It has been said that you are the average of your five closest friends…
So, whose mission are you on?
And what’s your average?
Not everyone you meet is going to stay with you on the journey.
And not everyone you want to stay will do so.
Some may not be able to handle your load.
Others may not be able to carry their own.
And still others just aren’t going the same way you are.
Don’t grow angry with them and don’t hold it against them.
And by no means, beg them to stay.
Just gently, say goodbye and let them go their way.
They weren’t meant to travel along.
For if you demand they come along or stay too long,
They will hurt you, or you will wound them,
Or others will become damaged in the process.
Just let go.
Release them to be free.
You will be amazed at the freedom you will find.
Even if you have to shed tears as you move forward.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:1-3
Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.
Warning signs and advice aren’t offered because someone is trying to be a killjoy.
Rules and directions aren’t given because someone is trying to restrict your freedom.
Boundaries are set for our safety.
Barriers are placed to protect others from recklessness.
Sometimes on rare occasions, there may be a person or organization that has become power hungry and feeds on the controlling of someone else.
But those tendencies can be easily observed through reputation, rapport, and the consistency of the restrictions.
But for the most part, when you see an attention getter, a show stopper, or a poised hand making you stop, there’s a rhyme for that reason.
And the reason could very well save your life.
So next time, take a minute to breathe. Step back and assess the situation. And follow the signs to a greater liberty than you once knew.
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know thetruth, and the truth shall make you free.”
John 8:32
My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you. Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
There are moments in life when reality settles in. When the hard work of living pauses for just a moment, and you’re able to look back and recognize where you’ve been, what’s been accomplished, and where you’re going.
There comes a time when you realize some sacrifices were necessary to carry on; some were foolish, and still more were simply necessary for survival.
Then, there’s that season of recognition when the fear of the pain is passed, the apathy of the seared feelings has diminished, and all that is left is the confidence of your preservation.
When you’ve walked through the flames of life, innocence may be lost and intimidation may be vanquished, but the growth and strength that rises cannot be denied.
So, walk on, my friend. Walk on.
Be a flame walker. Take the fiery journey.
You can endure.
And then, go and rescue someone from that same inferno.
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
Jude 1:20-23
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
There is a delicate balance between our own selfishness and walking in freedom.
There is a fine line between enduring till the end and not becoming a doormat.
There is a beautiful dance between knowing when to walk away and when to stay.
And it takes a mountain of courage to know when the time is right.
The journey is never the same for every person, and each one must not only have the ability to be honest with self,
But more often than not, you also need a coach who can walk alongside you and give guidance.
A coach is not like a loving friend.
A coach is not like a comforting mother.
A coach isn’t like a disciplining father.
And yet, a coach has a bit of all three of these wrapped up in one.
A coach wants the best for you.
A coach won’t drink the Koolaid of how great you are.
A coach can see further than you are right now and can help you get to those next steps to win.
A teacher instills knowledge for growth.
A counselor inputs wisdom for healing.
A coach imparts both along with tactics to spur you to success.
Finding a coach doesn’t seem to fit with the thought of having courage to walk away; yet, if you’ve ever been stuck between staying and going, having a coach makes all the difference in the world!
Moses coached Jethro, and Naomi coached Ruth.
As Christians, why should we be any different?
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do,forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14
But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showingintegrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.
No matter who you are, where you came from, where you’re going,
We all have a prison to live in.
It may be your career, your education, your ambition that demands your concentration, your dedication.
It may be your possessions, your economic status, your greed for more that commands your toil, your allegiance.
There is a prison, and it beckons your name.
It may be your pain, your heartache, your past that haunts your thoughts, your recollections.
It may be your anger, your temper, your impulse that forces your allegiance, your agreement.
There is a prison, and the door is open wide.
It may be your children, your spouse, your family that claims your devotion, your approval.
It may be your health, your well-being, your countenance that orders your commitment, your adherence.
It may even be a wall of bars you’ve allowed someone else to control the size, the depth, the yielding of your attendance that confines your submission and your surrender.
We all have a prison waiting, which one will you choose?
You can also decide love, joy, peace, and goodness will be your eternal home.
This prison will bring more freedom than you can ever imagine.
Then, you’ll want to lock the door and throw away the key.
Choose well. For once the latch is turned, you may never leave your abiding cage…
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:15
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever amansows, that he will also reap.
When you’re in the middle of those toxins that are choking you, walk.
When you find yourself surrounded by the dunes of hostility and anger, walk.
When all you can see is the fiery darts of bitterness and hatred, walk.
Sometimes, it’s just better to remove yourself than to expect the other to change.
When you realize you’ve landed in the center of their pain, and they refuse to care, walk.
When you recognize you’re not helping, and those receiving refuse to give, walk.
When all you hear is the negative, the criticism, the accusations, walk.
You don’t have to stay to prove you’re right.
You don’t have to remain in the mud to express your love.
You don’t have to maintain the relationship when the abuse and jealousy are the weights.
This is not your punishment nor reward.
This is not your purpose or calling.
This is not your destiny.
Walk on, my friend.
Walk on.
But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
Matthew 12:48-50
Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; For the Lord will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them. Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.
(Yeah. Somebody spelled it wrong, and my grammar self is going crazy inside!)
Some people don’t really have to be crazy.
They’ve just committed themselves to being a certain way, and their stubbornness will not relent.
Others have lived undisciplined for so long that they have convinced themselves this is a good life.
Still others, have fully embraced their crazy, and they want everyone else to embrace it as somehow normal.
If you find yourself in one of these three categories, and you’re living life believing everyone is just giving you a hard time, or they’re all just so difficult to be around , or they never give you a break to be who you are, please hear me screaming at you across the cosmic divide.
STOP!! HALT!! RELEASE!! RELENT!! END NOW!
Stop right now, in your tracks, and listen a moment to reason.
Open your ears to wisdom calling to you.
No one accidentally becomes the “crazy one.”
No one stumbles into the pools of insanity.
It is a choice. And you make it everyday.
So, make the right decisions.
Choose the correct outcomes.
Your spouse will thank you. Your children will sing your praises. And friends will begin to visit again as you walk away from the crazies and embrace life!
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do,forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
Philippians 3:13-16
But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
The holidays always bring with them interesting family dynamics and semantics.
For some, it’s just simply dealing with the edges of uncomfortable scenarios and conversations, but nothing real out of the way.
No harm. No foul.
For others, it’s complete removal from the dysfunction and toxic environment which accompanies family, celebrations and traditions.
Survival of the Fittest or Crabs in a Barrel.
For most, it can just be learning to navigate between the two extremes.
The Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Wherever you find yourself during your yearly festivities, strive to do better.
Better yet, don’t just strive to survive.
Learn to thrive!
Your thriving isn’t going to look like another’s.
So, do what you can do to succeed.
Their crazies aren’t yours, and yours aren’t theirs.
They don’t have to understand.
Happy Crazy Holidays.
The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing, To declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Psalm 92:12-15
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider thatthe longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they doalso the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know thisbeforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
the grizzle grist mill 