“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Prophet Isaiah, chapter 40.

Much can be said about the importance of one’s point of focus when it comes to life’s disappointments and hardships. The fact is, life is filled with moments and circumstances which have the power to swap our energy and extinguish all hope. From minor letdowns to significant crises, our hearts are constantly challenged by the weight of discouragement and fear.

Perhaps never has the power of discouragement been more prominent in our world than in the last 19 months. We have felt isolated from friends and family. We have lost loved ones due to this dreadful virus that has assailed the world. We have witnessed our society burn with riots and political unrest and now watch in disbelief the massive resurgence of terrorism rule in the Middle East. It is enough to make even the strongest feel uncertain about the future.

I was thinking about the power of discouragement this week when a big disappointment led me to tears. And I don’t mean a teardrop or two. I let the floodgates open, which is so very unusual to me.

The following day, as I sat down to read my Bible and pray, I came across an illustration about eagles by Scottish author John Ross Macduff that resonated with me. Anyone who knows me is aware of my love for eagles and how this majestic bird’s nature has inspired me through the years.

The illustration focused on the eagle’s habitat:

“You cannot detain the eagle in the forest. You may gather around him a chorus of the choicest birds; you may give him a perch on the goodliest pine; you may charge winged messengers to bring him choicest dainties; but he will spurn them all. Spreading his lofty wings, and with his eye on the Alpine cliff, he will soar away to his own ancestral halls amid the munition of rocks and the wild music of tempest and waterfall.”

As I meditated on the intrinsic meaning of the illustration, the beginning words of Psalm 90 echoed in my soul:

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were born or you gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.”

Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were born or you gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God. Psalm 90:1-2 @AJC #MondayDevotional…
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The only psalm written by Moses, Psalm 90 is believed to be the oldest in the Psalter. From the content, we may conclude that it was written at the end of nearly 40 years of wandering in the wilderness as a prayer of remembrance for the people entering the promised land. In its verses, the leader describes God as the only eternal constancy in life and reminds the Jews of God’s faithfulness through the hardest of circumstances.

Moses was qualified to write these words from a place of vast experience with discouragement. He witnessed an entire generation perish in the wilderness. He undoubtedly experienced fear and doubt while enduring incredible hardship and leading a most rebellious, discouraging crowd. And yet, as we read this Psalm which has become a bollard of hope for millennia, we hear a man convinced that God’s constancy, faithfulness and power are the only anchors that can truly settle his wavering heart.

Indeed, just as the eagle that does not settle in the damp forest, however comfortable it may be, so should our hearts seek to climb out of the miry pit of fear and discouragement and make God’s relentless love and grace our dwelling place.

As the eagle does not settle in the damp forest, so should our hearts seek to climb out of the miry pit of fear and discouragement and make God’s relentless love and grace our dwelling place. @AJC #MondayEncouragement
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But we cannot do it if we fix our eyes on the news. Nor can we live in peace if we refuse to get up from the seeming hopelessness of our situation.

Disappointment, pain and fear are inevitable and there will be moments when the tears will flow, and sadness or fear will threaten to settle in our hearts. But our prolonged response can determine whether these joy killers will rule our lives.

Indeed, refuting lingering discouragement is as much a deliberate step as the eagle’s flight. Just as the eagle refuses to stay in the forest, we must choose to refuse to become consumed by the weight of our circumstances. Instead, as Moses did, we must remind our hearts of God’s faithfulness in the past and assert our trust of His presence in our future.

May we learn from Moses and the eagle and deliberately choose to soar to the Rock of Ages – the only place where the peace that surpasses all understanding reigns and our hearts find unwavering rest.

We must choose to refuse to become consumed by the weight of our circumstances. Instead, let us remind our hearts of God’s faithfulness in the past and assert our trust of His presence in our future.
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This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday, August 28, 2021. Click HERE to read it on the AJC’s website.

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LINKUP is open! This week, I share another eagle story on my latest @AJC column, highlighting the importance of where we anchor our hearts when dealing with hardships. Joins us & share your blog!
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The post Refuse to Give in to Discouragement and Fear {Recharge Wednesday – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

He climbed the mountain of Nebo beside the plains of Moab. His tired feet and aging body, straining at each step. I imagine the proximity of the Promised Land was the fuel that propelled him to move forward to the top of the mountain after 40 years of wandering and waiting.

“Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.” Book of Deuteronomy, chapter 34.

Moses would never taste the sweetness of the land “flowing with milk and honey.” His eyes would only see if from a distance. God would give him that.

“And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab,” the Bible says.

I’ll be honest. I had a problem with this passage of Scripture for a long time.

I know, I know! Moses messed up. In the book of Numbers, we read about his disobedience concerning God’s instructions to speak to the rock instead of striking it to bring forth water to the Jews in the wilderness.

But, man! Talk about harsh punishment (or so I thought)! After all, the man led the Israelites out of Egypt and turned a crowd of slaves into a nation. And not just any nation — God’s own chosen people!

Moses delivered God’s commandments and later was used to write His laws.

He put up with the unbelieving, rebellious crowd, leading them and repeatedly interceding on their behalf when God vowed to bring forth judgment.

Yet, a seemingly small mistake stopped him just a few miles from the borders of the Promised Land.

I finished a study on the book of Deuteronomy thinking about the death of Moses. On that same day, a godly friend lost his battle with cancer.

People from all over the world had prayed fervently for his healing, but the miracle never came. That morning, as I read about Moses’ passing, I could not help but think about the strong faith and unwavering trust in God that both Moses and my friend held close to their hearts until the very end.

As I prayed for the family, puzzled by the seeming unfairness of it all, a passage in the book of Isaiah rang loudly in my spirit:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Prophet Isaiah, chapter 55.

While meditating on these verses, God reminded me that His promises and covenant to his children are not limited to this life. Even though his ways are often inscrutable, His goodness and grace are not.

God's promises and covenant to his children are not limited to this life. Even though his ways are often inscrutable, His goodness and grace are not. @AJC #MondayThoughts #MondayDevotional #MondayMotivation
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Moses didn’t set foot on the Promised Land because God’s plans for him were better: He took him to the eternal Promised Land of heaven.

There, Moses’ heart would not be broken by rebellious Israel again. There, his aching bones would find complete healing, and his tired soul would finally find true joy and rest. There would be no more pain, no more sorrow.

And as the children of Israel went into battle to conquer the land, Moses was spared. Instead of going through more strife and pain, he embraced his reward.

Oh! What a blessed assurance to wrap around our hearts when a loved one, a child of God, leaves this earth! What a wonderful truth to cling to when death or the troubles of this life make no sense:

That our God is still good, even when the worst happens, and He hears our prayers, even when the healing or deliverance doesn’t come on this side of eternity.

Comfort in the Death of a Loved One {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
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Moses’ eyes may have seen the earthly Promised Land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob only from a distance. His feet never touched it. But as he opened his eyes again, God welcomed him into the true Promised Land.

At a time when we witness so many deaths in America and abroad, and loved ones “lose” life’s battles way too soon, may we remind our hearts that, so long as they were God’s children, they did not lose. They won.

Indeed, God’s love and mercy took them home to the Promised Land of heaven, where there is no sorrow nor pain. And even though we will miss them until the day we die, we can rejoice in the fact that we will see them again.

As we witness so many deaths in America and abroad, and loved ones “lose” life’s battles way too soon, may we remind our hearts that, so long as they were God’s children, they did not lose. They won. God’s love and mercy took them home…
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This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday – May 22, 2021. Click HERE to find it on the AJC’s website.

The post Comfort in the Death of a Loved One {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

“The Supreme Court sided with a California church and declared Gov. Gavin Newsom’s COVID-19 order prohibiting some worship services unconstitutional, UPI reported.”

“The Supreme Court blocked, for now, New York’s restrictions on attendance at religious worship services in the struggle to contain COVID, AP reported.”

The report, published by the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), listed numerous lawsuits and public declarations by government officials and spiritual leaders concerning commercial and religious activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

By reading the news and talking with friends who attend different churches, it is clear that the opinions concerning whether houses of worship should remain open during the pandemic are as divergent as the country’s political views. Indeed, differing positions and arguments amongst believers have brought about a new kind of division inside the church.

