Who Told You That?

After the fall, Adam tried desperately to explain to God that he was ashamed and afraid because he was naked. I love the way God responded, He asked Adam, "Who told you that you were naked?"

Obviously by his actions Adam had been influenced by a voice other than the voice of God. Up until this point God never mentioned to Adam that he was "naked", although he had been naked the day before and the day before and the day before... What voice convinced Adam he was naked? What voice told him God wouldn't accept him that way, leaving him feeling so inadequate and ashamed that Adam felt he had no other choice but to hide?

If you've lived in this world long enough there have been other voices competing for your attention. Voices that have spoken loudly and without relent, in complete contradiction to the voice of God convincing you to hide behind the veil of secrecy ashamed and afraid. Convincing you to hide from a loving Father full of grace and mercy.

How often have we chosen to listen to some other voice, besides the voice of God? Imagine the grieving heart of our Heavenly Father when we choose to believe something other than what He has said about us.

Who told you it was too late to start over? Who convinced you, that you didn't belong? Who threatened that you could never be forgiven? Who intentionally made you feel incapable, inadequate and unaccepted? Who whispered you'd never accomplish anything significant? Who said you couldn't do it? Who lied to you? Who threatens,  you will always be lonely?Who refuses to forgive you? Who has denied you a second chance? 

It certainly was not God!

He said, "You are the head and not the tail." He declared, "You are an overcomer!" He gave you "all authority in heaven and earth" and He promised, "In your weakness you would be made strong." God said, "He loves you unconditionally" and nothing can change His mind about you! He promised, "To never leave you or forsake you" and that His desire is for you to be blessed beyond measure.  He proved that you were worth dying for!

It's time to press the mute button to the voices that contradict God! You don't have to get in the ring with the enemy and argue your point. You just have to remind him, God's word is final.

Blessings, Polly

2013 - Just Let Some Baggage Go!

I've tried, believe me I have, but since an early age I've had this desperate need to be prepared especially when it relates to packing.

Don't ask me to pack the car for a DAY TRIP! I'll include enough food for two weeks, and I'll pack a few pillows, blankets and extra clothes for everybody just in case we have an emergency and need to spend the night somewhere. I seriously drive my family crazy.

I just don't know how to travel light.

...and when I check in at the airport, I will be the passenger with that extra piece of luggage solely for those necessary outfits, in addition to the ones I have already packed. Who knows what the weather is going to be when you arrive at your destination and besides, a girl has to have a few options on stand by!

Hey don't act like you have never been caught with a few excess bags!

Maybe even today I could find you over at the baggage carousel loading up. Don't remember seeing that baggage carousel? That's because it was not in the airport, it's the one in your mind and the bags you grabbed aren't made of leather, decorated in Vera Bradley designs or manufactured by Samsonite. Nope;  these are made of burdens!

I saw you pick up the suitcase of REGRET, and the second bag is filled with GUILT. Over your shoulder you tote a bag of WEARINESS and another labeled HOPELESSNESS and if that wasn't enough you have to have your briefcase of UN-FORGIVENESS, where items are stored in chronological order and kept close, so later in the day you can rehearse them. Oh and don't forget the purse of SHAME, filled with MISSED OPPORTUNITIES, MISTAKES and FAILURES, it's small but hefty and always with you. Pretty soon you are pulling more stuff than the skycap and you wonder why month after month and year after year you are so tired, so weary, so exhausted.

I'm hear to scream to you today, "Drop some of that baggage! You can't get to where you're going if you are distracted and burdened with needless weight."

The truth is God has a great race for you to run and under His care you will go where you've never been before, never served before and in ways you've never dreamed, but you have to be willing to leave some stuff behind. How can you give hope, when you can't let go of your bag of hopelessness. How can you teach forgiveness to someone who needs it, when you have a briefcase of files from the past of those who have hurt you? How can you expect to make it a better year, when you hug so tightly to shame? How can you lift someone else's load if you have too heavy of a load yourself?

To get to the place God has destined you to go, you must travel light! To run the race He has prepared, you have to discard the excess baggage. There are just some things you were never intended to carry.

