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Have you ever skimmed over a scripture because you've read it a thousand times? I hate to admit it, but I do it all the time. I don't mean to, but my brain will be like, "I know what it says." Here is what happened a few days ago when I tried to skim over a verse. The verse was Romans 8:28. I read: And we know that all things work for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. I felt God say, "read it again". And we know that all things work for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. No change God, it says the same thing I read the first time...what's your point? "SLOW DOWN and read it again!" And we know that in all things God work for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Wait...who is doing the work? It doesn't say "Shannon is doing the work". It says GOD WORKS for the good. Then He had me re-read Philippians 2:13. For it is God who works in me to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose. Again...who is supposed to be working? Not me! God reminded me to GET OUT OF THE WAY! He is working in His own way and in His perfect timing. This seems to be a reoccuring theme in my life. I get in God's way of what He is trying to do. I spent some much needed time with Him surrendering all the things I was trying to fix, control, or do for Him. My list got pretty long, but I laid it all at the foot of the cross. I am trusting His word and that He is working. I haven't seen any change in my circumstances, but I do feel a peace when I pray about them. I am resting in God and His perfect plan. Take a moment and read Romans 8:28 again. Do you see yourself trying to do it all or do you see God working? Spend some time with Him and surrender all you are trying to do. Let His peace invade you and what you are working at. Give EVERYTHING over to Him. He is working in way you can't even imagine. 
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I am in awe of how God works. Yesterday was a tough day for me. I had set aside time to work on writing and I didn't feel very inspired. I spent some time looking through a folder I have with ideas for future writings. I found a completed blog I had never posted. The amazing thing was the content of it addressed just what I was feeling that very moment. God used my own words to minister to my heart. I hope He will do that for one of you! Written in 2021 As I was scrolling through Facebook, I came across a picture that was posted by a friend from high school. It took me to my knees and opened my eyes to what emotions I was choosing to live in each day. You see, discouragement had set into my heart. Discouraged about choices my family members were making. I didn’t understand what they were doing. I was frustrated and angry with how it was affecting my life. I was choosing to dwell on the discouragement. That discouragement led to insecurities filling my head. I didn’t understand why things I thought God wanted me to do were on hold. Why was He not opening doors to make things happen? These insecurities were filling me with the feeling that I should just give up. I was choosing to sit in my uncertainties. My discouragement and insecurities were bringing me down. I felt stuck and didn’t know what to do. So I went to Facebook and started scrolling. That is when I saw this quote from Amber Housley.  I sat and read it over and over again. I had a choice to make. Was I going to sit in my discouragement or was I going
to change my choices? I wanted to feel blessed. I wanted to feel grateful. I wanted to be happy. I couldn’t be any of these things if I was focusing on the negative things in my life. So today, I am going to choose JOY! Nehemiah 8:10b says “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” When I choose to look at the blessings, I will feel grateful. When I choose to be excited to see what God is going to do next, will be thankful. When I choose to be happy I will choose the joy of the Lord over the discouragement in my heart. I am choosing to walk in His strength to fight the battles of my feelings. I hope that you will join me in Choosing Joy! Dear Lord, There are days that I don’t feel joyful. Days that I struggle with insecurities, doubt, frustration, and discouragement. I don’t want to allow these feelings to rule my day. So today I choose to feel blessed in the midst of my discouragement. I choose to feel grateful in the midst of my insecurities. I choose to feel thankful in the midst of my doubts. I choose to e happy in the midst of my frustration. I choose Your joy and thank You for the strength it gives me. Amen I have the privilege of being part of an online Christian Community Group. Last week the Armor Up Women were reminding us to be Battle Ready. As I was reflecting on what this means, God gave me an amazing visual that I just had to share with you. I walk early in the morning, when very few people are awake. One day last week there was a car on the side of the road with the lights on. As I passed by, I saw my shadow leap out in front of me. Its image was bold, reflecting a long way down the street. As I continued walking, my shadow got smaller and less distinct. God used this to show me what walking closely with Him does to the world around me. As I walk close to Him, my shadow (God’s light) is bold and reaches far. The farther I move away from Him, the less likely I am to reflect Him to others. God wants me to be battle ready by spending time with Him daily. Not just the quick check off the box devotion. He wants me to invite Him into every moment of my day. God is filling me with His light. And He is using His light to do battle for the people around me, battles I might not even be aware of happening. The challenge is on! Are you going to get battle ready for your family? Your friends? Your community? Take up this challenge by lifting the Sword of the Spirit (God’s word) and spend time with the author. When you do, “His light will shine out of the darkness”.  God Promises Peace Peace...for so many of us...it can feel non-existent.
