Loving People – My Favorite, Most Difficult Thing

Oh, sometimes don’t you wish you could’ve been there when Jesus was teaching so you could ask some questions just as the disciples did?  When He taught about the priorities of loving God and loving people, I just know my next question would’ve been, “But exactly how am I supposed to do love certain people like that?  I don’t even LIKE some people.” 

You know how God answers this question for me?  He keeps crossing my path with more people!   I tell you, I know right away when God is proving to me that I really can love others like He does.  Usually, they irritate me from the start.  (Now at this point, if you’re reading this and you know me, you’re most likely worried that you are one of those people.  Please let me assure you – you might be.  But hey – the good news is that I love you, I really do love you.  But this particular story is not about you, ok?)

Many years ago, God crossed my path with a woman who is probably the most oppositely natured woman from me.  She’s just so different from me – our taste in clothing, décor, books, movies, food, conversation, everything – was different.  We really agreed on very little.  And, quite honestly, she bugged me.  She got on my nerves.  (I am sure that she felt the same way about me.) 

So I decided that I would deal with her only when I had to, only when absolutely necessary, and I would be polite, but brief in my dealings.  But God had other plans.  Through a series of circumstances, God placed this woman in my life with almost daily contact.  I thought I’d go out of my mind.  Then it dawned on me. 

“You’re behind this, aren’t You, God?  I know how you work.  This is one of Your signature moves.” 

So I told Him, “Okay, then.  If she won’t go away, then You’re just going to have to love her through me.”  Deep down, I knew that’s exactly what He was after in my heart.  So I surrendered to Him and prayed that He would show me how to be patient, kind, not irritable, etc.  And I prayed – for her and for me. 

Through one instance after another, God was faithful to His Word and my prayers.  Let me tell you, I had to pray a lot about this.  But today, I can honestly say from the depths of my heart that I genuinely love this woman.  We’ve been friends for years despite our immense differences.  She still makes me crazy sometimes, and I still make her crazy sometimes, but we love each other. 

So I remember thinking, “Cool.  I’m done now.  God, you can check that one off your list of things to teach me.  I get it.  I passed the test.  Yay, me!”  But He had other plans.  Along came the next one.  You see, they’ll keep coming, these people.  They won’t go away either. 

So, if I already learned this lesson about loving people like God does, why would God keep sending these people to me? 

Because it’s not about them – it’s about me.  God wants to work on my heart.  God wants to change me.  I learned the basic message, the main idea of what He’s teaching me about loving others, but it has not been perfected yet.  God has much more refining work to do on me.   

Oh, I used to think that I was pretty wonderful – loving “unlovable” people, just like Jesus tells us to.  I thought, “Well, someone needs to do it, I guess God will use me.”  As though God thought, “I’ll send them to Cindy.  She’ll do it.  She’ll love anybody.”  (Kind of like Mikey and the cereal?)   Arrogant, isn’t it?

But then I realized, God was really thinking, “I’ll send them to Cindy because she still hasn’t gotten it down right.  She needs to learn more about loving people My way.  She’s learning more and more with each one I send her about how wide and long, and high and deep My love is for people.  She’s learning about My sacrificial love.  And as she loves others the way I do, she’ll realize more and more how much I love her.”

Who is God laying on your heart right now?  You know who they are.  They’re most likely the biggest frustrations of your day or week.  They won’t go away, will they?  Oh dear one, God has divine purpose for these people in your life, and He has uniquely devised a way to cross your path with theirs.  Pay attention! 

It’s not so you can do something wonderful for them.  It’s so He can do something wonderful for you!  Please, allow Him to love others through you.  Surrender to him.  You might just find your best friend.  Maybe not, but at least you will definitely have a better grasp of His wide, long, high, and deep love for people, and that, my friend, includes you. 

Oh, the love of God is truly amazing, isn’t it? 

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”          

                                                                    (Ephesians 3:17b-19 New International Version)

 Happy Valentine’s Day, dear ones!   Love one another deeply ….

In His amazing love,

Cindy

Mt. 26 – I can’t even imagine what Peter must have been thinking when he heard the rooster’s crow…the pain must have been unbearable.  How often do I let Jesus down despite my insistence that I will NEVER let Him down?

Praise God that He is a Savior who already knows our faults and weaknesses, and exactly what we WILL do even when it’s not what we say we will do…. and He loves us in spite of it all….amazing!

