Robin Gilbert Luftig's Blog, page 22

Sometimes We Worry

Sometimes we worry. We don’t mean to, but it’s what we do. We often try to fight it with all of our power. No matter how we try to white-knuckle it through a bad day, we end up fretting over what we have no control of.

If I’m not careful I do the same.

When my plans don’t play out as I schedule them, I can get short-tempered. How can I allow others to interrupt me from checking off items on my list?

It’s not until I’m wrapped in frustration that I finally get it.

“Life is not about you, Robin. It’s about Me.”

Ouch.

What about you?

What’s got you tied in knots? Do you think your world will fall apart if you can’t control what’s happening?

Life is pretty chaotic these days. It’s easy to be swayed into being fearful. But remember fear’s not of God. Revisit what we’re told in Scripture:

“… and be sure of this—that I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” Matt. 28:20.

Does that not work for you? Then how about this:

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalms 46:10

 

Let’s try–just for today–to focus on what we can control. Sometimes we worry, but that’s when we take on what isn’t ours to take.

 

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post Sometimes We Worry appeared first on Robin Luftig.

The God We See in the Rear-view Mirror

Why is it we tend to only talk about the God we see in the rear-view mirror? It’s easy to share stories of His presence after cresting a hill or making it through the latest crisis. I don’t know about you, but I’ve come to realize I tend to acknowledge what victories are behind me, not the struggles God’s working with me in the present.

In the past is when I can see the fruits because of my relationship with Christ. Answered prayer. That’s when I see how my faith in God has sustained me.

See what I mean–rear-view mirror view of God.

Pathetic, just pathetic.

What I want is confidence in the God of today. His constant presence. Instead, it’s my pain, fear, and sometimes lack of faith I tend to focus on. I am a broken person. I need to seek God’s face.

 

Lean in

Lean in and I’ll whisper a secret fear to you. When I stand in the here and now, will God think I’m crazy and selfish if I ask him to answer the prayer of my heart? I can’t tell others about my prayers to God because what would they think of me if the prayers don’t get answered? What will they think of God? How can I have such a self-serving heart? Am I asking for my glory instead of His?

Will God think I’m crazy and selfish if I ask him to answer the prayer of my heart?
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Then it came to me: It’s not the size of the ask, it’s the condition of my heart that asks.

It’s just that simple: I need to check on the condition of my heart when I go to God and not wait until the blessing is behind me. Most of the blessing is found in the process. Only a small portion is realized when the blessing is seen.

It’s not the size of the ask, it’s the condition of the heart that asks.
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I need to remember that God is awesome and present—always! I need to remember that it’s me and my self-run focus that gets in the way of receiving God’s blessings. I need to remember that my vision of God needs to be as clear in the present as it is in my rearview mirror.

Just as in Mark 9:24, I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post The God We See in the Rear-view Mirror appeared first on Robin Luftig.

Having a Blessed Home

We are what we eat and drink. Maybe not spaghetti or iced tea, but we are what we take in. What do you hunger for, or put another way … what is important to you? And what does that have to do with having a blessed home?

 

The Look of a Blessed Home

Christ-centered homes have at least one thing in common: Christ comes first. It isn’t the rules found in Scripture that make a home Christ-centered. It’s the hearts of the people living in it. Reducing Christ to a list of rules leads to legalistic Christianity. Christ isn’t in that.

Having a blessed home isn’t that difficult. Help your family see God as loving, approachable, and involved. Include God in your daily conversations in your home. Make attending church non-negotiable. And show how seeking and serving God can be fun.

Remember, the only way to show love is to practice love.
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Try to put Psalms 63:1 into practice, “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.” You and your family will benefit when a heart—your heart—hungers and thirsts after God.

 

 

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post Having a Blessed Home appeared first on Robin Luftig.

Check Out My New Website!

It’s been a while, but my website is finally finished. Check out my new website!

I’m thrilled with the work Katrina Glover (https://www.kikawebdesign.com/) did. It looks fantastic!

