Tuesdays with Jesus

The Least Likely

2012-02-14T14:07:00.004-05:00

Almost forty years ago, someone, maybe two someones, were voted Most Likely to Succeed from the Class of '74 at St. Florian High School. For the life of me, I can't remember who they were. I guess I'd have to pull out my old yearbook and take a look, but it's buried somewhere.
Being voted Most Likely to Succeed is certainly a prestigious honor, and hopefully those people lived up to those expectations. If we heard the news today that they did in fact succeed, we wouldn't be the least bit surprised, would we?

What about those who were the Least Likely to Succeed? Their names weren't written in any yearbook. That would have just been rude. But I'll bet that you and I can remember who they were. If we heard that they actually succeeded and accomplished great things, we would be having a "Really?", "Seriously?", "You've got to be kidding me!" moment.

We certainly are quick to write people off, aren't we? I guess that's the ugly, judgmental part of every one of us. We do it when we judge someones potential for greatness in the world. We do it when we judge someones potential for greatness ... even in the Kingdom of God.

The atheist who refuses to consider that there is a God. The agnostic who doesn't care one way or the other. The man who wears a full metal jacket made of anger, or the woman who sells her body because once, someone stole her soul. We call them hopeless and impossible, and unreachable, because Lord knows, we've tried to reach them, and they've never responded the way we'd have liked them to.

"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. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus." (1 Cor. 1: 27-30)

My family is full of all manner of people. We're a diverse group, all on our own journeys with God, or without, as some cases may be. Like you, I can pretty easily pick out the ones that are obviously destined for greatness in the Kingdom. We look at them, and we're wowed by the potential that we see. But, are we looking at the right ones? Are we looking at the ones that God is looking at?

Lying dormant in a stuttering, murderer could be a Moses. In a troubled teenage girl, trying to destroy herself, could be a Mary Magdalene. In a loose, promiscuous, husband-stealer, could be a woman, clinging to an alabaster box, ready to pour it's contents on the feet of the Master, with more love than any of the righteous among us. Inside that atheist who gives approval to the death of everything that is God, could be a Paul.

Lord, forgive us for having eyes that do not see.

Give us your eyes.

I prayed in earnest this morning for those closest to me that would be labeled The Most Likely Not To Succeed. It's God's way. They are closest to His heart. He came for the least and the lost and the stubborn and the unmotivated and the confused and the misinformed. He has proven that to us in His Word.

He has proven it to me because He chose me, didn't He?

I don't remember who was voted Most Likely To Succeed way back in 1974, but I do remember every single name, and every single story, of someone deemed "Least", who stood before me with feet firmly planted on a Rock, lifted out of a pit that almost swallowed them alive, singing a new song, placed in their heart by the One who searches for just such as these. Those are the ones I will never forget.

This morning I prayed for the Most Likely among my loved ones. But I prayed in earnest that the Least Likely of those I call "loved ones", would one day be the very ones who do the most damage to the kingdom of darkness.

That, right there, is where God receives the most glory.

That, right there, is the heart of God.

Linking with Shanda

...and Ann
...and Painting Prose
...and Rachel

#227 Filled to the Measure

2012-02-07T14:34:00.005-05:00

She walked to the brook early every morning, her water jar atop her head. It was good to go early before the heat of the day. She rehearsed the words that she would say to her son when she returned home. How would she tell him that they only had a handful of flour in their jar, and only a little oil in their jug? At least she could bring home some water to serve with their last supper.

Getting nearer to the brook, she observed that what she had dreaded had finally come to pass. A three and a half year drought had eventually done it's damage. The brook was dry. She would carry no water home to her son that day. No food. No water. They would surely die.

Tears ran down her cheeks as she gathered some sticks to take home for the fire of the last meal. As she was gathering, a man approached, asking for some water and a piece of bread. There is no water. There is no oil. There is no bread. There is nothing. Everything is empty.

