He Blows Me Away

Have you ever had everything lined up to go in one direction, only to have it do a 180 in less than 24 hours? That is what happened to me this week. Jer. 33:3

As you know, I had everything lined up so I could relocate to Florida. My household was packed. The handyman had come to do some work on my rental townhouse. I had the lawn spiffed up. The movers were secured for Wed., March 2. I was lining up a maid service to clean after everything was out of here. I had secured a storage unit to put my belongings in. I had my final visit with my doctor. I scheduled lunches with people to say goodbye. Things were moving forward. Josh. 1:9

All the while, I continued to pray that God would direct my paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

And he did direct my paths… just in a different direction. 

At the end of last week, someone I knew very well reached out to me. He wanted to discuss me helping his company build out their external communication efforts. This contact was totally unexpected and way outside the realm of what I ever thought God would do. (Yes, there is more to this story.) Job 23:14

The bottom line is that I’m not moving. God provided exactly what I needed and I am staying in Charleston for four more months… maybe more. Job 22:28

Jer. 33:3: Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

Learning from Master Photographers

As I continue to hone my photography skills, I look to the work of other talented photographers who have mastered the art. This Post and Courier article showcases the work of a friend of mine. How cool is that? (There are a series of nine photos if you click through to the article.)

Charleston photographer Andrea Williams earned an Honorable Mention in National Wildlife magazine’s annual photo contest for 2010, which drew nearly 50,000 entries.

"A blessing is not always easy, painless, simple, comfortable or expected. A blessing often comes, wrapped in the mystery of darkness. But I am learning this truth - anything that makes us cry out to God can be counted as a blessing." From Girlfriends In God 

Read Matt 14:22-33

"With God by our side, we should have no fear of the unknown.  With no fear of the unknown, we should be ready, willing, and able to push ourselves out of our comfort zones and experience the full possibilities that God has waiting for us." From The Whisper of God

It came to pass

I was listening to a former pastor of mine, Jeff Schreve, preach through streaming video. Many of the things he shared spoke to me, but one in particular stood out.

The Bible says "It came to pass...*" The Bible never says it came to stay...

Think about that for a moment. "It came to pass..." To me this loudly proclaims that whatever we are going through is not permanent. It WILL pass.

So the choice is up to us. We can wallow in things and have a self-pity party. OR we can choose to make the most of the trials we are going through.

I chose to make the most of the trials I go through by putting my trust in Him. How about you?


*Came to pass is mentioned 2,761 times in the Bible. Cool little factoid, aye?!

Helping others can be humorous

The following is a true story. The *person it happened to has asked me to keep their name out of my recount. Although, I must confess this is just adorable and completely innocent. But don't let me influence your thoughts. You be the judge...

A woman was sitting in her car in a busy parking lot when an elderly lady knocked on the driver's window. Being cautious, the woman cracked her window open just enough to have a conversation. Apparently the elderly lady was a bit lost and had been scouring the parking lot looking for her rental car and husband.

The ensuing conversation led to the good Samaritan volunteering to drive the 85 year old around the parking lot to find her missing husband. I'll cut to the chase and let you know that everything ended well and said spouse and wife were happily reunited.

During the quest to find the missing hubby and car, the woman - who was doing her good deed for the day - began looking for men seated in cars. Specifically, she was looking for any man that appeared to be waiting for his shopping wife. (We women know that particular look well, so a man like this was not too hard to spot.)

Upon finding a vehicle that contained a waiting elderly man, the Samaritan hopped out of her car and ran up to the prospective missing husband's window. Upon tapping on the window she innocently asked, "Excuse me, sir. Are you looking for a wife?"

Apparently he was not looking for a wife nor was he missing one. So the quest continued.

It wasn't until after this story was shared that the Samaritan realized what she asked the stranger. I'm certain that man had a good laugh for the rest of the evening, as well as a story to share with his friends for days to come.

*And by the way, the good Samaritan was my mother. (She gave me permission to share it was her after she read my blog post.)

Tips for Fighting the Odds

"The King's Speech" is a fabulous recount of the history of Queen Elizabeth's father. Viewers who look closely can learn how to fight against insurmountable odds. The film shares the story of King George VI and how he reluctantly came to the throne of England.

King George VI,  known as Bertie by his family, developed the habit of stammering at a very young age due to fears developed through some negative childhood experiences. While stuttering may not seem to be a huge difficulty to some, it was an enormous burden for George as he was required to speak publicly regularly.

Without delving into a detailed review of the movie, let me go ahead share some pointers about fighting the odds that can be found in this true story:

• Perseverance is key: No matter what you are going through, stand strong in trials. In turn, you will build strong character that can help guide you during difficult times. (Romans 5:3-4 & Romans 8:25)
• Overcome fear: Fearfulness can be dissolved when we commit to letting go of it and concentrate on the blessings in your life. (Isaiah 41:10 & Phil. 4:8)
• Focus, focus, focus: Set your eyes on your goals and you will achieve them. Do not allow others to try and dissuade you. (Phil. 3:13-15)
• You are not alone: Recognize those who stand by you during your times of need. Those who walk beside you and lift you up during the difficult times are to be treasured. (Prov. 17:17 & Prov. 18:24)

Have you seen the movie or read about The Reluctant King? If so, perhaps you can share additional tips for fighting the odds.