Visual Prayers

December 2015

I like visual prayers.  I have several I use daily, some tuned specifically to each of the Trinity, some to all three at once.  For example, when I wake each morning, I visualize myself crawling onto the Lord’s lap.  I’m about the size of a two-year-old child, so I have to reach up and hoist myself up.  As I settle onto His lap, His arm naturally wraps around me, and He tends to pull me real close for a second, as He gives me a good morning hug.  We are happy to start another day together.

I like bonfires.  I spend my life cold, and am not much of an outdoor girl, but I so greatly enjoy bonfires!  One of my visual prayers, in this case it’s Adoration and Praise, is the Trinity and me sitting around a bonfire.  We may even walk through it.  If Jesus can walk on water He can walk over a bonfire.  The point is, we are all together, The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with me, little tiny me, and we are just together.  No prayer list, no requests.  Rarely any words.  We are communing and I praise the Lord by just sitting with Him, cozy around a fire in my mind.

At church recently we sang a song, about how, one day, we will stand before the throne, faultless.  Oh, what a day that will be!  In human terms, it doesn’t make sense.  After all the things I’ve done, all the times I’ve sinned, either through omission or commission, whether intentional or not, how can I ever stand faultless before the Great White Throne?

Let’s use a visual to really get a handle on this.  Whenever we sin, whether it’s overstepping by accident or making a rude comment or even a non-verbal communication such as rolling our eyes in an inappropriate way – all sins whether intentional or not – in these situations, imagine an arrow, or even a dart if you think it was a minor offense, being sent.  So, as you cut someone off in traffic because you’re in a hurry and didn’t wait your turn, you sent an arrow.  And when you use inappropriate language or fuss at somebody in an inappropriate way, you may be sending a dart or arrow.

Please note the use of the word inappropriate.  I’m not saying you should never fuss at anyone.  Sometimes a person has requested some fussing, by their behavior.  For instance, when a child throws a tantrum, it may be time to fuss back at them, but in a loving and caring way, not an inappropriate screaming fit.

In my life, looking at this example, I have left arrows all over the place, for years.  But, Jesus walked behind me, removing the arrows from wherever I had shot them. Then, rather than handing them back to me, or shaking them in my face to show me what I had done, He put them in His quiver.  He continues to do this today, because, despite my best efforts, I continue to err.

Then, when I come to my senses and get past my anger and angst, I don’t necessarily see the arrows I shot at people, but neither are they in my quiver.  I’ve already been forgiven.

One day I, like you and everyone else, will stand before the great white throne (Revelation 20:11-15). At that time, I will be found faultless. No black marks on my record.  I will be ushered into heaven for eternity.  How can this be?

Beside me will stand my sweet Jesus, with a quiver overly full, with the sins of my life.  He has been shouldering that burden for all my saved life.

When Scripture says, “Cast all your cares upon Him . . . “ (1 Peter 5:7) and,  “ . . . My burden is light . . . “ (Matthew 11:30), Jesus is giving us His empty quiver, so we can walk unimpaired.  And every time I sling a dart, He removes it and takes it on Himself.  Wow!  And I get to stand faultless?  I get to stand faultless!

What other visual prayers could you use to help you through your day?  You can use the acronym of ACTS – Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication, to help you create some good visuals.  Adoration may be you sitting at the Lord’s feet. While you are there, just being in His presence, adoring Him, His hand may reach down and touch you, because He loves you.

What might you visualize for confession?  With my background, I could use a confessional box, but prefer some one-on-one time with Jesus, admitting my error, knowing He has already forgiven me. He then encourages me to step up and make reparations and amends.  I often need the littlest of pushes He gives me.

Thanksgiving may be an image of you in a field, or on a mountain, or on the water, wherever you’re comfortable, just raising your hands and shouting your Thanks.  Yes, SHOUTING!  Just for the joy of it.  Remember, as a child, when it was fun to make noise, just for the sake of making noise?  Do it again!  And do it in Thanksgiving!

For supplication, asking of the Lord, I tend to see myself in a humble position, again often by His feet, sometimes in tears, depending on what I’m requesting, and for Whom.  Your request may come when you’re snuggled up in the Lord’s lap.  It’s your visual prayer.  Do anything you like with it.

