Tag: trust

Disablility, faith, God, Life, Spirituality

What to Do When Life Changes and You End Up Disabled

There will be times of pruning in our lives. Times after Harvest, where God will till the fields of our lives. He is a Good Father, and wants to help us produce more fruit, more wine.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” – Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV

I guess this is the season where I get to use that Faith Muscle. Not sure I like it. Next month it will be a year since I have been out of work. It definitely is not what I had planned. I was happy working my way up the ladder of Corporate America when BAM, life took a left turn I didn’t expect.

So, here I sit a year later. Last week I was granted Social Security Disability after my first attempt. People told me it would never happen, that I would have to go through at least 3 appeals, hire a lawyer, etc. They were wrong. I did use a service to help me with the paperwork. (If you need help, email me and I’ll send you a link).

Today I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. I never wanted to be labelled as Disabled.

Is God mad at me? No, not according to the book of Job. He lost a lot in one day. Did I do something to deserve this? Is it punishment? No, I don’t think God punishes us like that. Jesus took the wrath that we deserved at the Cross. “It is finished.” He said. Well then, I don’t need to carry that wrath.

But why? Isn’t it funny that we as humans always want to know why? Sometimes I remind myself of a toddler. Why Daddy why? As a Good Father, He has vision way beyond my meager view of the world. I guess in this season, I have learned to stop asking Why, and just trust and believe that My Daddy knows what He is doing. I may not know all the answers, but I think I’ll stop my whining at the checkout aisle and see what God has in store for me next!

The True Vine

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. – John 15:1-6

God, Hope, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality

Does it Really Matter Where You are Going?

Yes, we are in a new season. Welcome Autumn! The trees are turning, the air is getting crisp, and it’s pumpkin and apple season! Yeah! Do you like fall? I love the coolness of the air, and the chilly nights where you curl up in a blanket or two. I love fuzzy socks too!

But what about Spiritually? Are you in a changing season too? I know I am. The details don’t matter. The past doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t even matter where we end up going – as long as I am with My Jesus. He promised to go before us and lead us.

” And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” – Deuteronomy 31:8

I know when God called Abraham out, He didn’t give him all the details either. But Abraham just trusted God and followed His lead.

Now the Lord had said to Abram:

“Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. – Genesis 12:1-4

That’s a great promise for all of us this new season. God will make us a blessing, He will bless those who bless us and He will curse those who curse us. What more could a girl ask for? You go God! I’m with You! Show us the way!

Besides, my plans didn’t work out so good anyway. I’m sure God has a better plan for each of us that is way bigger than we could have thought or imagined!

faith, God, Hope, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality

Resting and Trusting in God During the Holidays

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays! However you choose to celebrate, I wish you peace and rest in this Holiday Season. I know it is a busy time for all of us. With the shopping, the presents, the tree, the family gatherings – it can become a bit overwhelming. Especially if you are walking through a storm at the moment.

Let’s stop, take a breath, and rest in the arms of our Savior this season. It only takes a moment to refocus our minds on things from above and find the rest we so desperately need. Jesus came to be with us here on planet Earth. After He died He released the Holy Spirit to live in us. Christ in us – the hope of glory. Emmanuel – God is with us!

So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” – Matthew 1:22-23

The more hectic my day gets, the more I need to rest in God’s arms. I read His word. I meditate on it. I stop and listen and pray. I choose to trust God. He has this. He said He would make all things work together for good. God promised never to leave or forsake us. God is with us! Rejoice!

“Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’” – Isaiah 41:10

I pray that you may enjoy each day of this Holiday season and rest in God’s love and mercy and grace. May you be filled with His Holy Spirit and overflow with joy this Holiday Season, in Jesus Name!

christmas-bible-verse-isaiah-7-verse-14 — Source: lovelylovelythings.wordpress.com

God, Hope, Quotes, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality

Trust in the Lord Quotes

Sometimes I wish I knew all the answers. Why my friend is in the hospital battling a brain disease, why my other friend just buried her brother, why my other friend battles with infirmity. I want to fix it all! And now would be good Lord.

As I look for answers I turn to Him who knows all – Jesus. Idk why stuff happens sometimes. It makes no logical sense to me. But here I am wondering:

If I had all the answers would I need God? No.

If I could fix everything with a magic wand would I trust God? No.

If I could do it in my own strength would I even ask God? No.

