I had a fabulous day Tuesday. I had prayed for favor on my day and for my time to be multiplied–and I spent the early morning in prayer as I worked fervently in my home. I was looking forward to my plans for the day; but I also didn’t want to end such a precious time. So I was in the shower getting ready for two meetings and I prayed that I could have enough time to do all that I had on my list. I didn’t “see” how I could with my commitments, but I just begged the Lord for time.

Then, literally as I was getting out of the shower, my cell phone was ringing–my second meeting had to cancel. She was so apologetic, but I smiled as I assured her we could reschedule. And that call reminded me of another business call that I had to make that morning–it took longer than I anticipated so by the time I got off, my plans were completely changed for the day.

I sat down to regroup and then prayed again over my time and my list–and proceeded to rock it out. It was such an amazing experience–I literally felt like I was being carried through my day. As my burden lightened, so did my heart. And I truly rejoiced–giving God the praise for His Faithfulness.

I woke yesterday morning still on a Joy high…then as we were loading into the car to get kids to an early meeting…the garage door stuck. Brandt and I worked together to get it open manually and the kids made it just in time. When I returned home and couldn’t fix it, I just locked it and parked out front. I was disappointed to add yet another thing to the house “to do” list; but I didn’t allow it to steal my Joy. I figured, it “just is what it is”….and I was at Peace knowing my home was secure, so I was Thankful.

Later in the morning, I was walking back to my desk to make a tear sheet for a client when I looked down and saw a familiar earring laying on the floor. Surprised, I felt my ear–I had lost my earring and didn’t even know it. I thanked God for allowing me to not lose one of my favorite earrings–and that reminded me to tell my coworkers of my “miracle” the day before.

Months ago, I was changing out the light bulbs in my office. The fixture is original to the house, so it’s kinda cool but not very easy to work with. I had intentionally purchased some of the “new” bulbs that promise to last up to five years–not–these didn’t last a year. So I was already slightly frustrated, when I dropped the screw as I was trying to put the fixture back on.

My brother heard me huffing and puffing from the den as he was watching a basketball game. With a typical male expression, he came into my office and asked if I could use some help. We both searched all over the floor for the screw but couldn’t find it. I even tried another screw from my tool box in the garage, but it didn’t work. So I placed the fixture on my drafting table with the one screw inside it…and walked away.

Last week, I began working on the last phases of organizing my office and remembered that I should be watching out for the screw as I went through the open boxes to sort. Then for no apparent reason, I looked up–and saw a screw resting in the fixture. It surprised me to see it so I looked into the fixture–the remaining one was there just as I left it. I wondered if I’d simply left the extra screw from the garage up there; but that’s not like me and I clearly remember returning the screw. At that moment, I didn’t have time to deal with it so I just went on about my business.

But Tuesday afternoon, once Mags got home, I got up on the ladder to check out that screw–I could see immediately that it matched the one in the fixture. So I had her hand the fixture to me…and I put it back in place. I have no idea how that original screw got put back exactly where it belonged…I was simply THANK-FULL.

Then last night, I was helping Brandt take out the trash since the garage door was broken. I unlocked and raised the door manually, then went back into the kitchen. A few moments later, I heard the garage door lowering. Stunned, I ran into the garage to find Brandt grinning that he fixed it. I tested it out a few times and praised him…then I thanked my Heavenly Father. And later, I smiled as I read a post from one of the Pastors that I follow…he told the story of Esther–how God took the evil intention of Haman and turned it into GOOD, so He can take the “evil” of our day and turn it into Blessing.

And with the activity of the past few days, once again, I have been gently reminded: God not only gives the Blessing of Peace to those who walk by Faith (and not by sight); but He can also restore all that the locust has eaten… He can turn what the enemy intends for harm into good…and He can do above and beyond all that I can ask or imagine. He promises to in His Word.

And each new experience is a reminder to me that as I walk in FAITH-FULLness, His Will for my life will not be “lost”. And I have learned to be confident in that ASSURANCE (Faith is the assurance of things unseen). And just as the Pastor wrote about last night, I am learning to “rest in the finished work of Christ”. He is my PROVIDER, my PROTECTOR, and my HOPE.

