Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. Romans 2:15

Greetings, girlfriends! We attended my grandmothers' funeral this week (she was 101!)  My middle son got a great new job on the same day she passed. I was reminded, again, of this blog I had written back in 2010. I thought it would be appropriate to re-post it now. -

I found out some very sad news, late last week. A former boss of mine, and his wife, both attorneys for the law firm where I previously worked, were vacationing together, in Italy, when his wife became very ill. She was taken to the hospital where, several hours later, the doctors appeared in the waiting room, to tell her husband she had an aneurism and there was nothing they could do...they had lost her. She was 51 years young, beautiful, smart, full of life and a devoted wife and mother. I can't even imagine the shock, pain and lonliness her husband must have felt. One of my closest friends has worked for them for 10 years and was devastated, of course. My heart cried out to God, along with everyone else's, for comfort and meaning in such a seemingly cruel act of fate.

Right on the heels of this news, I received a call from another close friend of mine, who lives in the same town, telling me of her proposal from her boyfriend! :-)It was contagious to share in her joy and excitement, as he had made it very special, including a scavenger hunt and had done a great deal of preparation!

I was reminded of the "big" events of life and how they often play out. There is the excitement of a new life coming into the world and the sadness of parting with our loved ones in death. There is the joy and happiness of a wedding, as a couple begin their lives together, with bright hope and plans for their future, while nearby, there is the devastation of a family ripped apart by divorce and the pain and suffering that goes with their dreams of forever.

I recall when my dad suddenly passed away, almost 8 years ago, and how I was shocked at how the world could go on, laughing and playing, as though my world had not just been demolished! It seemed cruel and unfair, at the time, for others to be happy and enjoying themselves. Of course, this was the viewpoint of a grieving daughter. I know many of you have experienced what I'm talking about in some scenario in your life.

The Bible tells us to be happy with those who are happy and to cry with those who cry. In this we can see that our Father knows the hurts and the happiness that are all a part of our journey from life to death and into eternity. The happy occasions we so enjoy, new babies, weddings, holidays, graduations and so on are a glimpse of heaven where all will be good and right. The terrible ache for the parent who has lost a child or the widow who has been left alone to grieve her longtime companion, the ongoing pain of divorce and brokenness of a family, the loss of a job, the terminal illness,...In it all, God calls us to be involved, as Christians who are here to express his love and goodness, to be the light of God's love into the hearts of their fellow man.

Who do you know, today, who is rejoicing in a happy place? Be happy with them. Let them know it. Sometimes, when a friend, co-worker or, even a family member, is blessed financially, relationally, or in some other way while we are in a hurting place, we find it hard to be happy with them, don't we? And yet, we miss out on SO much when we fail to share in the happiness of others!

Do you know someone who is hurting? Someone battling with a difficult or dissolving marriage, a handicapped child, the one who faces chemotherapy, not knowing if they will survive, the loss of a job or financial ruin...we could go on. Cry with them. Pray for them. Sometimes that is all we can do. Allow your heart to love, to care, to reach out beyond your own circumstances whether they are good or bad and find the truth in Jesus' words, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35

Still Climbing,
Cher

Though he slay me yet I will trust him. Job 13:15

Though the fig tree shall not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls YET I will rejoice in the Lord. I will take joy in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:17

