Today was a beautiful Sunday, and after church, I decided to hit my front flower beds full force. My mother is a master gardener and can make a twig from the 1800s blossom in a matter of weeks. My plants, on the other hand are only green because they are evergreens or are silk--for the most part : ) BUT I do love planting, and I love working outside in the yard. There's just something so satisfying about it--I find that it's therapeutic. Today I found that especially true. As the warm sunshine heated my back and neck, I stooped over in front of my neglected ground cover to unravel the mass of clover that was intertwined with all my little plants...and I started to feel God's message for my blog unraveling with the clover...and these are the lessons I believe I'm to share:
Tips about reaping a harvest in the flower beds of life:
1. It's dirty work--you will sweat, grunt, get blisters, and have an aching body at the end of the day
2. It takes time--as much as I wanted a quick fix for my clover issue, I knew I didn't have a magic weed killer that would remove the intruder immediately without killing my precious plant underneath. I also know that I'm going to have to spend at least another couple of days invested in doing the exact thing I did today.
3. Get to the root of your problems--if you just pulled the foliage off the clover, you would never end your weed problem--you've got to get to the root--because it is intertwined underneath and trying to strangle the roots of your plant--BUT when you do pull up that weed's root, the foliage that you see from the surface comes out with it naturally.
4. Be proactive--if I had taken measures to prevent the clover, it wouldn't be there.
5. Be diligent--if I had taken the time just a little each week to pull a weed here, spray a weed there, I would never have had the mess of clover I had today.
6. Focus on the end result--I know what I want my flower beds to look like, and I keep working towards that vision.
7. It's worth it! When I finally stood up and stepped back from the afternoon's work, cleaned up the mess, I took pride in what I saw, and loved that I could see my vision taking shape.
Gen. 2:15 says, "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." The Garden of Eden was God's promised land on earth. Even in a land where God's provision was bountiful, our purpose in it was to work and take care of it. I truly feel like where we are in life can be our promised land on earth if we work it and take care of it. In my Thirty-One business, my "garden" consists of my family, my Customers, my Hostesses, my team, my Thirty-One "sisters", and those who cross my path on a daily basis. There's work to be done in our promised land. In order for us to enjoy the provisions of God's blessings, we have to do our part, and I BELIEVE the bounteous rewards will be beyond our imaginations--not just on earth, but in His eternal kingdom!
Yes, even amongst weeds, there are lessons to be learned--because God is fully capable of immediately producing blossoms and beauty, but what we learn and who we become as "gardeners in life" just might be more beautiful than the flowers we seek to grow.
Praying this week that the "weeds" that have been threatening to choke you will be pulled up by their roots and the beautiful growth potential of the plant beneath will peek through once again!
Blessings and love,
Jennifer
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Remain in Me...and I will remain in you!
Two years ago as I was sitting on my front porch and reading Joyce Myers' book, In Pursuit of Peace, I felt God's promise for my life was revealed to me. The passage talked about a tree and its fruit and how those branches didn't struggle to produce fruit, they simply had to stay attached. How simple that sounded! The scripture focus was John 15:1-17. The main idea that is repeated over and over in this chapter is to "remain in me"--God, that is. Remain means to linger, stay, abide, wait. I used to think "wait" was a passive verb, but as I was studying Isaiah 40:31 (funny how it's verse 31 : ), "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They will mount up with wings as eagles. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint," I learned that the meaning of wait can be interpreted--"twisted into". I immediately thought of the vine and the branches in John 15. I knew this verse was meant for me to understand. This waiting was a synonym for remaining, yet it took on a whole new meaning. It was active--I had to hang on, and if I did, God's promises would flow into me and He would take care of my harvest, the blossoms that were growing on my tree.
Two years ago I was at the peak of my selling, but I struggled with recruiting. I saw how others' Thirty-One teams were growing, and I just couldn't understand why mine wasn't. I racked my brain trying to figure out what incentives I could offer to force a team to happen for me (notice the focus?). When I read these verses and God truly spoke them into me, I could see a beautiful tree--kind of like those blooming now--and yes, all the branches had blossoms! I felt this was God's promise to me if I chose to believe it and claim it for my own. Thus, the name "believers" was born for my Thirty-One team and my focus became God's will for my life, rather than my own personal agenda.
