Looking for God when things do not go as you expect

When things do not go as you expect, find God

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

copyright March 2019

Parana River Sunrise

Recently, I have had several friends that have dealt with some difficult, unexpected news and things not going as they had planned.  My heart has hurt for them, as I have been in similar situations in my own life; however, it was in those challenging places, I found God right in the middle of the  big challenges, as well as the little ones. It was also in that place, my faith and trust in Him grew, forever shaping and changing me.

My husband and I were fishing on Lake Amistad. I love spending the day with him at the lake and having the opportunity to just be with God on the water. I frequently pray and ponder things in the peaceful setting as I try to learn to fish.

Golden Dorado in Argentina

“Lord, I commit today to you,” I prayed as I looked at my surroundings and then picked up my fishing gear. I have been working on improving my casting and could not wait to practice with my new rod and reel. As I gazed out over the water, I selected the spot I thought would be perfect to catch a fish. Right as I began to cast, a huge gust of wind swept across the water and my cast went totally opposite of where I wanted it to go.

“Well that did not go as I expected,” I chuckled as I quickly began to reel my lure towards the boat. "What a waste of time and energy," I thought. About that time, I felt a hit on my bait, set the hook, and much to my surprise, I began to pull a good size fish closer to the boat! 

The very place that was a disappointment and I thought would be a waste of time and effort because my cast did not land as expected, had been productive after all. I think that is true in many other places in real life, in big and small daily life events.

Psalms 37:5 states, “Commit your way to the Lord, trust in him and he will do this.” (NIV) When we commit our day and way to the Lord, we can trust that God is in the middle of events of the day and can trust him even when things do not go as we plan or expect. I have found the adventure in each day, as I try to find God in the middle of whatever is unexpected in my life. When we see God in our circumstances, somehow it makes the unexpected okay and peaceful.

Grant, Anna, Truett, Ellis and Collins

I have had my share of sudden unwanted surprises in my life-my late husband battling cancer, my grandson was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, my dad was in the hospital with a 90% blockage in his heart, my other grandson was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome, crisis at work, are just a few I’ll name. In each of these situations, as I’ve committed them to the Lord and ask for His perspective, my heart could rest and I have had encounters with God in amazing ways. I have found Him in each of these situations and that is a treasure.

One of my daily prayers is, “God, give me your perspective of this.” “I want to see this as you see it because often my natural thinking needs some adjusting. God is good and he is faithful to always give me a better perspective, change my heart, and help me to be more like Him.

Several years ago, Stephen and I were traveling with another couple. On our way to the airport, we encountered some road work that caused a detour we had not counted on. This made us a few minutes late for our flight and we were bumped to another flight. As my friend apologized because we had to sit at the airport for four more hours, I smiled and said, “It is alright, I am going to find the divine appointment God has for me.” I had prayed that morning, “God I commit today and my life to you; it is all yours.” I could be at peace in the delay and look for God as my life and time belong to him.

As I sat down in my seat on the plane, a young girl that was 20 years old sat beside me. We began talking asking each other casual questions and then began talking about God. For 3 1/2 hours, I visited with this young lady, answering question after question she had about a deeper relationship with Jesus. It was such an honor for me to invest in her life. I found God in the middle of our flight delay and even though we got home much later than expected, it did not matter, God was in the delay and my life belongs to him. 

I challenge you to commit your day and situations to God and look for him when the unexpected knocks at your door. God is a relational God and loves to partner with us each day. Go on the treasure hunt of finding Him in your situations, and you will find peace. Faith and trust are outcomes of taking His hand and walking with Him. Life does not always make sense but we can have fun in the journey when we find Him in the unexpected.

Kathleen is a native of the Hill Country and is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth. Contact her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog on www.themaxwellminutes.blogspot.com
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Glassing Life's Mountains and Finding the Beauty

Glassing Life’s   Mountains and Seeing New Things

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

copyright March 2019

“We need to go to the ranch this weekend and look for  mule deer to get a head  count of how many does and bucks we can find,” my husband said in early January. 