In His amazing love,

Cindy

www.cindyfoor.com

www.gfgetaway.com

Copyright Cindy Foor Ministries

When I’m Weary…

When I get tired and weary and burdened in the daily grind of this old world, the words of my Savior recorded in Matthew 11 immediately come to mind…“COME UNTO ME, all you who are weary and burdened, and I WILL GIVE YOU REST.”

Oh, how I need to hear that!   But more important, how I need to RESPOND to that.

You and I are not built to withstand the pressures of this world without Him. We simply cannot do it without Him.  And if it takes the pressures of this world to bring us to the point of “coming to Jesus,” then that’s what it takes.

God will use those pressures to bring us right back to Himself – there is no other love like His.    

Dear Brothers and Sisters, we only need to come to Him…

He’s waiting…

What are you waiting for? 

In Him,

Cindy

www.cindyfoor.com

www.gfgetaway.com

Where is He?

I’ve been thinking about the Road to Emmaus lately.  You know, the road where two disciples were walking after Jesus’ death, after His marvelous resurrection, after the tomb was found to be empty, but before Jesus ascended to heaven?    They were mourning because they thought they were hopeless.  They thought they were hopeless because they didn’t know He was alive.  They had no clue where He was.

Luke records it like this in chapter 24…

“That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened.  In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who He was.” 

What strikes me about this passage is this   -  As they were walking, they were completely unaware of the presence of the very One they were mourning; the very One they were seeking;  the very One they were longing for.  Yet, He was right there.  They just didn’t recognize Him for who He really is.  They couldn’t “see” Him. 

It makes me wonder….could it be that in the midst of our trials, we are so focused on the trial that we miss seeing Him?  That smack in the middle of our problems, our focus gets so skewed that we can’t see the very One who can sustain us?   The very One who will get us through?  The very One we’re seeking and longing for?  Could it be that our sorrow and mourning, our confusion and doubt, our fear and discouragement blur our view of His loving face and immeasurable grace?

As I write this blog entry, we’ve just begun the summer thunderstorm season in Pennsylvania, and we’ve experienced several violent storms (and a few tornado sightings) in the past few weeks.  I must confess to you that a tornado presents one of my biggest personal fears.  They’re so horribly destructive and unpredictable – it can rattle me to the very core if I allow the fear of tornadoes to creep in and get hold of me.   

I often equate life’s circumstances to tornadoes – the kind of circumstances that occur when life seems to be spinning out of control, recklessly forging through the security of life, and wantonly ignoring the safety of loved ones.   When you’re in the middle of a tornado of circumstances, no matter what direction you look, you are surrounded by chaos, and debris, and haze.   (You know what I’m talking about, I’m sure, because no one is exempt from these kinds of tornadoes.)

Having experienced a few tornadoes of this kind myself, I can tell you this  – when smack in the middle of a tornado of dreadful circumstances, trying desperately to see clearly, it’s so hard to focus, isn’t it?  It’s so hard to see through the storm and to see through the debris it conjures up.  Focus is so easily skewed that we wonder “Where is He?”

My dear Brothers and Sisters, there’s only one view from the middle of a tornado that is clear  - UP.  Looking UP to Jesus is the only view that’s clear and right and true.  Looking UP will reveal the One you’re looking for – the One you’re longing for.  Looking UP is the very focus that is required to survive the tornadoes of life. 

Oh, I pray you are ever vigilant about looking UP during the tornadoes of life, and of looking for Him along the roadways of life.   When you find yourself wondering where He is, just look UP!  He’s never left you - He never will. 

Worthy?

Worthiness – something nearly everyone struggles to understand.  None of us feel worthy of what God did for us, yet He did it anyway. 

I can sum it up like this: 

• Cindy says:  “Lord, I am not worth-Y.”
• Jesus replies:  “But you, My love, are worth IT!”

God’s Word sums it up like this:

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8 NIV

Praying for you as you contemplate His amazing love for you today….I hope you know it. 

In Him,

Cindy

www.cindyfoor.com

©2010 Cindy Foor

JIT Delivery

Why does it seem like God waits until the last minute? 

Like the time when your child’s fever was so high and you were up all night long bathing her in a tub of cool water?  Her fever finally broke around dawn, right before you were going to relent and make that run to the emergency room.  Praise God! 

Or like the time the bill was due and you were waiting for a check to come in the mail?  The check came on the very day that you had to deposit it to pay the bill by its deadline.   Whew!  No time to spare.  That was a close one, wasn’t it? 

In times like these, it can feel like God is running behind schedule, or maybe He doesn’t notice the critical need, or even worse, it can feel like He doesn’t care about us.  But none of these is the case, because God’s timing is perfect. 

