60 Seconds of Faith - Episode #0056

Hello everyone!

I can safely say that I have definitely recovered from my bout of melancholy earlier in the week. In fact, I have been taking great efforts to remind myself of the direction that God has called me in.

It's a recap on the steps He's ordered me to take, you could say...

Social Media Hiatus II

Hi everyone!

I need not say more than this as, after yesterday's post hit me hard, I have decided to take another sabbatical from social media.

This is necessary when I felt, after viewing that clip I linked to from The Revenant, that I needed to make the change now before things got out of hand. Social media, at this stage, has, I have been feeling, been getting in the way of my walk with God.

I am glad that God is walking right by my side in this because I know that I will make it through this.

Don't worry, I'll still be writing my way through this on here though! :-)

---TLP---

God-Ordered Steps are THE BEST Steps to Take!

Hello everyone!

Okay, let's get this out of the way.

If you saw the original post of this week's episode you will know that I made a very startling revelation that I was done with this crush of mine.

The reality of the situation is that, whilst my feelings have not altered one bit for this person, what I am prepared to do has. Now, when I say "what I'm prepared to do", I am referring to how much pressure I can put myself under sometimes just to say hi to her.

What I have to do at this point is that make sure my steps are ordered by God and not by my feelings, which I am in danger of doing right now...

A God Ordained Plan

God definitely ordained that this would happen on this exact date at this exact time, so the fact that it has not come as a surprise to Him means that it is happening for a reason.I am just in the process of letting it all float to Heaven and be dealt with as only Heaven would allow it to be dealt with.

The only thing that I know right now is that I need some space from all of this because all the tears that I've cried have proven to me how deeply fond I've grown of this person. But my powerless nature to actually be able to do anything about it is quite unlike me, as anybody who knows me can tell you.

I'm a man of action!

God guiding my steps is something I have come to rely upon so much this past year since this crush broke for me, but I have gotten to the point right now where this song really rings true for me: -

Yes I DO Just Want You, Jesus

In saying "I came for You" it was simply my way of reminding myself why I go to church every week; there are people who are in a far worse state than me that need to be shown that Jesus is their answer to the question they have not yet asked!

Combine that song with this one and let's see what you've got: -

So, first is your reminder that there are others that need help just as much as you do...

Secondly, we should in reality be declaring that we just want Jesus & nothing else as I raised recently in my "Back to the Start" series of postings. In doing that we are in fact saying that nothing ever has the right to define either who we are or what we do: -

Someone may say, “I’m allowed to do anything,” but not everything is helpful. I’m allowed to do anything, but I won’t allow anything to gain control over my life.

1 Corinthians 6:12 (GW) emphasis added

Is my point coming across yet?

Yes, to be bold for a moment, I am completely potty about her, but the reality of the situation is that if she feels not the same then I have to move on!

I would like for it to be that she does feel something, but I cannot force what is not there now, can I?

Final Thought

As I bring this week's devotional to a close, I am left somewhat melancholic, if you can just humour me for a moment. Having had my crush broken, I now await to see what happens later on today at church and with it, probably the next time that I'll actually see her!

Time alone will tell, won't it?

Peace out!

60 Seconds of Faith - Episode #0055

Hello everyone!

I hope you are all enjoying your week, especially as the weather is good this late in September!

I must admit that I'm taking the latest rejection on the job front harder than I'd like, but that's what happens when a potentially life-changing opportunity goes south. Oh well, at least God is still on the throne!

This week's episode sees me looking at how God orders our steps...

Maastricht Off!

Well, that was unexpected!

Earlier today, I received an email from Manpower regarding the Mercedes vacancy.

Long story short, they've got candidates that more closely match what they are looking for... well spit, guess I'm not going anywhere then, for now!

TLP

Back to the Start II - I'm Giving You My Heart

Caution: The following post may contain triggers for some people that provoke a reaction so please be advised to read on with some caution. You have been fairly warned! - TLP

Hello everyone!

Apologies for the delay in writing this one, I've been a little apprehensive at tackling this, especially knowing that I'm likely to be delving deep, deep into the crush zone (ED - as opposed to the crash zone!) again in a way I've not done so for a long time.

I've made it known time and again that I'm not really bothered what people think of me talking about my personal situation so freely on here, but I have to accept at least some of the risk at tackling a subject that has been limping me now for the better part of a year...

My Crushing Focus

I recently made mention of it on social media & whilst I will never use the word crush on there like I do on here, I will at least be open and honest to say that things are not quite okay at the moment because of how deeply this has gone for me.

This is, in part why I've come up with this two part series looking at what it means to dial your faith back to its most basic setting of believing that God sent His Son to save you and that you have been fully redeemed because of it and that's it.