“I’ll get things packed and be ready,” I stated, as I begin to think of all the things I needed to do.

We have a hunting business and lease a ranch in west Texas, and Stephen needed to spend some time out there, when things were not busy, viewing the wildlife.

I packed my computer, my “to do list,” hunting clothes, some things to read, to entertain myself on the long drive. I saw this weekend as a fun time alone with my man and a time to catch up on some  writing.

Little did I know, Stephen had a different idea of that weekend…

We arrived at the ranch around 7:30 a.m. on Saturday morning and my husband began to give me instructions. 

“Kathleen, your binoculars are in the back seat and I want you to document details of all the animals we locate, and where we find them,” he said. 

I quickly realized that this would be a different trip than I expected,  and thought of tossing my “to do” list, out the window. I was not real sure how much I could help him, but I was willing to try.

I love the west Texas desert, the vastness of the landscape,  and the hidden beauty I’ve discovered in this rugged land. 

We arrived at the first mountain on the ranch and Stephen parked the truck. He handed me some very high powered binoculars and told me on how to glass a mountain. He said to slowly survey the land, pay attention to anything that moved or looked different.

I looked at the big mountain and it looked pretty barren. All I saw were cactus, rocks and a lot of brown dirt.

Suddenly, my husband grabbed his spotting scope to get a closer look at a buck that was chasing several doe. Stephen told me that you first look at the mountain, then take a look with binoculars, and when you see something, you view it with the spotting scope, to get the fine details. As I took a closer look at the mountain, I quickly saw a nice seven point buck and three doe close to him. That deer looked like the king of the mountain with his haram close by. I began to jot down all the information to keep good records of what we saw, where we saw it and we then we took pictures through the scope.

We left that pasture and went to another mountain and I tried to practice what I had just learned. Again, I looked with my naked eye and saw a barren mountain. I began to look at the right side of the mountain with my binoculars and Stephen looked at the left side. 

I finally spotted something. I saw a nice ten point buck, sitting in the sun and stretching his neck, up and down. Stephen set up the scope and  began to look and he found eight doe in the close vicinity. Again, I took detailed notes to document the trip.

Glassing the mountain was a lot of work, however, it was a lot more fun than I anticipated and I love learning new things. Although I’ve been to this ranch each year for the last six years, I had never discovered the beauty in the fine details, like I was seeing on this trip.

Sometimes when I see something in life and it looks disappointing or like a negative, I  ask God to show me how He sees a situation. He always has a better vision of things than I do.

Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” (KJV)

I have discovered that God’s perspective of my life and challenges, is often very different than mine. When we seek Him and take a closer look, we can see the beauty in our difficulties, just like I was seeing when I took a closer look at the mountain.

Isaiah 55:8-9 is one of my favorite passages. It says, ““For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (NIV)

David, in the book of Psalms, committed adultery and murder, yet God saw him as a man after there heart of God. David was not perfect, but he loved God, sought Him, and repented of his transgressions. 

Gideon was scared and hiding under a bush, and yet God called him a mighty warrior.

God’s perspective and viewpoint is so much better than ours, which is why each of us should go to Him, to help us see things correctly. His lens is just like that spotting scope, seeing our potential and the beauty in our challenges, not just the rocks and barrenness , in our lives.

My husband and I continued to go to numerous pastures on the ranch, glassing the terrain.  As we drove and I found more beauty than I ever imagined, I began to think of how different things would look in my life, if I took a closer look at my mountains or challenges,  with a different lens, like I was seeing with the binoculars and spotting scope. God was speaking to me and I knew I needed to pay close attention.  

At the end of the day, I was amazed at all the animals that were hidden in the hills. We saw  many aoudads, hogs and javelinas, a huge 6 x 6 elk, numerous mature 10-12 point mule deer, yearlings, coyotes, foxes, a bobcat, as well as hawks, dove and quail.

