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I am a huge Nashville Star fan. I believe it has much more integrity than American Idol and the talent is off the charts. This year I was rooting big time for Melissa Lawson, wife, mother of five boys, and not the "pin up" model that some of the talent searches seem to seek. But boy did she have potential and a serious gift! After week 1 it was shocking to see her in the bottom 2. What was wrong with America??? However, she popped right back up and kept pushing back. And it paid off, she won.
The word “transition” is defined as “passage: the act of passing from one state or place to the next.” That definition sounds so, harmless! However, any of us who are going through a time of transition know that it can make or break you if it is not handled correctly.
Transition is one of those “events” that can affect us in several different ways… physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually.
In the last year, how many of you have faced:
· A geographical move?
· A change in ministry?
· A birth?
· Significant loss
· Substantial Financial hardship or decision?
· Rejection?
· Illness or physical challenges?
· Emotional stress or trauma?
Life is a process of beginnings and endings. In both life and nature, there are times when things move slowly and don’t seem to change very much. Then, suddenly, things change quickly. Moving from August to September, the weather changes gradually at first, and then it seems that suddenly summer is over. It is the same in our lives; transitions are as natural as the changing seasons.
Key point: Transition in life is challenging because we are forced to let go of the familiar and face the future with a feeling of vulnerability.
And to make a difficult situation worse, most life transitions begin with a string of losses, some of which we mentioned a few moments ago.
Key point: Any significant loss makes most people feel fearful and anxious.
We live in a culture that has taught us to be very uncomfortable with uncertainty, so we are anxious when our lives are disrupted.
On the positive side, these transitions give us a chance to learn about our strengths and to explore what we really want out of life. This time of reflection can result in a sense of renewal, stability, and a new equilibrium.
A life transition can be positive or negative, planned or unexpected. Some transitions happen without warning, and they may be quite dramatic. Other life transitions come from positive experiences.
Key point: Even though events like these are usually planned and anticipated, they can be just as life-altering as the unexpected events.
Whether positive or negative, life transitions cause us to leave behind the familiar and force us to adjust to new ways of living, at least temporarily. They can leave us feeling completely unprepared and we may be thrown into a personal crisis, feeling shocked, angry, sad, and withdrawn.
Transition is when your potential (your future locked up in the present) is trying to break out! While you are in “labor” trying to birth your destiny, there will always be a “transition” phase!
How many of you ladies were able to “skip” the transition phase of natural childbirth? None of us! Without going through transition you’ll never deliver that baby. Even for those who had had a C-section, your transition is not the same but you do have one although it comes after the birth!
Getting up after having the surgery and making that first walk to the bathroom is painful, and no matter how long you may put it off it you will still have to go through it.
Transition in childbirth is tough! As the body adjusts to accommodate the last few centimeters of dilation, just before you begin pushing, the hormone levels are so high that you will see undeniable physical signs.
What is amazing though is transition is generally the shortest part of labor, lasting 15 minutes to half an hour on average. However, this is also the most intense part of labor for many women! The major emotional marker for this stage is giving up.
The "giving up" or feeling out of control may be recognized by comments the mother makes. It is not uncommon for a mother to say, "I can't do this," or "I need something." This is not necessarily the mother asking for medication (although she may be begging for that epidural!), but for help. She can no longer handle the labor the way she has been, and she needs to do something different.
Ladies, when we are forging our way through the difficulty of transition in our lives, the worst thing we can do is fight it. The same goes for the woman giving birth to a child. Tools and exercises have been developed to “coach” women in childbirth through transition. Well, today, I’m going to be your Lamaze coach “so to speak!” I am going to share three principles for handling transition in life as a women in ministry without losing your mind! These principles have brought me through days when all I wanted to do was literally curl up and die.
It would have been so easy to give up, to throw in the towel, to go to bed and stay there indefinitely, BUT God through the Holy Spirit got me through… here is the first principle...
1.) Rely on the Lord
Your attitude will affect your outcome. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.”
Transition is not an indication that you have failed. It is the indicator that something new is about to manifest in your life. You may not know exactly what it is., but something is on the threshold!
It was surprising to me to find that even highly successful people are plagued with the transition phase in their lives. The first American woman to win 3 gold medals at a single Olympics was quoted as saying, “When I was going through my transition of being famous, I tried to ask God why was I here? What was my purpose? Surely, it wasn't just to win three gold medals. There has to be more to this life than that.”
Transition is a “Trojan Horse”… you cannot tell what is on the inside by looking on the outside! What is inside will either help you or prepare you for battle, either way when we commit ourselves to the Lord, lean on Him and hope confidently in Him, we will prevail. We win!
