January 28, 2015 by cindigale

Forget Not

Psalm 103: ²Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—

Think of the power God has. Yet he refrains from imposing his power on us. It’s not his way. God doesn’t overpower, manipulate or control. He doesn’t pull “people-things” like guilt trips, emotional blackmail, or threats. His character is so strong, he refrains from exercising the power he possesses, even though the use of his might would accomplish his will.

He permits us to determine who we want, and what we want, with the free wills we’re granted.

He welcomes us to friendship. He doesn’t demand it, force it, or threaten to make things bad for us if we decline. He doesn’t trick us into relationship. His ways aren’t built on obligation or guilt, but on our freedom to accept or decline.

Be with him if we want. Don’t if we don’t want.

If we do choose his companionship, we soon learn he is beyond compare. These things are true of him; he who —

³forgives all our sins and heals all our diseases, ⁴who redeems our lives from the pit and crowns us with love and compassion, ⁵who satisfies our desires with good things so that our youths are renewed like the eagle’s.

The more we accept and delve into relationship with him, the sweeter our harmony. While settling into ever-deepening unity, we find that our faith, wisdom, abilities and potentials steadily increase. Where there is lack, he brings plenty. Where there is insecurity, he brings confidence. Where there is fear, he brings peace.

⁶The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.

Where there is captivity, he sets us free. Where there is deception or confusion, he becomes the solid rock of truth on which to stand.

He sets the tone of the relationship, always creating an atmosphere of growth. If we require discipline or purification, he subjects us to it for our improvement. If we need mercy and encouragement, he gives that, too. If we need courage and strength, it is made available. Relationship with God is a fertile field in which he plants, waters, and nurtures — always for our betterment.

Yet, all the while his benefits include our ongoing free will. He gives us choice each and every day. Be with him if we want. Don’t if we don’t want. Let him lead us to betterment. Or not. This freedom he’s given us is evidence of yet another of his incomparable benefits —

⁸The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love.

January 26, 2015 by cindigale

Fall Afresh

John 14:15-18 “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

Acts 2:1-2 “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.”

Suddenly there came a sound from heaven: The association of the sound of a rushing mighty wind, filling the whole house, with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is unusual. But it probably has connection with the fact that in both the Hebrew and Greek languages, the word for spirit (as in Holy Spirit) is the same word for breath or wind (this also happens to be true in Latin). Here, the sound from heaven was the sound of the Holy Spirit being poured out on the disciples.

The sound of this fast, mighty wind would make any of these men and women who knew the Hebrew scriptures think of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

In Genesis 1:1-2, it is the Spirit of God as the breath/wind of God, blowing over the waters of the newly created earth.
In Genesis 2:7, it is the Spirit of God as the breath/wind of God, blowing life into newly created man.
In Ezekiel 37:9-10, it is the Spirit of God as the breath/wind of God, moving over the dry bones of Israel bringing them life and strength.

This single line tells us much about how the Holy Spirit moves.

Suddenly: Sometimes God moves suddenly.
Sound: It was real, though it could not be touched; it came by the ears.
From heaven: It wasn’t of earth; not created or manipulated or made here.
Mighty: Full of force, coming with great power.

Titus 3:5 “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”

Lesson on the Holy Spirit is from: enduringword.com/commentaries/4402.htm

Video is from: “Fall Afresh (Acoustic Version)” by Bethel Music & Jeremy Riddle

Lyrics of “Fall Afresh”:

Awaken my soul, come awake
To hunger, to seek, to thirst
Awaken first love, come awake
And do as you did, at first

Spirit of the living God come fall afresh on me
Come wake me from my sleep
Blow through the caverns of my soul, pour in me to overflow
To overflow

Awaken my soul, come awake
To worship with all your strength

Spirit of the living God come fall afresh on me
Come wake me from my sleep
Blow through the caverns of my soul, pour in me to overflow

Come and fill this place
Let Your glory now invade
Spirit come and fill this place
Let Your glory now invade

Spirit of the living God come fall afresh on me
Come wake me from my sleep
Blow through the caverns of my soul, pour in me to overflow
To overflow

January 25, 2015 by cindigale

Becoming More

In support of excellence, strength, abounding good works, fullness of life, and actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be:

Romans 5:1-2 (TLB) – So now, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith in his promises, we can have real peace with him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. For because of our faith, he has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be.

2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV) – God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Philippians 4:13 (NIV) – I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

John 10:10 (NIV) – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 14:12 (NIV) – Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

January 22, 2015 by cindigale

Raising Expectations

You may have noticed the focus of this week’s blogs has been on excellence. It’s not because I’m feeling ambitious, confident or successful. Actually, I’m feeling the opposite. That, while noticing articles, interviews, quotes, conversations and TV programs that encourage letting low expectations take over.

Read between much of society’s lines, and we’re told: If you keep expectations low, you’re spared disappointment. If you don’t reach for the stars, you never fall short. If you don’t scale mountains, you won’t tumble down. Expect excellence, miracles, or relief? — Come on, who do you think you are? Find solace, acceptance, and community in majority thinking. Don’t look beyond us; we are the standard. Stay here where it’s comfortable; those who don’t, make us uncomfortable.

