The Iconic Lessons of 2010

This year has been an exciting, memorable and remarkable year. Through the unforgettable displays of triumph and success, tears and laughter, old friends and new friends, I have learned valuable lessons that I will cherish for many years to come. If anyone asked me five years ago, "Do you think you would be in the place you are today?" I would have to say, "No!" It has been a process and I appreciate every step I had to take. In the recent Bible study series, "Courage to Move Beyond", one of our members asked an important question, "Do you believe it is a process to knowing who God is calling you to be?" Not only is it a process for you, but it is a process for those attached to you. You will notice in the Bible how family was often the most common circle to question, hate, doubt, misunderstand or not receive the full illumination of someone's process. We see it in the story of Joseph, where his brothers despised his favor and desired to kill him for being a dreamer. We see it in the story of Lot, where his own family ridiculed his time of deliverance from the place he was in. We also see it in the story of our Savior, Jesus Christ, where his own mother did not understand the depths of what it meant to be about his Father's business.

Nevertheless, it is how the process is handled on both ends that will help you see whether you have Godly attachments with people who are assigned to your process or seasonal attachments with folks who cannot take the trip with you and must be detached from your process. There are some folks you will lose permanently, just as Lot lost his wife. There are others you will be reunited with after your period of elevation has taken place, just as Joseph eventually saw his brothers again. And there are others who can only see the full revelation of who you are becoming once they step back and witness the flourishing finish, just as Mary did when Jesus handed her over to the disciple.

Not only did I not know that God had all of this in store for me, but I was not even aware of the steps I would have to follow to get to this place. Here are some key points in how I journeyed through this year.

1. Submit to the process. A biblical character who highlights this point the best is Saul. It was on the road to Damascus that he encountered God and with astonishment asked, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" That is the start of submission to one's process. Saul had to get to a place where he not only acknowledged God, but he asked God to reveal His will to him. Have you gotten to that place yet?
2. Re-prioritize your priorities. I had to learn to readjust some people and some things in my life. Stuff I put at the top of my list should have never been on my list. Other stuff I had at the bottom of my list should have been moved to the top. There were people that I gave too much power and authority over my life by allowing their negative words to define me for a season. I was searching for genuine friendships that were never genuine. I was working on projects that were long expired. My gifts and talents were being abused and I had to re-prioritize what I thought was most important. Are your priorities straight?
3. Evaluate your weight. I remember flying to Texas with my husband and checking in one of our suitcases. We found that the one suitcase weighed more than 25 pounds, while the other suitcase was underweight. Instead of paying the extra fee, we decided to open the overweight luggage and find some items to move to the other suitcase. To our surprise, one item alone weighed seven pounds and caused the bag to be overweight. That is a valuable lesson. Is your weight emotionally draining? Is it physically draining? Is it spiritually draining? Whatever your weight may be, evaluate it. Don't let one simple item that weighs a lot cost you a fee. All you have to do is shift the weight or completely eliminate it. Although we held on to the item, don't allow the value you have placed on someone or something keep you bound and weighed down.

Pain Is Necessary!

"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you." (1 Peter 5:10 - Amplified Version)

What is the last time you encountered a situation that caused discomfort?  I'm sure you can think of many different instances, since pain or suffering is something that we must deal with in life.  As doctors have noted, pain is one of the most common personal experiences which all humans can experience during their lifetime.  It may be physical.  It may be emotional.  However, whatever way it comes, it cannot be easily compared between individuals since it is true that each individual perceives his or her pain in their own way.  Nevertheless, I encourage you to not perceive pain or suffering according to your own ideology.  I assure you that looking at it from God's perspective will help ease the level of discomfort that you may feel.  According to His viewpoint, there is a greater intent.  Your pain is purposed to mature you.  It is purposed to make you become the individual God has already predestined you to become.  That is enough to give God thanks!  It does not mean that pain will feel good, but when you know that it is working for your good, you can appreciate it a little more.  Your pain is purposed to establish you and ground you securely.  You build resilience when you can undergo suffering, which is a circular effect.  It enables you to endure more suffering later in life.  

"If we suffer, we shall also reign with him:" (2 Timothy 2:12).  According to Webster, a prerequisite is "something that is necessary to an end or to the carrying out of a function."  It is a requirement that must be met beforehand.  So, the next time you experience pain, suffering or any discomfort, just know that you are meeting one of the prerequisites for someday reigning with Jesus Christ.

Change Should Cause You to Rearrange!

