Day 207

Today is Day 207 of The RED Shoe Project.  I spent some time in RED sneakers doing yard work.  Then, shoeless, I watched a movie.  Finally, I popped on some RED sandals and met up with a friend to talk about the Word of God.  It was a jam-packed day!

There are many things I could talk to you about today, but I must admit, I am in a bit of a solumn mood   --  sober, meditative and thoughtful.  I just finished watching the movie, "The Hiding Place."   It's the story of a Dutch, Christian woman named Corrie Ten Boom.  Corrie, her sister Betsie and her father, were all arrested for hiding jews in their home, from the Nazis, during World War II.  It is an amazing story.  I don't even know where to start.  I'll just say...
"Watch it!"   You can find it on YouTube.

Corrie and her sister spent quite some time in a concentration camp.  Her sister ultimately died there.  Their witness for God in that place was outstanding.  Many prisoners came to know Christ as their savior.   When Corrrie was asked by the prisoners about God and the atrocities they they were facing in that hellish place, Corrie responded, 

"There is no pit so deep 

that God's love is not deeper still."  

Afterwards, I watched interviews of Corrie Ten Boom in her later life.  In one, she was asked about the evil she saw in the concentration camp.  She responded...

 "The devil is strong, 

but his power is limited.  

God's power is limitless."

Later, she continued... "When we partner with a God that's

all-powerful, we become more powerful than the devil, too."

Romans 5:5 is a scripture that Corrie talks about quite often.  It's a scripture that has always been a favorite of mine.  In the last few days, I have found myself pondering it over and over in my mind.  It says...

"God's love has been 

shed abroad (poured out) 

in our hearts 

through the Holy Spirit, 

who has been given to us."

Sister Ten Boom references this verse of scripture when she talks about forgiving those who abused her and her sister in the concentration camp.  Years after she was released, she toured the world, telling her story.  God's forgiveness was often the topic of her conversation.  

One day she came face to face with the German prison guard that beat her sister.  He had since asked Christ for forgiveness and had come to know Jesus as his personal savior.  He requested of the Lord, the opportunity to meet with one of the prisoners from the camp, to ask their forgiveness for his evil deeds, during that time.  God brought him to Corrie.  At first, she says, she felt hatred for him, but then she remembered Romans 5:5.  She asked the Lord's forgiveness for her hatred and was determined to stand on His Word!  She reached out her hand to the former guard, and forgave him.  As they shook hands, she says she felt the love of God rush from her heart, down her arm, out her hand and into his. Woosh! 

Hearing a story like this just changes everything for me.  For one thing, I have nothing to ever complain about in comparison.  It just makes me want to shut my mouth! That's a good thing.  And second, it makes me want to live even more fully for Christ.  God forbid that things have to get so difficult before I will die to self and live for Him completely!

In her later life, Corrie said that she loved to go into the prisons and speak about God's love to the in-mates.  She felt like she could relate to them, because she, herself, had been a prisoner.  She lead many to Christ.  She said that she never looked at them as criminals... ones that had done wrong.  Instead she just saw them as people God loved and sent His son to die for.  WOW!

I'm totally inspired!

Gail

Day 206

Day 206 of  The Red Shoe Project has come and gone.  It's quite late and I'm just now kicking off my  RED sandals.  It seems as if I've been here, there and everywhere today.  All my appointments, however, had one thing in common:  Talking about Jesus!

I love talking about Jesus... what He's doing in my life, what He's doing in the lives of the people around me and what He's doing in the world.  I especially love when people tell me what He's speaking to them through His Word!  A personal experience topped with a specific Word from God is glorious!  It's like a divine box of chocolates -- the fancy kind.  I can't wait to bite into one to see what's hidden inside. Then I just want to delight in the whole experience.  Mmmmm!

One Christmas, not all that long ago, I had a box of chocolates sitting on my coffee table.  I had been so good at not over-indulging in the cookies, cakes and candies that the holiday season often brings.  But this one night, I thought I'd treat myself to one of these delightful confections.   I opened the beautiful box only to find that several of the chocolates were half eaten.  One of my kids, (who will remain unnamed), was trying to find a chocolate that they liked.  They bit into each one until they found the one they wanted.  Apparently,  the candies that didn't pass the taste test were put back in the box for Mom.  They thought,  "Mom wont mind!"  Mind you, my kids were all grown up at the time.  LOL!



Forest Gump is known for saying...

"Life is like a box of chocolates.  

You never know what you're going to get."

