A Christmastime Prayer

Our family sat down to dinner the other day, and our five year old stated he wanted to bless the food. We bowed our heads, turning our attention toward Heaven, and he started: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...." It took me a second to realize what he was doing. He continued: "That whosoever believed in Him would not perish, but have eternal life. AMEN."

"Seffie" had recently learned John 3:16 in his Awana's Spark's class, and I guess no one ever told him NOT to pray it. He'd said many prayers before - beautiful prayers that were intense with the emotions of his little heart, but this one struck me as one of the most precious.

My initial thought was to explain to him that we needed to pray for the food and ask God to make it healthy for us. After all, we were about to eat. Yet, in an instant, I was reminded by the Spirit to keep quiet. Why should I tell him any differently? Why should their be a "right" way to speak to God and "wrong" way. On the contrary, it was a WONDERFUL thing that he prayed the Word of God, back to God. And more importantly, I'm sure it put a smile on the Lord's face.

Oh, and what better prayer could there be this time of year, when all the world struggles with being focused on getting, instead of giving...even in Christian circles. So, I think I'll end this little blog with my own John 3:16 "Christmastime prayer." Won't you join me?

Thank You, my God, for SOOOO loving me that You decided to give me a present that I never deserved, nor could ever earn. Thank You that at just the right time, you placed Jesus in the womb of the Virgin Mary...that You taught her how to teach Him...that You provided His life for mine...that You chose to allow Him to come and save me. Thank You that you didn't just do that for me, but You did it for my family, my friends, even those that care nothing about me. You chose to bless them with Your precious Gift...if they would only choose to believe. Thank You for the eternal life You have provided for me...for the fact that this eternal life, doesn't just start when I die. My abundant life started the moment I believed and is my comfort here on this earth, until my eternal life continues with You in Heaven. Thank You for Your Gift, God. Thank You for Jesus.

Oh, and thanks for my food, too!

Christmas - The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

I've talked to alot of people over the last few weeks, and it seems that more often than not, Christmas-time is difficult. It's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, and in reality IT IS. But for some, the most wonderful time of the year is actually the most difficult. Memories flood their minds with loss, and pain takes the place of joy.

And it's not just those who've had loved ones die over the past year. The Christmas-time Blues can hit anyone at anytime. Sometimes I get them - the Christmas-time Blues. I don't necessarily have a reason. I do, however, have a remedy for my "blues" that I think can help transform Christmas for those of you who really DO have a reason to be sad this year.

First and foremost,spend time with Jesus. That must be the priority of your day. You might have been hoping I'd write something else - something magical to take away the pain completely, because spending time with Jesus just seems way too simple. Yet, I've found NOTHING can lighten my heart like time spent with Him. There's no replacement for sweet fellowship with my Savior.

You have to be intentional. Everything seems to rev-up during this time of year, so your desire to hear from Him has to rev-up, too. Start now by carving out time in your day to spend in the Word and in prayer. Better yet, spend your whole day with Him, carving out time for everything else! Speak to Him before you ever put your feet on the floor. Then, grab the Word and "sit a spell," really focusing on what your reading. I think that's a lot of our problem. We don't train our minds to focus on His Word. We focus on the TV just fine, but when it comes to reading the Bible, we think we've heard it all before. Instead of coming to Him with that attitude, how 'bout we come to His Word EXPECTING Him to speak.

Talk with Him about your day - about your grief - your depression - your loneliness - and then tell Him AND yourself that: 1) You know He has a plan for this hurtful thing in your life (Rom. 8:28); 2) He knows what is best (Is. 55:8,9); and 3) You trust Him implicitly (Pr.3:5-6). Then, when your time at home with Him is spent, don't leave Him there. Take Him with you the rest of the day, talking with Him about everything. When you feel the sadness kicking in, tell Him and ask Him to replace your sadness with His joy...your mindset with His. Speak His Words to yourself. Press deeper into Him. Share your deepest thoughts and concerns with Him, as if He were in front of you, staring intensely into your soul. I promise you. You'll begin to hear Him speak to your spirit...calling to mind verses of Scripture that you didn't even know you knew. You'll feel lighter, more joyful, more at peace.

To further emphasize how important this aspect of your life is and how desperately we all need Him, I want to share a few lines from a Christmas card I received this week. My dear friend's husband went to be with the Lord this past July. This Christmas will be her first without him. These are her words:

The family and I are learning to live in our new reality. We have wonderful memories and we still hear his voice, sense his presence, and feel his love. We are grateful to the Lord for the legacy of unconditional love and commitment that Bob instilled in our lives. I find each "first" to be a challenge but I know I have to go through them, and with the Lord's comfort and strength I am doing well. I find that when I take my eyes off of Jesus I can get drawn into a deep pit of sadness and grief. When I look to the Lord who promised me that He would never leave me nor forsake me (Deut. 31:8) I am able to hear His voice and move on. I know that there is a purpose for me to fulfill in this season of my life.

Take it from someone who knows the pain of "firsts." My friend knows what it's like to be without her husband of 50 years for the "first" time. Christmas will never be the same - BUT it will be wonderful - just the same. For you see, my friend knows these things that affect us here on this earth, don't affect the reality of Christmas. The reality of Christmas stands, regardless. For without the birth of Christ, there would be no joy, no peace, no wonderful times. Talk about depressing. Without Christmas, we'd all be downright hopeless. So, whether we know it or not - whether we recognize it or not - whether we FEEL it or not, Christmas truly IS the most wonderful time of the year.

We thank You, God, especially this time of year for Your GIFT of salvation through the Baby Jesus. And we thank You, Jesus, for being willing to clothe Yourself in the rags of humanity, so that You could clothe us in royalty. We praise You, Jesus. Praise You.

P.S. Oh, and one more thing: DO something for someone else. Make a meal for an elderly person that you know. Rake leaves for the widow down the street. Pay for the meal of the person in the car behind you in the drive-thru. Visit a nursing home - a children's hospital. In your sadness, learn to brighten someone else's day...and Scripture promises that "The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself" (Prov. 11:25).

Have a wonderful Christmas!!!

Sing, Sing, Sing!!!

You know, as moms, we don't TRY to embarrass our children - especially our teenagers - however, on occasion, embarrassment happens. Inadvertently, we as parents do something that mortifies our children, so much so that they walk away from us in horror.

I have a teenage daughter now, and I really do try NOT to embarrass her. There's a list of things that I know she hates for me to do when we are in public, so I try not to do those things. HOWEVER, sometimes I fail miserably - not intentionally - just miserably!

One of her least favorite things in the world for me to do is to sing in a public arena. She doesn't mind me singing, if I'm supposed to be singing. It's the singing as I walk down the grocery store isle or in the parking lot - anywhere someone might hear me and realize that SHE'S WITH ME!

The problem is, it's a hard thing for me not to sing. Stores make us do it on purpose, I think. They know that music makes the heart lighter, which will make us more apt to buy things, so they play music. Oh, and I'm afraid Christmas-time is the worst temptation for me. My heart opens up and spills out of my mouth right in the middle of the store! When that happens, my daughter's eyes get larger than life, and her hand moves faster than the speed of light toward her face to cover it. Next, comes the emotionally charged, yet whispered word every parent hears during such an embarrassing moment, "Moooom."

Did you know Jesus sang? I guess I've thought about it before, but not really to the extent that I thought about it this morning. I was reading the Word this morning and came across the Truth of the Last Supper. I say, "Truth," because I hate to use the word "story." It's NOT one!

Anyway, the song Jesus sang at the end of the Last Supper was an intensely deep, joyful hymn. That's cool don't you think? I like to picture Him in my mind - singing to the top of His lungs. He probably had the best voice there. I'm sure, however, Peter sang the loudest!

WHERE He was and WHAT He sang wasn't what got my attention, though. It was WHEN He sang.

Do you remember what happened immediately following the Last Supper? You got it - Christ's betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion. Christ sang a song of joy and victory, not long before He suffered as the Victor. In my mind, that had to be hard - to sing a song of joy right before the most sorrowful and painful time of His entire life. Then again, maybe it wasn't as difficult as I think. He knew the end. He knew He would be victorious over death. He knew that this was the only way for the ones He loved to be able to be with Him. He knew it had to be done, despite the agony of the cross. So, He sang.

Shouldn't we, too? Despite "life" - the sorrow, the aching, the bitterness, the betrayals - shouldn't we sing,? After all, just like Christ, we know the how everything ultimately ends. We know that God causes all things to work together for our good and according to His purpose, so the battles that we are enduring even now, are only for our betterment and His glory. We know that things remind us on a daily, sometimes minute by minute, basis that we need Him and that His deep, passionate love for us will not fail to do what needs to be done in order for us to become more like Him. We also know that momentary light affliction here on this earth is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.