We know that, right?  We hear it all the time.  But when the minutes and hours seem to be ticking away and we haven’t heard from God, do we trust His timing?  Do we remember that His timing really is perfect?

In the distribution and supply industry, there is a delivery concept called “Just-in-Time” (JIT) that has a profound impact on the success of the businesses involved.  “JIT” is a strategy that can make or break a supply and delivery company.  I used to work for a trucking company.  “JIT” was one of the major marketing tactics of our business because it was so meaningful to our customers.  Our customers depended on our ability to deliver “JIT.”

For example, food stores always needed their groceries delivered by a certain time – when they were properly staffed to unload and inventory the goods.  If our truck driver delivered too early, the store might not be correctly staffed and the groceries might not be properly stored due to lack of available inventory space.  And the delivery person who arrived early had to sit around, waiting to be unloaded.  Wasted time, wasted inventory, wasted money – not good.  Deliveries that arrived too late could cause problems, too.  When the inventory didn’t arrive in time, it might not be available for sale as it was advertised, and it could result in losses of potential sales income – also not good.

The point?  A delivery company’s reputation is built upon their ability to deliver “JIT.”  Deliveries must not be too early.  They must not be too late.  They must be just in time.   

God is the author of “JIT.”  He’s perfect at it.  He’s never too early.  He’s never too late.  Even if it seems like it, He’s not.  He has purpose in His timing – divine purpose – sovereign purpose.  Trust Him with His timing, dear one.  He is worthy of your trust.

Whatever it is you’ve been waiting for, He’s knows it.  He is fully aware of the deadlines this old world imposes on you.  But to Him, time is a non-issue.  “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends:  With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”  (2 Peter 3:8 NIV)

Be strong.  Be patient.  Be watching!  God will always meet your needs.  He will always be faithful.  He will always deliver “JIT….”  

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”  Psa. 27:14

Thanks for spending time with me again….I’m praying for you as you wait. 

Cindy

www.cindyfoor.com

©2010 Cindy Foor

Ouch! I Have a Thorn

Do you ever wonder why God allows difficult circumstances into your life?  I certainly have.  The Apostle Paul did, too.  In fact, he asked the Lord to remove some circumstances that were particularly tough for him. 

In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV) Paul writes, “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Paul asked the Lord to take a “thorn” out of his life.  In fact, three times he pleaded with the Lord to remove it.  And it was something horrible, no doubt, because he said it was a “messenger from Satan” and it tormented him.  And what was God’s answer to Paul?  (I’m paraphrasing here.)  “No, Paul.  I won’t remove it.  You see, My grace is sufficient for you.  My grace is all you need.  Because I have allowed this thorn to remain in your life, you are weakened so you can rely on My strength, which is perfected in your weakness.” 

Wow!  I remember reading that passage over and over, trying desperately to understand it and its depth.  There have been many instances where God allowed trials and difficult circumstances to enter into my life, and some of them remain to this day.  It is so hard to understand why a loving God would do this. 

I’m talking about the kind of circumstances where there is no way you can fix them – when you have no control over them – the kind where you become so weak by the circumstances that you need God and His provision like never before.  These kinds of circumstances and trials can be called “thorns.” 

As Paul did (three times) it’s absolutely fine to ask God (even to plead with Him) to remove those thorns from your life. And sometimes, He will.  Praise God! 

But there are times when He won’t, and in these times, we must remember what God says – He says the same thing to us that He said to Paul (and I paraphrase again):

 “No, I will not remove those thorns, My child.  I will allow them to remain.  Yet, know that my grace is sufficient to see you through this, dear one.   I know you don’t understand.  I know it hurts.  I know it’s frightening.  But trust Me.  I know what I’m doing.  My power will be made perfect in your life because of these thorns.”

The Bible is clear to say that God’s grace is sufficient.  To us, it might not seem like it is, but it is.  Regardless of the trial, God’s grace is all we really need, because in times of trial, when we have no other source of personal strength or power or control, we must depend on God’s strength, God’s power, and God’s might, which are perfect. 

God always has purpose in allowing thorns.  Thorns do not enter into the lives of God’s children without passing through His hand of permission first.  He knows exactly what’s coming your way, and He grants permission to it.  Why would God do this?  Why would He allow thorns to remain?  The answer, I believe, is found in Romans 8:28-29 (NIV):

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.  For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.” 

God promises that for His children who are obedient to Him, (for this is how we show our love to the Lord, according to John 14:15 – by our obedience), He will use circumstances to conform us to the likeness of His Son.   Think about this with me for a moment – to conform – to be changed – to be more like Jesus.  Really consider what good can come from thorns.  

