Faith solves the Roller Coaster Ride!

I guess it's true, what the first chapter of James talks about! Sometimes you wan't to wonder why on earth James would say, Consider it Joy when you face various trials. Does that sound sane to most? Probably not, consider it joy when things get tough. Is that a message people want to hear during the most trying times of their lives or during hard/uncertain/uncomfortable situations? More than likely not, but this is what James goes on to say-

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.  But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  Those who doubt should not think they will receive anything from the Lord; 8 they are double-minded and unstable in all they do." James 1:1-7

This speaks volumes, more so for the believer than non believer, but speaks to all people alike. In summary trials birth something. Trials birth faith, because when circumstances are huge and nothing is possible by men, but only possible by God, the mustard seed of faith is grown. To each individual God gives us a measure of faith to believe, but if it's not stretched we will always have the same measure. It's like given the alphabet, but if never asked to learn to read, we will never put it to use. Something along those lines. But when trials come look to the positive side of things because, it requires a. either our faith to grow b. become angry or disappointed. The bible discusses many people who had faith, but if you notice a lot of people had to be committed to their beliefs, even when they didn't see it, it was there. That's against our nature, but it can become our nature through trust and seeing outside our circumstances. There comes a point when we have to realize that God is simply just bigger than what we are facing. Then after believing faith will be grown, and that   it will tag on to you an amount of maturity. Faith equals faithfulness on our part. If we have faith to believe we will continue to believe which is also faithfulness or commitment. We won't be up and down. Personally I like how James goes on to say when you doubt you are double minded, you are like a wave and the sea blown and tossed by the wind.(paraphrased). What does this say to me? It speaks a lot to me. There are days when my faith rules out my vision, but there are days when my flesh does. What does this produce? A rocky roller coaster, just like James said, blown and tossed by the wind. One day I am on a high, believing God's salvation, believing God for victory, believing God for healing, believing God's promises, the next day on a low, believing lies of the enemy, believing my circumstance, believing in my good (or not so good) works. This is an example of a spiritual roller coaster, spiritual up's and down's. Too many times, myself, and I'm sure others become the double minded man, blown and tossed by the wind. What does that mean exactly? To me it says that when we don't have full faith in God, which means we doubt, that we are controlled by our circumstances, they govern and dictate our mindsets, day, personality, everything. Doubting, equals a wild up and down ride. Christian bi-polar disorder, visiting the north and south poles. One day positive, next day negative. The doubting man, unstable in ALL his ways. That's why trust and faith in God is so important, doesn't mean every day is going to be the greatest day, but it does mean that we can remain constant, because His promises are constant. When things look tough, we can know that specific gloom and doom isn't everything, it's not our future, not our purpose, not who we are, not the way things have to go. We can believe beyond what everything is screaming out to be. Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. His promises are real and when faced with hard times, it is crucial to believe on those things that are above, those things that are true, those things that are of eternal worth, because then we will show ardent faith to the world, they won't see unstable Christians, believing doubting, and repeat. we are not to be like instructions on the back of the shampoo bottle that says, lather, rinse and repeat, but we are to believe, believe, believe. Lot's of difference. I need help to not be a bi-polar Christian, people who I am a witness to obviously get really confused when I am happy go lucky faith gung-ho and then the next day acting like an eeyore (depressed, self piteous animal on winnie the pooh) or something! The last few weeks have been hard, financially, physically, and spiritually. So pretty much everything around me has been a little hay wire, today I just choose to breathe and know that God has big plans for the Women of Worship conference tomorrow and the next day and the next day after that, and that circumstance seriously doesn't define who Carrie Tucker is (or whatever person is reading this), but it only grows my faith if I allow it. These hard and trying times are helping me to become a more faithful believer in Jesus Christ, and to the Faithful, He (God) is faithful! (scripture somewhere in the O.T, psalms maybe)! So like the Rita Springer song says, I have to believe for healing and that God will supply all of my needs! Someone once told me that if I take care of God's business, then He will take care of mine. Yesterday I was reading in a Joyce Meyer's book about how God takes care of birds. Birds has a need in order to live, but they don't go around worrying all the time, they just praise God and he takes care of them. Wow, if He does that, then He must want to take care of those people who He was in pain for, died for, persecuted for, lived for, and intercedes for. How much more does He love His kids and want to take care of them. So today, I just stand, saying God is going to heal me or make a provision for something to happen and that all things work together for the good of those who Love God and Who are called according to His purpose, notice that is ALL things, not some, but everything will work out. Faith is being stretched, maturity is the reward, and double-mindedness is being weeded out, that's joy right there. I can say now that I agree with what James was saying. I count it all joy!

Jesus, I ask more than anything you help me not to be double minded. Help me not to be spiritually bi-polar, showing the world instability as a Christian. Help me to let my faith grow when you want it to. Help me to play on the offensive side rather than the defensive side. I believe you for healing, because you gave me this head and you can take care of it! Thanks for helping me realize things and for letting me be on the winning side of the game!