As I am struggling through a stormy situation, in a particular area of my life, I am reminded of a time when I experienced what, for me, felt like a Category 5. I lost everything that mattered to me and truly didn't know how to survive, emotionally or spiritually. I was divorced 2.5 years earlier and my two younger children, who were now 13 and 15, were battling the reality of going between homes, ours a simple Mennonite home, in the country, with a lot of love and the security of a strong community and, their dad's, a home in Suburbia where they would go to movies, listen to music, wear the latest teen fashion from the mall, swim in the back yard pool of the executive home where their dad and new step-mom lived, have free access to the internet and TV in their rooms and even get to take trips out of the country on holidays. They would come back to me and our quiet, plain life and it would be obvious that they wanted the life their dad could offer them but didn't want to hurt me. The elder was also "finished" with school and working full time, since Mennonite children only go through 8th grade and then start to work in a trade, most often with their dad or a relative. As you can imagine, given the option, at these ages, the inevitable happened, when my youngest called from a visit at his dad's, and said, "Mom, I'm going to stay here and live with Dad. He said it's going to be like "name," an amusement park in the city, at that time. One week after his move, my dad, who was my solid rock of support, died suddenly from Acute Leukemia. I walked through the funeral in a fog of grief and sadness that I thought I could not recover from. My middle son tried to stay with me, as he didn't want to leave me, after he saw the pain his brother's move caused, followed by the loss of his Papa and yet, it was so clear he was not going to join the Mennonite church. At 15, he wanted to go to high school and experience all the things he was "missing." I knew he could not and would not stay, with this mindset, and only an 8th grade education, which works very well if your life is embedded in the Mennonite community, but is most often disastrous in the "real world," so through a series of discussions about his intentions, I felt I had no choice but to release him to make the move, as well, knowing the deep separation this would bring, due to the vast differences in lifestyle (to use an extreme example but not too far from the truth, think of moving from a scene of Little House on the Prairie to Hollywood). It was a life altering decision for us, as a family, and would unleash a time I refer to, in my soon to be published book, Don't Waste Your Hurricane: Exodus From an Amish-flavored Life; Moving From Paralyzing Pain Into Powerful Purpose, as 'The beginning of sorrows.'

The Scripture says, in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed..." I do believe this verse is applicable in any situation as we lean into God's mercy and grace, and yet, we are imperfect humans beings and I struggled with feeling all of those things; crushed, in despair, forsaken and destroyed. The thing I most feared had come upon me and it was a severe blow.

God in his grace and kindness came to me, at pivotal points, and still does, 9 years down this rocky path marked by grace, and gave me the verses from Malachi. Was my faith in him real? Was I playing Christian or was I really a woman of faith? Do any of us know how to walk "successfully" through devastation until we are faced with it and must choose, continually, to walk by faith and even with "no herd in the stalls," rejoice in the God of our salvation, believing he will work ALL things together for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose? Romans 8:28.

Many, if not all of us, experience those "Job" happenings, in our lives, at some point. It comes in various, unwelcome forms through terminal illness, the unfathomable death of a child, a devastating divorce, financial crisis, the experience of abuse or neglect... that hurl us into a place where we choose to lean into Jesus or move away from believing God has our good in mind. For most, we fluctuate between the two and it takes his loving reminders that he sees us and knows where we are, even in hurricane conditions, and that he will use these broken places in us to reveal himself. As our faith is tested, it produces perseverance, and as we allow perseverance to finish it's work, we will become mature and complete, lacking nothing.

Still Climbing,
Cher

All Things New

Hey Girlfriends!

It's been a while, so pull up a chair and your favorite healthy drink and let's catch up on all the latest!

Wow, what a busy time it's been these past few months! ChersFit4Life has taken off in such an EXCITING way and I'm so passionate about the message God has given me to share with other women in promoting the pursuit of P.E.I.S. and turning our paralyzing pain into powerful purpose!

Speaking at the Women's Life Accelerated Bootcamp, sponsored by KS Agency, followed by an invitation to be the keynote speaker at the Women's Inspirational Retreat in beautiful northern California, are special highlights of these past few months.

I completed two courses to become a Certified Power Coach and a Certified Life Coach and am anxious to begin my coaching practice where I will coach my clients to success in their goals, both personal and professional.

Jones & Jones Designs built my beautiful new website and captured the essence of who I am, what I believe and what I am about.

Memoir - expected release date: Spring 2014:
Don't Waste Your Hurricane; Exodus From an Amish-flavored Life
Turning Paralyzing Pain Into Powerful Purpose          

Awesome t-shirts and caps are on the way with the ChersFit4Life logo, "Still Climbing."