So, let's sing. No, I'm not giving you permission to intentionally horrify your teenagers in public! You don't always have to do it loudly or in a public arena. You can sing a song that simply spills over in your heart, without ever opening your mouth. So, sing I say, and make music to the Lord, O sing to the LORD a new song, For He has done wonderful things! Ps. 85:1

We praise You, Lord, even in the midst of our circumstances and even in the midst of the uncertainty of our future here on this earth. We will sing and make melody to You in our hearts, for You have done wonderful things...too numerous to count. We are blessed, Jesus...all because of You! Praise You, Jesus. Praise You.

Sometimes, life is hard, and no matter how desperately you try to change things for the better, they only seem to get worse. Where is God in the midst of those times? Beloved, He's right there. He hasn't left you or forsaken you. He can't. It's not in His nature. No matter how alone you feel on the inside, you're not, and He's begging you to test Him and see that He is enough.

I guess I'm thinking along these lines today, because I've had a song stuck in my head for the last couple of weeks. Every time I turn around, "Blessings" by Laura Story is playing in my mind as if it were prerecorded. I want to share the lyrics with you (even better...go on YouTube and search it out so you can hear the song, itself), but I want you to see where they came from (that's also an incredible story you can find on YouTube).

A few months into their marriage, Laura Story noticed her new husband was forgetting things...unusually, forgetting things. His memory over time only got worse, not better. Long story short, he had a brain tumor. This man she'd hoped to spend the rest of her life with...this man she'd just began to really know...was desperately ill. The operation for the removal of the tumor was successful (YEAH), but to this day, he still deals with forgetfulness. Laura Story speaks of her struggle in knowing that God is good on one hand and completely capable and able to heal on the other. She said that in her mind, the two things should go together, and her husband should be healed. BUT he's not, completely. She wrote this song in response.

"Blessings" by Laura Story
We pray for blessings. We pray for peace.
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep.
We pray for healing, for prosperity.
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering.
All the while, You hear each spoken need,
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things.

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear.
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near.
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love,
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough.
All the while, You hear each desperate plea,
And long that we'd have faith to believe.

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?

When friends betray us,
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home.
It's not our home.

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life,
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy.
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

Amazing, isn't it...that such an incredibly deep, theologically sound song was not birthed by blue skies or sunny days. This song - that has touched millions and comforted millions (including myself) - was birthed from pain, from sorrow, from seeking the Lord in the darkest of nights. Yes, God is able. Yes, God is good, but we have to trust that what He KNOWS is better than what we KNOW. He sees our suffering, but He also sees what our suffering will bring about and is too good and too kind to give us "lesser things." He sees it for what it will ultimately be...a blessing.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. II Cor. 1:3-4

Blessings be to you, and may you be truly thankful in all things...even the tough stuff...during this Thanksgiving season.

Thank You Jesus, for the things in my life right now that aren't any fun at all...REALLY. Thank You that You are using those things to shape something in me that will be useful to comfort others in my path for days, even months or years to come. You truly are the God of all comfort, and I praise You today. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You.

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

One of my favorite scenes in the movie Prince Caspian involves Lucy - the youngest of the Kings and Queens of Narnia. Young "Queen Lucy" and her family, along with all of Narnia, were engaged in fighting a group of evil men who were trying to take over their country. The battle raged on and on, but when all seemed lost for the Narnians, Lucy was sent to find Aslan - a lion, symbolic of Christ. When she finds Him, the two carry on a brief conversation about courage in the midst of battle, and abruptly that scene ends.

The next scene opens on a different note - this time, with the enemies of Narnia fleeing the "walking trees." (Sorry, you'll just have to see the movie!) At this point, the only thing between the evil men and safety is a river, and fortunately they had just built a bridge a little earlier in the movie.

As they begin to cross, the galloping horses jerk to a halt. To the men's dismay and astonishment, at the other end of the bridge appears a little girl - Queen Lucy. She stops, stands still, pulls out a dagger, and smiles an unusually confident, hopeful smile.

The camera suddenly flashes back to the men. The leader looks at her, bewildered for a minute, and then grins. Evil laughter erupts from his throat, as he begins the charge across the bridge again - as if a little girl could stop him.

Queen Lucy never moves, but continues to hold her composure, standing in the same place. All of the sudden, out of the background, you see Aslan sauntering forward, bigger than life. He takes his place right next to Lucy, as if to say, "She might not can stop you, but I can." Queen Lucy glances over her shoulder at Aslan and smiles again, confident that the big lion will aright everything. And of course, he did. The evil men were conquered and there were happy endings for everyone - well, almost everyone. Now, there's no reason to get upset. I can't tell you the WHOLE movie!

Anyway, that particular scene gets me every time - the intensity, the thrill, the fact that Queen Lucy (the little girl) stands and faces her foe, even though his horse could easily trample her underfoot at a moment's notice. Oh, and did I mention there were HUNDREDS of other evil men on HUNDREDS of other horses also waiting to trample her!

Her courage in the face of imminent danger was a testimony to me. Yes, I know it was just a movie, but the intent of the movie makers came through loud and clear. Queen Lucy knew she wasn't strong enough, or big enough, or brave enough to fight. But she knew who was strong enough and big enough and brave enough - and he was right beside her, shadowing her weakness with His strength. Her ability to stand on that bridge, strong and confident while facing death itself, had nothing to do with her. Instead, it had everything to do with the one who stood beside her.

King Jehoshaphat went through a similar thing back in 2 Chronicles 20. When the king was told that a vast army was coming against him to destroy the nation, he humbled himself before the people and the Lord by calling the people together to pray: "12...For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. Scripture goes on...13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD. 14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’” '
I'll bet there were some grateful people all through the assembly. That was great news! The battle wasn't their own. It wasn't their responsibility. It was God's. They wouldn't even have to fight. All they had to do was stand firm and see the deliverance of the Lord.

Our enemy is big. He's ferocious. He's strong. He's after our very lives. He's after our marriages and our children and our spouses. He's after everything he can get, so that he can not only destroy us, but the fame of the name of the One who loves us. He comes at us hard and fast, with a evil smirk of conquest resting on his lips. And there's nothing we can do about it. We're not big enough. We're not strong enough. We're not even good enough to defend ourselves from his power. Yet, thankfully, God comes along side as we cry out to Him and says, Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take heart - for the battle is not yours, but Mine. All you need to do is stand firm for Me...be courageous...and then just watch what I will do on your behalf. Oh, and by the way, just in case you're wondering...I've got this one in the bag. It's already won.
Lord Jesus, Help me to know that I am weak, but You are strong...to know that when I can't, You can...to recognize that the battle doesn't weigh on my shoulders, but Yours. Thank You that through You all things are possible. I praise You, Jesus. Praise You.

God's Always Right on Time

Do you ever think of God as being "late?" Well, we know of at least two of Jesus' friends who did. Martha was the first to confess it: "Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died" (John 11:21). A few verses later, her sister Mary says the same thing: "When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32).

Now, before we judge Martha and Mary for their lack of faith, let's think about their situation for a moment. It had been several days since the sisters had sent for Jesus, telling Him the "one he loved" - Lazarus, their brother - was sick and needed Him...really needed Him. I'm sure they thought Jesus would come as quickly as He heard the news, but He didn't. Instead, He waited - not just an hour or so, but days.

In my mind's eye, I can see the sisters' heads turn in expectation every time someone knocked at the door, only to be disappointed that it wasn't Jesus. I can see them pacing back and forth, wringing their hands with anxiety, sharing the burden of wiping the fevered brow of their brother, knowing that when Jesus came, all would be made right. I see them shaking their head in denial as Lazarus takes his last breath, wondering where their Savior could be. "If He'd only been here. Where could He be? He was only a couple of miles away when we sent for Him. A good brisk walk would have gotten Him here in plenty of time. Why was He so late in coming!?"

Fortunately, we have an advantage over Mary and Martha, don't we? We know how it all ends. We know that Jesus finally arrives four days after Lazarus passes away and then miraculously, calls him forth out of the grave. We know the reason Christ delayed His coming to Bethany was not because of a camel accident along the way or because someone stole His passport. Scripture specifically tells us He waited so that the glory of God could be revealed in the Son. Oh, and by the way, in case you're wondering, It was!

Yep, we definitely have an advantage over Mary and Martha in their case of faithlessness, but I wonder...

I wonder if the same thoughts don't run through our minds on occasion. I wonder if we ever question God about His "lateness" upon answering our requests.

I don't know about you, but that statement nails me right between the eyes. As a matter of fact, I've been quite guilty of questioning God's "lateness" recently. I've been in prayer over an issue and have been waiting expectantly for God to "show up," but so far, there's been no resurrection! My thoughts progressed from asking God to help us, to eventually complaining that the whole process was taking far too long. "This was supposed to be over by now." Ever said that before?

Well, what I didn't realize was the accusatory nature of my statements. I was actually accusing the Father of being late...of not working in my situation...of not coming to my rescue when I needed Him...of not being on time. I had forgotten that my life wasn't supposed to be all about me. Instead, it was and is supposed to be all about Him.