When it's all empty, how can I give anything to anyone else?

Do you ever feel like you just don't have anything left to give? Your soul feels dry and parched. You've lost your creativity and your zest for living. You search for the One that Scripture tells you will give you Living Water in a dry and weary land, but even He doesn't seem to be near.

People still expect things from you. They pull and they tug and they ask and they demand. All you have are a few sticks to build a paltry little fire. When it's all empty, how can you give anything to anyone else? Truth, precious one...you can't. An empty vessel is just that...empty.

I think we've all experienced seasons of emptiness in our lives. Maybe we've worked too hard. Didn't say "no" to enough things. Our circumstances fell in such a way where we had no choice but to keep running fast. We didn't eat right, sleep well, or take care of ourselves properly. We live in a world of fast. Instant. Run. Race. Drive. Work. Serve. Get up and do it all over again.

I think it's a gradual emptying. Really we're just too busy to notice that we're about to be running on empty. Then that last poor soul asks us to do that one last thing, and we blow. We just can't. We have nothing left to give. When it's all empty, how can you give anything to anyone else?

I remember reading a long time ago, somewhere, that when you are feeling just this way, you should try and remember what you were doing during the times in your life when you felt the closest to God and the most alive. I have had to do exactly that recently, and when I remembered, I discovered the answer to the emptiness.

First, when I am physically exhausted and poorly cared for, I am of no good to myself or anyone else. The older I get, (55 next week), the more rest I need. I'm the kind of person that runs and forgets to eat. Anybody? I've come to realize that I must eat three good meals each day. My days of surviving on coffee and chocolate are over. That's not a good diet for anyone, no matter your age. I must eat right, get to bed at a decent time, and at my age there's not one thing wrong with wanting a nap in the afternoon.

You may have littles running around your house and you'll need to adjust what you do to take care of yourself. Eat when they do. Don't just eat the crust off of their PB & J's either. Eat well. Nap when they nap. Devise some type of quiet time for them that will allow you some quiet time as well. A well rested, happy Mom is a real blessing to those little ones with boundless energy. Eat healthy foods. High in protein and low in sugar. Drink lots of water (yuck! I know.)

The frosted devil's food donettes are calling me from across the kitchen.

Second, I had to learn, still learning, that it's okay to say no. It's not selfish. It's not un-Christian. It's a necessary word that you need to employ when you know that you just cannot do one more thing. Say it. "NO". Practice it in the mirror. C'mon...you can do it. When you are convinced that you have to say "yes" to everything, something is going to suffer. You can't do everything...well, maybe you can, but you certainly cannot do everything well.

We all have the tendency to take on more and more, and then we find ourselves doing it begrudgingly, out of guilt, or fear of making someone angry. God wants us to do things wholeheartedly, being cheerful givers, not stressed out, worn down, or with the wrong motivation. Do fewer things with excellence. Many things that vie for your attention are good things, but again, you can't do it all.

Last, and I rank it as most important, is the time and attention I give to God. Personally, when I look back, the time that I felt the most alive and the closest to God, were the seasons where I immersed myself in God-things. Quiet time, Bible reading, devotional books, Christian music, and listening to good messages on TV, filled my empty self to overflowing with the life-giving Word of God. The nourishing springs of God are only found in the things of God.

Our minds can be the devil's playground. My mind needs to be continuously renewed with God's Word so that my thoughts are right. I need to know God's truth in order to recognize the lies of the enemy. Jesus told a story in Matthew 12: 43-45, about an evil spirit that had been driven out of a man. It sought rest in arid places but couldn't find it. So it returned to the house it had left, finding it "unoccupied", took with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, went in, and lived there. An empty mind is fertile ground for the devil to have a party in your head. Where the mind goes, the man follows. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23: 7)

If we neglect taking care of ourselves, establishing the right priorities, and filling our minds and hearts with the things of God, we will one day find ourselves sitting under broom trees saying, "I have had enough, Lord", and praying to die like Elijah. (1 Kings 19: 4)

But...

