Forget the Beef..."Where's the Turkeys?"

A phone call last week revealed that the local grocer kindly offering to bake off the turkeys for our annual community Thanksgiving meal, was desperately short on the turkeys needed.  We spoke on the phone of the details and he informed me that his staff would begin the thawing process that afternoon but only had 8 turkeys to unthaw.  We needed at least double that and preferably 20 turkeys. PANIC crept in and my close friend worry helped me engage in my easy come freak out mode.  I prayed, and worried, and prayed, and worried some more.  I went through my morning routine at home anxious and stressed about the matter.  I finally hopped into my car and began to head into work.  On the drive into town I said, "Ok God, I'm just going to be quiet and let you talk I have nothing here."  There was no audible out loud voice  that gave me specific instructions on how to acquire the amount of turkeys needed but there was the stillness in my car and a quickening of my spirit connecting to the Holy Spirit of Christ. The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, living in me, a follower of Jesus that spoke quietly to my soul- " If you could know in your depths of my love you would know that I alone am your provider."  I prayed in my spirit "I believe, help my unbelief."
Soon I arrived at Whoop-Ti-Doos (my work place and location of the community Thanksgiving meal).  I walked up to the back door to unlock it and sitting on the back stoop were 2 turkeys.  A smile came to my face and my spirit. I began preparations for the day a little less anxious.  Soon the staff I would be working with that day arrived.  I said good morning and began speaking to her in a frenzy as if the two turkeys precariously sitting on the back stoop earlier that morning had never occurred!  "Darla, I'm freaking out, Hy-Vee is starting to thaw out our turkeys this afternoon and we are short on turkeys, we really need to pray about this!"  No longer did that statement get out of my mouth than the ding of the back door bell sounded and in walked a lady from the community.  She randomly asked, "Are you still in need of turkeys for your Thanksgiving meal?"  I looked at Darla and laughed out loud!  "Yes!", I stated! "You are actually an answer to prayer we are short on turkeys!" She led me out to her car and handed me the turkey from her back seat! At that moment I was being humbled in a huge blessing of provision and my faith for the moment went to a high level of belief and awe of the specificness of God answering my "worry-wart prayer."  I went inside and Darla and I offered a prayer of thankfulness for the turkeys and asked God to provide exactly the amount we would need for the upcoming celebration.  We went through the lunch hour rush enjoying the blessing and provision God was pouring out from heaven.  I was so full of belief in those hours I thought it could actually begin to rain turkeys from heaven! Well that did not happen, but later that afternoon Darla answered a phone call and motioned me over to her.  With a smile on her face, she said "There's a guy on the phone wanting to know if you are still needing turkeys!"  He called back later that afternoon saying that he purchased 6 turkeys and took them to Hy-Vee!  By the time I layed my head on my pillow that night we were up to 22 turkeys! As I type this I believe that we have 25+ turkeys unthawing in the coolers at Hy-Vee!  This was not only a testimony of how faithful our living God is and what a mighty provider he is but that my little boxed God does not work.  It is when we turn our hands from white knuckled to our own control and in faith lay them out and turn them upward is when God can be the awesome and mighty one that he so wants to be, in us and through us! Matthew 6:31-33 "So do not worry saying what, "What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear?"  The pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

May this story of how specific and faithful God is encourage your heart and lead you into belief and a attitude of thankfulness - no matter your circumstances, heart condition, or situation-God is waiting for your heart to turn soft to him as you surrender with hands open and upward to his provision in your life.  Believe that he  can meet your needs better that you ever could on your own! He met your greatest need by sending his son Jesus (John 3:16) to die for all of our control freak, worry wart, actions of unbelief (just to name a few) sins and provided a way to salvation and eternal life though his perfect life.  Will you believe today?  Look around to find the "turkey sitting on your doorstep" it is there waiting....Happy, Happy Thanksgiving!

BARREN

Barren.

Bucked off a Horse.

Stuck on a mountain with hiding terrorists.

Adultery in the intimate relationship you once held dear.

Cancer.

Laid Off

Foreclosure.

I’m sorry she’s gone we did all we could.

Alzheimer’s

Depression

Divorce.

Addicted

Miscarriage

Orphaned

Abuse

Neglect

Hurtful words spoken in rage to the innocent

Planned deaths of the unborn

Bombings

Motor vehicle accident

War

Loneliness

Doubt

Shy

Prostitution

Pornography

Obesity

Greed for more

More money

More attention

More fame

More praise

Falsity

Conditional love

Fatherless

Motherless

Failed

Lied to

The liar

Fear

Unwilling to become

Pride

Proud man using woman

Proud man using children

Proud man using himself

Pride

Weeds

The unwanted

Hunger

Starvation

Sex crimes

Hate crimes

Running late

Unwilling to love yourself

Unwilling to become

Dyslexia

Speech impediments

Blind

Deaf

Death

Mentally ill

Handicap

Homeless

Perfectionist

Pleaser

Worry

Scared

Love lost

Love never found

Alone

Abandon

The one who abandon

The one who broke the vow

Manipulation

Shame

Guilt

Gluten

Hoarder

Loner

Showoff

Addict

Have I named your vice?

Your ashes

What left you broken?

What caused you to break?

The thorn in your flesh that makes you feel like a mistake?