Again, in the sisters' defense, accusing God of being late isn't that hard to do. We do it all the time without really ever recognizing the sinful nature of our thoughts and words. Sometimes all it takes is the failing health of a loved one to do the trick. We pray and pray for healing, yet when we see none, our hearts become heavy, and hopelessness begins to grow. It doesn't even have to be that serious for accusations to arise. It can be as simple as giving in to a bad attitude and complaining about where we are in life. These complaints aren't just words. They are accusations which hold themselves up against the timeliness of the Father.

I think - no, I know - we've got to make ourselves remember these things -these trials, these heartaches, these difficult situations, these things we want to complain about - are all for the glory of God. What God is doing in the midst of His supposed tardiness is actually building something that will not only benefit us, but everyone else around. If He hasn't chosen to "show up" yet, it doesn't mean that He doesn't care or that He's taking His own sweet time. There's a reason...and that reason will bring unmistakable glory to His name...and unbelieveable wealth to your soul.

God's never late, my friend. Nope, He's always right on time. Let's make a decision to remember that today, okay?

Lord Jesus, sometimes we just don't understand what You are doing, but that doesn't mean that it's not good. Your ways are higher than ours, so I confess that to You in faith, believing that the things that we are going through are for our good and Your glory. Show up, Lord, if You choose and remove this burden. But if not now, Lord, we will wait in anxious expectation to see Your glory revealed through this trial. Thank You for trusting us with it, Jesus. Thank You!

It's All About Trusting the Quarterback

Football has become a huge part of the Kirk family recently. With practice 3 times a week and games on Saturday, it seems our family's at the field, almost as much as we're at home.

I'm not complaining though. I LOVE the game. I always have, ever since Roger Staubach played for the Cowboys and Franco Harris played for the Steelers. I'm dating myself, aren't I?!?

Now that our son plays for the Selma Yellow Jackets, I love it even more - maybe a little too much at times. I totally embarrass my daughter (and whoever else is with us) at the games by screaming, "Get 'em guys!" over and over. Oh, and the cowbell - we won't even go there!

Even from the early days of watching, I've known that football held some spiritual lessons. But recently, more of those appications have come to light. For example, the other night at practice, Alex was running a Tight End Slant, off to the left. He started running hard at first, until he turned to look at the quarterback. His attention then shifted from the quarterback, to catching the ball - slowing his pace. That's a problem because not only did it make it harder for the quarterback to judge where to throw the ball, but in a game setting, it makes it easier for the defense to catch up. What started out being a touchdown, ends up being a tackle - all because the receiver didn't trust the ability of the quarterback.

How do I know that? I'll tell you how I know. After the play ended, Alex's coach said three words in that loud commanding voice of his - "Alex, trust him." I understood that to mean Alex needed to do his job - to run hard - and let the quarterback do his - put the ball into Alex's hands. It was that simple. Alex had to learn to trust the quarterback. Period.

The spiritual application? I'll give you a few:

Psalm 28:7(NAS) says, "The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him."

Ps. 37:5(NAS) says, "Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it."

Ps. 62:8(NAS) says, "Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah."

Daniel 6:23(NAS) says, "Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God."

See what I mean? Trust the Quarterback, my friend. Simply, trust Him.

Dearest Jesus, please help us to trust You. You are in control. You are all-powerful, all-knowing, and exist everywhere. Those reasons alone should make us trust You with every minute of every day. Thank You for Your patience with us as we learn how to do this "trust thing." We love You, Jesus. Amen.

The List

Too many things to do and not enough time to do them.

Now, I know in reality that's not a true statement, because I know that God always gives us time to accomplish what we NEED to accomplish, but that's the way I FELT this morning. I tried to list in my head all of the things clamoring for my time and attention, but it just made me more stressed. The more I thought about it, the more my shoulders tensed and the more my brow furrowed. That's not a very good way to start the day, and it sure doesn't make for a Happy Mommy!

But I'll tell you what DID make for a Happy Mommy this stressful morning - these verses:

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things (Phil. 4:6-8 The Amplified Bible).

I NEEDED that Truth this morning, because my tendency today was to be anxious. My tendency was to fret. My tendency - rather than taking each moment as it came, thanking God for that moment, asking Him to do what He wanted in that moment, and leaving that moment with Him - was to try to envision my day as a whole: how I could do it - how I could manage my time well - how I could accomplish it all. My list became my god, and my day revolved around it...instead of around Him.

God showed me something a few days ago, and I have yet to try it on paper. I've done it mentally, but today, I'm feeling as if I need to do it physically. So when I get finished here, I'm going to sit down with a pen and paper in my hand and write out my day, so that I can see it. I already have in mind what my list looks like, but I'm going to write it out just the same. After each "to do," I'm going to breathe a prayer to God, thanking Him for that thing I need to do, and then asking Him to control the circumstances and everything else around it. Then, I'm going to mark it off, literally, as done - not as done as in "accomplished", but done as in "prayed over and worry-free." Then, when that thing comes up in my day or when it tries to tighten my shoulders or furrow my brow, I will remember and know that it's all been taken care of. I've already checked it off my list.

Why don't you try it with me? I mean, really, physically write out a "to done" list and check it off before the Father. Then, let's see what God does.

Dear Jesus, thank You SO much for this day and for all the opportunities that You have provided for us...opportunities to make Your name great among those around us. Help us order our days and then give them back to You as an offering. Help us understand how to let You have our list. We love You, Jesus and thank You again for Your help throughout our day. Praise You, Jesus. Praise You.

When You Pass Through the Waters

"Why does that passage mention water twice?" I thought. Over and over again, I read it, trying to answer my own question: When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you Is. 43:2.

It just didn't make sense to me. There had to be a reason why God would speak of water two times in the same verse and fire only once. After mulling over the words for a few seconds, I finally got it. The two waters God was describing were completely different. "Passing through waters," envokes the idea of calm, deep water like a pond or slow-moving stream, but passing "through rivers," creates a whole new feeling of urgency and unexpectedness. You would think the latter would be more consuming and fearful to me, but as I read the verse over, it was the first part of the passage that bothered me the most. Fear and uneasiness swelled within me, and I knew something wasn't right. Why would the thought of calm, deep water actually make me fearful? Why was I afraid?

Then, I remembered.

I remembered the murky water. I remembered what it looked like - to actually see through it. I remembered my favorite dress and my mom stretching her arm across our chests as she said, "Y'all hold on." I remembered being wrapped in a towel and riding in a white car to the doctor's office. I remembered...and the fear swelled again.

We were little - my brothers and I. We were riding home from seeing my grandpa in the hospital when it happened. Through no fault of her own, my mom lost control of the pick-up, and we rolled off an embankment into the water. As the truck sank, my mom quickly grabbed my little brother (3 years old) and pulled him out of the truck, holding his head - and hers - above the water as she balanced on the outside of the door. My older brother, then 5, dogpaddled out the broken, side window, bobbing up and down until someone finally came and rescued him. Me? Well, I just stood there, on the truck seat, looking around. I don't know what I was waiting for. I'm not sure why I didn't follow my brother out the window, but I didn't.

Before I knew it, mom had me, too. Reaching backwards in through the truck window, she couldn't find my body, but she did find the sash of my dress. She grabbed it and pulled me out of the window and into the air.

After replaying the accident in my mind, I once again remembered...when you pass through the waters. Now I understood. I understood why the first part of that verse caused such fear. I understood why I was afraid of calm, deep water. I understood why my fear was there, and I also understood that it had to go.

Immediately, I asked God to take it from me...to make this "fearfulness" go away - forever. I didn't want it in my life anymore. I wanted it GONE.

And in an instant I heard Him gently speak the words that follow "pass through the waters" into my spirit, "I was there with you then, too, Belinda." Needless to say, I sat there on my bed and cried and cried. Even then, in the literal water of my childhood, God was with me. The promise He had made over two thousand years ago didn't just apply to "Grown up Belinda." Instead, His promise of companionship has encircled me my entire life...even in the waters...even then - and forevermore. How blessed I am to know such a God.

It truly was a miracle that day that any of us got out of the murky water alive. When they went to pull the truck out of the water, the wrecker's hook hit the tailgate and the truck disappeared. Evidently, it was balancing on a broken tree stump, ten feet or so above the bottom of the pond. Isn't it funny that all that time my mom was thrashing around trying to save us, the truck never moved. Yet, then when a hook touched the tailgate, it became unstable and sank to the bottom?

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you..." and He was.

And He still is.

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your presence, for it, alone, is enough to dispell our fear as we walk with You through the water. Thank You that You speak peace to us through Your Word and fill us not with a sense of dread, but with a sense of excitement at seeing what You are doing for us and in us. Thank You Jesus that You truly never will leave us nor forsake us...that You have been with us from the very beginning and the You will hold us until our eyes close in death. And even then, You will be with us! You are SO good, and we are SO grateful. Praise You, Lord. Praise You.

My Wise Hair

My daughter calls it my "wise hair." I just call it gray...and believe me, I have lots of it. I used to toy with my brothers when their hair color changed to varying shades of salt & pepper, but this time when I see them again, I'm afraid the tables will be turned. What I could hide, at one time, underneath my dark brown covering, is now gloriously white and shining in the open for all to see.