The Lord’s amazing love began at the beginning of time.  The world played out exactly as the Father knew it would.  Jesus was sent to earth, in the form of an infant, just as He knew He would.  He would be born in the most humble of circumstances.  He would grow in a normal family, complete with sibling rivalry – remember, His own brothers once called Him out of His head (Mark 3:21).  He would mature and come to pay the greatest price of all (John 15:13).  It all started with His being born, which we celebrate this month.  It ended in His horrific death on the cross.  Because of these actions, He has taken all our sins on Himself, so we will one day stand faultless before the Throne.  It’s hardly to be comprehended.

You don’t have to use visual prayers to speak to the Lord.  I’ve just found that I like them, because even if I’m in conversation, I can still be in union with the Lord.

Merry Christmas.

Use Your Knowledge

I see so many people in life, both professional and personal, who are frustrated by their work. I see students who just want the degree. I see young professionals who want the wonder job and think they should have it because they are holding onto a brand new degree.

I once had a soon to be grad tell me she wanted my job as a consultant. I asked her who she would consult. She said small businesses and entrepreneurs. I asked her who started those kind of businesses. She said college grads who wanted to work for themselves. I accepted that answer even though I found it naive. So I asked her what she offered. She said her college education. I then gently pointed out that when I consult, I bring the degree she has plus an MBA. I bring years as a professor plus years in the corporate world, including being VP of a multi million dollar company. I told her I had the experience of starting and successfully running my own company.

Then I asked why somebody, who had her education and the ability to start a company, would want to hire her. And especially why they would hire her over more experienced people. No answer.

So to my point, she was trying to use her knowledge for the work she wanted to do. But she had yet to accumulate enough knowledge and experience.

But, in our lives, we do collect a vast amount of knowledge. And some of it we enjoy using. Other parts we would rather skip. I know so many business owners who barely tolerate the paperwork–or hire it out. That’s what I do with my accounting.

So what knowledge do you have that you want to use? And what knowledge so you have that is sellable. Please acknowledge the difference between selling a makable product and making a sellable product. With my experience and education, coupled with some common sense and good ability to work with people, I have found people want to hire me. I have a sellable service.    Find your sellable service and use it so you can be truly successful in your work. Not just financially successful but more importantly, happy. That’s true success. Teaching and leading others. That’s worthwhile success.

If, like my student, you don’t yet have the knowledge you need to do what you want to do then set your path to achieve small goals so you can achieve your long term goals.    For those of us who have the education, experience, and knowledge, use that knowledge to do what you enjoy.

Humility

The world is an odd place.  I know everything seems to be topsy turvy, especially after what happened in Paris last weekend.  Of course this brings back memories of 9-11.  One thing to know, and that has been said since the beginning of time, is that there is nothing new under the sun.  Good and evil have always existed.  They will continue to exist.

The question right now, is, how are you going to live your life?  Are you living in such a way that you can look back on your actions, words, thoughts, and sleep well at night?  I still shudder at some of the, basically, silly, if not stupid, things I have done in my past.  Inappropriate responses.  Simply wrong conclusions. Bad decisions.

When, however, I choose to live my life humbly, thinking about others first, and putting others’ needs before my own, then I can look back and feel okay, and sleep well.  When atrocities like Paris happen, with my humility and love for others locked in, I can move forward and think about how to help others.  I don’t want to just talk about it, but actually take action and do something.  I don’t think jumping on an airplane will help, any more than I headed to Louisiana when Katrina hit.  There are other ways I can  help.

Once your decision is made to live humbly, find specific ways you can do this.  Yes, think about them ahead of time, so you will be prepared (thanks, Boy Scouts).  In time it will become a great habit.  But for now, plan on letting people in front of you, whether in the car or in line at a store. Make it a point of asking how others are and encourage them to tell you, expounding on the typical, “I’m fine.” How can you make others feel important? What can you do to put others first and be humble in spirit?  Ideas are welcome! I’ve heard of others paying for lunch for the car behind them at a Drive Through.  This puts total strangers first.  Think of some ways you can be humble with colleagues, clients, vendors – maybe it’s as simple as giving them the meeting time of their choice, even if it is inconvenient for you.  Being a morning girl, I dislike late afternoon appointments, so agreeing to a late meeting without complaint would be one way for me to be humble.  It’s the not complaining part that would be especially hard for me.  Then find ways to be humble at home, with siblings, spouses, and children.  Yes, humble yourself in front of your kids – that would be an awesome lesson for them, and possibly you as well.