Why is that we justify low expectations instead of rejecting them?

I know I am at risk of mine slowly and imperceptibly slumping to settling. My time of relative rest may morph into terminal complacency. I may soon adopt mediocrity or defeat as my lot in life.

Thankfully there are people who don’t discourage excellence, they actively promote it. While I’m not feeling it, I’m soaking in the inspiration from those who are. I hope you’ll be encouraged also.

From “Humans of New York”, an arts and humanities website:

January 19, 2015 –

“Who’s influenced you the most in your life?”
“My principal, Ms. Lopez.”
“How has she influenced you?”
“When we get in trouble, she doesn’t suspend us. She calls us to her office and explains to us how society was built down around us. And she tells us that each time somebody fails out of school, a new jail cell gets built. And one time she made every student stand up, one at a time, and she told each one of us that we matter.”

"Who's influenced you the most in your life?"<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
"My principal, Ms. Lopez."<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
"How has she influenced you?"<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
"When we get in trouble, she doesn't suspend us. She calls us to her office and explains to us how society was built down around us. And she tells us that each time somebody fails out of school, a new jail cell gets built. And one time she made every student stand up, one at a time, and she told each one of us that we matter."

Followed by this post today, January 22, 2015 –

A couple days back, I posted the portrait of a young man who described an influential principal in his life by the name of Ms. Lopez. Yesterday I was fortunate to meet Ms. Lopez at her school, Mott Hall Bridges Academy.

“This is a neighborhood that doesn’t necessarily expect much from our children, so at Mott Hall Bridges Academy we set our expectations very high. We don’t call the children ‘students,’ we call them ‘scholars.’ Our color is purple. Our scholars wear purple and so do our staff. Because purple is the color of royalty. I want my scholars to know that even if they live in a housing project, they are part of a royal lineage going back to great African kings and queens. They belong to a group of individuals who invented astronomy and math. And they belong to a group of individuals who have endured so much history and still overcome. When you tell people you’re from Brownsville, their face cringes up. But there are children here that need to know that they are expected to succeed.”

1 Peter 2:9 (NIV) But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV) – God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Philippians 4:13 (NIV) – I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

John 10:10 (NIV) – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 14:12 (NIV) – Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

January 21, 2015 by cindigale

Gifts Unveiled

We say, “I could never do that.”

Paul Smith says, “What CAN you do?”

Paul the Apostle says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians. 2:10)

An excerpt of a previous post, “Coached to Excel” says,

God knows what you’re capable of. He knows what is still uncovered or undeveloped within you. He knows how to unveil those gifts, and coach your potential to excellence and success.

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.”

Video credit belongs to John Stofflet, news anchor and reporter, KING TV (2004)

January 20, 2015 by cindigale

Coached to Excel

Cindi Gale

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.”?

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…

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January 16, 2015 by cindigale

In Awe of Restraint

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 things move me.” (Acts 20:24 KJV). He did not say, “None of these things hurt me.” It is one thing to be hurt, and quite another to be moved. Paul had a very tender heart, for we do not read of any other apostle who cried as he did. It takes a strong man to cry. “Jesus wept” (John 11:35), and He was the strongest man that ever lived.

Therefore it does not say, “None of these things hurt me.” The apostle Paul had determined not to move from what he believed was right. He did not value things as we are prone to do. He never looked for the easy way, and placed no value on his mortal life. He only cared about one thing, and that was his loyalty to Christ — to gain Christ’s smile. To Paul, more than to any other man, doing Christ’s work was his earthly pay, but gaining Christ’s smile was heaven. Margaret Bottome

January 13, 2015 by cindigale

You, the Readers

If you’re reading this, you are now a statistic. How’s that for being dehumanized? But to me, you are a reader, a visitor, and a person I wonder about. You might be interested in a few facts and thoughts about this blog and your fellow readers.

You hail from 78 countries and climbing.
I marvel how that happened, since this weblog was created only 11 months ago, and was without its domain name for the first 2 months.
I don’t know how to promote my writing, nor do I want to. I’m content to let it transpire naturally.
You fall just a little below the statistical norm in that you don’t often comment. That’s just fine with me.
On the other hand, if you want to submit a comment, I welcome it. If written English is your hesitation, I’ll do my best to translate via Google if you want to write in your language. Or give it your best effort in English, and I’ll give it my best effort to understand. I assure you I will be impressed with you — I lack the second language skills you already possess.
If there are technical issues not allowing you to comment, send it via a “message” at: http://www.facebook.com/cindi.gale.7, or email me at Cindigaleauthor@gmail.com.
I haven’t had to discard a comment, but I would if it’s flagrantly mean, or is obviously spam.
Beyond those of you I know personally, readers’ arrival here is often a mystery to me. It should be clear on my administration page, but isn’t. Possibly that is due to the international limitations of the host, WordPress. Perhaps you searched a word or topic; maybe you saw it on social media. Sometimes I see the number of views rise on a single, specific post in a region of Europe, for example, and can only assume the post is being shared.
Some are you are one-time visitors; many are regulars. I recognize regulars when the numbers consistently rise on my stats page from a specific country after each post is published.
Outside of America, my home country, you Brazilians are my most faithful followers. I’m beginning to consider you old friends, and that I’m rude to not learn Portuguese. 🙂