"When ye see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it." (Joshua 3:3)

I read an article concerning the end of Tiger Woods dominating the sport of golf. In the article, the writer made a profound statement, "But when it's time to change you've got to rearrange." In order to successfully shift with God, the children of Israel had to see the ark of the covenant, which represents God's presence. When the ark moved, they were to move and follow it. I don't know about you, but that was not just relevant for the children of Israel. It applies to my life also. As the writer stated, some form of rearrangement needs to follow to signify the change that is taking place.

Well, here are a few questions I have for you. Are you willing to rearrange some things in your life to prepare for a change? Or is it too inconvenient for you to make those adjustments? I thank God for some life-changing lessons learned in this season. It was startling at times, challenging at other times, but it was worth the learning experience. I realized how important it is to rearrange priorities that really are not important. I also rearranged some people that I gave too much influence and power over my life. It was when I decided to change my mindset and what I considered most valuable that I allowed God space to move. He replaced the individuals I prioritized as "important" with individuals who were divinely connected. He opened doors that were meant to be walked into in this season, and he put his stamp of approval on this heavenly shift in my life.

As I conclude this post, here are some tips on how to allow the change to cause you to rearrange!

1. Discover where God is taking you and weigh what you consider to be most valuable.
2. Learn to appreciate those who love you and have courage to release those who reject you.
3. Understand that your purpose will be birthed when you surround yourself with people who know their assignment in your life. It's a mutual bond that should be divine!
4. Tune out the negativity and distractions and keep your eyes stayed on Jesus!

God's promise of his presence!

Exodus 29:45-46
"And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the Lord their God."

In this passage of scripture, God is making one of his many precious promises. He gives the children of Israel assurance that he will dwell amongst them. They shall not fear anything because God's comforting presence is a reminder of who he is and how he delivered them from bondage.

Today's devotional has been very encouraging to me, and I pray that it encourages you also. It is a reminder that my God will never leave or forsake me. He promises that no weapon formed against me shall prosper. He promises to lift the standard when the enemy comes against me. I am exceedingly glad for this particular season of my life. I would never know that God is a deliverer unless he delivered me from a land of bondage, a land that held me captive and denied my free existence. I know what it's like to live in a land where taskmasters take great pride in burdening the people of God physically, emotionally, and financially. I know what it's like to live in a land where I've been afflicted; yet, I still multiplied. I would never know that God could comfort me with his presence unless I experienced what it feels to be abandoned and rejected. I listened to Cindy Trimm make a simple, but powerful statement I will paraphrase. When others reject you, don't cry. Say goodbye and throw yourself a going away party!

It is easy to look for validation, affirmation and confirmation from others. However, I encourage you today to simply look for God's presence. In His presence is fullness of joy, and at his right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11). Isn't it exciting to know that he is looking to be found by you? "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). I remember playing Hide and Seek as a child and always thinking of the best location to hide. I would often find the places that people would never think of and stay hidden for a long period of time. It was almost like I was daring the person to sneak up on me and find my hiding spot!

Well, here is a challenge for you. Since God is omnipresent, we know that he is everywhere. Why is it hard for you to find him? Why is it hard for you to hear from him on a daily basis? When was the last time you are confident that he spoke to you? It is easy to hear everyone else's voice, but have you heard clearly from God lately? He is not hiding behind a tree to purposely avoid you. He has made himself readily available to you - for you to call on him and for you to hear from him.

Take advantage of his presence through His Son, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:2); through his word (Jeremiah 15:16), through his still small voice (1 Kings 19:12); and through the various ways he communicates with you. He is present, and if you can't find him, it's not because He is hiding. Maybe you are! (Genesis 3:9)

Delight!

"Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." (Psalm 37:4)

My husband and I have discovered a new restaurant that we consider our favorite for this season. We randomly chose this location for a dinner date and found how much we loved it. As we surveyed the menu, we purposed in our minds to try everything on the menu at least once. Of course that can't be done unless we return time after time again to experiment with the wonderful menu choices. That is the only way we can delight in that restaurant.

When you delight in something, you express a high degree of gratification. You experiment, enjoy and get to know "that thing" for yourself. So, that is our main objective. We plan to delight in every menu option that is available to us. Honestly, if we can do that for a restaurant, how much more can we show that same enthusiasm for the Lord? Do you find yourself delighting in the Lord everyday? Do you taste and see His goodness? Do you get excited when you think of His love for you and the ultimate sacrifice He made on the cross? Do you find extreme satisfaction from knowing who He is?

Well, that's what it is all about! Don't let this day go by without delighting yourself in the Lord. The Bible already promises you that He will give you the desires of your heart if you delight in Him!

I Love What I Got!

