Jason's Simple Desire

Jason came by today to pick up and repair my pressure washer. Nothing unusual about that, right? However, as he was loading it onto his truck, he asked if I would listen to a simple testimony God gave him recently.

When Jason helped with Vacation Bible School last month, he expressed to a gardener friend the desire to have a fresh picked off the vine tomato so he could immediately make a sandwich and eat it. He had fixed and eaten so many of those sandwiches as a boy that he had grown tried of them then. Now years later, he was missing that great taste of home. The friend offered Jason the opportunity to come by and pick from his plants. The two friends agreed to get together later. Jason planned on having his bread, mayo with some salt and pepper in his truck cab before he arrived at his friend’s garden so the experience would be just like it used to be as a child. But God made different plans after listening to Jason’s desire.

Several days later, while Jason drove along his driveway, he noticed a small tomato plant growing at the end. He started thinking how could this be? He had tried numerous times to grow tomato plants on the back side of his property without success. And where did the seed come from? When he got out and investigated, he soon realized the tomato plant was there because God was the gardener. The ground was so hard that when he tried to stake it up, the thin metal stake kept breaking off. Then, when Jason tried to water it with added Miracle Grow, the Lord spoke,

“Leave it alone, I planted it and I will take care of it.

 If you mess with it, it will kill it.”

So Jason has left it alone.

This knee-high plant already has multiple blooms and small tomatoes. Jason’s anticipation is mounting as he passes that tomato plant daily. He says he knows it will be the best tomato ever because it is straight from God Himself. And that smile on Jason’s face as he tells this simple testimony…well, it’s a mile wide.

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Before telling me this story, Jason expressed shyly that he doesn’t feel special. I have a feeling that at times Jason may look at his present circumstances and conclude that because his life doesn’t ‘look successful’ it is not. He works hard to provide for himself and his family with not much to show for his efforts. But God knows how special Jason is and right where he lives. God knows what He wants to accomplish through Jason’s life as well. And what is that?  God wants Jason to proclaim all the simple testimonies of love and faithfulness He provides throughout Jason’s life. In return, God has promised Jason His protection and provisions. And even though others may deem Jason unsuccessful and insufficient because of outward appearances, God says:

“Don’t look at what you see with your natural eyes Jason

but look to Me for all you need.

 And Son, keep on talking, I got ya covered.”

If God is listening to Jason’s simple desires, He will be listening to yours!

Jason’s simple act of faith to tell others will wind up touching many more lives then he could ever imagine. And so it will be with us when we decide to step out in faith and tell our simple stories of God’s love and faithfulness too. I have a story picked out already. What about you?

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After I wrote this out, I went and looked up the name Jason and its meaning: 

JASON: Healer, Benevolent

Luke 6:45  A good man out of the good treasures of his heart brings forth good . . . For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

The Name Book

Dorothy Astoria

(or a desire of the heart!)

Checking Your Resolve: Part 1

I don’t WANT to do it. I wish I had known earlier the other two ladies were not going to be able to make it. I was supposed to be the helper and not the teacher. This is out of my comfort zone. Lord, what am I going to do?

These where the thoughts I had, as I prepared to teach the K-5 children at a Lay Witness Weekend four hours away. I was in a panic. I desperately wanted to say no, but there wasn’t any real reason I couldn’t. Suddenly, God put me in remembrance of my closing statements on the blog post Becoming Grandma. We have to be willing to teach the children or we deny them Christ. (When you speak or write forth, be prepare to back it up yourself.) Then, I sensed God wanting me to lasso my fear and release my faith into His guiding hand.  He graciously pointed out that I needed to take captive the doubting mindset or I would become powerless. So I prayed for God’s help and direction and then set out to gather what I needed.

I asked a lot questions and got a lot of help from others. However,I finally decided I needed to do what worked best for me. I went through my Christian children’s books and several caught my eye. I was still shaky in my thoughts at times and still wanted a way out (just being honest), but for the most part, I was experiencing victory. I kept refocusing on God’s faithfulness and thanking Him for success. Soon the fruit of perseverance came forth because my creative juices began to flow.

Then it happened! I bent over to pick up a plant and pulled my lower back. It didn’t hurt at first but by nightfall, I could barely move much less stand. As I laid there on an ice pack, I thought, This was the way out I had been hoping for! This could be God. Oh Joy! I’ll just call and cancel.

Before I could get to the phone, there was a caution in my spirit.  ‘The way out’ didn’t seem so right anymore. I felt God testing my resolve and was giving me a distinct choice. Did I want to grow or remain in the protective environment I had so carefully constructed around myself? Was it worth being uncomfortable momentarily for the new level of normal I could achieve? All I could think about was this: If I took the easy way out, my developing reliance on Him would be sabotaged and the enemy would win. I despise the enemy winning at anything so I consciously chose to move forward with God.

I asked for prayer everywhere because I only had 4 days to heal. I stayed on an ice pack, took ibuprofen around the clock, and kept planning my lessons. By Friday, I was much better and felt I could go. God helped me finish my preparations and then He healed my back.

Has God checked your resolve lately? Is there something you need to do that is out of your comfort zone? I want to encourage you to fight the urge to squash the leadings of the Holy Spirit and step out in faith. God loves us no matter what but He desires us to grow and learn more about His Kingdom living. And...the victory dance in the end, well… there’s nothing like it.

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Part 2-Next Week

Christlikeness: The Real Witness

Every Christian is supposed to be a witness. So…how DO we proclaim Christ?

I am learning that witnessing has more to do with how we present Christ through our attitudes and our lifestyle choices instead of our spoken words. We have been lead to believe our words to others is the most important element in witnessing when actually it is our actions and how we deal with our daily situations. When people are able to see Christlikeness in us, the Bible says, they will be draw to Him or Him in us. Then, when we have a natural opportunity to invite those around us into the Kingdom, they will have already seen the ups and downs of how God works through a believer and be able to make a lasting decision. Life with Christ is not always easy but it is well worth the struggle. Character, blessings and joy come as we persevere all the way through. And that is what we want to world to know through the way we live.

How do we develop Christlikeness in our lives? 

First, place yourself where you can learn wisdom from Christians older in the faith then you. 

Second, regularly study the scriptures especially the life of Christ and the Apostle Paul. 

Third, discipline yourself to use what you are learning for the decision-making you do everyday. 

Last, begin by using your faith for God to supply small things. As your trust strengthens in Biblical principles, God will help your witness to increase by giving you more opportunities to trust Him in bigger situations. In this way, trust in God can grow for you personally as well as your witness to God’s faithfulness. The promises of God are true but we have to experience each truth before it becomes real to us, before it becomes ours and before we can proclaim that truth to others. I wish there was a quicker or even easier way to learn but in the end it comes down to an act of your will to grow in the things of God to better your witness for Christ.

Are there issues in your own life, which keep you from proclaiming Christ with your whole heart? What is keeping you from being intentional about learning and demonstrating more Christlikeness in all that you do? Whatever the hindrances may be, you can overcome them with God’s love, wisdom and a resolve to listen and learn more about Him.