The point is to have humility be such a habit that you naturally think about others first.  Be humble.  Be loving.  Put others first.  Then, when something happens, at work, at home, in the political world, on the other side of the world, wherever, you are already responding in the right way. In a way that is good and natural for you.

Rules for Work

I wrote the list below as an outline for one of the many Seminars I share with groups, organizations, corporations, and one-on-one or group coaching.  Rather than write it into an essay, I offer you the information as it stands.  I’m sure you’re doing much, if not all, of this already, but it’s always good to review.

1. Stay focused. Work on your project/job and stay focused on it alone.
2. Avoid distractions—no music, phones, faxes, e-mails.  Get the job done.
3. Respect others at all times—by not interrupting their work (make an appointment); by not interrupting people when they speak; by nodding to show nonverbal agreement; by using names; by using appropriate language—never be vulgar, demeaning, or insulting, even as a joke.
4. Share ideas, but appropriately.
5. Listen to others when they speak—this means really listen, don’t start planning your response in your head.
6. Be prepared on a daily basis—have what you need with you—reports, cell phones, laptop, blueprints, writing materials, everything.
7. Bring only what you need—don’t get burdened with unneeded things that can distract you.
8. Give 100%.
9. Remember you are paid to work.
10. Be open minded.
11. Keep a positive attitude toward everyone and all ideas, no matter the source.
12. Clean up after yourself.
13. Keep an organized work area.
14. Don’t complain about anyone or anything, and never gossip.  It’s unprofessional and beneath you.
15. No whining.
16. Be professional at all times—in manner, speech, and dress.
17. Use your time wisely—incorporate time management techniques into your day.
18. Minimize techno-time—time on the phone, answering e-mails, etc.  You’re there to work, not chat.
19. You represent your company as well as yourself, so respect your company and yourself.
20. Follow the golden rule—treat others as you would have them treat you.

Looking Back to Look Forward

November 2015

Well, we’ve all heard that saying, Those who don’t remember history are destined to repeat it. Parents used this line as a joke when I was in school, referring to failing grades.  History is actually a wonderful thing for many reasons – it’s good to acknowledge heroes from the past; it’s good to build on previous successes; it’s good to have memories from our childhoods and be entertained by stories prior to our own lives.

But there are other reasons for looking back, within our own lives and beyond the limitations of ourselves.  Medically, it is incredibly helpful to know our history.  So many medical issues, both physical and mental, are inherited.  Some people have high cholesterol, not because of their habits and behaviors, but because it runs in their family.

We can also look at our history to learn what does and doesn’t work.  From an academic point, reviewing notes and test material regularly tends to produce better results than cramming the night before a test.  We aren’t just told this, we can prove it to ourselves by trying it.  When one of my sons was in middle school I worked with him on this.  We sat at the dining room table every night and reviewed all his classes.  One day he came home and told me he hadn’t remembered that he had a test scheduled that day.  Because of our diligence, he scored a B on that test, seemingly without studying.  Of course he had studied, daily, he just hadn’t crammed the night before the test.

So, with this knowledge, did my son keep up this good habit of reviewing his work every day?  Definitely not.  Even knowing it was a good system, and he learned and retained more, and it literally saved a test grade, he didn’t adopt the idea.  Just because we know something is right doesn’t mean we will do it.

Likewise, I know chocolate is not good for me.  It can make me edgy and add weight.  Neither of those negatives seem to be sufficient for me to cut chocolate from my diet.  So even when we know what doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean we will act on our knowledge.

Likewise, the Old Testament gives us hundreds of years of lessons.  It’s from the Old Testament that we understand the New Testament.  The Old Testament said a Savior would come.  In the New Testament He arrives, and His name is Jesus.

In the Old Testament the Israelites asked for a King, and the Lord said, Look, you really don’t want a king.  But they persisted and the Lord gave them Saul.  They should have listened.  Yet, how often do we apply what was taught in this message?  I am currently praying, on my knees, daily, for something that I really, really want.  I believe it’s something I need.  The Lord tells us He will provide for us, so why isn’t this coming?