I must honestly say that it took time for me to figure out this next topic of discussion for my readers. I was logging into my email account today and came across the Sesame Street clip of the new character that is teaching kids to become self-confident about their personal appearance, especially their hair. This new puppet through singing and dancing has come unto the Sesame Street scene to display the versatility in her beautiful hair. She no longer has to feel inferior to the dolls that portray attractiveness as long, straight and blond. She understands that she is also beautiful with braids, an afro-puff, locks and various other styles that allow her to show her self-confidence. What makes this puppet special is that she "loves what she got"! And because she "loves what she got", she is able to help another child love what she got also.

Although it is targeted towards a special racial group, it immediately sparked my curiosity. It is my sincere desire to see individuals within the body of Christ as a whole become more self-confident. I believe one of the reasons why it is so hard to show love to one another is because people have not yet achieved the self-confidence within themselves to "love what they got"! That is one of the first devices the enemy used against mankind. Original sin entered the world because Adam and Eve were not 100% content with what they had. Although they were given the entire Garden of Eden, the enemy knew how to get them to focus on the one tree they did not have.

Do you find yourself in that position? You often forsake the blessings of the Lord because you ignore everything that you have for the little that you do not have? You ignore life, breath, health and strength, a roof over your head, and a family that loves you. Instead, you focus on what you do not have and what your neighbor has that you secretly desire. I firmly believe that if you can love what you got, it makes it easier to love someone else for what they got. If you are driving a 1996 Honda, just love what you got. Do not envy or despise your neighbor for driving a 2010 Mercedes Benz. If you are working a janitorial job, just love what you got. Do not hate your brother or sister for working a job that earns six figures. If you notice that some people are able to run a peaceful and efficient household, don't hate on them for establishing a system. Ask for help (if need be) and love what you got.

I have seen so much hate within the church - hate that exist between husbands and wives, brothers and sisters; hate that fuels sabotage, ambush, competition and jealousy; hate that plagues the church as a living organism; and hate that serves as the root sin for severed relationships in the house of God. I already love this new Sesame Street puppet and look forward to seeing the positive messages she has to offer. She loves what she got, and so do I! Love is contagious if you know how to first love God and then love yourself. You will then be able to spread love to someone else the Bible way.

Check out the clip on YouTube. Let it be your inspiration to love yourself and love what God has given you. No one else has what you got because God uniquely crafted it for you. So, I encourage you today to love God and love yourself! Only then can you help someone else love him/herself.

View "I Love My Hair" on YouTube.

Patience Is A Virtue!

“The principle part of faith is patience” ~George MacDonald

“God's way of answering the Christian's prayer for more patience, experience, hope and love often is to put him into the furnace of affliction” ~Richard Cecil

“The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.” ~Arnold H. Glasgow

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1:2-4)

If you decide to hit the gym and go for a strenuous workout for the first time, you are bound to experience soreness in your muscles that were not exercised for quite some time. It may be easy to debate whether or not you want to continue working out or quit based on the initial pain. However, I encourage you to quickly realize that you need to push past the pain in order to work your muscles. That's the only way you will get accustomed to stretching your muscle tissues past their comfort level. I had to learn that the hard way by experiencing what experts call, Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). "(DOMS) is a common result of physical activity that stresses the muscle tissue beyond what it is accustomed to," says David O. Draper, professor and director of the graduate program in sports medicine/athletic training at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Granted, I was not extremely enthused to jump out of my bed (with sore muscles) the next morning and run to the gym. Nevertheless, it was a reminder that the soreness reflected a natural outcome of my workout. In simple terms, "It was working!" My muscles were shocked and responded immediately to the change of pace and pressure. It was also comforting to know that the soreness is mostly experienced in the beginning stages of a physical activity and would soon ease off after consistent workout sessions.

That is the same mindset we should have when James assures us that the trying of our faith worketh patience. It is not always comfortable or pleasant when we go through the various tests and trials of life, but it is working patience. The larger picture is that patience has a purpose, and that purpose is to mature and complete us in all respects. The soreness from your tears, your long nights of prayer, your constant fasting, and your frequent agitations from what you are facing right now is confirmation that your patience is being worked through the trying of your faith.

Keep on exercising to drop off the necessary "spiritual" weight that has you bound, and remain consistent to see results. For many people who are trying to lose weight through exercising, it can often be disappointing when they plateau. They workout but realize that they are no longer losing weight. On the other hand, if you like to see the glass as half-full, instead of half-empty, it is a true reflection that your body has grown accustomed to your routine and now needs an extra boost. I often encourage people who want to lose weight to evaluate the following three factors: frequency, intensity, and duration. When you have plateaued, it's time to work out more frequently, work out more intensely, or simply work out longer than you are used to.

