Fountains of Life

You Are Here

by

This morning as I’m driving towards the beach about to head out for a surf, I take a moment to pray and then set my intention. I try to do this every time because I have to remind myself not to get too serious, judge myself, or compare myself to others. I’m there for the fun and exercise. 

So as I was breathing and relaxing and preparing to surf, I heard the Lord remind me, “You are here,” and such a peace came upon me. I’m not over “there,” I’m here. I’m not needing to focus on anything else right now except for being with Him right here, right now.

I pictured one of those directories where the map has a big red spot that says, “you are here” and it made me smile. I think He was smiling too, because for me, I find it difficult to stay “right here, right now” in my mind at times and not be pulled away into something else. 

There are so many things that beg for our attention all the time but the Word tells us that “this is the day the Lord has made…rejoice in it.”(Ps.118:24) He hasn’t made tomorrow yet and yesterday (or an hour ago) has already gone. I’m to be mindful of the present moment and rejoice right where I am. 

Surfing causes my lack of mindfulness to surface. Unfortunately it’s a sport that’s very conditional; it varies with the wind, the tide, the swell (or lack thereof) and you can’t just go out and do it if the circumstances aren’t right. Plus I, personally, have a struggle with FOMO (fear of missing out), so when I’m walking out to the beach you sometimes hear, “Oh, you should’ve been here and hour ago!” or “It was better this morning.” Now I’m no longer here about to surf, but now thinking about the past and wishing I was there. 

This doesn’t happen to me just in surfing. I often spend time wishing I was thinner, stronger, could do somethings better, or wished I would have done something better/differently. My mind gets drawn into either the past or the future instead of rejoicing and being happy right where I am. 

But where I am today, right now, right here, is where I am. I’m not in tomorrow, next week, next year or yesterday. I’m right here. I’m to be still and know that He is God in this present moment. (Ps.46:10) Still enough to accept and trust in His goodness right now, and not worry about anything else. (Matt. 6:25-34) 

After having set my intention and hearing those words “you are here,” I felt the Spirit impart to me: “Right here is where you are to be. Whatever ability and agility you have is where you are right now. Whatever weight you are is where you are right now. Don’t look at others or into the future. Be where you are, right now.” 

He loves me right where I am, right now. 

I’m so grateful Father God is able to bring me such peace and comfort when I’m willing to listen. And my dear friend, whatever you’re hoping for or whatever has already happened, He’s right here with you too. Like me, I believe that He’s asking you to look at that directory of your life and find that red spot that says, “you are here,” then be there too, because He loves you where you are right now. 

Everybody Needs a Family

by

Last night Robert and I had a wonderful time at our weekly home group meeting. We always do. It’s a sweet evening of fellowship, food, and Biblical discussions. Most of us have been in this same group for quite some time now and it feels just like a family — and it is.

It’s a church family. And just like any other family, there are all kinds of characters who have different opinions, experiences, social status, and jobs. We don’t always agree on everything, however, we love each other because we’re connected by the blood of Jesus. Each of us has the same Father in heaven, which makes us brothers and sisters. How cool is that? We’re a family.

Everybody needs a family — people to laugh with, cry with, eat with, share thoughts with, pray with, and do life with. A family is there when you need comfort or encouragement, and when you want to celebrate or need to grieve. Of course, people are people and no one is perfect, but learning to accept each other for who they are is part of being a family.

In my younger days I used to like being more independent and thought that leaning on others was a weakness. I believed I could handle things myself and wanted to be strong and self-reliant. Until I couldn’t. 

Life happened and I tried to do it with just Jesus and me but I wasn’t able to. He urged me to ask for help and revealed in His Word that needing others isn’t a weakness but an asset. (1 Thes.5:14; 1 Cor.12:27; Rom.12:10; Heb.12:12) Opening up my heart to others was hard at first and it took some time, but it’s been such a joy doing life with my “family.”

Father God knew what He was doing when He created us and called us His children — everybody needs a family.

I strongly recommend you find a church home if you don’t have one already and join a local family of believers. With many people not living in the same area of their natural family (and perhaps may not want to) a church family is an awesome support system and a place for camaraderie. Get involved and do life with them. And having Jesus in the middle of it makes it even better.

(by Cyndi)

Input Equals Output

by

One of the privileges I have being a musician on a church worship team is knowing what songs will be sung in the services ahead of time. So this past Saturday night I could hardly sleep I was so excited about a new song we were gong to play the next day. The chorus of it replayed in my head over and over all through the night and when I woke up early Sunday morning (even with loosing an hour due to Daylight Savings Time), the song was still in my head! 

And I have to tell you — I’m still hearing it in my head several days later.

Have you ever heard the expression: “Garbage in, garbage out”? This means what we put in to ourselves affects that which comes out of us. I personally believe this principle involves all realms — spiritually, mentally, and physically. Negative input equals a negative output. 

If we’re listening to “garbage” like negative news or unhealthy entertainment, then our thoughts, speech, and actions will reflect that “garbage.” If, however, we fill ourselves with the Word of God, positive music, teachings and influences, then we will communicate faith and life-giving responses to the situations and people around us. 