The fall that came within your spirit

The fall that continually comes

That thing that you do that you don’t want to do

Many and ongoing you must know them as they creep in; stifle and cripple your soul

But what we must know

What must be told is that

There is one who spoke these words

“Whoa to anyone who causes one of these little one of mine to sin it; would be better for him to cast a millstone around his neck and be drug into the depths of the sea.” 

Who would speak this?

Who are the little ones?

Who is being drug into the depths of the sea?

The speaker is Jesus

The little one is me

The little one is you

With our vices or ashes so many so few

The one being drug with the millstone around his neck

Well that is me as well

That is you also

Admit it you are the victim

While at the same time you are the player

And so am I

So what to do

We are the little one who was caused to stumble

 And the one who caused the stumble to come to the little one

This horrible terrible real life truth causes fire in my soul

To think that I’ve been used

And just the same used others as well

The fire in my soul burns strong as hell

Burns long

Disturbs

Grieves

Me deep

The fire burns strong burns long

And then dies

What’s left is a pile of ashes still smoking inside

Then the speaker that said who whoever causes these little ones of mine to fall speaks another phrase that gives hope to the soul

He says

I give crowns of beauty for ashes

Gladness for mourning

Praise for despair

He speaks to the little one

And the one in the sea

He says take my yoke my burden is easy

This trouble this trial

This sin that you’ve caused

Was never my plan

My will

For you

But I make a plan through it all

For my perfect way to shine through

So when the sin happens

When the trial comes

Know it is not from me or above

But I am there in, around, under, and through

All that is happening and my plan is true

To give back the beauty that left ashes burning

To wipe your tears of mourning and bring back your joy

I will tell you the truth of your worth and sing your praise

Where once all you could see was despair and the rain

Where I stand I see all the little ones left crying in the sand

And the one with the rope drug by their own plan

Into the depths of the sea left floating to die

I see it all

I see all

From beginning to end and that is how I can

Be the healer, restorer and one who makes new

All that is abandon

Broken and

Dead

I come to give life

I have a new plan

I Am

My sacrifice

My pain on the cross

Where the sin and hurt all hung

No I did not cause the disaster of the fallen

But I gave you choice and a complete freedom

To do life your way and that left so many tangled webs

 That the only way for you to be complete again

Was for my son to hang

On a cross

Without sin

And for my spirit to the earth be sent

To untangle the sin webs of fallen man

And allow the will of a loving Creator

To be the beauty in the ashes of the little one who stumbled

And the one in the sea completely humbled

So little one wipe the tears from your eyes and stand up

Drowning man I pull you out of the depths to dry off

And there you all stand my creation who chooses to come

Bow at the cross for all that is wrong

The ground is level there

No better no worse

Just complete forgiveness for all and rebirth

And there we will dance on the ground at the foot of the cross

We will dance free in forgiveness

Close your eyes and let freedom ring

The clouds pass over and the terrible misery

Is gone in a moment

He lifts you up high

And you discover yourself on a mountaintop

Sun shining in the sky

And you dance and rejoice as you bask in the Son

Look at the glowing faces of all who have chosen to come

The noose was loosened and removed from our necks

We are no longer the little one stumbling

Our feet are planted firmly on The Rock

We are sealed with a promise

Cannot be snatched from his hand

Know that your name is written in the palm of his hand

But not only there in the Book of Life too

Eternity is waiting

All the promises will come true

Of the things that you just welcomed in your heart from afar

They are not distant

They are becoming

Behold here they are

The treasures stored up

In the place where you kept your heart

What will you receive on that day?

Money

Possession

Fame

And praise

The coming day when all you have done

Is judged

Or will it be rewarded

In the eyes of the Son

The choice is yours my friend

Jesus sets you free

But you still must live and prepare for eternity

The things of this world are fleeting so fast

They will continually tempt you

Test you

And taunt your mind

They will promise falsely and want you to believe they are fine

They will bring

Pleasure

Joy

Fun

For a season

But eventually

Silently so slyly tie the noose back on

And lay pebbles in front of your path

The pebbles may be charming

Petite

Dainty at first

Pleasant for the eye to gaze

All at once in front of you they will become

Boulders

Rocks

Craters

Mountains to climb

Do not be fooled little one look into His eyes

The noose may feel at first life a chain of jewels on your neck

Complimented and prized by so many

But ever so slowly so gradually it will tighten

As the vice in you once more

Tries to enlighten

And hold you away from the Savior who came

But the truth is in you

You must pull away

Do not look at others who are climbing over rocks of their own

Do not compare the noose of your neighbor to your s

Look inside

Look deeply

Search your heart

And kneel down

Surrender to your Savior

Daily

Hourly if you must

He will not turn away from you or look on you with disgust

Tell him right now

How it is

Like it is

He longs for you to come back to the mountain top dance

Come Child

Now

Before the evil one takes an advance

Sanctify

Persevere

Renew

Restore

Redeem

Rescue

Give back what the Locust ate

He is here waiting

Do not delay

The thief comes to steal

Kill

Destroy

Leave you

BARREN
I have come to give you life and to give it to your abundantly

Heaping

FULL

Overflowing

LIFE

ALIVE
LIVE
NO LONGER BARREN

AGAIN