12 Blessed are those who persevere under trial, because when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Wheel chair

A lot of us have failures and flaws that take place in our lives, often times more than we would like. Because we are carnal, we have weaknesses about us, some that hinder us and some that push us forward. Although it's fact we all mess up, there is a difference between making a mistake and living through our weaknesses and failures. There are some unnecessary things in our lives that we tend to rely on rather than the one we are supposed to rely on. I guess that's one of my biggest weaknesses, that I rely on so many other things rather than the One who can fully handle 'all my stuff.' Earlier today I saw a man in a wheel chair and I thought to myself of all the trials and limits he must face living in that wheel chair. First before it's taken offensively, I think people who are physically in a wheel chair but choose to do all the things they can do in spite of the crippling, are some awesome people. Anyways, I thought to myself about how the man has to rely on the wheel chair in place of legs to transport him. From the time he wakes up he needs the wheel chair and all throughout the day he needs it. Normal activity like taking a shower, using the restroom, going to class, having a job, going to the store, driving, and many more things are altered due to the inability of his legs. Because of that, he is fully reliant upon that wheel chair. In most cases people who need a wheel chair cannot help their situation. I have heard of stories of people who choose the wheel chair over "intense" physical therapy to get them going. In our lives from a spiritual and emotion aspect, we have wheel chairs. Things that we rely on rather than the "legs" being God, which we were created to depend on. A spiritual wheel chair limits us from what God wants us to do and limits what God wants to do in us. Whether it was just some cruddy times in life, hurt from others, weaknesses/failures that caused so much guilt, mindsets, sin, or complacency, we allow those things to take the place of God and become what we rely on. Hindrance, is a huge deal. Limits are a huge deal. I don't want to constantly let things hinder me from God, especially when they are things that I, Carrie Tucker, am in control in. It's like trying to live for God and Him calling me to walk, but I'm sitting in my wheel chair saying, "okay God, I'm coming.. I can't walk, don't know why I cannot, but I'm coming!" Still I don't think, actually I know that God doesn't want me to be limitless, if that were the case then the work on the cross would have some "but's or if only's" at the end of the clause. Instead, my bible and everyone I have read simply says, It is finished, not it is finished... but or It is finished, if only. So why stay in the wheel chair. Personally I feel like I have several things that hinder me from living fully. I can't exactly put my finger on it, I just know that I don't want to continue on living a hindered lifestyle. I don't want to get to heaven and Jesus ask me why I didn't live for what He paid for. Nor, do I want to use my "legs" for the first time when I enter the gates. Things occur from being in a wheel chair to long, from lack or use of muscles. A process called atrophy takes place, deterioration, degeneration, weakening. We think we are weak but after relying on and having a wheel chair mindset and lifestyle, we deteriorate more. Deterioration due to not working it out (in this case surrendering who we are and who we are not, praying, reading, seeking). When we are apathetic we can't expect to be free. When we are complacent we can't expect to be free. Sometimes there are times where your brother will take you and drop you down into the house so Jesus can heal you, but most of the time with your own faith you have to press through the crowd, crippled and all to get what you need.(both examples from parables in the gospels). We have people to help us, but sometimes we have to trust God, shake the wheel chair, and go after Him. I make things hard like most people do, somewhat like the Isreallites who made an 11 day journey in 40 years. Even though 2+2=4, I have to know the logic, the why's the what if's the but's and thou's, just to be sure, that's one of my wheel chairs. We all have our own personal ones, specialized just for us. I wan't to work this out though, work out these atrophied places, no matter how weak I may feel or it may seem. No matter how uncomfortable it may be or whether I feel like it or not, I wanna trash my wheel chairs, my unnecessary hindrances and live not through that wheel chair which easily becomes IDENTITY, but let Christ identify me.

A rubiks cube would be easier than this...

Frustration seems to be one step away from discouragement in a majority of situations. A lot of people walk through different seasons, struggles, or situations, but I so happen to constantly walk in frustration for whatever reason I don't know. Frustration involving trying to figure things out only leads to confusion and searching out the human logic. Frustration is literally like being in a "wheelchair" and never fully being able to enjoy freedom. Not too mention the confusion part, because that intensifies frustration. So maybe my answer is why? or what next? or what can I do to not have this unwelcome tag-a-long. What can I do to change this thing that has always been there? Hmm, this is why a majority of times taking that Rubik' cube would be easier, trivial, but easier. All I would have to do is line up the colors. Wow, but how to do that to myself? I am really hoping that something different, so different than anything I have ever experienced before is right around the corner!

