A Flat Land

"Fear. His modus operandi is to manipulate you with the mysterious, to taunt you with the unknown. Fear of death, fear of failure, fear of God, fear of tomorrow - his arsenal is vast. His goal? To create cowardly, joyless Christians. He doesn't want you to make that journey to the mountain. He figures if he can rattle you enough, you will take your eyes off the peaks and settle for a dull existence in the flat lands." Max Lucado

Have you ever been in a flat land? I recently visited there and I can tell you, it's nowhere you want to be. The thing is, I didn't KNOW I was in a flat land until Monday afternoon, when a dear friend of mine spoke truth over me - she noted I sometimes live life as if my glass was half-empty, rather than half full. At the time I bristled at her observation. I PRIDE myself on being happy, the go-to-girl, the one everyone can count on. Disabled? No big deal! Migraines? Life goes on! I would hardly classify myself as a "glass-half-empty-kinda-gal."

I went home unsettled, cried myself to sleep {and not normal crying ... rolling around on the ground, acting a fool kind of crying}. The kind of sorrow where I wished God would come on down {or at least beam me up!} I was like Elijah in the wilderness, who sat under a broom tree & in his despair asked God to take his life. Instead, he slept, an angel brought him food & he was strengthened. Elijah went 40 days & 40 nights to Mount Horeb where God appeared to him in a whisper.

And God, in His mercy {and love}, gave me a similar experience Monday night as He whispered TRUTH to my heart.

I had a dream where I was with friends {one was Will Smith?} and we were going to different Bible studies, concerts & events. In my dream I had my Bible, the one my parents gave me when I was 16. I've written sermon notes, explanations of verses I didn't understand & SO many notes to my boys, Noah & Elijah. This Bible is my TREASURE! In a fire I would save my family & this Bible! In my dream I kept laying the Bible down in odd locations & one of my friends would retrieve it and give it back to me. But at our last event, I sat it down & forgot it. By the time I went back, it was gone {and I was DISTRAUGHT}! We all looked for it but never found it. All my friends kept telling me, "It's not a big deal, just get another Bible." But it WAS a big deal.

I woke up at 4AM Tuesday, still feeling the sorrow from my dream. It took a few minutes for me to orient myself to reality. I immediately went & found my Bible {not lost!!!!} I had staff devotion for Tuesday morning & the Lord began to speak to me in such a powerful way. First, through this scripture:

But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! (Jude 20-21).

I've struggled with migraines for 20 years {and lived with my disability for 40} I've always joked the Lord gave me so many challenges because I’d probably be a selfish jerk who didn’t live for Him. My struggles keep me close to God and I often hear Him whisper softly: “What if you can serve Me better without perfect health?” I want my cup to be filled with God and for my challenges to open new doors greater than the ones that close. I do still struggle with depression and perspective and I believe, for people like me, God included these people in the Bible.

• Joseph’s cup was half-emptied when his brothers planned his death and sold him into slavery. He was unjustly thrown into prison and forgotten. But he never stopped giving his best to God {and God filled his cup by bringing him into a ruling position, 2nd only to Pharaoh} Thru Joseph his family {and nations} were saved from starvation.


• Abraham’s cup was emptied when he was told to sacrifice his only son … but God filled his cup by providing a substitute lamb. Countless descendants have followed his example of faith.


• Paul’s cup was often emptied by stonings, imprisonment, shipwrecks, but God filled it by inspiring him to write most of the New Testament!


• And Jesus’ cup was emptied in His suffering & death, but God filled it with resurrection life!

My fear {and cup-half-empty-perspective} caused me to live in the flat lands. I became filled with apprehension & my imagination only magnified my problems until it seemed I’d never overcome. {from Experiencing God Day by Day: February 3} “We need a sound mind to see things in proper perspective. That is why God gave us His Holy Spirit, to enable us to see things as God sees them.”

I’m so thankful for the gift of the Holy Spirit. He came & ministered to my soul in the early morning hours of Tuesday {and I was able to share His truth thru my staff devotion … it turns out I wasn’t alone in my flat land {I had neighbors!}. A few of my co-workers shared how they had struggled {were struggling} with perspective & it made me ALL the more glad for my time in the valley}. God doesn’t waste a moment of our life. He uses all our moments for His Glory & stands at the ready to give us His POWER & shed light on our fear.

I’m striving to live with the perspective that light trumps darkness {and} love defeats evil! Challenging myself {and you} to dream big dreams and live with the attitude that in God’s kingdom THE GLASS IS HALF FULL {AND getting FULLER!!!} And, I’m claiming these two promises: “nothing can separate us from the love of God” and “one day, suffering, striving, sickness, injustice will cease and He will wipe every tear from your eyes.”

love & prayers to you {♥} Amy