Be Purposeful

"Think about the things that are good and worthy of praise; think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.” (Philippians 4:8)

"The mind is a great battlefield. The Bible tells us that we have the mind of Christ because we have a personal relationship with Him, but we still have to allow or choose to "let" the mind of Christ be in control. Every day we are at war for the control of the mind. Who wins that war is up to us and the choices we make."  Think Right... Live Right, from Girlfriends in God - By Mary Southerland

I must admit there was a great battle going on in my mind recently. My enemy was doing a wonderful job of filling my head with bad thoughts. Thoughts like what kind of mother are you for missing your son on TV for what he considered to be his second greatest experience of his Navy career.

On the day of the most recent Presidential Inauguration, I was glued to my computer screen watching live feed of the ceremony anxiously waiting for a chance to have a glimpse of my son. As a member of the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard, he was a White House Cordon and would render honors to the President at the White House following his parade walk.

The President returned to the White House and there was no sighting of my son. I sent a text to my daughter-in-law with a sad face saying, "I don't think we are gonna see him."

She was much smarter than I as she kept watching. I had lost live feed momentarily and decided it was time to call it quits. I walked away from my desk and when I returned there was a text from my daughter-in-law that read, "I saw him!!!!! I saw him!!!!!!" This text was followed by more text messages and posts on Facebook from family members sharing how they had also seen him.

My son soon posted on his Facebook page, "Don't lie to me!! Who saw me?!?!"

NOT ME!!!!!!!!!

I will always regret missing my son live on TV, but when I look back at the extent of how I was punishing myself that evening I discover I was not thinking right. My enemy was filling my mind with bad thoughts. And I've learned that what is taking place in our mind will eventually come out and effect others. Trust me...I know my thoughts effected certain family members that day.

What was good and worthy of praise that afternoon? While I missed seeing my son, others did not.

Here is what my brother was able to share after capturing him on his TV...

That's my Sailor!

Shortly after, my sister shared a very brief video of the moment captured above. While I'm not sure how to upload this video, my son was also seen on NBC's Today Show at about 1:32 in this video: Today Show link

My pastor (Pastor Mike) asked the question during his sermon this past Sunday, "Do you function with a Biblical worldview?" He shared how God's Word should be at the foundation of everything we think and feel. He has given us everything we need to live a godly life. (2 Peter 1:3) But, are we living a godly life?

Pastor Mike said the words, "Be purposeful." God used those two words to bring me back to my one word, EMBRACE. (I love how He does that!)

The previous Sunday our Executive Pastor (Pastor Jay) spoke on how ALL scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). He ended his sermon by saying that because all scripture is God-breathed, we are to "Embrace ALL scripture."

The message I received from both of these fabulous pastors of mine: The more scripture we embrace, the more we will live scripture out in our life. So I was reminded to be purposeful in spending time in His Word and to surrender my mind to God.

As Mary Southerland wrote in the post I shared through a link earlier in this post, "When we choose to surrender the control of our mind to God, He will honor that choice and give us the strength and power to think right. And when we think right – we will live right."

So now that I'm thinking right and my enemy has lost control over my mind, to my brother and sister who made it possible for me to still see my son in his second greatest moment in the Navy, THANK YOU! You have given this mother a precious gift. I may have missed his moment of fame, but you made it possible for me to still have the moment through a picture and video...something I will forever treasure.

Friends, I share this story with you, along with previous stories, because it is in these moments of weakness that God will draw us closer to Him and remind us how desperately we need Him. As Mary DeMuth says in her book, Everything, "God breaks us for better things." 

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." - 2 Corinthians 12:9