God's Plan. God's Will. My Purpose. - Part I - What is God's Will?

I know God works in mysterious ways, but sometimes I wish He'd let us in on His thinking a little more. 

Like why are we having to go through what we're going through right now?

It sure can't be explained by our human-sized logic. 

I know He has a master plan, and I know that good can come out of what we see as bad, but still...

Many of us are hurting and my heart hurts for all of you. So, I want you to know I'm praying for you and asking God to nurture you and hold you in His hands. 

We'll all get through this. 

I believe it.

I really do.


Most people ask, “Who am I?” and “Why do I exist?” Some even ask, “Does my life have a special purpose?” All valid questions. To seek the answers, we must go back to the beginning.

Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea an the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

We were created by a loving God. We have great value. God loves us and wants to have a personal relationship with us.

We are not accidents of nature. We did not begin as ooze in a pond, evolve from apes and then into humans. The Bible tells us that we ARE NOT accidents. We were created by a loving God who knew about us before we were born. We are here for a purpose, and we can find ultimate fulfillment by finding a relationship with Him. 

God created You. We were made in God’s Image.

This refers to our spirituality.  Aspects such as the conscience, personality and will of God, as well as other characteristics that we have in common with God such as righteousness and holiness.

For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be. - Psalm 139:13-16

God knew you before you were born - even while you were in your mother's womb. He knew all about your family and your life until now. He wants to give you a brand new start and a new way of living. He can do that when you give Him your life. 

God is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present, perfectly good, holy and loving.  

Now may the Lord's strength be displayed, just as you have declared: The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation. In accordance with Your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.  The Lord replied, I have forgiven them, as you asked.

- Numbers 14:17-20

In the scripture above, Moses pleads with God, asking Him to forgive His people. His plea reveals several characteristics of God:

1. God is immensely patient
2. God's love is one promise we can always count on
3. God forgives again and again
4. God is merciful, listening to and answering our requests

Like Moses, we can rely on God's love, patience, forgiveness and mercy.

However, the people of Israel at that time, had a clearer view of God than any other people before them, for they had both His laws and His physical presence. Their refusal to follow God after witnessing His miraculous deeds and listening to His words made the judgment against them more severe. Increased opportunity brings increased responsibility.

As Jesus said, From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded - Luke 12:46

How much greater is our responsibility to obey and serve God -- we have the whole Bible, and we know God's Son, Jesus Christ.

God obviously did not create us exactly like Himself because God has no physical body. Instead, we are reflections of God's glory. Some feel that our reason, creativity, speech, or self-determination is the image of God. More likely, it is our entire self that reflects the image of God. We will never be totally like God because He is our supreme Creator. But we do have the ability to reflect His character in our love, patience, forgiveness, kindness and faithfulness.

Knowing that we are made in God's image and thus share many of his characteristics provides a solid basis for self-worth. Human worth is not based on possessions, achievements, physical attractiveness or public acclaim. Instead it is based on being made in God's image. Because we bear God's image, we can feel positive about ourselves. Criticizing or downgrading ourselves is criticizing what God has made and the abilities He has given us. Knowing that we are people of worth helps us love God, know Him personally, and make a valuable contribution to those around us.

God has some pretty amazing characteristics, right? 

However, we don't.  

But, like God, we are: spiritual, rational, emotional, communicative and moral beings. We have dignity, purpose, and meaning.

We exist because of God’s will. He specially created us, and those living in heaven praise Him for that. “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. – Revelation 4:11

What is God’s Will?

The best answers are found in God’s Word.

Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded him. - Exodus 40:16

God told Moses how to build the tabernacle, and Moses delegated jobs in order to do it. God allows people to participate with Him in carrying out His Will. Your task is not just to sit and watch God work, but to give your best effort when work meds to be done.

God’s Word is a Lamp to our feet and a Light to our Path. – Psalm 119:05

God’s Will is for HIS glory rather than our personal satisfaction, success, or pleasure.

He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will. – Ephesians 1:5

God’s purpose  - The Bible states that He has His own purpose.

And He made known to us the mystery of His Will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ. – Ephesians 1:9

The Christian apologist C.S. Lewis wrote in The Problem of Pain, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

When you buy a new gadget, you usually get an instruction manual. With your new life in Christ, you need God's instruction manual, the Bible. In fact, the communication you "hear" from God will often come as you read His Word.

