Rambling Thoughts

It's been a busy week for me. As many of you are aware, this past Tuesday, Haiti experienced a devastating earthquake. My heart is truly saddened for the people of Haiti. As I watch the numerous news stories, my heart can't help but break. Seeing everyone living on the streets hungry for food, babies not having formula that they so desperately need, people trapped under buildings, etc-I just can't help but to truly hurt for each and every individual.

As the news has developed, I have to admit, I've never felt so hurt for a country and group of people. What this means-I don't know. I'm desperately trying to figure it out. Is Haiti a country that the Lord will allow me to minister to in the future? Who knows. All I do know is that for now, I can pray and in turn, donate as much as I can to help a broken country.

What's even more interesting is that the school I work for had a group of students there on a mission trip during all of this. They left last Friday and bam, the earthquake hit on Tuesday. All week I have been praying for these kids for not only their safety, but also that God would do a mighty work through them. I can't imagine what it was like to be in a country without your family and to all of a sudden experience an earthquake that has literally killed thousands of people all around you.

All I can say is that God WAS SO GOOD! Everyone on our team was safe and in turn, they were able to minister to those people around them. What excites me even more is that these students came back much closer to God and in turn, have a strong desire to go back to Haiti to continue ministering to the people. Oh how that makes my heart jump for joy. Nothing makes me happier than seeing teenagers living their lives for Christ and in turn, allowing God to use them. These kids came back with a fire and I pray that they would impact FA in some mighty ways! I pray that students all around will realize what a huge difference they can make for Christ in our world. Ultimately, I pray that they will help bring thousands upon thousands of lives to Christ because life is truly found in Jesus Christ.

I know so many people who do not know Christ and my heart breaks for them too because I know what they are missing out on. I have both family and friends who want nothing to do with Christ and it truly saddens me. When you are just so in love with someone, you desire nothing more than to shout it to the world. I am in love with Jesus Christ and I want nothing more than for people to realize that Jesus Christ does exist and that if we would just turn our lives over to Him, He in turn will love us like we have never been loved before. Our purpose in life can only be found in Jesus. True Joy only comes from our creator.

As I sign-off, I pray that not only the people of Haiti would turn their faces to their creator, but that the people of America would realize how blessed we are and that we too would turn our faces to God. He promises us that if we would turn from our evil ways and look to Him, He will heal our land. I pray that the lost would come to know Him and those that have turned their backs on Him, would come running back into His arms. He's been patiently waiting.

Journaling

Each year I come across women who truly desire to grow closer to God. In my experience, one of the best ways to truly draw closer to God and in turn, communicate with Him is through journaling. I don't know about you, but when I am able to just sit and write, something happens. I feel a sense of peace, relief, and closeness. It's as if I'm truly able to get all my thoughts, questions, ideas, concerns, confusions, etc., out in such a way that I would not be able to if I were to just speak them out.

For the next few days, let me encourage you to spend some quality time chatting with your Maker via journaling. I guarantee you that if you take the time to do this on a daily basis, you will draw closer to the Lord. Start the new year off fresh by purchasing a journal that will only consist of your letters to God. If you would rather type out your journal entries, set up a folder on your computer that is completely dedicated to God's letters.

In order to help you in this endeavor, I will be providing you with some specific "questions" that you can respond to in your journal. So, let's begin!

Question #1:

"Why did God create me?"

Take some time today to truly focus on this question. Why do you think God created you? What was His purpose in creating you with your specific gifts, strengths, talents, skills, passions, weaknesses, etc.?

If you feel up to-share your responses! I would love to hear them!

A Glimmer of What is to Come

The other day I was driving my usual route to work, when I came across the renovation of a local downtown theatre. On the outside of the theatre a sign was posted that said, "A Glimmer of What Is to Come.” As I pondered this sign, I started thinking about my personal walk with Christ. How many times does Christ try to tell me these exact words, but yet, I don't hear Him because I allow the noise of everything else around me to capture 100% of my attention? How many times have I been so focused on what I hope for in the future that I fail to see how God is using me now to make a difference?

As women, it is so easy to think:

· If I only had one more hour a day, life would be much easier
· If I could only get another job, life would be great
· If I only had another house, I’d be so much happier
· If I only had some extra money, I could accomplish so much more in life
· If I only had a husband, life would be so much better

So many times we focus on the “if only” thoughts which cause us to miss out on God’s presence in our lives today and what it is that He is trying to show us now. The Lord is saying, “If you would keep focused on Me, I will give you a glimpse of what is to come in your life.” Yet, we wonder why the Lord is not using us or why we must experience the toils of our daily routine. We spend so much time focusing on what we don’t have and what we want, that we lose sight of what the Lord is doing right now in our lives.