Right now, it feels like there is little peace in my house. It is not because we aren't getting along, it is because ALL of my boys seem to be walking through difficult circumstances. My Mama's heart is hurting so much right now. As I was crying out to God, He led me to Haggai 2:9. This verse became a breath of fresh air as I researched and meditated on it. It is the promise of peace (shalom). It is talking about the absence of conflict but also wholeness, prosperity, and well-being. This is what God is going to do. This is His promise for each of my boys. Not only will he grant them peace, but He is going to use them to bring Him glory in a mighty way. TRUST and REST in HIM! That is the direction I am getting from Him. His promises never fail. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. So for all you who are struggling with life right now. God is promising you that He will grant you peace. His glory will be revealed in a way greater than you can imagine through your situation. It is coming. Trust in His promise and keep your eyes on Him.  Who knew saying “YES” to join a group of ladies from the Armor Up Study in a 21 day fast would reignite a dream God had laid on my heart in 2021. I wanted to be careful with this fast. I didn’t want it to be about what I was fasting from, but what God wanted to show me. One lady in the group provided us with scripture to read and pray over every day. I would spend time meditating on the scripture and journaling what I sensed God was teaching me. This time became very special to me as I really felt I was drawing closer to God.
Then day 4 hit. Yes…only 4 days into this journey and God hit me between the eyes with what He wanted me to do.The scripture was Acts 1:8 (NIV) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The prayer prompt was to pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In my prayer time, I cried out to the Holy Spirit with the uncertainty I was feeling. I was feeling lost and unsure of the direction He wanted me to go: ministries I was involved with, the church plant I was a part of, family direction to down size or not. My mind was overwhelmed with all that was running through it. I laid all these things on the altar and asked the Holy Spirit to guide me on what to do. Suddenly I thought about a book proposal I had submitted to a publishing agent in 2021. It had gone nowhere and I believed that the door was closed. So why was I thinking about this now? Then I remembered Amber (United House Publishing) was looking for new writers. My heart started pounding and I asked the Holy Spirit, “Are you sure you want me to go down this road?” The Holy Spirit answered by shifting my eyes to a book I was reading, “I'll Say Yes” by Amber Olafsson. All the stories she had shared about saying YES to the Holy Spirit came to mind. Now it was my turn. I knew what the Holy Spirit was telling me to do…contact Amber. Yet the enemy started giving me all the reasons why I shouldn’t. I had a choice...and before the enemy could say anything else, I picked up my phone and texted Amber. I said YES to submitting a book proposal. And today, as I started typing my testimony of listening to God, I received an email from United House Publishing that they want to partner with me to bring my book to life. I can tell you I am excited and nervous at the same time. But I know that when I listen to what God is telling me to do, He is with me and will guide me every step of the way. Do you know how God speaks to you? Do you want to? Join the Armor Up Women for a virtual conference on March 17 and 18, 2025. 7:00 -8:30 pm. Hear His voice & discover the art of hearing God clearly in everyday life. What you can expect:
TAKE QUIZ HERE: QUIZ REGISTER HERE: REGISTER When I first started Pause with God, I had a pressure on my heart to bring people closer to God and to share my life with them. During the end of 2020 and 2021…we Journeyed to the Manger...we Journeyed the Cross...we had quick moments to help refresh us in the busyness of our lives. Together, we took time to Pause with God.
