Many of you in the business world are familiar with the classic book, “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Spencer Johnson and Kenneth Blanchard. It is a timeless business classic that uses a simple parable to help people deal with the stress and anxiety of change in the workplace and life. A bible of sorts to some.
Most people are fearful of change. The unknown is scary! I have noted over the years the level of fear and anxiety has risen to epidemic levels in our culture. You talk to anyone these days and you will hear their fears expressed about their families, their jobs, and their future. This book “Who Moved My Cheese”, was written to help people navigate through these stress points in an ever-changing work environment. I think it is interesting that a parable or a story is used. In the bible, Jesus, the ultimate story teller, used parables to teach life lessons and instruct believers in what it means to follow Jesus. Telling truths through stories just speak to the child in us. As Christians, being childlike and staying childlike in our relationship with Jesus is very paramount. He is our foundation and he will help us to navigate change in our lives.
Change is inevitable. Going from glory to glory is the path of anyone who is pursuing the more of God. How do we as believers navigate those waters to get to the other side? What keeps most of us from launching out?
Fears. We all have them. Fear of flying. Fear of speaking in public. Fear of being alone. Fear of being rejected. And my personal favorite, fear of clowns. What? Bozo. Ronald MacDonald. As Christians we are instructed time and time again in the word, “Do not fear”.
“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. “1 John 4:18
“The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.” Proverbs 29:25
“Be strong and very courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will successful in everything you do.” Joshua 1: 6,7
Fear keeps us from faith. Fear is the opposite of faith. Fear keeps us from entering into God’s promises. Fear robs us of our inheritance and the opportunity for intimacy and adventure. Are you in pursuit of God??? Do you want to start today in running your race?? GOD WILL MOVE YOUR CHEESE!!!!
Let me tell you a story folks. Long, long ago and in a land far, far way there was a place called the Emerald City (Seattle to be exact). A young Christian woman named Babs or Babbalicious, as some of my music friends called me, lived there. In 1989 God moved my cheese. First, He saved me and gave me a new life. Then an unexpected journey began. I was a new Christian just minding my own business when a few months into this new relationship with Jesus I began volunteering with a ministry called the Seattle Street School. The founder of the school and I both attended the same church. I just started helping out stuffing envelopes. Eventually the school got a building on Capitol Hill in Seattle and we were going to start night school for street kids. I had a great job during the day and volunteered at night. Perfect. That fit right into my lifestyle.
Most people are fearful of change. The unknown is scary! I have noted over the years the level of fear and anxiety has risen to epidemic levels in our culture. You talk to anyone these days and you will hear their fears expressed about their families, their jobs, and their future. This book “Who Moved My Cheese”, was written to help people navigate through these stress points in an ever-changing work environment. I think it is interesting that a parable or a story is used. In the bible, Jesus, the ultimate story teller, used parables to teach life lessons and instruct believers in what it means to follow Jesus. Telling truths through stories just speak to the child in us. As Christians, being childlike and staying childlike in our relationship with Jesus is very paramount. He is our foundation and he will help us to navigate change in our lives.
Change is inevitable. Going from glory to glory is the path of anyone who is pursuing the more of God. How do we as believers navigate those waters to get to the other side? What keeps most of us from launching out?
Fears. We all have them. Fear of flying. Fear of speaking in public. Fear of being alone. Fear of being rejected. And my personal favorite, fear of clowns. What? Bozo. Ronald MacDonald. As Christians we are instructed time and time again in the word, “Do not fear”.
“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. “1 John 4:18
“The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.” Proverbs 29:25
“Be strong and very courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will successful in everything you do.” Joshua 1: 6,7
Fear keeps us from faith. Fear is the opposite of faith. Fear keeps us from entering into God’s promises. Fear robs us of our inheritance and the opportunity for intimacy and adventure. Are you in pursuit of God??? Do you want to start today in running your race?? GOD WILL MOVE YOUR CHEESE!!!!
Let me tell you a story folks. Long, long ago and in a land far, far way there was a place called the Emerald City (Seattle to be exact). A young Christian woman named Babs or Babbalicious, as some of my music friends called me, lived there. In 1989 God moved my cheese. First, He saved me and gave me a new life. Then an unexpected journey began. I was a new Christian just minding my own business when a few months into this new relationship with Jesus I began volunteering with a ministry called the Seattle Street School. The founder of the school and I both attended the same church. I just started helping out stuffing envelopes. Eventually the school got a building on Capitol Hill in Seattle and we were going to start night school for street kids. I had a great job during the day and volunteered at night. Perfect. That fit right into my lifestyle.
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| {Seattle Street School} |
Young kids came off the street looking for a safe place, food, and someone who cared because for so many no one else did. There was a lot of spiritual warfare on those streets. Young people were tormented and they did not know why. We would pray for the kids and weird things would happen. I won’t go into detail but for this young believer sometimes I got scurred! Really scurred!!! However, unbeknownst to me the demons were more afraid of me than I was of them. I figured that out later.