Take a tour … look around … see what’s new.

Let me know what you think.

It feels good to be back. Thanks, again, Kikawebdesign. You rock!!

The post Check Out My New Website! appeared first on Robin Luftig.

Jesus Used Stones

While scripture is often understated, it’s important to take time and really think about what it says. For example, think about in Luke 19 when the Pharisees were once again trying to put Jesus into his place. And Jesus, too, put them to shame. This time he used the simplest of what he say around him. Jesus used stones.

When the Pharisees told Jesus to keep his disciples quiet, Jesus told them, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” 

Think about that for a moment.

Stones?

There’s no life in rocks. There may be signs of a live that once was, as fossils … or veins of compressed eras of long past, like coal or precious metals. But there is nothing in a rock that is alive. Yet Jesus said (and I truly believe him) that if His people stay still, even the stones will praise Him.

I don’t know about you, but I do not want to be showed up by a pile of rocks.

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Luke 19:39-40

I choose to worship the Creator of the Universe.

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post Jesus Used Stones appeared first on Robin Luftig.

I Ponder Many Things

I ponder many things.

What will the future be for my grandchildren?

Will this society ever find harmony?

When will there be rest?

But there is one thing I always find solace in, and that’s the nature of God. “… abounding in love to all who call …”

Abounding. All. Those are words I can rest on.

I ponder many things. What sorts of things do you ponder?

 

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post I Ponder Many Things appeared first on Robin Luftig.

For Anyone

For anyone who needs to read this, know–without a doubt–that your Lord hears cries. Never doubt his presence.

Not a long post today.

Really, is there anything else that we need to know?

 

 

 

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post For Anyone appeared first on Robin Luftig.

Life Sometimes Doesn’t Turn Out As We Plan

Life sometimes doesn’t turn out as we plan. It begins uneventful enough, just as we think it should. No ripples. No bumps in the road. Smooth sailings all the way. Then–on a dime–something happens to change the trajectory forever.

Joni Eareckson-Tada dove into shallow water and broke her neck, leaving her a quadriplegic.

At the height of his popularity, Franklin D. Roosevelt was stricken with polio.

When Bethany Hamilton was fourteen, she took her surfboard to catch a few waves and was attacked by a shark, losing her arm.

 

 

When tragedy happens, our lives–and faith–can be rocked.

How could a loving God let this happen?

Why did this have to happen to me?

When tragedy strikes—and it visits many—it helps to remember the heart of God.

His word says He knew us before we were born;

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13

That he has plans for us.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

But most importantly, it’s okay if we don’t understand

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

Joni, FDR, and Bethany’s lives were changed in a breath. But each has been blessed beyond measure. It might not have been their plan, but God gave them the grace and blessings to travel the journey. And if you’re taking a journey you didn’t plan, God has grace enough for you, too.

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post Life Sometimes Doesn’t Turn Out As We Plan appeared first on Robin Luftig.

Information Overload

We are living in a day of information overload. If you’re anything like me, you choose to use commercial breaks for snack-grabbing so you don’t miss the show you set out to watch. Or you find yourself multitasking instead of focusing on what’s at hand.

It’s difficult to sort through all the information that’s readily available. Let’s face it. We’re all busier than we’d like, so it’s important to latch onto good resources when they come around.

If you’re like me, you want to do the best job possible, be it as a speaker, writer, or most importantly, the best person you can be. To help me to that end, I have a few go-to sources. I’ve yet to be let down by any of them. I go to these sources for wisdom, knowledge, encouragement, or for solid advice. While I hate listing the who’s and what’s that are important to me (because I can’t list them all), I know it’s good to at least give you an idea of what to build in your list, to help you with information order load.