Pastor Greg Locke from Tennessee, who chose to keep his church’s doors open during the pandemic, is one of the religious leaders attacking his fellow pastors. He posted a video to his 2 million followers on Facebook urging churches and pastors to “stop being cowards” and open their churches. He preaches that he doesn’t want more division in America. His Twitter feed says otherwise.

But he is not alone. The list of pastors and congregants with diverging, utterly opposite opinions concerning the church’s behavior and influence should give us pause during this crisis.

The list of pastors and congregants with diverging, utterly opposite opinions concerning the church’s behavior and influence should give us pause during this crisis. @AJC #faithoverfear #unitedchurch #pandemic #MondayMotivation
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Arguments among congregants have become heated. Accusations abound, whether outspoken or veiled. The battle is as insidious as it is blinding. It would do the church good if those involved in the fight would open their eyes to the truth: While we battle about whether we should or should not do this or that, the devil is having a heyday.

“Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.”

It would do the church good if those involved in arguments about the pandemic would open their eyes to the truth: While we battle about whether we should or should not do this or that, the devil is having a heyday. @AJC #faithoverfear…
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These words, found in the accounts of three gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), were Jesus’ response to the Pharisee’s accusation that he was casting out demons by the power of Satan. Jesus’ response was specific for the situation, but it’s nevertheless commonsense in a broader context: any kingdom, institution, or house with opposite powers pulling in different directions cannot succeed.

The church’s division grieves my heart, especially at a time when we should be more united than ever.

With a country highly polarized by racial and political issues, this is the moment when we as God’s people should be all the more united to bring healing and hope to those who are hurting. Instead of wasting time and losing our testimony by angrily exposing our views against our spiritual leaders, it would do us good to direct that same passion at serving the weak and reaching the lost.

Instead of wasting time and losing our testimony by angrily exposing our views against our spiritual leaders, it would do us good to direct that same passion at serving the weak and reaching the lost.@AJC #faithoverfear #unitedchurch…
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When directing his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul addressed the pervasive division that threatened the unity of the believers in Corinth: “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”

Paul’s words shout out to the church today. And we should take heed. Therefore, if you are struggling with your spiritual leader’s decisions during this pandemic, rather than creating division and conflict among your fellow congregants, a wise man or woman should know better. We must remember that the congregation’s spiritual leader is accountable to God first for their decisions. If it is the wrong decision, God will hold them responsible, not us. Our job is to pray for those in authority. Period.

We must remember that the congregation’s spiritual leader is accountable to God first for their decisions. If it is the wrong decision, God will hold them responsible, not us.@AJC #faithoverfear #unitedchurch #pandemic #MondayMotivation
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In the meantime, the discomfort about a church’s position may just be the indication that it’s time for you to assemble elsewhere. And that is completely fine. As Scriptures say, we know that “There is an appointed time for everything under Heaven,” and maybe, just maybe, the discomfort in a particular situation is God’s way of saying this is your time to move on to a different pasture.

At a time when our divided, hurting country needs the healing balm of hope, faith, forgiveness, and grace that only God can provide, let us leave all self-righteousness and judgmental mentality behind. Let us show the world that we have what it takes to be the beacon of light God has called us to be.

At a time when our divided, hurting country needs the healing balm of hope, faith, forgiveness, and grace that only God can provide, let us leave all self-righteousness and judgmental mentality behind.@AJC #faithoverfear #unitedchurch…
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This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday, January 30th, 2021. To read it on the AJC’s website, click HERE.

The post Division in the Church During the Pandemic {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

“Your convictions are only as strong as they hold up under pressure.” — Streams in the Desert devotional

Several years ago, our pastor presented the acronym “H.A.L.T.” while preaching about the importance of maintaining a balanced lifestyle and sound mind, especially before making important decisions. The sermon stressed the importance of thinking before acting, especially when people experience extreme Hunger, Anger, Loneliness, or when they are Tired.

I’ve never forgotten the acronym — it has indeed become a valuable tool that I’ve used many times before jumping into action or speaking out of impulse.

Hunger. Anger. Loneliness. Weariness — hundreds of studies have been conducted about the effects of these sensations or emotions in the human body. Whether they impact our physical or emotional well-being, no question conquering them or surrendering to the impulses they generate can be the difference between success or defeat, peace of mind or turmoil.