God wants to have a personal relationship with us.

Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, they only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. - John 17:3

God is not some "force," an unspeaking or unseeing idol, or merely another name for your own self-esteem. Instead, God is a person, your Creator, who created you to be in relationship with Him. 

Why?

Because....

God loves you. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16

You can turn your life over to God's control because He loves you and wants the very best for you. In fact, He loves you so much that He gave His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for you. 

God Suffers With Us 

God has a sympathetic concern for us in our trials. He knows every heartache we've felt, every tear we have shed. 

During hard times, it can be difficult to understand what God is doing. God is at work during our suffering. In every individual trial, God probably has multiple purposes which He may or may not reveal to us this side of Heaven. 

You have a great friend in Jesus, so get to know Him!

As you're reading the book of Mark, you've learned more about Jesus. In essence, Jesus is God put into focus for human eyes. Jesus came in order to show us God and then to take the punishment for our sins. 

Only because of Jesus, do you have a personal relationship with God.

For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things on Earth or things in Heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. - Colossians 1:19, 20

When you trust God, you are actually trusting the One who created you. When you turn your life over to Him, you are giving your life to the One who knows you inside out. Isn't that a great place to put your trust?

You can trust God's Word.

All Scriptures is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, re-buking, correcting and training in righteousness. - 2 Timothy 3:16

God never contradicts Himself. His Spirit directed the human authors in the writing of Scripture. God would never lead people in ways contrary to His written Word. The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to guide us.

The plans of the Lord stand firm forever - Psalm 33:11

Are you frustrated by inconsistencies you see in others, or even in yourself? God is completely trustworthy - His intentions never change. The Bible promises that good and perfect gifts come to us from the Creator who never changes. When you wonder if there is anyone in whom you can trust, remember that God is completely consistent. Let Him counsel you, and trust in His plans for your life.

Suffering inspired a Song.
Horatio Spafford planned a family trip to Europe, but a business emergency occurred so he sent his wife, Anna, and their four daughters ahead with plans to follow them across the Atlantic as soon as possible. On November 22, 1873, in the middle of the sea, the women's ship collided with another and 226 people, including the four Spafford girls, drowned. Upon her arrival in Wales, Anna sent her husband a heartbreaking telegram: "Saved alone." Horatio immediately sailed for England to join his grief-stricken wife, and as his ship passed the approximate location where his daughters had drowned, he felt the comfort of God that enabled him to write these beloved hymn lyrics: 

When peace like a river

attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll,

Whatever my lot, Thou hast

taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

All believers can expect God's leading: Direct my steps by Your Word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me - Psalm 119:133

However, if your decisions and actions are contrary to scripture, you will face God's opposition. Or, as found in Hebrews 12:5-11 chastening. It's another indication of genuine sonship. 

To make this VERY CLEAR, If people are disobeying God's Word, they are NOT being led by God. 

It is by the Spirit that we put to death the deeds of the flesh.

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  - Romans 8:13

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, grown inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. - Romans 8:23

God, Himself, produces the first fruits of the Spirit in our lives.

We will be resurrected with glorified bodies like the body of Christ now has in Heaven. We have the "first fruits," the first installment or down payment of the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our resurrection life.


God's character goes into the creation of every person. When you feel worthless or even begin to hate yourself, remember that God's Spirit is ready and willing to work within you. We should has as much respect for ourselves as our Maker has for us.

Please continue this series by reading Part II next.

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Heads Up - Literally!

I've been having dizzy spells for about five months. It got so bad at one point, I passed out while walking on a sidewalk, woke to my husband leaning over me asking what happened. How was I supposed to know?

He took me to the ER, they did a head CT, X-rays, and a multitude of other tests. I was sent to see other doctors and specialists, even a cardiologist, but no one could come up with an answer.

Most of the time, I'd get dizzy spells at random times, then when I'd bend over, or when I rolled onto my right side in bed. The dizzy spells were coming on more often. My head would get all confused and my eyes couldn't focus, and the room would spin around.

Finally, I went to see my ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) specialist yesterday because of hearing issues. While I was there I talked to him about my dizzy issues. I was given a hearing test and then another test where I had to sit up, with my legs straight out, then the doctor would turn my head to the right and lay me backwards.