My husband has been amazing through all the many hours of dedicated writing, speaking engagements, time buried in my laptop designing, emailing, etc. I could not have done all of this without his support.

God has given me purpose in my pain and I'm so excited to share the encouragement, hope and joy that can be found in our hurricane seasons. He makes all things new and gives purpose to our suffering. (Rev 21:5, Rom 8:28).

Be sure and reach out to me and let me know if something you find here touches you in some small way or if you are looking for a speaker at your next event or want to discuss Life or Fitness Coaching!


Still Climbing,
Cher

Its 3:15 a.m. The "Knowing" Place

Girlfriends!

Why don't we take a few minutes and chat about our "knowing" place, today. You know what I'm talking about. It's that place you find yourself when something wakes you up at 3:15 in the morning...a dog barks, tires screech, a train whistle blows in the distance, too much coke before bedtime :) Whatever the reason, you are awake and it's so still, sooooo quiet. It's like no other time of your day. If you lean into the stillness and listen to the quiet, you encounter it...your "knowing" place. It's where you store what you know in your knower! :-)

Today, we surround ourselves with so much noise and activity; we have a constant influx of material coming at us and filling our minds so that there is hardly time for any quiet reflection or real communication with each other. I had to smile, to myself, when I passed by two people, recently, at a table, having lunch, each one texting, presumably, having a separate conversation, with 2 open laptops between them! Nice lunch! :-) With our blackberrys, smart phones, laptops, T.V.'s, cell phones, ipod's, PSP's, WII's, portable DVD's, IPAD's....and no doubt newer gadgets that I am as of yet, unaware, the information in our knowers (the place where the knowing place stores what we know) can hardly be heard - too much competition!! These things may all have their place but let's not forget the value of some quiet time to re-group and evaluate what we are about. :-)

Let me simplify what I wanna say here, today. I just want to encourage you to take a visit to your knowing place and really know what you know in your knower! :-D Got that? lol! It's very likely that you KNOW what you need to do in most situations you face, today. If you look back, and you are anything like me, you can see that where you had a pretty good idea what you should or should not have said, or done, at the beginning of your decision making process. In most cases. you can see where you took the wrong road and it all began in your knower. You had that feeling of discomfort or doubt but acted, while ignoring that small but undeniable voice. As you ignored it, it grew fainter and the noise of what you wanted to do, at the time, grew louder, right along with a small but growing sense of unrest inside. I would speculate some of the results, in various situations, have included symptoms like fatigue, guilt, lack of peace or anxiety, confusion. weight gain, weight loss, mood swings, a sense of sadness, relational issues, etc. Any time we step outside the realm of our true core beliefs and values, we will suffer some of these or other hurtful symptoms. These are warning signs to us, from a good God, that we need to re-evaluate where we moved away from our knowing place and get back "in the zone" or, we could say, back in tune with our knower because that is the place where we find rest and peace. It is the place where we are living out what we truly believe is right, in our hearts. Make sense?

I want to offer up one disclaimer here...Do I mean, by this, that just because a person believes something is right, it automatically is? Whoa! Hold onto your seatbelts...Absolutely not! The people who flew into our towers on 911 apparently believed they were doing what was right! The Bible does indicate that it is possible to be deceived. "There is a way that seems right unto a man but the end thereof is death." (Proverbs 16:25) I wish I had an easy answer for how this can be avoided...but I can say this. I truly don't believe we need to fear this happening to us if we will remember the first 2 commandments. "Love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your might and all your strengh and...love your neighbor as yourself". (Deut 6:5, Luke 10:27) Check with your knower and I believe you will find confirmation that this agrees with all that is right and good!! :-) I also have confidence that as we seek God with these key commandments at the forefront, open and honest hearts and a humble spirit, we will know and understand the truth. It may take more than one trip, or an extended stay, to our knowing place, in order to reconnect and tune in, especially if we have become dull in our senses over a period of time. Persist and your knower will reveal itself once again!