In the fourth chapter of the gospel of Matthew, we find a perfect illustration of how Jesus overcame temptation at a time of great hunger, loneliness and weariness. In that chapter, Jesus had left Galilee after his baptism in the Jordan River and entered the Judean wilderness, where he stayed for 40 days without food or water in preparation for the onset of his ministry. The same account is in the Gospels of Luke and Mark.

In the fourth chapter of the gospel of Matthew, we find a perfect illustration of how Jesus overcame temptation at a time of great hunger, loneliness and weariness.#MondayMotivation #MondayDevotionals #OvercomingTemptation
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After 40 days, the Gospels tell that Satan appeared to tempt Jesus, offering three things: food, possessions and power. With each statement, the devil tried to lure Jesus into denying and disobeying God, at a time when his body was weak. For each temptation, however, Jesus debunked his enemy by quoting passages in the book of Deuteronomy. As a result, St. Matthew writes that Satan “left him, and angels came to attend him.”

The following chapters of Jesus’ story tell the significance of the wilderness experience. Jesus went back to Galilee, where He started His ministry by selecting His disciples, teaching in synagogues and healing the sick. Wherever He went, His miracles displayed the power that could have freed Him from the wilderness temptations and hardships. And yet, because the wilderness had a purpose and obedience was the only way to fulfill it, He chose the “road less traveled.” His convictions overpowered the temptations and weaknesses every time.

The account of the temptation of Jesus has been widely used by writers and preachers through the ages to teach Christians that Jesus modeled the secret to overcoming our weaknesses: God’s word. I wholeheartedly agree that anchoring our hearts in Scriptures is undoubtedly a way to remain committed to obeying him.

But the truth is, many of us have met people who know the Bible and can quote Scriptures like nobody’s business, and yet, have fallen into deep sin, often wrecking their lives and the lives of people who followed and believed them.

I believe that happens because many people underestimate the power of the flesh, often making bad decisions when they’re too weak to stand firm in their convictions or by getting too close to things that have the power to become strongholds in their lives.

People underestimate the power of the flesh, often making bad decisions when they’re too weak to stand firm in their convictions or by getting too close to things that have the power to become strongholds in their lives.
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We all know our Achilles’ heel. We just often choose to ignore it. As a result, if we are not careful, seemingly innocent situations or choices can become mammoth strongholds, with the power to utterly destroy our lives.

Jesus used God’s word to defeat the Tempter. But beyond that, he knew Satan’s objective: to destroy God’s purpose for His life. His confidence that God had a plan was more compelling than any appetite. He quoted Scriptures because its truths were so ingrained in His heart that nothing would sway Him away from his destiny. Likewise, our unwavering convictions may be the only wall standing between giving in to temptation or remaining committed to obeying and trusting God.

Jesus' confidence that God had a plan was more compelling than any appetite. He quoted Scriptures because its truths were so ingrained in His heart that nothing would sway Him away from his destiny. #MondayMotivation #MondayDevotionals…
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There is no question about it: You will be hungry, angry, lonely or tired at some point. When you are, temptations will knock at your door.

Jesus did not wait until Satan showed up to make up His mind — He was prepared for battle. Likewise, it would be wise to decide ahead of time to “halt” before diving into that which can destroy our lives, lest our convictions crack under pressure.

Jesus did not wait until Satan showed up to make up His mind — He was prepared for battle. #MondayMotivation #MondayDevotionals #OvercomingTemptation
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This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday, October 24, 2020. Click HERE to see it on the AJC’s website.

The post Will Your Convictions Crack Under Pressure {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

These promise-filled words are found in the second part of the Old Testament book of Isaiah, where the restoration and promise of future blessings for Israel through her Messiah were foretold by the great prophet.

Isaiah’s words, particularly chapters 40-66, have been a source of great encouragement for me through the years, mainly because his message focuses on themes that are dear to my heart: forgiveness, restoration and redemption.

“You will be called the repairer of the breach.”