The word "remain" is used eleven times in John 15, but is commanded of us 10 times (one of those 11 is God's promise to remain in us). Did you know that 10 is the number that marks the perfection of the divine order--God's perfect plan for us? (I actually just found that out--HA! Love it) Not only is it stated 10 times, but also within the first 10 verses. Coincidence? I don't think so! God leaves nothing to chance and is so intentional with how He speaks to us. In fact in verse 11, it says, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be COMPLETE."
So how do we remain in Him? As businesswomen, our tendency is to struggle--with deadlines, goals, balance (ugh--that word should be 4 letters!), guilt, and our roles we are called to do. Maybe this is just me, but I don't think so. "Remain" became for me simply spending time in God's Word. Shortly after reading Joyce Myers' book, I found a Bible study group. Since beginning diligent study with these ladies, I have received comfort, confirmation, joy, passion, clarity, confidence, and a growing peace--just to name a few. I am HOOKED! It's an addiction I never want to be cured of! But, it's no longer enough for me to have that for myself, but it is clear to me that I am to share this amazing "well" that I drink from--that I am to lead YOU, my Thirty-One team, to the well of living water (John 4). So this is why I have started this blog--to perhaps lead you to a source that will be your all if you REMAIN in HIM. Matthew 6:33 says, "seek first His kingdom and his righteousness (God's right way of living for our lives), and all these things (bookings, recruits, sales, goals, bills paid, etc., etc.) will be given to you as well." I don't take this to mean that if I'm praying and reading God's word that all my wish list will be granted, but I trust that His promises for my life are better than my feeble heart's desires, and when I seek Him, His desires, will become my desires, and THIS is a promise I can REMAIN in!
So I want to pray today that you find a new passion for remaining in Him. If you've never opened your Bible, start with the verses I've shared with you today. Talk out loud and ask God to reveal His promises to you for YOUR life. That's the great thing about His plan--we've all got a unique part! I can't wait to see you grow in Him!
Praying for you in love!
Two years ago I was at the peak of my selling, but I struggled with recruiting. I saw how others' Thirty-One teams were growing, and I just couldn't understand why mine wasn't. I racked my brain trying to figure out what incentives I could offer to force a team to happen for me (notice the focus?). When I read these verses and God truly spoke them into me, I could see a beautiful tree--kind of like those blooming now--and yes, all the branches had blossoms! I felt this was God's promise to me if I chose to believe it and claim it for my own. Thus, the name "believers" was born for my Thirty-One team and my focus became God's will for my life, rather than my own personal agenda.
The word "remain" is used eleven times in John 15, but is commanded of us 10 times (one of those 11 is God's promise to remain in us). Did you know that 10 is the number that marks the perfection of the divine order--God's perfect plan for us? (I actually just found that out--HA! Love it) Not only is it stated 10 times, but also within the first 10 verses. Coincidence? I don't think so! God leaves nothing to chance and is so intentional with how He speaks to us. In fact in verse 11, it says, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be COMPLETE."
So how do we remain in Him? As businesswomen, our tendency is to struggle--with deadlines, goals, balance (ugh--that word should be 4 letters!), guilt, and our roles we are called to do. Maybe this is just me, but I don't think so. "Remain" became for me simply spending time in God's Word. Shortly after reading Joyce Myers' book, I found a Bible study group. Since beginning diligent study with these ladies, I have received comfort, confirmation, joy, passion, clarity, confidence, and a growing peace--just to name a few. I am HOOKED! It's an addiction I never want to be cured of! But, it's no longer enough for me to have that for myself, but it is clear to me that I am to share this amazing "well" that I drink from--that I am to lead YOU, my Thirty-One team, to the well of living water (John 4). So this is why I have started this blog--to perhaps lead you to a source that will be your all if you REMAIN in HIM. Matthew 6:33 says, "seek first His kingdom and his righteousness (God's right way of living for our lives), and all these things (bookings, recruits, sales, goals, bills paid, etc., etc.) will be given to you as well." I don't take this to mean that if I'm praying and reading God's word that all my wish list will be granted, but I trust that His promises for my life are better than my feeble heart's desires, and when I seek Him, His desires, will become my desires, and THIS is a promise I can REMAIN in!
So I want to pray today that you find a new passion for remaining in Him. If you've never opened your Bible, start with the verses I've shared with you today. Talk out loud and ask God to reveal His promises to you for YOUR life. That's the great thing about His plan--we've all got a unique part! I can't wait to see you grow in Him!
Praying for you in love!
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