I believe in order to experience true peace (P.E.I.S.) we need to make a visit to our "knowing" place and ask God to shine his all-knowing and all-loving searchlight into our hearts and check our "fitness" levels, Physically, Emotionally, Intellectually and Spiritually. Each of these begins with a visit to our knowing place. We can know in our knower what is right but we need the power to DO what is right. This is where spirituality comes in. My challenge to you, and to myself, today, is to visit your knowing place - it doesn't have to be 3:15 a.m. but you do have to get still and quiet, and may I suggest you invite God to join you? He is the one who has the ability to reveal what you need and to supply the power to live out what you discover. He wants to share with you, as your Creator, the plans he has for you and the purpose he wants to fulfill in your life.

Still Climbing,
Cher

What Do I Eat? Here's the Deal.

Diets. They abound and I've tried my fair share through the years. It's possible to have success on a
variety of them at least for the short term. Now, let me tell you what works, makes the most sense and, best of all, it's SIMPLE and doesn't require going to specialty stores or spending ridiculous amounts of time in the kitchen - yay!

Michael Pollan wrote a book titled Food Rules and I highly recommend it. It's premises is based on 3 simple principles.

Eat FOOD.
MOSTLY PLANTS.
Eat LESS.

How refreshing!

He contends that we shouldn't eat anything our great grandmother wouldn't recognize as FOOD. He uses go-gurt in a tube as an example lol~! We all know all this processed, packaged food with an eternal shelf life is killing us, don't we?

As a general rule, eat foods with 5 or less ingredients, ones you recognize and would use in your kitchen. Honey would be a rare exception as it has a long shelf life but is a great way to satisfy your sweet craving when you need it! Most foods should have an expiration date at some point!

Eat when you are hungry and stop eating when you are no longer hungry but are not completely full, between 65-80%.

Make a treat just that - a treat. Not your regular way of eating.

Occasionally, break the rules!

Now let's see what an example looks like in real terms on a typical day for me.
Start the morning off with 20 oz. water with my workout (after if I'm running). Coffee on my way to work and once I get settled in, I start on my next water and have a 1/2 banana with half of the 1/4 cup of raw almonds I brought for the day. could also be eggs or steel cut oatmeal(no sugar - honey, berries and a few slivered almonds).

I have found that halving everything is a great way to lessen my calorie intake and have more snacks throughout the day - I can eat the other half of the banana and nuts if I get hungry in an hour or two. If you like, go ahead and eat the whole serving at one time according to your preference. I also like to cut up my banana and nuts in pieces on a plate and slightly drizzle it with local, raw honey and cinnamon. when I have time, such as weekends,I'll likely have a large helping of egg whites (6) or 2 whole eggs or I may have oatmeal with banana, honey and cinnamon. I normally limit my bread intake to a weekend treat and then keep it minimal Hamburger? Eat 1/2 bun; Sandwich? Just 1 slice of bread and so on.

For snacking, limit yourself to fruit, vegetables and nuts. You will grow accustomed to enjoying these natural snacks and the cravings for processed foods will soon disappear. If you like having a bar, choose larabars, which are the most natural, having only a few real food ingredients rather than a long list of chemicals.

For lunch it could be a large salad with olives, corn salsa,and grilled chicken or salmon. Drizzle with a little olive oil, rice vinegar and lemon. Yum! For an afternoon snack, choose a piece of fruit and a few nuts or your larabar. Dinner can be any 4 oz. piece of lean meat, grilled, a green veggie and a baked sweet potato with a thin slice of butter. Oh I also like to put a little Tony Cacheres on mine! Sweet and salty - so good! *Don't eat margarine or butter substitute to save calories- it's a chemical! Evening snack - if you must, keep it light and a small portion such as some berries or other 1/2 piece of fruit. Hope this helps a little bit! Check out the book for more tips! I keep it handy as a great reminder. Still Climbing, Cher

My Darkest Day

Web friends, I ask for your patience and your prayers as I open my heart, today.

