Tag: Faithfulness

2024: Finding God In Your Cooking Pots

On By Ashley GatewoodIn Bread & Butter MorselsLeave a comment

Diligence

What has God given you to do? Whatever it is, no matter how menial it may seem to you, it is tied into your purpose in the kingdom of God. Despise not small beginnings the Bible says. I like that. So we can get busy doing what God has put before us no matter how small, knowing we are building and investing in a much higher purpose for the future.

Be ardent in your work, and you will find God in your cooking pots.

from the film ‘Séraphine’ (2008)

This was first spoken by Teresa of Ávila whom Seraphine requoted.

I like the literary term for ardent: burning; glowing

I like the idea that even through the darkest of nights, if I’m tending diligently to what God has entrusted to me, His glowing fire will be upon my work, be evident in the results of my work, and will light the way of many who are without His light.

And we all know the world is growing darker day by day~

Prayer Is The Honeypot That Reveals Incoming Information

Nothing gets done on earth for the kingdom of God without prayer. There may be people who don’t even believe in God who are fulfilling the plans of God – that’s because there is an intercessor somewhere on their knees praying fervently, being led by the Holy Spirit. I’ve heard it said like this: God will not do anything without us, and we cannot do anything without Him. And isn’t it comforting to know we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Remember this, what God has ordained no one can stop. It doesn’t matter what it looks like right now. I promise you, He is faithful.

Psalm 103: Bless the Lord all ye His angels that excel at the sound of His word. The Archangel Gabriel is a messenger. So he brings answers, visions, prophecy from the throne of God. I’m sure there are others who do this, and I’m also sure we hear directly from God and I know He speaks to us through other people as well. So there’s no lack of avenues to gain revelational knowledge and wisdom. I like the one below from Benny – he is speaking right into my heart.

Paying the Price: Is God in your Cooking Pots?

If we’re going to pay a price, let’s make sure we are paying the right price for the right thing. People are constantly paying the wrong price for the wrong thing because of ignorance. If you’re not praying, what price are you really paying and is what you’re getting rendering a net gain to your life? If we suffer for the sake of suffering, we gain nothing at all. And we do this all the time, it’s the human condition. ‘Why are you cast down, oh my soul? Hope in God.’But prayer causes the answer to excel to our understanding. THIS is the power of God’s divine word when its revelation becomes known to us through prayer.

Let prayer be your cooking pot for 2024. “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27.13-14

I’ll find my answers in disciplined prayer. Where else? He reveals all knowledge to those who ask.

“…never give up. You pray everyday, don’t miss one day because the day you miss is the day you lose. Stay in contact with God, daily.”

Coupling prayer with fasting and you’ll be on a fast track to God’s heart.

May your 2024 be brighter than ever, burn more fervently for the Lord, and may God dance among your cooking pots, all you beautiful people~

Featured Photo by Robson Hatsukami Morgan

Complaining Moves the Hand of God – But You’ll Regret It.

On By Ashley GatewoodIn Bread & Butter Morsels, How to Follow Your DreamLeave a comment

Don’t wander in the Desert, move through it to get to your Promise Land.

Want to wander around out there and die of exhaustion? Of course you don’t. The key to not fainting in the desert is to remain faithful to God in seasons of discomfort.

Sometimes life just isn’t fair. I mean, don’t we all think that sometimes? And isn’t ‘fair’ relative? Right, well before getting too upset that you could be doing so much more if only, I’d advise anyone feeling the pressures of life to not complain to God about it.

Israel did that and lived to regret it. After being delivered out of the hands of their Egyptian oppressors, they grew tired of following God in the desert and started complaining. They wanted meat to eat, not the same old manna day after day – you know, that got boring!

I can relate partially. It’s hard when you have to walk through the desert or wilderness in order to make it to your Promised Land. Whatever your goals or dreams may be, you’re going to hit rough patches, character building seasons (that go on and on forever!!) and believe me, I understand.

It’s like ‘let me shed another tear to put in the bottle He keeps with my name on it’ (you do know scripture tells us He collects all our tears in a bottle…I’ll write about that sometime). Be encouraged, this season in the wilderness won’t last forever. And it will make you stronger and build more character than one could imagine.

Another awesome truth to know is this:

The quicker you submit to God’s will and be faithful in the season He’s taking you through, the more expedient your journey will be to your Promised Land.

I can complain, not going to lie. But refocusing that energy into something more positive gets me moving forward and keeps me from reaping the consequences of whatever I’m tempted to complain about. It makes me stronger and builds my endurance in difficult times. Let me get back to the illustration..

