Busy is a common term that we use or hear frequently as life's demands take over our time. There are the must-dos that we can't avoid. There are also the destructions that we don't really need on our table but are on the table. And we should respond to the demands of life as deemed necessary. As the demands increase, our time will be tight and that's when we usually utter the phrase "I am busy".
As a full-time employee, a husband, and a father of three boys, my schedule has changed dramatically with in the last 7 years as my family grew up progressively. Can't say "Yes" to everything. I have my have-to-dos. My wife also has a honey to-do-list for me:). The kiddos wait for me at the door as I come from work and they have their to-do-list that they need Daddy to be a part of. I only have time for the high priorities; family, church/ministry, my personal devotion with God and my job in no particular order. There is this sense of fulfillment as I try to accomplish all of these every day. However, I have found out a very important element that could make a huge difference in everyday life.
Take a break! Take a nap! Take a silent time off of life! Rest! Be still! Be calm!
It's only when we take a break that our internal strength is released. It is that time of silence that nourishes our being. I believe it is also God's favorite moment when his kids rest their bodies and look up with their spiritual eyes. Busyness rips us off of life's very important treasures if improperly managed.
As we all lead busy lives, it is imperative that we come in contact with our inner desires and fulfill them. I tend to pay attention for that call from my inner being in all the busyness. Nothing like responding to that call because I come in contact with a Spiritual being that feeds/refreshes my life and positions me to be on the winner side.
Complaint, murmur, unsettlement, and dissatisfaction are all signs that somebody needs a break. Aside from the to-do lists, a positive attitude is a detrimental matter and a direct reflection of one's inner condition. We can keep a positive attitude if we draw energy from the unseen but yet discernible and indwelling Spirit.
All what I am saying is rest your body and rest in God. There is a direct correlation between these two. The more your body is rested properly, the more effective you become in presenting your being to the Holy God. A tired body is usually cranky and even the prayer is short and most probably filled with me...me...me requests.
In conclusion, I believe life is lived from the inside out. What we do on the outside is a reflection of an internal intuition or sense. The more we take time to discern the inner spiritual reality, the more fulfilling our lives would be! How can you know that God is on your side when life throws darts at you? Take a break, calm down and see with your spiritual eyes. You will find him enthroned on His everlasting throne, holding you with His everlasting arms and delighting over you with singing!
God bless you today!
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Friday, June 3, 2011
Crossroad
What do you do when you feel like you are at a crossroad?
Life is full of adventures and especially life with God is never predictable. The fact of the matter is that when God has the wheel and driving our life, we go where he wants and not necessarily where we want to go. The biggest enemy in the process is SELF. That is why Jesus told these words to his followers in Luke 9:23; "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, and take up His cross DAILY and follow me.".
I am learning in my life that hearing God's voice and knowing his will is never the end point. However, obeying his instructions and doing them is what the Lord expects of us. Obedience is doing the will of God with or without the flesh's consent. Most of the time, SELF says NO and the SPIRIT says YES. How do we win the battle?
Paul in 1 Cor 9:27 talks about buffeting his body; "I beat/buffet my body and make it my slave/servant". Self denial comes in process and the Holy Spirit plays a huge role in it. God pours his grace upon his people to teach them how to deny self. If we pay attention closely, every day is an opportunity to buffet our body and continue living under God's will. Painful? YES!
So, are you at a crossroad? Here is my take: Pray and continue praying until you know His will. By the way, prayer is where self dies most. When we pray and ask God to show us His will, that by itself is an act of surrender and self denial. Quiet your soul and mind. Waiting in prayer and worship is instrumental in quieting the many voices that try to catch our attention. Through waiting, his quiet voice becomes prominent and takes over our heart. Now that we know His will, Obedience is the next step. Following Christ is never promised to be an easy thing. Sometimes we have to make tough choices but He is faithful!
“If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.” Job 36:11
Life is full of adventures and especially life with God is never predictable. The fact of the matter is that when God has the wheel and driving our life, we go where he wants and not necessarily where we want to go. The biggest enemy in the process is SELF. That is why Jesus told these words to his followers in Luke 9:23; "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, and take up His cross DAILY and follow me.".
I am learning in my life that hearing God's voice and knowing his will is never the end point. However, obeying his instructions and doing them is what the Lord expects of us. Obedience is doing the will of God with or without the flesh's consent. Most of the time, SELF says NO and the SPIRIT says YES. How do we win the battle?
