Empty Boat

Out of all the things I had to get done today, writing a blog was not one of them.  So in sincere "attention challenged" fashion, I write anyway. I found something else to do instead of what I'm supposed to be working on. This is my story. This is my song!

Oh how I have missed talking to you. Emptying my mind and telling you how the Lord speaks in the midst of my crazy was my therapy. It was how I shared the good news I received in my time with the Lord.

So fast forward to now. My days are still crazy. I decided to take my own advice and Jump out of the safety of my boat! The Lord is showing himself faithful minute by minute. That's how I'm living life. Minute by minute. Taking one step and waiting for the Lord to tell me when to move again because if left up to me, I'd convince myself to run quickly in the wrong direction.

The reason I have been away for so long is that I've been in a place where I am being pulled in every direction and uncertain of my own abilities to manage them. It's been day after day waiting and receiving "daily bread." Everyday, the Lord has given me enough for that day. And when I open my eyes the next, I am grateful and wait for the day's direction

I have been fighting and resisting this place. Ugh! I need to KNOW!  The human, independent, prideful part of me needs to know the layout and direction in full. Not in part!

Anyway...I digress!

See...I'm still crazy! :)

Remembering the instructions of  Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to  Him and he will make your paths straight."

I have had several conversations with myself about being here a few times before. Back then I opted to get out of the water and back into my boat. The force of the winds and waves of life pushed me to focus on my own lack of strength instead of omnipotence of my God! So as I talk to myself, I remind me that I know all too well how it feels to walk in a false sense of security inside the familiarity of my boat. It's a place also known as fear. It robs you of experiencing the promises and purpose that the Lord has so freely extended.  Fear doesn't allow for anything but limits you in everything. I am very familiar with this place of emptiness and regret.

NOT THIS TIME!

Have you been there? Or are you here with me? Waiting. Wondering. Not knowing how or when? Have you been or are you in that place where the Lord is showing you that your time frame is not His? Is he demonstrating that you are limited by time but he is eternal?

Are you being reminded that He is in control and not your desires? Is he teaching you to sift your desires through his word?

As I lamented about the winds and rain outside of the boat, I was swiftly reminded that this is the place where He wants us. Total dependence on Him. Not on our own abilities and fears. This is where He teaches us his priorities as we abandon our own. We learn patience, courage and his goodness.

I want to encourage you as I encourage myself.

It's in this place that we see the magnificence of a God who wanted us even when we didn't want him.

"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us." I John 4:10

I am overwhelmed that he wants us to know Him:

"God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us." Acts 17:27.

I am humbled that the God of the Universe wants us to come closer. The more he pulls the more we reach.

So with tear stained faces, we exhale, unclench our fists and we wait in the water. Not because we are confident in ourselves and our waiting. But we are confident in the One whom we are waiting on! The One who has the power to calm the winds and waves. He is the same One who placed that power in us!  He wants to lead and guide us to the place that he has appointed just for us.

Go ahead. Look around. This is not a place of fear and worry. It's a place where the Providence of God reigns. This place where he prepares us in humility to depend only on Him!

Rest in Him.

Trust Him fully.

He is ABLE!

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

 And the comfort in all of this is that we may not understand why we wait but we don't have to wait alone.

He is Here!

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6


Blessings!



copyright 2016 www.shundriariddick.com  All Rights Reserved.

No Applause...

There are times when we will be called to do something great.

We may see it as great. We work hard on it. We have sleepless nights. We ponder over them. We pray. We fast. We put our very best into it.

But there are times when it may not be seen as great. Others may not appreciate what you do.  Many will not even see what you do. Others may not see the hours of work. The lack of sleep. The prayers. The time and effort.

Is it still great?

What if there is no applause?

Christ was considered great until his call became his cross.  He was lied on. Hated. Tortured. Even Killed

(Well, they thought so anyway!) 

But it was great.  Without it, there would not have been a resurrection. We would have been without redemption for sins. Lost. Destined for an eternity separate from Him.

It was great.

So...While you fulfill your call, there may be no applause. There may be no appreciation. Many may not see your greatness.  What if your call becomes your cross?