I did not accomplish what I thought I would that weekend, however, I learned so much more about taking a closer look at people, situations in life, and how to glass a mountain. I saw beauty that I had never  seen and enjoyed spending quality time with my husband. 

I encourage you to take a closer look at your challenges, the mountains in your life, difficult people and ask God to help you see them through the right lens. I have no doubt, God will show you  the many treasures that are in your landscape.

Kathleen is a native of the Hill Country and is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth. Contact her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog on www.themaxwellminutes.blogspot.com

 

Letting Go and Trust

Letting Go and Trusting God

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

copyright 2019

Letting go is a part of life and is directly related to our trust in God. There are many things in life that I have had to let go of through the years, and I am sure many of you will be able to relate.

Austin, Joe and I at the Navel Academy 2004

One cold winter day as we were driving to school, my oldest son told me he wanted to apply to the United States Naval Academy and become an engineer. Although I knew he would have excellent opportunities from attending the military academy, I also had to face the reality he would one day go to war. Austin was a Junior in high school and I vividly remember sitting in the parking lot at his high school after he got out of the car and talking to God and saying, “God I didn’t raise my son to go to war.” 

I felt God reply, “I know, but you constantly prayed for me to help you raise him for his destiny; now can you let go of him so he can do that?” I sat in my car and wept. How could I argue with God and win? He was right. Austin’s father and I frequently prayed for God to help us prepare our children for their destiny.

As I struggled to let go of my first born, I began to change my prayers to “God help me let go of my son.” I realized my three kids were not mine, but God’s. He just loaned them to us for 20 years to raise. As I embraced that mindset and began to see things God’s way, peace flooded my heart. 

Since that time 22 years ago, I have had to let go of many things. Dreams for my life,  relationships, job, life as I have known it, my other two children, my late husband, plans I’ve made, just to name a few.  God has helped me each time to release people, and many other things. I imagine He chuckles and says, “Kathleen, I am so glad you asked because it shows that you trust me.”

Letting go is directly related to our trust in God. It is the place where we practice what we preach. There are many examples of letting go in the Bible, although those particular words are not used. 

For example, Mary, the mother of Jesus, had to let go of her plans for her life when the angel showed up in Luke1:29-38 and told her God’s plan for her life. She had vision to simply marry Joseph and be a good wife but when the angel appeared, and she suddenly was faced with letting go of her dreams for the unknown. Her response was,

 “ I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” (NIV)

Letting go makes us vulnerable to the goodness of God. What Mary traded was much better than anything she could have imagined! She was chosen to be the mother of the Savior and in His death, came resurrection and our access to personal relationship with God. 

Letting go has not been easy for me but I find the more I practice it, the easier it is. It declares my trust in God and  is an act of worship. It is saying “I submit to you and the process you want to take me through.”

 Releasing our plans and the things we hold close, opens us to new possibilities and is a trading time. It allows us to grow in dependance on God and release the illusion of that I am in control of my life or those we love. 

My oldest son graduated from the United States Naval Academy and went straight to the Persian Gulf and later to Iraq. He has been to war twice now and I now know he was made to be one of our nation’s military leaders. It is God’s call on his life and it is wonderful to see him rise to the challenge for our freedom.

Isaiah 12:2 states, “Surely, God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” (NIV) I was not real sure I could trust the US Navy with my son, but I could trust God, who loved my son even more than I did.

Proverbs 3:5 instructs us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart  and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him and he will direct your path.” (NIV)

What do you need to let go of in your life? Psalms 118:7 states, “The Lord is with me; he is my helper.” (NIV) God is waiting and ready to help in our time of letting go because he loves it when we trust him. And as we trust God with things that are dear to us, we have the opportunity to develop a closer relationship to him and open the door to many possibilities.