Trust. Today I am learning to trust God in the in-between places. He said he would heal – I might have to give Him a minute. He said He would protect me from my enemies – I might have to stop and watch and let Him. He said He would work all things together for my good – I might have to trust Him to do it.

God’s Word for You:

But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around. – Psalm 3:3-6 NKJV
The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. – Psalm 9:9-10 NKJV
“Now, O Lord God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said. So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel.’ And let the house of Your servant David be established before You. For You, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You. “And now, O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord God, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever.” – 2 Samuel 7:25-29 NKJV
But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah I lay down and slept;I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around. – Psalm 3:3-6 NKJV
I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The Lord is for me among those who help me; Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me. It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in princes. – Psalm 118:5-9 NKJV
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him,And He shall direct your paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV

My prayer for you:

Dear Lord,

Thank you for being here right now. You know me. You know I want to fix everything for everybody right now. I’m sorry I am so impatient. Thank you for loving me anyway and giving me these opportunities to turn to You and trust You more, in Jesus Name

faith, God, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality

Trusting God and Letting Him Finish

Have you ever been interrupted? Working on something you love and then bang – something comes up and you have to pause a moment. Life happens.

I wonder how God feels when we try to finish what He started in us?

Recently I am learning to stop, pray, and trust God.

I’ll admit it, sometimes I try to finish what God started in me.

He is the Author and Finisher of my faith.

He loves us – faults and all.

Everything that is not done yet is finished in Jesus.

He is our beginning and our ending.

The Alpha and the Omega.

It is finished – Hallelujah!!

“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:6 NIV

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8 KJV

(all images from Pinterest, JenniferRothschild.com, challies.com)

faith, God, Healing, Hope, Music, Quotes, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality, Uncategorized, Videos

10 Trust God Quotes

Trust. It’s one of those things we get to learn by just doing it. I admit it, I have trust issues. After a lifetime of trusting the wrong people with my life I have learned you can’t trust everybody with everything. I was so naive. People are people. They have their own agendas. And sometimes they break your trust for their own reasons.

Sometimes though this has hindered my walk with trusting God. I am learning that even though people have let me down -God is faithful. He is true. And I can trust God during the dark seasons of my soul.

It’s one of this “inbetween times” for me. I am waiting for God to fulfill the promises He has told me. It’s uncomfortable. I’m not really the best waiter. But this is the time where I can exercise my faith and just rest in Him knowing He will do what He said He would do – even if I don’t see it yet. God is faithful to His promises. He said no matter what,

“I AM with you.”

We are not alone. We have not been forsaken. He will deliver – He promised!

10 Trust God Quotes – Verses on How God is With Us

Genesis 28:15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”

Joshua 1:5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.

Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save;He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Haggai 1:13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, spoke the Lord’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you, says the Lord.”

Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Romans 8:37-39 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Healing, Hope, Spirituality, Uncategorized

Tomorrow, Yesterday, and Today- Learning to Trust

Your tomorrow is greater than your yesterday. And today is a new day! Be present. Be here, now. The past got us here. We survived. God is good, He is faithful, and He walked us out of the valley of the shadow of death. Now what?
I can’t tell you how much time I have wasted trying to change or ‘understand’ my past. Now I get why God encourages us to put the past behind us and be present in the moment. And He promises that our future will be so much better!

Philippians 3:12-14 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

It comes dow to trust for me. Either I trust God and believe what He says or I don’t. I wish I could say I was perfect, but I am not. I question God all the time.

Did you really say that?
You want me to do what?
You want me to go where?
Really, I have to pray for her?

And the list goes on. I sure am glad that God’s patience is bigger than my list of questions. And that His mercy is new every morning. Yet He calls us to trust Him, and follow Him. Day by day. I like how Brennan Manning puts it:

The way of trust is a movement into obscurity, into the undefined, into ambiguity, not into some predetermined, clearly delineated plan for the future. The next step discloses itself only out of a discernment of God acting in the desert of the present moment. The reality of naked trust is the life of the pilgrim who leaves what is nailed down, obvious, and secure, and walks into the unknown without any rational explanation to justify the decision or guarantee the future. Why? Because God has signaled the movement and offered it his presence and his promise.