You may be fighting for your children and they may fight back. They may not value your effort. They may not understand the path that you are trying to keep them on.  But it is Great!

You may be fighting for your marriage. It may not be appreciated or understood. You are in your prayer closet calling on the name of the Lord.  You are fighting for your family and it is great.

What is your call?

Some are called to lead companies. Some are called to clean them. Some to repair. Some to childcare. Some to care for the elderly or the disabled. Some to pray. It could be to lead a great ministry. Or it could be to work within one. Some to write letters of encouragement. Maybe it's to reconcile with an old friend. It could be to forgive someone and make peace.

Whatever it is, it may seem insignificant.

"And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward." Matthew 10:42

No applause.

No appreciation.

But it is GREAT!

Don't stop.

Keep going!

"For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." Hebrews 6:10-12

"Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." Hebrews 13:16

"Whatever yo do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." Colossians 3:23-24

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9


Blessings!

copyright 2015 www.shundriariddick.com . All Rights Reserved

Have You Made It?

I’m here to let you in on something. I’ve recently come to a realization that I need to share.  I need to say this but you need to hold on to your seat.  When I found out, I almost fell out of my chair. My heart dropped and I couldn’t believe that I fell for it.  I’ve been around for years and I can usually figure things out. But this one…

Are you ready?

Ok…

There is no place!

You know the place we are working all day to arrive.  It’s the destination where all things are wonderful. I’m not talking about Heaven. I’m talking about here on earth.  It’s where we have enough in our bank accounts. We drive the right car and have the right amount of bedrooms. Our children understand and accept our discipline. They make smart choices and apply the discriminatory thinking that we have been pouring into them since the age of 1. They love Jesus and are living their lives for Him.

In this place our marriages are perfect.  We finally communicate successfully and both feel fully supported and appreciated. Work outside and inside the home is equally shared. We are completely satisfied in our singleness and we have conquered loneliness and all struggles. 

We are the perfect size for clothing and we have the right hair products. Great hair day is every day. Amen!

We pray for an hour a day, have a deep connection with the Lord, and can hear him in all we do. We have figured out our purpose and we are fully engaged in carrying out His plan.

You know the place.

That’s what we are working for. We are constantly praying and fasting for our arrival. We fight our spouses for this haven. We yell at our kids for this. We read books and seek advice from the experts who say they know how to get there. There are shows, movies and podcasts that give us steps on how to make it.  We want our family and friends to validate for us that we are well on our way.

What if there isn’t such a place?

I know. It's hard to take in! 

What if this is about the journey and not the destination? What if it’s about how you live now as opposed to how you will live when you get there?

What if it’s about your compassion?  Love?  Forgiveness?  Patience?

What if it’s about your love for Jesus? Sharing Him through your actions when you have not arrived or when you have nothing or everything?

What if it’s about how you love those who you or society defines as unlovable?

What if it’s about how you pray for others?

What if it's about how you treat your loved ones?

What if it’s about how you care for the sick or feed those who are hungry?

What if it’s about how you stand up and not be ashamed for what you believe and how you live?

What if it’s about humility?

What if it's about grace and not entitlement?

If so, have you made it?

Blessings!

All rights reserved. copyright 2015 www.shundriariddick.com 

Alone With Nothing!

I’ve been going to my local coffee shop to write. I have a place at home but there have been instances when I can't use it. Why? My children seem to need all of my attention when I’m working.  All of it! You know how it is. I can loudly call their names and not get an answer. I can search the entire house when I’m needing them to do something. BUT, when I need to get something done all by myself,  suddenly they all appear.

So today I get an opportunity to actually sit and write out my thoughts.  I’m so excited. How often do I actually get this uninterrupted time of writing?

How cool am I? I have it all together. I have everything I need. 

Coffee? Check.

Computer? Check.

Books?  Check.

Colorful pens and highliters? Check

I am ready!

Wait.

One problem. 

I have no idea about what I’m writing.
I have nothing!
I mean NOTHING!
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

See this only happens to me!  The time when I have the opportunity to actually get it all out, I can't.
Not anything.

