Nuggets...

Many of you know I carry this little, what I like to call an 'imaginary nugget bag'.   I put little nuggets of wisdom in it that I collect along the way.  Recently when I was speaking at the Promise of Hope conference in Austin, Texas, I was given a nugget.  Let me explain....

Phyllis Moore and her husband Jon have a ministry called 'Christfollowers'.  They lead Spiritual Awakening Conferences and, trust me, we could use some of that in our churches today!!  You can read about them and contact them through christfollowers.com 

Phyllis and I traveled together for many years with Great Hills Retreat Ministry out of Austin and we always roomed together because no one else wanted to get up with us at 5 a.m. to have their quiet time while at a conference.  We loved it because we would share things God was showing us and our nuggets we had collected since our last time together.   Well, it has been many years since Phyllis and I have been at the same location to speak to a group of women and naturally they put us together as roommates.   True to form....the nugget came.  It happened as we were walking down the hall to our prayer time for the conference.   Phyllis shared a quote from John McConkey “He who keeps the treasure bears the care.”   As soon as she said it, it spoke to my heart.  I wasn't sure how it all fit but I knew God was speaking to me.   We went on with our prayer time and the evening of speaking to the ladies at the conference but I could not get away from that statement.  When Phyllis and I got back to our room that night I told her that God had really spoken to me with that statement.  I told her I had been praying about some things regarding my family.  She then showed me the story about that preceded  McConkey's  quote.  I am paraphrasing that story to you now....

There once was a man that inherited a diamond at the death of a relative.  It turns out the diamond was absolutely priceless.  The man carried it with him wherever he went to protect it and keep it safe.  After some time the man begin to get paranoid about someone taking the diamond from him, maybe mugging him on the street.  So, he started to go out less and less and stayed home more and more.

Eventually, he began to think about what if someone breaks into my house and steals the diamond.  So, he put up the most expensive home protection system he could buy.  By now the man had few friends, he never went out, and just stayed home.  One day one of his really good friends came to his house and announced, "We are going out; get your diamond."  The man reluctantly followed his friend to the vehicle.  Once in the car the man's friend proceeded to drive him directly to a very nice bank.  The two men walked into the bank with the man with the diamond following his friend through all the doors and rooms until they reached a large vault.  The friend said, “I purchased this for you.  It is yours to keep your diamond in.  No one can get in here once we close the door today except you.  I want you to leave your diamond here.  You can come see it anytime you choose.” The man finally agreed and after much fretting the two of them left the bank.  Every day for weeks the man went to check on the diamond and each time it was there.  Slowly he began to go every other day, then only twice a week, then only once a week until finally weeks passed without him checking on the diamond.    Then he finally reached the place to check on it whenever he felt like it, which wasn't much because he knew where it was and that it was safe.   Thus the quote.....He who keeps the treasure bears the care.  

When I finished hearing her tell that story I realized that God was saying to me,” Vickie, I know that your family is your earthly treasure.  And you stay concerned for them a lot.  But, you can't bear the care anymore.  It's too much.   It keeps you from having the life I intended for you to have.”  It was like the LORD said, “Give me those treasures; I can bear the care!  So, guess what, I have given Him the treasures.  And while the circumstances are still difficult on a regular basis, my heart is much lighter!  I know that my God can bear the care and that I could not have my family in a safer vault than the arms of the LORD. 

So, I ask you today.  Are you holding on to your treasures?  Because if you are, you bear the care!  Let go and let Him have the treasure and bear the care because He can!

1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)

⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Love you all,

His,
Vickie