I remember a trip we were taking from Tampa to Baltimore and we were trying to catch our connection in Atlanta. Of course we had more bags than my husband and I could carry alone... mostly my fault I'm sure. We were trying to hurry and catch the tram that seemed far off in the distance and only came every five minutes.  We didn't have time to go and retrieve a cart, so we grabbed our bags off the carousel and placed them anywhere we could on our bodies. We looked utterly ridiculous and  unfortunately we were unsuccessful in our attempts, there were just too many bags for us to carry. My son noticing our dilemma, attempted to pick up a large and heavy duffle bag. Immediately the skycap came over and laid his hand on my 5 year old's shoulder and said, "Son put that heavy bag down, it's too big for you. I'll carry it for you!"

That's what your heavenly Father is whispering to you today, "It's time to put down some of the bags you are carrying, they're too heavy, you were never intended to carry them in the first place!"

Psalms 68:19  - Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.

Let 2013 be a year you Let Go of the baggage you were never meant to carry and allow God to pick up the load. Run your race with less of you and more of Him! I promise you'll get there faster.

Blessings, Polly

Saying Goodbye Is Never Easy

I approach this weekend with bitter sweet emotions as I sit on my living room floor amongst the packed moving boxes and sixteen years of wonderful memories. Where has the time gone? It seems like yesterday my husband and I rented a large uhaul truck loaded it with our simple but treasured items and made the 20+ hour drive from Salisbury, Maryland to Plant City, Florida with our 18 month old baby boy. We didn't know a soul here, well except Pastor Mitch Corder, who hired us and even then we had only known him for a few short weeks.

We would soon find out that Plant City was a small agricultural community that hosted the best strawberries in the nation, and the most caring group of people in the South East. It didn't take us long to make new friends on the soccer fields, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, school or community events. We were welcomed with open arms into our church family as Youth Pastors, serving several years in that position and then onto serve other positions in the church like Worship Arts Pastors and now Executive Pastors, as it grew and the need arose. Looking back through old picture albums we are both proud and honored to have led the most AMAZING youth in all of Florida because they were Soul'd Out to Christ. (Hence the name we chose for the group.) Today they aren't so young, toting toddlers and preschoolers of their own and some even moving to other states, yet they still make us proud when we see and hear of their dedication and commitment to serving Jesus Christ.

The next few years we were privileged to help hire some new staff some of whom went on to serve in other ministry opportunities through the US, we helped to implement our church daycare, our School of Music and Family Care programs, build a new sanctuary (currently the PCCOG) that we reside in now. Fast forward almost two decades later and my heart is heavy knowing we will leave behind many wonderful friends and friends who have become family, whom we love so dearly! Yet we know without a doubt, this is the will of the Father.

David said in the book of Psalms, "The steps of a righteous man (woman) are ordered by God!" I have to believe that every detail of a believer's life is strategically and intricately ordered by the Sovereign hand of God and He doesn't make mistakes. It's safe to say, in our lives and I'm sure many of your lives, there may have been times you and I have questioned His will, and we've wondered if maybe somewhere along the way He had closed His eyes, taken a nap, or completely forgotten about us. But the older I get and the more I spend in His presence reading His word, I find just the opposite is true. When doing great things for the Lord, we will often times travel down paths we may not have selected for ourselves, but God knew we needed to travel them, to refine us, purify us, strengthen us and build our faith in Him!

Like Job, some of you have suffered seasons of disease and sickness, loosing houses and lands, often you've questioned where God is and how could He be directing your life. Others are like Joseph, who was pursued by the hands of his jealous family members because of the evidence of a favored life. He was intentionally rejected, thrown into a pit and left to die by those who he loved deeply. Joseph had to wonder if this was part of God's will and I'm certain He questioned where God was those thirteen years of hell!

What about Esther, born in unfavorable circumstances with life's odds against her, she was destined for greatness but had a rough beginning. Who would have ever imagined a jewish orphaned girl would endure such tragedy yet still be in the perfect will of God! And David, the one whom God called, "A man after my own heart" was allowed to suffer persecution from a tyrant jealous King who hated him because he was favored by the Lord and positioned for the throne. Saul drove him to the caves, running for his life, tired, abandoned, weak in spirit and mind, yet He was still in the very center of God's will!

Today the world has painted a different picture and yes sad to say even in the church we sometimes have suggested a life with hardship, sickness, abandonment, strife and warfare is not God's will, but that my friend couldn't be farther from the truth! God uses all of these circumstances for and to His glory. The real truth is, if you didn't need a miracle, you would never need God.