Then I stopped. I told myself I was taking a quick break and would start back up in the Spring of 2022. I mean even Jesus took a break when He needed to refresh himself. But I didn’t start back up. I have no excuse except to say that I allowed Satan to defeat me. When I started this ministry, I was on fire and excited to see all that God was going to do. I was diving into God’s word and I was using his armor to protect me. Satan knew he couldn’t get to me…so he got to my family, causing us a season of turmoil and struggles I had no control over. Difficult life circumstances seemed to be around every corner. Circumstances that left me feeling empty, uncertain, and unqualified for what God had called me to do. How could I serve God when I couldn’t keep my own life and family together? I put Pause with God on hold. When I did this, I didn’t think it would be over a year and a half. But as I said, I allowed Satan to convince me that I didn’t have the time, the knowledge, or the strength to represent God in such a public manner. During this season, I didn’t pull away from God but continued to run to him. Resting in him moment by moment. And during this time, God wouldn’t stop tapping me on the shoulder. He wouldn’t stop laying all of you on my heart and giving me a desire to share His heart with you. Telling me that my struggles and circumstances are not unique to me. Over and over I sensed him telling me to start again. That he wanted me to share this journey he had me on. I tried ignoring it…but you know how persistent God can be when He wants you to do something. So I am back and I invite you to walk this journey with me. A journey where I am learning to walk in the overflow of Christ instead of the struggles in my world. I hope you will join me as we take a moment to Pause with God.  It’s here...December 1st...the start of the Christmas Season. Decorations are up. Christmas music is playing in every store and on every radio station. People are out sharing good cheer and buying presents. There is an extra sense of joy in the air. But what if you don’t feel that joy? What if you are struggling this Christmas season? Maybe you are unable to get together with the ones you love. Or you have health issues that are causing you worry and concern. Maybe money is tight and you have no idea where the money will come to buy the Christmas presents. Or maybe you are just uncertain what this Christmas season will bring.
Let me tell you dear friends, you are not alone. Right now I am struggling with feeling the joy of Christmas. I am usually so excited about the Christmas season, but this year I am not. As I sit and reflect why, I realize that I am focusing on the worldly things about Christmas. Wondering who will be sitting at my table on Christmas day? Struggling with what to buy for people, because it has become a ritual of the season. Worrying about the everyday details for life. In this reflection, I realize that I have taken my eyes off the real reason for Christmas. The birth of Jesus Christ. I have allowed the worldly things to crowd out my joy of Jesus’s birth. I have chosen to focus on my struggles and not the joy that Jesus’s birth brings. I want to change my mindset. No, I NEED to change my mindset. I need to choose the joy of the season, not the stress. So how do I do this? First, I need to find a daily Advent or Christmas reading. Something that will get me into scripture to remind me of the Christmas story. I need to spend time seeking God’s words to fill me with all the beautiful details He put in place to show me how much He loved me. Next I need to spend time in prayer asking God to return to me the joy of His birth. Then, I need to choose to fill my day with Christ focused Christmas songs. Songs that point to Christ's birth. Finally, I need to be real with my friends. I need to tell them my struggles so they can pray for me. This isn’t easy for me, but I know that when I do, it will help my journey to joy begin. For all my friends who are struggling this holiday season. I hope you will choose to change your mindset and choose to focus on the joy the birth of Christ brings. I know that some days will be easier than others. But today, at this moment, let’s all choose the joy of Christ. And together we will be filled with the joy of the birth of Christ. Dear Lord, we acknowledge that we are struggling this Christmas season. We know that Christmas is not about the decorations, gifts, and stuff. Help us to refocus our eyes on the true meaning of Christmas...your birth. Help us to find time to meet with You and walk the journey of your birth. Help us to surround ourselves with music and people that help to point to reason for the season...You. Help us be real with our friends so they can pray for us. Lord, help us to choose the joy of You today, tomorrow, and every day. We know that we will have good and bad days. On those bad days, give us an extra measure of You so that we will continue to choose the joy of your birth...the joy of YOU. Amen.  Why does life seem so up and down? So emotional? So uncertain? Why are my paths so curvy?