Personally, I like being surprised. Whether it's the mystery of a chocolate's filling or the unexpected wonder that's unveiled in a Christian's testimony, both are sweet and delectable.

Tonight I headed out to attend a class on leadership at a friend's church.  To my surprise, no one I knew was there.  Then, right before the service started, someone tapped me on the shoulder and said hello.  It was a dear friend I hadn't seen in almost two years.  Where had the time gone?  I felt my whole face light up with joy.  My smile went from one ear to the other.  What a blessing!  What an unexpected treat!  She totally made my day.  

Thank you Lord!  

After the service, we stopped at a local coffee shop for a hot drink and a chat.  There we were, lost in loving conversation, almost as if we had never parted ways.  I love those relationships that pick up right where you left off, no matter how much time has gone by.  

We talked about our lives.  We talked about the Lord... and everything in between.   It was a good night.  I drove home, thanking God for His wonderful surprises!

God is good!

Gail

Day 205

Today is Day 205 of  The Red Shoe Project.  Once again, I am sporting my RED flip flops around town.  Today has been a challenging day.  It was a day of testing and I failed miserably.
The good news is that I know where I stand on things... at the bottom with no place to go but up. There is plenty of room improvement!
The experts say that " F-A-I-L"   stands for
First Attempt In Learning.   Okay... I can live with that.



Back in my college days, some professors gave students the choice of what type of test they wanted to take.  There was the True-False and Multiple Choice Test, or The Essay Test.  Although it was, by no means, the popular choice, I always chose Essay.



The True/False and Multiple Choice tests always confused me.  I could go into the test knowing everything forwards and backwards and still get question after question wrong.
I would get caught up in the wording of the
questions and answers, so much so, that I didn't know what was actually being asked.  I always felt like I was somehow being tricked.  The test became more about what the question was really asking as opposed to what the answer was, plain and simple.

At least with the Essay version, I felt like I had a good chance at showing that I actually understood the material.  I'd just write down everything I knew and I'd usually end up with an "A."

Lately I've noticed that all of God's tests  have been  "Non-Essay."  Apparently,  He just wants a "YES" or a "NO" answer.   I hate those tests!   It's like when an attorney is questioning someone and they say... "Just answer the question... Yes? or No?"   They don't want any explanation.   Maybe God doesn't want any excuses?   Maybe He just wants to know if I'll do what He asks or not... No dissertation is necessary.  Ouch!

A couple weeks ago, I was at the Bonfire Bible study.  At the end of the meeting, a couple of the women were laying hands on people and praying for them.  One by one, people were falling out under the power of God.  Later that afternoon, I remember asking God if He could give me that kind of prayer power.  He said... "Then what would that person do?  or that one... what would they do?"   He was basically reminding me that He distributes gifts to everyone.

It's not about me having all the gifts 

and doing everything myself.  

It's about everyone in the body 

being a part of what He's doing.  

Today I was thinking about a woman I know that has a specific need.  Her need is definitely not my area of ministry.  I've been trying to help her find the proper resources for her need and move her in that direction for assistance.  Unfortunately, even those who are well equipped to minister in that area can't seem to help her.  She's one of those people that seems to be slipping through the cracks.

I was brought up in a church that always taught that you should never expect others to do what you, yourself wouldn't do.  It's always good to see oneself as part of the solution.   So in my frustration of realizing that no one is helping this woman, I had to ask myself, "Would I lend a helping hand?  Could I meet her needs? "  I so much wanted to answer "YES!"  but it was so far out of my comfort zone...  so great an inconvenience...  so not something I was really equipped to do.   I couldn't say it!

I hate not saying "YES"  to God!  

My heart's desire is to always say 

"YES" to Him, no matter what.  

With that, I felt that I had failed.  More dying to self, perhaps????  Mind you... God wasn't actually asking me to do that.  Sometimes He tests me just to see what I'd say or do.  Maybe this was just a test?  Regardless, I wasn't real happy with my results.

I ended up a bit on the "down" side... so I took a late afternoon walk to talk it out with Dad.   He reminded me of the story in the Bible when a father asks his two sons to do something... one says he will and doesn't do it.  The other hems and haws, says he won't,  but does.   Long story, short,  the father favored the one who did it, regardless.




God spoke some other things to me on that walk.  He pointed out all the things that I'm doing right these days.  He was glad that I decided to walk and talk with Him instead of taking off in another direction and avoiding any conversation with Him.  He doesn't mind that I wrestle things out with Him.  But sometimes, like today,  He tells me to lighten up a little and not be so hard on myself.

