Faith and Dealing with the “Blahs”

August 17, 2017 Martha RodmanLeave a comment

Have you ever experienced a time in your walk with the Lord a season where you felt disengaged, separate or just like you were drifting? As it can happen with human relationships, it can also happen with our relationship with the Lord. The marriage relationship which began with such passion can drift into boring routines. Children, who were so anticipated, become responsibilities that demand our attention, strength and energy. And our relationship with Jesus can also deteriorate into a “hi-bye” kind of rut.

It is humbling to admit that I have experienced these sort of blahs in every one of my relationships. But, I am here to encourage and remind us that there is a way out of these doldrums. The amazing thing is that our God understands these tendencies. He is so aware of our weaknesses. In fact, he promises us that his power works best in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:10 NLT) I confess that lately I have found myself struggling through a season of “blahs”. So when I felt the Lord wanting me to share this topic, I was less than thrilled! However, it is always freeing to admit our humanity and move into his grace and mercy.
How did I get here–into this season of “blahs”? I have kept up my devotional time (check), prayer-yes. So what is the deal? My life had been super busy, and then it shifted. I realized that during my busy time I did not take the time to really focus on what I was reading and really to whom I was praying. So coming out of such a time of busyness, I think I have been running on spiritual fumes. I am so grateful for the Holy Spirit and his grace to stir up the longing to re-connect in a more life-giving manner. But I also realized that I could continue on with this surface relationship and end up getting de-railed in my walk with him. We are warned about the distractions of life, how they can call us away from our first love. The enemy of our soul works through such things to dull our hearts toward the things of God and His Kingdom and cause us to settle for less. Not only does this affect our relationship with our Savior, it affects our usefulness for his kingdom.

God can use these times to stir us and motivate us to grow in new ways. Our enemy can use this time to lead us away from our gifts and callings. It is up to us, as sons and daughters, to determine to follow him. I am not trying to scare us into fear that we can lose our way easily. It is not like that, but I am trying to warn us (like Paul warned those around him) there are carefully disguised traps set around us that can catch us if we are not careful. We were given spiritual armor for a reason, let us all remember to use it!

Steps to Deal with the Blahs

The Lord Supper

Scriptures encourage us to take communion as a reminder of what Christ did for us. This is a time to remind ourselves of the price he paid and just how much he loves us.

Fellowship

We are encouraged to not forsake the gathering of ourselves together with our brothers and sisters. The strength and focus we gain from our spiritual family is crucial. Never underestimate how much we need each other. Taking time to share our burdens with the others lighten our load.

Worship

I sometimes use my online Bible app, You Version, to do my devotionals. Lately I have been using the reading feature to read the Psalms. Psalm 95 and 96 encourage us to sing to the Lord. I decided to not only read the words, but actually try singing to the Lord instead of singing about the Lord brought new thoughts and life to my soul.

The Word

Slowing down and focusing on what I am reading, asking the Holy Spirit for revelation as well as instruction really does feed my soul. Taking the time to journal these thoughts reinforce what I read.

Testimony

Sharing God stories with others helps us overcome as the Word promises.Stirs my heart up to have more to share!

Prayer

Being encouraged by the Word, sharing the God stories of others build faith to ask for Godly intervention in the problems of life for myself and others. But first, when I find myself fighting the blahs, I need to confess that to the Lord. I ask him to reveal any where I might have fallen into the enemies traps or had my heart drawn away from him. Then repent from any of those things he shows me.

These are just a few of the things that God has revealed to me concerning the blahs.

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Faith and Legacy

August 10, 2017August 10, 2017 Martha RodmanLeave a comment

This past week-end I had the blessing and privilege of spending time with my first-born daughter and her family. We enjoy being together, in fact it was hard to say good-bye. I enjoyed being around their three children and making memories. As I listened to their parents impart wisdom, instruction and encouragement it occurred to me that legacy is not always that which takes place after a memorial service. Legacy is something that comes line upon line, experience upon experience, day after day as in this case, parenting happens with intention.

We are all leaving a legacy of sorts. The normal definition of legacy is an amount of money or property left to someone in a will. What I am talking about comes from the second definition : something received from an ancestor or predecessor. Those we influence, we are in fact, leaving a legacy.

