Guest Blogger! I am SO exicted... The Toaster LIfe!

The Toaster Life

Picture a toaster and all its parts. Go ahead—I’ll wait. Got it? I’m sure you thought first about the general toaster shape and the slots for the bread. Maybe the handle squisher-downerthingie (technical term) that drops the bread slots. Yeah, me, too. And that is where I stopped the first time God was speaking to me about how the Christian life is like a toaster. But, with our God, there’s always so much more!

     The toaster was created to be a functional tool with a simple set of instructions. When it does what it was designed to accomplish, a beautiful aroma rises. We, as Christ-followers, are the same. Creator God has shown me seven Christian-Toaster parallels. (I’d love to learn if He shows you more! Tell me in the Comments.) Here they are:

Ø Daily Bread goes in. Pretty obvious one, I agree. Yet, the most important. What kind of life would a toaster have if bread, bagels, and waffles never graced the slots? Dysfunctional. Unproductive. Cold. What kind of attitude and day do we have if our morning routine does not include reading the Word? I bet we can all think of three things.

Ø We’ve all been there…we put the bread in, push down on the handle, and the bread pops back up immediately. We repeat the process—down, pop! down, pop!down, OH! We didn’t plug in. Connecting to the power source is vital. Without the connection, the coils do not work. There is no fire within. This is where God began to blow my mind.

Ø The main connection point, the plug, has a duality, as does the cord. There is a connection to electricity and ground. Let’s begin with the electric current. Our residences operate on AC or alternating current. Simply put, the power is on a loop going in and out. This is good. If not, when plugged in, our toaster would fill with electricity and probably blow up. (Not good.) The “ground” is equally as beautiful as the loop. All the outlets in your home should each have a wire which networks back to a main wire that is literally shoved into the ground. Unoriginal name—Genius function.We are designed with equal genius. Our power source is none other than God’s Holy Spirit—our fire within. He lights our coils. (I’ll come back to this.) We connect with Him on our alternating current: prayer and blessings. We are blessed with wisdom, peace, and direction, to name a few, when we bring Him our petitions. When we pray for others, we are blessed with compassion, and the power to forgive. See the loop? So, what about the “ground”? Does the phrase, “So heavenly minded they’re of no earthly good” ring a bell? Sometimes we Christians lose perspective and relevance. We have “un-grounded” ourselves. It is imperative that we remain connected to other Christians AND remain in (but not of) the world. This is represented by the cord.

Ø So what about the coils? I’m so glad you asked! When the bread—Scriptures—go in, the Spirit gives new life to them. The scriptures do not change. (The toast is still bread—ask a two-year-old!) They get richer. More flavorful. This process is called meditating on the Word. But what happens if the bread goes in and never comes back out?

Ø We have a Holy Spirit directed dial, knob, timer. When the Word we each have taken in is at the perfect rich fullness that the person in our sphere of influence is ready for, it comes out.Likewise, “The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.” 1Cor. 1:18Likewise, “Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.” 2Cor. 2:15If we allow Him to be in control, the message is not difficultly forced, nor burned, stinky, and unpalatable.

The parallels are uncanny, yet gorgeous. Read His Word, meditate on it, get plugged into the fire of the Holy Spirit and the community of the church without losing touch with a dying world who needs you to spread the perfectly timed Gospel message of love, acceptance, and forgiveness. The Word will be covered by God’s anointing and delivered under the Fruit of the Spirit. And when you think you have given everything, remember that He has hidden some crumbs just for you way down deep inside.

Blessed in His Service, Sent in His Name—

Tina Welborn

P.S. I pray you will never see your toaster the same again. Much the way the disciples of Jesus had new vision of fish, nets, grain and chaff, vineyards, coins, sheep…

P.P.S. There really were seven points.  :)

Please forgive me....

Please forgive me, I had an expectation of you that was not met and it hurt my heart.  

Please forgive me, I had a frustration and felt for a moment ---you are not committed.

Please forgive me, I had an expectation that was not met and it created thoughts a bit where I questioned what was a priority in you. 

Please forgive me ......   God clearly showed me my error and HOW wrong I was. 

Please forgive me......  for the expectation that YOU should of been as committed as I am?  

Oh...NOT that one,  that confession, hurt to type.

Please forgive me, as I had an expectation and expected you to fill it.
Please forgive me, as I felt YOU are not as committed as "I" believe you should be.  

Ok Lord,  I began the blog confession that You clearly wrote in my head and heart yesterday morning while I was hosting PINK.    But THIS Is hard.   THIS could be misunderstood.  THIS could cause an offense.  THIS could turn someone seeking you -- off.  But Lord, this may also speak to the one you want...the one you want to return to you, wholeheartedly and with repentance because there has been something other than YOU at the top of her heart. 

Ok Lord,  this is going to be a delicate blog to post -- as ONLY YOU can protect the hearts that read it ...I do not want to add guilt or shame, but use this to speak so personally to the one or two that will read it.  

....squirrel...  as I am blogging this early am, I have worship music playing behind my screen.  Right now I hear Chris Carnes  ( Kari Jobe Carnes's honey) sing.... "the Cross has the final word".

It places everything into perspective.

That song places everything into perspective.  Let me explain.....


I spent two days with a group of 40+ women.  Actually, I spent the weekend with 9000+ women.  I am part of a team at my church that has been given an assignment -- Women's Ministry.  I know of the  assignments God has given me.  I pray that was grammatically correct, but He has laid on my heart some ideas and events that HE wants to use to draw women in.