In Genesis 37 we find the story of a young man by the name of Joseph. Joseph, a seventeen year old kid had dreamt about his family bowing down to him. When he reveals the dream to his brothers, they hated him for it. Because of that hate and jealousy, they decide to sell him into slavery. But the story doesn’t end there. Later, Joseph lives in the house of his Egyptian master and his master’s wife falsely accuses Joseph of sleeping with her. In turn, his master throws him in jail. Talk about life not turning out the way you expected it to! What do you think Joseph thought during this time? He had glimpsed what was to come and life suddenly veered and his “dream” was no where in sight. What do you do when life turns you upside down?

If you look carefully at the account of Joseph, you will notice that quite often it is mentioned that God was with Joseph. God was with Joseph while he was in the house of his master and because of that, God blessed the home of the master. God was also with Joseph when he was thrown in jail after being falsely accused of sleeping with his master’s wife. God gave him favor with the head jailer. Then, God gave Joseph the ability to interpret dreams-only Joseph could interpret Pharaoh’s dream and consequently Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all of his affairs. Once again, the Lord was with Joseph. Joseph spent his time preparing for the upcoming famine. Joseph’s brothers desperately needed food and supplies. Because of that need, they traveled to Egypt and found to their amazement their brother Joseph. Before we know it, Joseph’s brothers bowed down to him. The glimpse that Joseph was given years before finally came into fruition. WOW!

The Lord desires to give us a “glimpse” of what is to come. But so many times we can’t see that glimpse because we allow everything else to distract us. God has placed a dream within your heart that he wants to eventually fulfill in your life. Do you trust Him? Maybe life has taken some unexpected turns like Joseph’s did and you’re wondering what it is that the Lord is doing. Hang in there, hold on, trust God, and watch what he will do. Everything that you are experiencing at this time in your life, God will use it for His glory. I love how the Message writes Romans 8:26-28:

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our present condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.


So, here’s my question to you; are you trying to take control of your life, or are you willing to trust God and believe that he has a purpose for you and in that, He will bring to fruition what he has promised? Are you willing to trust God and in that trust, allow Him to use you the way He wants to use you today? Are you willing to make yourself available to Him today and in turn, shut out all the noise around you and wait patiently for Him to whisper in your ear, “Hold on, I want to give you a glimpse of what is to come in your life?”

Growth

“Growing in Your Relationship with God”


When I think back to the days when I was dating and experiencing love for the first time, I can not help but smile when I remember how I longed to hear “his” voice. There were days that I could not stand not being around him, waiting by the phone hoping he would call, and of course, anxiously waiting for my work day to end so that I could see him and spend time with him. The sound of his voice, the touch of his hand, caused my heart to race. Just knowing that soon, I would be able to spend time with him again, filled me with much excitement and anticipation. Those were days filled with the discovery of loving and being loved.

When I think of my growing relationship with God, I can see that in many ways, it resembles the relationship that couples in love share. We want to spend time together so that we can learn more about each other. When we can’t see each other, we miss each other, our hearts long for that other person. Lovers spend many nights and hours just talking about nothing in particular because they want to be close, connected with the one who makes their heart race. They just can not get enough of each other. This is the relationship that God desires with us.

The Creator of this universe desires nothing more than for us to desperately miss him when we are apart from him. His heart longs for us to spend time with him. He wants our thoughts to be filled with him. He wants us to feel as though we just can’t get enough of him, because in reality, he just can’t get enough of us. He wants to know us intimately and in turn, he wants us to know him intimately.

How then do we grow in our relationship with God when it seems like everything else is calling out for our attention? Communication is the key. Communication is vital to each and every relationship. If I am in a relationship with someone and I do not communicate whether it be by phone, letters, or in person, that relationship will never grow, never mature, there would never be a time of deep, personal intimate love. The relationship that doesn’t communicate person to person, heart to heart, is doomed to failure on many levels.

Growing in God means that we get to know him and as we grow in the knowledge of Him, we fall more in love with him each and every day. Because of that love relationship we have with him, our hearts desires become the desires of God. If we want to grow in our relationship with God, we must make it a priority to communicate with him each and every day. Ask yourself these two questions:

1) When was the last time your heart really missed God?
2) When was the last time you felt as though you couldn’t get enough of him?

If you find it hard to answer these questions, you need to spend more time with him. As you spend time with God, your heart draws closer to him and in turn, all you can do is think about him and desire nothing but him. Matthew 22:38 (MSG) says, “Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence. This is the most important, the first on any list.” The God of this universe desires our love.

It is like someone who is married, who carries a photo of their spouse around. That person, can show others the photo, speak about their spouse, confess their love for their spouse to all, but if that person never goes home, never spends time with their spouse, never speaks loving, intimate words with their spouse, in fact acts as if their spouse were not even in the same room with them…would you really expect that the spouse would feel loved? Appreciated? Would the relationship ever grow, becoming more united, sharing more intimacy? Or would that “relationship” slowly cool, would it eventually break down?