It takes an extra measure of God's grace for me to recall one of the most painful times in my life. For many years, I could not speak about or even think about this dark time without struggling to breathe and sobbing, uncontrollably. I am not one prone to such displays so it was very difficult to accept my involuntary response to the pain.

Seven years have passed and I can now share - sometimes my breathing still becomes labored and my eyes fill as the painful memories are brought to the surface, but time and grace have brought a measure of healing and relief for which I'm very grateful! I'm sure you are wondering WHY? Why would I want to expose painful and personal happenings in my life for all the world to see? Good question! :-) There is one reason. Healing. For my family, myself and those of you whose personal pain may be paralyzing you. I want to share so that you may know there is HOPE and even JOY available to you, by grace, even through the stormiest seas. Our God, who offered himself up for us all, understands and is touched by our pain - he waits for us to come to him with our deep hurts and find rest for our souls. This, I believe!

There is much left out here for the sake of brevity - watch for my book to be published later this year for a more detailed description....Don't Waste Your Hurricane - My Journey To PEIS.

After the divorce from my husband of 18 years and choosing to remain with the Mennonite church with my 3 boys who were then 17, 13 and 11, I got a job and did my best, with much help from these wonderfully kind people, to maintain a nurturing home for my family. We had become very much a part of the Mennonite faith and lifestyle and we continued on. Over the next two years, their father, who had moved from Arkansas back to Houston (our native city), remarried and bought a large, beautiful home with all the "worldly" amenities we had lived without for some time, began to fly the boys out to visit him. At first the boys would not go visit and clung to me and the sheltered lifestyle they knew, with the exception of my 15 year old who was well settled, a member of the church and was not interested in visiting. As my two younger boys began to go for repeated visits, they were naturally drawn to the lifestyle their dad was now involved in and offering to them. They each had their own room equipped with a TV and computer and when they visited, he bought them name brand clothing and took them on vacations and to movies. It isn't hard to imagine that by the time they were 15 and 13, they were enjoying these amenities very much and it became harder for them to adjust when they came home to "Little House on the Prairie."

My 13 year old began to act out and show his independent spirit :) and told me that he did not mean to be disrespectful but that I really could not tell him what to do anymore....the dye was caste and soon it was time for another visit with their dad. When they should have been preparing to return home, I received a call from my youngest. He said in a very sure and assertive voice, "Mom, I've decided to stay here and live with Dad. He says it's going to be like Astroworld!" He went on to talk about all the things they going to do. While my heart was breaking and my mind whirling, I managed to ask him, "Are you sure this is what you want to do?" This is when I discovered his dad on the other line as he warned me not to try and change his mind. I am not sure what else was said but I told him I loved him and hung up.

Now I know in divorce situations, children have the ability to choose with whom they want to live and it may not seem so very terrible. However, in this case, there was much more involved than a simple move down the street. This would mean a move to Houston and would create both a physical and relational separation as he adopted a "worldly" lifestyle and came under his dad's control. I knew both he and his father and the issues that I feared would bring many heartaches to come. I felt completely helpless.

Numb, I walked back to the bedroom he shared with his brother and picked up his baseball cap from his bedside. My baby boy! My beautiful (yes, boys can be beautiful - mine are!) smart, fun-loving, impulsive boy, full of "spit and vinegar" and SO much personality in one body...my legs gave way and I buckled to the floor in a heap with a feeling I can't describe, other than abject grief beyond anything else I had ever experienced (some of you know just what I'm talking about) though there would be many opportunities over the next several years for the experience of grief to become a familiar way of life. I cried and felt myself sinking into a dark place in prayer and tears. As I lay there, I heard a voice, not audible but every bit as clear, say to me, "Cherrie, do you want to give yourself to this?" I instantly knew this was a critical question and I could feel the pull to just follow that spiraling staircase down into the darkness that was enveloping me and never come back.

GRACE. It IS amazing. I found myself reaching deep within and, at the same time, reaching up and I managed to whisper the faintest "no" into the ears of a loving God. I knew I had to get up immediately or I would not get up at all. This is no exaggeration but my experience, as it was.