And as I am learning to walk by Faith, I am learning the JOY of expectation in seeking Him. Not MY feeble expectations–but looking for HIS Promises. Of course, God is God–we can’t “manipulate” Him–but He is moved by a heart for Him and intentional FAITH. The Bible says that Faith as minute as a mustard seed can move a mountain. And God is bigger than any mountain–but a life of FAITH MOVES Him.

Honestly, I can’t tell you “how” certain things happen to me–but I just keep adding them to the growing list of my testimony for Him. Mine is a life with times of struggle that test and grow my Faith, and times of Blessing beyond my explanation. A life that is a testimony of His Grace… that I promised as a small child to SHARE…so I may not know “how” things happen to me…but I DO know WHY. 🙂

“Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. “For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the Lord for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” (Isaiah 55:6-13 NKJV)

One of the many items on my to-do list yesterday was to complete a spirit wear sale from last week’s HS Open House. A family wanted to purchase two more items for their daughter, but she is petite so a small is all that fits her–and they are sold out. When I saw her disappointed face, it dawned on me to look over at the display case–I had used small sizes to better fit in the cramped cases, so I told them that I would come back to the school the next time I was off and get it for her.

When I called the Mom last night, she very graciously assured me that I didn’t need to go to the trouble to deliver the clothes–they could wait. But I laughed, “Thank you; but I’ve gotten so much done today and I want to mark another thing off my list.” She laughed in understanding and gave me directions to their home.

When I pulled up to the house, the daughter came outside looking confused. But when I rolled my window down, she recognized me; and her face lit up as she rushed to bring me the check and get her items.

She thanked me with a huge smile on her face for going out of my way for her…and it made my heart smile. Not because a teenager was gracious–that’s not what made her gesture special. It’s because that huge smile was on her face that has been almost entirely burned off–and although reconstructed, it still is very apparent. And it’s hard for me to “see beyond” the scars and reconstruction–I can’t imagine what she endures on a daily basis….and I was gently reminded:

The world puts so much value in “beauty”–but the Bible says it is valuable, yet fleeting. So our focus should be on our inner beauty–that does not diminish with the relentless passing of time. Outer beauty is too fragile to place our “value” in…just ask anyone who has “lost” it. When we seek God, He will make us truly beautiful–and we will no longer live a life in “vain”. 🙂

“And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.” (Psalm 90:17 NKJV)

“Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. ” (Proverbs 31:30 NKJV)

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. “(Romans 12:2 NKJV)

As always, I had an amazing visit with my prayer accountability partner yesterday. We spoke of how we all fall short in obeying God; and of the resulting battle in our mind of what we feel we “deserve”…..and I was gently reminded:

The enemy’s greatest strength is deception; and he knows our weaknesses. It’s as if, during a rainstorm of life, he draws us in to play in an “innocent” mud puddle. Then once we are mired in filth and our eyes are blurred by the stinging mud, he brings out the “big guns”….he makes us believe we are no longer “worthy” of Christ. The weight of sin and consequences can be a terrible burden; but if we reach the end of ourself, and accept Christ’s loving intervention we can have Victory.

But…often, the battle is still not “over” in our minds. So we MUST stand on the TRUTH of God’s Word that says we have been “washed white as snow by the blood of the lamb”. Our feeble mind’s belief that His blood is sufficient isn’t what makes it sufficient. God’s ACCEPTANCE of it is what makes it SUFFICIENT. And we can rest in that TRUTH….IF we let ourselves…

In visiting with her, I saw so clearly how the world tells us that we “deserve LESS” because of what we’ve done. BUT GOD…HIS GRACE is SUFFICIENT…and isn’t it so like GRACE…to give us His BEST…when we don’t believe that we “deserve” it. And although it flies in the face of earthly “reason”, it is perfectly sensible in God’s eyes…because we do “deserve” His Best–not by anything that we have done but through the work done on the cross.

And when we receive His BEST, it is a much more beautiful testimony…because HE gets the GLORY. So Trust God and hold out for His BEST…and let God’s GRACE be SUFFICIENT enough for you.

That’s what the enemy desperately wants us to never realize…because that is where true Victory lies in overcoming his lies. 🙂

“T here is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1, 2 NKJV)

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place” (2 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV)

I’ve had similar conversations several times recently, so I really believe I should share this. The Bible says that we now “only see in part”…so the things of God are certainly beyond what we can currently begin to comprehend. Yet, we can claim the TRUTH that is found in God’s Word.