In this world of fast cars, fast food, and instant messaging, here are some practical ways that you can communicate with God which in turn will allow you to grow in your relationship with Him:

Prayer. When we spend time in prayer with God, it gives us the opportunity to share our hearts with him which is what he desires. It’s a time to tell him about our day, our happy moments, our discouraging times, our worries, anxieties, hurts, joys, etc. Philippians 4:6, 7 (MSG) says; “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”
Can you believe that? God wants us to communicate with him through prayer. He wants to hear us talk. He wants to hear about our day. He wants to laugh with us, cry with us, rejoice with us, and be with us. Just like you spend time with your family and friends talking with them about what’s happening in your life, God also desires that time with only you, no one else will do, no one else can take your place in his heart. Carve out time in your day to just talk with him. Isn’t that what prayer is all about? Maybe the next time you step into your car, instead of listening to the radio, just spend some time talking with God.

Another aspect of praying is listening. When you communicate with others, you take time to talk and you also take time to listen. God desires the same thing. He not only wants to hear about what’s happening in your life, he also wants to talk with you. When you pray, make sure to take some time to just be silent. Let your thoughts be on the things of God and wait patiently for his thoughts. If you have difficulty keeping your mind focused on listening for his voice, tell him so. He understands. Ask him to sharpen your ability to stay focused on listening for him to speak to your heart.

Reading/Studying the Bible. Another part of communication with God is reading and studying God’s word. If we want to grow in our relationship with God and really know who he is, we must read and learn his word which is his message to us. John 1:14 states (NIV), “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” When we spend time reading and studying God’s message to us, we grow in our relationship with him. We learn about the heart of God and what it is that he desires of us and we also learn about the things that make his heart sing. The Bible is his message of love to us.

Fellowship. God never intended us to be lone rangers. Hebrews 10:25 (NIV) states: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the day approaching”. When we surround ourselves with people who have a heart for God and desire nothing more than to draw closer to him, we will find that we not only learn more about who God is, but we also desire him more. Being around like minded people encourages us in our own walk with the Lord. We are to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. Without real fellowship we can not grow in our love and knowledge of God, because in other believers, we experience relationships that teach us how to love God. How can we learn to love Him, if we can not love others?

What steps will you take this week to grow in your relationship with God? Maybe instead of listening to the radio on your way to work or as you run errands, spend some time just talking with the Lord. Or maybe you should start journaling and writing love letters to the one who created you. Also, take some time to read God’s message of love to you. Surround yourself this week with those who desire God like you do. If you take these steps, you will soon come to realize that you are no longer the person you were a few months ago and you will find that your heart is filled with the one who loves you, cherishes you, accepts you, and finds you to be amazingly beautiful.

Make 2010 Different!

10 Simple Steps to Begin Living a Life of Purpose!

Be Still-Make it a priority to spend time with your Maker on a daily basis; be still and know that He is God. The more time you spend with Him and the more time you spend getting to know Him, the more He gives you. Make Him a priority and in turn, He will begin showing you how He wants to specifically use you and how He has uniquely created you!

Love God, Love others-Give God everything you have. Love Him like you’ve never loved Him before. Love others. Be a servant leader. Take time each day to love on those that the Lord has surrounded you with. When you love God and others, God pours out an abundance of blessings upon you!

Be You-Be yourself; be the person that God has created you to be. Don’t compare yourself to others and what it is that God is doing in their life, be you. God has created you with specific gifts, skills, and talents. Allow Him to begin showing you your uniqueness. When you spend time comparing yourself to others, you miss out on who God has created YOU to be!

Learn to say no-So many times we allow ourselves to do everything, which in turn, causes us to be tired, moody, and exhausted. Before saying yes to anything, give it over to God and ask Him if this is something that He would have you be a part of. If you ask, He will answer.

Simplify-Simplify your life. If you have a cluttered house and/or office, not only will you be stressed, but you will fail to create an environment that inspires you to be who God has created you to be.

Be Inspired-Make your home and/or place of employment a place of inspiration. Surround yourself with those things that inspire you to not only spend time with God, but also those things that inspire you to dream, set goals, and pursue your passions. Display words of encouragement around you, light candles, keep your journal nearby, and display fresh flowers throughout the house. Allow yourself to be inspired!

Make Connections-Surround yourself with positive people. Allow yourself to connect with those people who not only inspire you, but people who will cause you to grow emotionally, academically, and spiritually. Surround yourself with people who will hold you accountable in regards to your goals and what it is that you hope to accomplish.