Job, Joseph, David and Esther each needed God to show up miraculously on their behalf in order to accomplish something they couldn't do within themselves. We must recognize that God delights in making you triumph! He delights in positioning you in places and situations where you can't make it on your own, and yes He even allows the enemy to harass, taunt and threaten you for a season, just as He did in Job's life.

The good news is, God planned your victory before He allowed your struggle. He has positioned you in the midst of the season of difficulty and He has made a way of deliverance for you. You may not see it in the natural realm right now, but you don't have to see it, God has already planned it! David reminds us that "God works all things for our good" and if He has allowed this difficult season in your life, it's for a reason------that He may be glorified. All you need to do friend is trust Him completely and I promise you won't be disappointed. He has the master plan and He knows the beginning and the end of your story, therefore you can be confident in Him. It's History....(HIS - STORY), He is the author and no matter what direction your story may take, you can be confident He is working it all for your good. When we come to the place where we know it's all about Him and has nothing to do with us, we can make those detours alot easier.

So today although we say goodbye to sixteen years of wonderful experiences, great people, and treasured memories, we know that we know that we know, He is in control and we are confident in the decision we have made. It is with great anticipation we press on toward the prize, that Christ has set before us, finishing the race knowing He has ordered our every step. Until we meet again whether here on earth or when we are called away to our eternal home, please never forget, to keep it ALL ABOUT JESUS!

Blessings, Polly

Strive For Excellence

Someone once said, "Excellence is doing ordinary things, extra ordinarily well."

To achieve excellence we must go the extra mile; do more than what is asked. Yet often I think satan uses our known inadequacies to keep us from making the effort to give our best effort.

In contrary to what many may believe, excellence does not necessarily mean the absence of mistakes, but it does mean the presence of determination. A person who strives for excellence doesn't give up when faced with criticism, nor does he avoid the task for fear of failure. To be excellent, one must first determine to accomplish the task with the best effort he can give and then make it his goal to endure to the end.

In my opinion, a great modern day example of excellence can be found in a young man by the name of Tim Tebow. If you haven't heard of him by now, check your pulse it's possible you may be dead. (Just kidding!) Tebow is the handsome, devoted, outspoken Christian quarter back who played for the Denver Broncos, currently plays for the New Your Jets and formally a Florida gator. He isn't perfect; his critics would say he didn't deserve to be drafted into the NFL. They would argue his techniques are flawed and they projected he would crumble under pressure. Yet, I think that's exactly why the world is so attracted to Tim Tebow, because he is real. Yes he has made a few bad plays in his profession, he has often been publicly scrutinized by his haters, but he continues to get back up determined to become even a better player than the season before. His drive to give his best and his determination to stay focused through adversity, is motivating. Through it all, he still acknowledges Jesus Christ as his first priority.

I'm very thankful for Tim Tebow and the life example he is to so many. When we strive for excellence, keep our focus and align our priorities in the right order we will eventually make the ordinary seem extra ordinary and hopefully encourage others to follow on the same path.

Colossians 3:23-24 encourages us in whatever we do to  "work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward."

Blessings, Polly

I received this devotional from a dear friend in Georgia today and I wanted to share with my blog family:


...And the violent take it by force (Written by Jeff Anderson)
Jesus said, "The kingdom suffers violence and the violent take it by force." (Matthew 11:12) I often despise victim mentality so I try to posture myself to not be a victim, and to recognize that pain is a standard occupational hazard for human beings, and particularly those who pose as a threat to our enemy. And so today dawns and through the people I know who were hurting continue to struggle, I personally am not back on my heels reacting like a punching bag for the enemy of my soul. In fact upon reflection, I like the ebb and flow of this life. I won't be surprised or sideline by pain, and I'm going to make the enemy pay for coming after me. It's not braggadocio: it's just a fact in the spiritual sense, I'm a violent man determined to war on behalf of those I love, the kingdom He has established, the widow and the orphan. We Jesus-followers, if our eyes are fixed on his kingdom and his righteousness are forever encroaching our enemy's territory. We're at least a nuisance to him and for some, we are a spiritual force to be reckoned with. I love meeting people like that and aspire to be one myself.  Our enemy's general strategy is to keep humans hopeless and isolated but in the power of the Holy Spirit, we bring them hope and connection. The enemy despises that! This looks like force to the enemy the kind of force that comes when you're gritting your teeth and have filled the cup of your soul to the brim with determination. My prayer is that many of you who have been wounded, sidelined, benumbed and restrained, would regain the gleam in your eye. Be a man or woman of violence. Seek the kingdom as the focus of your life, don't be deterred or distracted! Let's do it.....Jeff


