Impressions



IMPRESSION:

- the effect or influence that something or someone has on a person's thoughts or feelings; a characteristic, trait, or feature resulting from some influence; an effect of alteration or improvement; a stamp, form, or figure resulting from physical contact; an especially marked and often favorable influence or effect on feeling, sense, or mind; a communicating of a mold, trait, or character by an external force or influence. (Webster Definition)

Last week I spent some time at the beautiful beach.  As always my heart was filled with all of God's amazing Wonders as I sat in the soft, warm sand watching the vibrant blue water rise and curl up into crispy white crashing waves that rolled up practically reaching my toes.  The sky full of its luxurious blueness sprinkled with fluffy white cotton like clouds. The vibrant yellow sun playing peek-a-boo as it moves behind the floating clouds and then emerging with such brilliance reflecting sparkling crystals dancing across the sea.  Birds flying in and out acrobatically diving into the water in search of treasures for their belly.  Like clockwork, the water, waves, sun, sky and all the beach creatures doing what God has called them to do.  The water to be the liquid mass housing sea creatures large and small.  The waves to roll with force onto the beach to its limit and then to graciously roll back out to sea.  The sky to hold the radiant warm sun housing all its wonderfully shaped clouds allowing the faint breeze to create such phenomenal shapes that are truly artistic. All of these elements definitely are impressible.  Nothing more...nothing less...these elements are just doing what has been asked of them...obediently--doing what they were created for. 

I was in awe.   As I sat taking all of this in, I began to wonder...Do I obediently do what God asks of me...doing what I was created for?   What does this look like?  Then as I played in the sand with my hands and feet God began to speak to my heart. As I pressed my hand down into the recently smoothed over sand some of the sand began to cover the top of my hand.  The firmer I pressed down the more sand covered my hand.  But as I lifted my hand the sand that had once covered my hand remained on top and then flew into the air as I shook it away from the impression.  As I looked at what was formed I realized that in my trying to make an impression I was experiencing some unexpected and unwanted sand that came upon me, however, after it being gone there before me was a wonderfully firm imprint of my hand.  A beautiful impression.

This is where God reminded my heart of something He first spoke to me about two years ago.  'All it takes is for one who listened, was inspired to do, willing to go, was obedient and shared their life with others.  Out of those that the one whom I called to love upon, encourage, and mentor one will be inspired, be encouraged and obedient to go and do the same...as this one loves upon, encourages and mentors there will be one who will be inspired, encouraged and obedient to do the same...and so on and on.  When Christ calls and you're willing to do what's asked of you...to serve in His Name, it doesn't matter how simple the serving may be.  He--Our Sovereign God--will plant the seed in hearts of those being served.  He in turn will allow those seeds to sprout and grow according to His Will.  You need to just be obedient and willing--prayerful always.  He will take care of the rest.  You do what's asked of you, remain in prayer and He will take care of the rest.'

It was one simple task of making an impression in the sand.  When examined closer one can see that hundreds, if not thousands of tiny individual sand particles was affected by this one task, this one impression.  The individual sand particles were moved...they changed their place because of this impression.  As time goes on the impression will be gone but the affect will remain.  Others will make their impressions on these very same sand particles moving them, changing their place affecting other sand particles creating new shapes and molds along the beach.  This, too, is true of us as we allow God to use us to impress His Love on the hearts of others.  It can be as simple as something you do in your everyday life to going to a foreign country to help others.  Everyone of us who embraces the glory of God as our purpose will end up doing great things because we do       God-things!  To live for the greatness of God is to live a great life!

"God loves people who love to give.  God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things."  2 Corinthians 9:7-8 (CEV)

God calls us all to do many different kinds of things in His Name.  It looks different in so many ways yet it is for the same reason we do it...to be more like Christ.  God gives us the freedom to choose whether or not we will do what is asked of us.  He equips us, He helps us so that His Work can be accomplished.  We all have gifts and talents which is a 'trust' placed in our human hands by a Holy God.  We are responsible for developing the integrity, humility and work-ethic to know what to do with them.  Look to God for Truth.  He will give you peace in your journey. 

God designed you perfectly.  You are God's delight, God's handiwork, and you are wonderfully unique.  Despite pressures from outside forces (like the sand covering up my hand) that make you feel as if you don't measure up and can't make a difference, God loves you just as you are and more than you can ever know and can use you to bless others.  Your life is a wonderful story that is waiting to be shared.  Are you willing to allow God to use your life to give to others?  What does this look like for you? Is there an area in your life that still needs to be relinquished to God's guidance?  Bring your moments to God and He will fill them with exactly what you need precisely when you need it.

"Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to Me.  Get away with Me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with Me and work with Me--watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.  Keep company with Me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."  Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

 Whatever impression you make with God it will be lasting even when it is no longer visible to the naked eye.  Be sensitive, quiet and still to hear what God is asking of you, then in obedience do it.  You will be rewarded and blessings result. Think over a typical day in your life and ask yourself where you would have an opportunity to do something beautiful for God.  Think of areas in your life where an increase of obedience is necessary...what might God be asking you?

 Whenever I question or doubt what is being asked of me, I quickly read these very encouraging verses in Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)  "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His Power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen."

