1/20/21
So, my daughter and I used to own the cutest little flower shop that our sweet, little city has ever seen. It was called Deep Roots TX Floral Studio. I was the business geek and my daughter was the creative genius behind all of our amazing, unique floral arrangements. We delivered daily arrangements and events like most florists. But the most fun we had was on Thursday and Friday nights when we opened up the studio to the community for parties. Friends, families, bachelorette and birthday parties, would come to the Flower Bar – bringing their favorite drinks and snacks with them. Then my daughter or I would give them step-by-step instructions on how to create a beautiful flower arrangement. The place was filled with life and laughter. It was the most amazing thing to watch someone come in feeling extremely intimidated by the process, only to leave so very proud of their efforts. No two arrangements left the studio alike. In that little flower shop, creativity abounded, hearts were healed, friendships formed, and grace flowed like rain. Deep Roots got its name from Ephesians 3:17 the New Living Bible translation, “May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.” That scripture was painted in gigantic font on one wall. Oh how I loved that place!
But, a year after my husband died, we decided it was time. We got to that place where we needed to close the shop and do something new. And I remember, like yesterday, the social media post I was trying to configure to announce that Deep Roots would be closing the doors at the end of the following month. My stomach was in knots.
I’ve mentioned this before, often I see things in pictures. The situations that I come up against are usually represented by images - like a scrolling scene in a movie. It happened again this time as I was writing that announcement. The picture that I saw was a huge ball of yarn (very colorful, I might add) that was about to plummet down a hill and totally unravel. Watching the scene play out over and over in my head made me nauseous.
My mind and my heart were bombarded with all kinds of fear. “What if...?”, “How…?” “What now?” I felt my purpose and significance slipping away. After all, there had been some very cool things that happened in that little shop, and some very sweet relationships that had been built with customers. Plus, it was my baby, built from the ground up. A little sketch of two flower bars on a napkin come to life in that little shop in Sugar Land. “So, what now?” I began to feel the weight of my pride pressing me to keep from so called ‘failing’. Again, my mind was saying “You can’t…!” I began to feel sorrowful for disappointing people. I reasoned that I’d never have such creativity and freedom in my life ever again. It’s over. Unraveled.
It wasn’t until later that I realized that the unraveling was probably the best thing that could happen. It actually represented a sort of freedom, an undoing, as this ball of yarn blazed a new trail down the hill – still colorful as the rainbow. And, believe me, the fact that it was a down-hill trail was not lost on me. I thought, I could use a little effortless rolling.
Today, the word recalibrate comes to mind. It literally means “to calibrate again.” Great. So what does calibrate actually mean? Here it is: to correlate the readings of (an instrument) with those of a standard in order to check the instrument’s accuracy. WOW!
So, the bible talks about God’s children being His instruments in several passages.
If we take this definition and think about recalibrating in the spiritual sense, then I believe I can apply it to my current situation. I realize that I need to correlate my readings with the standard. I do this to check to see if those things that I’m believing are in line with those of THE STANDARD - And the standard being the Word of God.
In episode number 2, I talk about how we are constantly operating out of what we believe to be true, and how crucial it is to understand that what we believe (truth or not) affects how we think. And how we think influences how we feel, which influences how we act or don’t act, and that produces results. Results that we like or don’t like. As a Life Coach for my clients, this is the first thing I teach. Because this understanding becomes the springboard to leap over hurdles and the wrecking ball to break down any barriers that keeps them from healing and moving forward in freedom.
So, the first thing I do is check my “believing” accuracy - To correlate what I’m believing about a certain thing or situation with that of the truth – the Standard.
So, let’s check it:
1) Should I fear? Isaiah 41: 10-13 says, So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. All who rage against you will sure be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear; I will help you.””
Psalm 46:2 says, “Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging, we will not fear.”
Isaiah 35:4 says “say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
Lastly, 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
So, do I need to fear? Check it and recalibrating: Um… Nope.
2) Do I still have a purpose and a significance? Check it: Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[a] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
2 Timothy 2:21: “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.”
John 15:16 says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
So, do I have a purpose and significance? Check it and recalibrate: Most definitely.
3) Does God see me as a failure? Am I a disappointment? Check it: Isaiah 43:1 says “But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”
John 17:10: “All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.”
1 Peter 2:9,10: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
1 Corinthians 6:20, says, “you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.”
Zephaniah 3:17: “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
So, I am His creation, called, chosen for His purposes, loved, rejoiced over. Does God see me as a failure? Am I a disappointment? Check it: Not possible.
4) Is it “over,” “unraveled”? Check it: Romans 8:37 says, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
Philippians 4:13, 19: I can do all things through him who strengthens me. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6 says, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
So, is it “over,” “unraveled”? Check it: Absolutely not!
Man, I feel so encouraged by the Word. I hope you do, too!
The best news after recalibrating is to find that the One who loves me most, the One who created me, has put His covering of kindness, joy, and favor over me (Psalm 5: 11,12); He daily bears my burdens so I don’t have to bear the weight alone (Psalm 68:19, I Peter 5:7); He will accomplish all things that concern me (Psalm 138:8); and He will keep me in safety wherever I go (Psalm 91:11) and bless me in my coming and my going (Deuteronomy 28:6). Here, I can rest…unraveled and ready to go!
So, what about you, friend? Has there been something that has occurred in your life that makes you feel like your purpose and significance is slipping away? Are you struggling to find your footing again, and honestly, you’re just wondering if whatever is “next” is actually going to be good? Maybe you need to recalibrate your thinking – to get it in line with truth and get your believing straight. I’m sure that, like me, you’ll find your place again. And then I pray you’ll recognize how good it is to be unraveled and ready to go!