The man of God brought a word from the Lord to the woman, not just a request for a meal. The Lord, the God of Israel said, "The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land." Having faith in the word of God, the woman did as the man instructed. From that point on, there was food every single day for herself, her son, and even the man of God. "For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah."

For...

Only God can fill the empty places. Only His Word can refresh tired minds and weary souls.

My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights!

Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.

(Ephesians 3: 16-19 Message)

Story of the woman taken from 1 Kings 17: 7-16.

Linking with Ann
Linking with Shanda
Linking with Painting Prose
Bless a Blogger Friday Blog Hop
Linking with Rachel

Stop, Drop, And Roll

2012-01-17T15:09:00.003-05:00

I get so sick of myself sometimes. I know that you can't relate, so let me tell on myself so that you can see what I mean.

Once in a while, every so often, a doosey of a situation comes my way. At times it's a problem I've had to walk through before. Other times it's a brand new one that comes out of nowhere and stares me down. A Goliath of a situation. An impossibility. Then there are the ones that look like Goliath, look impossible, but really are just smoke and mirrors and not as threatening as they seem.

I'm getting better at it, I must say, but there are days. Oh man, there are days when I forget, I jerk my knees in reaction, I open my big mouth, or all of the above. Since you can't relate, just picture it in your mind.

Perhaps some day, one day, this will happen to you. Perhaps this piece of advice that I'm about to give will come in handy for you, one day. Coming off of a few dooseys in the last week, God gave me three little words to remember the next time I'm tempted to make a fool of myself, either privately in front of Him alone, or heaven help me, in front of some flesh and blood folk.

You may recognize the Stop, Drop, and Roll principle from fire safety techniques. It's a method to extinguish fire from a person's clothes or hair. It is also found to be psychologically beneficial because it gives a person on fire something to focus on, instead of giving way to panic. This is the part where if I were sitting in church, I would say, "Come on, now!"

Let's take the three parts of this technique, look at them a minute, and see how they can be compared to something we can do when we are on fire from trials, problems and seemingly impossible situations.

STOP

The fire victim must stop still, ceasing any movement which may fan the flames or hamper those attempting to put the fire out. *

The very moment that you feel yourself losing control, STOP! When a person is on fire, ferocious movements only fan the flames. Practically speaking, when you lose control of yourself, you only make matters worse. Can you honestly share a time when you were out of control in a bad situation, and it yielded good results? I didn't think so.

Your loss of self control may actually inhibit someone from putting your fire out. There may be a very real solution to your problem, but if you are panicked, out of control, and trying to fix it yourself, you may be shutting out someone, something, or even God, from giving you a good outcome. Just ask Sarai. (Genesis 16)

You know how it feels when you're about to lose it. When that panicked feeling is starting to build, you can feel it in your gut, face flushed, your breathing quickens. Pay attention to the warning signs. Know yourself so that you can stop yourself. Then...

DROP

The fire victim must 'drop' to the ground, lying down if possible, covering their face with their hands to avoid facial injury. *

The very moment that you stop, DROP! To your knees. Face first on the floor before the Lord. Put your face in your hands to block out any other distractions and pour your ever-lovin' heart out to your God. Tell Him everything. Cry aloud. Use words if you must. He knows your heart. He knows it's breaking. He knows that you feel helpless. He knows that you have forgotten, if only momentarily, how He brought you through the fire before. He understands.

"When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."

(Isaiah 43: 2-3)

"We went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance."

(Psalm 66: 12)

ROLL

The fire victim must roll on the ground in an effort to extinguish the fire by depriving it of oxygen. *

Roll your problem onto the Lord. When an object is too heavy to lift, it isn't as hard to roll.

"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."

