Tag: journey

Barefoot Devotions

Blooming In Off Seasons

Hannah B.

This winter season has been unusual to say the least.  I have heard stories of flowers blooming this month because of the much warmer temperatures that are not expected in a cold January.   It’s supposed to be snowing, frigid cold, and signs of plant life are supposed to be anything but blooming.  Expectations for winter seasons are already set for us.  When things happen out of season, we tend to get confused, scratch our head, and ask, “why?” We often get stuck on thinking it’s not supposed to be this way.

Perhaps there is a lesson we can learn from the blooming flower in the off season.  Naturally, we think the flowers are confused because this is happening against the season.  The flowers did not question the season they were in, but they bloomed as they were created to.  They know the conditions needed to produce blooms and they spring forth into action.

Like the flower blooming in the off season, we may find ourselves in seasons we do not understand but we must find a way to spring forth into action.

The Word of Truth is needed in a believer’s life to produce fruitfulness, steadfastness, and new life.   When we are in relationship with God by engaging in His word, prayer, fasting, and worship we are then in right balance with the creator.  When the word is implanted in us, it is deeply woven in every part of us.   We won’t be able to stop the growth and we will want to live a life pure and undefiled.  This kind of life leads us to be doers and hearers of The Word as James instructs Christians to be. 

James teaches us that every believer will experience trials in life, but trials are a blessing.  They are opportunities for growth and to see the Father of Lights who created the light that rule the days and seasons.  His nature is unchanging, and His promises are secure.  Through creation, we can see exactly how faithful and unchanging God is.   Therefore, it is so important as believers to be deeply rooted in Christ so that when these off seasons do come, we will not be swayed but we will spring into action as we were created to.  Off seasons are opportunities to truly learn where our faith stands when resources have dried up, time is against us, and there isn’t any light at the end of the tunnel.   These seasons are where we meet opposition, lack, frustration, and maybe even wonder if we had faith at all?

But we were created for this.

It’s the place where we find out who we truly are, what our character is made of, and the condition of our heart.  In this place, we see God, place our trust in Him, and surrender. 

We must find a way to stay focused on God and our relationship with Him in every season of our journey so that when these off seasons do come, we will not find ourselves stuck or wavering.

 God is at work in all of our seasons, spiritual growth is a process and growth happens most in the seasons that seem out of balance. 

He is there and we can trust that He has a great purpose.

Qualities Needed In Off Seasons

Be swift to hear

Slow to speak

Slow to wrath

Be a doer of The Word

Read James 1 here:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1&version=NIV

With all of my love and encouragement,

Hannah B.

Barefoot Devotions

Beautiful Detours

Hannah B.

The day began early with a 5 hour drive to South Carolina to celebrate my best friend’s surprise birthday party. I decided against getting a hotel that night and would make the drive home. When it was time to head back to my house, I used Siri for directions like I always do. I was certain she knew the address and would find the best route.

I spoke into my phone, “Siri, get me directions home.” She responded confidently, “Getting directions home.” As we began the drive back to Kentucky, I got lost in a flowing rhythm of praise music and praying. Before I knew it, I had listened to Siri’s step by step directions and was headed on a road that I just knew wouldn’t lead me to my home.

As the miles kept passing, I began to become panicked and anxious. I was tired and already regretting not getting a hotel room that night. I pulled off on the road to breathe and reassure my direction.

Destination: Another address that I’ve never been too.

I quit my current directions and said, “Siri, get me directions.” Without delay, she did to the same unknown address. Sure enough my home address has been changed. I assume my four year old altered my settings somehow.

As I manually typed in my home address, the only thing I could think was how ridiculous is it that I trust this phone so much to get me home and how comfortable I am to just say, “Hey Siri, get me directions home” and not even look to see if the right address has been selected.

When I looked in my rear view at my sleeping child all I could do was laugh that he was probably the one who got a hold of my phone and changed the settings. Yet, he was sleeping as if nothing happened.

With a deep breath and the right directions, I started the journey back the way I came to get on the right road to head home. I couldn’t be mad at myself because I knew God allowed it to happen and for my benefit and for my safety especially for the safety of my child. All I could do was continue to praise God for His faithfulness and goodness. After all, I was stopped and looking at the most beautiful view of the sky. If you look closely, it even looks like a hand in the clouds. The ironic part is I have been asking God if my last year has been a detour but even if it was, it’s been beautiful. I’m content and that concern has been washed away.

