Tag: purpose

Santa, Get a Grip!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

Santa. Maybe he deserves a stocking of coal. Is he really all that nice? 


Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer used to be one of my favorite childhood memories.
 
However, as I’ve matured (I use that term loosely) into adulthood, I’ve made a few discoveries, as many of you may have as well.
 
What I’ve discovered is…
 
Santa’s a BIG Jerk!
 
Laughing at Rudolph’s unusual gift and not seeing it as such. Listening to the Elves’ song dedicated to him and not receiving their efforts or praise. Expecting his servants to clothe him before he sets out. Only using Rudolph when he needs bailed out of a jam. And doing NOTHING when others hurt Rudolph through vicious name calling.
 
Don’t get me wrong, I love Santa and the idea of him. I really do! But this holiday season, when it can become all about gifts and Santa, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer makes me even more appreciative of the real meaning of Christmas!
 
Instead of demanding to be clothed, Jesus clothed us in robes of righteousness. “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.” Zechariah 3:4
 
Instead of standing idly by while the hurting hurt, the broken stayed broken, He came to heal. To bind the broken. To comfort the sorrowful. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3
 
He doesn’t tell us to do better when we sing adoration to Him. He dances over us. Inhabits our praises and takes it in as a sweet smelling aroma. “The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save;  He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love,  He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17.
No matter how off key and pathetic someone else (or ourselves if we know we have zero singing talent) tells us we are.
 
And He doesn’t use us to bail Him out. He needs no bailing out! He doesn’t need us at all, technically. But He WANTS us. Those things that others look at as weaknesses, He uses to show Himself strong. “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 1 Corinthians 12:9
 
 
 
He can use the misfit. He LOVES to, in fact. He can use the train with square wheels, the polka dotted elephant, the rag doll that’s been used up, the toy who thinks their name is worthless (I believe He changed a few names back in the day!), the boy who has a dream to be something other than what he’s been told he has to be, and the reindeer whose quirk can bring great light, great guidance!
 
 
He can use you. He can use me.
 

 

This Holiday season, remember…He sees you when your sleeping, He knows when you’re awake, and it doesn’t matter if you’ve been bad or good…He loves you anyway and He still wants to bring you a gift!
 
 

 

 
photocredit: freedigitalphotos(dot)net/dan
 
What was your favorite Christmas show as a kid? 
 

Show Your Hand

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 
Silly Bands…seriously…they are silly!

“For the last time, stop shooting that silly band at me!”

Those were my strained words as I sat in “my chair” thinking up a blog for after Christmas. My six year old son, Myles “Mayhem” stood across the living room shooting one of his BILLION silly bands at me.

He’d shoot. I’d twitch my right eye and flinch. Ignore him. Shoot. Twitch. Flinch. Ignore.
Finally, I’d had enough! “Myles, shoot that snowflake in the other direction and I mean it!”
He obediently (odd, yes) turned and shot a few times. I engrossed myself in preparing the blog (one to appear at a later time!) when I was jerked up from my writing to hear his outburst of sobs.

“What in the world is wrong with you?”

He blubbered and babbled in a way that only a mother could understand. My interpretation was, he’d shot the silly band behind our TV. It was gone. Lost. Forever. Those were his words. Melodramatic? A tad. Did he come by it honest? A tad.

I took a deep breath and stayed calm (odd, yes) then these words came out of my mouth without any thought. “Myles, instead of crying, why didn’t you just ask me to help you? Did you not think I could?”

“N-n-no.” Hiccup. Crocodile tears. Hiccup.

“Why?”

“I don’t know! It’s gone. Forever.”

“Well, guess what? I can do things you can’t. I can reach behind that TV. All you had to do was ask. Now, stop crying.” I went over to the TV, stretched behind there and with the tips of my fingers grabbed his ridiculous silly band.

 

And that’s when the Lord used my own words and spoke to my heart. “I can do things you can’t. I can reach behind what’s blocking you and take out what you’re reaching for. Now stop crying.”

