The simple three letter word – NEW – brings excitement. But new is only new because we have experienced old, it’s the old that prepares us.
As the year comes to a close, I wait in prayer for God’s direction for the coming year. That direction comes from a single word or phrase that He speaks to my heart. Usually anticipation is stirred, yet never is it fully understood till that year is coming to completion. I have found each year builds upon the next.
Examples are found all around us. Every mother, human, bird or animal, prepares for the little one growing within. As she steps into a new season of life, first her body and then environment is readied for that new life. Every skyscraper begins with a plan and slowly rises to its glory as every acquisition and placement is meticulously overseen. And every career is achieved only by understanding and applying subject levels, one at a time.
Each of these examples requires determination, hard work, stuggles and painful failures. However the hoped for outcome drives and encourages the embracing of joy-filled anticipation. We chose not to dwell on the past but to accept that past as preparation; a prerequisite for what is ahead. We look forward to the NEW that stands before us.
So today, as you look back at the past year don’t slam the door with a “good riddance” declaration; instead embrace it as preparation for the NEW that is ahead. Be thankful for your past year of struggle or abundance for it has been your preparation for the NEW – the NEW that a loving God has planned for you. Trust Him that He is preparing you for His plans and purposes. Where ever that may take you, trust that He will make a way.
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18–19, NIV)
I sit on the shelf patiently expecting and waiting my turn to become whatever the potter desires. The day finally arrives. He lifts me from the shelf and begins the creative process. Expectantly, I sit in the Master’s hands; He warms me as He gently kneads what has always been hard and unbending. My thoughts race. I dream of all that could be, now that He has chosen me. I imagine me as His vessel. What might I become?
The gentleness of His molding suddenly changes in intensity. He pours water over me, squeezing and pushing me into shapes I never expected. He adds more and more water as continual pressure increases, making it nearly impossible to breathe. Wait, this is not what I expected.
I am picked up in His warm hands once more, but this time I am unexpectedly slammed down onto a fast-moving object and my life spins-out-of-control while more water sloshes over and around me. All ability to think or understand what is happening to me vanishes. I only hold on and hope to survive this process.
Time seems to stop as this spinning continues. Without warning, the Masters’ hands reach down amid my whirling confusion; they encircle me, direct and move me where He desires. Something glorious is taking place; the spinning appears to be changing me. The old lump of clay that I was, is now transforming. My lost joy erupts with newfound anticipation of old dreams, dreams of becoming a vessel usable to the Master. The spinning and movement under His hands is exciting. This is it, what I have always waited for. I am becoming His beautiful creation.
The spinning slows and I am sure that I am complete, that I have made it. All that I have endured is over. It’s now time to “kick-back” and “be who He created me to be.” I am lovingly lifted off that uncomfortable spinning wheel and carried with great fan-fare across the vast room and placed at the back of a dark shelf. As day after day passes my excitement wanes. Ok, now what?
The Master seems to have forgotten me; waiting, waiting, and waiting as my once moist, pliable form becomes dry, hard, and crusty. Confusion settles over me as this new process continues. Then one morning He reaches in and pulls me down from the dark shelf, he turns me over inspecting closely every area. My Master has seen me again. He has not forgotten me. He sits with me and lovingly picks up small detail tools and carefully scrapes off the dried pieces that are “just not right” for His plans. It is uncomfortable, but I know these adjustments are coming directly from His hand and must be part of His ultimate process.
I feel the temperature change as the Master walks me across the room again, this time is different, this time the shelf is a rack and the dark quiet place is full of heat that grows stronger with every minute: I am sure I will not make it out of this one the same. I can’t do this anymore; this process is too difficult.
Days pass as I am again left alone, forgotten and struggling with questions, confusion and anxiety; crying out for this to end. Slowly, the heat subsides and fresh air swirls around me. I can breathe again. I notice a change in me, who I am, has solidified. A few more days pass as I rest in this newfound transformation, wondering—Now am I who I was created to be?