So I’m sitting here. Watching. Wondering. Praying. Waiting.

Ugh!
Then it hit me.  Alone. Nothing.

 

I thought:

"Girl! You are alone and you have nothing!"

HA-LLE-LU-JAH!
 

I put my head in my hands and exhaled. I took advantage of this mental break.

I think that we are a society of people who have made chaos our comfort zone. We crave it. We have become so accustomed to it that we don't know what to do with peace. We question it, feel bad about it, and schedule it away. All the while, we complain about being overwhelmed and tired.

Where's the place that we are so desperately trying to go? What are we doing? When did distress become preferred and quiet become uncomfortable?

Sometimes nothing is ok.

Sit still. No words. Nothing to say. Not a list to create. Not a task to complete.

Wait. Not that you don't have anything to do. You do! I definitely do! It's that you don't have to complete it at this moment.

We have so many distractions. So many things thrown at us daily. So many songs. So many words, pictures, videos, and voices. So many ideas. Plans. Tasks. Checklists.

Sometimes we need a break. A time to exhale. A time to sit and listen to what the Lord has to say to us.

I’m away in a coffee shop. My children are home with their father. No one is calling me. I’m not responding to texts. I’m not wondering about next week. I’m not creating any checklists.

After my initial panic, I actually began to appreciate my quiet.

During this I hear the Lord telling me that He is enough and that with Him comes all I need.  I can relax and enjoy. He's telling me that it’s ok to sit still.  It's ok that I don’t have something to write that will blow someone’s mind. I don’t have to write the next bestseller. I don't have to have next week's plan ready to print and execute. I don't have to have it all together. I don't have to do anything.

It's okay.

Crazy huh?

When was the last time you sat still?
When was the last time you scheduled away your peace?

 What if the Lord is waiting for you to be still so that he can speak to you?

What if in the place of silence is your answer?

Blessings!

Copyright 2015 www.shundriariddick.com All rights reserved.

 

The Thing About Contentment

My husband and I live a relatively normal life. Except for that fact that if you visit our home you may hear someone singing mariachi, playing Tchaikovsky, riding skateboards, dancing to old school music or playing volleyball without a net.  Except for that, we are pretty normal!

We buy what we need and sometimes what we want.  Kids are expensive! We have cars that are about 10 years old. and we plan on driving them until the wheels fall off! In other words, not too much longer. Ha!

We absolutely refuse to pay $300 for a pair of shoes for our children because we just refuse! In addition to that, their feet grow too fast and they don’t have jobs!

So…normal.

My husband and I recently went to dinner at a “swanky” hotel.  We have such great times when we go out sans kiddos! (They don’t read my blog so don’t tell them I said that!) 

We decided to meet friends for a fun night out.  As we entered the parking lot of the luxury of the luxuries of vehicles, we valet our normal car. Proudly I must add because I am not walking across the street in heels. Ummmkay! We sometimes ask jokingly "Why don't you park our car in the front with the other expensive cars?"  They stare and stumble, not really saying anything. We laugh and enjoy our evening.

I told my husband “Lots of people are wealthier than we are!” He lovingly said “I disagree. We are rich. We have a great family."

I completely agree! We do. But we would look even better in that $80K SUV! Just sayin...

It made me begin to wonder about contentment. Are we really satisfied with who we are, what we have, and where we are going?  It’s tough to find someone who is truly satisfied with their situation in life.

When do you know you are fine?

When is enough, enough?

One more decimal over in my account.

One more car.

One more computer.

One more house.

One more outfit.

One more pair of shoes.

One more boat.

One more.

Look at this!

Beautiful!

 And this!

I can definitely enjoy this!

We are inundated with the images of “My life is better than yours, My body is skinnier than yours. My home is bigger than yours. Your life can be this way if you have what I have and look the way I look."

We are falling for it too!

We are in debt to the amount of approximately $16,000 per household and still not satisfied.

"And he said to them, 'Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15

"For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:32-33

So many of us are frustrated, depressed, angry and resentful because we are not content. We inherit so much pressure and stress. We are not satisfied with things as they are. We have adopted an unhealthy world view of "enough."