“And the LORD said to Moses, “Has the LORD’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.” Numbers 11:23

Truth be told, as touched and comforted as I was to hear Him, it probably won’t be long before I’m feeling all may be lost, before I’m reaching with my tiny arm that can’t go very far and before I’m boo-hooing again, (I’m but dust) and no doubt, He’ll lovingly give me another reminder to keep going and show me how strong He is. But for now…I’m recharged, calm, and ready for another round.

For those of you out there, who have been promised that your book will be in print to minister to others or whatever your dream is will be fulfilled–don’t give up. Stop crying in disbelief and keep knocking. Be persistent. Be still while you wait. Hope. Keep dreaming. Keep writing or whatever it is you need to do to press on toward what God’s shown you. And in the wait, let’s encourage and remind each other that He’s going to do what He says He’s going to!

 

 Do you believe God can do what He says He can? Has it been so long, you wonder if He even spoke a promise to you or breathed a dream inside you?

Anyone out there have a testimony of God’s miraculous hand reaching into the impossible and pulling out the possible!?

Be blessed and I hope you all had a very Merry CHRISTmas!

The Usual Suspect

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 

 
My favorite Christmas toy: Age 2

I walked back into the scene to collect prints. I ran them through my heart’s database. I found the Usual Suspect.

I’ve been asked, “Have you always wanted to be a writer?”

My answer? Yes, but I didn’t know it. In 2004 I woke up in the night after dreaming about a story. No, I wasn’t in a meadow and no he didn’t sparkle!

I wrote my first novel. Sent it off-got a rejection. Gave up. I was too busy anyway( yeah right, rejection stung!)But the pull to write never left.

In 2008, the burning desire sparked and I set out writing my second novel. One that came from a heart to minister. To glorify God and to write what He gave me. Unlike the story in 2004.

A Bible study I was doing asked the question, “What’s your passion? Reflect back and see how God sparked it. You’ll know what you are meant to do.” I sat there that early morning, before the sun was allowed to shine–sipping my coffee and I let the Lord take me to the early scenes of my life. 

He took me as far back as age 2. My favorite toy. A typewriter. I remember playing with that thing for years! 

 
noo nee noo nee noo

In my kindergarten days, I remember stopping whatever I was doing to watch my favorite segment of Sesame Street. Yep, this was the one! That crazy typewriter putting together words!

I loved books. I loved listening to stories. One of my greatest memories comes from my great-grandmother telling me about Nancy and the Grandfather clock. I wish I would have written it down. I’ve forgotten some of the details.

 

In middle school, my mom brought home a typewriter. I don’t know if it belonged to someone in my family or why she brought it home, but I staked my claim on it(not that anyone else set their eyes on it). I spent hours pretending I was a famous journalist. I’d weave stories around why I was sitting at that typewriter!

In junior high, I would sit at the lunch tables, telling stories to my friends– about them and the boys they liked…how they ended up together, the conflict along the way. It was there on those white faux wooden benches I spun my first tales of romance. Junior high romance. What did I discover? I loved to tell a love story with love and mystery!

 
Commodore 64…Have I just dated myself!?

During the summer before I started highschool, when other girls were doing girly things, I found a floppy disk with a teach yourself how to type with two hands game. My brother thought I was an idiot, but he generally thought that anyway. In a day, I learned how to type with two hands and without looking. It came easily! It’s also, in my opinion,  the reason Ms. Nussbaum hated me Sophomore year. I already knew how to type, so I gave her a hard time. Who me? (this is me doing my villian laugh)

All the young years of my life, I thought I might want to be an actress. I made up stories and acted them out in my room. They always had mystery and romance involved. Now, I realize it wasn’t the acting that sparked my interest, it was the story behind it.

I sat in that chair, while God took me down memory lane–showing me His plan, woven into the day to day activities of my life and I cried. I cried at the fact He actually planned something for me. He planned something good. Something I love to do. Something I sure don’t deserve. (oh but for grace!) I wept because He’d been there and I didn’t even realize it.