God wants to use you and will use you to be His Hands and Feet...if you are willing?  Are you?


Take care and be blessed,

Christy Krezman
Rosette Ministry

The Road We Travel

 The Road We Travel

Most everyday we encounter roadways.  Not really given much thought to the importance of the intentional painted markings upon them to help guide us to our destination.  These are placed strategically...purposefully to direct us, to keep us protected allowing us to safely reach our designated place.  Not all roadways are well maintained and a comfort to travel on.  Others are disheveled...breaking apart with worn out, weathered markings upon them.  Some are just plan dry and barren dirt paths that stir up a whole mess causing difficulty in navigating ourselves.  While others are riddled with a slew of uneven, uncomfortable pebbles and rocks that occasional toss up a loose stone pinging our windshield causing alarm!

How true is this of our own personal walk in life?  I am reminded that we ourselves in our spiritual journey travel each of these types of roads in life.  It is vitally important for us to encounter each one in order to strengthen our faith and allow God to grow us in areas that we may tend to put on cruise control. 

 God lays before us a path that He desires for us to follow. "The very steps we take come from God; otherwise how would we know where we're going?"  Proverbs 20:24  The white line in this picture represents that path...solid, bright, even, and pleasant.  You may notice that this line is placed strategically where we have plenty of room to walk comfortably & safely between a wide open road and a slight slope leading off course.  Following this marked path for us is very important because we can encounter unpleasantries on either side of us.  God is faithful and merciful.  If we choose to go off course wandering in either direction...onto the open road or off the road completely, He is with us. "I will walk with you--I will be your God, and you will be my people..." Leviticus 26:12 (CEVU).  The flagged yellow lines in the middle act as a warning to grasp our attention...sometimes these lines are subtle only to appear periodically but repetitively, while other times they are solid, wide and bold.  We must heed to these warnings that God puts before us, "By your teachings, Lord, I am warned; by obeying them I am greatly rewarded." Psalm 19:11 (CEVU) 

The times that we choose to disregard the warnings set before us to protect us is when we take our focus off of God.  We see a path that appears to be more enticing.  We become concerned with the direction God's path is taking us and begin to focus on unrealistic things that lead us astray such as double mindedness (living for self & God); excessive reasoning to make us feel better that it's alright to go in the direction we have choose to follow; complicating simple issues (making a mountain out of a mole hill); having anger, jealousy, envy, doubt, discontentment and negativity.  All these things lead us astray and cause us to head in a direction that is hard, uncomfortable, unpleasant, painful, dark and scary.  But not all is lost even though we feel very much lost, perhaps frightened and in pain. The world wants us to use our feelings to make decisions in life...making choices in which direction to follow based upon wavering, inconsistent, unreliable feelings.   Problems in life are inevitable, but living overwhelmed and misguided is optional!  Choose wisely based on Truth...God's Truth.  When we walk in difficult places, God sends the strength and nourishment to equip us to face what comes our way, not all at once, but day by day until we are walking His path set before us confidently and assuredly.

 God gives us promises in His Word that we can cling to as He fulfills those promises in our lives through trials.  One promise that I cling to in such times is Romans 5:1-6 (MSG), "By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us--set us right with Him, make us fit for Him--we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus.  And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that He has already thrown open His door to us: We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand--out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.  There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next.  In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged.  Quite the contrary--we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit.  Christ arrives right on time to make this happen.  He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready..." 

WHEW!!

Another promise is found in Matthew 11:28 (NIV), "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Simplistically all I need to do in my trying times is to go to Christ!  Should be easy enough...but I know that there is a battle going on for navigational control and it is MYSELF...my flesh. "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." Romans 8:13 (ESV)  This encourages me to choice wisely who I allow to lead in my navigations. 

Decide to not fix your focus on the terrible circumstances in life.  Shift your attention on God.  Plant your feet in God's Word.  Psalm 119:66 says,  "Lord God, teach me knowledge and good judgement, for I believe in Your commands."   In times you feel too weak to move forward with another step--then take a baby step in just standing---in Him--by His Strength; if you feel too weak to stand, then kneel and cry out to your Heavenly Father who will answer your cry!  Trust in Him to do for you, to love you right where you are, to embrace you comforting you in His tenderly loving arms. 

Trust is believing before seeing...FAITH!  God has called us to live by faith, not by sight.  Even though we don't always understand the road we are having to travel, we don't have to let the circumstances overwhelm us.  Choosing to trust God helps restore a sense of hope and stability in our lives allowing us to take one step at a time.  Choose to look to God--His Brilliance--to be a guiding light in the road we travel.  "Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass."
 Psalm 37:5 (AMP) 

Whatever road we may find ourselves on, we can rest assured that we are never left alone and we need not travel the road solo. We have a good Shepard who wants to give us an abundant life.  According to Psalm 139 we can be sure of these truths...

God Knows ME...God Protects ME...God Made Me...and God Values Me.

You are a beautiful story in His story.  And your story is ongoing as you travel the many types of adventurous roads in life.  Let faith be your eyes as you take each new step toward Christ in your journey.

Take care and be blessed,

Christy Krezman
Rosette Ministry