Day 172 See as I See

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:29-30

So many people in my life are in transition. It can be a stressful time if we let it.

My great-nephew Kohl finished pre-school and is preparing for kindergarten.

My great-niece Jade completed elementary school and is looking forward to junior high.

My niece Laura's years in middle school are over and she'll move on to a new high school.

My nephew Joe graduated high school and is heading to college in the fall.

My niece Brooke graduated from the U of Montana and is now a member of the working class.

My niece Trisha will add another family member when she is induced tomorrow. We'll welcome a new baby boy to the family.

As we move from one season of our life to another we can take on burdens that are not meant to be ours.

In this season of busyness and transition it's easy to miss what God wants us to see.

How about giving the burden of transition to the Lord. He'll make it light and give us rest for our souls.

God Bless your heart with rest.

Gigi

http://www.gigimurfitt.com/

The idea for this blog post came from the June 21 entry in God Calling by AJ Russell.

Day 143 Little Frets

Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. Song of Solomon 2:15

 Have you ever had a nagging wound or maybe a tiny hang nail that bothers you all day? Sometimes it is all you can think about. You pick at it or play with it. It distracts you. You lose productivity.

Isn't it better to just deal with it before ruining your entire day?

"Your lack of control is not due to the big burdens, but to your permitting the little frets and cares and burdens to accumulate." P. 154 God Calling

As my mom got older she had a tendency to accumulate the burdens of her large extended family. It eventually led to depression.

I'm trying to start each day new so I don't accumulate the little frets. I lay my burdens at the cross moment by moment. Then I ask Him for the direction of my next assignment so I don't take on more than I can bear.

It is a way to live in peace.

God Bless your heart with peace and joy

Gigi

www.GigiMurfitt.com

The theme for this post came from May 23 devotion in the book edited by A.J. Russell titled God Calling. It is published by Barbour Publishing.

Day 74 Your Cross is You

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

I once saw a bumper sticker that said No God, No Peace – Know God, Know Peace.

Peace is hard to come by in the days and seasons in which we live. Without God I really do not know peace.

We all have a cross to bear. Each one is unique. The way we handle the cross given to each of us can make a world of difference in the outcome of our lives.

I'm in a transition season in my life. I'm working through some issues that I believe God is using to sharpen my bow so that when my story plays out it sounds beautiful.

Some of the things I've held on to might be hindering the activity God has set out for me to accomplish.

There is a work in store for our lives that will help families who deal with disability. There is a work that will help set the captive free.

I have no doubt. God has revealed this plan to me over and again over the past twenty years.

So I'm cleaning out the garage in my heart where I've stuffed some things I didn't know what to do with for many years. In this process I've lanced some deep wounds that have now received much needed treatment.

They are infected places that have festered over the years. They are hurts I buried so deep in my soul trying to forget.

But God has asked me to bring them out into the light so He can heal them.

In the process of dealing with these hurts on my own I can sometimes lose sight of the beauty and gifts around me. It's a heavy load that keeps my head down. I need to look up to see the hope on the horizon.

I've tried to bear all these burdens on my own. Because I keep a journal I tend to think that since I've written them down I've dealt with them.

So wrong! My friend Karen reminded me that the Scripture says "Confess your sin one to another and you shall be healed."

It does not say confess your sin into your journal. Talking some of this stuff out has brought amazing healing.

There is only one place for these burdens, at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ.

God has asked me to crucify my selfish acts and thoughts because they only slow down my progress of healing. His Spirit of life can't always make it into my heart and soul if it's crowded with the heavy load I'm trying to bear without His help.

So as I open some doors of my heart that were closed many moons ago, I've been nailing them to the cross so the blood of Jesus can begin the healing process.

I don't want to hinder my progress any longer. God has a plan to use the stories to help others – even those pain filled stories.

I'm ready for some peace. How about you?

If you have burdens you need to lay down, I hope you find a pastor, priest or counselor to talk it out with.  Comment to this blog post or email me on Facebook if you need me to pray with you about a burden you are carrying.  You don't have to carry it alone. (Comments are monitored by me and not automatically published to my blog.)

God wants to give you peace.

God Bless Your Heart,
Gigi
http://www.gigimurfitt.com/


The idea for this blog post came from the devotion on March 15 in the God Calling book edited by AJ Russell.

Day 4 Journal the Journey – Do Not Plan

Today's verse is Matthew 11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." This is one of my favorite verses. It is timely as I begin a new year.

Do not plan – what a funny idea at the beginning of a new year when everyone is setting New Year's resolutions. I've been plannings out my goals for the coming year. But I think God wants me to remember that His plan is so much better than any plan I might design. I think I'll check with Him before I finalize any of my plans.

I was thinking about my life the other day. It turned out different than I had planned. I went to college and earned a degree in Business Administration with emphasis in Accounting. I studied and passed the CPA exam. My plan was to head up the corporate ladder and remain on top as a "big wig" for a large firm. But God had a different plan. He changed my heart and rearranged my priorities.

Now I work part time and enjoy freedom from corporate hassles. The three-letter CPA (Certified Public Accountant) acronym that once followed my name on a business card now has a totally different meaning for me – Cherished, Precious and Adored. These three words might not add a few digits to my paycheck but I like them all the same.

My original plan also included having a large family. I thought I'd have at least five children. I loved growing up in a family of ten children. But God had a different plan and prepared the way for me to be the mother of two wonderful boys. This gives me more time to spend on the issues of our special needs son, Gabe. I also have more time to write as we transition to an empty nest.

God's plan has proven to be so much better because I have to admit that sometimes my plans become my burdens. Plans for better health, financial improvements, writing goals for books or newsletters all carry a burden to finish the goal I set. God is asking me to give my plan to Him one day at a time.

I'll ask the Holy Spirit on a daily basis about the plan for that day. I have a feeling that the best part of my plan is to spend more time with Him. And I know He will give me rest.

"Christ is the Great Burden Bearer. You cannot bear His load and He only expects you to carry a little day-share." (p14 God Calling)

I hope you will give God your plans today. God Bless Your Heart.

The idea for this blog post was taken from my journal entry in a wonderful book titled God Calling published by Barbour Publishing ©1950.