Brennan Manning, Ruthless Trust: The Ragamuffin’s Path to God

So I sit here quietly, and listen. Show me Lord what this day is about. Walk with me and direct my feet. Today Lord, I lay down my list and follow your voice.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Poetry, Spirituality

A Smile on My Face

Looking to the Rock of Ages

Listening for His Sacred Song

Refusing to believe my feelings

and the ways I have done wrong

I’ll receive His forgiveness

His Mercy and His Grace

He and He alone will

put a smile on my face

Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For You have been a shelter for me,
A strong tower from the enemy.
I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;
I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah (Psalm 61:1-4 NKJV)

COME AS CLOSE AS YOU ARE – MISTY EDWARDS

Hurt in Church, Spirituality

Plagiarism is Stealing

What a Sheep Thinks When You Plagiarize Another Pastor’s Sermon

(Yes, my rant about how a ‘sheep’ feels when a Pastor takes credit for another Pastor’s sermon.)

When I wrote this blog last night I was angry. Today I am sad. I can’t believe there are those who ‘peddle’ God’s Word. And God says there are many who do this. We talked about ‘faith healers’ yesterday and how some Preachers will walk into the anointing from other people’s prayers and perform miracles. Then they ‘steal’ the credit and say they did it. God is the healer, and it is He who does the works. And then there are Pastors who will preach another Pastors words without giving them credit. They preach it as if they wrote it. It’s like a play or performance then. Just reading the lines. I found this about those who ‘peddle’ God’s Word for profit, for gain, and for applause:

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:14-17 NKJV)

From Naiarland Forum

2 Corinthians 2:17.

The English word “peddle” is the Greek word, “kapēleuō” and from the root word, kapelos which means a huckster. By definition in English, it means to be a retailer, to make money by selling anything. It means to get sordid gain by dealing in anything, to do a thing for base gain. It means to trade in the word of God for money or personal gain. It means to try to get base gain by corrupting and adulterating divine truth. A peddlers were in the habit of adulterating their commodities for the sake of gain and all these rings a bell in our days.

Apostle Paul outrightly made it clear that those who peddle the word of God for profit are so many. This we cannot overlook in our days with the end time churches. The question then goes, who are these people that peddle the word of God for profit and how do we recognize them?

There is a simple solution. If you find a sermon online – give credit to the Pastor who wrote it. As a Worship Leader our band sings songs that other Musicians wrote. We belong to CCLI and we report the songs we sing. As a Worship Leader we don’t take credit for the songs we sing – we acknowledge that we did not write them and give credit where credit is due. This way the Writer of the song gets credit for us singing their song. It is the honest and lawful thing to do. And it speaks to our integrity. As bloggers we are careful to cite our sources for words and images. It’s about honesty.

Here Are My Thoughts on What a Sheep Feels When a Pastor Plagiarizes Another Pastors Sermon:

You are not talking to God. I want to hear what God has told you this week. What are His thoughts?
You don’t care about the sheep. We don’t matter. If we did you would feed us. We are hungry. We are thirsty. And You have chosen to be the Shepherd of this flock.
You are only interested in the applause or the microphone.
If you steal another Pastor’s words what will you steal from me?
I trusted you to pray for me and bring me before the Father. You broke that trust when I can find your words on Google and some other Pastor wrote it. You didn’t give him the credit. He did the work. You preached it as if it were your words. You are stealing.
It wasn’t the Word God gave you for this body. That sermon was for another Pastor and his church.
If you don’t credit the original Author, what else are you stealing credit for? It is dishonest and makes me question whether I can trust you.
I must not matter to you as a sheep because you are too busy or too lazy to care what God wants to say to me and this part of the body. I trusted you to talk and pray to God for all of this body. God brought us here. I thought you cared.
Pastors have been fired for plagiarism. It is dishonest. It is wrong. If you don’t want to do the work then don’t take the job. (Guess I am a little angry. Help me Lord.)
It makes me question whether God cares about me or not. You are His mouthpiece, and you have nothing to say except someone else’s words?

(Image Sources: http://pulpitplagiarism.blogspot.com/2012/11/charlotte-nc-pastor-resigns-over.html and Pinterest)

Healing, Spirituality

Faith Happens When the Rant is Over

I was reading a friend’s blog today, Lori Lara on Allowing Our Kids to Question Their Faith when she said something that stirred my spirit.

Because faith is what happens when the rant is over; it shows up when the rage is openly drained; it’s the supernatural answer that comes when the sadness flows freely. In the fatigue of our grieving, God answers, “I’m here. I’m still here. I’ve always been here, and I’ll never leave you.”