 
“Commit your works to the Lord
and your thoughts
will be established.”
Proverbs 16:3

As my tiny hands mashed the keys of that plastic typewriter, I believe He was grinning and nodding–knowing someday, in His time, He was going to replace that tiny toy for a laptop. He was going to fulfill all His purpose. He would accomplish what He began when I was knit in my mother’s womb.

I cried… because His fingerprints could be lifted off every area of my life.

“Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them,they are more than can be numbered.” Psalm 40:5

Have you taken time to look back and lift the prints of God from the scenes in your life? What have you found? How did you know what it was you were meant to do?

Amazing and Unfathomable Part 1

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
“There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand:  the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden.” Proverbs 30:18-19

This particular proverb was written by Agur, the son of Jakeh.  Other than this we know nothing else about him.  I find it interesting that the four things he finds amazing and cannot understand are a bird, a snake, a ship, and a man and woman.  Of all the things to be amazed by he chooses these four.  Why? What exactly does this mean?  Is it symbolic of something else?  I believe it is—something that when really pondered is beyond wonderful and amazing and truly unfathomable!

Let’s look at “the way of an eagle in the sky” today.
To understand the meaning we have to study the creature known as the eagle and how it flies. An interesting fact about baby eagles is after they are born they will attach to whatever gives them attention. 

This is called imprinting.  (this has nothing to do with Twilight…just sayin)

The eagle will mimic its mother and of course when it is time to fly the mother has a way of teaching that no other animal or human can; in fact if an eagle is born in captivity it will attach or imprint to the human caregiver.  This can be dangerous for the baby eagle when it does come time to fly.

When we are born again it is important to attach to the right Caregiver, Jesus! Just like the mama eagle gave life to the baby eagle, our Savior gives us new life.  If we mimic or imprint to other things it can be just as disastrous and dangerous for us.  Ephesians 5:1 says to be imitators of God as dearly loved children.

When we think of eagles in flight we automatically see them soaring.  It also reminds us of the famous verse in Isaiah 40:31 “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings as eagles.  They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

The reason we picture eagles soaring is because that is exactly what they do. 

They were CREATED for it! 

The wing span of an eagle is about five feet in length and even though their bones are hollow inside the wings, the multi layers of feathers cause a severe heaviness which makes continual flapping very WEARY for the eagle. You may think feathers are light, but 7,000 of them accumulate some weight, especially when about 7 feathers are the equal weight of a penny!
So how do eagles keep from flapping those wings and becoming tired? How exactly can they soar?  How do they fly miles and miles without ever flapping a wing?
Would God make a creature so wonderfully just to see them fail at what they were made to do? 
Of course not! He made a way for them to soar! 

They find something called thermals to fly in. Thermals are currents of warm air and updrafts generated by terrain, such as valley edges or mountain slopes.

Catch this! Not only do the mountains generate updrafts for the eagle to keep going, but even in the valleys they are there to lift the eagle up and out. Soaring IS possible even in the valleys!
When we stretch out our “wings” in surrender to God and place our hope in Him, His grace and mercy become our thermals or updrafts for us to soar out of valleys.  It is because of His grace and mercy that we don’t have to try and flap our own way out.

He made a way for us to soar in this broken world.  He made a way through Jesus Christ!  He wants us to fly and to be free! Whether on the mountains or in the valleys of our life He sustains us!

Let’s remember this holiday season, as we celebrate the birth of our Lord, that we soar because of Jesus Christ and that is amazing and unfathomable!
Part 2, “the way of a snake on a rock.”

Where you are matters!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

I’ve noticed the last few days that The Word for you Today devotions are really speaking to me personally. Ever had that happen?

Especially with everything going on in my life at the moment, I couldn’t hear these things at a better time. I hope you’re encouraged by the small excerpt.

“God’s plans for your life always involve your gifts,His timing and being in the right place. But 3 things can keep that from happening: fear of failing, unwillingness to leave your comfort zone, and being swayed by the opinions of others…Where you are matters!”