(1 Peter 5: 7)

A problem in your hands is an impossibility. A problem rolled onto God is no problem at all. In front of a holy, almighty, powerful God, your problem is nothing. No. Thing.

One of my favorite Scriptures is found in the book of 2 Kings. Faced with battling the Moabites, the kings of Edom, Judah, and Israel went out to fight. After seven days, there was no more water for their men or their animals. They inquired of the prophet Elisha and God promised them miraculous water, without wind or rain. God said, "This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord." (2 Kings 3: 18)

Your problem is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord!

Man's extremities are God's opportunities to show Himself mighty and to get all of the Glory!

When you roll your problem onto God, it is deprived of it's oxygen. It is deprived of it's power to torment you. You will know that the God of the Universe has your problem in His perfect hands and that you have nothing to fear.

Once upon a time, there were three Hebrew boys who were thrown into a furnace of fire because they refused to worship an image of gold set up by an idolatrous king. The furnace was heated seven times hotter than normal; so hot that it killed the soldiers who placed them in it. Inside that furnace, the evil king saw four men, when only three were put in. He described who he saw as "one who looks like a son of the gods."

In that furnace, with those three Hebrew lads, was not just a son of the gods, but THE SON OF GOD!

Jesus Christ, the One and Only, Son of the Living God, is in the furnace, and in the flames with you. You will not be burned. You will not be harmed. You will come out and not even smell like smoke! (Daniel 3: 27)

Stop, Drop and Roll is a technique taught to people of all ages. It is even taught to those as young as preschoolers. If littles can get this principle, surely we can remember it when we are on fire.

Stop, Drop, and Roll.

* Wikipedia

(Linking with Shanda, Emily, Ann, Rachel)

As It Was In The Beginning

2012-01-10T14:03:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year! I hope that you had a great Christmas and New Year celebration, enjoying time with family and friends. It's good to be back at the keyboard today dropping in on your day.

Wow. The Lord really has been speaking through the Advent and holiday season. At least to me anyway. Some of it hasn't been pretty. Revelation of self rarely is. But all of it has been handed to me in a cup of grace. An overflowing, bubbling, redeeming cupful of grace. How I need it to be that way. Don't you?

I'm really geeked about something new that's happening. For the last two years, I've participated in a group that memorized two Scriptures every month for a year. This year I decided to put out a call on Facebook to those that I know more intimately, and invite them to memorize the Word with me in 2012. Thus, the Scripture Memory Community was born. It's a small group, but it's a group of women committed to hiding God's Word in their hearts every day for the coming year. Dare I say, we will never be the same. There's just nothing like wielding the Sword of the Spirit to make the enemy flee. It's not too late to join us. Click on the link above and join the group! I'm going out on a limb, but I imagine Jesus smiling because He knows that there is dynamite power in His Word, and by His precious Spirit, His daughter's hearts will be filled with that very power.

Speaking of commitments. Did you make any resolutions for the new year? The only resolution that I made this year is to not make any resolutions for this year. Resolutions are so easily broken. A commitment, however, is more of a pledge or a promise. It carries more weight. Whether you call it a commitment or a resolution, we have an adversary who wants to derail us almost as quickly as the words, "I resolve" or "I commit" leave our lipsticked mouths. It has been that way since the beginning.

Have I told you yet how much I love my new Keurig? In a few seconds, I just brewed a fresh cup of delicious coffee. I digress.

Back to the beginning.

In the beginning, God created man and woman; Adam and Eve. They lived in the Garden of Eden, naked and not ashamed. They were at ease with each other, felt no fear of exploitation or evil, and walked with God in the cool of the day. The beauty around them must have been breathtaking and they were supplied with food like we have never tasted. Can you imagine? When I close my eyes, I can picture myself there...except I'm not too thrilled with the naked part.

Seven short verses later it all fell apart. A serpent slithered. Temptation came in disguise. A twisted lie was told. A wife fell for the lie. A husband shirked responsibility and joined the feast. One bite. Everything changed. Only seven short verses later.