The words of the prophet perfectly describe the heart of a brand-new book, which I recently had the privilege to review: “Mended: Restoring the Hearts of Mothers and Daughters,” by literary agent Blythe Daniel and her mother Dr. Helen McIntosh.

I was introduced to Daniel by a mutual friend when I began searching for an agent for my next project. When I saw the post on social media about her upcoming book, I was immediately drawn to it.

I am very selective when getting involved in the launch of new books or motion pictures, but I must confess: This project has captured my heart. There is a good reason for that. My mother and I are witnesses of the restoring power of forgiveness and grace. We have worked together to become “repairers of the breach” that existed between us for many years, and can certainly testify that, with God’s help, healing and restoration for the mother-daughter relationship can indeed take place.

With God’s help, healing and restoration for the mother-daughter relationship can indeed take place. #ourmendedhearts @BlytheDaniel
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Perhaps there is hardly a more complex female relationship than the bond that exists between mother and daughter. Through the years, I have met many daughters who have strained relationships with their mothers for various reasons, and mothers who constantly hurt their daughters with destructive words and selfish actions. In each case, a chasm grows between them at the same rate as the hole in their hearts. I am yet to meet a truly happy, peaceful woman who lives in constant friction with her mother or daughter. When that relationship suffers, there is usually anger, unforgiveness and emotional damage that spreads to other relationships, often affecting a woman’s psyche in dramatic ways. It’s true. I know it too well.

The message of “Mended” is raw, riveting … and overdue. With candid honesty, McIntosh shares her struggles as a child with an abusive mother and how forgiveness and self-awareness allowed her to break the cycle for the next generation:

“Unforgiveness is toxic for both you and those around you, in addition to the one(s) you aren’t forgiving,” McIntosh writes. “The poison goes deep and wide and impacts future generations if you don’t take care of it in your heart. In the very difficult times with my mother, I remember knowing I needed to forgive her – whether she ever asked my forgiveness or not.”

McIntosh had the type of upbringing that could justify a completely dysfunctional relationship with her daughter Blythe. But she chose the road less traveled and the results show. As New-York Times best-selling author Stasi Eldredge writes in the book’s foreword: “(…) if I want to learn about the relationship between a mother and daughter – the possibilities for healing, the goodness and holiness and intimacy that can be attained – I go to Blythe Daniel and Helen McIntosh.”

I concur. “Mended” is not a psychology textbook. It is a practical guide, filled with ideas on how to initiate the restoration process. It offers mothers and daughters with difficult relationships hope that those relationships can be healed, and the knowledge of how to initiate that healing.

From a daughter whose relationship with her mother was once filled with resentment and pain, to my readers who may find themselves in desperate need of “mending”: There is hope, joy, and incredible peace when you deliberately take steps to bridge the gap that separates you from the most important women in your life. My prayer this Mother’s Day is that, if you are on either side of the chasm, you will have the courage, humility and strength to take the first step toward that bridge. Life is certainly much better on the other side.

Read more about “Mended” and where to order it at www.ourmendedhearts.com.

This article was originally published on Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday, May 11, 2019.

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LINKUP PARTY is open! Today, read my article for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution @AJC about @BlytheDaniel and @HelenBMcIntosh 's awesome new book #Mended - Join us & share your blog!
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The broadcast showed the skiers training for the course on flat ground, while sighted skiers told them when to turn to the right or to the left. Once they mastered the leveled course, they were taken to the slalom slope, where their sighted partners followed beside them, shouting, “Left!” and “Right!” As they obeyed their partners’ commands, they were able to navigate the entire course and cross the finish line, solely depending on the sighted skiers’ directions. Either they would trust those who could see ahead of them, or catastrophe would ensue.

Scriptures are full of stories of men and women who had to blindly trust God for impossible tasks, supernatural deliverance and guidance. The two first books of the Old Testament alone contain many accounts: Think of Abraham leaving his homeland on a journey toward unknown territory, solely trusting God for each step. Or Moses — insecure, stubborn Moses — fully aware of his inadequacy to lead 2 million Jews out of Pharaoh’s grip and toward the Promise Land. The list is long.