Paul in 1 Cor 9:27 talks about buffeting his body; "I beat/buffet my body and make it my slave/servant". Self denial comes in process and the Holy Spirit plays a huge role in it. God pours his grace upon his people to teach them how to deny self. If we pay attention closely, every day is an opportunity to buffet our body and continue living under God's will. Painful? YES!
So, are you at a crossroad? Here is my take: Pray and continue praying until you know His will. By the way, prayer is where self dies most. When we pray and ask God to show us His will, that by itself is an act of surrender and self denial. Quiet your soul and mind. Waiting in prayer and worship is instrumental in quieting the many voices that try to catch our attention. Through waiting, his quiet voice becomes prominent and takes over our heart. Now that we know His will, Obedience is the next step. Following Christ is never promised to be an easy thing. Sometimes we have to make tough choices but He is faithful!
“If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.” Job 36:11
Friday, January 14, 2011
Change - Progressive - Not free
Fundamental things that change your life dramatically:
1. Read/Study your Bible regularly
2. Pray to God continuously
3. Follow Christ wholeheartedly
4. Adore your spouse and children lovingly
5. Love on your friends genuinely
6. Give to the needy generously
7. Do your work diligently
8. Expand your knowledge exhaustively
9. Use your God given gift/talent passionately
10. Talk truthfully
11. Think cleanly
May the Lord help us all live a meaningful life this New Year, 2011!
1. Read/Study your Bible regularly
2. Pray to God continuously
3. Follow Christ wholeheartedly
4. Adore your spouse and children lovingly
5. Love on your friends genuinely
6. Give to the needy generously
7. Do your work diligently
8. Expand your knowledge exhaustively
9. Use your God given gift/talent passionately
10. Talk truthfully
11. Think cleanly
May the Lord help us all live a meaningful life this New Year, 2011!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Highlights of the last decade
It has been 10 years since I came to the U.S. Highlights of each year follows in a nutshell:
2000 - Moved from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Hesston, KS for college education. Excited about the new experience and learned a lot about America in one year
2001 - Life became a little challenging. Was working three part time jobs. Asked God to lift off this burden & specifically asked him for a full scholarship which he did.
2002 - Moved to Goshen, IN. Gave most of my time to ministry at Goshen College. Rewarding experience! A lot of spiritual warfare and victory.
2003 - Graduated from Goshen College and started working a temporary full-time job at the Elkhart Clinic. My first test of full-time job, great experience!
2004 - I saw God working in my life so much. He gave me a vision and the strength to serve him in the midwest region with a group of brothers and sisters
2005 - Started my graduate studies at Indiana University. God opened many doors for ministry. Travelled a lot! Amazing year!
2006 - Got married to my wonderful wife, Melat
2007 - Graduated from IUSB, started looking for jobs. Focused more on my pregnant wife. Learned cooking variety of dishes, wify hated the kitchen:)
2008 - God blessed us with a wonderful son, Lewy, and also a full-time job, life started to change dramatically
2009 - Life was very tough with lots of changes in our life. I started to ask lots of questions, really challenged!
2010 - God blessed us with a second son, Lukas. So grateful! Amazing year for me because my eyes/heart got stuck on the King instead of the temporary things of the world. Learned a lot about life. His word really became my guidance and source of life! I found lots of answers from the Bible.
2011 - Kicked off the new decade by faith and not by sight!!
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." Psalms 23:6
2000 - Moved from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Hesston, KS for college education. Excited about the new experience and learned a lot about America in one year
2001 - Life became a little challenging. Was working three part time jobs. Asked God to lift off this burden & specifically asked him for a full scholarship which he did.
2002 - Moved to Goshen, IN. Gave most of my time to ministry at Goshen College. Rewarding experience! A lot of spiritual warfare and victory.
2003 - Graduated from Goshen College and started working a temporary full-time job at the Elkhart Clinic. My first test of full-time job, great experience!
2004 - I saw God working in my life so much. He gave me a vision and the strength to serve him in the midwest region with a group of brothers and sisters
2005 - Started my graduate studies at Indiana University. God opened many doors for ministry. Travelled a lot! Amazing year!