That's okay. I think I'm gonna keep my "wise hair." It's growing on me...emotionally and literally.

Yet, no matter how much "wise hair" I have, it seems I'm always lacking on the "wise side." Sometimes I can't believe how I can make such ridiculous decisions in the heat of the moment. Because of that, I can't tell you how thrilled I am that Scripture has an answer for my lack of wisdom. James 1:5(NAS) tells us that "if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

"Ask for it," God says, "ask Me, and I'll give it to you."

How does that translate into real life? Well, here's a few examples. When kids are sick, ask for the wisdom on how to make them better. When kids are rebellious, ask for the wisdom to know how to draw their hearts back to God. When jobs are difficult places to be, ask for the wisdom to figure out how to make the workplace better. When there is no job, ask for the wisdom to know what to do. When all hope seems lost, ask for the wisdom to see the bigger picture. Or in my case, when you have a newspaper column due by Tuesday morning, and it's late Monday night, and you have nothing written, ask for the wisdom to know what to write about!

Oh, and get this - I love it that when we ask, He doesn't look at us and remind us that we haven't had our quiet time that day. He doesn't turn His head and stick His nose up in the air until we "do something" to appease the fact that we haven't spent any time with Him. Instead, He encourages us that He "gives to all generously and without reproach." That's just another way of saying that He doesn't point His finger at us. He LAVISHES His wisdom on us without "finding fault," - without an "I told you so" on His lips.

God has given us a beautiful invitation to come to Him and receive what we need to know. But there is one little catch - we simply have to believe that He will give us wisdom, when we ask for it. "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord" (James 1:6,7).

There's a whole other blog post wrapped up in those verses. Maybe that will be for next week, but for now, I think I'd better stop here. But before I go, I have one question for you and for me in light of these verses we've looked at today - what's keeping you and me from asking for wisdom right now?

I agree - absolutely nothing.

Jesus, we know that You know all things and are fully aware of the big picture. However, we don't see it. We need wisdom today, Lord to be able to see with Your eyes how to respond in the situations that come about. We need Your help to "do life" today. We need to see clearly through the muddied water, and we trust that you will give us this wisdom generously and without reproach. Thank You that you love to respond to the prayers of Your children. We love You, Father, and we praise You.

Whom Do You Choose?

The World says, "It's okay to get angry and stay angry."
The Lord says, "Be angry and sin not." (Eph. 4:26)

The World says, "Pay back those who hurt you."
The Lord says, "Don't return evil for evil." (I Pet. 3:9)

The World says, "Hold a grudge, after all, they deserve it."
The Lord says, "Forgive as I have forgiven you." (Eph. 4:32)

The World says, "Hate those who hate you."
The Lord says, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you." (Luke 6:27)

The World says, "There's no need to apologize. What's done is done."
The Lord says, "Leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." (Matt. 5:24)

The World says, "Gossip really never hurt anyone who didn't deserve to be hurt."
The Lord says, "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. From the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way." (James 3:9,10)

The World says, "Christianity is rubbish...foolishness."
The Lord says, "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." (I Cor. 1:27)

Father, help us to choose You today. When everything around us and in us screams, let us listen hard for Your still small voice that contradicts worldly advice. Thank You for communicating through Your Word and Your Spirit. You are truly amazing.

Let the Graveclothes Lie

I've been thinking about graveclothes a lot lately. That might seem a little strange, but I promise there's a reason.

It all started when I read the account of Lazarus found in John 11. Scripture says Lazarus was Jesus' friend - His buddy, His pal, His comrade. So, when Lazarus got sick - to the point of death - his sisters did the only thing they knew to do. They called for Jesus. They knew the Savior wouldn't let His friend die, if He were there.

But by the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had already been dead three days. The people were mourning. Lazarus' sisters were beside themselves. All seemed lost...UNTIL Jesus told them to remove the stone from the entrance of the tomb. Martha, Lazarus' sister, was shocked. Evidently she didn't think Jesus realized that Lazarus was beyond hope, so she decided to let Jesus in on a little secret, "Lord, he stinketh." I love the way the King James Version doesn't mince words!

But that didn't deter the Savior. He directed His attention to the dead man's abode and "cried with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth!' And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, 'Loose him, and let him go.'"

Yeah! Lazarus was alive! Whoopie! BUT he came out of the grave still wrapped in his grave clothes. Look back at the verse above. He, "came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth." There was no doubt about it. Lazarus was definitely alive, but because he was still wrapped in the clothes of death, he wasn't really an accurate representation of life. He still had evidence of his death ON him, and that evidence bound him from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet and kept him from moving freely, as a resurrected man should.

Now, that's why I've been thinking about graveclothes. For you see, even though Christ through His blood has made me alive together with Him and clothed me in the royal robes of righteousness, there are many times that I reach down and pick up those old graveclothes of mine and wrap my aliveness with death. I choose to speak harsh words and say things to hurt my family, when I should be speaking kindness and being patient - wrap. I hold grudges against those who hurt me, when I should forgive them as Christ forgave me - wrap. I let the root of bitterness grow within my heart unchecked, when I should be ripping it out root by root with all the force I can muster - wrap. What Christ has freed me from, I return to, binding myself all the more with graveclothes that are fit only for a dead man, not a resurrected one.

Scripture says to "rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips." Jesus tells us, "Take them off." Take off the graveclothes and instead, "clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with each other and forgiving whatever grievances you may have against one another, forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

Let's do it. Let's choose to let our graveclothes lie in the dirt where they belong. Let's not bind ourselves all over again. Let's choose not to "stinketh."

Deal? Deal.

Dearest Jesus, Thank You for clothing us with Your righteousness. Help us to choose to be an example of that. When we feel like binding ourselves again, prick our hearts to remember to leave the graveclothes where they life. Thank You that not only WILL You do that for us, You WANT to do that for us. We love You, Father.

Stir It Up!

I woke up early this morning with two little words haunting me - stir up. Interesting, don't you think? I did, too, so I decided that was God's way of telling me I needed to get up, shake off the sleepy and write something. I sat down with my Bible and decided to look up that phrase. You won't believe what I found. (Okay, so maybe you will!)

The phrase "stir up" is used over and over again in Scripture. In my Bible's concordance (which is not exhaustive), "stir up" is mentioned 11 times about all different kinds of things - wrath, hatred, grevious words, unbelief, agitators, kings, generosity, repentance, ministry, memory - quite a mixture, huh?

One of the most familiar passages to me is Proverbs 15:1 which says, "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." That description of stirring up something is not so flattering. It kinda makes me think of stirring up an antbed - ouch. But there are other places in the Bible where stirring up something IS a good thing. Hebrews 10:24 tells us to "stir up one another to love and good works." You and I are supposed to motivate, encourage, stimulate, provoke, and incite other Believers to love one another and do good works for Christ.

In a practical sense, how does that happen? How do we do stir one another up? Well, in order for any of this to happen, we've got to be together. Get this - we should actually go to church - not just for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others. Let me make that statement again - we should go to church not just for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others. The sentence that began in Heb. 10:24, continues in 10:25: "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." How can we, as Believers, follow the command of Christ to motivate and encourage one another IN the Body of Christ, if we never are WITH the Body of Christ? Hmmm...

Another way to stir up one another to love and do good works is to simply use words. When you see someone doing something well, tell them they did a good job. When you see the potential in someone to fulfill a need in the Body of Christ, tell them you think they'd be great for that particular area of service. When you see someone respond well in a bad situation, tell them you're proud of them and that they honored Christ with their response.

And words aren't the only way - smiles, hugs, cards, - okay, is your mind teeming with ideas yet? There are so many Christians who just need a little "something" to get them going or keep them going. Why don't you and I decide today to be a part of God giving them that little "stir."

And don't just wait until the opportunity presents itself to be an encourager. The first part of Hebrews 10:24 says to "consider one another." We're supposed to be proactive in thinking of ways we can be an encourager to our brothers and sisters in Christ, even before the opportunity to do so, arises.

With all this in mind, let me start my day by encouraging you. You are loved wholly and completely. Nothing you have ever done or will ever do can change the way God loves you. You are beautiful in the eyes of the Father. You are His treasure...His friend...His child. He created you for a specific purpose, and will fulfill that purpose in you. You are His glory here on earth. He's crazy about you.

Now, it's your turn.

Help us, Lord to do a better job of this. Help us to think of ways we can "stir up" one another to love and good works...and then do them. Open our eyes to see those who need encouragement today and thank You for the privilege of being Your arms and hands and mouth to those around us here on this earth. May we serve You well. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You.

He is Good, Regardless

There's a particular line in a song that's been playing over and over in my head since last night:

You are good. Lord, You are good. And I am in wonder how could it be? Lord, You are good. You are so good. In so many ways You've been good to me. If suddenly it all were ended and the blessings disappeared. Looking back over a lifetime, the evidence is clear. It's so clear. You have been good.

