My One Word for 2014

It's been a long time since I've posted.  I would look at the blank page, feel overwhelmed, and hit the red "x" to leave it all behind.

So much has happened in the past few months that I wanted to share, but with life racing by at 100 miles an hour it was hard - and "I'm too busy" provided me with the perfect excuse not to face the blank page.  My One Word for 2013 - Consistency - taunted me from inside its pretty little blog button.

Still, nothing flowed forth.

Truth is, when I find my words have dried up like this I can always trace it back to one thing...I haven't made the time to go to the Well the way I should. I know where I need to go to wash off life's grit.  Or to quench my thirst. Or to get filled up so that the words I am given splash over onto the pages of this blog.

I've just start reading Mark Batterson's convicting and challenging book "All In" and that's where I want to be.  All in.  Not just drinking from the Well, but fully submerged in it.  Holding nothing back.  Fully committed.  Fully trusting. Excited to be on a life journey with the ultimate road trip Trio.

Will there be bumps along the way?  I can count on it.  This year brought about many hard things that still need resolution.  Like where I will live.

But I am learning to trust God more and more with EVERY detail, every concern.

So that will be my One Word this year.  Trust.

I debated over several powerful words. Balance.  Surrender. Consistency (again).  Wait.

But for me, Trust covers it all. When I trust God, there will be balance in my life.  And when I trust Him, it requires that I surrender my will to His. Trust brings about consistency because trusting Him in the small things makes it easier to trust Him with the big things - like believing there will be a roof over my head in some way, shape, or form.  And trust is the only cure for impatience!  To wait on Him requires complete trust because our timetable never looks like His.

I've got a Scripture for this year too.

Proverbs 3:5- 6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."  

I can trust God because He is good.  And faithful.  And loving.  And consistent.  And He withholds NOTHING that He deems good for me if I follow Him.  And because He is perfect, I can trust His judgement on that.

Among other things, in 2014, I will trust God for a place to live and a ministry that will have eternal impact.

What will you trust Him for?

Wild Goose Chase

Dictionary.com defines a wild goose chase as "a wild or absurd search for something non-existent or unobtainable."

A friend of mine gave the "wild and absurd" portion of this definition a whole new meaning.




Thing is, she wasn't chasing the goose in this scenario...it kind of chased her.

She was driving across a bridge that connects New Jersey to Pennsylvania. It's very narrow and the speed limit is only 15 mph. All of a sudden, a goose flew into her car.

No, it didn't hit her car...it literally flew INTO her car from the open passenger side window!

Somehow, with the wings of the bird beating against her in panic and her young daughter screaming in fright, the car did not spin out of control and the goose flew out the driver side window.

Upon its escape, the bird held up traffic on the bridge as it stood squarely in the middle of the two lane span getting everyone's attention.

My friend's status on Facebook received, not surprisingly, over 3 dozen comments - from the concerned "are you all right?" and  "Did he hurt you?" to the comical "Did you duck?," "At least your goose wasn't cooked" and my personal fav "Affflllaaccckkk!".

Everyone including the goose escaped unharmed, but the incident reminded me of a book by Mark Batterson: "Wild Goose Chase."

Part of the book intro reads “Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life."  

This particular goose certainly provided an element of danger and unpredictability! 

The intro goes on to say "most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure.”

Some people assume a Christian life is boring...that we have 'no fun.' I guess they figure we sit hands folded, back straight, sucking on lemons all day.

Nothing could be farther from the truth!  When you follow God's lead with full abandon, He will take you places you never thought you would or could go.

I've seen modern day miracles and answers to prayer, and these days, I live life expecting God to show up in a big way and He never disappoints. Honestly, there is nothing boring about life when God is on the move.

A life without God IS a wild goose chase...a pursuit of everything but obtaining nothing. But a life with the Wild Goose is one that pursues and achieves. It taps into the unseen, not the non-existent.

Are you ready for adventure?

To be sure, when the Wild Goose enters the picture He will mix things up and the ride will be unforgettable.

You will stop traffic and people will take notice.

You'll want to share what's happened with your friends because the whole thing is just so unbelievable.

There may be an element of danger or at least a hint of unpredictability because living a life with the Wild Goose behind the wheel takes the control out of your hands.

Are you ready to let go and follow the Wild Goose?