cars

God’s Dreams

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment
I think this car best fits my personality (but unfortunately not my checkbook).

I think this car best fits my personality (but unfortunately not my checkbook).

I have a little dream that probably has no basis in reality. It pops up every time I wind up in downtown Franklin. I see myself driving a little red Mini-Cooper to my little stone house with the red door and going inside to work on my next novel.

Maybe there’s a little basis of reality there. I don’t know. It sounds like good life to me.

But I also know that my dreams for myself are nothing compared to God’s dreams for me. His dreams for me are much more vast, much grander in scope, more breathtaking and awe-inspiring than mine could ever be. I’d go so far as so say that if I saw the whole of what God has for me, my little brain would probably explode and little pieces of my mind would end up all over Williamson County. It would not be pretty.

Up to now, I’ve seen only the tiniest glimpses of those dreams and been amazed. God’s dreams for me are the motivation I need to not quit and to not give up on myself or on anyone else in my life.

What are God’s dreams for you? Where do you see God leading you in the days and months and years ahead?

Imagine the grandest dreams you’ve ever had for yourself and multiply those by a thousand. Or better yet, by ten thousand. Then you’ve only begun to touch the dreams God has for you. You’ve only touched the hem of the tapestry of your life God is weaving for you at this very moment.

All I know to do is to trust God’s dreams for me and be faithful in the small details. God has never failed one-up my expectations every single time and I know the next time will definitely not be an exception.

“No one’s ever seen or heard anything like this,
Never so much as imagined anything quite like it—
What God has arranged for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

That Watershed Moment

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

I will give you a scenario and then you can find out if you’re anything like me or if I really do need more pills. Here goes.

Tonight, I was debating internally whether or not I wanted to make the long trek downtown to work with the homeless at Set Free Nashville. Part of me wanted to go, but part of me wanted to not be bothered and stay home and veg.

The lazy part almost won. I had almost talked myself into not going, but then I went.

Guess what? The pastor was preaching to me. It was exactly what I needed to hear at that moment. If I hadn’t gone, I would have missed out on a big blessing.

Maybe you’re in a place where you’re debating on whether or not to give up a Saturday to go serve meals to the homeless. Maybe you’re deciding whether or not to go to a Bible study even though you’re feeling wiped from a long day of work.

You will find every excuse not to go. You will have no trouble rationalizing staying and thinking of all the other chores you could be doing and/or all that rest you could be getting.

You might have a strange resistance to going and it will almost feel like you’re walking into the wind if you step out in faith.

I think that what you’re experiencing is spiritual warfare. The devil does not want you to go and receive that blessing, so he is trying his best to get you from going. Though sometimes you and I do just fine on our own for finding reasons not to step out.

One word: go. Get up off the couch, put down whatever suddenly seems so urgent and pressing, get in the car, and go.

I promise you will receive a blessing. You will receive a very precious word from God that you would have missed if you had not gone. You will serve, but find yourself receiving so much more than you give. You will find that you saw Jesus in the eyes of the least of these that you spoke to and served.

You will have the joy of knowing that God called you and you chose to obey and got to be where He was moving in power.

Go.

 

 

The Five Stages of Rearview Mirror Installation

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / 1 Comment

Recently, I had to reattach my rearview mirror after it fell off my window yet again. Trust me. You really haven’t lived until you’ve had to put your rearview mirror back on your windshield.

It was going so well. I got my kit, prepped the window, glued the metal part, and tried to attach the mirror. It wouldn’t go. Then I asked myself the dreaded question: “Did I actually put the metal part on backwards?” It involved a five step process that you might or might not recognize.

1) Denial: “No, this is the way it goes. It can’t have gone the other way. This stupid rearview mirror is just being a pain. If I keep at it, it will eventually lock into place and all will be right with the world again.”

2) Anger: “Stupid, stupid mirror. Why can’t you just fit and not give me a hassle? Why does this have to be so complicated?”

3) Bargaining: “God, if you just let this work, I’ll always let other cars pull out in front of me. I’ll never say another unkind word about the driver who cuts me off ever again.”

4) Depression: “Well, I suppose life isn’t that bad driving a car with no rearview mirror. At least I still have both side mirrors, right?”

5) Acceptance: “Ok, I’m done pouting. I’ll drive the two miles and pay the extra $5 for another kit and start the process over.”

That’s kinda how it went. Why, you ask, should I alone have the privilege of having to reattach my rearview mirror multuple times? Just lucky (or blessed, if you’re Baptist).

Life is back to normal. I can back up and change lanes without throwing up a Hail Mary. My car looks normal again.

Most things in life are like that. Just because something’s not easy doesn’t mean it’s not possible. And screwing up the first try doesn’t mean the end of civilization as we know it. Sometimes you just need a second chance.

That’s all.