Scholars believe that Adam and Eve were not residents of the Garden for very long before "The Fall". Through careful study, they say that it may have been less than one week before they ate of the fruit and the curse came upon all mankind from that day forward. Your adversary, my adversary, wasted no time.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Things are no different today, friend. The second that Satan hears you make a commitment or a resolution to the Lord, he slithers. He comes disguised in lies, justifications, excuses and endless reasoning, to make you give up. It may be immediate, a few days, a month. Make no mistake he WILL come and he WILL entice you to quit. He hates God. He hates you. He hates any commitment or intimacy that you have with God.

You may have committed to reading your Bible and spending time in prayer, early every morning. That's the voice of your enemy whispering that it would be so much better to snuggle back under those covers and sleep a while longer.

You may have committed to Scripture memorization. That's the voice of your enemy telling you that you're just not smart enough and it's just too hard.

Whether it's making changes to better your health, turn your back on a habit, spend more time with your family, get out of debt, get organized, or volunteer for an area of service to the Lord this year, you can bet that Satan has an excuse all gift-wrapped for you to stop you in your tracks.

The good news is that we are not unaware of his schemes. (2 Cor. 2: 11) He can't outwit us. The secular world says it this way; forewarned is forearmed.

If we know the enemy's tactics and methods, we will recognize them immediately when they attack us and we will not give up or give in.

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5: 8)

Your commitment or resolution for the year 2012 is completely doable if you are alert and aware that the enemy, Satan, is slithering and prowling around, just waiting to convince you to give up. His assaults on believers are fierce in these last days, because "he is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short." (Revelation 12: 12)

Be alert. Know the voice of the enemy. Know the Word well enough to recognize the voice of God. Don't begin a day without asking the Holy Spirit to fill you.

"[You] can do everything through Him who gives [you] strength."

(Philippians 4: 13)

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Linking with Emily.
Linking with Shanda
Linking with Ann
Linking with Rachel

UnEmployed Faith

2012-01-07T14:43:00.000-05:00

This week I read UnEmployed Faith by ChrstianSuprMom, Rosann Cunningham. A few years ago, my husband was unemployed quite frequently and it seemed that he was out of a job more than he was working. Well, it didn't just seem. It was the honest truth.

Where was this book when I needed it?

If you are the wife of an unemployed man, you know the struggles and challenges that come along with this difficult situation. While the focus is on your husband and his job searching successes or failures, you are suffering some pretty intense emotions. Those emotions can have you on one heck of a roller coaster ride. You can go from support to anger to depression to fear in one hot minute. You are trying to be supportive to your man, but often you are left with wide eyes open on your pillow at night, not knowing what in the world you are supposed to do.

UnEmployed Faith has just the answers that you are searching for. Writing in simple, uncomplicated, honest words, Rosann Cunningham has been experiencing the unemployment of her husband for three years. She is feeling just what you are feeling today and has decided to turn lemons into lemonade by sharing what God has taught her through this grueling circumstance.

Hear Rosann's own words:

"Please understand, this book is not a step by step guide to get your man a job, nor is it written about how to live more frugal during unemployment. There are plenty of resources out there for those topics. What you don't see very often are books on how to cope with the emotional impact of unemployment in your home.

That's what you'll get with this book. It was written with your heart in mind. I really wanted to share with you some encouraging and hopefully inspiring ways to cope and love on yourself, particularly when you're feeling all alone in this awful storm."

With chapters like "Activating A Life of Faith", "Your Circle of Support", "Finding Joy In The Storm", and "The Good Wife", Rosann speaks to the physical, emotional, and spiritual practices that can guide you safely through the storm of your man's unemployment.