So the phrase "even though I limp", should really be translated as "even though I crush"...

Naturally I have to, at this point, tackle the why of dialling your faith back to basics, because I need to make sure my point gets across effectively and fully.

I have mentioned in both episodes now that oftentimes it could be that which helps give you the confidence and gets you through to the other side of your situation.

Watch this, if you are stating that you believe that Jesus saved you & you stand redeemed first, over and above your situation, then where is your focus?

On Heaven!

What Are You Dealing With?

But if you forever say "I deal with this addiction" or "I struggle with this sin" what are you focusing on?

You are focusing on your problem at hand!

Where the mind goes the man (ED - or woman!) follows!

I've told you how crushing on someone impacts me so deeply these days that it makes me emotional, it in turn makes me cry, which means I have to be in A1 condition & on tippy-top form to try and spot those triggers when & preferrably before they come!

It's not always easy, because of how strongly & how deeply I have grown fond of this person over time.

What I did not realise though, was that as much as I might be liking this person, the fact that I was prepared to say to my friend Matt that it doesn't get the right to define me, I don't give it the right to was something that was in fact me fulfilling scripture without even realising it: -

Someone may say, "I'm allowed to do anything," but not everything is helpful. I'm allowed to do anything, but I won't allow anything to gain control over my life.

1 Corinthians 6:12 (GW) emphasis added

I became too focused on Jesus & on living out His calling for my life that I would not let it get on top of me to even realise that I was doing that!

My god it tried, oh... my god, how it tried!

All the times I cried because I want to tell her but cannot do so yet because it is not time to...

All the frustration I felt at being swamped by a wave of affection for this person...

How Perfectly Our Hearts are Made for Love!

Yet here I am, still standing as strong as I've ever been before with my #HeartofaChampion beating strong in my chest as hard as ever!

It's true, I like this young lady a whole heckuva heap (ED - as if he hasn't said that enough already!) but because of my lack of experience in the relationship arena, I have been forced to lean less and less upon myself & more and more upon God & on His strength!

What did I come to realise?

I'll tell you what I came to realise...

I realised that the more that I leaned on Christ, the more I saw that this was all supposed to happen from the very beginning of my life!

God knew I would get this far, see this person and react the way I have done!

If I can just be brave for a moment...

It is just like an angel has descended from heaven and become trapped in human form! :-)

I'm almost struck dumb each time I'm around her in fact!

I don't mean for it...

I don't plan for it...

It just... sorta... um... happens! :-D

But the point is, I have to say that the more and more I leant on God something started to happen; my faith started to increase as I became resilient to the pressure of the crashing tidal wave of affection that I feel for this person!

I observed something additional too through a message from Pastor Steven Furtick (ED - he cannot find the message right now, but if I do then I'll upload the link to it because it's my job to!) that I watched sometime ago; that God can still use me even then so I needn't stay at home so much!

I'll tell you all this for free... I want to throw my arms around this person every time that I see her and give her a big, almighty hug!

I want to be that close to her! ;-)

I realised something else too...

In spite of the weakness that I feel when I am around her, God can still take me by the hand and lead me on to my destiny!

#BOMBSHELL

Final Thought

I didn't see that coming, but am I glad I watched that message now or what!

It was sown in the ground to be constantly referred to during this period of intense crushing upon her, reminding me that even though my faith is currently seeing me wrestle with this, I am starting to walk differently, exactly as my Pastor said I would on Sunday as I started a wrestle of faith.

Though I am starting to limp with it every single day because I almost cannot stop thinking of her, it won't stop me from being everything that God has created me to be!

Peace out!

60 Seconds of Faith: Episode #0054

Hi everyone!

It's the second part of last week's message this week, so if you haven't caught up yet, then do so by clicking here.

Done?

Alright then here's this week's episode...

This weekend, I'll be going into some more detail about going back, mentally, to that point where we say we are saved & that we believe God has a plan for our lives.

I expect this part will involve some further discussion about my crush & how I'm learning to evolve through it, so be advised; this one could get heady like the finest of wines! ;-)

As always, watch the skies, bro's!

The Life of... Stuey

Hi everyone!

My plan was originally to play The Sims 2 for a little bit tonight before jumping into the bath, but as it happens my priorities are shifting these days as I've just put my heart into a post on Facebook with a follow-up on here because, well, I'm in that kind of mood.

Settle in for a long 'un because I want to bring you up-to-date with what's been going on in my life lately...

Back to the Start - Where You Found Me

Hi readers!

How's everyone doing today?

Good I hope. I know I am!

I could respond now by telling you why I'm doing so good, but I won't because I'm going to let today's post be proof enough of the reason for the upturn in my recent mood...