After the rant

Jonah got out of the whale and went to Nineveh
Jacob quit fighting God and got a new name
Job had his life restored.
Paul got his sight back and went to preach and write most of the New Testament
Peter got off the boat and preached the sermon of sermons in Acts

You know, sometimes I rant out loud and argue with God. I have been doing that for the last few days. And other times I sit in silence and rant on the inside. There are days I feel like I am screaming on the inside. I used to bury all those feelings and be afraid to express anything. Not a healthy way to live that’s for sure. It made me sick for many years, all that bottling things up. That has changed, thank you Lord. I’m ok having feelings today. And I can talk to God about how I feel without feeling like I am condemned. I rant, I argue, I cry. And then we talk.

I have to admit, sometimes I just do not know why God does what he does, and why He allows things that I don’t understand. I don’t have all the answers. I don’t even know all the questions. Why do I try and figure God out? Like He is a normal person or something. Sometimes I am so familiar, or so I think, with God that I put Him in a box and expect him to do what I think. Guess I have control issues. I know I have trust issues. Just being honest.

But you know what – I’m not God. I don’t have everything figured out. Sometimes I really don’t know what to do. Sometimes I think I just need to let go and let Him be God. Not like I have any say in it, I mean really – he is God all by Himself. I can’t believe I have been so selfish. Forgive me Lord. Today, I’ll stop trying to tell you what to do and how to do it. Today, I choose to trust You.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV

Thanks Lori Lara for helping me see today! Lori shares her journey of recovery, motherhood, and the healing power of God’s grace. You can follow Lori at:

http://lorilara.com

(Images from Pinterest)

Poetry, Spirituality

The Lord of the Turnaround

He’s the Lord of the Turnaround

Sorrow turns to joy
Strife turns to peace
Law turns to grace
Captivity turns to freedom
He’s the Lord of the turnaround

Sin turns to forgiveness
Sickness turns to wholeness
Poverty turns to blessings
Death turns to life
He’s the Lord of the turnaround

Psalm 126

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, Lord,
like streams in the Negev.
Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.

Healing, Music, Spirituality, Videos

But God is Faithful

I am finding that some days the Word is all I have to hold on to. I know God is up to something, I just can’t see it yet. I can feel it in my spirit. And when I read the Word it’s like I have a MixMaster going on inside of me. Have you had days like that? It’s exciting, yet frustrating. And then there are times I am just zoning out – almost like being paralyzed or in a daze. Maybe its just old junk that I need to get rid of. Or maybe it’s the Master make a few changes to this clay pot. Can you feel His fingerprints on your life sometimes?

Today I remind myself that I don’t have to have all the answers today – because He knows the ending from the beginning. And God is faithful. He has made a way where there is no way before, and I have faith that He will continue to surprise all of us with His goodness and mercy.

I don’t know your story, and you only know part of mine – But God is faithful. And I trust Him. Today, I am grateful, thank you Jesus.

God’s Word for You:

God is faithful (reliable, trustworthy, and therefore ever true to His promise, and He can be depended on); by Him you were called into companionship and participation with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. -1Corinthians 1:9 AMP

So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the [a]hope we cherish and confess and our acknowledgement of it, for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word. -Hebrews 10:23 AMP

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].
I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!
For [then] He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.
[Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler. -Psalm 91:1-4 AMP

My Prayer for You:

Dear Lord,

You know what we are facing today in this world. Thank you Lord, that no matter what You don’t change and You are faithful. When life knocks us down, let us look up for our salvation is nigh. Let us reach out to You as You are already here in our midst. You heard our cry and ready and willing to help. Today Lord, we take Your hand, and trust You – because You are faithful.

“Fingerprints Of God”
by Steven Curtis Chapman

I can see tears filling your eyes
And I know where they’re coming from
They’re coming from a heart that’s broken in two
By what you don’t see
The person in the mirror
Doesn’t look like the magazine
Oh, but when I look at you it’s clear to me that…

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know it’s true
You’re a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you’re covered with the fingerprints of God

Never has there been and never again
Will there be another you
Fashioned by God’s hand
And perfectly planned
To be just who you are
And what He’s been creating
Since the first beat of your heart
Is a living breathing priceless work of art…

Just look at you
You’re a wonder in the making
Oh, and God’s not through, no
In fact, He’s just getting started…