My absolute favorite thing about UnEmployed Faith is the challenges at the end of each chapter. Talk about being practical! We often read books that give us concepts on how to cope with a situation, but then we're left trying to figure out how to walk those concepts out on the pavement of our reality. Rosann doesn't leave you guessing. She gives practical, no nonsense suggestions that you can put into practice each and every day. When you're feeling helpless and hopeless, you can take action!

UnEmployed Faith is written from a Christian perspective and Rosann's faith and devotion to her Savior is clear throughout. That being said, I recommend this book to any wife who has an unemployed man, regardless of her belief. It is easy reading and only $4.99 for your Kindle.

Don't waste this season of difficulty you are going through, my friend. Make every ounce of pain and every ounce of weakness count for something. Turn it into faith and peace and strength. The road is hard, but it won't last forever. You can be forever changed in the midst of it for the good and for God's glory.

I love Rosann's words:

"Let God turn this pain you feel into something beautiful and good. Grow, dear friend. Be like the caterpillar coming out of its chrysalis. Spread your wings and learn to fly. Let the world see how breathtakingly beautiful you are when you're surrounded by God's light."

Are you ready to clothe yourself in strength and perseverance through his season of unemployment? Are you ready to do something for you? If so, click here.

~See you on Tuesday!

A Christmas Story in a Chinese Restaurant

2011-12-25T07:31:00.000-05:00

As my family prepares for our 21st year of having Christmas dinner at the Chinese restaurant, let me share a post from a couple of Christmas's ago.

Merry Christmas friends!

I'll start by explaining what we were doing in a Chinese restaurant on Christmas Day. Nineteen years ago, I was pregnant with my fourth child, Kyle. My three oldest were gone for the first time ever on a holiday, spending the day with their Dad. Chuck and I were alone. All of our holiday celebrating had taken place on Christmas Eve. We decided to go out for dinner, quickly finding out that this was not going to be as easy as it sounded. Who knew that there wasn't one restaurant open on Christmas Day? Don't people have to eat on Christmas too? Just sayin'.

After driving all over the proverbial half-acre, lo and behold we found a place to eat. Much to our delight we learned that there ARE establishments open on Christmas Day...Chinese restaurants! I remember feeling a little like a loser. As I looked around the room at the other patrons, I remember wondering what their stories were. How does one find them self in a Chinese restaurant on Christmas Day? No family? Family doesn't want anything to do with you? Or, like Chuck and I, maybe they had celebrated the day before. Whatever the story, there were a lot of folk in that restaurant, on that Christmas day, nineteen years ago. And every Christmas Day since then.

We decided to make this a Christmas tradition. We haven't missed a Christmas Day dinner at Wong's Garden .. not once. I remember the first year we took Kyle. He was only nine months old and I'm putting it nicely when I say that his behavior was abominable. Most years it was just the three of us. There was one year when my daughter Kelly joined us because she and I had spent the afternoon in the ER with strep throat, and she didn't go to her dad's house. My brother joined us one year, our son Brian another. But Chuck and Kyle and I have faithfully taken our egg drop soup together at Wong's for nineteen years. Last night was no exception.

The scene was the same. In the far corner was a large family, adults and little ones. Many tables were full with couples and foursomes. There was a line for carry-outs. The Christmas tree was up. It's been the same tree every year. A large statue of Buddha sat in the same corner as always. Kyle remarked that he couldn't understand how anyone would worship Buddha. Good question. Christmas music was playing overhead. WNIC...100.3. Waiters and waitresses bustled about and seemed particularly busy and disorganized this year. The owner was helping out and took our order.

A couple of tables away sat an elderly women with gray hair, at a table for four, all alone. She caught Chuck's eye first, and he said that he would really like to pay for her dinner. I asked him if he was sure that she was alone. He was sure. He had checked it out. She was actually done eating and getting her traditional carry-out containers to take home. Our hearts were touched by the sight of her, alone for dinner on Christmas Day. Now I can vividly recall years when we were counting our last dimes to make sure we had some money to carry on our tradition. In those days we would be cut short until the next pay day for sure, but we weren't going to miss this dinner. And there were years we barely had enough. Yesterday, to God be the glory, He is so faithful...we had enough to buy this women's dinner and ours. So it wasn't about sacrificial giving. But it was definitely about something.

