Turtle Tuesdays: Just One

God gave B, the checkbook turtle ONE word for today:

BALANCE........

but she keeps trying to add to it.

B His Girl

Turtle Tuesday: Are you from Sirius?

If you think B, the turtle is clowning around on Turtle Tuesday, keep reading. Things are not always as they appear. Today B shares part of a funny story God used to speak to her. Actually it wasn't funny at the time. It was serious. Very serious.

B was working in the world when she made a stop at a stranger's house. She noticed the older man with the Einstein like gray hair sitting outside in his lawn chair immediately. At first glance, she thought he was taking a nap. The moment her foot touched his driveway, his eyes popped open . B only needed to ask him a question and she would b on her way. This man clearly had other ideas. He wanted to talk to B more. She was trying to be nice but she felt uncomfortable as he rose from his chair. He began walking toward her as he gazed into her eyes. He was invading her comfort zone big time! The man told B he had been time traveling. ( Yes, he said time traveling. )B didn't know how to respond to his comment but she was getting a clearer picture of the situation she had walked upon. With her hair sticking straight up on her neck, just like it did when she saw Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs, B wanted to hide! The man said "Can I ask you a question?" B nodded her head as she kept backing up trying to keep some distance between them. "Are you from Sirius?" he asked . B's voice shook as she answered "No". Then he began talking about B's white, snake like teeth. He knew she must be from Sirius. B freaked out. She bolted from his driveway and recovered from her 'encounter' in her locked car.

This man had some mental issues B was not prepared to handle. She was thankful it all ended well and prayed for him. His intention was not to harm B. After the initial scare, she began to see the humor in it. She does have a couple of sharp pointed teeth. (B looking for them in an upcoming video: ) To add to his case about her b'ing from Sirius... her name means 'alien'. There is also a star called Sirius B. And to take this thought further, this turtle is also called to let her light shine before men. Mayb he could see more than she realized. Hmmm. Mayb he wasn't as off the mark as she thought.

B was sharing her 'from Sirius' story with a friend. It is funny now, but a strange thing happened one day while B was pondering this story. God invaded B's space. He came close to her and whispered, "Are you from serious B?" B immediately knew what the Lord was asking her. You see, B, the turtle, is called to be 'out there' shinning her light in a dark world. The only way she can B what she is called to b is to focus. She needs to draw closer to Jesus and fix her gaze on Him. The Lord is serious about His call on her life. She can't run away and lock herself in her shell. She has prayed about what God wants her to do.

B answered, " I'm from serious Lord." B, the turtle girl, is serious.

Today, the Lord wants you to ponder this question in His call to follow Him.

Are you from serious too?

B His Girl

Turtle Tuesdays: A New Thing

Have you ever felt bored with things that once excited you? Tired of the same ole' thing...B is there NOW!

Meet B, the 'in a rut' turtle. B confessed on the B log a few weeks ago she lost her groove thing. She tried to shake it but her old groove is not working anymore. B has been pondering and praying about this for most of the summer. Now she wonders if this is part of a Master plan to move a turtle like B to a new place. A new thing. Sometimes you have to throw off some things, even good things to go to the place you have been called.

Mayb the Lord wanted to let B's groove thing start feeling like a rut.

Whatever the Lord is doing, it's working. B is shifting her position. She is throwing off some old stuff. There is 'Something New' coming. God stirred her heart Sunday in a big way! B told someone this yesterday and they got the shivers! God Bumps! In fact, B shared this today because she thinks she is not traveling alone in her rut. Mayb you have been walking in the same pattern as B. Nobody else may see your ruts, but you know inside you have settled for less when you have been called to MORE. I know I keep saying MORE. Those are the words I keep hearing. MORE, MORE, MORE!
B's prayer:
Lord, please don't let us settle in comfortable places, travel familiar roads. We have not been called to run in a 'rut race.' You are moving in an incredible way all around us. Help us not get stuck in our successes or our failures. We want to b stuck on you and you alone. Let us hear your words to us today.

Isa 43:19 Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new.It's bursting out! Don't you see it?There it is! I'm making a road through the desert,rivers in the badlands. (from THE MESSAGE)

B His Girl

Turtle Tuesdays: The Dog Days

Has Turtle Tuesdays gone to the dogs? Officially yes. We are in 'the dog days of summer' but B, the iron turtle prays it ain't so, at least on the inside: )

Did you know that 'dog days' can refer to a period that is stagnant, dull and not one of marked progress?
It may b the 'dog days' of summer outside but it doesn't have to b like that inside your shell.

So what's a turtle to do if she or he finds himself in the 'dog days' spiritually? B, the iron turtle, has some wisdom from the Proverbs to pass on to you.