Your Location	Your “Reads”
United States	1,614
Brazil	212
Canada	32
United Kingdom	28
Italy	19
France	15
Australia	14
India	13
Ireland	12
Mexico	10
Philippines	10
Germany	9
Spain	9
Malaysia	8
Portugal	8
Venezuela	7
Bahrain	7
Netherlands	7
Lithuania	7
Argentina	7
Romania	6
Croatia	6
Russian Federation	6
Serbia	6
Ecuador	5
Hungary	5
Chile	5
Colombia	5
South Africa	5
Taiwan	5
Bolivia	4
Thailand	4
Belgium	4
Indonesia	4
New Zealand	4
Pakistan	4
Saudi Arabia	3
Viet Nam	3
Hong Kong	3
Turkey	3
Japan	3
Peru	3
Mauritius	3
Israel	3
Republic of Korea	3
El Salvador	2
Trinidad and Tobago	2
Lebanon	2
Uruguay	2
Singapore	2
United Arab Emirates	2
Norway	2
Greece	2
Mongolia	2
Kenya	2
Bulgaria	1
Jordan	1
Switzerland	1
Iraq	1
Austria	1
Paraguay	1
Sweden	1
Nicaragua	1
Costa Rica	1
Myanmar	1
Poland	1
Algeria	1
Finland	1
Denmark	1
Ukraine	1
Cape Verde	1
Puerto Rico	1
Luxembourg	1
Nigeria	1
Azerbaijan	1
Guadeloupe	1
Egypt	1
Angola	1

January 7, 2015 by cindigale

When Roads End, Bridges Appear

I love the book of Ruth. It’s a story of devotion — Ruth’s devotion to her mother-in-law; Naomi’s devotion to Ruth; Boaz’s devotion to both; and God’s devotion to them all.

When Naomi and her two Moabite daughters-in-law were all widowed in the country of Moab, Naomi determined to return to her hometown in Bethlehem, Judah. Alone.

“Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

If you know the story, you remember that once in Bethlehem, Naomi directed Ruth to the barley fields to glean behind the harvesters. As an unattached foreigner, Ruth was at risk for harm by the male field workers should she choose the wrong field. Fortunately (coincidentally?), she happened upon the fields of a noble landowner named Boaz. When Boaz saw Ruth gleaning in his fields, he commanded his overseer to watch over her, assure her protection, prevent her embarrassment, and send her home to Naomi each evening with ample grain.

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”

Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

That’s King David they’re talking about, THE King David. Had Naomi and Ruth not run into a dead-end in Moab, and had Ruth not chosen to accompany Naomi to Bethlehem, there would have been no Ruth and Boaz. No Obed. No Jesse. No David to lead Israel.

Back it up, and consider the choices made along the way. Were any of our main characters sure of their outcome when they made those choices? No. Were there guarantees of finding food, shelter, and safety when Naomi and Ruth returned to Bethlehem? No again. In their culture at that time, Boaz’s choice to take Ruth as his wife saved not only Ruth’s life, but Naomi’s. Read more of Ruth, and you’ll see that Naomi nearly thrust Ruth upon Boaz. Was she certain of Boaz’s character when she did that? No, and what she did was improper then. Fortunately (coincidentally?), Boaz was as good as a man gets — he rightly understood he was being honored, not manipulated — and the rest is history.

None of their choices were made with guarantees for a good outcome. We see that Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz weren’t driven by certainly, but by devotion and the desire to do the right thing.

The choices they made — the roads they took — ended up being perfect. It’s easy to forget that they didn’t know it would all work out for the good. When they ran into dead-ends, they simply took the best roads they knew to take next. With no guarantees.

You, too, may run into dead-ends in life despite your best efforts to be in God’s will. You may assume you missed the right road, that you erred along the way. (And that might be true. If so, it’s never too late to get the roads right.) But when you’re certain you were following his direction (or at least WERE certain before the dead-end happened and doubt took over), it’s probable that you are exactly where God wants you.

Dead-ends can move you to bridges. Ruth’s devotion to Naomi put her on a bridge out of destitute Moab into Bethlehem. There they found themselves on a new road, a road of ongoing provision, protection, and joy, and a union out of which came a great king of Israel.

What you consider a past WRONG road, may have been the RIGHT road, the PERFECT road.

Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz likely didn’t know if their roads were right ones at the time they chose them. You won’t always know either. But you can be sure of this: When your life is given to God, he does not take your sacrifice lightly. He is fully devoted to you. Stay fully devoted to him, shrug off doubt that accompanies dead-ends, and watch for the bridge to carry you to the next road.

January 1, 2015 by cindigale

In The Land Of The Living

In 2015, may you look to the Lord for His goodness; see it rise like the sun and wash over your life.

From the Amplified Bible, Psalm 27:

¹³[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living!

¹⁴Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.