Do Something Different- Allow yourself to take a step and get out of your comfort zone. Attend a meeting, sign up for a college course, attend a writer’s conference, invite someone to dinner, etc. Do whatever it takes to allow yourself to get out of your comfort zone.

Write, Write, and Write-Take time each day to write your thoughts, dreams, goals, hopes, passions, etc. Not only will you be inspired, but you will also begin discovering YOU!

Visit Jen’s Blog-Be sure to check-out Jen’s blog on a daily basis. Many times you will find questions that will help you discover who you are, what you are dreaming about, and what it is that is holding you back! www.coachjenniferbennett.blogspot.com



Jennifer Bennett
Life Purpose Coach, Life Plan Facilitator, Educator, Writer, Speaker
www.coachjenniferbennett.com


All rights Reserved, Copyright by Jennifer Bennett, 2007

The Dream Giver

Do you believe that God wants to give you the desires of your heart? Do you believe that our God is truly, a Dream Giver?

If you're anything like me, you've most likely had your doubts. Maybe you dreamed for so long that at some point, you gave up because it seemed as if no one was listening and nothing was happening.

Or maybe, you attempted to follow your dreams, only to have them trampled on by people.

Or, have you never allowed yourself to dream because you fear that only disappointment will come from allowing yourself to dream.

If any of the scenarios above sound familiar, don't worry, you are not alone. I too have been there. Let me explain.

Scenario #1-When I was 18 and on a mission trip to Venezuela, I truly felt the calling of God on my life. I knew beyond a shadow of doubt that God was calling me to full-time ministry. Well, it wasn't until 5-6 years later that God gave me the desires of my heart. Now, with that being said, He gave me part of my dream-not all of it. I'm still waiting for some of my dream to come to fruition. During the waiting period-I really questioned God and the calling He had on my life. I felt as if I was going nowhere. At one point I felt as though He was calling me to seminary and believe it or not, I almost didn't attend because I started questioning what God laid on my heart.

Know this-if God has placed something on your heart and you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has called you, hang in there! He will bring it about in His timing. And if for some reason your dreams not the dreams He has for you, ask Him to clearly show you what He dreams for your life. I can guarantee you, He will show you.

Scenario #2-Oh how I have experienced hurt from people. When God did give me the desires of my heart, I ended up being deeply hurt by people. Oh, did it hurt. I really questioned what God was doing because all I knew was that I wanted to make an impact in this world for Christ and here I was getting hurt by the very people I should have been able to lean on. I've dealt with this in the church and in my own ministry endeavors. It's never a fun experience to go through.

Scenario #3-While I've never felt as though I couldn't dream due to the fear of hurt and failure, I have to admit, there are times that I wonder whether or not it's worth it. Let me say this-it is well worth it! Again, if God has given you a dream, do not give up! I've been experiencing this this week with my dissertation for my doctoral degree. Yesterday was a bad day-I was ready to throw in the towel and say forget it. I was ready to give up on my dream of ever obtaining my doctorate. Let me give you the advice that many of my friends posted:

* take a breath-relax
* have some ice cream
* think of the positive outcome that will come about when you fulfill your dream
* DON'T GIVE UP!

So today I ask you, what are your dreams? Do you believe that God wants to give you the desires of your heart? What stands in the way of you believing that God wants to bless you? Do not allow impatience or people keep you from fulfilling what God has placed in your heart. God is faithful! He will do what He has promised to do!

New Lessons Learned

I must admit-having a baby has recently taught me numerous lessons. Let me share some of them with you:

* Patience. Currently, my son wakes up between 2-3 times a night. What amazes me is that even though I pick him up, change his diaper and get his bottle ready, he continues to cry, even though his needs will be met. Seeing and experiencing this makes me wonder, how many times do we do the same thing? We know deep in our hearts that God is there with us, carrying us through our daily lives while meeting our needs, but yet, we still throw our "tantrums" and in turn, lose our patience because we feel as though God is not working on our timetable. Watching my son as he cries has caused me to question how many times I do this to God.

* Decision Making-Since Liam has arrived, I've had some decision making to do which in turn has caused me to really lean on God. What decisions are you needing to make today? Have you turned to God and asked Him to guide and lead you?

* Opinions-Having a baby brings about the many opinions of others. While I appreciate the majority of the thoughts and ideas I get from others, I can't but help ask myself-Jen, are you listening more to the opinions of others or are you truly seeking God's ideas and what it is that He thinks is best? Let me ask you the same-as you make decisions and try to figure things out in life-are you seeking the opinions of others over God?

I pray that as you continue to seek out your Life Purpose, that you will realize that God desires nothing more than to share His thoughts and ideas with you and that even though it may seems like He's not working on your behalf, be patient, He's not only meeting your needs, but preparing you for what He has for you! May you be blessed!