The Master again picks me up, dusts off what the heat drew out, turns me over and over in His hands as He admires what the heat has accomplished. We walk over to a new table and this one looks so beautiful; brushes and pots of exquisite shades of color cover it. He places me amongst them and chooses specific colors just for me, each brushstroke a gift. I receive each stroke with elation and expectation. This is His original plan, and I am overjoyed. This is it! I am ready. What does He want me to hold? My dreams of becoming His vessel for His glorious use have now arrived.
I sit and savor the experience of receiving all of His gifts and glory and observe what a beautiful vessel I have become. Yet, the Master returns and lifts me off the table again. I expect Him to place me on a beautiful shelf to be viewed, but I suddenly see Him taking me to a glowing hole. It is growing hotter as He places me on a board and slides me further into the hole. The fire’s heat intensifies and is worse than before. What is happening? I thought this process was complete! I am beautiful and have all of His gifts. Why am I here? What did I do?
As the heat becomes unbearable, something unexpected happens. Instead of fighting the process, something rises inside of me. The previous heat in my life unknowingly accomplished the strength to yield to this extra heat I face today. That faith in the Masters’ plan reached up from inside, accepted and fought forward, embracing whatever was to come from this process. This time, as the heat cools and the board slides into retrieve me, I no longer look at anything but the face of the Master as He smiles at what He removes from the fire. “Your will Lord, not mine. Use this vessel to pour out your love and glory to those around me.Fill me up and pour me out,” escapes from my heart to His.
This analogy of clay in the potter’s hands is much like our lives. We are continually in the process of pressure and heat, changing from who we are to who He wants us to become. The process may seem complete, yet until we hear “well done, good and faithful servant,” that process will continue to be a fight forward, a yielding and a transformation. Ultimately, we can only become a vessel for honorable use, when we can say, “Your will, Lord, not mine. Use this vessel to pour out your love and glory to those around me. Fill me up only to pour me out again.”
(Excerpt from my new book – Hidden by the Brook. Pre-orders now available @ jksanchez.com)
… The famine had been great in Egypt and even harder on those far out into the desert areas. The small group of dirty, tired and hungry men stood before the only man that could help provide food for them and their families. They had made the long journey, hoping for help to survive; now bowing with respect before this unknown man.
He was unrecognizable to them, but Joseph knew who bowed before him: the very brothers who had betrayed him and sold him into slavery twenty-two years ago. The emotions stirred within him – how was he to respond? With wisdom, he questioned them, finding out that his father and youngest brother were still alive and well. He tested them, detained them and gave them a way to prove themselves men of changed integrity. And then provided the much-needed grain at no cost.
His heart was overwhelmed with forgiveness as he overheard their discussions of regret and anguish over what they had done to their brother, still not aware of who it was that stood before them.
Joseph sent them home, and for several months, one brother remained in custody waiting for his brothers to return with their youngest brother for the exchange. As Joseph awaited their return, God continued a work of forgiveness in his heart.
The return with Benjamin, his youngest brother, brought great joy to Joseph, but he devised one more test. However, the emotional response and petition of mercy from his brothers gave way to a flood of forgiveness within him, and he revealed who he was. A heavy silence settled over the room as great fear and anguish swirled in each brothers’ thoughts. But Joseph had already broken off the chains of betrayal that had haunted him for years and had chosen to forgive them.
He compassionately announced, “Do not be distressed because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life” (Genesis 45:5). The forgiveness and restoration between Joseph and his family allowed for years of abundant provision.
The planned purpose of the hand of God’s preparation on a broken, prideful, betrayed young man prevailed. A young man who had submitted himself before God and in faith trusted as he waited for God’s answer. The very survival of multitudes of people, including the Hebrew nation, was accomplished through a life hidden in obscurity – a man hidden in order to preserve life.
As our life stretches before us, we are oblivious of what it will hold. The wonderful surprises send us to the heights of joy, while the devastating losses find us lower than we ever think we can recover from – yet there is God, always there in the midst. We walk in joy and tears – a seemingly diametrically-opposed paradigm – yet in that space between, we find, grow and learn how to live a life of abundance.