Eventually the school changed their hours to days. Monday through Friday. I had a decision to make. I had a great job and a comfortable life, but I LOVED working with those kids. Andrea, the school founder wanted me to work at the school full time. She was going to offer me a whopping $500.00 a month. She was asking me to leave my great salary, benefits and 401K for $500.00 a month???
I thought to myself, I can’t do this. I began to go over all the reasons why. For one, I had only been a Christian for about a year or so at the time and did not think I was qualified. I was not a pastor. I had no credentials. Never been to bible school. I felt like I was pretty messed up and needed counseling myself. How could I help them? Why me Lord? I am no good. Do you know who I really am?? Of course, He did. The Lord gave me a scripture out of Isaiah 58: 6-9.
“Is this not the fast that I have chosen; To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you: the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard, Then you shall call and the Lord will answer; You shall cry and He will say, “Here I am.”
God was telling me to take care of what matters to him and just gave what I had to give. He would actually accelerate the healing process in my own life as I gave what I had to help others. I have lived by this principle. I do not know if I ever feel totally qualified but I know He qualifies me. Spend what I have, and he will give me more. Is that not a kingdom principle?
Still even knowing this I struggled for months trying to make a decision. Every fleece I put before the Lord he answered. It was time to put up or shut up as they say. One morning I woke up and read the morning devotion in “My utmost for His Highest.” I just began to weep. The Lord was speaking clearly to me. I hear his voice softly say, “Follow me.” At that moment I surrendered to his will, picked up the phone and call Andrea and told her I was quitting my job. Total and complete peace flooded me at that moment. I gave my two weeks notice at work and left. I gave up everything. My place to live, my job, my dog, and some friends. I remember for the first month I slept on the floor of my girlfriend’s parent’s home in their study. It was not easy, but it was God.
Still even knowing this I struggled for months trying to make a decision. Every fleece I put before the Lord he answered. It was time to put up or shut up as they say. One morning I woke up and read the morning devotion in “My utmost for His Highest.” I just began to weep. The Lord was speaking clearly to me. I hear his voice softly say, “Follow me.” At that moment I surrendered to his will, picked up the phone and call Andrea and told her I was quitting my job. Total and complete peace flooded me at that moment. I gave my two weeks notice at work and left. I gave up everything. My place to live, my job, my dog, and some friends. I remember for the first month I slept on the floor of my girlfriend’s parent’s home in their study. It was not easy, but it was God.
I remember one day when I was tutoring a young boy name Brian. He asked me why I was there at the school doing what I was doing. After giving him the reasons, Brian smiled at me and said, “that is just like Jesus.” No greater compliment could I have been given then or now.
There were many moments like that at the school. So many young people whose paths crossed mine. So many spiritual seeds sown through that school. It was a well of living water. The Lord gave me the story from John 4 about the Samaritan women at the well, while I was teaching at the school. She went to the well to get water but what she found was living water. The school was a vehicle to also draw those kids to the same Living Water. Jesus.
My spiritual knowledge and understanding grew at an accelerated pace. It was at the school I first learned about servant leadership. A passion of Andrea’s. I learned what it meant to be on the front lines of spiritual warfare and I recognized that I had a large capacity to love. I never knew that until I began working with young people. The things I did. I hung out with gang bangers, prostitutes, and witches. Been around not so nice people with guns. Yikes! I was often surrounded by danger but always felt protected.
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| {The Team at the Seattle Street School} |
When God moves your cheese, his word will sustain you. His grace will be sufficient. He will lead and guide you. You will make mistakes, but you will hear a still small voice getting you back on track. God was promoting me even though in the eyes of others they thought I was crazy. One thing to remember about kingdom promotion is it will often appear to be the exact opposite. When you step out in faith you will have second thoughts. You will feel lonely. You may lose friends or a support system. But I know along the way God will continue to remind you that you made the right choice. He did for me.
We have to remember that God’s kingdom is upside down. What may seem like a demotion to some was God’s promotion for my life. Each of us is unique and has a unique path to walk. God is more concern about who you become then how big your ministry is. The measure of a man or women is not their ministry but their heart. God is concerned about enlarging your heart capacity to love. To reach people. When you have his heart, you will care about what he cares about. You will surrender to Him and LET him move your cheese. Not just one time but anytime he chooses. What is God asking you to do that you are afraid to do? He has need of you. What he requires He will inspire. He is not taking something from you but trying to get something to you. Get ready for a great adventure. God’s about to move your Cheese. Cheddar anyone??
Keep Flourishing!
Barbara
We have to remember that God’s kingdom is upside down. What may seem like a demotion to some was God’s promotion for my life. Each of us is unique and has a unique path to walk. God is more concern about who you become then how big your ministry is. The measure of a man or women is not their ministry but their heart. God is concerned about enlarging your heart capacity to love. To reach people. When you have his heart, you will care about what he cares about. You will surrender to Him and LET him move your cheese. Not just one time but anytime he chooses. What is God asking you to do that you are afraid to do? He has need of you. What he requires He will inspire. He is not taking something from you but trying to get something to you. Get ready for a great adventure. God’s about to move your Cheese. Cheddar anyone??
Keep Flourishing!
Barbara
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