The Scenic Route

Do you ever wonder if you missed God? At one point you had life mapped out, a vision burning in your heart, clear as day.... Then, real life set in, that clear day became cloudy, busy, hustle, go, go, go.... All the while trying to hold on to that vision, that passion, 'don't let it go!' you whisper to yourself. But, after a while it becomes more and more faint, more distant, feeling as though it will never again reappear. Similar to the seed sown among the thorns as told in Luke 8:14, choked out by the cares, riches and pleasures of this world. Often the dreams and visions God gives us must compete with the countless cares of our world... which can have tremendous power at times. Consider Mel Gibson. What a wonderful gift he gave with the movie, The Passion. Yet, great challenges through that time and following. And now, a whole life changing event with his divorce. A potentially very expensive one I might add! Life can throw some tough curve balls at us, but it ain't over til it's over.

Whatever tragedy, challenge, or detour that may come up in your life, take heart, there's hope! Scripture is chock full of promises, stories, guidance, and absolute truth of a loving, patient, and faithful God and Father who restores our hope time and again. Through our relationship with Christ, Hope is alive in us no matter what. We may get off track and go through life's boot camp for awhile. Yet, no matter where you are today, no matter the state of that dream in your heart, as we turn our hearts, passions, and focus back to Jesus, those dreams and visions begin to become clear once again. God alone is the One who breaths life into us and all that we are.

So, the big Q.: What is the substance of our dream? Is it solely for our own glory? If so, that is the pleasure we will get from it,... only what our own strength can bring. Or, is the substance of our dream for His Glory and for Loving on others, showing them His Heart? Therein lies the secret and the power. Dreaming God sized dreams brings forth God sized strength, power, and anointing beyond our own human comprehension.

The challenge: Love God, Love others, Listen to His whisper in your spirit, and dare to Dream those God given dreams and see what He will do.

love and blessings,
shana


Please join me in sponsoring a mission trip providing school supplies, shoes, clothing, medical supplies and Hope to children and families in the remote villages of the Amazon jungles of Brazil by shopping at http://shanashack.com! Your support is greatly appreciated!

Dream Big and Aim High.... you just might get there.

How often do we hear and witness the media deliver 'breaking news' which is often bad, depressing, of poor value, or anxiety driven in nature? It's the unfortunate tragedy, doom & gloom, and sex sells rut our world is sadly in.

But then, there is the occassional breath of fresh air that passes through. That event that brings hope and warm fuzzies to countless people around the world who long for a hint of inspiration and encouragement for those hidden dreams buried deep inside themselves. A living testimony that great things do indeed still happen to regular people like you and me.

That is exactly what Susan Boyles did. A 47 year old, single, never been kissed, unemployeed, humble, yet humorous scottish woman. She took a leap of faith, and in one event, touched the hearts of thousands and thousands of people around the globe. An event that will change her life forever. See for yourself right here....



If you struggle to find the courage to take some leap of faith yourself, I hereby encourage you to try. You'll never know until you do. Now understandably, not all of us will shine in front of Simon Cowell and the American Idol crew, but you never know what God will do in His own unique way. Like the saying goes, "you can't walk on water unless you get out of the boat!"

Be blessed!,
shana ;)


Listen to Susan's interview with America's Newsroom Hosts, Bill Hemmer and Megyn Kelly on Fox News Channel.

Keepin' the Main thing the Main Thing

In these initial stages of the Stable Words blog, I have found myself challenged as to what to write and what to post. Should I try my best to be 'socially acceptable' or 'politically correct?' Or, is that even a possibility when delving into the things of God? In truth, it could be my own aversion to confrontation, harsh words, and the possibility of ruffling some feathers that holds me back from truly sharing what God has stirred up inside of me.

A good study of the heart of God and Jesus Christ and that mysterious Holy Spirit and one may quickly understand that the more we know of the Word, the less we really understand of the big picture of life, God, and this incredibly complex creation. For instance, Christians easily refer to the Holy Spirit in reference to the 'Trinity' yet get a bit glassy eyed and/or defensive when feeling the need or pressure to humanize, justify, or explain this part of God. How can any of us, truly, explain the 'Spirit' of the God of the Universe? Any human being that has ever existed, in the height of their intelligence could never fully or adequately explain in human terms the fullness and activity of the Holy Spirit. And, for those who assure they can... that is pride my friend, nothing but pride in one's own presumed ability. But, it is that Holy Spirit that brings alive the life of Christ in those who long for it, wisdom in those who whole-heartedly desire it. Yet even that desire can take us to the ends of ourselves. Requiring us to put aside our safe 'religious' thinking in order to actually experience in a fresh, new and powerful way, God's presence in our lives by the Holy Spirit. If we press in to God enough, He's going to blow the top off the box we have Him in. He's God, he's not the neighbor next door.

The presence of God through the Holy Spirit is not something that can be explained, it must be experienced. And, it is still in keeping the Main thing the Main thing. What is the Main thing?.... Simple, Jesus. It is my belief, from studying the Bible, that Jesus Christ is the One True Son of the Living God who came to save mankind; Immanuel, God with us, God in the Flesh. Fully God, fully man... and a complete mystery to the human brain, but the sweetest honey to the depth of our soul. I believe Jesus took our sins upon himself at the Cross so we could be forgiven, making available to us, the option of believing in Him as our Lord and Saviour, securing our place in Heaven when our time is finished, and knowing we are never alone in this broken world we live in. That is my belief, that there is Oneway to eternal life, through the Main thing... Jesus Christ.

I do understand that many do not share this belief, and that is ok. If everyone in the world already believed in Jesus in a correct way, that means the world would have already gone through the end times. For now, we live in a pretty messed up place. This world is a very broken, yet passionate place. So many people with so many passionate belief systems. And the Word says, 'there is a way that seems right to man, but the end thereof is death.' Yikes, if I did not know Jesus, I'd be pretty darn scared. I do not believe there is any other way to eternal life in Heaven because a 'human' wants there to be. Our choice to believe what we do does not change the Ultimate Truth of God and who He is and how He has chosen to work out His plans and purposes. Yet I wholeheartedly believe in His Sovereignty and unconditional love for mankind. God already knows all our struggles, deceptions, confusion, internal and external battles, etc. And, He cares about each and everyone of them. His Word tells us that His Grace is sufficient and His love is greater than anything we could ever imagine. God is big enough to handle all the struggles we face, and cares about His kids who get so distraught and confused over technicalities, bickering as the Pharisees did over the law, and a barrage of mixed messages.... sadly even in the 'christian' camp. The most important thing to do in my own personal opinion is, 'Keep the Main thing the Main thing.' The Holy Spirit is all about working its fruit out in our lives, (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) it's up to us to let it happen, and there's great power in that. God will work out all the other details. Learning to love others without judgement is the hard part for us humans.

love and blessings in Christ,
shana