It's no secret that singleness isn't easy. If we were close friends, I bet you come home from a date sometimes and wonder if there's a "just right" guy out there for you. I bet you wish it was as easy as too hot, too cold, too big, too soft, or too hard. Am I right? All of you single girls should be shouting AMEN!! 

This week Lisa Whittle, author of I Want God is my guest blogger. Here's a little snippet: "When we want all the human things, we constantly wind up disappointed. But when we want God the most, we get the entire package: the emotional stability, the right perspective, the ability to handle the hard stuff with an eternal focus."

When I played hide and seek with my kids, I used sounds to reveal my location. If you’re God, you get to use a star! In Matthew 2, a few Magi discovered an unusual star in the sky. They learn this star is a sign that a new Jewish king has been born, so they travel to Jerusalem. Surely Jerusalem is celebrating this momentous event! Instead, the Magi are greeted by a jealous King Herod. Afraid to lose his throne, power and position, he orders the Magi to continue their "hide and seek game”, but orders them to report back to him when they have found the location of this “new king". But the Magi change the game on King Herod. 

The closest you will come to worship is keeping these sheep in ideal conditions so they can be sacrificed to pay for the sins of your friends and family. Maybe you wanted to be a part of God’s Kingdom, but you gave up feeling like you had a place in that world long ago. Then, one night while resting under the stars, angels from heaven appear to you saying, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.” You think, “To me? Why would the Savior be born to me?” But there’s no time to think now because they are speaking. “You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:11-12 NIV)

During this Christmas season, many of us are admiring the courage of a young woman named Mary. I mean, she was visited by an angel who said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored!  The Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28). And when she was asked to give birth to the Son of the Most High, her response was, May your word to me be fulfilled. (Luke 1:29-33, 38). Her words sound very similar to our own plea, “Lord, I want to be used by you” or “I want to serve you Jesus.” 

In retrospect, it’s easy to glamorize Mary’s calling because we know she is the mother of our Savior, but I wonder how she was perceived by the people of her own village

I don’t know about you, but I find myself asking God for favors all the time. When I’m late; “Please Jesus, green lights all the way?” When I didn’t go to bed on time; “Jesus, infuse me with supernatural energy.” When I drop my phone in the toilet; “Jesus, please can you just make sure the Cloud has all my texts and contacts?" These crises seem trivial if we compare them to worldwide tragedy, but the measure of need doesn’t change the fact that we are hard-wired to call out to God when we feel incapable of handling a situation or feel like the hand life is dealing us is unfair.

We will all face trials. The outcome is dependent on how we choose to face them. Will we learn our lesson or resent the discipline? Maybe you’re like me; sometime you choose to learn and others choose frustration. The results of our trials come from whether we choose life or death (Debt 30:19). I want to choose life.

The man turned to his neighbor, “I can’t wait any longer. I will get off, rent a car, and drive 90 minutes to Charlotte.” Then he turned to us and said, “We would have already taken off if the airline workers had submitted the flight paperwork on time. This happened to me last night! You guys need to get off and drive or you’ll make your vacation destination."

Proverbs 28:14 says, “Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life.”  When I chose home-school, I felt like I was losing my freedom. But once I made the commitment, I put my hand to the plow and tried not to look back because I was afraid to quit. I knew if I kept plowing ahead the Lord would honor my obedience.

I want to feel confident and assured before I do what God is asking, but often that comfort doesn't come until after we act in obedience. God tells Moses he won’t KNOW GOD SENT him until the people are delivered and he returns to the mountain.

I was not completely sure that we were supposed to write 12 Questions until after the fact. Once it was written, our marriage God protected us and our marriage continues to thrive. Even now, we still see God using the book to change lives.

As a leader, God often leads me toward unimaginable dreams or overwhelming fears which appear intimidating. I stand there, excitedly dreaming or anxiously praying. But at the right time, Jesus pushes me out of the nest and says,“Go!” I wonder how many miracles I’ve missed because I was too afraid to move.

It’s not easy to obey when you don’t feel it (when you’re not in your pocket). But I’ve found there’s an inexplainable strength found when I shift my focus from what I’m doing, to who I’m loving. Obedience flows from a desire to love God with all our heart, soul and mind. There is power in the pocket, because God honors a man or woman who obeys out of love, even when she or he isn’t feeling it

"I can’t do this!" Have you ever had this thought?

I recently had an experience that caused me to loose my footing; my desire to minister, to put myself out there, and to keep moving forward. My mind went to places like:

•             I don’t have to do this.

•             If I quit ministry, I would be a much smaller target for criticism.

•             Am I really called, and even if I am, do I have it in me anymore?

What about you? Has this discouraging storm ever entered your mind?  If so, consider Moses.

So, a few weeks ago, God told me to STOP.

He said, "Stop ministering through your blog and social media. Shift your attention solely to Me for your own health, for your own good."

It’s hard for me to STOP because I’m a doer and a giver.  I have a hard time letting go when I see a need I feel called to meet. But, sitting at my desk talking to you right now, I’m thankful that I heard his voice.

Since our feelings change so very quickly and our feelings try to dictate our actions, we have to be intentional and be slow about who we get to know. When our mind and our heart start those “falling feelings”, they have the potential to lead us where we don’t want to go.

The most engaging Q&A panels I’ve been a part of are on relationships. So I thought we could bring some of the best questions to the blog. This week’s discussion is “How should a Guy Lead Me in a Relationship.

Spring Fever comes every spring. When a person gets spring fever, it seems like there’s no controlling it. The fever has caused me to make my share of mistakes, but I’d like to share one of my success stories to encourage you.

I want to sincerely thank you for all your interest and prayers for me, my family and Clayton King Ministries (CKm). For 20 years our ministry was based in North Carolina, but God our ministry family to move to South Carolina this past August. It has been a giant faith journey for about 20 of us, but God has been faithful to love and take care of us in the process. Here are just a few highlights since our move and prayer requests moving forward.

Part E: Many of us WANT good friends, but we are scared to loved because friendships require so much ENERGY, and frankly they can be EXHAUSTING. So, we come up with a variety of excuses, “I’m too busy, burned, scared, introverted, or content to invest in a friend.

After weeks, months, or even years of excuses, we lose the desire to put forth the effort because we’ve learned to become more comfortable with ourselves than with other people. Your excuses may comfort you in the short run, but what empathy do they offer when life turns upside-down and your heart cries out for encouragement?  

Part V: The third reason we are scared to love is because of our VANITY- from the acronym L-O-V-E.  I don’t want to admit I’m vain, but I know I am. This terrible sin resides in my heart. I hate it. I want to hide it, but it is always tempting me to think more about myself than other people, to put my need to be accepted before theirs. It’s an ugly sin, but I cannot deny its presence in my soul.

If vanity is so detestable, why is it also so tempting?