A few months ago, I saw a scene that was a heartbreaking, painful jolt into the reality of those that have lost their homes because of the dire housing market in Florida. A family of four that included two small children appeared to be living out of their storage facility.  They were sitting at a table with the storage door open, eating a meal while their clothes and what seemed to be most of what they owned, were scattered about inside the storage room. It seemed that every time I went to the storage facility, they were there; just sitting together, eating or hanging out listening to music; like they were in their own living room in the comfort of their own home.

It’s a scary place to be – to lose your home; to lose your job; to hit rock bottom; to find yourself in a dark pit, struggling to climb out and wondering if you will ever see the light of day. This is the first time in my life that I personally know at least twenty people that are either unemployed, have suffered a reduced income, have filed for bankruptcy, have lost their home or are in the process of foreclosure.  When we find ourselves in a situation where the present is gloomy and our future is facing foreclosure, it is easy for fear to creep in and threaten the faith that abides in us. After all, we’re human and having no control over our circumstances or our future can evoke a strong sense of fear.

Matthew 6:34:  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I’ve always been told to “plan my life or end up becoming a part of somebody else’s plan.” While planning is good, we sometimes tend to obsess over the future to the point that it takes away from the present.  Most people that I talk to never imagined that they would be in their current predicament and most of them had a plan.  As much as we plan, the future still remains uncertain. What is certain and unchanging, however, is that God is all-knowing. All we need to be concerned about is placing our trust in the One that knows; carrying out His plan; doing what we are presently called to do and moving forward under His guidance. I can’t tell you how many times I carved out a path for myself only to be guided in another direction.  When I make lofty plans I am sometimes lovingly reminded by my mother that “Man appoints and God disappoints.” God’s intention though is not to hurt or disappoint us, but to steer us in the direction that is best for us because He loves us; because He wants to protect us and because He knows more than we will ever know.

I once read a quotation that says “What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.” Thank God that what lies within us is His Spirit and we need not fear for He is always watching over us, always guiding us and always planning for our future. All we are called to do is to trust Him and take comfort in the fact that, if we give Him full control, He has promised do take care of all our needs.

Psalm 55:22: Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you; He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Hello, my name is _________ and I’m a people pleaser
The disapproval of others, I can’t bare to suffer
Addicted to opinions and the fix of instant praise
Convicted by the crime of compromise that seldom pays

When they don’t agree with what I say
When they would rather I do it their way
Though God is leading me in one direction
I yield, for fear of facing their rejection

A fool that has become a master juggler
Of views and judgments that hardly ever matter
Forced into decisions that are rarely my own
Saying yes instead of no, just to appease their groan

I’m here today because I seek freedom
From the enslaving chains of approval addiction
I’m under their thumb and can’t take it no more
I’m an approval junkie in dire need of a cure

© Copyright A.K.Browne, All Rights Reserved

Don’t you just hate it when you promise someone that you’re going to do something that they asked you to do, but because you don’t do it at the exact moment that they want it, they go ahead and do it for themselves—-while you’re already working on it?! Recently, a very good friend of mine did just that.  He asked me to do something for him that he desperately needed and I promised him that I would and that he would have it by a certain time.  He’s known me for a very long time and from previous experiences, he knows that I always deliver on my promises.

As I was working on his request, I had some unforeseen distractions and was a bit delayed in getting it to him.  You can imagine my offense when – just as I was finishing up his request- I received an email from him that he had decided to work on it because I was taking too long.  Hello?!  At that point, what could I really do? He showed me what he did and in turn I showed him what I had done. Not to toot my own horn, but he admitted that what I had done was better and decided to use it.

This incident prompted me to think about our tendency to step ahead of God. We ask him for something; we know He can and will deliver but because He does not do it according to our timeframe, and we can’t wait, we do our own thing. What happens when we try to step ahead of God is that we lose out on the best that He has for us. In most cases, we also make a mess of our current situation and delay what He already had in the works for us.  I can’t tell you how many times, in my immature faith; I stepped ahead of God because I was too impatient to wait. I thought that what I was doing would get me what I wanted and what was best for me only to be left, in the end, with ashes.  In some cases when I took matters into my own hands, I dug myself a deep hole and then had to turn to God to help me climb out.   If only I had waited on His perfect timing. If only I had relied on His insight, His might, His understanding, His will and not my own. If only I had done this, I could have saved myself a lot of grief and avoided missteps that have only veered me off course and stolen precious time. If only.

Proverbs 3:5:  Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding

It is often quoted that “God helps those who help themselves.” Though this quote is not in the bible, we are encouraged to step out in faith; however, we should always seek God’s direction, guidance and ultimately His will for our lives.  Stepping out in faith doesn’t necessarily mean stepping ahead of God and taking matters into our own hands. Stepping out in faith means letting Him lead the way; seeking continual guidance and trusting that He will direct our paths.  Stepping out in faith means that when He closes a door, we don’t make a window just to jump around the closed door, but wait in faith for another opening which, in His good timing, He will provide.  Waiting on His timing while praying for His guidance, saves us time in the long run. You may feel that you can no longer wait on Him but trust that He can and will deliver on His promises to you.  He knows you more than you know yourself and He knows what is best for you.  More importantly, He is working on filling your needs, even though you can’t see it.  I was working on my friend’s request even though he thought I wasn’t and I was doing my best to provide something that would aptly suit his need.