In light of this vital truth, when I consider the thorns in my life, I can draw only one conclusion:  If I could trade not having the thorn at all and remaining the same old Cindy, versus going through the trial and coming out on the other side looking more like Jesus, I can truly say, “Thank you, Lord, for the trial.  It is so hard, it is painful, I don’t understand it, and I certainly don’t like it, but I know You are with me.   I know You will never leave me.  And I know that I am being changed to look more like Jesus.” 

For me, dear friends, there is no trade – even if I never fully understand until I meet Him face to face.  Being more like Jesus is worth it all.

I’ll be praying for you as you deal with the thorns in your life.  We all have them at one point or another, you know.  Pray for me, too, please. 

Thanks for spending time with me again…

Cindy

www.cindyfoor.com

©2010 Cindy Foor

Facebook Fool

Well, it happened.  Regardless of how cautious I try to be – checking and re-checking what I say, how I say it, on whose wall I post it – I’ve made a fool of myself on Facebook today.   

One of my friends was asking for some items – window frames, a brick, etc.  And when I read her request, I thought, “Gee, I wonder what in the world is she building?”  (The list read like one of those very creative, country crafts – you know, the kind with the old antique window used as a picture frame or something?)

So I asked the question – right there on her wall – for the whole world to see!  “What in the world are you making?” 

Another friend of hers commented after my question that she had a window.  And yet another friend offered a brick.  “It is all coming together,” I thought.  “Can’t wait to hear back from them what new craft they are working on.  Such great teamwork!”

And finally came the reply to my question -

“Cindy – I’m working on building a house in Farmville.”  I was so embarrassed.  (Obviously, I don’t play Farmville – otherwise I would have known, and I most certainly would have spared my dignity and Facebook reputation!) 

But I knew the risks when I signed up for my account.  I knew the inevitable would one day happen.  I knew there would be a day when I would have to face the embarrassing truth.  And today was the day.  Today, I became a “Facebook Fool!” 

So here’s what I have to say about that - WHATEVER!  (You can’t see me now, but I’m holding up 3 fingers like a big “W” – you know, the “whatever” sign?

I hope you enjoyed the laugh at my expense in this blog update.  (I can take it!)  But you better enjoy it while you can because I will work very hard to NOT let it happen again – at least any time soon.  Because I’m supposed to be very, very ”cool,” not a big “fool!” 

“Happiness makes you smile….”  Prov. 15:13 CEV

Thanks for the visit.

In His amazing love,

Cindy

www.cindyfoor.com

Crying Over Spilled Milk?

Hello friends!  

Today, I want to share with you one of my favorite stories because, for some reason, I feel strongly that someone out there needs to be reminded of just how faithful and capable our God is.  If you could use this reminder today, please read on.  I pray you will be encouraged. 

As I think back over my life, I can’t help but realize that I have been greatly blessed and that God has always provided for all my needs and for the needs of my family.  His track record of faithfulness is truly amazing.  But amidst His wonderful demonstrations of faithfulness, there were many times that we were really struggling.  Struggles are the perfect backdrop for God’s miracles, don’t you think?  So it should be no surprise that it was during the times of our worst financial struggles that Steve and I learned the most about God’s ability to provide everything we needed – regardless of how big or small.  

One time that comes to mind is when Steve was working out of town during the week and the kids and I held down the fort at home until he came home on weekends.   Brittany was about 6 years old and Brandon was 3.   To help make financial ends meet, I was working six part-time jobs around the kids’ schedules. (Yes, you heard me correctly - six jobs.  I can fill you in about those another time.)   I was crazy busy during that time – taking care of those jobs, the house, and the kids.   Suffice to say, those years were very difficult and very lean.

One night, Brittany tried to pour herself a glass of milk before bedtime and she accidently dropped the milk container onto the kitchen floor.  We lost the rest of our milk supply for that week.  And Brittany was so upset because she knew that was the only milk we had and that I didn’t have any more money until payday.  So when we said our bedtime prayers that night, we addressed her concerns directly with God.  As we prayed together, we told God we knew He saw what happened and we would trust Him to take care of us.  We said, “Amen,” and she went to sleep.  To be honest, I had no idea how God would answer the prayer of that sweet little child, but I knew He was faithful to His promises and to His Word.  I had to trust Him.