I know that when God wants to do something, He'll provide the grace necessary.  He doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called.  I may have failed today's test, but that's okay.  I'm realizing I'm not in kindergarden anymore.  Today's test was more like The Bar Exam.  LOL.  Next time, I'll do better.  Slowly, but surely I will be a "YES" girl in RED shoes!

Right now,  I'm taking a little study break and chilling out.

Gail

P.S.  Growing up, my natural dad never pushed me in my studies.
I was always a straight A student, and it was never because my dad
enforced that with a heavy hand.  My heavenly Father is much the same.
He never demands perfection of me.
(We all know that I'm not perfect, and I never will be.  I'm okay with that.)
I just want to be the best Gail I can be for God.  I want to give it all I've got!

Day 204

Today is the 204th Day of  The Red Shoe Project.  The weather is sunny and beautiful here in Sarasota, Florida... perfect for RED flip flops.  A dear friend came by this afternoon and whisked me away for a "Girl's Day Out."  What a blast we had!  We had a light lunch and then planned to stop by the mall for an errand she needed to take care of.  But God was stirring up such wonderfully divine conversation during lunch, we decided to detour from that plan.  Neither of us wanted to interrupt what God was doing, so we bypassed the car and sat back down for a hot tea and allowed the flow from the Father's heart to continue.

While we we sitting in the coffee shop, chatting,  I realized God was speaking something that wasn't just for us.  Right there and then I said to my friend,
"I believe God wants me to share this in today's blog."  I made a mental note to bathe the thought in prayer and see if, in fact,  that's where God wanted to go.

Unexpectedly my 5:30 appointment was rescheduled to 8 p.m.,  so needless to say, I had a couple hours to kill.  After re-adjusting my schedule, I realized that I didn't have time to run home, so I found the nearest Starbucks, ordered an ice tea and got comfortable in one of those over-sized chairs.  After reading my Bible and doing some research, I pulled out my notebook and asked God about today's blog.  

He confirmed that He wanted to speak 

a specific Word to someone.

Earlier, my friend and I were talking about a lamb being caught in the thicket.  Sometimes the thicket represents sin.  But the thicket can also simply represent a place you're stuck in.  

Sometimes a sheep just wanders off.  It doesn't mean to.  It just gets caught up munching on a particular patch of grass and when it looks up, the rest of the gang is gone.   "Where'd they go?"  



When a sheep gets isolated from the flock, it becomes easy prey for attack.  Sometimes it can get distracted and wander even further away.  Sometimes it's been hurt and simply lays down to lick its wounds.  A sheep may even slip into a ditch and find that it can't get out.  Worse case scenario, the sheep is carried off by a predator, ravished and sometimes even left for dead.   

This I know...

Jesus is the Great Shepherd. 

Scripture clearly states that when one of His sheep goes missing,  He leaves the 99 and goes after the 1.  Today, I felt very strongly that God was speaking to someone that was caught in the thicket and unable to move.  They are stuck and wondering, "Where's my God?"  In their own way, they're crying out, "Help me, Lord!"  If that's you, God wants you to know...

 He's coming for you!  

That's right... He's coming for YOU!  You know who you are.  Right now, you're wondering,  "Is she talking about me?"   YES!  I am talking about you.  You know it because the Spirit within you is bearing witness to you as you read this.  You are thinking, "This is crazy... she can't be talking about me."  And I'm confirming to you  right now,  IT IS YOU.   He's talking to YOU!  In this silly little blog about RED shoes,  He's calling to you...

"I'm coming little lamb.

I hear your cry.

I know exactly where you are.

I love you.

I have not forgotten you.

Stay put.  

I will take you out of that place.  

I will lift you onto my shoulders

 and carry you back to the fold, myself.  

Be patient and wait.  

Be still and know that I am God!"

That is today's word.  If it's for you, receive it.  And if not, take confidence in knowing that if you ever get stuck in a place you don't belong, The Great Shepherd will come for you.

What I really love about this is that God's Word is timeless.  So you may read this tonight, and know that God is speaking specifically to YOU.  Someone else may read this three days from now and realize that this word is for them.  There will even be some that won't read this until it's in book form.  It may be a year from now, or even five years from now.  Even still, He will speak it to them personally for that specific time.  This "timeless" thing does have its advantages.

I'm kicking off my Ruby Reds  now, believing that God has spoken to those who are stuck and calling out to Him for help.  

Know that my prayers are with you.

Gail