It’s such a relief to know that God is in control and is the ultimate guide that will always lead us home. Even when we wander and drift away from our road map for life – He already has our u-turn planned. He is waiting for us to make that decision to accept His intervention. Even when you are lost in the rhythm of life and notice this doesn’t quite feel right, He is there to guide you back at home. There is even beauty in the detours because it gives us our story and it guides us back home to the Creator.

When we ask God for directions home, we can be certain He will always give us the right directions.

With all my love,

Hannah

Barefoot Devotions

A Purposeful Journey

Hannah B.

Jonah 4:2 NLT |So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people.

You have been uniquely crafted by the hands of the Creator for a specific purpose that only you can fulfill.  But what if we don’t like where God is asking us to go or do? What if it’s too scary?  Perhaps, you don’t feel qualified?

Jonah’s life teaches us one thing and that is this:  God will have His way.  

You have the power to choose to take the way God desires for you or you can take the way you desire.  In the opening chapter, God doesn’t waste any time in telling Jonah, “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

 Then there is a but.

 Jonah decided to hop on a boat and head in the opposite direction, away from God.   We quickly see that Jonah’s life is being interrupted by God – the very One he was trying to flee from because he did not like the mission that God called him to.  Once the sailors realized that Jonah’s God was causing the great storm, Jonah told them to throw him overboard so that the storm would stop.  

If Jonah would have simply said, “Okay God, You know best” and set out to complete his mission, a lot of time could have been saved and he would have avoided putting himself and the lives of others in danger and being swallowed up by a fish.    Instead, it took being inside the fish’s belly for three days to finally understand that God’s plan was going to happen.   I know I have found myself stuck inside the stomach of a fish until I came to God’s senses.   Once Jonah finally makes it to his destination and completes the mission God gave him, the people immediately repent of their sins and turn their hearts back to God.  

God is so gracious and compassionate that when we truly repent and seek His face, He is faithful to forgive us of our sins – regardless of how dark and rotten our hearts are.  Here is the other but:  Jonah wasn’t happy.   He would have preferred the entire nation be judged, condemned, and destroyed.   All through the mission, Jonah’s heart was not compassionate, and he is treating this great calling like a task that has to be done.   Even at the end of the story (Jonah 4:4), he is more worried about his reputation and says, “it would be better for me to die than live.”

Whatever God has called us to, He has equipped us, and He has prepared the place and people that we will serve and witness to.   It’s so much easier to allow fear, doubt, and our own selfish desires to overrule our judgments and plans than to listen to God because it removes “us” from the equation. It’s important to not Listening to God requires us to die to self and choose God and His plan over the desires and dreams we may have for our life.  Sometimes the hardest thing we have to do is to be compassionate toward someone we may feel they don’t deserve grace.

 

 In the grand scheme of things, the plan God has for your life is oh, so good!  His purpose is to work everything for the good of those who love Him.  If we fully submit to Him and His will, we are guaranteed this promise!  Just as we see in the testimony of Jonah, God’s compassion for us is continual and even when we don’t listen the first time, He will provide another chance.

Romans 8:28 | And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

So next time God sends you on a mission, do a heart check and go with a joyful heart and a willing spirit to serve!

Let’s Ponder!

1.        How many buts are you going to let come between you and your purpose that was uniquely hand crafted for you?

2.       What is God calling you to do but your heart is not in it?

3.        Will you allow God to work on your heart to prepare you to go with a heart of joy?

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father,

I thank You for creating me specifically for the unique purpose that You have called me to.  I ask that You continue to shape me into the person You created me to be so that I may fulfill the call You have on my life.   Make my heart match Yours and the desires You have for my life, guide me as I walk closer with You and discover my unique purpose.  When the buts come, remind me of your grace and that You have called me for such a time as this.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.

Barefoot Devotions

Cultivating Confidence

Hannah B.

Psalm 27 teaches us that God is always around us even when we feel as though our enemies, life circumstances, and even our emotions are against us. Whether the war is raging on the outside or inside, we must practice and learn to Be Still in all circumstances to cultivate confidence.

In verse 3, David writes, “Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.”

Like David in verse 5, we can be confident that God will hide us in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal us under the cover of His tent, and He will lift us high upon a rock.

If David could trust and have confidence in God during his troubles, we too can trust God even with all of life’s circumstances.

God does protect and work on behalf of those who trust Him and choose to have confidence in Him. We can be confident of God’s light, stronghold, and salvation.

God’s light directs us when we are in doubt, our hearts are shattered, or we just feel hopeless. He gives us comfort and peace in our hearts that causes us to rejoice regardless of our circumstances. God’s is our stronghold and He protects us in all ways perfectly and for a perfect reason even if the pain does not make sense for the moment. We can run to Him for shelter from the storm and He is faithful to provide for us. God is our salvation even when the walls are closing in – He always saves us in His perfect timing. If God is faithful to be our stronghold, He will be faithful to save us from danger and set us above our fear.