I came across a story extracted from the life of Isaac, Abraham’s promised son, who, after his father’s death, settled in Gerar, a Philistine city in today’s Central Israel (Genesis 26). His father had also settled in that same area years before. When Isaac arrived in the territory, he looked for the wells which his father had dug in the past; however, he found them stopped up. In ancient times, stopping a well could be considered an act of war. Isaac could have chosen to rise against the Philistines, but rather chose to tell his herdsman to simply move on and find another well.

When Isaac’s servants started digging in the valley of Gerar, they found a new well of flowing water. The Philistines immediately started quarreling with Isaac’s men, claiming that the well was in their territory. As we read on, more conflict meets Isaac after he peacefully withdraws his men from that site and finds another place with groundwater. As his men start digging the well, the Philistines appear, once more, ready for war: “The water is ours!” they shouted.

Isaac quietly left one more time, but not before naming the two cursed wells: the first one, he called Esek, which means “contention” and the second one, Sitnah, which means “enmity.” He moved yet to a fourth location, where he found more than a well. Isaac finally found peace. He named that well “Rehoboth” — which means broad places, a place of enlargement. He found where he was supposed to be, all along. That very night, God appeared to Isaac and reaffirmed the covenant he had made with his father Abraham — a covenant of protection, provision and eternal blessing.

More than a random narrative thrown in the middle of the story of the genesis of God’s people, this account is packed with principles that should give us pause in the beginning of a new year. So is the skiers’ story.

The blind skiers were able to navigate a most treacherous course, simply because they learned to focus on the voice that told them where to turn. Jacob did the same. He was keenly aware of the obstacles and moved away from each one of them. He read the circumstances, and trusted that the uneasiness he found was an indicator that God had a better place for him.

Uneasiness about a situation is often an indication that you are in the wrong place, or around the wrong people. Trust the still small voice #MondayMotivation #MondayDevotional @AJC
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It may be that you are “digging a well” in a place of constant contention and unrest. Maybe you feel compelled to stay, out of fear of the unknown or simple complacency. It may be time to listen to that still small voice beside you, saying you must move away from dangerous obstacles and roadblocks. Trust it — for I truly believe God has a Rehoboth for each of us, where our souls find rest and his voice is ever clear, but we will not find it until we peacefully move away from Esek, the place of contention and unrest.

This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal Constitution on Saturday, January 19, 2019.

It may be time to listen to that still small voice beside you, saying you must move away from dangerous obstacles and roadblocks. Trust it. God has a broader place for you. #MondayDevotional #MondayMotivation @AJC
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The post Trust that Still Small Voice {The Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

I watched the scene from a distance, fully aware that I was invisible to the group of teenagers standing in front of me. It’s amazing how parents disappear whenever teens get together. As an avid observer, I sat back to pay attention to the scene unfolding before me. A group of beautiful girls and dazzled boys conversed animatedly, talking about the day at school, while planning their next big thing.

Two girls stood out. Tall, skinny and blond, every boy and girl in the group seemed hypnotized by their presence. They played with their immaculate hair while talking, showing their perfect, pearly smiles. They are beautiful, and they know it. As my eyes scanned the group, my heart sank while watching some of the other girls shrink as the two popular kids stood out.

And just like that, I was 15 again. The all too familiar weight of comparison and inadequacy flooded my mind, as I imagined their struggle:

“Mom, can I have highlights? I really want to be blond.”

“If only I could get rid of these freckles. I hate them.”

“If only my hair were straight.”

“If only my hair were curly.”

“If only I could lose 10 pounds.”

Ah, the comparison curse! So many of us have been haunted by its ghost during our youth. It’s the ghost that told us we were unworthy, unlovable, unintelligent and ugly. It screamed that we could never measure up, and that the grass was always greener in our friends’ front yard. And even though this ghost certainly haunted teenagers in the ’80s, when we wished to look like Cindy Crawford and be popular like Whitney Houston, this joy-stealer, heart-breaking curse floods our culture more than ever on this social-media driven 21st century.

If you had asked me before today if I had overcome the feelings of insecurity of my youth, I would have quickly replied with a big, fat “yes.”

“I know who I am and I’m happy with myself. Finally.”

But during my time of prayer and reading Scriptures this morning, I realized that this statement is only partially true.