EVERY TIME he did this, the room would spin and I'd have an awful dizzy spell. He confirmed it with a couple more tests.

FINALLY! Someone knew what was happening and had a treatment program.

The diagnosis was BPPV: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.

The definition: Caused by loose particles (canaliths) in the balance portion of the inner ear which may have migrated to an area in which they are not normally found.

The treatment: It takes nine days to do this procedure. The first 48 hours keep your head completely vertical. Wear a soft cervical collar to ensure limited movement of the neck. For the first two nights sleep on your back at a 45 degree angle. (Good thing I have a Sleep Number bed!)

For the next seven nights, I'm not allowed to sleep on my right side. I can sleep on my back or my left side.

During those final seven days, I must avoid any upward or downward head movements and only move my head and  body as a unit without any excessive turning of the neck. This is where the neck brace really helps.

Supposedly, after the nine day treatment, the dizziness should disappear, the canaliths should have moved back to their normal position, and I can go back to my normal routine.

I had NEVER heard of this before. But, after telling others, many, many people have responded with their own stories or of someone they knew. Some people were treated with medication but my doctor chose to treat me with this non-medication procedure as he thought it would work better.

Did you know?

BPPV may be made worse by any number of modifiers which may vary between individuals:

• Changes in barometric pressure — patients may feel increased symptoms up to two days before rain or snow
• Lack of sleep (required amounts of sleep may vary widely)
• Stress

An episode of BPPV may be triggered by dehydration, such as that caused by diarrhea. For this reason, it commonly occurs in post-operative patients who have diarrhea induced by post-operative antibiotics.

BPPV is one of the most common vestibular disorders in patients presenting with dizziness; migraine is implicated in idiopathic cases. Proposed mechanisms linking the two are genetic factors and vascular damage to the labyrinth.

John Hopkins Medicine has this to say about BPPV.

It's supposed to be one the most common types of vertigo:

More than 200,000 US cases per year

Treatable by a medical professional

Requires a medical diagnosis

Lab tests or imaging rarely required

Short-term: resolves within days to weeks

So, I'm going to give this treatment a try, and we'll see how it works out in nine days. Last night was horrible. I couldn't fall asleep on my back. I was up just staring at the ceiling most of the night. Good thing I had my iPhone close by, and could distract myself with games.

If you've ever heard of BPPV, or know someone who has, I'd be interested in your stories.

Have a blessed day.

Vicki

 

God is Testing My Faith and Patience

At least once in your life you've moved.

Either, across the city, state, country, or continent. I've moved many times in my life. My last move was to the current house my husband and I have lived in for eighteen years. A long time. I thought this was our forever home. We are located in a older neighborhood with mature vegetation, trees, and the best thing is, if you ended up on our road, either you belonged there, or were lost. We live off a dead end, off a dead end, off a dead end. You couldn't try to find us if your life depended on it. 

We love this neighborhood. There are nineteen houses on our road. We live near the dead end. I know everyone who lives in eachhouse. There is the older couple (in their 80's now) who were the first people to build on this road, and the man used to mow the grass on the dirt road. His daughter lives next door with her husband.Our neighbors are a collection of young and old. When we first moved in eighteen years ago, it was mostly families. But, just like our kids, the other kids grew up and moved away. Then we were a predominantly older generation of neighbors. Now, grandchildren are coming back, and as the oldest neighbors either pass on, or move to assisted living facilities, the houses are now being filled with young families again.

The Circle of Life.

As I said, I thought this was going to be our forever home, or if we ever did move, we'd move to something smaller and downsize. 

Well, that ain't gonna happen. 

Currently we are on 1/3 of an acre, with a single story three bedroom, two full bathrooms, great room, cedar throughout, including on the vaulted ceiling in the great room, and ceilings of the back patio and front patio. It's tiled throughout.The master bedroom closet is a woman's dream come true. I know, my husband designed it for me. We can't take it with us, as it was constructed to fit the dimensions of this closet. I'm really going to miss it.When we first moved in here, eighteen years ago, the kids were younger, so we made sure it had a pool. The kids are gone, I rarely get in, because it has to be over 80 degrees before I'll step foot in it. My husband used more, but, mostly we collect the leaves that drop and empty the skimmer. We did put a new sand filter on it.