60 Seconds of Faith - Episode #0053

Hello everyone!

I hope you've had a productive week because I know I have!

Naturally, as productive as I have been, I've also been making sure that I'm taking plenty of time to enjoy this late-summer sun because we don't know how long it will last! :-P

This week I'm looking at, to quote my words in this week's broadcast, the power of going back to the start...

Dis/Obey - The Price For NOT Doing What You're Told

Hi everyone!

I realised that there was that much to come out of this particular subject that I'd better split it up into two parts!

Before you read this one, let me encourage you to go back and read the first part...

Okay, now let's continue on with this week's topic; disobedience.

You might be wondering why I've chosen Jacob & Esau when there were other Bible characters I could have chosen.

Convincing Persuasion

Jacob has just convinced Esau to trade his birthright because Esau had just come in from a hunt and was no doubt ravenous!

It's his response I want you to look at: -

"When a man is dying of starvation, what good is his birthright?"

Let's start off, like I always do, by defining birthright: -

A right that you have because you were born into a particular position, family, place, etc

Wow!

So Esau was willing to give up all that was meant to be his as firstborn, all because he was... HUNGRY?!

Have you ever done something so stupid when you're hungry that you think back on it afterwards and realise that you were only hungry, for goodness sake (ED - I think that's where the word 'hangry' was created!)?!

I know I have!

It involved a wine glass getting broken and no I didn't throw it; I just kinda, sorta, washed it a little bit too hard! :-D

What I'm pointing out here is that oftentimes rationality is the first thing that gets thrown out of reasonable thinking the moment our problems come.

Why that is I do not know, but as I'm sure many of you readers can appreciate (ED - even if you haven't smashed a glass or two in the process!) that a temporary retaliation or lack of thought can often have lasting impacts.

This is why I can't be at our after hours at the moment; whilst I work through my crush and the effect that this wonderful young lady is having upon me. I need space & I need time to pray about this whole thing and to keep seeking God!

So, one act of disobedience, selling Esau's birthright, was something that he should not have done.

But watch this, Jacob was not going to be so innocent after all... and he had Rebekah's help too in verses five to seven of chapter 27: -

But Rebekah overheard the conversation. So when Esau left for the field to hunt for the venison, she called her son Jacob and told him what his father had said to his brother.

His own mother convinced him to trick her husband into stealing Jacob's blessing by going to make his favourite dish. But he protests saying that Isaac won't be fooled so easily because Esau was, and I paraphrase loosely, a very hairy (ED- it's true though, you only have to read the story for yourself!) dude!

Rebekah then makes him clothing to disguise himself as his own brother; talk about deceptive & all for the sake of one blessing!

Don't Give Up When You Could Be So Close!

Thing is, that one blessing would supersede so much more than someone's life; it would see them prosper in whatever they did after their 'blessing' parent died, or so they believed.

What I'm pointing out here is that what started out as Jacob bribing Esau into giving up his birthright, ended up in him stealing another thing that should have been Esau's in the first place; his father's almost deathbed blessing!

There! Right there!

The point I'm trying to make is that if you disobey once, or even dally with disobedience, it will often have lasting effects & consequences that will drag other people into it whether you mean to or not!

#BOOM

Final Thought

Let me encourage you then, if you need a little help on knowing how to make wise decisions that you watch this message from Dr. Charles Stanley, one of my all time favourite ministers: -

I love the work this guy is doing; it's so down to earth yet so powerful as to cut right through the nonsense straight to the heart of the matter!

Before I go today, let me encourage you to do the following when it comes to making a decision: -

1. First, not last, get God's input;
2. Get the input of someone Godly that you can trust to tell you like it is not like you want it to be, or like you want to hear it; and
3. Take that first step!

Trust me, you're not going to regret it! :-)

Yes, we're all going to have moments where we disobey God, but let's try to keep the interference to a minimum so that we'll know the signs to look out for, such as failing to seek God in our daily walks, in order to limit the times we're tempted to disobey.

Watch the skies!

Dis/Obey - The Price For Doing What You're Told

Hi everyone!

I've left this one intentionally a little bit late because I wanted some extra time to prepare the content. Although, to be honest, prepare is only a loose term when it comes to writing these because in actual fact I'm just pushing keys on my laptop hoping that what comes out makes sense.

All the while trying to overcome my intense shyness around a certain person, which doesn't seem to be getting any easier, by the way...

60 Seconds of Faith: Episode #0052

Wow, it's September already folks!

Soon be Christmas, eh?

Sorry, too soon?! :-P

It does not seem long since I started my series on the account of creation in these devotionals, yet here we are on this journey called life, hopefully learning and growing together...