That happened 7 long years and many ensuing hurts ago, and yet, as I recall it, the hurt is as fresh as the day it happened.

What about your darkest day? Have you faced deep pain and heartache or has life been smooth sailing so far? We each have our own crosses to bear as we travel this road and also what I refer to as assigned blessings! :-D I believe, when Jesus says, "My grace is sufficient for YOU for my strength is made perfect in (your) weakness," he meant that his grace is sufficient for ME to carry the cross I must bear, not the grace needed to carry your cross. We have all said, "Oh, I could never take...." and we can't! We are given the measure of grace needed in the hour of our trial, not before but right on time. I have found God's grace IS sufficient if I avail myself of it. Too often, I've spent wasted time trying to pull myself up "by my bootstraps" trying to manufacture my own grace! MISTAKE! My part is the willingness to say, "Yes, Lord, I choose to LIVE. Give me grace!" The Grace part of the equation is God's specialty and is a gift, freely given, as requested. Run to him for an extra measure of grace, today - his supply never runs low and he will give you just what you need.

More to come, friends. I'm spent.

Still Climbing,
Cher

TIME...Not Enough?

Sweet Girlfriends!! Pull up a chair and let's chat for a few minutes about a subject we all struggle with...TIME. Not just time but the desperate feeling many share in feeling they just don't have enough of it to fit "EVERYTHING" in. I've been asked to address this subject here and I am glad to share a few thoughts. I think most would agree that time, and how we utilize it, is our most precious commodity. It is relentless in its determination to move steadily forward whether we use it wisely or squander it away. As the old saying goes, "We all have the same 24 hours in a day" and it's up to each of us to decide what we do with that time. Let me begin by saying that my thoughts begin with a personal belief that the most valuable use of our time is found in building relationships. We should begin with God, our Creator. God made us for himself and so it makes the most sense to begin the day by spending a little time engaging in this most important relationship and seeking to lean into God's agenda for us as the day unfolds. I am not talking about hours of morning worship. Most of us don't have that luxury as the day rushes upon us but I do recommend that you get up at least 10 minutes earlier than you need to in order to have a brief reading of the Scriptures and a little time in prayer. Are there days when I don't get this in? Yes, of course, but I try to make that the exception rather than the rule. I like to spend this time mostly in worship, just acknowledging who God is, thanking him for the opportunity to make a difference today and letting him know I want to be close to him throughout my day. I can also insert here that if you have a commute to work or a short drive after dropping the kids off at school, you can utilize this as more relationship building time with God. Sometimes I keep my radio off and just pray. Other times, I turn on KSBJ and worship in song. NOTE: This takes discipline at first, just like forming any new habit. We all have an automatic "default" to what is comfortable. Once it becomes part of your daily routine, you will look forward to it but if you are new to the whole "communing with God" thing, give yourself some time to build an appetite for time spent with him. It will make you more aware of God's leading during your day. Since we all have some activities that require non-negotiable time, we need to find ways to streamline our schedule and activities as much as possible. Do you have a dry cleaner, doctor, pharmacy, bank, nail salon, gym, grocer, etc. near your office so that you can utilize some of these during a lunch break or immediately after work for saving time? If so, see how you can integrate as many of the "have to's" into close proximity to your office or en route to other activities. Do you need to try and budget a housekeeper, even just once a month, to take care of the heavy cleaning so that your time is freed up for relationship building or other goals you are working on? What about the "free" time you have? Don't be too quick to say you don't have any...If you have just 2-3 hours a day that are outside of your non-negotiable time at work or spent caring for an elderly parent,sitting on the stands at the kids' sporting events, how are you using this time? Are you building relationships in these situations? How about writing that blog you've been wanting to start or jotting down a to-do or working on your goals while sitting on the bleachers? Make the most of this time. Let's face it. Some of our biggest time thieves are T.V. and social media/surfing the net. I have posed this question to myself and others, "Will you wish, at the end of your life, you had spent more time on either of these activities?" I enjoy FB, Twitter and an occasional show or movie and I'm not knocking them but it's clear that there are times I spend too much time on non-essentials and then bemoan that "I can't get it all done!" I am working on starting my coaching business so I do need to post every day but I can still set aside 1-2 times per day for a brief check-in and, otherwise...out of sight out of mind. I can get so much done during the evening if I utilize "T.V. time" either by letting the guys in my house enjoy that time while I write, study, blog, do a quick clean up or at least fold a load or two of laundry while we are sitting there and put them away during the commercials. Of course there are times I have put in a long day/week and I'm tired and just want to relax and do nothing! That is perfectly fine! We are talking about the patterns that define our lives, right? As long as I choose to engage and not procrastinate important items on a regular basis, there is always GRACE for the exception! In a separate blog, I will share "...a day in the life of Cherrie" as I've been asked to do. It's not so exciting and certainly not perfect...lol! But if you find a tidbit that offers some hope from something I've learned to do as I juggle time with God, a long commute, demanding job, daily workouts, going back to school, volunteering at church, small group and working to launch my own business, while seeking to maintain my relationships with family and friends, I will be so happy! I am always learning from others and hope to continue for the rest of my days! Hang with me girlfriends! There is time for the things you were created to do! Still Climbing, Cher

