Go for the Gold!

I love the Olympics, always have.  I remember figure skating in my socks and flipping on the couch like the gymnasts.  I love hearing the stories of the athletes and emotionally connecting to them and cheering them on.  I love the pride they have for their countries.  

I admire all they sacrifice for their dream and the goal they are aiming for.  I am reminded that I have a goal to live eternally-minded.  Just as they make choices how they spend their days and what gets their focus. We need to choose each day Who we are living for.  They know they will fail, they will get hurt, they will want to give up and things will not always go their way.  Do we have that same tenacity to stay on the path that God has for us, no matter what pops up?


I think we can become so earthly-minded we forget what and who we are created to be.  We allow our failures to stop us from trying again.  We allow the actions or attitudes of others to change us.  We have allowed the world to influence our choices in behavior and what we focus on, instead of God's Word.


I heard a message once about the Gold Standard of God.  How we are called to be holy, imitating the character and standards of God...not the world.  The process to refine gold has been compared to the process we face in becoming Christ-like.  Many of us don't want to go through the process.  It is easier to be silver or bronze.  It is easier to hold grudges, fight for positions, gossip in the name of prayer, be so focused on having fun and being accepted we look and act no different than the world.

The athletes that are competing are giving all they have for their goal.  They dig in deep into something bigger than themselves to overcome adversity and set-backs.  


As much as I want all that God has for me and I know He has called me to something...I also know that I have been sitting on the sidelines.  I have grown tired, overwhelmed by circumstances and annoyed by other peoples choices.  I have allowed myself to hide, even when something inside kept yelling "Get up!" "There's more!"


I don't want to settle for just making it into heaven, or a bronze or a silver...I want the gold!  I want to stay so close to God, He can move me with His eyes.  I want the world to see me walk through this life with purpose and for Someone much bigger than me that it effects every choice I make.  


So, I will say to you what I heard God say to me in the shower this morning (hey, its quiet there): "Stay focused on Me, don't get distracted.  All of this is temporary ~ I am eternal and what I have called you to has an eternal purpose."


So, let's go for the gold!!  The process is hard and each of us will have to sacrifice and get rid of things from our lives, as well train ourselves in the righteousness of God.


Let's make our choices in the light of eternity not in the shadow of all that is looming around us.


"Therefore, since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."  Hebrews 12:1


Go for it!  I'll be your cheering section!  Woo-hoo!  


Have a fab day!
Love and hugs
xo ~ Jodi

God vs Red Sea

I have thought of many things that I would like to share with you.  A lot has happened since I last wrote, which feels like forever!  A year ago, May, I was diagnosed with MS and at that same time my blood tests came back showing that I could have Lupus.  Well, I could barely deal with the MS thing and the daily shots and moving and having Ben live with us again and life, so I didn't.  This year, at my check-up, my levels were even higher for lupus.  I had to deal with it this time ~ woohoo!  :-/


I have been trying to navigate and get some footing on what my new normal is.  How I live with MS and Lupus.  I "affectionately" refer to my symptoms as "the fog".  It could come and go all day or stay for just part of the day or hang out for weeks.  It has affected every area of life and I resent it.  


I have also been thinking about Israel and the Red Sea.  I need a Red Sea Moment.  They were rescued out of slavery...God has freed me from so much that held me captive.  They followed Him, the long way ~ I'm ready for a short-cut!  He was a cloud in the day and fire at night.  I have tried my best through the years to be obedient to Him and follow where he has led us.  


So, they were camping by the sea, a lovely reprieve from the long walk, when the Egyptians show up.  Boy, can I relate!  I have been following God and now I have the sea on one side and an army bent on destruction on the other.  The army can be anything in our lives that wants to make us ineffective as a Christians or have us so consumed with what's going on, we do not focus on God.  The cloud was still there!


It is at this moment the Israelites wanted to go back ~ yada, yada, yada...THEN GOD said:

"...Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today...The Lord will fight for you; you only need to be still. (Which means hold your peace) Then the Lord said to Moses, why are you crying out to  me? Tell the Israelites to move on."   Ex. 14:13-15


Moses held his staff over the sea and it parted for them to walk through.  I need one of those bad boys!  There's several things I'd like to part out of my way and then bury the rest of it behind me! ;)


So to recap we are to 1. Not be afraid; 2. Stand firm; 3. Trust God; 4. Have peace and  5. Move on!


I am at the place where I have the sea in front of me and the army behind me.  So many things warring against me and blocking me.  Some days I am strong and some days I stagger under the weight of it all and all my questions.  


I don't know where you are in your life.  Maybe you're still In Egypt, maybe you're on the long way around part, maybe you're waiting for your Red Sea moment or maybe you've made it across (we'll tackle the whole desert thing another time).  

God is with us!  We can do this!  


I pray that we will focus on God today and be obedient to what He said to us in Exodus.


Have a fab day!!


All my love ~ 
Jodi xo