Mark 11:25 speaks of forgiving anyone you have something against. That sounds hard enough, but often the harder task is to accept forgiveness for your own actions.
Sweat poured from my forehead as I shooed away mosquitos. Through the sticky humidity, a friend, native of the island, and I pressed on through the dusty dirt country roads in the island of Mindanao, Philippines.
But what was also warm yet sweet was the hug and peck on the cheek as I embraced a small, frail woman who greeted us outside her nipa hut. “Welcome beautiful visitor,” she said.
We sat on a rock nearby observing her at work. She brought small bowls of rice to feed the children who came from other nipa huts around the area, they gathered outside her tiny dwelling with nearly nothing in it.
But the richness of her faith and commitment overflowed.
In the midst of the humid, scorching heat, she fed them. They sang songs, and then she nourished their souls with Bible lessons.
I forgot about the discomfort of the outdoors as I listened and observed her joy, her passion and patience with those little ones.
As we were about to leave and head to our next stop in our missions’ trip, I hugged her. “I admire you,” I said. “You have so little and give so much.”
She gave a shy giggle. “When you have Jesus, you have enough,” she said.
Gulp. Can that be so? Can Jesus really be enough?
Here are three questions to determine if He’s truly enough for us:
And if we had nothing, can we repeat what Habakkuk declares?
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to go on the heights. (Habakkuk 3:17-19)
Jesus is our strength.
When all we value is gone, He is our strength. When our weakness can’t be ignored, He is our strength. When nothing produces fruit in our life, His strength is enough. And in that power and strength, He gives us what we need—the feet to keep on walking, the diligence to stay on track, the ability to focus on Him, and the boldness to refuse defeat and begin walking in high places.
And in that journey, victory greets us when we declare:
“Whom do I have in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:25-26).
Let’s Pray
Father, thank You for the forever promise. From now on my trust is in You as I believe, I embrace and stand on the truth that You are truly enough. In Jesus’ name, amen.
What or who is enough to strengthen you these days?
Janet
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Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.
Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE.
Please share: Feel free to share Janet’s posts with your friends.
Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR
Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.
Do you remember as a child, playing Mother May I? One person was the “mother” who acted as the caller. For instance, they would call upon a child and say “take two steps forward” The goal was to be the first player to reach the caller, but the child must remember to ask, mother may I. If the child isn’t paying attention, and takes the two steps without asking the question, the child must take the opposite action…two steps back.
I also remember my teacher who was determined to teach the correct usage of the words can and may. If a student asked a question such as “can I go to the restroom” so would respond, I don’t know are you able to go or do you need permission? She did this a lot, Lord love her.
As I read John 16:33 last week the word, may, popped from the page. In me you MAY have peace.
We have permission to have peace!
And not only may we have peace, He has equipped us to have it. He has overcome the world.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” JOHN 16:33
Forty-two years ago today was my “due date”. I was living in Florida and pregnant with our second child. The heat and the already mischievous son I was carrying were making me miserable.
As the days passed and he still had not make his appearance, I remember walking in the shopping mall and seeing moms from my childbirth class with their babies in strollers. I confess to feeling a bit resentful.
Am I weird or do other moms remember their due date?
In my prayers of late, I feel compelled to pray for blessings over people. I’m not sure why, but I do find it refreshing over listing problems and challenges.
At the very same time when I turned 30 and my father 55, the retinal disease began to rob our eyesight.
In a matter of eighteen months, our vision closed in completely, leaving us in darkness with no trace of shadows, color…only a dark gray nothing.
My world crumbled…
…as the black curtain fell, destroying the dreams my husband and I had for us and for our 3-, 5-, and 7-year-old sons.
But when I turned to God for hope and strength, He responded by opening my eyes to see a new revelation—the insight my father had given me.
My father had not only passed on to me the gene that caused my blindness, but also the example of living with determination and tenacity.
Only a couple of decades prior, my family and I lived in Bolivia, our native land. At that time, he defied the family’s opposition to move to America. Instead, he and Mom worked non-stop to satisfy the requirements imposed by the U.S. Immigration Department to enter the country legally and establish residency.
My father persevered.
Once in the states, my father overcame humiliation, intense loneliness, helplessness and uncertainty. But determined to succeed, he got a job unloading trucks. He endured ridicule because of his lack of fluency in English, but he pressed on. And he managed to gather enough money for the basics—rent a small apartment, buy modest furniture from thrift stores and put a down payment on a car. Nine months later, he sent airline tickets for my mom, my brother and me.
He demonstrated that humility is crucial to success. My father is in the glory of heaven now. And this Father’s Day I celebrate the qualities that define his legacy.
Like a baby takes its first steps holding tight to his father’s hand, my dad held onto God as he stepped from the comfort of our hometown in Bolivia to the unknown in a foreign land.
Confidence in God.
I did the same as I stepped into the unfamiliarity of a sightless world. Holding onto God’s hand, I gained confidence and learned the language of appreciation.