2006 - Got married to my wonderful wife, Melat
2007 - Graduated from IUSB, started looking for jobs. Focused more on my pregnant wife. Learned cooking variety of dishes, wify hated the kitchen:)
2008 - God blessed us with a wonderful son, Lewy, and also a full-time job, life started to change dramatically
2009 - Life was very tough with lots of changes in our life. I started to ask lots of questions, really challenged!
2010 - God blessed us with a second son, Lukas. So grateful! Amazing year for me because my eyes/heart got stuck on the King instead of the temporary things of the world. Learned a lot about life. His word really became my guidance and source of life! I found lots of answers from the Bible.
2011 - Kicked off the new decade by faith and not by sight!!
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." Psalms 23:6
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Leave it there!
Growing up, life depended more on my parents. They took good care of me and raised me up in such an excellent fashion. I want to be like my parents, they are my heros. Their faith in God and the legacy they carry is astonishing to me and all my siblings. At an early age, they sent me to a boarding school. It was a very hard decision for them to not be able to see their first born every day like they used to. However, they made the decision because they thought the school was the best in Ethiopia. That was the start of an 'independent' life for me. I was not 100% independent but started to think for my self and I can still remember the load weighing on my shoulder little by little (the weight being my education).
I remember praying to God, Lord I want to be the best student in my classes and make my parents happy. He heard those prayers and my family were pleased. I thank God for that. Fast forwarding...Some 15-20 years later, my life is totally different with the weight a little heavier than ever. Now I think about my wife, my two kids, the ministry God bestowed upon my life and also work. Some of the challenges I have, I don't even know how to address them. Life is totally different now.
I learned that as I grow older (not that I am too old), my independence went out the window. I needed to rely on God for my life now and the future. Here are some incredible promises that I ponder about and they keep me going forward:
"I will never leave you nor forsake you"..Hebrews 13:5
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, " plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."...Jer 29:11
"The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him," Nahum 1:7
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5
Incredible promises! I have a refuge, a shelter, solid rock, a hiding place and ofcourse an incredible Father who is trustworthy. I am learning to leave my burdens on him and leave'em there. I don't know how to live life with out him! Money and riches can not be reliable. I remember when the recession was at peak in 2009, a couple of co-workers told me that they lost hundreds of thousands of dollars over night. When the stock market crashed, riches capitalized in years vanished. Everything in life could go away in a second but my God is reliable..He is the first and the last, Alpha and Omega, faithful and wonderful, the same yesterday today and forever, his mercy endures forever. This life can be well lived trusting him than anything else.
Lord help me to rely on you always as long as I live!
Amen!
I remember praying to God, Lord I want to be the best student in my classes and make my parents happy. He heard those prayers and my family were pleased. I thank God for that. Fast forwarding...Some 15-20 years later, my life is totally different with the weight a little heavier than ever. Now I think about my wife, my two kids, the ministry God bestowed upon my life and also work. Some of the challenges I have, I don't even know how to address them. Life is totally different now.
I learned that as I grow older (not that I am too old), my independence went out the window. I needed to rely on God for my life now and the future. Here are some incredible promises that I ponder about and they keep me going forward:
"I will never leave you nor forsake you"..Hebrews 13:5
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, " plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."...Jer 29:11
"The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him," Nahum 1:7
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5
Incredible promises! I have a refuge, a shelter, solid rock, a hiding place and ofcourse an incredible Father who is trustworthy. I am learning to leave my burdens on him and leave'em there. I don't know how to live life with out him! Money and riches can not be reliable. I remember when the recession was at peak in 2009, a couple of co-workers told me that they lost hundreds of thousands of dollars over night. When the stock market crashed, riches capitalized in years vanished. Everything in life could go away in a second but my God is reliable..He is the first and the last, Alpha and Omega, faithful and wonderful, the same yesterday today and forever, his mercy endures forever. This life can be well lived trusting him than anything else.
Lord help me to rely on you always as long as I live!
Amen!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Gratefulness
It is amazing how sometimes I get occupied with what I think is a need in my life. I am learning that most of the things that I 'complained' about in my heart are never needs but just one more thing in my life. Apostle Paul says "As long as we have food and clothes, we should be satisfied." 2010 has been a great year for me just because I have started to be really grateful no matter what. Gratefulness can not be faked. It has to come out of the heart. I am really thankful that God changed my heart not to focus on the things of the earth but on HIM. AMEN!
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