This morning I sat on my front porch before church and asked God, “I want to hear you but lately I’m not.”
I took a sip of coffee and asked, “How do you want to use me today? Who do I need to pray for?”
I know this will sound strange, but a name came to my mind, Marit.
I finished my coffee, was walking my dog Kipper, and received a text from my friend Cindy that read,”Not sure if you heard but Marit fell and broke her collar bone in three places. Had to have surgery. She is home recovering.”
I quickly called Cindy and was updated on our friend.
After catching up with Cindy, I called Marit and explained that this morning, it was pressed on my heart, like a voice whispering to me from God, to pray for her.
She burst into tears and said, “I can’t believe that I’m receiving this call all the way from California. This can only be explained as God.”
Both of us felt encouraged that God sees us, listens to us, and truly intervenes for us if we surrender and ask him for his help.
How does GOD want to whisper to you? Are you willing to ask and wait for his small whisper?
I love the unexpected ♥️ Yesterday I had coffee with Jake & Tarah’s second grade teacher, Carrie ♥️
This beautiful soul loved on my kids during a fragile time of their life, after my divorce and their dad’s tragic accident💔 I am so thankful that Carrie uses her gifts to serve others for the glory of God! Who can you serve ? Who can you thank for helping you on your journey ?
1 Peter 4:10-11 “ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. “
I am at O’Hare airport headed back to California, scrolling through my phone looking at pictures from my time here in Chicago.
There were sweet times; dinner with Tarah, (who flew in from New York) Jake, and meeting Mika, Jake’s girlfriend, for the first time.
As I look at this photo, I am remembering the simple but sweet mile walk on Michigan Avenue, holding hands, sharing giggles, and smirks.
I study the photo and think My kids. My babies are adults. They are living their best life.
I scroll through more pictures on my phone and think My clients. So happy I was able to see them too. They are familyto me.
I hear an announcement over the loudspeaker, “Passengers headed to Charlotte, boarding will begin in ten minutes.” That’s not my flight.
I look down at my phone and scroll through some more pictures. My heart pounds a little bit quicker remembering the reason for my trip to Chicago. Dad.
My dad turned ninety this week.
I smile as I scroll through the pictures of his birthday party.
Dad, all smiles, with his girls.Dad and his kids, unfortunately because of an emergency, Roger couldn’t make it.Grandpa and his grandkids, missing five of his grandkids. (11 total)Grandpa with seven of his great grandkids, and the eleventh is on the way.
I scroll through more pictures, tears form in my eyes, my mouth quivers, and I think Dadhas really had a wonderful life.
An announcement comes over the intercom, “Passengers on flight 2665, we are ready to board.”
I stand up, pull my rollerboard forward, It was a sweet week but a hard week too. I’m headed home.
“…So that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.” Ephesians 6:3
My sweet dog Kipper never fails to greet me with kiss, EVERYDAY . Within seconds of seeing me, I am covered in wet kisses. She shares her JOY freely without hesitation or conditions.
Why isn’t this true for me with all people? I know for me I’m guilty of holding on to past disappointments, rude interactions, and sad memories.
Blame it on the human brain storing memories whereas Kipper’s brain starts with a clean slate every day.
She doesn’t hold a grudge if I’m late, feeding her dinner, or maybe skipping a morning walk.
Sometimes I know I have felt justified for holding on to the extra baggage of past interactions, after all THEY hurt me. THEY were “not nice.”
But today I FELT differently. Maybe I was at fault too. Today I thought WHAT IF, I could store the baggage away and start fresh? I could wait for THEM to change or pray THEY change. But maybe the change needs to begin with me.
Heck, if Jesus could kiss Judas and greet him by calling him friend, why can’t I ?
I know I can’t do this on my own so YES, I am asking God to help me love like Jesus… or at least let me love like Kipper. Slobber and all.
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.” Philippians 3:14
As a follow-up to a previous post, sometimes you have to buy the Pink dress! We have had lots of gloomy days here in Santa Barbara, but last Sunday was nothing but sunshine celebrating the happy couple.
“… And when my days are happy pink it’s good to dance and just not think.”
May God bless you with sunshine today! Happy Sunday !
Have hope! God may be moving you in a new direction.
Through my divorce, the accident, being financially broke,the lawsuit from my ex’s second wife, my home burglary, and then my sickness, I never gave up hope because I knew GOD was with me .