Wow! If you’re a writer, I’m not sure how this doesn’t apply to you! 🙂

I’m working on looking at failure as a bump in the road on my way to where I’m going. In just a few months, I’m about to get real uncomfortable (I’m already feeling the effects), but RISK is something we have to take–especially when we know God is calling us somewhere! Where we are matters!

What about you? What keeps you from taking risks?

There’s no turning back!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

I was sharing with a friend of mine about a leadership retreat that I had to go on as the Academy Director for a Corporate Childcare center I worked for. I had to go alone. I knew no one and I was terrified with no way out of going!

I made it. I didn’t miss any of my connecting flights (which had me in a small state of panic) and I arrived in beautiful Colorado–in January and in one piece.

We had to do many outdoor excercises as well as indoor lectures. One in particular stood out and it was this one I shared with my friend (right before Phil Wickham and Mercy Me took it away at a concert!).

Our facilitators took us out on a bus to the middle of nowhere, blind folded us and then put helmets on us! What? Why do I need a helmet? Now, for all the southerners let me just tell you about the three feet of snow and air so cold that tiny icicles hung from your nose hairs! (eew I know but you need to understand this)

They guided us, blindly, and then put our gloved hands on a rope. In a whisper they said, “Now go.”
That was it!? Go where? I don’t even know where I am! My thoughts raced but then I realized–I may not know where I’m going, but I know I’m ultimately safe and I slowly began my adventure to somewhere.

I could hear women crunching snow all around me and then I heard a woman sobbing. I remember thinking, how could she be this afraid? We’re safe. But she was terrified.

Then I came to a point where one rope crossed over another and then another and another!

Decision time.

Do I change course? Do I keep hanging on to what was placed in my hands? I didn’t know if it was a timed excercise or not. But instinct told me…I don’t have forever. Keep moving. Go! I held fast to the rope that had been placed in my hands and I followed it…until it came to a dead end.

I could feel the tree right in front of me. I could hear water running nearby and I could still hear the woman– weeping in the distance. Now what? Do I go back?

I stayed. I sat down in the freezing cold, in the bank of snow and I sat silently as women scrambled around, bumped into one another and some even giggled and laughed…and the one woman never stopped sobbing.

It was then that I felt my own tears run down my cheeks.  I realized that God had given me the free gift of salvation…a helmet… and in my hand was destiny, purpose, a plan. A race to run. A place to go. And I went. Where it would end…a mystery.

I was unsure, but ultimately–I was safe. And the woman weeping made my heart cry. She felt alone. Afraid. She didn’t realize that she was safe. She was being watched by someone who could see the course laid out. Someone who wouldn’t let her fall into that abyss.

I learned a lot about myself and my faith in that simple excercise. I learned to keep going until the very end. There is no stopping.

Take the plan of God for your life and go…go…go. Go blindly. You’re protected! Ultimately, you are safe!  At the end, the blindfold comes off and all the things you couldn’t see becomes clear.

I couldn’t help that sobbing woman who was afraid during that excercise, but in the kingdom race I know that I can! So can you!

If you like to read…get ready for this!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

I had an amazing trip to Chicago, though I nearly got blown to Kingdom come! The OneRepublic/Maroon 5 concert was great! We were also quite entertained by the couple below us! I’ll refrain from blogging about that. Besides, you had to see it to believe it!

I got home late and my liBERRY book was in. (Yeah, I said liberry like my son!) I chose to read the first book in the Kanner Lake series by Brandilyn Collins. She’s the “seat belt suspense” writer and I gotta say, it fits her perfectly! The first book in the series was called Violet Dawn and it was excellent! I was on the edge of my seat (no seatbelt, so I nearly fell out) the whole time. She swept me in immediately and I could feel everything that the main character–Paige was going through and feeling. It’s Christian Suspense but if you like Dean Koontz, I think you’ll like her because her description is much like his…off the chart! She had a nice twist to it as well, for those of you who like surprise. Generally, I can guess what’s coming but I never guessed this one! Bravo, Ms. Collins!

