Spiritual GPS

Thank you Mary Southerland for today’s message:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

GPS has changed our lives. So much so that many people today cannot even read a map. We don’t have a clue how to figure out North, South, East and West. We don’t have to.

We have GPS. Global Positioning Satellite systems.

We have it in our phones.

We have it in our watches.

We have it in our cars.

GPS has changed our lives. It helps us know where we are going and how to get there.

To pursue God’s calling in my life, I must discover my spiritual GPS.

The G in spiritual GPS is gifts. Finding God’s calling for your life begins with gifts. The spiritual gifts God has given you. The supernatural, better than your average bear abilities He has put within you. When God calls you to do something, He gives you the gifts that will enable you to do it. God’s plan never lacks God’s resources.

Check out the first part of Ephesians 2:10: “For we are His workmanship (His own master work, a work of art)” (Ephesians 2:10a, AMP).

You sometimes have to give some thought and effort to discovering your spiritual gifts.

Here are three of mine:

• Teaching is one of my spiritual gifts. I have always had the ability to take complex truths and make them simple. I thought and often still do think that everyone can do that. Not true. I call it “putting the cookies on the bottom shelf.”
• Encouraging is one of my gifts. I often spell “encourage” as “in courage” – because when you encourage someone, you pour courage into them.
• Laughter is one of my gifts. I can make people laugh. Sometimes they laugh with me. Sometimes they laugh at me. But they laugh. And the Bible tells us that laughter is good medicine.

God placed those gifts in my life when He created me in my mother’s womb. The more I use them, the more they grow.

We all have gifts that God has given us. We need to know what they are. Because they are hints at God’s plan and design and calling for our lives.

So, the “G” in spiritual GPS is gifts.

The P in spiritual GPS is passion.

Ever notice how different people are passionate about different things?

We had a tornado this week in the area just West of Kansas City. Some of our church members are so passionate about helping people, they simply had to go do something. My son and daughter-in-law took a day off of work to go help their neighbors. Some of those neighbors lived less than a quarter mile away from them – and lost everything. There were so many people showing up to help that the police had to turn some people away because of the unusually heavy traffic on the rural Kansas road that runs through the area.

Back to the next part of Ephesians 2:10. “For we are created in Christ Jesus (reborn from above – spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used).”

Reborn …

Transformed …

Renewed …

Ready to be used …

Sounds like passion to me!

I have been speaking for women’s conferences and writing books and devotions for women for 30 years. I love it. Why? It lets me do what God created me to do. It fits my gifts – encouragement, leadership and teaching. It fits my passion – helping people become everything God created them to be.

So, the G in GPS stands for Gifts.

And the P in GPS stands for Passion.

The S in GPS stands for Story.

God – who designed me with a purpose in mind – is writing my story. He has been writing my story all of my life. The Bible tells us that He knew who we would be before He even created the world. The Bible tells us that He planned our story while we were still in the womb. The plan came first!

He is writing His story in and through you and me. And that story – our experiences, good and bad – helps us find our calling.

Back one more time to Ephesians 2:10 for the last part of that verse: “For we are created … for good works, which God prepared (for us) beforehand so that we would walk in them (living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us).

Did you catch what that verse says? God created you for doing good. God has prepared and gifted you to do good. God has given you passion for doing good. He is writing a good story in and through us!

Throughout the course of your life, God has been at work in you. Writing His story. Giving you the desire and the ability to do what He has created you to do. Why have these gifts and passions always been present in your life? Because they are part of your story.

God will help you discover your spiritual GPS – your calling.

You will find it in your gifts.

You will find it in your passion.

You will find it in your story.

Have a blessed day!

On the Road Again

I’m so ready for spring.  I’m getting the itch for a road trip.  No, I don’t mean taking a flight or train, I mean actually driving and enjoying the beauty around us.  For many of us, you are wondering where the beauty is, right?  The roads are congested with traffic, construction keeps us gridlocked in traffic and frustration creeps in.

I know road-tripping comes with its own unique set of challenges, from staying awake during long stretches of driving to keeping yourself entertained when you’ve run out of things to talk about (or tea to sip) with your friends. I found some tips on how to have an AWESOME road trip.

Tip #1: I tend to get tired when we are driving those endless highways, what about you?  If there is a group of people traveling, the chatty person should always sit in the passenger seat.  They can help keep the driver and the rest of the car entertained.  Remember those games we played with the kids in the car, like ‘I Spy’, what about some adult versions like Would You Rather, and the License Plate game.  Yes, they sound silly, but trust me, after hours of driving and boredom, you’ll be so delirious these become funny.

Tip #2:  Pack as little as possible on the backseat so there is room to stretch out.  Try road tripping with kids using cubes to help stay organized.  When you arrive at a hotel, do things seem to explode out of your luggage? The cubes could help you stay organized.  In addition, bring a little laundry bag to put dirty clothes in so when you get home, you know exactly what needs to be washed.

Tip #3:  Long car rides make me want lots of sugary candy like Starbursts, red licorice, and of course chocolate.  I firmly believe it helps to me stay awake while I’m driving. Don’t burst my bubble!  I keep everything within reach so I am not driving and struggling to reach snacks or drinks.

Tip #4:  Apps are great, Google saves lives and GPS will get you where you want to go. I am still old school and write down directions and an itinerary ahead of time.  I also figure out an approximate budget so I can stay on track.

Tip #5: The best part of a road trip is trying new foods and sampling the best each destination has to offer. I take recommendations from friends and family.  I also like to check in with employees at the hotel for their favorite local non-tourist place.

Tip #6: Get off the big highways and interstates. Take a chance and drive down a random little road! That’s the advantage of a road trip: Getting lost is the best thing you can do, because it will help you discover something new. You’ll likely be incredibly be surprised by what you find—or who you’ll meet!  I remember taking Sunday road trips with my parents and we always had so much fun.

What is YOUR best tip when going on a road trip?  Share it with us.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!