   I learned  so MUCH this weekend and God confirmed that He is using me at this time....as He knows, I will give HIM the glory.  One of the speakers taught us about being CALLED and being SENT.  All are called.  We all have a calling, but God is the one who sends us.   His timing is perfect and He sends us when He knows...we won't rely on ourselves...when our self-reliance is gone...so that all will know HE did 'this' or HE  gets the glory.

My self-reliance is gone.  There was NO way this past weekend could of happened without many helpers but also because of God!  It was all God!  

I believe He confirmed in me that HE has SENT me.  I am ready.   I am just the 'conduit'...the 'culvert'  being used to help connect women to women.  I am just being used to help provide resources and prayer.  I am being used by HIM...but all glory goes to HIM.    All glory.

God showed up in a mighty way and we, the women at the PINK Impact Conference these past 2 days,  could feel HIM as present as the 9000 women who were in attendance in Fort Worth Texas 'live' last weekend.

 God does that!

For me... if the music is played loud enough and if my  heart is cleared and open to receive, it does not matter if it is a tape delayed presentation or a live one -- God moves.

God speaks.
God delivers.
God was present.

And I wanted that ...THAT for so many more.  
I just wanted THAT for so many more.  

So I questioned myself or allowed the enemy to whisper..."you did not advertise it like you did last year".  "You did not specifically ASK those to come, you only sent a link or a social media invite".   And, "you did not fast  for this event...you should of".

Those thoughts lasted  ONLY about 10 seconds, as the enemy does NOT defeat me that quickly anymore. I have gained some ground as I am secure in Christ and quickly reminded Satan, "there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus".

But I still WANTED  this for many more. 


I confessed on Saturday morning to the women in our sancutary, I wanted MORE in attendance.
However, I knew that I knew, as my precious husband reminded me that morning and the evening before..."THIS Is NOT about numbers Chell, this is about hearts". 

   My husband gave me that insight.

My husband  who is very aware of numbers.
My husband who 4-10 years previously...would of NOT cared about a person's heart.  Well, he did care...but he was not worried about their connection to Christ.

My husband, who was a part of the prayer that bathed this event for the past few months.
My husband, who is wise and who seeks God's counsel and uses God's word to encourage me.  

So, as I said,  I did want MORE in attendance but God quickly reminded me through several...the ONES that came, where God ordained and appointed.

( And Mrs. Griffen, thank you for that reminder and confirmation today on your FB post!!  I may sound confident, but God still uses precious people to confirm what HE says to me.  I know that I know all of my affirmation must come from HIM and THAT is what HE is presently teaching me and training me to endure -- but when a sister in Christ gives a sweet affirmation, my heart immediately smiles! )  


....squirrel....sorry -- back to the attendance...

It did not matter if there was 100 or 5 in that room -- HE was there.  HE appointed this time.  HE anointed the event and it changed people.   

And I knew instantly, HE, God,  would  provide THAT or THIS for you --
YOu... the one I am seeking forgiveness from -- YOU...but it will be in HIS time.   

So, again, please forgive me!

  
Please forgive me, as I had an expectation and expected you to fill it.
Please forgive me, as I felt YOU are not as committed as "I" believe you should be.  



So  God has me there...  here.... having a heart to HELP women... having a heart to share God's goodness and tools to get freedom!!  


 However, God reminded  me over and over...HE draws you near, and He saves...not me.  

And HE uses HIS word to remind and teach me and to 'reproof' me.......

Thessalonians 5New Living Translation (NLT)

5 Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters,^[a] we don’t really need to write you. ² For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. ³ When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.

This passage reminds me, time is short! 

Later in Thessalonians --  

¹¹ So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

Paul’s Final Advice

¹² Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. ¹³ Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.

¹⁴ Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.
¹⁵ See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.
¹⁶ Always be joyful. ¹⁷ Never stop praying. ¹⁸ Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
¹⁹ Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Do not scoff at prophecies, ²¹ but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. ²² Stay away from every kind of evil.


His assignment for  me is to plan, provide, and, encourage--

So please forgive me, that I looked to you and expected something that God did not ordain at this time and moment.  

So please forgive me  -- I prayed for you and asked HIM to surround you in such a way that your heart yearns and longs for Him. 

So please forgive me....God may be Lord of Your life but I judged you - wrongly.  
I had an expectation that I placed upon you -- please forgive me.  

And perhaps this blog post has reminded you that .....HE is drawing you...
And perhaps this blog post has convicted  you, as you  ignored the event because you allowed distractions .....please know,   HE is drawing you close...   This is not about shame! 

GOD is right there with you -- just talk to HIM.
 Allow HIM to speak ....  allow Him to remind YOU how He formed you in your mother's womb and He has known about this day for all of your life.

Allow Him to draw you close, just clear the places so your ears can hear -- HIM.

Lord, OK...I did it.  I blogged.  This was a tough one.  But as YOU showed me how to circle well, I can rest in the fact that I know -- THIS is one of the ways you speak to Your people.  
I may not have written affirmation for each blog that we write together that it has indeed changed a life, but I look forward to our time in heaven when the BIG Jumbo-tron is brought out and I get to see the seeds I planted and what happened.  Until then....I will TRUST only YOU in these matters and I pray the enemy stays AWAY today....as even last night, after a big and glorious weekend -- HE attacked and tried HIS best to worm his way into my evening ...but YOU won.  As you always do but YOU will win when it comes to me...as I am bound and determined to live that life...worthy of Your calling...  IN Jesus name.  Amen.