 

Speaking Information

I found the best place to find great information related to speaking, is to go where the speakers you like go. It’s like playing Follow the Leader. One of the best places I ever found that gave me hands-on experience with different speakers who wanted to see me succeed, was attending a Christian Communicators Conference. Co-Directors, Tammy Whitehurst and Lori Boruff have one goal during their time at the conference–to help a woman speaker be who God wants them to be. And I made life-long friends with some of the gals I met there. Gals like Cherie Nettles, Becky Carpenter, and Christina Custodio to name a few.

Writing Information

I follow several sources when it comes to writing, but when I have a question regarding any how-to in writing situation I come up against, my first go-to reference is Edie Melson’s The Write Conversation. There, Edie and a host of trusted authors address topics that impact the life of a writer. If I want information on the world of publishing, I find The Steve Laube Agency site the most informative. And to round out the information, I follow anything related to Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference. Be it the conference website itself, or different Facebook pages referencing Blue Ridge’s successful authors, I can always find great insight into writers’ issues.

 

Personal Information

I try to never be far from the Scriptures. When I’m at my desk, I have Bible Gateway front and center, ready to be accessed. And I rarely spend time in my office when I do not reference this website.  When I’m on the road, I use my phone’s YouVersion App. This, too, offers the ability to underline and leave notes, both helpful when studying and learning. I also grab onto who appears to be where I want to be in my speaking, writing, and personal growth. Women like Eva Marie Everson, Lori Roeleveld, and Sheila Walsh are just a very few of many who have blazed the trail I’m following. Not only are these women powerful in their fields, but they are also truly nice women … the women you’d love to have a cup of coffee with.

 

I hope this helps you deal with your own information overload. Take a moment or two and make a list of your own. What sources are your go-to’s when you need a bit of wisdom? Who is modeling the life you find best fits where you want to be?

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. James 3:13

(I used Bible Gateway to confirm that scripture.)

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post Information Overload appeared first on Robin Luftig.

Life After the Eleventh Day

What an incredible roller-coaster ride of emotions I experienced when I realized I still had a life after the eleventh day when they discovered my brain tumor. That was when they greeted me with, “I’m sorry; Mrs. Luftig, but you have a tumor on your brain about the size of my fist. Do you want a priest, or could I call the hospital chaplain for you?”

Just hours earlier, my husband and I had planned our weekend activities without a care. Now Lew stood helplessly beside me as I lay in my Emergency Room bed listening as a doctor continued. “You have a tumor—a meningioma—nestled under the right frontal area of your skull and need surgery right away to remove it before there’s irreversible damage.”

Lessons Embraced After the Eleventh Day

After the tenth day came and went, I learned to put plans to the side and appreciate what is most important–to embrace the todays as they came.

While I had days—ten days—to prepare myself for this surgery, I also used that time to see what was important. Because I only had a little more than a week to do all I hoped to do, experience anything I still wanted to experience, and say whatever I still needed to say to those who needed to hear from me, I needed to process all those feelings down to the core of my being. Because I had no guarantee I would survive the surgery, I needed to see the importance in the here-and-now.

What was Next?

After that eleventh day, I dealt with excruciating pain that throbbed through my skull. My arms were black and blue from various IVs. More importantly, I had so many unknowns.

Would I be able to talk?

Would I have control over voluntary muscles?

Could I put thoughts together coherently?

I only knew for sure that I needed to pull close to God.

 

Facing the Unknown after Brain Tumor Surgery

Slowly my strength did begin to return. Weeks after the surgery, my first excursion was to church. Lew and I were the last ones in the building and the first one out, but I made it. From there, I began maneuvering through a grocery store with Lew. But even relying on the grocery cart for support, I only had enough energy to walk a few paces.

As time passed my walking ability began to improve, as did my dexterity, stamina, and memory. After five years, I have found a new normal. A blessed normal.

Find What’s Important

As I look back to my surgery and period of recovery, I realized a gift more precious than I ever imagined: a glimpse into my own mortality. I also learned to recognize true the importance of friends, family, and a loving Savior. And God blessed me with a new life after the eleventh day.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post Life After the Eleventh Day appeared first on Robin Luftig.