So God was feeding Israel with manna from heaven which was sort of like bread they would pound into cakes and boil or cook over a fire and eat. Day after day after day, the same stuff – it’s just like life sometimes, whatever it is we’re doing that makes us weary — diaper after diaper, dirty socks-wash-pickup from floor-fold-wash again, baby puke, (lol, the struggle is real though I wouldn’t personally know. I deal in feline coughed-up fur balls which are pretty gross) pushing papers, fixing computers, answering phones day after day after…

Ooo, don’t complain. Because sure enough, God will hear it. And He heard Israel and called Moses into a meeting. He told Moses, I’ve heard the complaining of the people that they want meat, so they will get it. They will eat meat until it’s coming out of their eyes, ears noses…. (whew, don’t make God angry). So God brought the people quail, and they journeyed out and caught it, loads of it! But there was also another consequence…

Numbers 11, specifically 31-35 but the chapter gives you a good idea of the problem at hand.

But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.

While the meat was still between their teeth…for sure, if we skirt the edge of God’s plan for our lives, when we get what we think we want , then even before we can satiate our appetite with it, there will be consequences to bear. If we shortcut the path God has laid before us, we will not be ready for what we want. We won’t be ready for our dreams and our visions.

Let’s understand a couple of things here:

  1. God still feels the same way about sin, He just deals with us differently now than in the Old Testament due to the work of our Savior Jesus Christ. His mercies endure forever~
  2. God will always give us reprieve in the desert that does not bring sorrow with it.

The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

And here’s is how you get the blessings of God – remain faithful through the difficult times, knowing with surety that God will deliver you from distress.

One of the most powerful verses in scripture on deliverance is also one of my favorites and one that I have used to build my faith and receive the promises of God for my life. So I’m here to tell you, this works and is powerful if you only believe!

“He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16

So beautiful, so lovely and filled with power to deliver. God’s word never returns to Him void. Because it’s truth. But we must remain faithful. No shortcuts — or what was supposed to be our victory will end up a pile of ashes and we might even find we get burned in the process.

Stay true and fixed on God’s word. You’ll get there, one faithful decision at a time~ Until God delivers us and sets us free from our distress~

Featured Photo by Yeo Khee 

Adventures Take Courage

On By Ashley GatewoodIn How to Follow Your DreamLeave a comment

Back in 2009, I decided to sell/donate/trash most everything I owned and move to a remote island for two years to teach Marshallese children on the Island of Ebeye.

I was talking to a client at work and telling them I was leaving and that their account would be in good hands. Chuck was an entrepreneur who made great money and travelled everywhere his heart took him. He was free, satisfied with life and fulfilled.

After telling him of my plans to pretty much insert an intermission in my conventional 9-5 work day and slam the door good-bye on it, I remember Chuck saying, “Wow, now that’s really living right there. You know? You’ll really be living…”

I’ll never forget that – it took me by surprise but he was right. Fear had kept me strapped to a job making money for someone else that I didn’t enjoy doing in the first place. There was no reward, no sense of satisfaction or fulfillment for me.

Just money to pay the bills, steady income to stay independent and ugh! The boredom of it all!

For some people, this is a perfectly fulfilling life and they don’t want anything crazy or out of the ordinary. That’s great and I wish I was more like that sometimes – it isn’t easy never being satisfied with a life that’s so readily available. Why do I have to pine away for adventure, new experiences and something beyond the normal day to day routine of work– eat-sleep- do it all over again? Why do I feel this way about it?

Writing helps – painting helps – of course traveling eases the tension within my soul but it’s just not enough – I still feel fettered by this thing called ‘work’. I find no sense of freedom in it because it isn’t satisfying for me.

So many people break out of it and become entrepreneurs – how is it I can’t manage this? I think I get comfortable with the ‘easy’ and I fear losing out and having to start again. Which is odd because I’ve already done that once and I’m more blessed now than before my little island intermission.

I’m kind of using this blog to hone in on what exactly I’m desiring and how I’m going to attain it – changing your life around takes time and a lot of planning. Instead of journalling I’ll blog it because maybe I can help somebody somewhere out there who feels the same way I do. And that will make me happy – because that’s what I enjoy doing!

I love the satisfaction of work in general- it’s fulfilling….when I’m being creative and/or helping others I find satisfaction in that. Not so much anything else. The rest of it is total monotony. Pushing papers that helps no one, fighting computer glitches, printer malfunctions, slaving through the day so that I can…..turn around and do it all again tomorrow. I’ve helped no one better themselves, I’ve encouraged no one, I’ve created absolutely nothing and so it’s just dead to me.

If I can offer any inspiration, don’t give up on your dream, keep it in your sight. When you give up, you lose. Better to try and go for it and lose – at least you’ll learn something in the process and be ready to go for it again having learned from any mistakes and being stronger the second time around.

I just think life is too precious and the people that are in need are too vast to just sit behind a desk pushing papers. I need to make a contribution for the kingdom of God. God’s got a plan – I’m just going to have to be diligent in searching, patient in waiting and remain faithful right where I am until it comes to fruition and God (or is it me?) is ready to move~