Gratitude is what my heart sees. Thankfulness for God’s promise that when in the dark land of discouragement, in a place unfamiliar, and when the path is unknown, His Word shall always be a lamp for my steps, and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).
With that light shining the way, I celebrate my heavenly Father’s provision and my earthly father’s perseverance.
Both allowed me to gaze at the beauty of life when choosing to see through the eyeglasses of gratitude.
Let’s Pray
Father, thank you for the lack of physical sight that opened my spiritual eyes. Now I see my life through the window of gratitude. In Jesus name.
Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.
Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE.
Please share: Feel free to share Janet’s posts with your friends.
Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR
Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.
I enjoy rainy days, in fact I generally prefer a rainy one to a sunny, hot day, but I was tired of the week of rain we just experienced. Mind you, I am thankful we didn’t receive the dangerous amount that some folks had, but still, I was ready for some sunshine and shine it did yesterday.
The soft winds held the perfect touch of chill and spending time on the porch enjoying the hummingbird antics was delightful. Another delight was discovering the Gold Finches had returned and were busily munching away on the feeder.
My aunt and cousin are visiting and we have been enjoying our porch time. We moved a deck chair with a cushion onto the porch and I am looking forward to lounging while sipping coffee and enjoying my daily quiet time.
Another thing I am looking forward to is seeing David Holf and Josh Goforth at the performing arts center in August. Their specialty is mountain music.
“Four-time Grammy Award winner, David Holt and rising acoustic music star and Grammy nominee, Josh Goforth join together to bring to life the joy and spirit of old-time mountain music and stories. Between them, the combine the virtuosic sounds of guitar, banjo, fiddle, slide guitar, mandolin, and a world of exciting rhythm instruments from hambone (body slapping) rhythms, to spoons, stump-fiddle, rhythm bones, jaw harp and even paper bag. It is a program of songs, stories and amazing musicianship that will appeal to all ages. ” Great Mountain Music dot com
Are you looking forward to anything special this summer?
Sometime ago, a reader wrote:
Dear Janet,
I am so very grateful for having known about your site. Indeed, I would like to know what gives you confidence through each day.
Thank you. –Rhoda
My response:
Dear Rhoda,
Thanks for that interesting question. I’ve been asked all kinds of questions from How do you put on your make-up? to How do you write books? But no one has ever asked me what gives me confidence.
Let me tell you a story.
A few years ago, I was in California attending a writer’s conference. A friend jokingly asked, “Do you want to drive my car?”
“Yes,” I said with a daring look.
“Are you sure?”
“No,” I said, “The question is are YOU sure you want me to drive your car?”
She chuckled. “Why not?”
“Okay, here we go.”
Using my fingertips, I felt my way to the driver’s side and opened the door. With a few attempts, I found the ignition, inserted the key, started the engine, and changed gears. Her job was to give me verbal instructions.
Not having any sight at all, driving a car had remained but a dream.
So, there I was, a bit nervous, but with a grin I couldn’t hide. I gripped the steering wheel, pretending to be in control, I listened to my friend. “Keep it straight now, a little to the left, now to the right just a bit, not much.”
A tad risky, I admit. But oh, what fun! The reason I was able to drive her car was because she was with me seated to my right on the passenger’s seat. She became my eyes. I trusted in her ability to direct me, to tell me what to do, when to turn and when to slow down.
The road of life is the same.
We’re blind to what’s next. We can’t see tomorrow or what’s around the corner or what the future holds.
The uncertainty sparks worry. And worry brings on restlessness. And restlessness produces anxiety. Before we know it, we sit at the doctor’s offices learning we have ulcers.
King David probably had them too. And driving the vehicle of pride, he followed his own whims, desires and cravings. The not-so-pleasant details are related in 2 Samuel 11 and 12. In his feeble kind of wisdom he made crazy decisions. He failed. He sinned and brought heartache for all.
Sometimes we do the same. Like David we settled in the vehicle of pride, press the accelerator, zoom ahead only to find the cliff of disappointment. And once broken we shake our head, look at the mess and wonder what happened.
But although David made a mess too, he saw the sign, “Humility, next stop.” He pulled over. He shed that destructive pride.
David came to his knees, asking God for forgiveness. The Lord did.
Once forgiven, David welcomed a new kind of confidence and declared: “I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken” (Psalm 16:7-8).
He was confident because he trusted, not in his feelings and desires anymore, but in God’s power. He was confident not because he could take charge but because he let God direct his life.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably sighted. But, God, who knows what you don’t see, offers to sit by your side, infusing confidence for the road of life. To fill you with reassurance as you take sharp corners of heartache. To give you the wisdom to avoid cliffs of destruction and to whisper the reassurance to overcome barriers.
Let’s Pray
Father, may all traces of pride be erased from my heart, from my thoughts and my approach to life. I welcome the true confidence found In You and in Your direction. In Jesus name.
What do you have to remove in order to live confidently?
Janet
______________________________________
Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.CLICK HERE for a one-minute inspirational video.
Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE.Please share: Feel free to share Janet’s posts with your friends.
Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR
Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.
www.janetperezeckles.com
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