Day 74

On this 74th Day of  The Red Shoe Project, I want to share an incredible exercise with you.  As a woman in RED shoes,  I understand all too well what it's like to have "Anxiety Build-up."  It's only human to have cares and concerns, but  I've also learned the importance of  "Casting my cares upon the Lord."  


First...  Understand that Worry and Anxiety are the opposite of Faith.  Worry is fear generated.




Although you may think that God will feel bad for you and come along side and comfort you, in reality.... when Worry builds up like a pile of dirty laundry... it is an invitation for the enemy to torment you!  He will use it to rob you of every ounce of peace that you possess.

What God does want you to do is:

• Acknowledge your concerns, 
• Turn them over to Him, 
• and then Let them go!  

Philippians 4:6-7 says...

"Be anxious for nothing, 

but in all things, 

through prayer and supplication, 

with thanksgiving, 

make your requests known unto God."

When we do that... 

"... the peace of God which transcends all understanding

will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus."

This is so important, because we connect with God the best,  

( that is, we sense His Presence), when we are relaxed and at peace.

So I totally understand how all that can sound good... but doing it can be an entirely different story.  This exercise will help you. (You may want to have a friend read the instructions, while you do it.)

•  Start off by acknowledging a concern.  For example... let's say you have a financial situation that needs God's provision.  It's your daughter's birthday, and you don't have any money for a card and gift... not even a small one.  Instead of worrying about that, here's what you're going to do: 

•  Sit back in your chair.  Get comfortable.  Close your eyes.  Pretend you are little.  Put on your 10 year old mindset.  Can you picture yourself as a kid?

•  Now pick up an imaginary balloon.  Give it a little stretch before you blow it up.  Not yet!  First, tell God what your concern is.  "God, you know it's Mary's birthday.  I'd like to be able to get her a small gift.  I need you to provide."

•   Now hold that imaginary balloon up to your lips and blow into it.  Blow that concern into the balloon.  Picture the words in your mind,  "Please provide for Mary's gift!"  going into the balloon with each breath.   Do you sense the balloon getting larger?  Blow again. "God, Help me get a gift for Mary!"   Keep blowing until you feel like you've got the entire request out of your mind and into the balloon. "God... Mary will be so disappointed if she has nothing on her birthday.  Please help!"  You'll feel the balloon getting bigger and bigger and bigger.

•   Now tie off the end of the balloon.  Hold the balloon in your hands in front of you.  Is it a big balloon?  I know mine was.  Can you feel it trying to float away.  Don't let it go yet!  

•  As you release your hold on the balloon and let it go --  Shout at the top of your lungs... "FREEDOM!"   Make it a long, loud shout!  "FREEDOM!"   There it goes!!!   It's floating away!  Its just drifting upward to the heavens. And there's God taking it up into the clouds. 

•   Now give thanks to the Lord! Thank Him for taking your cares from you.  Feel free to clap your hands... Jump for joy... Come on... Do your own little Victory Dance right now!  If you don't know how to do that... just wiggle!  That's it!  Wiggle.  If you are doing this with a friend, hold hands and jump up and down together.  Rejoice!!!  Smiling and Laughing are strongly encouraged!  Spend at least 5 minutes doing this step.  

As I continue to dance a little longer and Thank God for His goodness,  I hope you have "Let go" with me.  

FREEDOM is a very Good thing!

In RED sneakers,

Gail

Day 73

As the clock is nearing midnight, Day 73 of  The Red Shoe Project has almost come to an end.  I've already kicked off my RED shoes for the night and begun to rejoice in this wonderful day.    It was awesome!!!  Why?  Because I connected with God in so many magnificent ways.   Yahoo!!!!!!!   That's something to get excited about!  It's worth shouting over.  It's worthy of a joyous victory dance, right here in my living room!  I'm taking a little time to laugh, smile, and give thanks... right here, right now!  Woo-hoo!

This morning I met with a group of people who are searching and seeking for God.  We talked about a scripture found in Jeremiah 2:13...

"My people have committed two sins:

They have forsaken me,

the spring of living water, 

and have dug their own cisterns, 

broken cisterns that cannot hold water."

Basically, God presented Himself to His people, like an incredible never ending fountain of clean, rushing water.   Not only did they not receive Him... but they chose a cheap imitation in His place.  Their idols are likened unto collected rain water in a man-made holding tank that leaked, and eventually became stagnant.

