Hiking in Pearls

Category: Redemption

  • The Pivot: Embracing Life’s Transformative Moments

    The Pivot: Embracing Life’s Transformative Moments

    It is no wonder I was intrigued by the coaster. Sea turtles have a special meaning to me. There they were two little sea turtles making their way towards the ocean’s tide. Their perilous journey across land was almost over. A stripe of color ran through the sand creating a unique beauty about this piece.

    I picked it up and flipped it over in my hand looking for the price. I found the word Raku instead. It went on to say: “Each Raku art piece is pulled red hot from a kiln and left to smolder in the wood shavings. Not all survive the trail by fire. The ones that do, cultivate strength and beauty.”

    I felt that.

    I know fire…and if I’m honest, as I turned the piece over in my hand, my life felt like it was engulfed by flames.

    I bought the coaster and reflected on the process it took to make the piece over the next couple days. From the fire of the kiln to the smoldering in the wood shavings to having the finished product.

    It was a week later when I was reminded of John 10:10 that says, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (KJV)

    I look over my 41 years of life and I see a wasteland. The dry winds blowing dust over barren lands. There are deep cracks that run the length of the ground, gaping open like mouths ready for life giving rains. The clouds pass by and withhold their moisture. My soul cries out for a drink.

    God, where is the abundant life?

    In that moment, in the way only God can, He spoke and blended that scripture with the Raku coaster. I understood that they each have a pivot, a moment where everything changes.

    This is my time in the pivot.

    The pivot for the Raku is smoldering in the wood shavings. The created piece is not a completed work until it has survived the smoldering process. This is where the strength and quality of the piece is tested. It is during this time, when the fire is removed that most pieces break.

    I had always thought that it was the fire that broke the piece…that broke us. I can see clearly now, the real test begins when the fire has been removed.

    In the fire we stood. We had to. It is after we jump out of the flames that the pain begins to envelope us. No longer having to fight just to survive, the emotions we stifled began to rage. Doubts and fear for the unknown life ahead plague our mind. It is in the smolder, in the pivot that our grit is proven.

    Enduring in the pivot is what refines us. Being made complete so that we can fulfill our intended purpose. Like the Raku, we gain our resilience and splash of color. Our character that makes us unique and one of a kind.

    The above scripture also has a pivot. In one breath, Jesus spoke this scripture that has two distinct parts. In the first part, the enemy wreaks havoc. Stealing, killing, and destroying. Then we have the pivot. It is marked with a colon, followed by the second part, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

    The pivot is the moment between two distinct parts that belong to one life.

    Like the scripture, our life begins under the assault of the enemy. Unknowingly, he rules our life, leaving destruction in his wake. Then the pivot. Each and every one of us will have an “aha moment.” The decision we make there will change the trajectory of our entire life.

    It is in the pivot where the addictions we left behind rear their ugly heads. The pivot is where we will relapse or forge ahead into the unknown future. The place where we keep our gate closed to toxic people or open it wide. Surrendering our peace and well-being. This is where God asks us to forsake everything and swim in the depths of Himself. To empty our hands of everything else and hold on to Him alone.

    One of two things will happen in the pivot.

    The first is the easiest, and that is to break. It doesn’t require any unknown discomfort to break and fall back into old lifestyles and familiar patterns. This is what we have always known. We find comfort in the discomfort, because we know how to walk in the ashes. We know how to survive. But we will never reach the abundant life that was intended for us. We will never walk in our true identity and purpose if we break.

    The second is to smolder. It is in the smolder that we are moved by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). We fix our eyes on what is unseen (2 Corinthians 4:18) and endure.

    This is a painful process!

    We are being change and strengthened. We are growing and growing pains hurt. Like the Raku piece that is buried in wood shavings we feel forsaken. Left alone to fend for ourselves.

    But you are not alone, you are becoming!

    Becoming all that you were created to be! You are finding your true identity. The person you have been all along will no longer be hidden from you.

    Endure! You are stronger than you know!

    While the heat from the flames still burns in your soul, you may feel helpless. If all you can do is take one more breath, breathe. Breathe deeply. A breath will lead to a step. One step will become two and soon you will walk into your true identity into abundant life!

