Sunday, September 29, 2013

Day 273

Today is Day 273 of  The Red Shoe Project.  I have spent the entire day in RED shoes, waiting.  Have you ever noticed that time goes so much slower when you are counting the minutes.... even seconds?

Tick, tick, tick...


For some reason, when you're watching the clock that closely, TIME drrraaaaaaaaaggggggggggggs!

On an up note... the scripture text used in today's sermon at church was 
Psalm 102:13b

"For it is time to show favor to her;
the appointed time has come."

I love a good suspense movie!  There's nothing better than thinking you know exactly what's going on, and then at the last minute,  it turns out it to be something entirely different.  Of course that's all based on the premise that everything works out for the best!

But movies and life are two different things.  I don't enjoy sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see how God's going to bring it all together -- at least not in my own life.  I'm much better at cheering others on -- encouraging people to grab ahold of their faith and ride it to the end!    

But the true power of an encourager 
comes from having a testimony of their own! 

One where you can personally say... "I know this because I've been through it myself!"  You can speak that with confidence because you've lived it!  


Suspense = a state of anxious uncertainty of 
what may happen.

I took a minute and watched the ending of the Apollo 13 movie.  You know the clip where they are all waiting to see if the crew is going to make it or not.  The time is ticking... Tick, tick, tick.  Not only that -- it goes beyond the time it's supposed to take...  Tick, tick, tick.  Thirty seconds over time.  Sixty seconds over time.  Tick, tick, tick.    Really?  I've seen this move umpteen times and it still nearly gives me a heart attack.  Jeepers... I even know the ending!

I suppose the suspense is what makes it such an exciting story.  I've heard the saying, "No trial,  No testimony."  That means there has to be some suspense built in. 

 Not fake suspense -- Real suspense!    

If there's not a difficulty, there's no need for a true victory.  I figure, I must have one great testimony coming my way!  I just hope I'm alive to tell it!  LOL.

In RED shoes, 
Gail



Saturday, September 28, 2013

Day 272

Day 272 of  The Red Shoe Project finds me in my RED shoes, meditating on the idea that I am about to witness one of...

"God's Finest Hours"  


So often I look at life from the "Natural" perspective.  Hey... I'm human!  It's only normal that I would see things that way.  But I have a "Divine Partner", who lives in me, -- The Holy Ghost -- and with that in mind,  I'm realizing that I need to witness things spiritually as well -- especially in my current situation.

A Natural outlook limits God! 
A Spiritual outlook pulls down all the boundaries and allows God to be God!  

A Natural outlook can be negative and defeating.  
A Spiritual outlook is positive and victorious!

A Natural outlook requires NO FAITH.
A Spiritual outlook stretches my faith.  

Though in the Natural, things may seem hopeless and impossible, 
In the Spiritual realm,  anything can happen.

"With man, this is impossible,
But with God all things are possible!"
Matthew 19:26


Putting on my spiritual glasses,
and keeping watch in RED shoes,

Gail




Friday, September 27, 2013

Day 271

Today is Day 271 of  The Red Shoe Project.  The sun has set, I have kicked off my Ruby Reds, and I am almost ready for bed.  It has been a long quiet day of waiting on the Lord.  There's an old chorus based on Isaiah 40:31 that says...

"They that wait upon the Lord 
shall renew their strength.
They will rise up with wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not faint.
Teach me Lord,  teach me Lord...
to wait!"


Today has been a  QUIET day of waiting.  It's been a day of watching for God and listening for His voice.  I have been meditating on scripture.  I have been whispering thoughts and praises to Him.  Even my prayer walk, although it was packed with prayers, it was still quiet.  

The ball is in His court now.  
I am waiting for His response.

That's not to say that  I'm not expecting.  I am!  I am watching carefully and intently for Him.  I am earnestly anticipating His move... exactly how He'll do that? -- I do not know. Time will tell.

"Blessed is the man who listens to Me,
watching daily at My doors, 
waiting at My doorway.
For whoever finds Me,  finds life, 
and receives favor from the Lord."
Proverbs 8:34-35




Some things just can't be rushed.  There's a new story brewing.  I can feel it in the atmosphere.  I may be quiet on the outside, but there's a definite stirring in my spirit. 

"Find rest, Oh my soul, in God alone, 
my hope comes from Him."
Psalm 62:5



Til tomorrow,
Gail

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Day 270

What does God have for us on this 270th Day of  The Red Shoe Project?  
I know it may seem like I sit down and "put together something" each day for my readers, but it's really not like that at all.  I simply get up every morning, put on my RED shoes, and live my life, while looking and listening for God.  Then I sit down at the computer and do my best to write about what God has done.  In all actuality, each and every one of us can do that.   Many of you do!  For some reason, God has just asked me to share mine -- that's all!