Unfortunately, many people today are still making that same mistake.  Think about it!  God offers us Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness and Self-Control, all packaged into a relationship with Him.  Yet many don't even consider His offer.  Instead, they try to obtain those very same things from idols like... Money,  Parties,  Relationships,  Career,  Education,  etc. etc. etc.  And you know what?  None of those things will ever Satisfy the Soul!

I'm excited because I've decided to jump right into that Stream of Living Water.  What the heck?  Anyone thirsty?  Uncomfortable? Hot?  Sticky?  This Living Water is cool, thirst-quenching, nourishing, healing, freeing and refreshing!  Come on... Won't you join me?  I'm diving in!

Later this afternoon, I went by a little pizza shop to grab a quick bite to eat and see a friend.  I was reading a testimony of the Transforming Power of the Holy Spirit in a person's life.  Suddenly and quite unexpectedly,  I sensed the presence of God welling up within me.  It was like a rushing river ready to explode!  I  quickly paid my bill and got out of there before I completely lost it!  I jumped into my car, where I could shed a few tears of joy and talk freely with God.  That testimony stirred up such an incredible desire to want to see people come to know Christ! 

"Lord...  What can I do God to see the people around me transformed like the person in that story?  What?  Please tell me!  I want to see that happen in my world!  Right here, in my life, in my community, amongst my family and friends! I must know!"

I sat there quietly with my head bowed just listening.  He answered me -- in the most conversation-like way -- as if he were sitting right there in the seat next to me.  He said,  

"Just tell people about me.  Tell them what I'm doing in your life."  

The realization of my inability to make a miracle happen... a healing... any kind of transformation in anyone's life, smacked me in the face like a cold, wet towel.   

"That's my part Gail.  That's what I do!  You don't have to worry about that.  After all, this is a partnership."

I wondered to myself...  don't I need to know all sorts of fancy stuff... Bible talk... maybe an eloquent message of sorts?

"No... just testify of Me... In fact, you can talk about almost anything... it doesn't matter all that much.  I'll take care of it!"

Ahhhhhh!  God is so Good!  I don't know how He does it... but I've witnessed it time and time again,  He does this miraculous thing where someone says something to a crowd, and each person listening is so sure that God was specifically speaking directly to them.  It's one of those "God things!"

Finally, I sat down at my computer, this evening, and listened to a great message by a Woman of God on YouTube.  I don't have the time to give all that to you now, but let me just say this...  

It was life-changing!  It brought answers to questions I had been asking God.  What can I say?  Today was another  day of Transformation for me!  How great is that?

I'm closing down for the night, but before I do,

I am ending this wonderful day of  The Red Shoe Project with "The Happy Song,"  

doing a little jig, then heading off to bed!

Until tomorrow, 

Gail

Day 72 of  The Red Shoe Project has found me wearing a band-aid on my little toe while I run around in my sparkly RED shoes.  It seems my Ruby Reds have given me a bit of a blister.  Ouch!  New shoes tend to do that!  They rub against a part of your foot that's not used to continual contact.

So, it's Decision Time...  

Are these shoes worth it?  

If so, I will have to endure the breaking in period.  

Endure means to suffer patiently, tolerate, and put up with.

The Breaking In Period is the time it takes to get comfortable with something new, so that you are moving easily and gracefully with it.  

As my faith is growing with The Red Shoe Project, I have noticed there's a little discomfort involved.  For one, my time schedule has changed.  I'm up late at night writing, which means I sleep later in the morning.  I know that may sound wonderful to some,  but I sometimes feel like half my day is gone before I even get moving. 



Secondly, my financial situation has changed.  I used to know very specifically where the money was coming from and when.  I had put together a system of spending, saving, and bill paying that worked rather nicely.

Thirdly, I've noticed that my appearance has changed.  Daily, I was running around town in upscale, corporate clothing.  I must admit, I had put together quite a fashionable wardrobe.

Lastly, my job is different.  My calendar used to be very structured.  Everything happened on the same day, same time, month after month.  It was predictable!

So...  Is it worth it?  Is my new life worth this discomfort?  
Okay... I can hear some of you shouting at me, "Are you crazy? What's your problem?"  LOL.

