When God Gets Peanut Butter in My Chocolate

I've known for many years now, that God was leading me to write a book. It was one of those things that I heard VERY clearly. However, since that time, I haven't felt like I've gotten any more details or a "go ahead".....well, until now, that is.

I digress for a moment....

I've struggled for the last few weeks; really questioning if I am "doing therapy right", did I somehow "minimize God in all of this", is it too "secular", etc. I've questioned myself to the point that I actually had a little breakdown. The kind of breakdown where you have to call friends to make sure you haven't done it wrong for all of these years.

After my conversation with friends, I was able to let it go let it sit there, not resolved, but not keeping me up at night....once again, until now.

Now back to my story.....

I was sitting in a session where I was referencing the book, Getting the Love you Want. I had just finished a phone session where I was referencing the book, The Bondage Breaker: Steps to Freedom in Christ. One is a secular book and one, obviously, is a Christian book.

Well! I accidentally picked up the wrong book, realized it, picked up the right book, and there was my "peanut butter in my chocolate moment."

I'm sitting in session with a couple, holding one book in each hand: one very secular, one very Christian.....it was a frozen moment in time.

Then I remembered why God told me to do this job in the first place. He sends me the people who don't find him the "traditional" way. They haven't been in church all their lives, or if they have, that deep relationship with Him hasn't clicked.

There's no judgement in this...

Maybe it's because of woundedness....

Maybe it's because of legalism....

Whatever the reason, the people I get on my couch seem to be the people searching for a deeper relationship with Jesus (even though they may not know it) who aren't going to get there the traditional way.

So there's my book.

The middle book.

Not secular.

Not solely Christian.

BUT Christian with a sound therapeutic basis or therapeutic with a sound Christian basis.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate....Chocolate and Peanut Butter.

Who would have thought that the two would go so well together. But, it's yummy! and it's exciting! and it's MOST DEFINITELY needed!

"For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth." (Romans 9:17).

From Yesterday...James 1

James 1:22-25 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Revelation Whispers!

I love it when God shows me things in the middle of the night....even when it's "a thing" that's hard to hear.

Tonight wasn't a "bad" thing. It was just one of those things where I go "duh"......that's so obvious! And OBVIOUSLY it was something I needed to have brought to my consciousness.

Here goes.....

I LOVE revelations from God - those moments when He speaks to me so clearly that I know exactly what I'm supposed to get, supposed to do, etc. AND, what God "revealed" to me in this night was this....not all guidance from Him is going to be through these glorious revelations.

Many "revelations" will be much less dramatic - they will simply be from the Word.

It was so clear.

"You don't feel connected to Me because you are only open to seeing Me in one way. I am ALWAYS guiding you through Scripture. Don't wait for the dramatic revelation. All of my Word is revelation. I have not forsaken you. Go there for answers."

I've had this urge for the past month to buy a new Bible. I even went and looked at them at Lifeway and my favorite store, Amazon. I was waiting until my birthday to get it with money from my Mom. Now it seems so clear that thought was actually a God whisper, a guidance. It was so quiet I didn't even hear it.

O.K.....God is desiring for me to know Him in the small things, the quiet things, the whispers, the Word.

LOVE IT! It will change my life!

And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 2 Peter 1:19

Angry

A few "posts ago" I said I was getting pieces to the puzzle.

During my meditation time today, I definitely turned over a couple!

I'm angry.

So here is the conversation my therapist self had with my angry self....

Therapist self: So you're angry.

Me: Yes.

Therapist self: What's underneath the angry?

Me: hmmm....Disappointment, hurt, sadness, powerlessness

Therapist self: And what does your spiritual self think/know?

Me: That I've given my power over to my emotions for the last four days and that is why the addict behavior is back.....that I need to grieve for the relationships that I want but am not going to get....that I have to forgive and move on.

Therapist self: Good. I have taught you well!

Those darn puzzle pieces!!!

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

Continuing to Learn

I have a job where I'm very blessed to have the opportunity to learn EVERY day!

Sometimes a client says JUST what I needed to hear and that was VERY true today!

These statements seem SO simple, but they are so POWERFUL!

If I crack open the door to the addiction, it takes over. What I thought was just one "drink (bite)" turned into a five days of alcohol (food). I can't open that door."

Was that his voice or mine? Was that his thought or my thought?

It's been a rough few days. 4 days to be exact.

I guess the good news is that it used to take many more days before I came out of the fog. I can remember when a friend of mine would say "but it's only been three weeks. That's a much shorter time for you."

3 weeks.....4 days....

Even though I don't like it, I guess it is progress.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Think on These Things....

I L O V E a good murder mystery.

48 hours....Dateline....Snapped....Disappeared....Solved....Paula Zahn....

The list could go on and on. So EARLY this morning I woke up (as I normally do) and I reached for the remote. At that moment, this Scripture came to my mind:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

I AM NOT saying there is anything wrong with these shows. But I KNOW what I heard, for me, the moment I reached for the remote.

Instead, I surfed the channels and found The Gaither Hour. After one hour of gospel music, I am starting my day refreshed, more connected to God, and with a peace that I would not have had otherwise.

So the "to do" list on my Direct TV is changing. Some deleted. Some added. But all with this in mind....Whatever is lovely, whatever is pure, think on these things.

How Then Were Your Eyes Opened?

His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was.

Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”

But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

“How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.

He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” (John 9:10-11)

I AM THAT MAN!

I wish I could talk with him. I wonder if there were times that he would have preferred to stay blind. Were all the things he saw worth it? Was he excited at first and then questioned this blessing later on?

Regardless, Jesus washed him and then he could see, and one thing is FOR SURE, he had to learn to operate differently in his world because of this great miracle.

I AM THAT MAN!

It's been stirring for a while. Little pieces, like a puzzle, being turned over, sometimes one at a time, sometimes in groups. But I hadn't seen the front of the box. What is this a picture of? What am I going to have once I fit all of these pieces together? AND then it came with such clarity.....Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes and now I can see.

And as if I needed any more confirmation, Jesus must have taken a picture of this puzzle and handed it to my pastor because he held it up for me to see again on Sunday. Here are some of the pieces that he puts words too for me....

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (well not this one, but it was on the overhead)

Fear of ReJection

I will not back down from what God is doing inside of me!

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7)

Sometimes BIG things can't happen without a BIG problem!

What you fear reveals what you value the most. What you fear reveals where you trust God the least!

My slanderers pursue me all day long; many are attacking me in their pride. When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me. (Psalm 56:2)

Oh, Yes, the mud has been applied, washed off, and now I can see.

I'm not sure why God thinks I'm ready to see this now and, even though I'm trying, I can't see the beauty of the puzzle yet. I'm still in shock from the picture that has become so clear to me. But I know it's coming...



The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. Isaiah 61