We have the confidence to shout and rejoice during life’s circumstances because God does listen to us as we cry out to Him and He already knows your solution. Your confidence may be low but I assure you that with each trial and tribulation that is thrown your way, this confidence that I speak of will grow as you experience life and deliverance from this experience. My advice? Praise your way through it – speak praise to God, sing praise to God, fill your spirit with praise music, sermons, and God’s word. Turn the volume up LOUD and drown out the sorrows you are feeling.

God will honor your faith and trust in Him and even if the timing doesn’t match yours, we can rest assured that He is working all things out for our good and for His perfect will.

On this day three years ago, a heavy burden that I carried was finally gone. This burden was an ongoing court case from a terrible car accident six years ago. Without going into details, I can tell you that the world said I was going to be crucified. However, God had different plans. Each time the court date was postponed, I felt as though my faith was wearing down. However, I didn’t have an option to quit believing for a miracle. Finally one day my case was dismissed. It was one of the most glorious days of my life. The relief that came was one I will never forget. I’ve praised God all day today for what He did for me three years ago. I knew during this time in my life, God was the only one who would be able to work out the situation for my good, I chose to have faith and I chose to keep believing and trusting even when I could not see.

As I look back, I realize that my trust and faith in God grew drastically during this time. God showed me who He really was and even though it took three years, I learned so much. After each court date that was postponed, I didn’t know why it was delayed once again but it didn’t matter. What mattered is that I knew God had something better – a better outcome and to give me an experience that He led methrough to cultivate confidence in Him.

Each day we have a choice – we choose to live for Jesus. It’s not always easy but it is always the best way. No matter what your circumstances, I hope you use these moments on your journey to allow God to cultivate confidence in Him.

Personal Reflection

  1. What circumstances in your life do you feel unsure or hopeless in?
  2. How can you surrender to God to allow Him to accomplish His plan in your life?
  3. How can you cultivate your relationship with Jesus?

With all my love and encouragement,

Hannah B.

Barefoot Devotions

Even Faith As Small As A Mustard Seed

Hannah B.

Faith.

The word either scares you for having to use it or the word excites you because you know just how powerful the smallest amount of faith can be.

My faith is something I cherish because I have experienced the power of the smallest amount of faith throughout my entire existence.  Faith can be powerful enough to change lives, wash sins as white as snow, empower you to believe in yourself, and chase your dreams.

Faith is scary enough to second guess the call God has given you for your NOW season.  In the moment of making a decision or living through each day during less than desirable circumstances,  faith can be paralyzing.  It can cause you to run, swim, or even catch a boat like Jonah.

I have been pondering Matthew 17:20 and just how much faith we really need if even faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains.  As I hold this tiny mustard seed in my hand, it almost disappears.   It is the tiniest seed but yet so powerful.   Powerful enough to break chains,  move mountains, and open the door to freedom.  

If this tiny seed has the power to move mountains, then how much faith do we need?  I have come to the conclusion that God accepts our faith that is the size of a mustard seed.  He knows that in our human flesh, we will have doubts, questions, and our minds will race with fear.  All of these emotions are normal and okay.  However, what isn’t normal is allowing ourselves to stay in this state of mind and allowing these negative emotions that are not from God to dictate our actions, thoughts, and decisions. 

We have to make a conscious decision to walk out of our emotions and into the calling God has on our life – even if it’s going to our Ninevah.  One thing that God has revealed to me is that I was created for my Ninevah.  My life experiences and who God created me to be are who my Ninevah needs.  It is apart of my calling that holds greater purpose far beyond my mind could comprehend.

Faith.  It’s like the trust fall except for this time you are guaranteed to have the absolute best outcome that was created for you by the creator of the universe.  Once you step out in obedience to Jesus and His will for your life, it’s freeing and it’s liberating.  It will set you on the path to continue to discover your calling in each of your seasons. Won’t you step out in faith and see where the journey takes you? After all, fully submitted and surrendered to God guarantees a life worth living.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for accepting my mustard seed of faith and doing more with it than I could ever comprehend. I praise you for the great things You are doing in my life. Help me to always step out in faith and trust You even when I can not see past my circumstances. You are a good, good Father and I trust You with my life. I surrender my will to You and give my life as a sacrifice to You.

In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

Reflection

  1. How can you step out in faith in what God is calling you today in this season of your life?
  2. In what area in your life is God calling you to step out in faith and walk into your calling?

With all my love & encouragement,

Hannah B.