The reason I say that is because, often, we find it hard to “Believe” WHO we TRUE-ly ARE IN Christ. Pain from past situations can alter how we feel about ourselves and what we think we “deserve”. BUT…that is feeling. FAITH is NOT a feeling. It’s a DECISION.

So how do we “decide” to “believe” what God says when we don’t “feel” it?

We simply RECEIVE it because God doesn’t lie, so His Word is TRUTH. And receiving it by Faith allows God to begin to work it through in our life…as with little baby steps, we learn to Trust more and more until we can finally TRUST it and BELIEVE.

God’s Word says that the enemy has no power over us. God’s Word says we not only become “new creatures in Christ and the old is no more”; but that we are the RIGHTEOUSNESS of Christ. Christ became our High Priest and He sits at the right hand of the Father. And we have all the promises of God’s Word through the work done on the cross. Christ is our HOPE for “winning the race” in this life, and for entering Glory in the next. And when God sees us, He sees the work that was “finished” on the cross and calls us “Righteous”.

As Christians, that’s who we ARE. That is TRUTH. The question is, will we receive the benefits on this side of Glory? The best example I can give is if someone owns a two-story home, but never went upstairs. I, for one, want to play upstairs…the view is amazing. 🙂

“For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 6:13-15, 17-20 NKJV)

I have several of Stormie OMartian’s books on the Power of Prayer. Falling asleep last night reading one, the last words I read were that the most powerful prayer you can pray to be effective in praying for someone else are: “Lord, change me.”

…and I woke up being gently reminded: The Bible exhorts us to “Pray without ceasing.”..and if our hearts are constantly in an attitude of prayer, we are in constant unison with the Holy Spirit. Jesus told His Disciples that He would leave a Helper for them. So for our hearts to be in constant partnership with that Helper is the strongest position that we can face life with, not only for prayer for others but for our own attitude, provision and protection throughout the day. But in order to have that kind of heart that is in partnership with God, the Lord has to “change me” from being devoted to MY ways…into being in Devotion to HIS. 🙂

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 NKJV)

I received a phone call from Brandt’s school yesterday evening. I was busy making supper, and distracted as I answered the phone–expecting the Nurse about having received another updated copy of his medical records. So when his Drama teacher introduced herself and said she was calling just to tell me how much she is enjoying having him in her class….I was no less than stunned.

Then as soon as I got off the phone, as if right on cue, Mags and Brandt came into the kitchen to show me his latest rendition of Robin Williams’ hysterical voice dialogue from “Mrs. Doubtfire”…he nailed it and we all burst out laughing.

He’ll be the first to tell you that he “does voices”; but that’s an understatement. He recently taught himself how to speak with an Australian accent; and the first time I heard him “do a voice”, he was less than three years old sitting in his carseat in the van and nailed “Pull the lever, Kronk. WRONG LEVEHHH!!” from the movie The Emperor’s New Groove….I almost drove off the road in hysterics.

And remembering that moment in the van from almost a decade ago…I was gently reminded:

This, too, is a part of the Biblical exhortation to “raise up a child in the way they should go”….to look for and encourage the gifts that God has placed in their life. But it’s not just the job of a parent or a wonderfully awesome teacher…to appreciate and encourage the gifts we see in others is part of being a loving friend, child, sibling and significant other. And it’s a wonderful gift in itself because it takes that kind of maturity and inner confidence that allows us to look beyond our own nose and truly “see” someone else…that kind of self-LESS awareness and compassion that is tragically lacking in our busy society today.

But when we can enCourage others to be all that God made them to be…we become like a refreshing summer rain in a life journey often filled with long, hot draughts…and leaving you with more Strength and Courage than when they arrived is a Blessing…and a Wonder-full way for them to go. 🙂

“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6 NKJV)

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,” (Hebrews 10:23, 24 NKJV)

I recently wrote about Hope, having read ‘The Hunger Games’. The story is about an oppressed nation that is horrifically punished for a past rebellion, and the resulting devastation of the loss of Hope. The story revolves around how it took one young girl to revive the Hope of the people to take their lives back. And after I watched the movie this past weekend, the ominous words of warning from President Snow have continued to play in my mind, “Hope, it is the only thing stronger than fear. A little hope is effective, a lot of hope is dangerous. A spark is fine, as long as it’s contained.”