Are you waiting on something that you have prayed for, maybe for a very long time? Keep trusting and keep seeking His direction. Don’t step ahead of Him but stay in step with Him, remaining in obedience and trusting and seeking His guidance.

(Reflection – Think about the story of Abraham and Sarah. God promised Abraham that he would one day be the father of many nations, but he had no children.  Abraham and Sarah waited on God’s promises and at one time took matters into their own hands only to bear the grief of that decision.  True to His word, however, God granted them a son when they were well beyond their child bearing years.  God used them to reveal His glory and to show that He always comes through, right on time. Genesis Chaps. 15-21)

I’ve seen it many times in photos, on TV and in movies, but never in person. I took its beauty for granted as it always seemed unreal to me.  I never appreciated the majesty of this place, until recently.  It was a clear, sunny morning and we were filled with anticipation as we set out to see one of America’s natural hidden treasures.   Anticipation evolved into anxiety as the five hour bus ride brought with it the usual discomfort one would experience, being cramped into a confined space with 46 strangers.  We were all from different walks of life but we all shared one journey and one destination – the Grand Canyon.

To witness this natural wonder firsthand, is to experience God’s majestic artistry around you.  It truly appeared like someone painted a grand mural and laid it out there; it was surreal, but so real.   The grandeur and majestic beauty of this place are indescribable and photos cannot capture its essence or the feeling that overcomes you when you stand in the presence of one of God’s awe-inspiring creations. For some, it is easy to get lost in the scientific explanations about how the Grand Canyon came to be; I prefer to get lost in the splendor of my Father’s handiwork.

As I stood 7,000 ft. high on this magnificent mountain, I was breathless. The thin air may have contributed to this feeling, but the glory of God which surrounded me, took my breath away. I was amazed and also overcome by a strong sense of pride – “My God made this! Wow! He is truly the Artist of all artists!”

Psalm 19: 1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork”

Nothing that we have belongs to us. It all belongs to God. We are merely stewards taking care of the assets that He has graciously bestowed to us. Some churches tend to preach more on tithing than on the importance of good stewardship and fiscal responsibility. Many of us are devout ‘tithers’ that frivolously mismanage our finances yet expect to reap a harvest. God is always gracious and in His infinite wisdom, it does happen in some cases. In most other cases, however, we become frustrated when the hole we are digging for ourselves becomes deeper and deeper and our cries for financial blessings go unanswered.

If I was a financial planner, would I expect my client to give me additional assets if I was mismanaging what was already given to me? No way! How can we then expect more when we’re being irresponsible with what He has allowed us to have? How can we expect to increase our wealth when we’re living beyond our means and constantly approaching life with a “buy now, pay later” mentality? I’ve been there; I’ve done that; I’ve paid later; I’ve paid greater; greater than what it was originally worth; greater that the value it actually brought to my life.

In the financially challenging times of life, I learned valuable lessons in good stewardship and reaped the benefits. Those lessons were the result of many tests; some that I failed; some that I passed. One of those tests found me at a Sports Authority needing to purchase some new sneakers. It came down to a $95 pair of Nikes vs. a $40 pair of Wilsons. At that time of my life I was on a strict budget but those Nikes were tempting! The Wilsons were on sale and were even more comfortable, but of course, not as stylish. I chuckled to myself when I asked God which one to buy – like I didn’t already know the answer I would get!

Lord, please grant us the wisdom we need, to manage Your assets efficiently, effectively and productively. Show us the areas of our finances that we need to address and help us especially to treat tithing and offerings with the highest priority. Help us to become good stewards for all the assets you have bestowed upon us knowing and believing that in doing this, Your will in our lives will be fulfilled. Thank You Lord from whom all blessings flow!

Romans 13:14 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts”

Love lifts and escalates to fits of laughter
Loves excites just like a ride on a rollercoaster

Love liberates and breaks the chains that enslave
Love heals with a boundless grace that saves

Love serves, it washes feet without reservation
Love extends, it reaches without limitation

Love corrects, it never leaves you to falter
Love breaks, transcends you and makes you stronger

Love prays for you more than it prays for itself
Love values and never puts you to the test

Love sows mercy at the risk of reaping enmity
Love forgives completely without reciprocity

Love protects and shelters you from the storms of life
Love perseveres and overcomes in times of strife

Love hastens and is there in a heartbeat
Love never questions even in the face of defeat

Love denies self and gives with no restrictions
Loves lives, it lives to please without conditions

Love breathes as one, in perfect synchronization
Love loves perfectly without reason or ration


© Copyright A.K.Browne, All Rights Reserved