    Will your trials be over? No. Will the enemy of your soul no longer seek to destroy you? No, the fight doesn’t end but you will be more equipped for the war. You will be stronger and wiser. The smolder is a precious time. A forced slow down really, offering you time to reflect on what was and establish goals for what will be. This is a rare opportunity for a change in direction.

    Take it my friend, and fix your eyes firmly on what lies ahead, on things eternal. On the things that you cannot yet see!

    Embrace the pivot. Endure. Better days are just ahead.

  • Keep Your Chin Up: Heartache to Triumph

    Keep Your Chin Up: Heartache to Triumph

    Literally friend, “Keep your chin up.”

    These past couple years have completely flipped my world around. Nothing is as it was. Maybe you can relate. Maybe you’re still spinning in the whirlwind. I want to share with you something I gleaned in the flip.

    As I reach into the past, I’m looking for a specific memory that ended in disappointment. Now, I know that doesn’t sound exciting but bear with me. I have a treasure from this time that I want to give to you. It has served me well, and my hope is that you will gain from it also.

    Last year I found myself in need of a new dress, a very special dress. I grabbed my surrogate mother, Teresa, and together, we found The Dress. It fit well enough, but I decided to have it altered so that it would be a perfect, custom fit.

    I was so excited when I went in for the alteration appointment. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much. This was the first time I ever had a piece of clothing tailored just for me. I had never even considered it before!

    The Tailor was professional and careful to address all of my concerns. It wasn’t long before my dress resembled the pincushion he worked from. When he began to work on the floor-length hemline, he would tell me, “Chin up.” I’d lift my chin, and he would pin. A quarter turn from me, would be followed with “Chin up,” from him. Round and round we went until the dress was fully pinned up.

    He sent me to a central place in the store where several mirrors stood. Although the dress was beautiful before, it was even more stunning now. There was only one problem. I kept stepping on the dress! I was incredibly frustrated that I had to lift up the skirt just to walk without tripping.

    “What do you think of it?” He asked.

    “It is beautiful, but it’s too long. I keep stepping on the skirt,” I answered.

    “No. The length is right. You just need to keep your chin up. Try walking again, this time with your chin up.”

    I lifted my chin and floated effortlessly over the floor.

    The dress was the perfect length. The way I handled myself, was what caused all the trouble!

    I smile even now as I remember that moment. I learned from my Tailor, life goes smoother if I can keep my chin up and handle myself right.

    The occasion I had bought the dress for was canceled, and I no longer needed it. It was here in the midst of anguish that I found my treasure. I walked through this season and learned to “keep my chin up.” I exchanged a one-day dress for a beautiful life-lesson that I get to “wear” every day!

    I found a place where I can be excited for the person that will enjoy that dress. The one who will dance in that dress. I rest knowing that there is a plan and a purpose for all things. I see the situation now as a blessing. The Lord allowed me to have a hand in preparing the dress for someone else. I added a special part to someone else’s story.

    The Lord is so absolutely good to us! Nothing happens to us that is not first filtered through His heart of love.

    He promises in Romans 8:28 that He will work all things together for good, to them who love Him, and to them that are called according to His purpose.

    When I go out now, I literally lift my chin up and I see a whole new world! I notice more trees, flowers, and birds! I’m seeing the architecture of buildings in details I had never seen before!

    More importantly, I am seeing people.

    I see their joy, their sadness, their hurry… For the first time in my life, I am really seeing them. My life is so much fuller now than it ever was before. If it was the cost of a dress to find this freedom, then it was worth every penny.

    I don’t know the path you have to walk right now, but in the words of my Tailor, “Keep your chin up.“

    I say this figuratively, because there is always a bright spot to focus on, even on the darkest of days. We must endure. Step by step, and day by day.

    The breakthrough will come.

    I also say this to you literally. There is so much beauty that surrounds us. When you walk with your chin up, you will find yourself eye level with the people who are there for you. At eye level you can embrace the ones that are there, loving you and pouring into you.