No, I don’t spend my time trying to look or sound like someone else. I am at peace with my red hair and Brazilian accent. I don’t dream of wearing a size 2, nor do I wear painful high-heeled shoes to appear 4 inches taller anymore.

But truth be told, as I thought about the race God has called me to run, I realized that I have allowed the comparison ghost to creep in again. Rather than haunting me to feel unworthy or ugly, it plays with grown-up fears these days. Maybe you can relate:

“If only I could write/speak/sing/cook like she does.”

“If only I had her job.”

“If only I had his money.”

“If only my marriage were like theirs.”

“If only I were not alone.”

If only.

There’s a vast difference between desiring to be married, grow in our profession, look our best or do our very best … and trying to run someone else’s race.
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On one hand, we keep focus on what God has called us to do, at this moment in time and plan for the future as God shows us the next steps. We welcome ideas and even ask for advice, nevertheless remembering that, just as our fingerprints are exclusive, so is the race God sets before each individual.

Conversely, we can become so enamored by someone else’s accomplishments that we start applying their “success formula,” without stopping to pray to find out if it is right for us. All the while, I imagine God lovingly waiting on us to ask: “Father, is this right … for ME?”

Sometimes I just have to be reminded that when God made me, He broke the mold. There has never been, nor will there ever be someone just like me. Or just like you.
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We are fearfully and wonderfully made for an exclusive, divine plan that cannot be compared to anyone else’s.

May we focus on running our unique race, lest we miss our destination for being distracted with someone else’s journey.

This article was originally published on Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal Constitution on Saturday –  September 15th, 2018.

The post Don ‘t Try to Run Someone Else’s Race {The Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

The incident happened during one of my church’s recent choir rehearsals, and it made me think about the importance and misunderstood beauty of life’s pauses … and even God’s silence.

There is no music in rests, but they are a crucial part of any song. Any musician knows it: Composers create the rests in music as an intrinsic and valuable part of each piece. By adding dramatic pauses, great composers elevate the quality of any masterpiece. No, there is indeed no music in a rest, but it nevertheless creates music; therefore, when performers slur over or omit the designed pauses in a music score, they crush the melody as it was intended by its creator.

Everyone experiences times when life’s music is broken off by a long “rest.” Times of waiting. Times when it seems like nothing is happening. Times when it feels like God has forgotten us.

To me, personally, when it comes to life’s “rests,” I am naturally tempted to act as that one individual who lifts up her voice when the music is supposed to come to a pause.

“Hurry up, already.”

“Why is nothing happening?”

“Let me do something!”

“Oops, my bad. I should have paused.”

Yes — I have hurried up the music and sped up the tempo many times before. I have been impatient and dismayed at life’s rests. Through the years, however, I have become increasingly aware of God’s hand during those periods of seeming nothingness. We may not understand the silence nor see the growth, but He is nonetheless at work.

Farmers also know this concept. They prepare the soil, plant the seeds, and look at their bare fields for weeks or months, before spotting the first sprouts. They know it’s time for earth to do the growth. It’s time to rest in the assurance that the harvest will come. You will certainly never see a farmer dig up the seed to make sure it is growing properly. They know better — it is!

Patience and trust. Farmers know the concept too well. We must learn from them and not meddle when God calls us to simply wait and trust, and understand that God’s silence does not mean He is not near.

Late British evangelist and author Dr. George Campbell Morgan said it best: “Waiting for God is not laziness. Waiting for God is not going to sleep. Waiting for God is not the abandonment of effort. Waiting for God means, first, activity under command; second, readiness for any new command that may come; third, the ability to do nothing until the command is given.”

In our impatience and pride, we often think nothing is happening unless we are doing something. And so, we speed up the tempo, fail to pause before speaking, or get our hands moving when we are called to be still.
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As we do so, we fail to understand that God designed the “rest” for a reason. It’s not our turn to do anything. Yet we must remember that the music is not over. He is still holding the baton and knows when to call us to sing again. And sometimes, wonder of wonders! Those dreadful “rests” come just before the climax of life’s music score.

This article was originally published in Patricia’s Column for The Atlanta Journal Constitution on Saturday – May 26, 2018.

The post The Waiting Game – NOT Your Turn {The Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.