Well, like the Israelites, I may be asking, begging, for something that the Lord knows I should not have.  He continues to meet my needs, but not in the way I want.  So while I can see the examples from the Old Testament, shouldn’t I leave well enough alone?

I continue to pray, even fast. I am obedient.  I praise the Lord all day long.  And I am patient.  I know, through Faith, that the Lord is doing the best thing for me, yet it remains hard to live with what I perceive as unanswered prayer.  Even though, looking back, I can see that the Lord always answered my prayers, even if the answer was sometimes no.

With this knowledge, it’s that much easier to look forward, as I pray, and while I remember the past, I can look forward to a future that will unfold in the Lord’s perfect timing (which is not always my perfect timing).

I think we can look at our individual history to plan our individual future.  Some of it is very simple, even obvious.  For instance, if you don’t like bugs, don’t become an entomologist.  If you have an amazing grasp of mathematics, then engineering or quantitative analysis may be your future.

Some of it, though, and often the very important Spiritual parts, aren’t always so obvious, even with early history.  For instance, I was raised in a very religious home.  Church weekly, private school with daily religion classes.  Morality and purity.  Yet, I didn’t come to a saving knowledge of Jesus, and what He did for me, until I was 21 years old.  When I raised my children in the knowledge of the Lord, complete with Bible studies and Sunday School and Church, my kids came to the Throne all while in single digits – all before they reached the age of 10.  So what was different?  I can’t say for sure.  The Holy Spirit knows and that’s what’s important.

But, this is where it is important, whether we come to the Lord at 6 or 16 or 26 or 56, the question is, what are you doing for the Lord today, and tomorrow?  Yes, the future, as early as tomorrow.  What can you use from your Spiritual history, to affect your Spiritual future?

Now that I know the Lord, should I share the gospel with everyone I know? I used to think so, but have calmed down over the years and try to listen to the Holy Spirit’s lead.  But, growing up as I did, I can, and have, use that knowledge to teach others how to speak to people from very religious families.

In addition, we can use not only our own history, but the world’s history, starting with the beginning of time as recorded in the Old Testament, right through the New Testament, to shape our future.  I can’t begin to list all of the things we can take from history to look forward to a better future, but I do have some ideas to get you thinking.

For one, we should have incredible confidence.  Isaiah 55:11 says, “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire” (NIV). This is a promise that we can’t misspeak when talking about the Lord.  It should give us great confidence in sharing the truth.

Second, we have great security.  “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31.  There is nothing at which we can’t succeed.  I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, and it may not always be fun, but there is success out there when we lay our plans before the Lord.

Third, and there are far more than we are discussing, God’s promise to take care of our future: Jeremiah 29:11 – “I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans for you to prosper and not be harmed. Plans for you to have a future and a hope.”  Like thousands and millions of other people, I take great solace in this verse.

I can use Jeremiah’s words to look back as well as forward.  I can look back at bad times in my life.  We have ALL had bad times in our lives.  It may be an academic or career failure; it may be the death of a loved one; it may be physical, emotional, or mental limitations.

Despite the challenges, we can look back and acknowledge that we came through it.  It may have been hard and we may carry scars for the rest of our lives, but we got past it.  Specifically, the Lord brought us through it.

I can use this insight to know that the Lord has never let me down and never will.  Whether you are in transition at work or in your private life, God is there.  He knows what He is allowing in your life and He knows why.

More importantly, I know, based on this verse and others like it, that God has my future perfectly intact.  Remember, time is God’s way of keeping everything from happening at once.  Even when we can’t see the end, God can.  We can build on our past, and on The past, to be confident of our future.

The Lord blesses us daily.  We have Spiritual gifts in addition to inherited gifts, in addition to anything for which we choose to work, like an education or considerable attention to a sport or hobby.

And, we can use this knowledge to move forward.  Maybe one day my son really will accept and start studying daily again. Or maybe he’ll apply the same concept with Time Management and work ahead to not get behind – it’s a similar idea.  Maybe someday I’ll be able to give up chocolate, knowing it’s not good for me.  Not on my own, but with the Lord’s help.

Of course, whether or not you use your past to have a stronger future is your choice, and choices will remain yours in the future.  You may even go back and forth. In some situations you will apply what you learn, but in others you may not.  Life is ongoing, and we need to keep moving on, preferably learning and growing from our past, as we live out our future.