One way that aids us in learning to rely on the Lord is through meditating on the Him; make sure you get one on one time with Him. I have always found that times in the night can be especially calming for me during times of transition. When everyone was in bed, I would get up, turn on worship music and bask in the Lord. Sometimes I would just cry, other times I would dance and worship, and there have been many times I just sat and listened. And writing, oh yes, it is a form of “spiritual therapy” for me! But in all of these things, I gained peace of mind because I relied on Him. I have learned through the most painful times of transition, the loneliest days of my life, to lay back in His arms and trust that Daddy God was in control!
2.) Watch Your Words
I don’t know about you, but I can pick up on a “Negative Nelly” a mile away! To be honest, negative people drive me crazy! I’ve always been a “glass is half full” kind of girl! In times of transition, it is so easy to begin whining and complaining. Ecclesiastes 10:12-13 tells us, “The words of a wise person are gracious. The talk of a fool self-destructs— He starts out talking nonsense And ends up spouting insanity and evil.” Our failure to “speak life” could turn our temporary circumstance into something that could thwart our destiny! Your life will follow your words. However, when we choose to say what God says we get the opposite result. “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21. Let’s do a double take on this scripture for a moment… when we continually dwell on a negative situation by talking about it, complaining… we are speaking “life” to a negative situation! Our words can prolong, empower and solidify the circumstances in our lives. So, instead of speaking “life” to our difficult times, we should speak death to them by cancelling them out with the Word of God!
I know this is especially difficult at times. I mean reality is reality! And if we are all honest, there are times when we have prayed every prayer, quoted every promise and declared everything there is to declare and STILL, we are ready to lose it! It is at those times when we just don’t know hat else to do.
How many of you ever took a Lamaze class when you were expecting? Do you remember the session on breathing? Lamaze teachers use breathing techniques to help manage the pain a labor and delivery. These patterned breaths help force oxygen into the blood, but should not be confused with rapid breathing or hyperventilation. Hyperventilation causes dizziness and other problems that only increase anxiety. While using Lamaze breathing can help you to manage your pain, it will not eliminate your pain, it helps you through it.
Okay, now for the spiritual application. Someone taught me about ten years ago exactly what I need to do when I have NO IDEA what to do, when the pain of transition and circumstance has you close to the point of losing your very mind… PRAY IN THE HOLY GHOST!!! That, my friends, is the equivalent to Lamaze breathing! When you begin to stir up the Spirit of God that is within you by the power of your prayer language, you will pull down heaven, crash the gates of hell and God will give you the strength to get you through! You may have NO idea what to say or how to begin, or when all you want to do is complain, allow the Holy Spirit to pray through you! You will find yourself encouraged and refreshed in the midst of your transition and any adversity it brings!
3.) Don’t Stop!
During transition in childbirth, you’ll often hear a woman say, “I don’t want to do this anymore! I want to quit!” Generally, at that moment, a coach, a helper can be heard saying, “No, you can’t stop now! You’re doing great! I know you’re tired, I know you are in pain, but you are so close! Don’t stop, it’s almost over!”
Our good friend the Apostle Paul provides us with some timely advice when we get to this point in Philippians 3:12-14 “I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running and I'm not turning back.”
At this very moment, your coach, your helper, the Holy Spirit is whispering in your ear, “Don’t stop! Keep your eyes on the prize! I know this isn’t what you thought it would be. I know that you are in pain, you’ve been hurt. I know you’ve lost hope, I know you need a miracle yesterday, and I know that you are afraid… but you can’t stop. You’re almost there! You can do it! You can make it! And through it all, girl, you are looking good!”
One of the most powerful truths about transition is that although it is difficult and painful, it is also a stepping stone to the next level in your life, your ministry, your marriage, your healing, and your miracle!
I know how difficult it is. I know that sometimes it might seem easier to quit, but DON’T! Whenever you feel like stopping, get around people who will speak to what is in you when you can’t. Find other women who know the importance of a life giving atmosphere who will partner with you in removing negative influences and will set the atmosphere in worship! Find yourself a Mary… like Elizabeth did, a person who will make your baby jump during the most difficult time of the process.
But whatever you do, DON’T STOP! Don’t abort what God has placed inside of you because of transition, don’t allow people who have their own agendas to get in the way and cause you to miscarry either.
You are on assignment, you have a purpose, a destiny, and your labor is not in vain. God has prepared you for such a time as this… DON’T STOP!
For those of you I haven't spoken to or emailed, Craig and I got quite a shock this past Wednesday. Upon his homecoming from a series of powerful meetings in Lake City, FL, he was met with the unfortunate news that due to economic and financial hardship, four position were being eliminated from the church where Craig served as Connections and Outreach Pastor. The church made other percentage cuts as well. Let's face it, our economy has not made it easy for anyone these days. However, we still serve a BIG God!