When do you have enough? When will you be satisfied?

What if where you are is your normal?

Will you still seek first His kingdom?

Will you be like Paul and understand the secret in not complaining?

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:12-13

The thing about contentment is that we easily abandon it as we pursue the goals of the a particular zip code, Hollywood, or Silicone Valley. We have given over our fullness of joy in contentment with Christ to the unquenchable thirst and insatiable hunger for that which is temporary.

This is all so easy for me to type. But remembering it as I navigate my way through constant images of excess is far different! A great remodel episode on a home channel or the right pin on Pinterest can send me into a struggle.  Seriously! :)

What is your thing about contentment?


Blessings!


"Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction, For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs." I Timothy 6:6-11


Copyright 2015 www.shundriariddick.com All rights Reserved

Keep Going!

All of us have a desire to be seen at our best.  We have a face that we prepare daily. We wake up and outfit ourselves with smiles and pleasantries in hopes of disguising our pain and the reality of our current self. But deep inside we say:

If only they knew.

My struggle. 

My heart. 

My thoughts.

That I cry at night.

I wonder.

I question.

I’m uncertain.

I’m scared.

I worry.

If only they knew.

So we sit quietly

Waiting. Not letting anyone in.

What would happen if they knew about our gaping wound that bleeds throughout our day? It presents itself in the form of: Impatience. Anger. Sadness. Fear. Frustration. Fatigue.

Friend, you are not alone. Most of us are where you are. We are hiding. Hoping that tomorrow will be different. Praying that our situations will change.

There are so many of us that are going through difficult seasons. I am overwhelmed by how much is happening each day in our world.

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." John 16:33

There is HOPE!

Jesus knows. He is not surprised. He knew when He created you that this season would come.

This is not the part where I say share this post with ten people and in ten days your prayer will be answered.  I will not list seven steps to freedom from worry, frustration, sadness, etc.

Sometimes we don’t need a complex answer. We don't need to share, click, or type "Amen." We need hope!

Here it is!

“Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”  Romans 5:2-5 

 I just want to encourage you to keep going. He will answer.  I don’t know how. I don’t know when. I don’t know what will happen when He shows up but He will.

You will know it when He comes because God’s presence ALWAYS produces evidence.

So no magic.

No steps.

Just wonderful assurance and hope.

You are not alone. He’s there.

He will answer.

Keep going.

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” I Peter 5:10

Blessings!


Copyright 2015 www.shundriariddick.com All Rights Reserved

Use Your Wings!

Days are busy and summer is NOT a break!

I've fooled myself for many years thinking that summer was a break from the stress and schedule of the school year. But I've come to realize that we just fill the time slots with many other activities. Swimming lessons, music lessons, camps, practices etc.

I'm just as busy now as I was a few months ago. I must say that I prefer this kind of being on the move. I am enjoying every minute of it!

Having three kids means I'm usually dropping off, picking up or trying to coordinate with my husband in making sure we end the day with all three. Seriously!

As I hurried to pick up a kid from another activity, I noticed a bird trying to walk across a busy street. Cars were moving quickly and it stood waiting for the right moment.

Huh?

I thought to myself "Why is the bird walking across the street?"

I shook my head and thought "You can fly! What are you doing?"

I just assumed that it was trying to get to food in the middle of the road. That had to be it. Why would a bird, with the capability of flying over the madness, choose to walk through it?

Immediately, I heard the Holy Spirit whisper "Exactly.Why are you trying to maneuver through situations that you were created to fly over?"

Goodness Gracious!

This one hit me! HARD!

Some struggles are not for me. There are some situations, people, or feelings I should not attempt to engage or entwine.

Am I the only one?

How many of us are hiking through the terrain of unproductive situations, relationships, feelings, debates, and conflict that we are meant to circumnavigate?

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." I Corinthians 15:57

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17

"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If  God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:37


Why are we developing strategies to march when we have been given wings to soar?


Blessings!



copyright 2015. www.shundriariddick.com All Rights Reserved