    It is also at eye level, that once you have found your healing that you will see who you can help. The special place where you can pour.

    My friend, life is beautiful. Keep your chin up.

    Do you have a story of heartbreak to triumph? I’d love to hear it! Share in the comments below.

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  • Forgiveness – Part 2

    Forgiveness – Part 2

    A Work of Love

    Forgiveness is the greatest act of love one can show.

    When you really think about it, to forgive is to open the cell door of the guilty, and say, “You can go.” Even if they have shown no remorse and no change in behavior. We can swing wide the door of bitterness and unforgiveness and walk away.

    Jesus did this for us.

    When He accepted The Fathers will and died in our place on the cross, He, in effect said, “I forgive you! You are now free to live in Me.” The cell of our guilt was swung open with His death, and His resurrection that third morning. But there is a catch. We must have faith and believe that He died in our place, and accept the forgiveness He offers. Then we can begin to walk in newness of life. This is our choice. We can either accept the completed work of the cross and walk out of the cell, or we can sit there in front of an open door and stay in our guilt and shame.

    There is a Biblical truth found in the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi, that says, “It is in giving that we receive.”

    As we offer forgiveness and freedom to our offenders, we ourselves are the ones that walk in freedom!

    Praise God!!!

    When we truly forgive, we walk away from the most taxing jobs we ever had. While we kept our fist tightly, clenched around that key of unforgiveness, we had set ourselves up in the role of attorney and guard!

    As the Attorney,

    we set to prove the “crime” of this individual(s) and will go on tirelessly to convince the “jury” of this person’s guilt. Rehearsing the offense, being sure that everyone has understood every detail of the wrongdoings. But we can’t stop there. We need a defense, and so we gain others who will side with us and witness on our behalf. After all, we do need a strong case against the accused.

    Brief periods of recess occur, but once the accused name is brought up, court has resumed, and the vicious cycle continues.

    As the Guard,

    there are many sleepless nights. We replay everything that has happened. Over, and over, and over, and over, and… well you get the point. The guilty may or may not still be in our life. Yet we see them clearly in the picture of our mind. We hash and rehash what they did, and what we should have done differently. We can’t seem to let go. We say things like, “I forgive, but I will never forget.” I know for myself, when I have uttered those words, I still have a thorn of bitterness sunk deep into my soul. I may have started the process of forgiveness, but it is not a completed work.

    We can sit in the guard’s chair, twirling that key around our finger, so preoccupied with a job that was never ours to start with, and miss the world around us. Or, we can grip that key one final time to open the lock and offer freedom to those who hurt us.

    Full forgiveness.

    With the door wide open, we can hand the key to Jesus. The only One who was ever authorized to hold it, and walk in the freedom we were always meant to be living in.

    Friend, I want to encourage you, if you find yourself holding onto a key of bitterness and unforgiveness, let it go. I know how hard it can be, but I also know firsthand the reward that waits for you. Today confess with your mouth, that you forgive ________ for ________, and then pray for them. Pray for them to have all the things you want for yourself. It may take days, months, and maybe even years, but I promise you, it is worth the work of letting go.

    Maybe you’re reading this, and you have never accepted the forgiveness that Jesus offers. There is no better time than now to accept the forgiveness Jesus has for you.

    It is as easy as A, B, C

    A – Admit that you are a sinner

    B – Believe in your heart that Jesus is The Son of God, and that He died in your place on the cross

    C – Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and call upon Him for salvation

    Then shout it out! Tell someone, tell everyone!

    I’m praying for you, continue in the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12)

  • Forgiveness – Part 1

    Forgiveness – Part 1

    The Silence

    In the quiet hours of the morning, I sat in solitude. Before the house began to stir, I thought about past wrongs done to me. I had already made the decision to forgive these trespasses. Yet, it was in this moment, that it occurred to me, I don’t have to talk about it anymore.

    I realized that silence, is the final act of forgiveness.

    The more I thought on this new concept the more that it made sense. If I have truly forgiven a wrong done to me, why would I continue to talk about it? My eyes were now open.