A bad day....marked by grace

Girlfriends, today I don't want to offer any motivational quips, quick fit tips or eating clean verbiage. I want to share a day I experienced a couple of weeks ago. I would call it a "bad" day. I'll let you judge for yourselves. One of my sons, who works hard to make ends meet, while in college, lives on his own and works part time, texted me, at work, to call him and stated it was "an emergency." When I returned his call a few minutes later, the story that he relayed went like this. "Mom, I parked in a handcicap space for maybe 20 minutes to go in and see a friend at his apartments and when I came out, my car was gone...towed. I went to pick up the car and discovered my license was expired (had expired on his birthday the same month)so I couldn't pick up my car. I went to the DMV to get my license renewed and....(you guessed it)...they informed me I owed money to the state of Arkansas!" I believe my initial response was a big sigh (not into the receiver) and a prayer for grace. A day and 1/2 later of vacation time(mine)and 2 additional trips to the DMV, multiple phone calls, being on hold for loooooonnnng periods of time, followed by fees paid to the state of Arkansas (for a speeding ticket he had received 7 years prior and had not paid)about $900 all in all (his dad assisted, too), including the storage fee on the car in the tow lot, and we were back in business. My son said, "All this for 20 minutes in a handicap space...never again!" I looked my son in his pretty green eyes and explained that I had been the recipient of much grace and now he was receiving a little of that same grace. You see, my son is not a believer, just yet, and he needs to understand and experience grace and forgiveness, that unearned favor we all long for and have a hard time grasping. He knew what he'd done wrong and didn't need me to remind him just then. Was I frustrated? Ummm, have you spent much time in the DMV? Was I irritated? Somewhat. Did I want to spend my hard earned money or vacation time this way? Guess, again. Sweet friends, I'm not glamorizing or purporting enabling our kids to make bad decisions without consequences. I am simply stating there are times when we need to realize, "Freely you have received. Freely give." Matthew 10:8 Keep Climbing: Is there someone who needs grace in your circle, today? Is God calling you to an opportunity to offer grace, freely, without a lecture or a harsh word about "what I having to do....for you!" Ask the Lord to reveal these times to you. Sometimes an opportunity to show grace can be hidden in a "bad day." Still Climbing, Cher

Surely he was the Son of God!