Never did I think God was moving me from Chicago to California. He had the plan for me & HE does for YOU!
With just one note of the song, Pictures of You, I was 19 years old again, transported back to the sticky beer-drenched basement of the Delta Sig house at WIU, dancing in a circle with my Tau sorority sisters.
Hit arrow! Play video
Funny, as I think of that girl, I was so hopeful. Full of life.
Is there a song or a band who does that for you? I would love to hear. Please comment.
Are you stuck in a sticky season?
We all have a chance to be 19 years old again.
To be hopeful is The Cure.
What is God whispering to you?
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace.” Romans 15:13
Happy Sunday! Before church, I sip my coffee and thank God for the usual:
My kids
Kipper
Sleep
The beach
I take another sip WAIT! My health!
I almost forgot, for years, I was so sick. Every morning I woke up like I had the flu, feeling like I was plugged into an electric socket being shocked, and burning like a match. I only weighed 105pounds! I was miserable.
But NO LONGER! Yesterday I found myself skipping the streets of Santa Barbara with a friend. As we walked by a vintage shop, a pink dress caught my eye. I threw a smirk at her and said. “What are you wearing to the wedding?”
I tried on the dress. I bought the dress.
Yes it is obnoxiously pink!
I could wear a dress from my closet, but just like the pink dress, I’m in a new season of cotton candy fun.
It could be sweet or sticky but I am willing to indulge in the gooey messiness.
What about you?
Dance more! Be silly more!
Buy the pink dress!
Ecclesiastes 9:7 “Seize life! …God takes pleasure in your pleasure! Dress festively every morning. Don’t skimp on colors and scarves.”
To all the mothers, Happy Mother’s Day! This was one of my first Mother’s Day.
Never did I think that a few short years later, I would be a single mom and solely responsible for my children.
There had to be a greater purpose, a greater plan.
I think it was God’s plan to help equip me to become a better financial advisor; to learn empathy for others who struggle.
The question for you is how can your weaknesses and/ or experiences be used to serve others?
Are you willing to be used?
“So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them the same help and comfort that God has given us.” 2 Corinthians 1:4
Today a dear servant of God has passed, Dr. Charles Stanley.My heart is broken yet I am smiling, thinking of him being with Jesus.
The first book I read of his was WAITING ON GOD. Through this book, Dr. Stanley taught me how to meditate, get in God’s word, wait for his direction and listen for the prompting of the Holy Spirit or as I like to call it The Whisper Within.
My life has been anything but easy. My ex became a paraplegic 20 years ago when I had two little kids.
Through waiting on God and listening for his direction, God orchestrated a life that I can’t even imagine and I’m so grateful for.
So so thankful that nightly I could watch Charles Stanley’s YouTube sermons. His soft voice gave me peace and his words of wisdom gave me daily direction.
My favorite quote of his was,”Obey God and leave all the consequences to him.”
Charles will continue to make disciples of all nations through his ongoing ministry!
Praise God! I can only imagine Jesus welcoming him at the gate and saying, “Hello Charles! My good & faithful servant !”
I love that Charles Stanley says ( not to discourage attending church),“ Why go to church and spend an hour and walk away with nothing? That’s a bad investment. But what about spending an hour and having God pour truth into your life.”
Church can be like a party where you don’t know anyone there so you may end up feeling more lost, more alone.
Or it can be like attending a concert to a musician that you don’t know the music.
The best way to get to know a new musician is to listen quietly or dance silly in your own home, before experiencing the big concert.
You would not attend a concert to Death Cab for Cutie, if you knew none of the music, so why would you go to church if you don’t already have a relationship with God?
How do you get a relationship with God? Well like listening to new music, you play around with it.
So how do you start listening to this NEW ARTIST and dabble in His music? I’m gonna make it easy; start with Proverbs or with the Psalms. I started reading the Psalms when I was sad and the Proverbs when I needed direction.
Then once you experience God on your own, there’s nothing better than being in a big community of other “concert goers” who love Death Cab for Cutie, or God, just the way you do.
Make yourself some chicken soup, relax and put your feet up, grab a Bible, and ask God to speak to your heart.
And Listen to the Whisper Within.
My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.” Psalm 27:8
It is not until tragedy strikes that we search for answers, pray, and seek hope to guide us.
I feared that a whisper might either paralyze or propel me. One call would define my courage or my destruction.
I can still hear the phone call. It clings to my memory like the ivy on the brick walls of Wrigley Field. That was twenty years ago.