As I watched my daughter take time to calm, encourage, and instruct her daughter I realized she is helping influence not only her, but also those Abby comes into contact with in the future. I saw myself in her approach, and also saw ways she took my approach and has improved upon it! It was wonderful to watch her apply her education and learning into her children’s lives. These parents live with a desire to leave a legacy of being role models in the faith to their children.

Reading through I Chronicles 28 we discover King David gathering the leaders and officials of Israel together to speak wisdom and insight into their lives. Then he gets personal with his son, the new king, Solomon. And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. for the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. so take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong, and do th work.

I can hear King David’s heart. His words of advice and wisdom encouraging Solomon to learn to know the God of his ancestors intimately resonates in my own heart. I true want to get to know this amazing God of creation, salvation and purpose more intimately than I have ever known him before. I must come to him in faith, with faith trusting that Matthew 11:28, Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light. Learning to walk with him, with his yoke and his rest for my soul is really the legacy I long to impart unto others in my sphere of influence. As I watch my son-in-law and daughter impart faith and hope into their children I see Darryl’s and my legacy already at work. This is a wonderful gift. Those of you whose children have not yet embraced your faith, do not grow weary in well-doing. Pray for them, love them, be gracious unto them and trust our God for His love to touch their hearts and lives. I know it is not easy.

Solomon had a clear job direction. Build the Temple. Maybe our focus is not as tangible, but we can always always go about doing good because charity never fails. Father, help us be mindful of the legacy we always building and leaving. Help it to glorify you and your Kingdom. In Jesus Name, amen.

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Faith and mistakes

August 3, 2017August 3, 2017 Martha Rodman7 Comments

Some days life is just another day. Nothing outwardly spectacular happens when you pray. You go about life’s necessities and the day goes on. This was my yesterday. My sister came over briefly to get some rest while her husband was at therapy for his knee replacement. I was glad to offer her a couch to take a very needed nap. I was showing her my crochet project when I noticed, even though it was almost finished, I had messed up. I am glad she came because I might have “finished” it and not even noticed. Continue reading “Faith and mistakes” →

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Faith and Memorials

July 27, 2017July 27, 2017 Martha RodmanLeave a comment

Two close friends had family members who passed recently. One was the mother of Justice Ekuban Jr. I met his mom when Darryl and I taught at a Bible Training Center in London, UK. I happened to sit next to her and during a break when we introduced ourselves she said her name was Elizabeth. I said, I won’t forget your name, because my daughter is also named Elizabeth. Elizabeth was from Accra, Ghana. She and her husband came to the UK, leaving their three children for two years as God led them to graduate from this program. When they returned to Accra they began their own Training Center. Darryl was invited to be a speaker at their graduation. I did not go the first trip, but went the second time, I believe. It was there in their home that I really got to know Elizabeth. She was a strong woman, who loved her children. She supported her husband’s call to sharing the gospel. In between Darryl`s first trip and mine we hosted their son, Justice Ekuban Jr. You could tell home much he missed his mother and how much he admired her. She impacted his life immensely. Her practical daily life was lived differently than mine, due to the cultural differences between the US and Ghana, but our hearts were the same. She had the most beautiful smile. Continue reading “Faith and Memorials” →

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Faith and Unexpected Journeys Part 2

July 20, 2017July 20, 2017 Martha RodmanLeave a comment

Wallking this more intentional faith journey this year with the Lord has changed me. I find myself looking for God’s plan behind the scenes. It is like Life sets up scenarios in which, if we look with faith eyes, we can see His hand and have the opportunity to cooperate with His purpose. Continue reading “Faith and Unexpected Journeys Part 2” →

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Faith and Unexpected Journeys

July 13, 2017July 13, 2017 Martha RodmanLeave a comment

Sometimes life leads us into unexpected surprises. A few years ago, God used my grief journey to help support and comfort a family in our church I hadn’t even met yet! Her daughter died unexpectedly and then two months later her son-in-law passed as well, leaving a young son in their care. For some reason a God friendship connection was made and this friendship has led to many adventures. Continue reading “Faith and Unexpected Journeys” →

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Faith and God’s Yes’s and No’s

July 6, 2017July 6, 2017 Martha RodmanLeave a comment

(I did not post a blog last week because I was on a cruise to Alaska…more about that in an upcoming blog!)