I encourage you today to not let your faith plateau by bowing out from the test. Don't complain about the frequency (how often), the intensity (how hard) or the duration (how long). Each one has a plan according to God's perfect will. The frequency of the test dictates the need for some stuff to be worked out of you so you can look more like Jesus Christ. The intensity dictates the level of blessing that will follow once you past the test. The duration dictates your finished polish once you come forth as pure gold.

So, just remember..."Now is not the time to give up and throw in the towel!"

Determined to Not Quit

"...I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?" ~Nehemiah 6:3

I strongly admire Nehemiah's determination to not quit. He endured scandals and dealt with adversaries who were fixed on discouraging him from accomplishing the job of building the wall. However, he still had a boldness to pray, "O God, strengthen my hands." How prevalent are those words in your life? Despite the tests and trials and the naysayers who constantly oppose your efforts, can you still turn to God and ask for Him to strengthen you as you do His will? Can you push past the distractions that exist to make you come down? Can you push past the lies, slander, and defamation of character that exist to question your honesty and integrity? Can you push past the plot that is designed to damage your testimony and your personal walk with Christ?

Just like Nehemiah, God has a perfect will for your life and a great work for you to accomplish in His Kingdom. It is only when you know His will that you can do the work that He requires of you. I spent a season of my life working for man; yet, never knowing the full revelation behind God's perfect will for my life. I did everything I was asked to do with a spirit of excellence; and in every endeavor, I strived for greatness. I put my hands to the plow and used my gifts and talents constructively; however, there was still a void. I accepted leadership roles that "positioned" me to work, but I could not hear what God was saying concerning me or my household. I got so accustomed to hearing requests from others and becoming "busy" with work that I no longer had the peace of God. My accountability, loyalty and allegiance was now to people. I was bombarded with "doing", but hindered from "seeing" God's plan for my life. Please listen carefully! I am not discouraging you from working, but I am encouraging you to know that the work you do should count in the end.

I wholeheartedly believe that Nehemiah was determined to not quit because it was settled in his spirit that what he was doing really mattered in the long run. It was not a task he set forth to do for form or fashion. It was not a task he accepted because he was coerced into doing it. It was a task that God ordained for him to accomplish from the beginning of time. That's why he was able to call on God to strengthen his hands. Even with his enemies pursuing his life and seeking his demise, he knew God would not allow the work to cease. It was established to be completed, and it was indeed finished in fifty-two days! Let whatever you do count in the end.

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10)

Here are the lyrics to the song, "Only What You Do for Christ Will Last".

You may build great cathedrals large or small,
you can build skyscrapers grand and tall,
you may conquer all the failures of the past,
but only what you do for Christ will last.

Remember only what You do for Christ will last.
Remember only what you do for Christ will last,
only what you do for Him will be counted at the end;
only what you do for Christ will last.

You may seek earthly power and fame,
the world might be impressed by your great name,
soon the glories of this life will all be past,
but only what you do for Christ will last.

Though your armies may control each hemisphere,
and your orbits out in space cause men to cheer,
your scientific knowledge may be vast,
but only what you do for Christ will last.

Though your song and prayers are heard and praised by man,
they've no meaning unless you've been born again,
sinner, heed these words, don't let this harvest pass,
for only what you do for Christ will last.

Say, "Yes" to God's Will!

Isn't it reassuring to know that God already has a plan for you? With the many ups and downs and the daily stresses of life, let it be a reminder that you were placed here for a God-ordained purpose. However, it is once you discover that purpose and say, "Yes" to God that the revelation indeed becomes life changing.

Perhaps you find yourself wanting to serve God, but only if you can do it your way. Perhaps you find yourself knowing your purpose, but not knowing the path to follow to reach your destiny. You may be experiencing delays, detours, frustrations and disappointments, but we are here to encourage you and let you know that a shift is indeed taking place. The biggest realization for us in this season is knowing that when a shift takes place in heaven, a shift must also take place on earth.

It can no longer be a matter of loyalty to man, but must be a matter of complete obedience to God. It is when you purpose in your heart and in your mind to surrender it all to Him that you free God to move on your behalf. That is when you will become who God has established you to be and walk into all God has for you.

Sometimes it means taking a break from your normally busy life and getting into a quiet place. Sometimes it means admitting that your relationship with God needs to be further cultivated in order to hear clearly from Him...and ONLY HIM! You are the one person who knows what it truly takes to say, "I am in the place of God!" Without clear direction from Him, it becomes easy to function and operate in a place where people position you, rather than the place God wants you to be. Do not let another season pass without finding out what God's plan is for your life. Shift as He shifts. Trust us! It will change your course forever.

With love & prayers,

Lady Vicky E. Lynch