The keys to this life of abundance are found in the process. They are found in the dark hidden places. The places where tears flow, where anger and frustration rage, where the despair of hopelessness overtakes us. But it is right there where we find the refuge, our only place to run – into the arms of Jesus. In the process we find His love and forgiveness. That key – the love and forgiveness of Jesus – will release us from prison. It will allow us to walk into a new life – a promised eternal life. The process still must have its way within us, but now we can say, “Yes, Lord.” Submitting under His loving hand will allow us to find another crucial key: forgiveness. This time forgiveness of others.
Joseph had no idea what God’s plan for his life was on that day he found himself at the bottom of a dusty well. Betrayal after betrayal and pain, hurt and prison didn’t deter his knowledge of who he served. His God’s steadfast love was the refuge that lifted and molded him into the man that would be the best one for God’s assignment. You stand in the same place: God’s plan and assignment for your life is before you, – your choice is to trust Him in the process.
Joseph was able to declare, “God sent me to preserve life.” That is an eternal mandate for each of us as we serve our Lord and Savior – Jesus Christ. Getting to our ultimate, completed assignment takes a lifetime of choices.
Those choices are to walk in a life full of continual love, forgiveness, compassion, kindness, humility and patience, along with many other attributes that He will knead into your heart, soul and mind. This kneading will always take place when you are quiet, separated, isolated – hidden in places where He can meet with you undistracted.
During these times He will transform you into the individual that He desires to use – leading you to His assignment, the very one that only you can perform.
Col. 3:12-14 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.And above all these put-on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. (ESV)
The old, rusted-out truck rattled to a stop on the back of a flatbed truck. To me, it was ready for the junk yard “crusher”, but to my friend it was a beauty waiting to be revealed. What it would require, would take an unfathomable amount of time and labor. Every screw, bolt and wire, and every scrap of metal would be removed from the interior and exterior. The stripping, scrapping and sanding of every rusty spot would consume months. Pieces unable to be fixed would need to be found – and the finding of those old original parts, would be a job in itself. Bumpers, headlights, seats and even armrests must be exactly right to complete this restoration. At its completion, it couldn’t just look great, it must also be able to function as it should; thus, requiring complete reconstruction of everything under the anticipated, shiny hood. It must be useable – its original purpose must be restored. The end result for the restorer: a stunning transformation from rust-bucket to useable glory.
The word restoration stirs in us an immediate response – one of hope. When we hear it, we anticipate renewal in all areas of our lives; relationships, finances and health are just a few. We expect a quick change, a change that we hope will miraculously transform us, others and our circumstances.
So, when God spoke to my heart and my church, that 2020 would be a year of restoration; I was excited, anticipating all that God would do. Then March came with a deadly virus and a “lockdown.” But now, as 2020 nears its end, I look back and realize that God has been faithful in His promise of restoration.
Restoration is a process – a hard, grueling process. What is true for the restoration of a truck is even more valid for you and me. Each of us have walked through this year differently. The pain and hardships have been very real and daunting. Yet, I have felt the close presence of the Lord through every step. He was there with me; teaching, whispering, encouraging and sometimes carrying me. His transformation in our lives is found in the middle of the stripping, scrapping and sanding – the very process of restoration – the process that this year has accomplished in each of us. We have all gone through that same process, this year.
We have had to be stripped of all that wasn’t important, scrapped of our own opinions and attitudes, and pridefully sanded into a humble, lover-of-His-presence. He is continuing to replace every lost and worn out part, and is carefully re-wiring us to the purposes we were created for. We are changing from an unusable rust-bucket to a son and daughter of the King, ready to carry out His purpose and plan for our lives and those around us. We are becoming His useable glory.
This year of restoration is nearing completion. The restorer desires to reveal and release His beauty, completely restored and ready to be used. Are you ready? Let’s accept this assignment to carry all that He has restored in our lives into a new year, as we are becoming exactly who the restorer designed us to be.