God is indeed, good. Scripture says it repeatedly. The Psalmist says in Ps. 145:7-9, They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,and shall sing of Your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion. Slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are overall His works. And in Jeremiah 31:14, God testifies of His own goodness: "I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, and My people shall be satisfied with My goodness," says the Lord.

So, the question is - what happens to God's goodness when circumstances in our lives seem to point in a different direction? What happens to His goodness when loved ones die unexpectedly, when children suffer, when depression just won't go away? What happens to God's goodness then?

Nothing, absolutely nothing. He is good, regardless.

How do I know? How can I testify of His goodness? He's proven it to me. I remember a specific time in my life when everything around me seemed to scream, "God is not good! He is cruel!" During that time, I remember putting my kids down for their naps in the afternoon and burying my face in the carpet, begging God to show me His goodness, because I couldn't see it. I wanted proof of His goodness...of His love towards me. To make a long story short...He gave me the proof I needed. He showed me that He was good, regardless.

But don't just take it from me, take it from someone who seemingly had every right to believe in the "notgoodness" of God - Job. He lost everything. He lost his family, his possessions, his health, his friends, AND YET, when God finally spoke with Job in chapter 42, Job testified of - guess what - God's goodness:
I know that You can do everything and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore, I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know."

You would think that after everything he went through, Job would shake his fist at God and proclaim Him to be cruel. Yet, he testified that God's plans for his life were too wonderful for me, which I did not know.

Now, let me just go ahead and add here that I'm not saying God DID all of those things to Job just to make him suffer. The suffering came from Satan. You see, Satan told God that the only reason Job loved Him was because he was blessed. He was confident Job's faith would falter, if God would let him make Job's life miserable. God, being confident in His servant, allowed Satan to test Job. So, Satan made Job suffer - ultimately for our benefit. If Job's life had been one of ease and comfort, I doubt we would have ever heard much from him. And yet, his life of overcoming suffering speaks hope to our hearts, assuring us of the goodness of God.

But how do we make that real for us? How do we believe in the goodness of God in the midst of our own suffering? It's so simple, but so hard to do: trust Him. We've got to trust that God is good, no matter what our circumstances tell us. We've got to stay in His Word and on our faces before Him. We've got to speak those words back to Him in prayer - God, You are good, despite what my circumstances say, You are good. We've got to speak it out loud to ourselves. Walk around the house or the office or the grocery story - anywhere and everywhere the threat of doubt hits us, we've got to immediately replace those negative thoughts and say out loud (or whisper, if need be!!!), God, You are good, regardless.

Dear Lord, Satan would love to do nothing more than make us think that You are a liar and that we cannot trust Your Word. But the exact opposite is true. He is the liar, Lord. Deal with him and his lies to us. Thank You that You are good. We are living testimonies to that fact. Give us strength as we work it out in the midst of life, Lord. We thank You and praise You for the things You are doing that seem hard for us, for we know that You are working them altogether for our good. We praise You for Your goodness, Lord. We praise You.

The Cure for Joylessness

How's your joy? Are you a little less than joyfull these days? Do you have a deep, sense of contentment that makes you smile at life, even when there's really nothing to smile about?

If not, why not?

Well, after reading my Bible this afternoon, I figured out what might happen to my joy on occasion, and surprisingly enough, it has nothing to do with anyone or anything else around me. It's a burden of my own making - unconfessed sin. Ps. 32 says, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit." In other words, the man (or woman) who is "confessed up" is a "blessed" man or "joyful" man.

I think our joyfulness all goes back to a realization of Who God is and what He has done for us. When we confess our sins before Him, we are in essence recognizing His authority over our lives, our completeness in Him, our helplessness to be holy without Him...and the list goes on and on. When we get that...when we REALLY get that...we can't help but be joyful!

So, let's try this out. Let's beg God to show us our sin - the behaviors that aren't righteousness behaviors - the words we speak that aren't pleasing - the attitudes of our hearts that are less than holy. Then, when He does, let's really deal with them. Let's be sure not to pretend that those things "aren't that bad," and slap some sugar icing over poison. Instead, let's confess those things to Him. Tell Him we know that they are sin and are straining our relationship with Him. Then, let's repent from them - turn from those behaviors, and see what happens to our joylessness!!!

Father, I pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ and for myself - that we would really get this JOY thing. You've called us to be a joyful people, now help us be what you've asked by showing us our sin. Then, Lord, give us strength to confess and repent, running to You for forgiveness. Thank You, Lord, that You will honor this request. Praise You, Jesus. Praise You.

The Long Arms of Love

Not too long ago, we got a call that Steve's dad was in CCU at a hospital in GA. He'd had a "Widow Maker's Heart Attack." The name still gives me the creeps. During the attack, his 6'4" frame fell to the concrete face-first, causing his brain to swell and his lungs to fill with fluid. It didn't look good, and even though I was having serious pain in my leg (I'd had surgery a week earlier), we both knew Steve HAD to go.

In hind's sight, I think God didn't want me to go to GA, because if I had felt ANY better, I would have hauled myself into the car and stayed by my husband non-stop. BUT, God evidently wanted Steve to be able to focus on his family this trip and not focus on taking care of me. So, Steve packed a few things and left...without me.

I don't know if any of you have ever been in a place like that before. I'm sure you have. It's a very "alone" feeling...not knowing what's going to happen to your loved one...hurting for yourself, but hurting more for the one who you love...not being able to "be there" to help comfort and strengthen your family member. My heart desperately ached for my husband...for all that he was going through and would have to go through when he got to GA.

And I was here, in NC, hours and states away.

It was during this time that God reminded me of a verse He had shown me many years ago when I battled a similar "helpless" feeling. Is. 59:1 says Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear.

I couldn't physically be there for Steve...for Dad...for anyone...but GOD could. His arms are not short like mine. My arms barely reach a few inches in front of me, but nothing hinders the long arms of God. He could wrap a hug around my husband, when he needed it. God could hold Steve's hand, while he sat in the waiting room. He could hold Steve's head up, when he was too tired to do it himself.

And He did.

Truly, God's arms are not too short to save...to reach out to you and into your situation. Beloved of God, you may be unable to "be there," but God is already there, using His arms to minister to the ones you love through your prayers for them. Remember that today.

Praise You, Father that You are big enough to reach out...big enough to fulfill every need that could ever grab us and take us by surprise. Thank You that You hold our very life and the lives of the ones we love in Your hand, and You gently wipe our furrowed brows and assure us of Your love. Praise You, Jesus. Praise You.

Oh and if you're wondering...Steve's dad is doing well. He is truly a miracle, seriously. Even the doctors are amazed - not just that he's alive, but that he's doing as well as he is.

Seeking and Finding Good News in the Garden

Squash bugs...the name just naturally lends itself to "squashing bugs," don't you think?! I've actually not been squashing too many of them. Instead, I have developed a better plan for dealing with the little critters bent on destroying my plants.

Earlier in the summer, I tried using Neem Oil to get rid of the pests, and it did a pretty good job killing off the little ones. The big ones, however, seem to be wrapped in some pretty tough armor, adding new meaning to the phrase, "thick-skinned."

I still use the Neem Oil every other week, but the rest of the time, my plan is simple. Kill as many of them as I can, before they destroy my crop. They're avid feeders, killing plants within just a few days. The bugs suck the juices from the stem, causing the plant to wilt and the fruit to rot on the vine. Miserable, I say...just miserable.

So, to fight an infestation of these bugs, you have to have a plan...and I do! First of all, when I see any bug eggs, I immediately tear off the portion of the leaf they're on and shove it into my container of soapy water. Sounds simple, right? Well, it's not as easy as it sounds. The bugs are smart and most of the time, they lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves to protect them. So I can't just rely on removing the ones I see at first glance. I have to turn the leaves over, as well as check the base of the plant. Doing this requires some patience and fortitude, because squash plants have a rough outer covering, that can cause itching and burning of the skin.

After I have sufficiently found as many eggs as I can, I flood the base of the plant with water. In a few seconds, the adult bugs who spend most of their time hiding in the mulch, scramble to get to higher ground, so they can breathe. At that point, I meticulously pick them off one by one (yes, I know this sounds gross, but they don't bite and it's me or them!) and put them in my container of soapy water. After I've done this, I go back and check the plants again, because sometimes the squash bugs will climb to the very top of the plant to dry out after getting soaked.

This morning, while doing this, a thought came to me - I should seek out the sin in my life and destroy it, as desperately as I seek out and destroy these bugs. Doing that will take time, patience, energy, focus, sacrifice, and diligence. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that seeking out sin is not Biblical. Scripture does tell us to confess our sin and be forgiven (I John 1:9), but as far as "seeking sin," I just couldn't find any ground to support that thought.

However, I did find something else along the same lines. Instead of "seeking" my sin, the Word tells me to "seek" God. Over and over again, I came across verses like Deut. 4:29 which says, But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find Him, if you search after Him with all your heart and with all your soul and Lamentations 3:25 which says, The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,to the soul who seeks Him.