Wow, what an inspiring and motivating blog by Jeff Anderson. Why sit back and watch the enemy hold captive the land and it's inhabitants that God said was yours? Proceed forward, with confidence, determination and a violent strength to have all He has promised. He can't give it to you if you won't get up and take it! I'm walking by faith but acting on what I already know....
Be Blessed,
Polly 

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Mom & Dad with their grandchildren (2010)

I received this poem from a friend and wanted to share it with my blogger community but first I want to wish my mother a Happy Mother's Day!

My mother is the most incredible mother in the world. Her giving heart has touched so many far beyond the scope of her reasoning. Her constant but quiet strength and faith in her God has has been an unshakable and firm foundation. Words can not express how grateful I am to have been given such a mother. I know this Mother's Day she will spend it like she has the last several years taking care of my father who is beaten down with the deadly disease "Dementia". Most likely she will be unable to take a much needed trip to the spa because time won't allow, nor will she willingly slip away to the mall to shop as we woman so often like to do. Her commitment to my father's care keeps her right by his side, caring for him, loving him when he can not reciprocate that love. Yet you will never hear her complain, no not once.

While other mothers have been in search of higher paying jobs, accomplished titles and degrees, catering to themselves, my mother has been the steady current of unselfish, unconditional love to her family.  My mother is amazing!

Note to Mom:
Mom, the years of sacrifice will never go un-noticed or unrewarded. You have taught me so much with your quiet strength, your committed faith and your unconditional love. If I can give my children half of what you have imparted into my life, they are far beyond blessed. You deserve to be honored today and everyday mom. I want the world to know the woman I am lucky to call, "Mom".  While many will receive their reward on this side of eternity your rewards will far exceed them all. Only eternity will accurately give an account of the many deeds of love you have sown, not just for your own family but also to so many others.


Happy Mother's Day ~~ I love you Mom!

Somebody Said

~Author Unknown~

Somebody said being a mother is boring. That somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.

Somebody said if you're a good mother your child will turn out good. That somebody thinks a child comes with directions and a guarantee.

Somebody said good mother's never raise their voices. That somebody never came out the back door just in time to see her child hit a golf ball through the neighbor's kitchen window.

Somebody said you don't need an education to be a mother. That somebody never helped their fifth grader with her math homework.

Somebody said you can't love the fourth child as much as you love the first child. That somebody doesn't have four children.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery. That somebody never watch her baby get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten. Or on the interstate headed to college, or on a plane headed for military boot camp.

Somebody said the most difficult days have been when they were sick. That somebody never attended to a child with a 103 fever in the wee hours of the morning.

Somebody said a mother could do her job with her eyes closed and her hands tied behind her back. That somebody has never organized a 16th birthday party, or planned a family vacation.

Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets married. That somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a mother's heartstrings and prayers.

Somebody said a mother's job is finished when her last child leaves home. That somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said your mother knows you love her so you don't need to tell her. That somebody isn't a mother.

Where Are You?

I loved playing hide and seek with my children when they were young. Who am I fooling? We still play the game and they are teenagers. Now that they are older it takes me a lot longer to locate them. They get impatient and tired of waiting on me and start yelling, "Mom you coming? Mom where are you?" It would seem that I should be yelling that to them since they are the ones hiding.

In life we can experience seasons when we just don't know where we are! I don't necessarily mean in a physical sense, although I'm sure that's possible. I'm referring to seasons of life when we don't know how we ended up in our current condition.

You didn't mean to get over your head in debt, but it happened. The frivolous spending and mis-managed budget resulted in consequences of lack. Or maybe it was your selfish need to win every argument with your spouse and now a few years into the marriage and the damage is done, communication is little to none and intimacy has disappeared altogether. Or perhaps you have drifted so far from your original goals of raising your children to love, respect, honor and worship God and instead you overbooked your weekends and substituted family devotions for ball games and ballet lessons. Now years later you don't understand why your teenagers want nothing to do with church.