So, it was my husband's idea to move. Last year, he got his pilot's license. Since then, he's been eager to buy a plane. However, after insurance, hanger fees, etc, the cost is outrageous. 

So, he found this community about 40 miles north of us, in an airport community, where the runway goes down the center of the community, two roads on each side, that are used as taxi ways, so the pilots can taxi down the road to their house and park their plane in their own hanger.

So, we are now getting one acre of land. A 2500 square foot hanger. A three car garage, and two story home with three bedrooms, three full bathrooms, an office, a formal dining room, a laundry room (thank you, God!), and a loft. I think the total square feet is somewhere between 7,000 and 8,000 square feet. Dear God, way more than I can handle, so am going to be looking or a housekeeper! We did go back and forth for quite a while, trying to decide if we (me) really wanted to move. I was overwhelmed a bit about how big it all was, including a two story house.

Here's a really good aerial view of the house while we flew over it.

This was my husband's dream ever since he was young. He has always wanted to fly his own airplane. As a kid and all through  adulthood, he's flown Remote Control Airplanes and Helicopters.It was just never the same. 

He alway thought he'd get a chance to go for his pilot license after he retired, but i felt that was too late. He needed to get his license and plane and enjoy it now, and not when we're all decrepit. Fifteen years ago, my wonderful hubby let me quit writing technical computer user manuals and turn to writing fiction full time. I have had twelve books published, I work as a writing coach, I give writing workshops and work as a freelance writer for other companies and websites.

  Didn't he deserve the best opportunity as well?

Of course he did! He's an awesome person, My husband had faith and trust in me to follow my dream of writing, so he deserved my support to follow him with his dream

Of course, it is a win situation for me as well. I get an awesome new office, with huge windows with great views where I can store all my writing, research, and other books, along with all my files and author information. Including all the writing workshops I give, the writing coach information I have and the freelance work i do. 

Best of all, I get to finish my Bipolar Memoir and I know it will be a great resource for those in need. 


And I have an entire acre of land to create the gardens of my dreams, with stepping stones throughout. We've already told the buyers of our current home that we're digging up one of our Plumeria trees and taking it with us. 

We started out with about a six to eight inch cutting from a friend's Plumeria in the Florida Keys and planted it about 12 or so years ago. Now, it's been cut and trimmed too many times to count. I've given pieces away to neighbors. And it's still now three separate trees and blooms the most gorgeous yellow flowers. If you don't know what a Plumeria is, it's the flower in Hawaii that they use to create the leis. It can only grow in tropic areas. I'm hoping 40 miles north of us, will still be hospitable for the trees. 

The house we bought was a foreclosure. The seller (Fannie Mae) had no vested interest in really helping us, or making the process easy for us. We used the VA loan I was eligible for, as I am a Veteran.

 Easy peasy, right?

Are you kidding!! We are actually closing tomorrow, (updated, we closed yesterday, beyond any belief or trust I had in doing so), after over three months of sheer chaos. Fannie Mae and the VA don't get along anyway, so that was strike one against us. We started out with a loan processor who (lucky us) had never processed a loan before, we were her first. Strike two.

Third strike, as the house was a foreclosure, and Fannie Mae wasn't about to do anything to fix it up, besides painting the inside walls and putting down new carpet, we are responsible for buying and installing all appliances, installing two new air conditioning units, fixing the garage doors so they'll open, buy a new hot water heater, and the list goes on and on. 

I so believe that God sent every obstacle our way as a test to see if this was truly the home of our dreams, the lifestyle we wanted, and were willing to do what we had to to make sure we got the home.If it weren't for God's strength and the many prayer chains I asked for through my church, I don't think I could have managed this chaotic experience. 

I did have one relapse, putting me in the psychiatric ward for a week, but the driving force was panic, anxiety and PTSD triggers, than the actual problems with the seller and our inept loan officer. It didn't help, though.



Which leads us to the airplane. Greg really has his heart set on a particular plane. That was the driving force behind making this major decision in our life. 

 So, here it is, in all it's glory. I've even flown it. 

One minor detail, I don't know how to land for real. 