Ps. 23:1-3 The Lord is my best friend and my shepherd. I always have more than enough. He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love. His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss. That’s where he restores and revives my life. He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness so that I can bring honor to his name. (TPT)
As parents we keep our personal worlds revolving by wearing many hats. Our most sacred position is to take care of those we have been entrusted with – those little gifts of life. A good parent does that with love, encouragement, protection and a hand that “adjusts” the character of each little one, when needed.
As I woke this morning I began praying for our country; all the governors and mayors in each state are currently facing difficult decisions and choices. They are in need of God’s wisdom as they decide what is best to keep the children safe.
Growing up there were three of us and at different times throughout our lives we found ourselves at odds with the decisions or restrictions implemented in our home. There were three types of response – the “just go with it”, the “whiner and complainer” and the “rebellious” one.
A good parent looks to the needs for the whole family. They are not swayed by outside manipulation, by the children’s whining and complaining or by the outright rebellion of some. They notice those that are willing and just go with it and are encouraged by them. They focus on what is best for the whole family. In the midst of stressful times their outlook must be filled with love and encouragement, as well as, the farsighted ability to protect from harm, while directing each toward a growth outcome that will ultimately make them stronger while adjusting the character of each child as needed. This is a huge and often lonely job!
I am grateful for my parents’ hand in my life and for the gift of having three children who I have had the great honor to parent. The job is often lonely, thankless and always sacrificial but is the greatest job you will ever accomplish in this life.
So, as I pray for every state in our country – for each governor, mayor and leader – I pray for God’s wisdom and the strength to stay the course as a good parent whose number one priority is to keep the children safe as they encounter all three of these children. I give thanks for the hard decisions they are making. And as children, I pray that we would think about our responses to the decisions and restrictions that have been implemented in our house. We need to choose to be willing to walk in peace whenever possible – lifting our character choices up to God for His “adjustment” before we step into the role of “whiner, complainer” or “rebel.” Our choices can affect and possibly destroy our house – our family!
Romans 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. (ESV)
The air was charged with excitement and anticipation as He mounted the young donkey. They had no idea what the next few days would hold, but entering the city expectation of freedom crackled in the atmosphere. The crowd shouted in joyous singing, welcoming Jesus as He entered.
The following days became a blur. They were shocked as He turned over the money-changing tables in the temple and He prophesied and condemned the religious leaders. They intently gleaned His words as He taught impacting parables to the crowds that gathered listening to His every word. As the crowds pressed in, those few short days were filled with memories that would flood over into the centuries that would follow.
The anticipation of the Passover feast approached and Jesus instructed them to go ahead of Him and prepare to celebrate together; it was going to be only their small group, it would be a welcome time of respite. The room was filled with love as they sat, not knowing this would be their last meal together.
And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:15-20 NIV)
Communion has never been a ritual to me, but a personal time to remember what Jesus did. The understanding of its significance, however, has grown. We usually hear of the bread and the wine together symbolizing Christ’s sacrifice for us, but one day I heard a teaching that transformed my understanding.
There are two elements – the cup and the bread – each having specific impact to our lives.
The cup signifies the blood Jesus shed for our forgiveness. When we receive this gift, we understand we have been made righteous and our sin has been washed away under His blood. We now have access to His presence because of this new covenant made on our behalf.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s Grace. (Ephesians 1:7 NIV)
The bread, however has a significance that we often don’t understand or walk in. The bread is for healing! From head-to-toe, Jesus bore our pain and disease; from the crown on His head to the nail driven into His feet.
The symbolisms of Passover are significant to understand. The preparation and use of the matzah bread during Passover hammers-home its importance. It was baked, pierced with holes and stripes. The baked (burnt) bread for the fact that Jesus received the full wrath of God for our sins. Pierced with holes and stripes for He was pierced and took a merciless beating for our healing and wholeness. The lambs blood placed over the door-posts covered sin and kept those within from God’s wrath (Jesus did that for us). But then the lamb was roasted, broken and eaten for strength. When they left Egypt there were …. none feeble. (Ps.105:37) Jesus was broken and beaten for our strength and healing.
Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. (Psalm 103:2-3 NIV)
When we take communion, we remember what Christ did for us – both for our forgiveness and for our healing. Remembering should be a celebration of thankfulness and a place filled with faith. A faith of knowing that we can now walk boldly into the throne room of God, forgiven and set free. A faith where we can walk in strength and health. Disease is not the children’s bread; health, strength and healing are!
Jesus instructed us to take communion often in remembrance of His sacrifices. We have the privilege and ability do this at home, we don’t have to wait to go to church. Taking communion is as sacred and as simple as our ability to pray and be heard. As you contemplate the significance of what Jesus did for you, celebrate in remembrance with a new understanding of what belongs to you – forgiveness and wholeness.
As we sit at the feet of Jesus with our heavy hearts, fears and pain we will find our only true life-line – Jesus.
I Peter 5:7Don’t worry or surrender to your fear. For you have believed in God, now trust and believe in me also. (TPT)
John 14:1 Let him have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you. (TLB)
These two scriptures have been a training ground for my life. They have encouraged me, have taught me to lean on Jesus, grounded me in trusting God in the midst of chaos, and have been my life-line.
The training process always begins with the small-stuff; learning to walk as you lay your worries, cares and fears at the feet of Jesus; not too hard, right? Then when the medium-sized worries begin to filter into your life you learn to strengthen your resolve and move forward. You’ve got this – this isn’t so bad? These scriptures may now have become a simple platitude.
Well, the training is not complete; the large-ones, the overwhelming worries, cares and fears step into your life. Now, you have to chew on these scriptures, pray them out-loud and spend considerable time at the feet of Jesus; leaving them there over and over again. It’s during these times you will learn a powerful truth, one of fighting forward!
Once you think you have conquered the understanding of these two scriptures, you have a solid foundation. But, there are still Goliath-sized worries ahead. Right now, living in the midst of an unseen virus, you watch in horror as a tsunami of crushing waves strike day after day. Your life has been turned up-side-down and that foundation might find a few cracks from the shaking.
Today in the midst of a pandemic where debilitating fear, pain and anxiety saturate your environment; your resolve begins to dissolve and your armor and strength to fight-forward is slipping. Here, enters the need for your life-line! Here, you have nothing left within yourself but your faith! From here you are able to find your place to fight-forward, only as you continually spend time in Gods presence.
Our sustaining refuge is found at the feet of Jesus. As we wait in His presence, sit at His feet, worship and read His Word, we will find our peace, our faith and our resolve to stand up. It is in this place that we will, again, be able to pick up our armor and willingly move to the front-lines to fight-forward.
There will be days where we will be weak and shaky, where our faith will waver but as we learn where our help comes from, as we learn to live by these scriptures, they will become an encouragement and a grounding of our faith. As we sit at the feet of Jesus with our heavy hearts, fears and pain we will find our only true life-line – Jesus. He is waiting there for you, join me at His feet where you will find the courage and peace to get up and fight-forward.
All in all, building a rocket takes many, many, many more months then a baby. So, with great excitement my rocket is launched out into the world. Though the building of and launching of my rocket, may appear to be no more than another book in the midst of millions, it goes forth into the world carrying my heart; the heart of a new mother for her baby, believing for its impact on the lives of others.
Reading has been a passion in my life from as early as I can remember. In my life-time I have spent hours walking, browsing, and touching books as I have perused many libraries and bookstores. Finding me with a book in my hands, buried in a corner somewhere as I travel off to a faraway place with imaginary friends has become a normal expected part of me.
Books themselves fascinate and draw me. They hold so much life between each cover. From colored picture and story books to technical books; we depend on them. However, like most things we depend on, we take them for granted.
As I have embarked on writing and publishing I have found an even greater appreciation of the physical book as well as the authors who have poured out their heart to bring them to life. I have often heard the analogy of a book being like giving birth – and it did make sense to me – until now. Having had three wonderful children each of them required only 9 months to bring to birth. I now believe a better analogy is like the launching of a rocket, which often requires years.