When I seek after God - when I spend time getting to know Him - when I use my time, patience, energy, focus, sacrifice, and diligence to find Him - He will show me the dark, hidden things in my life that need to be removed and destroyed. HE will reveal my sin, so that I can confess, be forgiven and bear much fruit. If I just focus on getting rid of my sin without focusing my eyes on the Savior, sure, I might find a few obvious trespasses here or there, but the dark, hidden things will stay covered. By focusing on God and building my relationship with Him - by seeking Him with everything that I am - the dark, hidden things will surface automatically...things that I never could have found in my own seeking.

So, I challenge myself and you too, Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon Is. 55:6-7.

Dearest Jesus, give me the determination and desire to focus completely on You...to seek after You with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength...to spend time (lots of time)in Your Word, getting to know You. And then, Lord, may I repent of the sin that surfaces and be forgiven. Thank You, Lord that You will bring light to the darkness. I praise You, Jesus. I praise You.

Freedom's Cost

I hate to admit it, but I didn't have a great love for history growing up. However, the older I get, the more passionate I become about the things of the past. I love watching the The History Channel, when I can. Their war documentaries are fascinating. They not only show you pictures and videos from the different wars we've participated in, but they show you interviews with the soldiers that actually fought in those battles.

Sometimes though, it's hard to watch. To the people being interviewed, these war stories are not just stories, they are reality. Tears are often shed, and you can see in their eyes the horror of their participation in the conflict. That's when the history comes alive...when you realize that war really did cost someone something. To those of us who've never fought in a war, we don't recognize the price as much. But to those who fought to secure our freedom, the cost was great. It's a price they'll always remember, no matter how hard they try to forget.

You and I are beneficiaries at their expense. We have freedoms that so many people in the rest of the world only dream about and will never receive, simply because there were a few men and women who believed in freedom for all. So to those brave soldiers and their families, I say, "Thank you for paying the cost for MY freedom. I will not forget."

And to the One who paid the ultimate price for MY freedom - to the One who became sin for me - who took the stripes that I was meant to bear - who took the weight of the sin of the world on his shoulders - to Him who writhed in pain over my well-being - to the One who truly paid it all at great cost, without cost to me - to Him I say, "Thank You for paying the price for my freedom. I will not forget."

Dearest Jesus, thank You for redeeming me. Thank You for giving me the opportunity and the privilege of living a life of freedom - a life that some people only dream about. As we remember the price that was paid for our American freedom, let us not forget to remember the price You paid for our ultimate freedom. Praise You, Jesus. I praise You.

My A-ha Moment with God

Uneasy. That's the word I'll use to describe the week before my surgery. I couldn't shake the feeling, no matter how hard I tried.

We'd gone to the beach a few days before the screws and plate in my knee were to be removed, and I was hoping I'd find some peace there - that I'd have an "A-ha" moment with the Lord.

We swam in the pool, fought the ocean waves, fished off the pier, and ate out. It was a wonderful getaway, but my mind constantly kept reverting back to the surgery and the sense of dread that I felt.

I trusted God. I truly believed He could work all things together for good. I just couldn't seem to "feel" it.

Yet God, being patient with me as usual, met me the last morning of our trip. My very perceptive husband knew I needed some time away, so he suggested I go for a walk on the beach before the kids got up. I gladly took him up on the offer. I slipped on my flip-flops and quietly headed out the door, talking to God as I went.

I stepped down off the deck, onto the beach and automatically began to scan the surface of the sand for treasures the tide had brought in overnight. I picked up a few things - a white pebble smoothed by the salt water - a shell that used to be the home of a wonderful little sea creature - and then, I heard God say to my spirit, "Look up, Belinda." I answered, almost as if He were standing there with me, "But if I look up, I might miss a shell." He replied, "But if you don't look up, you might miss Me."

So I looked up, fully expecting to see dolphins leaping in the air or a beautiful out-of-place rainbow, but there was nothing. No "A-ha" moment, only waves for my entire journey back. Yet, every time I found myself looking down to find shells, my mind and heart would remember what God had spoken to my spirit - "Look up."

I am (and was that day) reminded of the verse in Col. 3 that says, "Set you heart on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things for you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

Earthly things: surgery; sickness; cancer; loss; hurt; painful relationships; the list goes on and on.

Things above: Christ; His plan; His purpose in the hard things; His GOOD plan for me; His heart towards me; thankfully, this list goes on and on, too.

You know, I never did have that "A-ha" moment at the beach...at least the "A-ha" I expected. What I did receive was something even more precious - something that would carry me through a lot more, than a moment in time. I received a reminder from the Lord to "Look up;" to keep my eyes focused on the One who makes everything right and has my good and His glory in mind; to keep my attention on Him, Who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all I could ask or imagine; to faithfully acknowledge the One Who is able to counteract everything life can throw at me; to see His possibilities and not my own helplessness.

"A-ha."

Thank You, Lord, for speaking to us through Your Spirit - for always nudging our hearts to look up at the heavenly things...for reminding us that the things we see here on this earth are but temporary and the things of You are eternal. Thank You for using these earthly things to produce in us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. Thank You.

God's Garden

Someone commented a few days ago that my garden, “looked great.” They then added, “I’m impressed.” Can I just tell you – that did my heart good. I have diligently taken care of the plants to make sure nothing hurt them or their production. Why even yesterday, I was pulling squash bugs off my zucchini by hand and disposing of them - properly of course! I have agonized over each plant's water intake, as well as delighted myself in finding every blade of grass and destroying it. I may sound a little like the “Terminator,” but when it comes to my garden, I guess that name is appropriate.

It makes me proud to look at my garden...to see that my effort has paid off. To know that someone else noticed my hard work is just icing on the cake. I wonder if God feels that way, too. Ps. 19:1-4 says: The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays His handiwork. Day after day it speaks out; night after night it reveals His greatness. There is no actual speech or word, nor is its voice literally heard. Yet its voice echoes throughout the earth; its words carry to the distant horizon. In the sky He has pitched a tent for the sun.

There were no accidents in creation. It didn’t just come into being-God created it. He formed it. He worked at it. And after creation was finished, Scripture says He looked at "everything He had made, and indeed it was very good..." (Gen 1:31).

I wonder if anybody’s noticed lately. I wonder how many of us have looked up at the bright blue of the sky and said, “I’m impressed.” I wonder if we’ve taken the time to really look at a flower – to see the multitude of colors represented, sometimes in just one petal. I wonder if anyone has simply taken a drink of fresh water when they were thirsty, without acknowledging the One who created it for them.

Let’s not be like that today. Let’s take time to look around at the beautiful creation God has not only given us, but made for us and tell Him, “Your garden looks great, God. I’m impressed.”

Father, thank You so much for the beauty of the earth…for the color of the trees and the beauty of the flowers that dangle from their branches. Thank You for the mountains and the valleys, literally. I’m impressed…incredibly impressed.

A Lesson Learned From an Epi-Pen

As I stood there about to make brownies for our home-school party, a terrifying thought struck me – I just made chocolate chip PEANUT BUTTER granola bars for my family’s snack, and there’s a young man in our group that’s severely allergic to peanuts. I immediately washed my hands over and over again, just to remove any residue that might be lingering. You see, when this young man comes in contact with the allergen, his throat immediately constricts, and his face begins to swell. Even the slightest contact with peanuts can cause a potentially fatal reaction. So, when the parents fix snacks or go anywhere as a group, we have to make sure we don’t bring foods that contain peanuts or have even been anywhere near them!

Thankfully, God reminded me about his condition, before I began making the brownies. As I stood there stirring, I began to think about how he manages this unwanted condition. Then, I remembered hearing his mom talk about carrying an epi-pen with her wherever she went, just in case he started to have a reaction. If she didn’t, he could be in serious trouble within a matter of minutes.

Think about that for a moment: his epi-pen is LIFE to him, literally.

Now, think about this for a moment (or more!!!) – God’s Word is LIFE to you and me. I know I wrote about the importance of God’s Word last week, but the thought is still with me this week. I can’t say that’s a bad thing. On the contrary, I think it’s a wonderful thing.

In Matthew 4, Christ had been fasting for 40 days. This time period was immediately following His baptism by John. Scripture says, “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (vs.1). Then, in vs.2, the Word tells us that Satan waited until Jesus was “good and hungry” (my paraphrase) before he tempted Him to turn stones into bread. Jesus told him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

Was Jesus saying we don’t need food? No, of course not…we need food to feed our physical bodies. Christ was saying that our life doesn’t just depend on how many cheeseburgers we can consume in a day. Instead, our life…our spiritual life (which affects our physical bodies)…is dependent on the Word of God – the Bible. Our health, our strength, our mental status – all of these things and more – are wrapped up in the Word.

In order to see what I mean, let me share a few examples. When you are fearful, use God’s Word to dispel that fear by quoting I Tim. 1:7: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” When you feel worthless and condemned as a believer in Christ, speak Romans 8:1 into your situation: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus for those who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” When you are tired of doing good, and seeing no results – when you are tired of praying for that loved one to come to Christ and haven’t seen it happen yet, speak life to that feeling by quoting Gal. 6:9: “And let us not grow weary in doing good for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

Do you see what I mean? Do you see what I’m talking about, and how God’s Word is our very lives?