How did we get here?

You may not know where you are, but God does! He has followed your every step watching as you continued to do it on your own. So many times He longed for you to recognize His prompting. With His still small voice He was urging you back. He's been waiting on you to get tired of hiding and for feeling ashamed because of the decisions you made.

He longs to be with you...

He loves you, unconditionally. He never walked away, you did.

Now matter how far gone you feel you have traveled away from Him, or how lost you think you may be, He would do anything to hear you say, "Father where are you? Please come find me!"

Matthew 18:12-14 "If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go in search of the one that went astray?  And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."

Vain Imaginations

The older woman and her electronic shopping cart quickly annoyed me. She seemed to purposefully drive it in the middle of the aisle so I couldn't pass her with my overloaded cart of groceries. Usually it wouldn't bother me, but today I was in a hurry. I had ten minutes before the first pitch of my son's baseball game and I still had to get home and unpack the groceries. I politely said, "Excuse me". Hoping she would move over to one side of the aisle so I could pass by her. She didn't respond, she didn't even acknowledge me.

Maybe she didn't hear me, I thought, so I said it again, this time a little louder, "Excuse me, could I move my cart past you please?" With that she jolted the brakes and quickly turned around to get a glimpse of me. I was a little taken off guard by the look on her face; it was a surprised look as if she didn't see me. I thought she was going to respond, but she didn't say a word. She just sat there, staring at me. I was still constricted behind her because the cart was directly centered in the middle of the aisle, I wondered what she was doing and the point she was trying to make. By now I was infuriated, surely this woman was intentionally blocking me from passing her and I couldn't figure out for the life of me why!

As she starred me down, I explained again that I wanted to pass her because I was running late for my son's baseball game. She paused for a few seconds and then used her hands to communicate with me. As she began to sign and point I then realized she was deaf and she hadn't noticed I was behind her the entire time. I was completely embarrassed and tried quickly to scoot around her as to not look any more ridiculous when she reached out to grab my arm and pointed to the top shelf. I asked her if there was something on the top she needed me to get for her, I think she was able to understand me because she intently watched my lips. She nodded her head yes. I began to aimlessly reach for items on the top shelf, she kept shaking her head no until my fingers reached the can of baking powder and she nodded yes. She held up two fingers so I grabbed for two cans of baking soda and then placed them in her cart. She gestured back in sign language "thank you" and smiled, giving me a wink as I finally made my way past her.

Life is all about perspective. Sometimes we "presume" something to be when really it isn't that way at all.  We drive past a co-worker in the neighborhood and we wave but they don't wave back. We jump to the conclusion they are really rude, but the truth could be they didn't know you drove that car. We pick up our child in the car rider line and wave to our child's teacher on duty. She doesn't wave back and we immediately begin to rationalize why she didn't. It could be she has too many little kids to watch and she didn't notice you from the glare on the car. Or maybe she wasn't even looking in your direction, sunglasses can be deceiving at times. A friend blogged about a certain subject or put an inspirational image quote on her FaceBook wall that just happened to be relating to an issue you were struggling with and immediately you presume her blog or post was directed specifically towards you.

Perspective is the way in which one regards situations, circumstances, reactions and makes a judgment based upon limited facts.  When we have limited information and make assumptions about a situation based upon our perspective we can sometimes be wrong about the entire situation. Sometimes (like in the example I encountered at the grocery store) we can create a problem when there really isn't one there.  This is what the bible refers to as "vain imaginations". Vain imaginations are any thoughts or reactions that are rooted in truth but perverted by imagination.

The truth is the only real power the enemy has over us is the power of deception. Most bondage to the enemy can be directly tied to some form of wrong thinking. It's important not to play into the enemies "mind games" and presume or make assumptions. We could find out that we were completely wrong in our thinking and suffer irrevocable consequences because we simply let our mind wander.

Live life without presumptions, assumptions or vain imaginations. Don't be so quick to analyze everyone around you and everything they did or didn't do. It's possible you are seeing into things more than you should, and if so, the enemy has you trapped in a place where he can wreck havoc.

II Corinthians 10:5

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought and make it obedient unto God.

Blessings, Polly