I LOVE a good coffee mug even more than the flavorful coffee in it—a mug that says something so cool on it or one that a special friend has given me.  My son gave me a purple (favorite color) mug a few Mother’s days ago that says “Believe” on one side and “With God all things are possible” on the other.  I LOVE this mug, and I especially grab and use it when I’m up against something and I’ve really gotta’ press in for the change either in myself, the situation or both.              
      To my disappointment, I recently noticed that the “Believe” word is rubbing off of the mug (apparently from the dishwasher)! 
I’m heart-struck!  I realized though that this is also a visual to what I’ve been battling inside of me.  Not enough books sold; an  incredible offer falling though; seemingly perfect opportunities not coming to pass.  But I’m fighting and still moving forward in taking my ground, not despising the day of small beginnings and establishment in how ever many ways God knows I need.  
       Is your belief wearing off?  Don’t let it.  Don’t entertain people who may brush up against you and wear off the word “Believe” or dreams or promises on your heart.  It’s good for you to positively wear off on others, but do not let the unseeing others wear your belief off.  
        Usually devotions or blogs have one scripture verse accompanying them, but under this condition, I bolster you with several.  Keep your faith; keep your hope in God.  He shall not disappoint.  He may maneuver you differently than anticipated. 
The road may be longer than the distance you thought your shoes would have to travel to arrive at the destiny.  Appreciate and enjoy the journey as well.  For in these cases, the end result is still the same…greatness.  For no lesser purpose has He made you.  Don’t let your belief wear off.  I hand wash my mug now.
 
“The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’”  Luke 17:5

 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” 
Ephesians 3:20

 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”  Hebrews 11:1

 “Fight the good fight of the faith”   1 Timothy 6:12

 “Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev.  Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.  Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.”  Psalm 126:4-6

 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”   Galatians 6:9

"When you can't trace His hand, trust His heart."  A friend shared this saying with me recently.  I had never heard of it, and love it.  It's actually a song title I've included below.  The lyrics say “our father knows what’s best for us.  His ways are not our own.”  I tend to often think of the word “best” as meaning I’m going to get vegetables with no butter or salt instead of a savory burger or dessert all the time.  And who wants that.  But Noah Webster says this about the word “best”: 

1.   Most good; having good qualities in the highest degree;
2.   Most advanced; most accurate;
3.   Most correct or complete;
4.   The best. … the utmost power; the strongest endeavor; the most, the highest perfection; 
5.   In the highest degree; beyond all other

      I see “best” is also “good” to me.  “According to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord” (Psalm  25:7).  That’s His heart, His character.  So "when you can't see or trace His hand in your life and what He is doing, trust His heart.  That according to His character and His heart, He is preparing something that is best and wonderful for you.

My first bike I can recall in the early 70’s was a magenta (hot pink) girls bike called a Dragster.  It had a white with black pinstripe long, banana seat and high, upright handlebars that seem to be as high as a mountain now days.  After years of childhood fun and running the green lights and stopping at the stop signs I drew with chalk in front of my home in St. Clair Shores, it was retired to the family garage.  This  was the bike I even rode in the funeral procession of the deceased butterfly.

      That magenta bike from my loving parents birthed in me my favorite color of magenta, otherwise known as fuchsia.  Years later, I did not have a little girl to give it to.  My son would in no way ride a
magenta bike.  The feminine Dragster gathered rust.
 
      My father recently cleaned his garage and said, “Hey Dee!  You’ve got a bike in here.  It’s red.”  (Many men don’t know color).  “Maybe Cameron would like it.”  My father had been so busy through the
years; he didn’t realize it was in there (with all that other stuff).  But I knew.  My heart knew.  My first bike, my magenta bike, from my parents was in that garage.  I was waiting for something to do with it,
though I didn’t know what.  What did I ever have the time to do with it?  Was it really redeemable by anyone? Would this be considered a gift to anyone? Would anyone even be seen on a banana seat bike?  Could I really hoist it up on my upper living room walls like they do at Applebee’s?
 
     So I brought the bike home to free up my father’s garage.  While taking it out of my vehicle, my neighbor who restores things said someone would really go for something like that antique.  So off to Craigslist I sent my son to list it (he would receive 10% of the selling price).
 
      ‘Ryan’ contacted me with interest.  He regularly buys old bikes.  For several months we could not connect, but I was persistent.  At last, we met today.  Ryan pulled up in his gold, 1969 Mercury Monterey, which he restored.  He was the perfect person.  Then out came the dignified, pretty Dragster.  Pleasantly in his checkered shirt Ryan said, “I restore bikes like this all the time.  Ninety?”  “I’ll take it” I said.  “You’ll have to take a photo with me on it first.”  My heart really didn’t want to let that beautiful bike go.  But I consoled myself that I could let that part of me go and use the money to pay for the editor to work with me on my book.  “There is a time for everything”  (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
 
      Whatever you are holding onto, let it go.  God can give you something else in return.  What was, was for then.  Enjoy it for what it offered then.  Now allow another the blessing of having it.  Pass
it on.  Leave a heritage of any sort.  Make room for something else good God has for your life.  He is not done with you.

     I just got an email four hours past the time of the ‘changing of the bike’.  Ryan said the bike will probably be finished tomorrow, and I get pictures!  And my son gets $9!  How cool.
 
The banana seat bike…Can’t wait to call and tell my father. 
 4/29/10

If you would believe in yourself like God believes in you, you will prosper and cause others to prosper.  Believe that He has chosen you for good works because He entrusted you to carry something this world needs so that they may also increase.  Believe that He has blessed you with skills, talents, wisdom and spiritual gifts to increase others.  He believes in you because He believes in Himself in you.  It is impossible that He did not chose you for something!  God doesn’t create for nothing nor does He save and make us new creations for nothing!  Discover your identity in Christ, know who you are and do what He has given you plans, authority and trust to do. This is where greater fulfillment is.
#discoverwhoyouareinHim #believe #castoutdoubt #sabotagefearnotyourself #carryitout

"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).

Waking up one morning in a very broken state of life, I heard God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit agreeing over me saying, “We can rebuild her.  We have the tools.”  If you grew up when I did, you’d know those are the words to the intro of the weekly sci-fi show “The Six Million Dollar Man” airing 1974-78’.  Astronaut Steve Austin was in a spaceship crash and scientists rebuilt him with bionics in surgery, costing six million dollars.  I had to pull up the video below.  Listen to the words and insert your own name in it.   

“Denise Flynn…we can rebuild her…We have the tools…We have the capability…  Denise Flynn will be that woman.  Better than she was before.  Better…Stronger…Faster.”  
  
Don’t you love it!  No matter what's going on right now, no matter how broken you are, if you go through it right with God, you will come out healed and better.  Lean into God.  Use Him for His healing love and power. Know that He wants to love on you and help you.  Keep your attitudes toward him and not turning away or  lacking trust and hope.  Don't become bitter.  Be obedient. In doing so, we can count on His promises to rebuild us.

 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm 147:3).

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces
perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope.   And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”  Romans 5:3-5 
 
     Yeah, these promises can be yours at the cost and sacrifice of Jesus.  Look out for YOU…future Six Million Dollar Man and Woman in process of being rebuilt right now!