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie is a native to the Texas Hill Country, a writer and speaker. She is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth and God’s love. February 26, 2019, at 6:30, she will be leading a Bible study at The Kroc Center called, The Gathering-Bringing God into everyday life. You can register for the event and reach her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog at www.theMaxwellminutes.blogspot.com

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Do you need a heart check?

Is a heart check needed in your life?

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

February 2019

copyright

My sweet Daddy

      As I walked into the Emergency Room to see my father, I was greeted by the physician that had been treating my dad. 

     “Kathleen, your dad is in serious condition and his heart is failing. I am afraid he could code at any moment. Do you have his advanced directives?” the doctor stated.  “I have them at home.” I replied, still trying to wrap my mind around what I heard. “You need to go and get them as soon as possible,” the tall doctor continued.

     I knew my father had bone cancer and congestive heart failure.  He was tough as a boot and had already used up his nine lives, however, I guess I expected he would have ten. To help beat the odds of his condition, he exercised, watched his weight and took medication to take care of his heart. He was a fighter and he had always been a part of my life.

Holding my father's hand

    It is imperative that each of us take care of our heart, otherwise, we will not live long. But what about your spiritual heart? What condition is your heart in? And how  can we take care of our spiritual heart?

     Proverbs 4:23 admonishes us to guard our heart. It says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (NIV) 

     Our heart is the core of who we are and we must examine it all the time to keep it in good shape and in proper condition. When our heart is settled, peace is in  our life even though circumstances might be a bit crazy. It is our heart that is the doorway to life with God.

     The first and best ways we can take care of our spiritual heart is to give our hearts to Jesus. God sent Jesus so we could have a new heart.

     Ezekiel 36:26 talks about this great exchange and what God’s heart is for us when we accept Christ into our lives. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (NIV) 

     It is simple to get a new spiritual heart. Romans 10:9 &10 shows us how. “That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord,: and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your your heart that you believe and are justified and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” (NIV) 

     Have you accepted Christ into your heart? If not, what are you waiting for? Your new heart is available.

     Numerous people give their hearts to Christ but then do not take care of it. Reading the Bible, talking to God, also known as prayer, confessing sins to him and receiving His forgiveness are all things that strengthen our heart. All of these things keep our hearts in good shape. God’s word is like a road map. It keeps us going the right way, shows us how to live, speak, work, get along with others, have peace and joy.

     Prayer is nothing more than conversation with God. You do not have to kneel to pray and can visit with God anytime, any place. God loves being a part of our everyday life and created us to have relationship with Him. Telling God how we feel, what concerns us, how something hurt, are all ways of pouring out our heart to God. The great news is He is always available to listen.

     Just like hardening of the arteries will keep blood from flowing properly through our bodies, our heart can get hard and calloused by difficulties in life, hurt, disappointments, and  betrayal.

     Forgiveness is essential to keeping our heart soft. Forgiveness is a two way street. We are instructed throughout scripture to forgive others that have hurt and disappointed us and we are also told to ask God for forgiveness of the things we have done wrong.

     Confessing and repenting of our sins, wrong attitudes, selfish actions or unkind words are essential to keeping our heart soft. All of us have done wrong. Sometimes one of the hardest things to do is forgive ourselves. Most people hate to make mistakes but don’t be afraid to admit your faults to God. He loves you unconditionally and He wants your heart tender towards Him and others.

     My sweet father’s natural heart stopped beating shortly after my conversation with the physician six years ago this month. He was a man that also took care of his spiritual heart and set a good example for his children and grandchildren.

     You and I have a lot of life to live. I do not want to miss one minute of the things God has for me and I always want my heart to be soft and tender to Him and sensitive to those around me. Life flows from the heart in the natural and in our spiritual lives. Will you join me in giving your spiritual heart a checkup and take care of your heart? 