Now I admit, there are times when I wake up hearing Dancing Queen in my head instead of a worship song. Nobody’s perfect. (I was a big ABBA fan and had many years of putting their songs into my mind.) But what we invest in is what we are established in. 

One of the physical things I try to invest in is getting enough sleep. And what goes into my mind right before bedtime affects my sleep. As a kid I remember watching this horrific movie called Soylent Green (1973) and I didn’t sleep well for weeks after that! (What’s worse is it supposedly took place in 2022!) This made a huge impression on me (I’ve never forgotten the ending) and is probably why I don’t like movies like that!

So my dear friend, whatever we’re putting in to us is contingent to what comes out. It’s pretty simple. Put garbage in, get garbage out. Put wholesome stuff in, get wholesome stuff out. In a nutshell: input equals output. 

Philippians 4:8 — Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things. 

Find a Way to Grow

by

 I saw this small weed popping out of a tiny little hole in a shell and thought, “This plant found a way to get into the sun and flourish even under complicated conditions. It found a way to thrive.” 

Life comes with ups and downs, trials and triumphs just as Jesus told us it would. (Jn.16:33) Peter tells us to not be surprised by these challenges (1 Pet.4:12) and James tells us to rejoice in these times (James 1:2). Romans 5 even shows us the process: trials lead to patience, which lead to experience, which lead to hope, which leads to the love of God being shown to others. 

Which leads me to this question — are we growing in the midst of our trials? Are we pushing through, looking for that tiny hole to emerge from?

Experiencing difficult situations are an opportunity to see what’s in our hearts, what we really believe. If our faith isn’t tested, is it really faith? How can we say we truly “have faith” or believe in something if there’s not some form of assessment or verification? I believe if we take the posture of a learner and desire to grow in every circumstance, we will. 

Years ago, freshly on the mission field in a small little town where the electricity wasn’t always on, having to wash my lettuce in bleach three times before eating it, and trying to learn a new language, I distinctly remember looking out our back window one day at the clothes hanging on the line as I washed dished. Feeling a bit discouraged at that moment and tired of this new lifestyle of living for Jesus, I pondered: “Do I really believe all of this?” ‘All of this’ being everything I’d believed about God and the Gospel. “What was I doing here and why? Was it all true or just something I’ve assumed for years?”

This was a huge test for me. 

Fortunately, God revealed Himself and His love to me as I sought Him out. The trials I was experiencing led to hope and eventually a true peace and firm confidence in my God, Who He was, and why I was there. I’d found my tiny hole in the shell. I grew. My faith grew. And my love for God and others grew. 

Yes, it’s uncomfortable. Yes, there are tears sometimes. Yes, there may be losses, failures, and misunderstandings. But there’s also an occasion to develop and sprout. Find a way to get into the “Son” — read the Word, fellowship with others, meditate, journal, get counsel, repent, forgive. 

Seek growth. Embrace the difficult challenges as opportunities. Lean on His love and emerge stronger in the power of His might. (Eph.6:10)

By Cyndi

Beached

by

Last week as I was walking along the beach, there was a sailboat leaning
over on its side upon the dry sand. Close by, an anchor was lying on the ground, still attached to its poor owner, “Zing” from Virginia Beach. “Oh, my!” I thought. “This boat is quite far from where it’s supposed to be.”

It’s possible that this sailboat may have been traveling offshore and wasn’t that far from my beach, but the bigger dilemma was that boats are supposed to be in the water, not up on the shore!

As I gazed and photographed poor Zing, the Lord gently reminded me how similar I can be to this sailboat. There have been times when I, too, was far from where I was supposed to be — beached and out of place. I didn’t feel I was in God’s will, yet I was stuck — unable (or unwilling) to move. 

There are two ways to be beached: physically, like in a job or a certain situation; and mentally, in our minds and beliefs. I personally tend to get stuck mentally. I lose focus of the path God put before me, or I get easily distracted by other things, and the next thing I know, I’m sitting high and dry out of the water.

Boats are made to be in the water. Having grown up sailing with my family, sailboats glide through the water effortlessly when the sails are set well. Harnessing the wind only, there’s a simple flow in their movements. It feels natural — the vessel is doing what it was made to do. 

If we’re not doing what God made us to do, it usually feels unnatural or out of place. Not that we won’t have some unusual things to go through on our “God path,” but when we’re in His will, there’s usually grace for the experience. If we’re not, we feel like a beached sailboat.

Poor Zing has been beached here in Atlantic Beach for over a week now. She’s been moved around a little with the tides coming in, but still not where she’s supposed to be. No one has pulled her back into the deep water nor taken her away for repairs. Fortunately for us, God doesn’t leave us grounded like Zing. Isaiah 58:9 tells us that when you call on Him, He will say, “Here I am.” Father God is always near to us, to rescue us, help us, and bring us back to where we belong.

If you’re feeling stuck or beached or just out of place, call upon the Lord. He will answer you. He will never leave you beached and alone. He has a course laid out for you (Jer. 29:11) and He’s happy to pull you back to where you’re supposed to be.