“Hello, Lisa.”
“Hello? Hello? I’m sorry. I can’t hear you.”
I lunge at the door and step outside The Timber Ridge Lodge and Waterpark in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. A bitter wind punches my cheeks.
“Hello, Lisa?”
“I can hear you now, Marie.”
“Lisa, there has been a terrible accident! It’s Dan. A helicopter has airlifted him to Minnesota. They’re hoping they can save him!”
“What? What did you say?”
“Danny’s fighting for his life.”
“What? What happened?”
“It was a snowmobile accident. I know this must be hard on you since you and my son just divorced.”
That was twenty years ago today.
It was a devastating day for my ex, the father of my children, as he became a paraplegic and had to be brave to live a challenging life.
That phone call changed everything. It became my rock bottom.
Me, Tarah, & Jake
But today, twenty years later, I’m thankful for rock bottom.
No matter what happened to me, I believed that God had a plan for my life.
Being broke.
Being single.
Being robbed.
Being sick.
All the waiting.
Waiting for work.
Waiting for love.
Waiting for the kids to grow up.
Waiting to move.
I grieved. I hurt. But I laughed too. It wasn’t an easy life but I didn’t do it alone.
God was with me, day by day, every step of the way.
I do believe in my heart that God worked on Dan’s behalf too by saving his life on that snowbank.
I walk my neighborhood, tip up my straw hat and look up at the sky. You did it. You moved me here. You knew what you were doing. You had the plan all along, didn’t you?
I do not hear the Whisper Within but I FEEL IT! ( Be sure to read my t-shirt in the picture. This was a lovely gift from my sweet friend Peggy.)
God had the plan and turned all my crises into contentment and blessed me more than I could imagine.
A smile covers my face as I think of my good friends who walked with me and brought light into some of my darkest days. ( Too many of you to mention)
I look up at the sky and whisper You are so so good to me!
Can you trust that God has the plan when your circumstances seem hopeless?
“Now faith is being certain of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”—Hebrews 11:1.
“Wait on the Lord. Be strong and take courage. Yes, wait, and he will help you.” Psalm 27:14
Today I called my ninety-five year old widowed client. I reviewed her investments and cash flow needs and then the conversation turned personal.
“How are you Rosemarie?”
“Honestly Lisa, lonely. If anyone tells you that these are the golden years, punch them in the face for me.”
I giggled. We talked some more and then I responded, “Call me if you need anything even if it just to talk.”
Later in the day, I walked up town to pick up my work mail, and bought some stamps. And not just any stamps but Valentine’s Day stamps.
For those of you who don’t know me, I am a sucker for love and not the puny Dum Dum suckers but more like the HUGE Charlie and The Chocolate Factory rainbow sucker type of love, and Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday.
I left the post office and mentally made a list of who I would send cards to. Rosemarie for sure. My widow clients.
A smirk covered my face WAIT! What if I made this a challenge?
So here it is. I am challenging all my Facebook Friends to send 14 cards in the next 14 days…AND SHARE THIS to their page.
If my 500 friends send 14 cards, that is over 7,000 cards sent. If they share the ‘What If’ challenge, the results could be endless.
So can you do your part? Send 14 cards & share this post?
Think of ninety-five year old Rosemarie, wouldn’t it be sweet to share love to someone who may be lonely.
Who knows? By giving love you may feel love.
Who’s in? LET’S DO IT !
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12
I’m still sad about my brother’s passing. I miss friends. I’m trying everything to get back my joy, burning candles, taking walks, blasting music, etc., but I’m just sad.
I responded Tell God you are sad.
So I’m telling you because I’ve been there. Something I learned is to talk to God like a best friend. I’m sad I’m lonely. I need your help. I’m exhausted.
If you don’t know God and don’t have a relationship with him, my suggestion is to start reading the Psalms.
I started reading the Psalms, when I went through a divorce and really relied on them, God’s word, when my ex became a paraplegic.
During this time, I was desperate and learned that I had a personal friend who heard my desperate cries, and wanted to restore my silly joy.
He did then! And He restores my joy now! He will for you too! Just ask!
Last weekend was New Year’s Eve. I had a fantastic time celebrating with my friend, Marji, yes in our PJs.
Cheers!
We toasted, giggled, and planned for the year ahead; trips we would possibly take, men we would maybe date, and adventures we would perhaps partake in.