In light of that, grab your spiritual epi-pen and don’t leave home without it. Memorize God’s Word, so you’ll be able to carry It with you wherever you go. After all, your very LIFE is at stake!

Dear God, help us, as YOUR people to memorize the life-giving Words You have spoken, so that we can not only exist, but have life and have it more abundantly through the power of the Spirit.

People of the Word

My eyes need help…lots of help. So, I wear contacts during the day and glasses at night. This “need” became more apparent to me one night last week, after I took out my contacts. I didn’t realize that I hadn’t placed my glasses in the usual place the night before. Needless to say, I was basically blind. I searched and searched, but to no avail. I looked like Velma on Scooby Doo trying desperately to find her glasses, but unable to see they were right in front of her face.

I usually read my Bible at night, but this night, I couldn’t see It to read It. I actually tried, but to no avail. As I lay there thinking about the fact that I couldn’t read my Bible whenever I wanted to - an unusual thought came to my mind. If my Bible was ever taken away from me, what would I do? Would I know enough Scripture to be able to quote it back to myself, when I needed it? Would my mind pull up the verses I needed for strength and comfort, or would I flounder, wishing I’d spent more time memorizing what I said was most important to me?

I’m sorry to say - the latter would probably be my lot.

That thought caused a deep stirring in me to memorize more of the Word of God. I had made it a practice several years ago to study and memorize the Word faithfully, but in the last few years, other things have seemed to take precedence. That’s just like Satan, don’t you think – convincing us that other things are more important, so that we won’t be able to use the Sword of the Spirit against him when we need to.

Ps. 119:11 says “I have hidden Thy Word in my heart that I might not sin against You,” Ps119:105 says “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path,” and Colossians 3 challenges us to “let the Word of Christ dwell richly” in us.

I know it’s hard to memorize. I know it’s hard to focus, but if we are to call ourselves the “People of God,” then we need to be “People of the Word.” We need to know what God desires, and the only way to do that is to know what He says.

Whether we realize it or not, God’s Word is our very Life…our Source of Strength…our connection to God, Himself. And yet, few of us could make the claim that we have secured more than 20 verses of His precious Word in our hearts. I challenge you, along with myself, to begin now. If you don’t think you can do it, get someone else involved. Memorize Scripture together and encourage one another to do so. Just like walking for your health, it’s a whole lot easier to do when there’s someone else knocking at your door, waiting on you to appear dressed and ready to sweat!

May our lives be characteristic of those filled with the Word of God. May our Bibles truly be our Swords. May Satan tremble as we stand in opposition to him and quote Truth against his lies. May we be “People of the Word”…really.


Thank You, Lord, for Your Word, for it is our very connection to You. Thank You that as we seek to cause Your Word to dwell in us, You are pleased. Thank You, Lord for Your promises. Thank You.

Beautiful things - Hard Places

Some of the most beautiful things grow in hard places.

For instance, at the end of my driveway sits a huge cement flower pot atop a brick entrance-way. Normally by this time in the season, I've planted some blue or purple petunias in the pot to give the yard some color, but I just haven't had the chance yet. So, the pot remains bare, with the exception of what's growing at its base.

A couple of weeks ago, I was amazed to see a little flower, peeking its head out from between the bottom of the flower pot and the top of the brick wall. It was an unusually striking sight to see a flower growing in that type of environment.

That single flower has now grown into a little bouquet, full of blue, white and purple petunias. Those colors are very noticeable against the red bricks and black pot, so you can imagine that my eyes are drawn to it immediately as I drive into the entrance of my home. I saw it again yesterday, and the thought struck me...some of the most beautiful things grow in hard places.

Hmmm...

My life is the same way. I look back over my walk with Jesus, and some of the most beautiful times in my life...the times that have produced the most fruit...the times that have been the most unusually striking...have been when I have chosen to trust Him in the hard places.

Romans 5:3-5 says, 3And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (NAS) The New Century Version reads, 3 We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience.4 And patience produces character, and character produces hope.5 And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts. He gave us his love through the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to us.

Beloved of God, let's not lose heart in the hard places of life. We've got to remember that God is able not only to deliver us through them, but to cause us to bear beautiful fruit - during and after. God gave us this life to exhibit His glory...to be a "flower" in an unsuspectingly hard place, so that others can see His glory revealed in us.

Father, help us to remember as we struggle in this life and choose to worship in the hard places, You are creating something beautiful in us to show the world Your glory. Thank You, for our adversities, Jesus. Thank You for their eventual outcome. We praise You. Amen.

What's So Good About Good Friday?

What's so good about Good Friday? I found myself - asking myself - that very question. After all, this was the day Christ died...the day the Church commemorates the death of Christ on the cross...the day Jesus:

...was despised and forsaken of men,
A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
And like one from whom men hide their face
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (Is. 53:3)

But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed. (Is. 53:5)

But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him. (Is. 53:6b)

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth. (Is. 53:7)

Something about that just doesn't seem right. Where's the "good?" He was a king...no, He was THE KING. He was the exact representation of God here on earth, and yet instead of treating Him the way He deserved, we spat on Him and sold His clothing for money. The God of Heaven sent His Son to us, and we thought of Him as stricken, cursed of God. Christ left everything that was His for us...His home, His glory, His Father's presence, His wealth, His power, His riches, His esteem...He left it all and came here as a baby...to die for us.

I ask you, what's so good about that? What's so good about Jesus dying an excruciatingly painful death on a gnarled, old tree?

Well, it didn't take long to figure out the answer. For you see, after careful consideration of the death of Christ, I decided that I couldn't call it anything but good. It wasn't a tragedy or even a mistake. It was a Divine appointment...an end AND beginning to a beautiful plan. Good Friday is good, simply because:

...without the death of Christ, there would be no resurrection;
...without the resurrection, there would be no new birth;
...without a new birth, there would be no home in heaven with God;
...without a home in heaven with God, there would be no hope.

May we celebrate this day, God, with reverence and awe as we reflect on Your goodness for providing a way for us to come to You...for You to become our Father. Thank You, Jesus for the price You paid on that cross. Thank You for being so strong...for leaving all that was good and right to come here, to make the world good and right. Praise You, Jesus. Praise You!

Hidden Things

It's been at least three years, but I've still got glass coming out of my hand. Not long after we moved into our new home, I tripped over something on the sidewalk, while carrying several Christmas glasses. They shattered when I hit the pavement, and pieces of broken glass dug into my hand and evidently decided to stay. Since that time, every so often, my hand gets a small sore in the general vicinity of the cuts I received that night. On occasion, I "get lucky" and find the glass, so I can remove it, but most of the time, it escapes without me ever seeing it.

Our bodies are amazing. God designed them to reject things that don't belong in them. My body sees the glass embedded in my hand as an enemy, and therefore attacks it - forcing it back through the entrance by which it came.

God designed our "spiritual bodies" in a similar way. The Spirit that lives within us sees sin as an enemy and forces it to rise to the surface of our lives. Years may pass, but if the Spirit is at work in us, then He will not allow sin to remain embedded in our hearts. It's unhealthy, and therefore, has got to come out.

To my shame, there have been times in my life when I have intentionally harbored sin and protected it from the hand of God - buying time with, "It's not so bad," or "What's the big deal?" However God, in His supreme patience with me, allowed me to feel the effects of that sin over time and gently taught me that sin, is indeed, the enemy and must be dealt with. At other times, I have been completely unaware that I was harboring any sin at all, but again God in His patience, brought the sin to the surface, so that I could see it and get rid of it...in a hurry!

Ps. 32:3,4 says, When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. David had been harboring his sin of adultery, deceit, murder - just to name a few things...and he "seemed" to get away with it. Yet, his physical body told him differently. The notes in my Open Bible say that when he kept silent in resistance to God, the inner struggle of conscience and conviction drained away the very viatlity of life. David literally became unhealthy, because of his harbored, unconfessed sin.

Now if that were the end of the mighty king's story...if Scripture left David there, then we would have no reason to rejoice over his life. However in vs. 5, David says, I acknowledged my sin to You and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord." and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

That's HUGE! David spent all that time wasting away, when all he had to do was "fess up" about what he had been doing and agree with God that it stunk! When he finally did, God forgave the iniquity (the very depth) of his sin.

He'll do the same for us, too! He'll forgive the very depth of our sin, the moment we ask. Now that's a reason to rejoice!

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous: and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! Ps. 32:10,11

Thank You, Father, that You are patient and loving, waiting for us to agree with You over our sin, so that we can be restored and forgiven. Thank You that You don't allow us to continue to be deceived, but You cause hidden sins to rise to the top of our lives, so we can deal with them as what they truly are...our enemies. Cause us to desire You...to love You with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength and to live our lives accordingly. We love You, Lord. You are good.

The Saving Seeker

Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he…remember that song? It’s been a long time since I’ve sung it or heard it sung in its entirety, but I can still remember the words. Imagine that…35+ years later, and that song is still fresh in my memory.