I went back downstairs to tidy up a bit, and entering through our back door into the kitchen was my Aunt Lorraine with her dog, JoSai.  (I had forgotten that I promised to dog-sit while Aunt Lorraine and Uncle Terry went out of town for several days.)  I received the puppy-care instructions and kissed Aunt Lorraine goodbye.  Right before she went out the door, Aunt Lorraine told me that she put the rest of their unused milk in our refrigerator for us to finish because she was worried it wouldn’t stay fresh until their return.  “I hope you can use it,” she said. 

I opened the door of the refrigerator and there it was – God’s answer to sweet Brittany’s prayer of just moments earlier.  His faithful provision – in a container of milk, no less!  

The next morning, Brittany got up and as I was preparing her breakfast, she opened the door of the refrigerator to get some juice and saw the milk.  She jumped up and down, yelling, “Mommy!  Jesus came here last night!  Jesus came here last night!”  What an amazing God we have!   (And it was such fun explaining to Brittany how God answered her prayer through Aunt Lorraine.) 

Please hear this vital truth, dear one - God cares about every single detail of the lives of His children.  He doesn’t miss a trick.  Don’t you think for one minute that He doesn’t see your tears, that He is ignoring your cries for help, that He doesn’t know what you’re going through, or that He missed it when your milk was spilled out all over the floor.  If He can deliver a fresh supply directly to my refrigerator within minutes of when we asked for it, He can do anything!  In what might seem like the simplest, most mundane of things, God is right there – ready, willing, and able to bless.  Ask Him – trust Him – and watch Him be faithful.

Spilled some milk lately?  Don’t cry over it – PRAY over it.  God is so capable of delivering!  

“If we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself.”

2 Timothy 2:13

Thanks for spending some time with me.

In His amazing love,

Cindy

www.cindyfoor.com

(Story excerpted from “God Can Walk on His Eyeballs: The 1o Most Amazing Things He Taught Me“)

Messin’ with the Recipe

Well, it’s Monday. 

I must confess that Monday is not my favorite day of the week.  But it’s not my least favorite either.  Monday definitely moved up on my list when my husband, Steve, changed his work schedule to a later time slot so we can actually sleep in a bit on Mondays.  I really appreciate the time alone with him to sort of gear up together for the work week ahead. 

Like most of you, I’m sure, we have busy weekends.  We run here and there – church, errands, family stuff.  And by the end of the weekend, we are often exhausted.  That’s not good. 

This weekend we enjoyed a time of fun with family, friends, and food.  (Doesn’t get much better than that combination, does it?)   Many of us volunteered to contribute to the food list which always makes it easier and the collective array of food is always more interesting and appealing – different styles, different tastes. 

I offered to make a few old stand-by recipes, one of which has been passed down through my family for as many years as I can remember.  Now, our children make it and it just keeps on going.  I think the reason it’s such a favorite is not just because it’s so yummy and satisfies the sweet tooth perfectly, but also because it’s so easy and inexpensive to make.  It’s the perfect combination, too, I think!  (Note:  The caloric content?   No one ever talks about that. Shhhh…) 

Because I’ve made this recipe more times than I could ever track, I know the recipe by heart.  But over the years, I’ve “fluffed” it up a bit – you know, adding a little more of this, a little less of that?  Sort of making it my own when I didn’t have the exact ingredients or if I wanted to use up the rest of the peanut butter in the jar? 

Well, the result of all of this messin’ with the recipe over the years is this – I honestly can’t remember what the original recipe calls for anymore!  I think I know it; but I certainly wouldn’t stake my life on it!  I actually had to go back to my Mom’s original recipe and look it up this time to be sure. 

I had to wonder – How many times had I messed with the recipe which resulted in my forgetting the original standard?  How often in my life have I done that?  Compromised the standard for what I wanted to do?  Or what I wanted to get rid of?  Or what I thought I could do without?  And of course, this leads to the big question – how many times have I missed the standard because I was willing to compromise it? 

Oh, my fervent prayer is that I don’t compromise God’s standards – ever.  His Word is truth and it cannot be watered down nor can I make it fit my selfish purposes.  It is what it is.  “All scripture is God-breathed….” (2 Tim. 3:16).   And God’s thoughts and ways are not my thoughts and ways (Isa. 55:8-9). 

As I made that favorite family recipe to share with others this weekend, I decided to make sure that I got back to the standards it calls for – the standards that make the dessert so wonderful and special in the first place.  And I purposed to stay in alignment with God’s standards and resolved to keep doing things His way and not mine.   Because when I mess with the recipe, I risk ruining the whole enchilada…

Thanks for your time today.  Pray for me, will you please?  I will be praying for you, as well.  

In His amazing love,

Cindy

www.cindyfoor.com