…and I was gently reminded: so many people today live in a world of lost Hope. They live in “bondage” to finances, poor health, job loss, loneliness…just to name a few. And that is exactly where the enemy wants to keep them…in the devastating oppression of lost Hope. There seems no way “out”…so they continue to wallow in their circumstances…continue to live a life based in fear.

But there is One who has come to offer Hope. In His own Words, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10 NKJV)

Jesus left Paradise–that place that our hearts long for–where there is no death, no sickness, no pain, no hunger… He left with the sole purpose to restore Hope to God’s children by restoring fellowship with the Father. He, alone, could do it…and by dying on the cross for our sins, it is now “Finished”….again, His own words.

And when we truly understand all that was accomplished on that day…Paradise regained, the Promise of God’s Blessings fulfilled; and, as He sits at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest, the Power that is found in our new position as the Righteousness of Christ…that is the most Dangerous Kind of Hope…a spark that can ignite to change lives when it is no longer “contained” by fear. Dangerous in it’s intensity and might…and a deadly weapon against oppression in life. The enemy knows that Hope is stronger than fear…and that Jesus is the Hope that SAVES. 🙂

“For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.” (1 Peter 2:15, 16 NKJV)

“… beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 6:9-15, 17-20 NKJV)

Author acknowledgement― Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games

I was teasing a friend the other day that it’s all about “who ya know, ya know”. And networking connections are a huge key to success in life, of course. But if you are truly going to be “successful” in life, it’s even more important to KNOW YOURSELF.

At this point in my life, I’m finally coming to terms with myself…always striving to be my best, yet balanced with trying to maintain a peaceful contentment with who I am at the present. And that was the basis of my playful teasing last night. Still open to riding with someone during the week, I teased that I have a “heart of gold and a bike of steel” (not the lighter weight carbon for racing) …and that I’m good with that (well…for the moment). 🙂

And knowing yourself is still quite “the rage” today–heard of and took yet another “personality” test yesterday at work–this one for what type entrepreneur I would be. Being an “Expressive” DESA, it was no real surprise that I fell into the “Heart” category.

And laughing to myself about that, I was gently reminded:

As Don Henley sings, it’s getting down to the “Heart” of the matter that truly counts–especially in this “graceless age”. That’s why, more than personality styles or “success tactics”, it’s important to know who I AM in Christ–I am a Child of God. I am the Righteousness of Christ. When my Heavenly Father sees me, He sees His Son…and He is “well pleased”.

And being IN Him, having the gift of His Holy Spirt dwelling inside me, I am tapped into the limitless reservoir that He IS. And I have His unending Favor and Grace to share with this “graceless world”….Joy, Love, Peace, Perseverance, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control.

As a CHRISTian, this is who I AM…and this is the Gift that I have to offer…the true “Heart” of the matter. And that “Heart of gold” will be what “wins the gold” in the race of Life…and that’s really what matters. 🙂

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7, 8 NKJV)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22, 23, 25 NKJV)

Heart of the Matter…Don Henley

I got the call today
That I didn’t wanna hear
But I knew that it would come
An old, true friend of ours was talkin’ on the phone
She said you’d found someone
And I thought of all the bad luck,
And the struggles we went through
And how I lost me and you lost you
What are these voices outside love’s open door
Make us throw off our contentment
And beg for something more?
I’m learning to live without you now
But I miss you sometimes
The more I know, the less I understand
All the things I thought I knew, I’m learning again
I’ve been tryin’ to get down
To the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it’s about…forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don’t love me anymore
Ah…these times are so uncertain
There’s a yearning undefined
And people filled with rage
We all need a little tenderness
How can love survive in such a graceless age?
Ah…the trust and self-assurance that lead to happiness
They’re the very things – we kill I guess…
Ohh pride and competition
Cannot fill these empty arms
And the work I put between us
You know it doesn’t keep me warm
I’m learning to live without you now
But I miss you, baby
And the more I know, the less I understand
All the things I thought I’d figured out
I have to learn again
I’ve been trying to get down
To the heart of the matter
But everything changes
And my friends seem to scatter
But I think it’s about…forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if, you don’t love me anymore
There are people in your life who’ve come and gone
They let you down, you know they hurt your pride
You better put it all behind you baby; cause’ life goes on
If you keep carryin’ that anger, it’ll eat you up inside, baby
I’ve been trying to get down
To the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it’s about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don’t love me
I’ve been tryin’ to get down
To the heart of the matter
Because the flesh will get weak
And the ashes will scatter
So I’m thinkin’ about forgiveness..