It’s true, you know. Zacchaeus was real. Like the Apostle Matthew, he was a wealthy tax collector, hated by those around him. He lacked for nothing. He had everything life had to offer, except one thing - height. Zacchaeus was “short of stature,” as Luke 19 tells us. He was indeed a “wee-little man.”

Grant it, for a man of his financial means, being short of stature probably wasn’t a big deal. He had everything he needed and wanted in life and more. As a matter of fact, Zacchaeus probably had the town’s people bending over backwards to please him, so they could get out of being taxed or find some relief from it. However, on the day Jesus came to town, being “short of stature” caused a major problem for Zacchaeus that all the money in the world couldn’t fix. As much as he wanted to, he just couldn’t stretch high enough or stand up straight enough to see over the crowds and catch a glimpse of the Savior.

Scripture says that Zacchaeus “sought to see who Jesus was.” He was desperate – so desperate that he literally ran ahead of the Messiah and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him. Something inside Zacchaeus evidently yearned for Christ…to meet Him…to be near Him…to see Him. Can you imagine the elation he felt when Jesus stopped, looked up into the tree and said, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” Scripture says that Zacchaeus responded by doing exactly what Jesus told him to do. He shimmied down that tree and “received Him joyfully.”

We could all learn a lesson from Zacchaeus’ desire to see Jesus, as well as his obedience to the call of Christ, but the last part of the story is what gets me the most. After Zacchaeus climbed down out of the tree, he told Jesus that he was going to give half of everything he owned to the poor and restore four times the amount of what he had stolen from the people. After hearing this, Jesus said, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

What an awesome statement! Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost. That’s me! I was lost, and He came and found me. I was just like a little girl, wandering lost in a huge department store, unable to see over the clothes racks and find a way out. I was scared, fearful, and mistrusting of everyone around me - horrified that someone might come and take me away. My situation was hopeless. I was undeniably, undoubtedly lost. Until…at the end of the isle, Christ appeared. He called me to Himself, and I ran in desperation to meet Him. Jesus could have just stood at the front of the store and called my name, but He didn’t. Instead, He sought me. He found me. He saved me. How precious…how very much like God.

Jesus, thank You for coming to seek and to save me. May I never get so far removed from You or Your Word that I forget what You did for me…how You found me and drew me to Yourself…not because of anything I had done, but just because it was Your desire to seek and to save that which was lost. Thank You, Jesus.

Being a Better Friend

Within the last two years, two of my friends have been diagnosed with cancer. One lost her battle with the disease a few weeks ago, and the other is still fighting. Sometimes, as a friend, I feel pretty helpless. It's really hard to know what to do. However, recently, the Lord's given me a new perspective on how I can help my friends the most, when I feel the most helpless.

In Mark 2:1-12, Scripture tells us that Jesus had returned to Caperneum and was "in the house." When people found out, "immediately, they gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them not even near the door." It was a packed house with standing room only...literally. The place was filled to capacity.

Or so they thought...

People kept coming to see Jesus, including four men (at least) carrying their paralyzed buddy on a mat. When the men got to the home and found no way in, they didn't take "no" for an answer. They were desperate and determined for their friend to see Jesus; so determined they wouldn't let anything stand in their way...including someone's roof! I'm not kidding. If you haven't read this story before, please read it. It's so heart-wrenching to imagine the desperation on the part of the friends when they realize they couldn't get their friend to Jesus, and it's so exhilarating to picture them not giving in to circumstances - to what seemed to be impossible - but instead devising a plan to reach their goal. They were determined their friend WOULD see the Savior - no matter what.

I wonder if Jesus stopped preaching when the dried mud began to fall. I wonder if the owner of the home stood in amazement as piece by piece, part of his roof was destroyed. Do you think there was an uproar within the group or was it deathly still? Scripture doesn't tell us. However, It does tell us that when the men had "broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying."

The next part is one of my favorite parts, and the whole reason why I'm writing this blog at 3:16 in the morning! Scripture says that "when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven you.'" There's a lot of meat in that verse, including the fact that Jesus fulfills the ultimate desire of the paralytic, before He fulfills the physical desire, but what I want to focus on is this - whose faith caused Jesus to act? Was it the faith of the paralytic? Look at it again: "When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven you.'"

Did you see it? Scripture states the faith of the man's friends prompted Christ to act. I'm sure the paralytic had faith in Jesus, as well - which is why he went along with his friends lowering him down through the roof! But in this passage, Jesus was compelled by the faith of this man's friends, so much so that He acted on his behalf and healed him both spiritually and physically.

Since the Lord showed me this passage, I've determined to be a better friend - the type who brings my friends to Jesus for spiritual and physical healing. I've determined not to give up hope, even when all the circumstances and test results say different. I've determined to believe that the God of the universe is big enough to act on behalf of my friends for their ultimate good...and mine, too!

Dearest Jesus, thank You for my friends. Thank You that You have placed me in this life to encourage them and in turn, be encouraged. Thank You that You care more for them than I do. Help me, Lord, to purposefully be a better friend - to always bring my friends to You in prayer and cover them with Your protection, provision, and care. Thank You for their healing...both earthly and ultimate. You are our glorious Prize and the Lifter of our heads. Thank You.

Me - On Being Grumpy!

My head is pounding. My back is aching. My eyes hurt. Yes, I'm sick - and so are three other people in my house! I woke up this way, and regardless of how much medicine or Vick's Vapor Rub I bathe myself in, I'll go to bed this way tonight. It stinks to be sick...and I'm sad to say that most of the people around me know how much I hate to be sick, because my actions and attitudes tell it all. You see, on occasion, when I feel this bad, I decide that it's okay to have a pity party - a party which includes me being miserable and making everyone else around me feel the same way.

I started thinking about my grumpiness today at lunch, rationalizing that because I feel bad, it's okay to be a little less tactful with my tongue. That is, until I began to think about Christ and how He responded to His own discomfort. He was beaten. He was bruised. He was pierced through for my transgressions. He was crushed for my sin. (Is. 53:5). And yet He uttered not a grumpy word. He was oppressed and afflicted, led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open his mouth. (Is. 53:7) Jesus didn't sin in the midst of His incomprehensible discomfort...and neither should I in the midst of my head cold.

Jesus, help me today to live as You lived, here on this earth. Help me to keep my mouth closed and my heart open to You. May my minimal discomfort only draw others to You. I love You, Jesus. I love You.

The "I" in Me

Growing up on a farm, I've come to see gardening as something precious. I vividly remember my daddy walking the fields when I was a kid. Row after row, he'd stop and look...stop and look. I always wondered why he did that. Now, I know. I do the same thing in my own garden - looking for signs of life...for signs of death...for those nasty little critters I've come to dislike SOOO very much.

One day during the gardening season last summer, a friend stopped by to bring me some sweet potato plants. Of course, I HAD to show him my garden. Later that day, I called him for some advice. During the conversation, he said that the plants in my garden were beautiful, but the reason I wasn’t seeing much fruit was probably due to over-fertilization. I simply needed to cut back. He said, "This may sound ugly, but the plants have to think they are dying before they will produce any fruit." In other words, I'd been feeding my plants SO much that they were content and happy to put on new growth...without giving me anything to show for it!

We're like that, aren't we? We’re happy and content to be comfortable. We want to be well-fed, well-watered, and have just the right amount of sunshine, so that we can grow and grow and grow and be seen as the biggest, most beautiful plant in the garden. However, if we shower ourselves in comfort, we'll never produce any fruit for the kingdom.

The very thing that produces fruit in our lives as Christians is not comfort. It's death. Jesus explains this principle by using a parable of the natural world. He said "Unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24). Just like the grain of wheat that falls to the earth has to die to bear much fruit, so I have to die to myself, in order to produce "much fruit" for Christ.

Now, that doesn't come naturally to me. Dying to myself has to be a decision of my will, because what comes natural to me is to feed the "I," in me. "I" wants what it wants, and it wants it now! "I" wants to be comfortable. "I" wants to be first in line at the grocery store. "I" doesn't want to change the poopy diaper. "I" wants you to do it! "I" wants to let someone know when "I" is unhappy and angry. "I" wants to retaliate when someone wrongs me, instead of letting Christ be my Defender. "I" wants to be patient and loving to those "I" loves...not to those "I" doesn't know! The funny thing about "I"is that it never does anything to produce fruit for Jesus. It just produces more "I."

And that's what people see. If "I" were the one that paid the ultimate price for my life...if "I" were the one that removed my sin and made me free....if "I" were the one to live again, so that I could live eternally in heaven...if "I" did all of that for me, then it wouldn't be so bad to let people see the "I" in me. HOWEVER, "I" didn't do all of those things...only Jesus did. In other words, people don't need to see more "I" in this world...they need to see more "Him."

Jesus, help me to die to myself today and put others first. Help me not to allow my own selfishness to rob me of producing fruit for Your kingdom. May my desires and wants be those of Christ's. Amen.