Author Archives

by

Your Promotion

cindigale's avatarCindi Gale

horse, fenced for blog

If there were a camera that could capture near and far views of your lifetime, you could zoom out and see the value of your life experiences. You could examine a time of your life that you were restricted, suffering, or failing, and see how that painful time produced qualities for success later.

We don’t recognize the value of frustration when we’re in it.  The best we can do is trust that God has our best interests in mind. If we stay committed to letting God have our lives for his purposes, we can be sure that he will release us when the time is right.

I can imagine God’s hand holding us back despite our anxiety, impatience, and confusion. He does so to set us up for long-term success. But God doesn’t kill the heart and aspiration to eventually go forward — that drive is needed to surge ahead…

View original post 267 more words

by

Coached to Excel

Consider God’s influence on people’s lives. Consider his influence on YOUR life. Imagine him as a great coach, teacher, or parent. He knows what you’re capable of. He knows what is still uncovered or undeveloped within you. He knows how to coach that potential to excellence and success.

What coach, teacher, or parent wants his capable child or player to aspire to something minimal?  What kind of coach of a gifted athlete says, “Well kid, I’m dreaming big for you. I hope you can get off the bench for at least ten minutes during this season”?

Young Baseball Player Waiting on Sidelines

Great coaches, teachers, and parents are adept at assessing our potential and nurturing it to fullness. God, of course, is perfect at it. He knows our potential; he’s the one who put it in us. He never dreams small for us. He is satisfied when we develop all that we were meant to be. He wants us to succeed in a big way. He’s not satisfied until our capabilities have been drawn out, nurtured, and developed to maturity. He loves seeing you gratified, thriving in the fullness of who you were meant to be.

Until we reach our potential, he cajoles, pushes, disciplines, encourages, and (if we’re stubborn or immobilized by fear) he’ll even push us into situations to show us we can do it. He’s not coaching you to be a benchwarmer—he’s coaching you to excel. It is not a good day when one of his kids is languishing on the sidelines—it’s a good day when one of his kids is peaking in their potential. THAT is what God calls a good day.

Hear the coach’s speech: “You are exceptional. Let me show you what you are capable of; what you haven’t experienced yet. You are a diamond in the rough. You have untapped potential within you. We are going to uncover your abilities, talents, gifts, skills, insights, and more. Let me show you how you can gain mastery, accomplish much, and express your strengths superbly. Raise your expectations to match mine. Don’t settle—think excellence. Form habits of excellence, so I can give you success.”

It’s never too late to change attitudes and habits. Think excellence, let God be your coach, and show the world what you can do. We need your distinctive influence and glorious achievements.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

by

In Awe of Restraint

It has been only three days since the inauguration of the most controversial and divisive U.S. president of our lifetimes. Battles are being waged in homes across America, in every community, and via every screen connected to the Internet. I have no doubt that many of these stances are righteous and approved by God. I also have no doubt many of them are not. Keep in mind: You don’t have to be swept up in division and strife. You can resist what is unrighteous, refuse to be baited, and choose what you will respond to and how. That includes offering no response at all, when that is the right and best thing to do. How can you know what the right response is? When you feel yourself being swept into a side, a war, an act of revenge … restrain yourself and cling to the vine, your Savior, (John 15) and allow only what flows through Him to flow through you.

cindigale's avatarCindi Gale

Dedicated to all those who exercise restraint instead of revenge, and who stand firm during storms of injustice.

The following is an excerpt from “Streams in the Desert” by L.B. Cowman (1925):

Do no take revenge, my friends. (Romans 12:19)

There are times when doing nothing demands much greater strength than taking action. Maintaining composure is often the best evidence of power. Even to the vilest and deadliest of charges, Jesus responded with deep, unbroken silence. His silence was so profound, it caused His accusers and spectators to wonder in awe. To the greatest insults, the most violent treatment, and to mockery that would bring righteous indignation to the feeblest of hearts, He responded with voiceless, confident calmness. Those who are unjustly accused, and mistreated without cause, know the tremendous strength that is necessary to keep silent and to leave revenge to God.

The apostle Paul said, “None of these…

View original post 161 more words

by

River of the Water of Life

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Revelation 22:1

Imagine a dry riverbed. People stand in and near it, waiting. Hoping. Needing. Pleading.

Finally, one day the river fills with pure, clear water. The people are swept from their dry stasis and carried upon its currents.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Photo by julie aagaard on Pexels.com
Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com
Photo by Public Domain Pictures on Pexels.com

These are people who want change. They welcome the power in the river. Even if the force of the water is unfamiliar, and therefore uncomfortable, they still choose it.

The water cleanses, flushes, and fills those who have been powerless to make changes on their own. Some are permanently freed when unwanted traits and habits are flushed by the ethereal water; others’ positions or geographical locations change.

Many are filled where there had been voids within. They finally feel complete. Whole. Right. They are experiencing what they have always believed they should be, or could be. Inner deficiencies are overcome. They no longer lack qualities elusive since birth, or lost in their years of parched deserts.