There are many people who would die to sleep late.  Yeh!  Most days, I don't even use an alarm clock! How nice is that?  I'm slowly adapting to a new sleep pattern so that I get enough sleep, and re-working my schedule so that I can make the most of it.

Secondly, I've had a huge financial breakthrough!  Finally, I am living by faith, and it's working.  Yes... it's a life of daily manna, but that's ok... it's exciting to see God working in this way!  In fact, I'm rather fascinated by the whole process!

Thirdly, let me consider my wardrobe.  I absolutely LOVE the RED shoes!  I'm not sure I'll ever wear another color shoe again -- Not to mention that they cause me to catch what Christ is doing each day. I don't want to change that... ever!  The clothing end is crazy.  I haven't quite figured out what my new style will be.  LOL. Generally speaking... my new work allows me to be much more casual.

Most of the people I work with 

are looking for what's in me, 

not what's on me.  

They are checking out my words and actions, not my fashion style. A more comfortable look on me makes them feel more comfortable with me.  As a spiritual writer, speaker and coach... they know that I can relate to them.  They know that I'm like them.  I haven't presented to them a package of perfection that we often do in business.  My job is about being authentic and relevant. And what's more real than jeans, a shirt and a smile?

Finally, my calendar is loosely structured and rarely predictable. (Is predictable another word for boring?) These days it all about "the Adventure."  Yahoo!!!  I never know what God is going to do... but He's always doing something.  And as I learn to flow with Him, He invites me, more and more, to partner with Him in His work.  I'm loving that I continually get a front row seat to watch Him do the miraculous... not just in my life but in the lives of others.  What's better than that?

Why is it that changing our routine is so difficult?

That's what this is really all about.  My routine is changing.  Someone asked me yesterday if I liked what I was doing these days.  I almost jumped out of my seat with enthusiasm.  I'm writing, creating, teaching, facilitating, coaching, praying, believing, growing and loving every minute of it!  I am having the time of my life!

I'm also realizing that as CHANGE is taking place, I've got to shed the old ways and embrace the new.

I know that holding on to the old, 

only delays the wonders of what's in front of me.

I'm a work in progress.  But as I let go, I'm breathing in deeply, and  learning to go with the flow.  There are no complaints here as I find myself , right smack in the center of what I love to do, with awesome people, under the direct mentorship of the Holy Spirit.

So... Is it worth it?  Absolutely!
It's just time to develop a new routine:  The RED Shoe Routine.
A routine where I let go of how I've always done it and let my partner show me how it's done.

It starts everyday by putting on RED shoes!

Gail

Day 71

Day 71 of The Red Shoe Project found me all over town today for a variety of classes, meetings and appointments.  Someone commented about the RED shoes I was wearing every place I went. It's exciting to see people taking interest in what God is doing!

Early this morning, I started my day over at Living Word Christian Bookstore, where I facilitated a Women's Bible study that focused on the topic of "Waiting on God."

What are we waiting for?

An Answer to Prayer.   

A Word from God.   

A Simple Touch.   

A Call to Action.  

A Powerful Revelation.   

A Life-changing Vision.

Healing.    Deliverance.   Guidance.    

Direction.     Provision.    His Presence.

With that said,
it is a Good thing to be found....

Hungry for God.  

Crying out to Him.  

Presenting Him with Praise. 

Desperately Seeking His Face.

Eagerly Awaiting His Presence. 

Wanting More of All He has to Offer!  

 Needing to Know Him in a Greater Way!

Waiting on God means...

Staying put for now. 

 Not losing focus.  

Sticking around for God.  

Not moving ahead without Him.   

Killing time until He arrives.

Holding out for Him.   

Lingering a little longer.   

Delaying another day. 

 Not being in a rush to leave.

We do this...
Patiently...   
Without Complaining.  
Trusting,  
Believing,  
Expecting 
and Anticipating.

"I waited patiently for the Lord

He turned to me and heard my cry."

Psalm 40:1

Don't be surprised if you find yourself  crying out... wailing... groaning... shouting in desperation...

"Abba!  Father!   Daddy!  --  Help me!"

Psalm 34:4 says...

 "I sought the Lord.

 He heard me, and

   delivered me from my fears."

In closing, 

Psalm 130:5 encourages us to 

Stand on the Promises of God!

"I wait for the Lord.

My soul waits and 

in His Word I put my hope."

I don't know about you, but
I'm staying in RED shoes, 

Gail