Yes, I've been away from my blogdom for a little while. I've been prepping nonstop for Unstoppable and squeezing in moments to finish getting the girls ready for school to start on Tuesday. They still have one more day of summer fun to indulge in!
"And whether you voted for me, or voted for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose. We are on the same team, and none of us can afford to sit on the sidelines. This is a fight for the future. And it’s a fight we must win together." (Hilary Clinton DNC speech)And whether we like it or not, she made a HUGE crack in the glass ceiling not only for all of us as women, but definitely for our daughters....
"And after so many decades — 88 years ago on this very day — the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote became enshrined in our Constitution. My mother was born before women could vote. My daughter got to vote for her mother for president."I have to say that I never considered what that must have felt like to Hilary and Chelsea. Like her or not, THAT had to be an amazing moment for grandmother, mother and daughter. And, come on, who didn't love her little shout out to her "sista' girls" with the quote...
"To my supporters, to my champions — to my sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits — from the bottom of my heart: Thank you. Thank you because you never gave in. You never gave up. And together we made history."Can I say I felt empowered by her speech?... minus the knocks against McCain... I hate that, but both parties do it... part of the political game I guess! Still, when Hilary quoted Harriet Tubman... I felt the Holy Ghost! Am I being a bit facetious? Um, yeah... but at the same time, I am being totally honest...
"By following the example of a brave New Yorker , a woman who risked her life to bring slaves along the Underground Railroad. On that path to freedom, Harriet Tubman had one piece of advice. If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If they’re shouting after you, keep going. Don’t ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going."Wow! If I were Barak Obama, I'd be seriously kicking myself! Why in the world did he NOT choose Hilary Rodham Clinton as his VP running mate? I don't know the answer to that, and as my husband pointed out, perhaps he actually did and she turned him down. Is Biden a better partner? Maybe, I don't know, but I do know that John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin caused every jaw in America to do one of two things... if your jaw is of the male persuasion, it DROPPED... female persuasion... it POPPED up into a beaming smile!
"On that path to freedom, Harriet Tubman had one piece of advice. If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If they’re shouting after you, keep going. Don’t ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going. And even in the darkest of moments, that is what Americans have done. We have found the faith to keep going." (Hilary Rodham Clinton)
Good Morning American did a feature on the Steven Curtis Chapman family, a follow up after the tragic loss of their daughter Maria a few months ago. It was a great piece showing an intact family coming together and relying on their hope and faith in God to get them through their loss.
Steven spoke about the day of the tragedy. Sadly, it was their son Will Franklin who unknowingly ran over Maria. Every time I think about that I hurt for him. I cannot imagine what that family has gone through in their loss. As Steven jumped into his vehicle and got ready to head to the hospital where Maria had been taken he did something powerful. He rolled down his window and shouted to his son, “Will Franklin! Your father loves you.” With that he left to see about Maria.
He shared that he did not even remember doing that until someone brought it back to his attention. During the interview he explained that he was already concerned he was losing one child that day and he did not want to lose another. Will shared that after realizing what had occurred he just wanted to run away, he was devastated. As he began to run, his brother tackled him and hugged him with his other siblings around him. What a powerful display of love in the middle of such tragedy.
Later I was listening to Jesus Culture and the song, “How He Loves” came on. There is a verse that says, “We are His portion and He is our prize, drawn to redemption by the GRACE in His eyes. If GRACE is an ocean, we’re all sinking. So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss and my heart turns violently inside of my chest. I don’t have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way… He loves us, oh, how He loves us, oh how He loves us… Oh how He loves!”
This incredible revelation of the love of God, the love of the Father suddenly swept over me. No matter what goes on in our lives, the mistakes we make, He loves us!
Imagine on your very worst day, when everything that could go wrong does go wrong and the things you thought were in the bag are dumped out at your feet and stomped on. On THAT day, God has opened the window of heaven and yelled your name, and then He says, “Your Father loves you!” And if that isn’t enough, when you feel like running and hiding, He tackles you with that love, that ocean of grace and surrounds you with people who believe in you in spite of every mistake, wrong turn, or circumstance. Oh! How He loves!!!!
That amazing love makes it so difficult to sit around regretting this and that, playing the shoulda, woulda, coulda song… because as the verse says, “I don’t have time to maintain these regrets…” Regrets demand maintenance. Did you realize that? The word “regrets” as it is used in this song is defined as: A feeling of disappointment or distress about something that one wishes could be different. Guess what… maintaining regrets will only beget one thing, MORE regrets!
So, with that said, let me encourage you today. Get swallowed up by His Ocean of grace and become enveloped by your Father! YOUR FATHER LOVES YOU!
“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, Who loved us and gave us everlasting consolation and encouragement and well-founded hope through [His] grace (unmerited favor), comfort and encourage your hearts and strengthen them [make them steadfast and keep them unswerving] in every good work and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)