I’m now in bed listening to Tim rant about his 200 emails from being on vacation…also amusing…Myles spent the last thirty minutes staring at his candy until I checked every single piece because his assistant teacher decided to tell the entire 1st grade class about a little girl who ate a piece of candy laced with a sewing needle and she swallowed it. (Thanks for turning a night of friendly fun into a horror flick, Miss I won’t say your name!) Sigh…

I don’t know if you do the church alternative, trunk or treat, or trick or treat. We did all 3! I knew the houses we trick or treated at and I’m trusting God that sweet little granny Mae at XXX Church didn’t lace my kid’s candy with her sewing needle. After all, won’t she need it Monday morning to knit her great grandkids a horrid Christmas sweater???? Who knows!
My point…read Violet Dawn and eat your kid’s candy in the name of keeping him/her safe! Have a great Monday, ya’ll!

Sorry, but You’re Just Too Fat for My See-Saw!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Naturally, you read the title and you expect this to have something to do with weight…it does, but certainly not the fleshly pound…well then again it’s all about your definition of ‘flesh’. Am I talking about skin? Nope.

I find myself on the see-saw of life, not being able to find a good balance sometimes. Anyone else feel like that?

I’m not a believer in horoscopes or astrology. I don’t study the stars to predict my future. I know who holds my destiny. (It’s God if you’re saying, “Wow, who?”)  I like the stars, don’t get me wrong. They’re pretty and twinkly and all that sparkly stuff. I say all that to say this…My horoscope sign is a Libra. I don’t even know what a Libra is and if I was a good blogger, I would have researched it maybe, but quite frankly…I just don’t care. However, the picture that goes with the Libra is the scale. Even scales.

I find that proof that horoscopes are a bunch of bunk. I have a hard time balancing things. I struggle with it everyday. I know how the pyramid works. God, husband, kids, ministry and whatever else, but sometimes I find the whatever else sliding into number 2 (not poo). I learned long ago to beat my family up! Meaning I’m up a few hours before them, so I have time to spend with God and He has discussed my balancing issues with me…sometimes I listen…sometimes not so much.

One day I was  engrossed in something I was writing when I glanced up my son was standing in front of me with an exasperated expression, his empty cup held out. His words (a small moment with Myles) “Mom, I could have milked the cow already!”

My response should have been, “I’m sorry, baby. I’m on it.” Then I should have gotten up and got him a glass of milk, instead I found my first thought to be, “Well, why didn’t you?” (We don’t have cows btw…so it would have been impossible.)

What it boils down to is, God expects us to balance our time. He gives us great things to do. Not everything that keeps us unbalanced has to be a sin. Sometimes it is ‘flesh’ that weights down the see- saw bringing us to a teeter. Sometimes it’s good things–just out of order, which happens to be where I struggle.

What’s weighting down your life’s see-saw– throwing it out of balance? Maybe you need to tell those things, like me, “Sorry, but you’re just too fat for my see saw.” Shave what doesn’t need to be there off, and put those things that are good and do need to be there on a healthier eating plan, so you find the balance. Easier said than done. I’m well aware. Thus the blog. 🙂

What are you doing here?

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

I’m a fan of the show Smallville. I love Superman–love heroes in general, but I’ve found on every episode, especially in the earlier seasons, one of them or several of them would end up saying in an overdramatized voice, “What are you doing here?”

They would look at each other with wide eyes and then pause for effect… you see it was important for both of them to be in that one place at the same time–the right time. They didn’t understand what was going on or why the other one was there, but it always ended up that they needed each other to make it through a critical time or maybe just a shoulder to lean on. (Col. 3:16 “Let the words of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another…”)

I believe in Providence and I believe God puts us in places, even in places of crisis, for a reason and He always sends someone in His body to encourage us (Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another,”) Sometimes we’re in the crisis, sometimes we’re sent into it to sharpen. So…what are you doing here?

I hope you enjoy the randomness and sometimes seriousness of the blogs and I welcome and encourage comments, but if you’d do me a favor start it with telling me…What are you doing here?!