[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/d/don+henley/the+heart+of+the+matter_20042042.html ]

I had a wonderful dinner with a sweet friend last night. She enjoys biking, as well, and has gotten involved to a degree that I would also be interested in…and not being one to like to waste my time reinventing the wheel…I asked to meet with her to pick her brain.

Always believing that there is a lesson in what God allows in our life (even when we bring it on ourselves…thus the “make all things good”), I have done some soul searching the past few days. What I realized is that I was really frustrated with the insistence for “athletic and toned” and “slender” of the online men when I first jumped on in my mid-40’s. But now that there is much more openness to “about average” at this age (I’ve never considered myself “average”, thanks anyway)….I’m the one who wants to be more toned for ME. And, also, though I still must be cautious to keep my children as my priority over activity, I don’t want to wait until they’re grown (or until I find someone to ride with) to begin truly enjoying biking for ME. I know there are things I can do in these last 4 years of raising kids to help get me to the place where I won’t be starting from scratch once the nest is empty; and I’m blessed to say that I received exactly the information that I was hoping for from my friend. So, once the kids get back in school, I’ll begin exploring my options.

But I also shared with her about what’s been going on in my life this past year…and several times, it brought tears to her eyes or chill bumps. At one point she said that it will be amazing to see what God has in store for me–she said that because God is so clearly working in my life. And I agree that there is no other explanation for the events…and I was gently reminded:

So often we allow the busy-ness of life to keep us distracted from God. Personally, I believe that is exactly what the enemy wants–he’s into “divide and conquer”…and if he can divide us from God, he can more easily “conquer” our day.

That’s why I share so vulnerably in this blog….to remind us all that it doesn’t matter if we “feel” it…God is IN every moment. The saying goes, “Faith is Believing, not seeing.”…but if we want to “see” God IN the moments of our lives…all we must do is be STILL…and look UP. For the Epic God of the Bible is still writing Epic stories…but instead of enjoying them vicariously through reading them…we have the even greater privilege to LIVE them. And some of us just live to write to tell about it. 🙂

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10 NKJV)

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” (2 Timothy 1:7-10, 12 NKJV)

After a whirlwind two weeks, I started noticing a slight aloofness in biker dude. Both of us had previously booked weekends so, when he called me Saturday night, I was in the comfort of my QT chair when he apologized and said, “There’s something I need to tell you.” He has met someone else and wants to pursue a relationship with her.

A marathon runner since the days when his marriage fell apart, he discovered his love for biking when he hurt his foot earlier this year. And that progressed to his current goal of being a triathlete. I was honest about my current interests and abilities with life and kids; and he would just grin, “I can help you with that.” –which is exactly what I was hoping for. He said all along how important it is to have commonality to build on at this point in our lives….and I was ready to build. But she is also training to be a triathlete so they have the same intense training schedule and the same current obsession, so he can’t help but want to see what might develop.

He was sick about not wanting to hurt me. He kept saying over and over how I’m the kind of woman he’s always wanted and how beautiful I am. He also kept saying, “It’s uncanny how I met her right after you….”

I smiled as I graciously thanked him for being a man of Integrity. I assured him that I truly believed what he and I had said all along, that God has someone wonderful for each of us. And I wished him all the best and said goodbye.

And when I got off the phone, I was still smiling…because I was gently reminded:

It wasn’t simply an “uncanny” twist of fate that brought her into his life right at this moment in time…it was GOD. That’s how He works in my life–His unCANny FAITHfullness to bringing me HIS man. I’ve come to accept the near comical way men have “fallen off the planet” right at the “moment of truth”. I’m starting to call it my “glass ceiling of dating”. And I’m good with that…cuz that’s how I’ll know he’s God’s man for me…he’ll shatter that glass. 🙂

P.S…. Certainly I was disappointed…he was a really great guy. But one of my wonderful coworkers looked me directly in the eyes and said, “Yes, he is a good man. But he didn’t really “trip your trigger” (gotta love a West Texas gal). There are other really good men out there…hold out for the one who trips it.”. 🙂

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? It is God who arms me with strength, And makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places. You enlarged my path under me, So my feet did not slip. Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name.” (Psalm 18:2, 28, 30-33, 36, 49 NKJV)

“My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:18 NKJV)