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie is a native to the Texas Hill Country, a writer and speaker. She is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth and God’s love. Beginning January 22, 2019, at 6:30, she will be leading a Bible study at The Kroc Center called, The Gathering-Bringing God into everyday life. You can register for the event and reach her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog at www.theMaxwellminutes.blogspot.com

The Power of Gentleness

The Power of Gentleness

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

copyright 2019

January 2019

A number of years ago, I was asked to speak to a ladies group in Comfort, Texas. When I am asked to speak, sometimes the organization has a particular topic or theme and other times, they let me choose my message. In this situation, the topic was chosen.

“Kathleen, we are studying the fruit of the Spirit from the passage in Galatians 3:5,” the organizer of the event stated.

“We want you to talk about gentleness,” she continued.

“Okay,” I reluctantly replied, as I did not see gentleness as a strong quality in my life. 

I personally felt more like a bull in a china closet than a gentle person, however, I knew God wanted to teach about gentleness, and I wanted to learn. Here are some things I have discovered and practiced at home, work, and many other situations, since that day eight years ago. 

Gentleness is defined as being kind or tender, not harsh or severe. As a verb, it means calm.

Gentleness is powerful humility. It means you are sweet spirited, tenderhearted, and overcoming.

When I think about people I know that seem to have this character quality mastered, my heart is open to them, I feel loved, valued,  I want to hear what they have to say-gentleness opens the door to many possibilities.

Gentleness is an attribute of Jesus- Matthew 11:29 “Come unto me all who are weary and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you for I am gentle and humble in heart.” (NIV)

Jesus was the mightiest man around, and yet He describes himself gentle and says gentleness  is  part of His identity. Scripture tells us that we are made in His image, so gentleness is in all of us. Some of us need to develop it more than other do. 

When I  partner with Jesus, or am yoked with Him, like He invites us to, gentleness provides rest for my heart. If you are running  around uptight, stressed out, you might want  try practicing your gentleness. 

Gentleness is not weakness. It is strength under control. 

It is easy to get aggravated with someone because they do not see eye to eye with you. Anyone can be angry, tell someone off and we might even think deserve it.  That isn’t the way God treats us. When we choose to respond in gentleness, we demonstrate strength.

One day, I was helping a client with a situation with her rent. I was trying to teach her to face her responsibility, not run from it. I coached her on how to call her landlord, explain the problem and her plan to rectify the situation. She left my office to make the call, and the next thing I knew, she came barging into my workspace, with eyes big and I could hear someone yelling over the phone. It was the landlord and she was angry and mad.

At that point, I asked to speak to the landlord. I identified myself, and the woman raised her voice at me! I wanted to give her a piece of my mind, however, I remembered what I had been learning about gentleness and decided to practice it.

I listened for a while, lowered my voice several decimals below her voice, and began to speak and clarify some things. When I did this, instead of raising my voice to match hers, the woman began to lower her voice a little. The next time I spoke, I got even quieter. She began to calm down, we had a good discussion, and my client got exactly what she needed.

Gentleness demonstrates strength, and combats harshness and anger. 

Proverbs 15:1 says, “ A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word, stirs up anger.” (NIV)

I have found, gentleness is a good offensive and defensive weapon in times of conflict. My husband and I are both pretty strong willed people and when we have a disagreement, I try practicing my gentleness. Fortunately, he is not the kind of man to yell, but in times of conflict, when I choose gentleness, it helps us come into agreement quicker.

If you want to win a disagreement, I challenge you to try gentleness. 

Philippians 4:5 tells us, “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” (NIV) 

Jesus wants us to display gentleness to others because He is gentle and wants us to be like Him.

In conclusion, I have learned, gentleness can quickly defuse tense situation and disarms people. It makes people feel valued and it looks good on you when you practice it and wear it. I challenge you to join me in practicing gentleness, and if you want to win a disagreement, try gentleness.

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie is a native to the Texas Hill Country, a writer and speaker. She is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth and God’s love. Beginning January 22, 2019, at 6:30, she will be leading a Bible study at The Kroc Center called, The Gathering-Bringing God into everyday life. You can register for the event and reach her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog at www.theMaxwellminutes.blogspot.com

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