For these people, life changes suddenly. Altered forever. Changed in the way that life changed for survivors of concentration and POW camps on liberation day — blurred days of lack, sameness, captivity, injustice, disrespect, torture, betrayal, and abuse, all having caused erosion of hope — suddenly ended.

With the arrival of the river comes deliverance, and the past is over. Hope leaps to life, justice yields joy, and lives of abundance and purpose replace lives of lack and insufficiency.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

Ask, and don’t be surprised when you are suddenly affected in one of these ways. You will love the change and be forever grateful to God for what he did. Be assured that the water soon (or already) enveloping and filling you is God’s living water, intended for good for you, and never evil. Intended to complete and make whole, and make possible your abundant life. May you take great delight in it.

Photo by Rachel Carpentier on Pexels.com
Photo by Oliver Sju00f6stru00f6m on Pexels.com
Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com
Photo by Juan Salamanca on Pexels.com
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Pexels.com

 

cindigale's avatarCindi Gale

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Revelation 22:1

Imagine a dry riverbed. People stand in and near it, waiting. Hoping. Needing. Pleading.

Finally, one day the river fills with pure, clear water. The people are swept from their dry stasis and carried upon its currents.

water, clear blue, cropped stock photo

These are people who want change. They welcome the power in the river. Even if the force of the water is unfamiliar, and therefore uncomfortable, they still choose it.

The water cleanses, flushes, and fills those who have been powerless to make changes on their own. Some are permanently freed when unwanted traits and habits are flushed by the ethereal water; others’ positions or geographical locations change.

Many are filled where there had been voids within. They finally feel complete. Whole. Right. They are experiencing what they…

View original post 203 more words

by

Should I Be Afraid

Psalm 91

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

 

 

by

Parable of the Hamster

cindigale's avatarCindi Gale

Several years ago at a grade school where I worked, there was an infestation of mice. Students were asked to clear their desks and backpacks of snacks, while custodial staff handled the eradication of the rodents. One afternoon after the students had been dismissed, a mouse happened near the path of a teacher. Being a pragmatic guy, a farmer on the side, and conveniently wearing sturdy hiking boots, the teacher promptly stomped on it.

Not wanting to burden the custodians, he took cleanup into his own hands. Just as he returned from disposing of it in an outdoor bin, he heard a frenzied colleague inquire of their peers, “Has anyone seen my hamster?”

I know. It’s horrible and hysterical all at once. To us. But not to either of those teachers. And not to the poor little classroom hamster, may he rest in peace.

Unfortunately, we can relate to that hamster…

View original post 433 more words

by

Fan The Flames

I’m not a fan of futility. I’ve noticed it’s about the biggest oppressor of my spirit. I don’t mind hardship so much if it yields something good. But if trouble is all for nothing—if there are no improved conditions, if all is futile—then the flames of my hope, ambition, purpose, and joy are reduced to smoldering embers.

In Romans 8:20, it says: For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

The NIV version uses the word “frustration” instead of “futility.” That doesn’t sound any better. And I’m curious about the phrase, “because of him who subjected it.” It implies God may be the one responsible for frustrating us. Why would he do that? And if not him, why would he allow it? Can anything good come out of futility?

I think it can. The snuffing does something unique to the embers of a spirit. When we get a chance to live again, to be a fire again in an open space with pure air, it’s a bigger and better fire than it ever was before.

But we don’t know that when we’re being smothered. When we’re forced to endure prolonged hardships or injustice, our choked spirits fade. If it’s bad enough, for long enough, we get desperate for something to change. Death can even look appealing, comparatively better than unending agony.

“Just douse me with water already, and let it be over with. Kill off this struggling spirit if nothing is ever going to change. Or relieve me of frustration and bring these fading embers to a full flame. Something other than this futility.”

If that’s you, I pray you’re soon relieved of the dampening, snuffing and futility. May the oppressive blanket smothering your fading hope be removed, and fresh air breathed onto the embers of your spirit. May your soul be rekindled and grow at the perfect pace, even hidden when needed to avoid another snuffing. Ultimately, may your fire be ignited to full, bounding flames of purposefulness, ambition, joy, gratitude, righteousness, hope, faith, and love.

If you are fading right now, don’t worry about the “why”, “when”, or “how”. Just get through today. Do that again tomorrow. One day you’ll look back and marvel—somehow the fire that leapt from your futile conditions is grander and more meaningful than if your spirit had never been suppressed and dampened at all.

 

by

On The Move

“They say Aslan is on the move—perhaps he has already landed,” [said Beaver].

And now a very curious thing happened. None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different … At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in its inside.

beaver-and-children_thumb16

Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror.

Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous.

Susan felt as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her.

And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer.

(Excerpt from C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950; this edition from The Essential C.S. Lewis (Touchstone, 1996)) Chapter VII, 88-89.)

When you’ve trusted, obeyed, expected, hoped, yielded, battled, stood and believed God …

When you’ve done all you know to do …

When you wonder why it’s taking so long …

When evil prevails though you know it shouldn’t; the battle was already won at Calvary  …

Remember this:

God moves when he determines to move.

Stay faithful. There will come the day you know in your spirit, and will see with your eyes, that:

aslan-on-the-move-edit-with-text