So tonight as I sit in my pjs, yes once again, I am scrolling through Facebook and as expected, my feed is filled with New Year resolutions.
Here are some examples :
-This is the year I’m going to meet my husband.
-This year I’m gonna start my own business.
-I’m going to lose weight.
-I’m going to exercise more.
-I’m gonna get my health back on track.
I…I…I So many I’s!!!
Why do New Year’s resolution fail most of the time?
Because of the I’s!
I have to admit, several years ago, when I was a single mom and my ex became a paraplegic, I believed that willpower, guts, and sheer strength would get me through any trials. I used the Bible verse, “ I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.” like armour going into battle.
The problem was the emphasis was on I, not on Christ who gives me strength.
Why did I decide or why do we decide to take the knife in our own hands and attempt to carve out life on our own?
Through time, I learned to say or more realistically, look up and yell at God ,“ I need your help! I’m lost! I’m sad!”
Once I learned to ask for His help,my life may not have gotten easier, but I didn’t feel alone. God was with me.
So you may be thinking, “Well great! Good for you! But I don’t have a faith in God, in fact I don’t even know how to begin? How to let God in?”
Stay tuned for a follow-up blog …can’t wait to share HOW!
But for now, I DO know, going it alone never works because eventually we all get tired, lonely, sad, exhausted, and we need help.
And I have learned this secret, “With God all things are possible!” Matthew 19:26
I have to admit that this morning, getting out of bed, I was not feeling my normal silly joy, but instead was overwhelmed from a night of listening to sirens warning of evacuations for potential mudslides.
I got out of bed and looked up at the ceiling and said, “Ok!God, let’s do this!”
I started my workday, called a few clients, and then decided to call a special client, my brother-in-law.
Before I called, I pulled up his profile and looked at his age, and thought,How is Doug going to be 60? Wait! If Doug is going to be 60, that means my sister is going to be 60.How is this possible?
An image quickly flashes through my memory of a perfect summer day watching my sister Debbie ride bareback her horse,Blazer.
Recalling that memory, I thought, if Debbie was 16 then, I was only 12.
I grabbed my cell phone, tapped my sister’s name and within seconds, we were reminiscing about the good old days.
I hung up the phone and thought, I am going to be 56 next month. Ugh!
I walked to my bathroom and put my hair in pigtails to feel like I was twelve years old again.
I continued working, the rain blew over, and the sun came out. My work day is completed. I look over at my office partner and say, “Kipper time for a walk.”
As I walk down the rain soaked sidewalkI thought,I am not getting any younger. What am I waiting for? When am I gonna start living my purpose?
What is my purpose? To be the best financial advisor? No!
Maybe it is my age speaking or maybe it’s a brand new start to a brand new year? Or maybe it is the realization of friends, family, and clients who have passed this year.
But whatever it is, I want to be silly Lisa who had this contagious joy to share the JOY of JESUS!
What is your purpose? Please comment! Love to hear!
“For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him, and then helping you do what he wants.” Philippians 2:13
I’m at the airport, killing time until my flight. I quietly smile as I remember the first night in New Orleans at dinner when Jake and I handed back the menus and, at the same time, said, “Thank you so much!” Tarah threw a smirk at us and said, “Jinx!”
We all started giggling. Our drinks came, and once again, at the same time, Jake and I said, “Wonderful!”
I hear over the airport intercom, “We will be boarding United Flight 2108 to Denver shortly.” I sit back in the stiff airport chair and scroll through my phone; my dimples are exposed as I glance at photos of eating beignets and exploring the Bayou.
My heart is full, but a tightness sets in as I think of hugging goodbye to my kids at security as we roll our luggage to separate planes; New York, Chicago, and Denver en route to Santa Barbara. I hear the flight attendant say, “We are ready to board flight 2108 to Denver.”
I stand, grab my roller board, head to the gate, turn back to look at the line behind me, and think my kids are heading home, and so am I.
As I walk down the ramp, I remember their smiles and think, I am so proud of the wonderful, polite adults they have become, but I sure do miss my babies.
“Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their life.” Proverbs 22:6
Today when I called my client to review her investment accounts,I asked her if it was a good time to talk.
Her response was priceless.
“Sure! I’m just riding a Ferris wheel at Myrtle Beach!”
I giggled and a huge smile covered my face. BEST ANSWER EVER!