sixty seconds

Well it's 2010, a new year, new beginning, a start to something else. Somehow between the minute turnover from 11:59pm 12/31/09, until 12:00 am 1/1/10, the sixty seconds brings a hopefulness that the next year can be different and even better than the last twelve months of the previous year. It's really a neat thing that people all over the world make new goals and reach for new heights in their lives. The aspirations depend on the individual and to each their own circumstances. In that sixty seconds we realize 2010, or the marking of a new year is a place for fresh starts. I love fresh starts, face it we all do. I love knowing that yesterdays mistakes, flaws, failures, and mishaps don't have to carry over into a new day or even a new year. I guess one thing though for sure I have realized is nothing changes in that sixty seconds unless I change. Goals are not met unless we make a change, and not change big all at one time but just ..... step. A lot of times I picture change as this amazing transformation, like I am literally a mighty "morphing" power ranger. Change as this amazing 360 degree turn in a matter of seconds. Sure change can occur for better or worse in a matter of seconds, we can open up an envelope and realize we randomly won a million dollars in a matter of seconds, or in a matter of seconds we can rear end the guy ahead of us and both situations present change in our lives. However, change in lifestyle is kind of like a step. Say we are climbing some stairs to get from where we are to where we are going. It's a lot of stairs, several flights of stairs. You go from the bottom level to the first stair, and you think to yourself... wow, I haven't changed a bit, but in all reality you are higher than you were. Then to the third, and fourth and so on. Change is an occurring thing, but during the climb we may not recognize it. The important thing to recognize, is just because you automatically have not transformed into your "goal" person or achieved your greatest achievements in a day, doesn't mean you are not reaching. I know a lot of times, because I don't hit my goal with one try I get discouraged, but what I don't realize is in the climb I am changing. With one step, even if I am only 1 inch higher than I was before, I am one inch closer than what I was to reaching my destination. In the matter of sixty seconds we have before the new year is brought in, sometimes we expect to wake up the next day and automatically be different, be a better person, be thinner, get paid more, be happier, be healthier, be cleaner, be more studious. We expect to be, but not do in order to be. I know that's weird wording. But I sometimes just expect without every doing anything. I guess I just want to start taking the little steps in my life that equal the big picture instead of just wondering why I never get the big picture with out making a little mark on the paper. Do I have goals, of course! Do I hope for the future, sure I do. Instead of just hoping and just dreaming, I want to walk those goals out daily. Daily reaching, daily striving. I do hope greater things occur in 2010. I want to grab hold of victories in my own life that I have never walked in and put my hands on the things that are mine and that I want in life. I have to Move TOward those things in order to grab hold of it. Instead of always wanting, I want to be. Instead of wanting to be intimate with God and hoping for it, I want to BE intimate with Him. Instead of hoping to be used by Him, I want to be used by Him. so in order to have such things, I should walk in it! I have been thinking about the story of Cain and Able and some things I have heard about them before. God was pleased when Able brought his offering of the firstborn. He just brought his very best. I understand that everyday my best will not be given to the Lord because I fail, but I am thankful that I walk in grace. Everyday I want to strive to please God, but the difference between then and now, is I please God through the blood of Jesus that covers me. I recently heard something that I think gave me knew knowledge and knew freedoms in my life and it was that, it's easy to become condition centered instead of position centered. Condition centered meaning your daily spiritual walk with God over your position that He made for you. Being concerned about the condition of your walk is very important, should not be neglected, and should be the number one priority in our day to day events. However sometimes focusing on where we are not presents and open door that the enemy come in and discourage us, but waking up every day knowing we are positioned as sons or daughters of God, pleasing Him through the blood of Jesus, abiding in Him as child and not slave, living freely and in love, and just "being" in His presence is very important to remember also. Condition changes, but when we are saved our position never will. I daily want to remember my position and not be discouraged by where my condition is or is not. I do want things to change in me, one just knowing my position and knowing that it is based on nothing I do. Secondly I want my condition to improve. I want old baggage to be gone and daily just spend time with God and be a witness to people around me. These are two goals that are small. They are DAILY steps but overall it will change everything about me, my views, my ways, and the people around me. There will be good days and there will be bad days. Whatever it is I want to go about it and make that day count. I want to make the moments count, make my day count, smile at people who need to be smiled at. Hold doors for ppl and talk to ppl. I want to drink coffee and read my bible and let my entire world world to be rocked and changed. Daily changed, daily transforming, daily yearning. Different than ever before because I want change and I'm not going to wait for one big moment, but enjoy the little moments that make up big experiences. What a journey, some days warm and sunny, some cold and rainy, but all in all it's a journey and a journey greater than me. I walk a journey to know the One who created the most miraculous and detailed of creations. It took men years and several tries to create a light bulb, but ALL of this was created in only a week. We can't even handle our small day to day tasks and get everything done in the week that we need done, but God created the entire earth. Galaxies, planets, mountains, trees, deserts, valleys, rivers, oceans, butterflies, ants, gnats, centipedes, and the human who in itself should have taken 2,000,000,000 years to create because of it's mechanics and detail. The God who created all of that has chosen me to take such a journey to know Him, to be His daughter, His disciple. Then to share such a wonder with many people. 2010 is going to be a good year, now to just walk towards all the goals. Remember that 60 doesn't change anything but time, unless we decide to change. Journey, moving forward one step at a time. In the words of a pop star, It's the climb!