Flash back with me to the end of July. “Trust in the Lord.” I am clinging to these words right now as I wait. You see, I am waiting to hear if my son’s Covid test is positive. My mind is spinning as I think about the ramifications of a positive test. Conner is supposed to report to Newberry College Football practice in 11 days. Could a positive test delay that? He is an incoming freshman. You know he wants to be there the first day. A positive test also means that Chris and I need to get tested. Oh...I don’t even want to go there. We would need to close the office if one of us has a positive test. Office not open, no money coming in. What about our employees? How will we pay our bills? Being a small business owner has been very tough lately. So, I sit here reading the first part of Proverbs 3:5-6; “Trust in the Lord.” But nothing makes sense. What if...NO...don’t go there! I need to trust in the Lord. If I don’t, I will be consumed with stress and worry. Maybe I better read the rest of the verses. “Lean not on your own understanding.” My understanding is limited and can be very narrow. The Lord sees the whole picture and His perfect plan. A positive test may be needed for His perfect plan to be played out. I may not understand why things happen, but God does and He will use them for His good and glory. “In all your ways submit to him.” I’m doing that...right? ALL MY WAYS? I am not so sure. Am I going to God with all the little things in my life before I make a decision? Am I looking to Him as I plan out my meals or online shop? What about choosing what TV shows to watch or the books I read. Submitting to Him in all these things that I think are little, can stop a bad thing from building up and getting big. Some of these are just little everyday things. What about the harder, emotional stuff? Am I submitting my emotions to Him? “And He will make your paths straight.” Now it is God’s time to shine. He is going to make my paths straight...but only after I “Trust in Him”, “Lean not on my own understanding”, and “Submit all my ways to Him”. Yes, the test was negative. No, we did not have to close the office down. Yes, Conner reported to college on time and is doing great. So that is the end. Right? Not really. Fast forward to today...I am clinging to this verse again. Waiting for God to make my paths straight. I NEED Him to do His part. But then I realize that I am not doing my part? I am not trusting Him with the struggles I am facing today. I am leaning on my own understanding; trying to fix things on my own. I am not submitting everything to Him. I have frustrations, anger, and bitterness building inside me. He wants me to give these difficult things to Him, instead of burying them. I am resting in my own strength to get through each day. I am allowing life to pull me away from the one person that can make my paths straight. What about you? Are you trusting in God with all your heart? Do you trust the plan He has or are you leaning on your own understanding? Do you acknowledge Him with all things, or just the simple things? Do you have areas of frustration, bitterness, or anger you need to give to God? Do you desire to have your paths made straight? Notice I didn’t say, “Do you desire to make your paths straight” because we can't do this on our own. We need God to make our paths straight. That is His job, but we have to do our part too. And that isn’t always easy. If you feel this way, join me in this prayer: Lord, right now I am struggling with many things. I want to trust You, but I find myself trying to figure things out on my own. I acknowledge that You know best. I know that You want me to bring everything to You and place it at Your feet, trusting in Your outcome...not my own. Help me Lord to trust in You. Help me to lean on your understanding, not my own. Help me to acknowledge You in all areas of my life...even the ones I am not sure I want to acknowledge. And help me wait on You to make my paths straight. I love you Lord, Amen. Please comment or like if you would like me to pray for you do your part so God can make your paths straight.  Have you ever felt empty? Like you have given everything you have and it isn’t enough. You have sacrificed, shared God’s love, set the example of how to honor Him; only to see the people around you fall farther away from Him. You ask yourself, “What more can I do?” Then you realize you are so empty, you just want to give up. You are tired of trying. Tired of giving. Tired of everything. I’ve walked this road more times than I care to count. I’ve been ready to quit and just let everyone fend for themselves. I don’t see that I am making a difference, so why should I bother?