Acts 16 tells the story of some of God’s travels. He and his friends felt it was time to go. It was the second of his missionary journeys and I am sure he was eager to see what God was going to do.

Matthew 28:19 instructs us to go into all the world and make disciples of all the nations. I assume Paul and Silas knew of these instructions, so how do you think they felt when they passed through Phrygia and Galatia the Holy Spirit forbid them to proclaim the Word in Asia? (Acts 16:6), Then they tried to go into Bithynia and again they weren’t permitted to go. If it were me, I probably would have either been frustrated or excited! If these were the “no’s”, what are God’s “yeses” going to be? So passing Mysia, they went down to Troas. There a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man from Macedonia stood pleading with him and saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us! And when he had seen the vision, we, including Luke, at once endeavored to go on to Macedonia. So off they went.

Continue reading “Faith and God’s Yes’s and No’s” →

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Faith and Loneliness

June 22, 2017June 22, 2017 Martha Rodman4 Comments

Walking the widow road at times I admit is often lonely and filled with potholes of opportunities to feel very lonely. I do know that widows and widowers are not the only lonely people in the world. In fact it is a true fact that no matter your state in life we all can experience loneliness.

Loneliness, while difficult, can cause some very positive changes in our life if we will embrace it with faith–neither fear nor self-pity. Last week I talked about the critical inner voice–or the hostile judgmental adviser that we all carry in our heads that seeks to confront our faith and keep us smaller than God intends. This voice shouts–“you are alone and lonely because you are unlovable”. I have had to fight against this voice many times. The Voice likes to talk in generalities–“everyone else…; or No one else…and of course we are never included in either!

Continue reading “Faith and Loneliness” →

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Faith and Living Loved

June 16, 2017 Martha RodmanLeave a comment

My last blog declared God’s goodness in supplying needs and the joy of bathroom fixes, mold removal and watching God bring a team together to encourage and bless me. I admit I felt very selfish, and my friend Bill reminded me that I need to learn how to accept blessings. It does take faith to receive help.

As I said good bye to Bill Hinckley last week, I headed for Grants Pass, Oregon and the Spring Women’s Conference at All the World Christian Center. As I drove the 400 plus miles from Rosanna’s house to the church, it gave me time to reflect on God’s goodness. The theme for the conference was “Living Loved”. I felt loved and so cared for!

It is my heart that all of us learn to “Live Loved”. God would love it if we always remembered this great gift He bestows on us…as I steal a phrase from my friend, Jim Stephens, God loves me, not because I am good, but because He is good!
What a joy to remind these precious daughters that there is freedom from the critical inner voice (or the hostile judgmental advisor) that seeks to rob us of God’s peace, encouragement and words of Life.

The critical inner voice is that internal voice begun in our childhood that discourages us from understanding that we are accepted by God because of what He has done, not by any thing we have done. Mental assent of God’s love is quite different from the actual believing of it in a way that allows us to live loved. Living loved allows us to walk in confident courage that as we follow Jesus and His Heart–our lives will touch others with His compassion.

Living loved helps us see our selfishness, jealousy, anger and other works of the flesh found in Galatians 5 for what they are…living less than God’s best for us. Living loved helps us move past the pain of rejection and insecurities and really understand we are accepted and adopted into the family of God.

Living Loved allows us to experience the shalom of God. Shalom means so much more than peace–or the absence of hostility. It encompasses a sense of wholeness, completeness and a sense of well-being. It is the place where we can truly say, “it is well with my soul”. This is not always easy to understand or experience. Father, I ask you help us learn about your gift of living loved and the shalom your work on the cross purchased for each of us. I thank you for reminding us by your Spirit when we find ourselves living unloved. In Jesus Name, amen

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Faith, Needs and Gratitude

June 7, 2017June 7, 2017 Martha RodmanLeave a comment

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

I have been praying about some maintenance needs at my home for quite a while. I seem to be comfortable living in the land of denial for longer than I should, but when you don’t see a way to do something. You just put up with it.

My prayers seem to evolve in stages. First it they are, “Lord, I think there is a problem. I don’t know what to do.” Is there a problem? Is it just my imagination? Surely it will be OK. Please, Lord make it OK. Continue reading “Faith, Needs and Gratitude” →