there is nothing that you are carrying that is too much for God. He desires to lighten your load to make your journey through 2017 more enjoyable and less of a burden. God can turn any heart of stone into a heart of flesh again, where you will feel empowered to love again. Where love is no longer a risk but a gift, because you found wholeness and closure. At the end of the day please remember, the unforgiveness only hurts us and short-changes those we are around and love. 

TAKE AWAY:  

1. Unforgiveness is like taking in poison with the hope that it will hurt the other person.
2. Unforgiveness only disqualifies us from the quality of life we really want. 
3. God is the healer and mender of the broken-hearted.

MEDITATION: 

“6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time, 7 casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. ”

— 1 Peter 5:6-7 AMP

“15 For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. 16 Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment]. ”

— Hebrews 4:15-16 AMP

DAILY CHALLENGE:

1. Today is Day 2 of 2017, so it is not too late to let go of some of the extra baggage that does not need to come with you in 2017. Take time and be still in God’s presence and begin to think about the people that have hurt you that you feel may have stirred up some unforgiveness.
2. Today, in this moment, begin an intentional process of healing: cleaning, addressing, and protecting. Before you take action, seek God for wisdom on what to do. 
3. Cast your cares, by truly letting it go. When negative thoughts surface and you want to re-live the unforgiveness, choose to cast it away. Don’t pick it back up. Rest with the assurance that it is NOT serving you. Let it go, and let God do the work. 

Shape Day 1

As I began to write this first Shape Inspiration of the year, I found myself lost and without words; as a person with an insurmountable amount of words, this freaked me out. There were so many thoughts buzzing through my brain - to impress you, to keep your attention to the ideas that I am trying to write, to not bore you. I noticed my mind halting, re-writing, editing the words that I am typing, because I am worried that they may offend, be too pie-in-the-sky Christian, too ordinary, over-used, basic. A drive for validation as a writer, your approval as an artist was my focus.

My eyes were on the audience and not the artist. This is a problem that I believe we all face.

I begin praying to God, "God, help me write exactly what this person needs to hear today". I began to shift my focus off of myself, my reputation, my image, my abilities, my art, and began to recognize God, the greatest artist, the ultimate wordsmith. As I tossed my short and sweet question to God, I didn't hear a sound; my mind was going a million miles per hour. I began to reflect on my day, and I realized that this was my first attempt of stillness with Him. Today, I had the chance to babysit and spend time with my 2 year-old nephew, who means the world to me. Trying to juggle keeping a toddler happy while vision-casting this new Shape 2017 series left my mind racing and a bit frazzled. I began to realize that I had spent more time with my busy schedule than with the presence of God, so instead of forging my art, I chose to pause, wait and listen to what really beats in my core; I paused here and sought God, and this is what I heard for us today: 

God hears your prayer.

He is here. 

Be still your heart and know that He is God. 

These three statements rang so true in the stillness of God's presence. I think we can all look back at 2016 and feel a sense of defeat to the point that we are almost too jaded to even try to hope for something new in 2017. God wants to remind you today that He has heard our prayers, and He is here in the now desiring to move and have His being in the very things that remind us we are living - our passion, art, hobbies, career. You are not alone in this search for meaning and purpose in this world. I feel that we are in a search of what warms our heart, what brings breath to our bones - what brings meaning. God hears your prayer, and He meets you in all times of life that bring fulfillment and frustration, and everything in between.

I chose to call this series Shape 2017, because I refuse to live by default or by accident this new year. I desire to shape, mold, and subject this year to the template that I desire. I am tired of waking up with a daze and depression that some mornings bring. Be honest, we have all been there. 

So how do we live on purpose with intention? 

Honestly, it takes waiting on God and working with what God empowers you with in the stillness. I encourage you today to run with this:

TAKE AWAY:

1. God hears your prayer. 

2. He is here, so be still and wait on Him to refresh and revive your passion for life.

3.  Work to bring the change you want to see in this world.

MEDITATION:

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. ”

— Psalm 40:1 NIV

“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

— ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭46:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

DAILY CHALLENGE:

1. Write down all that you were hoping for in 2016 and rest in the truth that God has heard your prayer. 

2. Be still in God's presence and wait for Him to revive what was defeated in you this last year. Be receptive and open to all that God desires to share with you.

3. After a time of stillness, write your plan of action, your work, your part in the hopes and dreams you have for 2017. 

4. Do something today that moves forward in this goal or dream.