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Prov
27:17

Are you content in your walk with the Lord or do you long for MORE? B wants MORE. If you want to b a sharp instrument in the Lord's hands your diet must include iron. Don't skip the essentials.

B His Girl

Turtle Tuesdays: B sends flowers!

Meet B, the flower turtle. She apologizes for being bloggy absent last Tuesday. B made a special Turtle Tuesday video for you. In fact, she spent hours trying to get it on her B log. B is experiencing great opposition trying to say what she has to say in all kind of ways. It is keeping her grounded though....on her knees more. That's always a good thing!

B is seeing the benefits in this opposition. Normally she retreats from it. The Lord is stretching her right now. B is trying not to shrink back from all of this faith exercising. B knows that without faith it is impossible to please God.

How is God working in your life? Have you faced opposition lately? How did you handle it? Please share if you have time. I will b away this week again. I hope to connect and share more with you soon.

B His Girl

Turtle Tuesdays: Getting Your Groove Back

Have you ever felt 'out of sorts'?

Most of us have been there at some point in our life. B'ing 'out of sorts' is the place where you are not acting like your 'normal' self. If we linger there, people close to us usually notice, asking questions like, "What's wrong? Are you okay?" We often dodge answering those questions because sometimes there is no clear cut answers. We have lost our groove and we never saw it coming. That's a picture of this turtle today.

Meet B, the bloggy quiet turtle. She's off today, definitely out of sorts in her Turtle Tuesday post. Mayb that's a good thing though. B'ing groove less has led B to seek MORE. The Lord knows what's up with B, the turtle and you. If you have lost your groove thing too consider the possibility this is an unexpected blessing.

Mayb losing our groove pushes us closer to walking in His groove for our life.

B His Girl

Turtle Tuesdays: The Padded Box

If you are a frequent visitor to my blog, you know I'm truly a turtle girl: ) All you have to do is scroll through my posts and see a sampling of Tuesdays to get the picture. I have more turtles in my collection than I can count. (Not really, but close) What you don't know though is I rarely buy turtles. Most of my turtles have been given to me and today is no exception.
Meet B, the gifted turtle.

My daughter Megan's BFF, Lauren(left) gave me this turtle Sunday. She purchased it on vacation in Greece. I was touched to tears when she gave it to me. I immediately knew this turtle contained an important message that traveled around the world to reach me. As I gazed at B, the gifted turtle, I noticed the message was sent not in a bottle but in a box!

I couldn't decide how to display B in my collection. She looked so comfy in her padded box. It even matched her shell. I also loved the outside color of her box. Red. (Everyone needs a splash of red in their life!) My dilemma: Should I leave B in the box or take her out? As I pondered the thought, the message became clear. B, the gifted turtle's container reminded me of a word I received in a sermon by John Ortberg months ago "It all goes back in the Box!" The message was about life. When the game of LIFE is over...it all goes back in the box. B's box started looking like a coffin to her. B, the gifted turtle didn't belong in the box yet. She was alive. She had no business hanging out in comfortable places. B has places to go, people to share God's love with. She was not supposed to b in a box. This message was clearly from her bff. Jesus. It was like He was saying, 'Hellooooo turtle girl...what are you doing????'

B's life is about walking by faith. She is supposed to b 'out there' in the world bringing light to dark places. You are too! We can't go forward if we live in a box. It restricts us and limits our impact on the world. Sometimes we don't even realize we are stuck because our box has padding. It may even look pretty, like something out of a magazine. It can b comfy and cozy like a cocoon, but it is also mundane and boring. It is LESS than what's planned for our life. The Lord always tells this turtle girl to ..."B MORE." Look at this photo I found on my computer screen a couple of weeks ago left by my son who plays basketball. William had no idea what this photo would mean to me. I printed it to put in my God Calling devotional. The caption said 'Barton continues to shine.' I think B'ing More is about shining my light.

B remembered what the Lord said to Joshua when he became a leader. "I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses." The same ground applies to us when we walk by faith. Every place we set our feet. That means we have to b moving. There is MORE ahead if we press on. The Lord also told Joshua to 'Be strong and courageous' three times before he started walking in the Promise Land. (Sometimes we need to hear a word several times before it sinks in. Thank you Lord for repeating yourself.)

B, the gifted turtle is not to store up treasures for herself. She can't take them with her upon her exit from this world. She is supposed to open up and share. B is a gifted turtle for a reason.

My dilemma has been solved. B, the gifted turtle is now on display 'out of the box' . Her box has been put away for a day unknown to her. Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26

B believes.

B His Girl
PS. A note to the graduates: God has great things in store for your lives. He has places for you both to go. Stay 'out of the box' and walk by faith. There really is MORE ahead, more than you can ask or imagine. Love you!