In the spirit of Christmas, it reminded me of the clip below of the movie Elf and why I love doing what I do. I feel blessed and joyful that my client is enjoying her retirement.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” Colossians 3:23
His sermon spoke of being stuck in the burden of trying to make a living, TRYING to find happiness, peace, and JOY… and TRYING to accumulate prestige and prominence… and he said to LET ALL THAT GO and LEARN to sing at the TOP of your voice with JOY no matter of your circumstances.
His sermon gave me so much peace that I drifted off to sleep like a swaddled baby.
And for some silly reason, I sprung out of bed this morning with childish unexplainable joy, and my children’s kindergarten song, “Jesus’ love is bubbling over,” ran through my brain, but I couldn’t remember the tune.
I quickly texted my daughter Tarah and asked her to sing the song.
Here is the song. Click on arrow!
So, I know you are probably thinking, “Well, that’s good for you, Lisa. You are silly. You are ridiculous. You have no idea the problems I have. Life is rough for me. I am in a season of ugly.”
Well, I can tell you this, twenty years ago, one of the most brutal times of my life, when I went through a divorce, my ex became a paraplegic, and I was a broke single mom; I remember a guy whom I started dating told me you are one of the happiest people I know. Even though you have all this crap, how are you still happy?
It wasn’t my inner strength. It wasn’t me trying to have a pleasant disposition. It was ALL GOD! I knew my troubles were more than I could handle on my own. I asked God to fill me with unexplainable JOY! And He did! And he does now! But sometimes, I am a spoiled brat, like a kindergartener who wants her toy back, and I scream at God, “GIVE ME JOY!”
So, as I skip the streets of Santa Barbara this afternoon, heading to yoga, I am sending you all love and asking you to ask the one who sees you, loves you, and wants to help you; to ask Him to fill you with the JOY of JESUS.
Salt gives food flavor. You can BE JOY! Share JOY! You are the salt of the earth! Can you be salty?
“You are the salt of the Earth.” Matthew 5:13
“… I have learned the secret of being content in every situation… I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians4: 12-13
If you don’t know this fact about me, I’m a concert junkie. So last week at the Death Cab for Cutie concert, I was like a teenager at Lollapalooza, standing by the stage, belting out the lyrics to the complete setlist. While I got lost in the moment, I paid dearly for it the next day. I lost my voice. As a friend joked, I am literally The Whisper Within. Haha!
Yes, it has been almost a whole week of having laryngitis. Not fun, for sure, but brutal for an extrovert. Work has been complicated, to say the least. Thank God for email and a really good assistant.
I have drunk enough tea and honey to fill a swimming pool; today, my frustration got the best of me.
Today, I took a work break, walked Kipper, and asked God, “What should I do? I can’t get in for a doctor’s appointment for a month. Urgent care is usually swamped without an appointment. I know I can try to get a same-day urgent care appointment; if it is, your will let it work out. Let it be the easy button.”
I walked home and logged into the online urgent care scheduling system. The system had a pop-up window that stated, send code to text. I responded and waited. No text. Tried again. No text. Third time. No text. I thought, “Ok, God, is this your answer?”
I tried email to get the code and received it. Soon my fingers were typing like I was playing the piano in a concert, fast and furious as I attempted to secure an appointment. I was at the final question, “The reason for your visit.” I scrolled down all the illnesses listed, COVID, Flu, high fever, etc., and checked the box to OTHER. A Pop-up window appeared, DENIED. You must call to schedule an appointment.
Call? Are you kidding me? I slapped my hands on my face like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone and shut my laptop in defeat. But then, I looked at the ceiling and thought, “I wanted the answer, God, and I said if it wasn’t easy, it wasn’t meant to be. You answered!”
So how do you hear God? I am not special. Ask Him specific questions, and if you believe he will answer you, HE WILL!
Oh, and I will admit, I don’t always ask God to guide me. I am guilty, too, of not listening to Him. One brief example is that I was looking to go on a trip to start a relationship with someone potentially. Everything that could go wrong that week did. Our dog bit someone, the snowblower didn’t work after a massive snowstorm, and the water pipes burst and flooded our house in the middle of winter. I was not supposed to go on the trip. I didn’t listen, and the weekend was a disaster. God warned me. He knew best.
So yes, God may answer you through hardship.
In this minor inconvenience, God humbles me, teaches me patience, and leads me to be silent and listen for The Whisper Within. Now back to drinking more tea.
“If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask Him and He will gladly tell you.” James 1:5
The Whisper Within 