Girlfriends, let's take a few minutes from our busy day to look to God's Word and let it shine on our hearts and provide nourishment for our souls, as we begin the new week. Matthew 27:54 "When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” We might think it amazing that the Roman guards, who had the responsibility of putting Jesus to death, didn't see who he was until they felt the rumble of the earthquake beneath their feet. Didn't they see how Jesus conducted himself during his scourging, hadn't they looked into his face and felt their souls exposed? Wasn't there something that made them think about what they were doing before the earthquake? Let's not be too quick to judge, sweet friends. How many of us have had to experience our own earthquake(s) in order to see Jesus as the Son of God? We are, by nature, a skeptical people and "slow to believe all the prophets have said..." Luke 24:25. But when calamity comes, we are brought to the place where we realize that we are not in control and, in that place, we may cry out to Jesus who "surely is the Son of God." This is not true only as we initially believe but as we continue to believe. We quickly forget or dismiss the thought that we are not in control and resort back to going about trying to save ourselves. Keep climbing: "Earthquakes" often serve a purpose in giving us the opportunity to see the Savior but let's determine in our hearts to live beyond "earthquake induced faith." May we lean in, during times of quiet blessing or in seasons of pain, and hear the gentle whisper of Jesus, "Come. Follow me."

My List…God’s Design?

Good Morning, Girlfriends! Pull up a chair! Grab a cup of coffee and your list..what list, you ask? You know, YOUR LIST. It's different than mine but we each have a list. My list is long. It is a specific list. A detailed list. It’s the list, unofficially titled, “Cherrie’s plans.” Borne out of the desires of my heart, it is the list of things that I hope to see come to pass, the things I want to accomplish and the things on which I place value, quantified by how I spend my time, energy and focus. For those of you familiar with the Bible, there is an often quoted verse that says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 This is the subject of my thought, today. I want to be certain that my plans, the desires of my heart, which are many, are subject to God’s design. The first part of that familiar verse says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and...." There is an order to this promise. As I delight myself in the Lord, God will give to me the desires of my heart! God is the very Creator of my existence AND the Creator of the new spiritual life I received, when he opened my eyes and, as I believed, granted me new birth. As my Creator, shouldn’t he also have preeminence with regard to my list? Isn’t he truthworthy with the agenda of my days, considering the breath he grants to me? Let’s talk about numbers. He has numbered my days (Psalm 139:16) and knows the very number of hairs on my head (Matthew 10:30). How then would I think that I am left on my own to decide how I am to spend my days or don’t I realize that, in wisdom, I would do well to seek him, with care, to design my list? Reading through the rest of Psalm 139, it is clear that God is intimately involved and actively participates in our formation from the time of our conception. Let's think of it in a simple word picture. If I designed and formed a certain dish so that it would perfectly hold and showcase a beautifully oval shaped egg and I proceeded to try and serve a 16 oz. ribeye on it, what would the result be? It wouldn't fit! It would hang out all over the place and it certainly wouldn't make an appetizing presentation! Isn't that often what we do? We try to make our own list outside of God's design or according to what someone else thinks we should be and we wonder why we feel exhausted, frustrated and unfulfilled! Remember *God's personal design is the best "style" for me to wear! :) Isaiah 46:10 makes it clear that God's purpose will be carried out, regardless of my cooperation…BUT I don’t want to miss out! I want to lean in and realize the joy of participating in the purpose he has to reach people with the good news of redemption, specifically those whom he has placed within my sphere of influence. Today, there is a vast amount of time and attention given to “finding myself” and being “fulfilled.” I would like to suggest that there is no deep secret to be unearthed in this quest. Personal fulfillment comes in walking within God’s design for our lives and pointing others to him. If this is my focus, I will leave a perpetual legacy that continues to be shared, long after I am gone. In contrast, a self-centered, self-focused life leaves nothing of lasting value. It does leave untilled soil in the hearts of those within that circle, which another, must step into and labor for the harvest that has been left unattended, so that they might see and believe. A familiar corporate term is “knowledge sharing.” Let’s engage in LIFE sharing, girlfriends. Make each of us an instrument of your peace, according to your design, Lord Jesus! Keep climbing: Take your list….kneel with it and pray, before your Creator, who knows ALL things regarding you. Don’t be afraid – he is your Creator, Redeemer and Friend. Invite him to design, refine and shine in your list, that his purpose might be fulfilled and, in doing so, you will find fulfillment. Still Climbing,