    When I choose to think on, or talk about a wrong done to me, it stirs up fresh pain and anger. New life is breathed into past hurts. The offense becomes just as raw as when it first happened. Fresh tears stream down my cheeks while hurt and anger wrestle in my heart. I have opened a time portal and stepped aside to allow things from the past to creep in and rob my present. Any joy that I should be experiencing in this moment is forfeited and exchanged for a tromp in the mud and muck of the past instead.

    But oh, what freedom is found in full forgiveness! (more on that next week) No longer bound by the past, I can now live fully in the gift of today! I don’t have to give my time, thoughts, and conversations to those things that now lay behind me.

    It is the same when we come to a place of repentance and confess our sins to Jesus. When we accept His work of forgiveness, through His death, burial, and resurrection, He casts our sins as far as the east is from the west. Never to be remembered again (Psalm 103:12).

    That is Good News!

    Once we are forgiven, Jesus NEVER brings up our sins again.

    He doesn’t talk about it!

    So why do we?

    The name, “Christian” means belonging to Christ. It was first intended to be derogatory to the “mini-Christs” that were living out Jesus’ teachings. This stirs me to challenge all Christians.

    Let us live up to our name!

    Let us forgive in the fullness of Christs love. Let us stop talking about the terrible things that have been done to us. Instead let us now place our efforts in forgetting those things that are forgiven and fully live in the abundant life Jesus offers us now.

    As I close for today, I want to remind you that Final Victory Comes In The Silence! Stay strong in the faith my friend, spurring each other on in love and good works (Hebrews 10:24).

    Continue in the Good Fight of Faith (1 Timothy 6:12)

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  • Lessons from the book of Ruth

    Lessons from the book of Ruth

    Part 1 – Commitment

    As I meditate on the four chapters contained in the book of Ruth, the Lord continues to show me truths that apply to what our life and relationship with Christ should look like, now, as we live for His kingdom purposes in this foreign land.

    The definition from Oxford Languages explains the word commitment as the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.

    Back Story: The book of Ruth opens with a famine in the land of Israel. Preservation in mind, Elimelech gathers his wife Naomi and their two sons and journey to Moab. Moab was a pagan nation birthed from the incestuous relationship the daughters of Lot had with their father after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 19:29-38) The Moabites did not serve Yahweh the God of Israel but instead served the false gods Chemosh and Astarte. In the time span of about 10 years, Naomi’s husband and two sons die, leaving her and her two Moabite daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth widowed. With empty hands and a report that the famine in Israel is over, Naomi releases Orpah and Ruth to return to their families and to the gods of their land as she is resolved to return to Israel. Orpah kisses Naomi goodbye but Ruth clung to her mother-in-law.

    And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for wither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, if more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. (Ruth 1:16-18 KJV)

    What I see with Ruth is that her life was not altered until she made a commitment to Naomi that she would follow her, even to death. However, greater than her commitment to Naomi was her commitment to The One True God, The God of Israel. It was at this moment when she made a commitment to follow Him, that He became her God. Her life was radically altered, and she began to live in the blessings and favor of God.

    So, it is with us, we can live a mediocre life with the knowledge of who God is, but it isn’t until we make that full commitment, when we take a stance and say, “You alone God, will I serve. You alone, will I live for. You alone, will be my God,” that our life takes on new form. Once we make a steadfast declaration to God, to live this moment and every future moment dedicated to Him, we enter into a place where spiritually we begin to glean in the fields of The Lord Most High.

    I’d like to encourage you to evaluate where you stand before God, right now.

    Are you like Orpah, who knows of God but would rather return to the familiar things that this world has to offer, or are you like Ruth, who is ready to forsake all things to pursue the Living God, the True God Jehovah?

    As I think back, I can still clearly see the moment that I fully committed my life to the Lord God. When similar to Ruth, I made the decision that I would stand for God alone, that He would be my God. I drew my line in the sand, and nothing has been the same since. He is my All in All, everything else is dust. I implore you today, to make a commitment to the Lord, to pursue Him with every fiber of your being and to serve Him alone. I promise you this, you will never regret selling out for the Kingdom of God.

    And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. (Matthew 19:29 KJV)