I've seen it done a zillion times, and have done it with simulators, including with the Lear Jet simulator at the training center at Tucson International Airport. Now, that was some fun flight training. 

But, as I said, I was never officially taught how to land a single engine plane. So, hubby has decided that I am going to take some lessons from one of his favorite instructors that is the best at teaching take offs and landings. Hubby is completely behind my request and decision to learn to fly in more detail and especially learn how to land. I won't be able to get my pilot's license, because I won't pass the medical requirements, but at least I can be the best co-pilot I can for my hubby. 

Details, details. 

Right? 

But, we have conquered most of them. Especially, since, I've actually been writing this blog over the last few days. I started out before we closed and, guess what? 

WE CLOSED YESTERDAY!! 

Finally. Now, we have to move our entire household by Wednesday. Of course, my hubby has some insane logic that he can get all moved (including furniture) with our neighbor's panel truck and some help from friends. As a matter of fact, he took the first load up today. The plane goes in the hanger today 

YAY!! 

I truly am believing now that we are going to move and start a new chapter in our lives.

Of course, after going up to the house early to do a walk through, before going back to Tampa, to do the closing paperwork, I was a knot of anxiety and panic. Afterwards, the release of it all, caused another panic and anxiety attack. Then hubby wanted to go to Home Depot, Lowes, and Best Buy to look at appliances. By the last store, I was completely beyond any intelligent conversation, nor did I have any decision making abilities left. Wasted. Exhausted. Checked out. I have to say that my faith and patience were tested in great detail over the last few months. We vacillated from wanting to buy the house, to staying here and not selling, to not buying the house and buying a vacant lot and building our own house, to cancelling everyone's contracts, to wanting to buy the house again. 

Each time, I prayed and prayed for God to help guide us in the right direction and to show us the way. 

Prayer works. 

God never left us alone, and he never interfered without a darn good reason. Because we put this entire move into His hands, some obstacles were nearly insurmountable, but getting to the other side led to sweet rewards. 

Now, in the next few days, we must say good-bye to this house that has been our home for eighteen years. 

A great couple is buying it. He serves our country by working at MacDill Air Force Base. She is going to have their first child within days of us closing. 

To accommodate them, we've moved up the closing as early as we could and still get everything out of this house and have all things installed at the new house. I truly enjoy this couple and am so happy we chose their bid over the other three we received. 

 Did I tell you the miracle? 

We put our house on the market over Valentine's Day weekend. It was on the market for two days and we received four bids all over asking price. 

Doesn't God work in mysterious ways? 

I didn't want to go through weeks of showing the house. It would stress me and my dog. He had tot be boarded over that weekend we did show the house, as it would have been too much on him. It really hurt me, though, because one, we had strange people walking in and out of our house for those two days, and I couldn't have my dog, Jack around to help soothe me. If you've followed this blog, you know that Jack and I have a very deep connection. He's my therapy dog. I got him when he was ten weeks old and we bonded immediately. He is going to be thirteen this year.  

I know that we are going to have to say good-bye to him soon. Hubby, at first, said after Jack, we would never have another dog again. 

But, prior to closing, he told me that he realizes I need a companion dog for my therapy, and after we are settled in the new house, we are going to get another dog, young enough to learn from Jack everything required to be my companion. 

Don't I have just the sweetest hubby in the whole world? 

I know that God had our life mapped out before we were even born. 

Sometimes, I can be stubborn and try to make my own path, but it takes a whack on the head from God to make me realize that it's His way or NO WAY. 

So, ultimately, I end up following God's plan, regardless. Sometimes, it takes a little more time to get there, as I sometimes don't follow the exact trail, but it eventually leads me back to the right track. 

So, to sum up this blog post, it really does take a leap of faith to make things happen in your life. 

In our new home, I'm getting a gorgeous office filled with huge windows so I'll have plenty of light and awesome views. 

We are getting an amazing amount of land so I can have the gardens of my dreams.

And, most of all, I'll have my very happy hubby, his airplane, my dog, Jack, my parrot, Bailey and will have moved from one paradise to the other. 


 Thank you for following us on this journey, I appreciate you reading my post, and hearing the thunder outside reminds me I was supposed to pack up all my gardening tools and materials. 

Have a blessed day.
Vicki