I find it interesting how God builds things in my life.  He starts out by showing me one thing.  Then the next day, he builds on it.  "Remember that?"  He says.  "Now we're going to add this to it."  And still another day goes by and He says... "Now what if we take all that and twist it around this way?  Come over here!  Check it out from this angle.  Will you 
look at that!"  



This is Masterpiece Theater 
at it's Best!  

I say that because I know all too well, that if He laid it all out in its entirety on day one, I'd be lost!  LOL.  He's soooooo patient with me!



Like a few days ago, for example, He started off by reminding me how I
let go of those old friends who were negative.
(That was a good lesson I learned and it greatly impacted my life.)



Then the next day at church,  He said,  "Now let go of your life to Me!" With that, I realized that I didn't know what else I could possibly do to let go.  I'd done everything!



That's when God reminded me of the day I got Baptized in the Holy Spirit.  I just showed up, stood there and opened my mouth wide and...  Boom!  It happened.  God delivered!  He did what I couldn't. (My life was never the same after that!)



So I followed His lead and did the same again in regards to letting go of my life.  I stood there before Him,  opened my arms wide and Boom!  It happened again.  God moved in.  He took the offering of my life,  right there and then.
(The next morning, everything was different!)


During all that, God reminded me of the call of God on my life.  Last night, while I was "soaking it all in" pretending I was a sponge, I found myself watching a DVD and the minister was talking about FAITH.  He said people always ask him to pray for them to have more faith.  He pointed out a scripture that says we are all given the same faith.  Then he talked about Romans 10:17.

There's only one way to get more faith:

"Faith comes by hearing
and hearing by 
the Word of God."

I woke up this morning with a financial challenge of sorts.  I've done everything I can think of to have faith for this situation.  God's told me, many times, He will provide!  Well, guess what?  It's come down to the line, and it's time for His provision.   I've done everything I can possibly do.  There's nothing else.  

When I was walking Pauly this morning, I asked God about all this, and he reminded me of last night's sermon.  

"Today,"  He said,  
"I want you to meditate 
on scripture for this."    


When God tells me to do something specific like that, I take it seriously.  It goes to the top of my priority list, lest I forget.   One of my favorite scriptures regarding finances  is Philippians 4:19... 

"My God shall supply all my needs
 according to His riches in Christ Jesus."

This year, I memorized it!

Before going for my morning prayer walk, I went online to check last night's blog and noticed that my dear friend Carolyn, had posted a Bible reference.  I quickly looked it up and right smack in the middle of it was a verse that stood out to me, ever so boldly.  1 Thessalonians 5:24  

"The one who calls you is faithful 
and He will do it!" 

I headed out on my prayer walk, determined to memorize that one.  How appropriate!  

Regarding this financial matter, I know that more than anything, I need to do just as I have done with all the other matters, previous.  I must stand, having done all I could possibly do -- and with an open heart, let Him take it from here. 

Did you know that God likes tennis?  He does!  He spoke to me about tennis on my prayer walk today.  He reminded me of a time, decades ago, when I was practicing my swing on a backboard.  There I was on a mini tennis court, of sorts,  practicing hitting the tennis ball against a wall.  


Right at the height where the net would be, there's a line.  The goal is to hit the ball over the line, (or net per say), and the ball, of course, comes back to you.  You run for it and hit it over the line again, and back it comes.  It's just as if you were playing a true game.


With a backboard, you don't need a partner to practice.  Every time you hit the ball, it hits the wall and returns as if  you were really playing with someone.  Doing this over and over again,  helps you practice your volley and perfect your swing!  You can't use the excuse "There's no one to play with" and thereby not practice.  If you have a backboard -- that's all you need! 

Now a backboard is great for practice, but you can't play a real game on a backboard -- You need a partner.  You can't say you're a tennis player if you've never played a real game, on a real tennis court, with a partner.  A backboard doesn't qualify.  Practicing to do something and actually doing something are two entirely different things!  Wouldn't you agree?

God told me that in regards to this whole financial thing... it's time to let Him in the game!  
I've got to get off the backboard, and on the field so that He can play too!  
It's just like those other situations --
Now, it's His turn.  

It's His turn to hit the ball.  He's been watching me practice... and it's good,  but now it's time for the real game to begin.

I'll never see Him 
do the miracle 
on the backboard.  
It just won't happen!

Oh my gosh!  Do you see what's happening here?  It's another  LEAP of FAITH.  He's setting me up!  He wants to deliver.  He's been here, on the side lines all this time.  Now He's calling me out onto the real playing field, so that He can make a few shots of His own.  

I know I can do this!  And I know He can do this!  If we can partner on all those other things, we can partner on this financial thing as well.  
So, here I am, stepping onto the court, in my RED tennies.  I've served the ball to my tennis partner and I'm waiting for His return.

I'm looking at my Ruby Reds 
and Believing!

Gail