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV) When I get like this, I am sitting right where Satan, my enemy, wants me. He doesn’t want me to try. He wants me to give up. To stop fighting for God and just let everyone fend for themselves. He has devoured my motivation and love for giving to others and I need to stop him. I realized that when I get to this point I have two choices: I can give up, waiting to see what will happen to the people around me, wallowing in my fatigue. Or I can turn to the God who is able to fill me up when I feel empty. In Matthew 11:8 (NIV), Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Jesus will give me the rest I need. He will fill up the empty places. I know that He can do this, but sometimes I wonder how He will fill me up when I feel so empty. You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1 (NIV) When I feel empty and tired, I need to earnestly seek God/Jesus. I need to spend time in His word. Time in prayer talking to Him. Time listening to music that speaks to my heart. I need to do this morning, noon, and night. Even if it is for five minutes at a time. I need to flood my life and heart with God’s word. When I do this, I know that God will renew me. Psalm 51:10 (NIV) says Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. If you are feeling empty, tired, overwhelmed. Come to Jesus. Earnestly seek Him. He will give you the rest you need. He will renew you, filling you up to continue to love and serve those around you. If you are feeling empty, take a moment to pray the prayer below. Dear Lord, help me right now. I feel empty and have no desire to serve those people around me. Help me to earnestly seek you, because I know when I do, you will fill me up. Thank you for wanting me to come to you when I feel empty and tired. Thank you for giving me the rest I need. Amen  It happened this weekend. My husband and I became empty nesters as we took our youngest son to college. I promised my son I would not be that helicopter mom that hovers over him and sends multiple text messages (or phone calls) a day. But it hasn’t been easy. I find myself thinking of his football schedule and wondering how he is doing. Breakfast is at 7:30 am...I hope he is awake and on his way. Meeting starts at 3:00 pm...did he find the room? I can’t seem to shut my brain off. I know he is an adult and this is his time to grow. But...what if he needs something? Will he call me? Will he text? When will I hear from him? I am making myself crazy thinking about it.
Searching scripture, I found Deuteronomy 2:7; The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything. Deuteronomy 2:7 (NIV) I feel like I am in a wilderness. Not only did I drop my youngest off at school, but I had one son moved to Arizona and the other 2 sons are on vacation. I have children everywhere but here. I feel lost and uncertain in this new wilderness that is called empty nesting. As I meditate on Deuteronomy, I see that God watched over the Israelites for 40 years as they were in the desert. God is watching over me in this new season of my life. I also know that He is watching over my boys no matter where they are. He knows that one is looking for a job, while another is trying to figure out this new college life. He knows that one is traveling to see relatives he hasn’t seen in years, while the other is traveling to another country on an adventure. God knows. He sees. Not only does He know and see everything going on, but He will provide for our every need. Deuteronomy says that the Israelites lacked for nothing. God provided for all their needs. This gives me the reassurance that He will provide for all the needs I have. He will provide for the needs of each of my boys. His provision will be better than I can even imagine. You see, God had a promise land in mind for the Israelites. And He has one for me. He has a promise land for each of my boys. We won’t always be in the wilderness. He will bring us through. I don’t know what wilderness you find yourself in right now. Maybe you are in a medical wilderness. Or a financial wilderness. Or an emotional wilderness. Remember that God was with the Israelites in their wilderness and He is with you. Give this season over to Him, trusting that He is with you and will provide for your every need. Walk with Him and He will lead you to the land He has promised you. Dear Lord, thank you for walking with us in the wilderness. We trust that you will always be with us and will provide for our every need. As we walk, may we see your goodness and love holding us each day. May we trust that you will bring us out of the wilderness to the promise land you have called us to. Amen |