The idea, thoughts, and dream of creating this rocket – our book – begins months or years before one single sentence is composed. Then the drawings, technical research, and engineering step in with many more months. Finally, the writing begins – the actual process of accumulating all the needed physical parts of your rocket – many more months.
Then one exciting morning comes when the construction phase begins and you start to see pages upon pages linking together creating something real, right before your eyes. In your mind you think “this is it” but there are still more weeks and months of intense research, writing and detail adjustments. But, slowly your rocket begins to materialize.
Eventually the cover, title and content look as if they are getting close; now comes testing its flight readiness. Oh no, it is nowhere near ready. Detail, detail, and more detail – proofing and editing that takes way more time than ever was imagined. You can’t believe how many errors seem to pop up every time you read and re-read what has already been read by five others. Each nut and bolt must flow together in this rocket; thus, continual adjustments are made.
Then just as it looks like you’re close to launch, you realize that no one knows anything about your rocket. If no one knows, then no one will get to watch and be part of the launch of this spectacular rocket – now what? One more phase begins of many more months – marketing – letting everyone know what is coming.
Time rolls on and it is time to do the final pre-launch testing – heading to the publisher – it’s ready “this should be quick” runs through your thoughts. Haha, one more thing to learn – if you think you are ready, you probably really aren’t. The next process begins of finding more details, small and large that are definitely a surprise, while another month slips by as fixes are made and adjusted.
Finally, one morning a shiny truck arrives to open up the hanger your rocket has been stored in. The box carrying your completed book arrives and with anticipation you touch and hold it; the launch is ready to be made.
All in all, building a rocket takes many, many, many more months then a baby. So, with great excitement my rocket is launched out into the world. Though the building of and launching of my rocket, may appear to be no more than another book in the midst of millions, it goes forth into the world carrying my heart; the heart of a new mother for her baby, believing for its impact on the lives of others.
I hope you are able to watch and be part of the launch of my new rocket!
Introduction for my new book – to launch the end of March 2018
Inspirational true stories ignite hope in all of us. They stir us to believe in a creator who loves. A God who is good and shows us in ways that explode unexpectedly right before us. At those times, we are made acutely aware of HIS love, HIS goodness, HIS presence and HIS reality.
True inspirational stories come from you and me; everyday people living everyday lives. Some are miraculous and ALL are the intimate hand of a loving God.
These stories can be as simple as finding scraps of wood to keep your home warm. An unknown person stopping to offer cash for a broken-down old car – just when you desperately needed to buy groceries, or thrift store shopping for a new job with no funds, only to find money in that used jacket. Then there are the stories we think of as the “big” ones.
Just a few of those “big” ones might be – a stroke victim miraculously seeing after permanent blindness was diagnosed; permanent spine damage instantly healed or the ability to forgive deep physical and emotional betrayal. Each of these stories will change lives. They affect those involved, those that surround them and those that hear their stories.
True stories open your eyes to see a God who is REAL! Once eyes are opened to believe, it is very hard to unsee Him. Belief begins to emerge and suddenly the reality of our Lord Jesus is standing before you – asking you to accept who He is.
Step into the pages of this book expecting to see a GOOD God – one who heals, protects, provides, speaks and transforms everyday people. Allow these true stories to encourage, bring hope and spark belief within your heart. Watch as your encounter with Jesus takes on a REAL aha moment of transformation in your life.
As you become conscious of Him, your perspective will forever be changed – His love, His presence and His reality will become the forefront of your existence and suddenly from deep within you, you too will say, “Oh – My – God – YOU are really REAL.”
“Encountering Jesus leads to a real moment of real transformation. He’s real! He’s not just a story to be believed, nor a philosophical truth to buy into. When you meet Him; you meet His goodness. You discover who you were truly meant to be because you’re walking with Him. Let this testimony rise up in your heart: God is good!
I am loved!
And my life is in His hands!
Today, press into a fresh knowledge of His real-life mercies until you are changed. Celebrate what He has done for you. Know that He has prepared a way for you to possess life. As you walk with Him, make it real, and then you will find the transformation you’ve been looking for.”
Unearthing His Treasures 