When the owner took our order Chuck explained to her that we would like to pay for the elderly women's dinner. No problem. We watched from a couple of tables away when she explained to her that her bill was taken care of, but we couldn't see her face. Here's where it gets good. She bundled up her coat,taking her carryout containers in hand, and proceeded to go out the door. One of the waitresses started screaming for her to come back! She thought the lady was skipping out on her bill! The table next to her started yelling, "No, No, the boss lady said that someone paid her bill!" Whew! Out the door she went.

Once she was gone, "boss lady" came to our table to ask if we were a relative of the woman. Now if we were, don't you think we would've been sitting with her? Just sayin'. Anyway, she told us that the lady had begun to cry when she found out that someone had paid her bill. It turns out that her husband passed away two weeks ago, and her son was a no-show for this very Christmas dinner. Sweet Lord Jesus!

I mean that! Sweet Lord Jesus!! Over two thousand years ago, God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son, Jesus. Jesus ... Immanuel...God with us. Over two thousand years later, on a cold Christmas night in Michigan, He is still God with us. He was God with that elderly woman. And He showed her, up close and personal, how much He cares for her. What I didn't tell you is that we almost didn't go to dinner last night. We almost got carryout. But something inside of me was saying that we should go and not break the tradition. Oh, thank you for the promptings of your Holy Spirit!

Do you see how our God cares so deeply and personally for each and every one of us? He knows how many hairs are on that grieving woman's head. Her name is engraved on the palms of His hands. His voice spoke from Heaven. He chose to come to her intimately, in the middle of a Chinese restaurant filled with strangers, and tell her... "I love you daughter. You are not alone. I am with you." And I'm humbled and so intensely grateful that He chose to use our little family to bring His message.

When all was said and done, "boss lady" told us that she had told the woman that God was looking down on her. I don't know if "boss lady" is a believer, if she just said the word "God", if she's a Buddhist, or what. But she gave "God" the glory and so do I. She also told us this, "I have never before seen people like you."

Oh, boss lady, I have never before seen anyone like my Jesus!

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests."

Christmas Greetings

2011-12-06T13:48:00.000-05:00

From Our House

To Your House...

From Our Hearts

To Yours...

Merry Christmas

and A Blessed New Year!

"You can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look up into the Father's face and tell him you have received his Christmas gift."
--John R. Rice

"Tuesdays with Jesus" will return in January

#224 Good News Bad News

2011-11-29T14:45:00.000-05:00

Has anyone ever come to you with the question, "What do you want first? The good news or the bad news?" Me? I choose to hear the bad news first, thinking that when I hear the good, it will take the sting out of the bad.

Around 700 B.C., the prophet Isaiah couldn't wait to share good news.

Characteristically, people ran from Isaiah, because if he didn't have bad news, he'd have no news at all. In sharp contrast to warning words of coming judgment and doom, the prophet had news that when it came to pass, would change the course of history forever.

"A child has been born for us.

We have been given a son

who will be our ruler.

His names will be

Wonderful Advisor

and Mighty God,

Eternal Father

and Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6 CEV

Fast forward about 700 years. In Bethlehem Ephrathah, small among the clans of Judah, in the fullness of time, wrapped in cloths and placed in a manger, the child, the son, the ruler, the One of whom the prophets spoke, was come into our world.

That's the good news.

"He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him."

John 1: 10-11

That, my friend, is the bad news.

I don't know if reading those words had any effect on you, but they never fail to take my breath away, no matter how many times I've read them. To me, they are the saddest words in all of holy Scripture.

The long awaited, the One to whom every small letter and stroke of pen pointed, the vision of every prophet's dream and sound of voice, the light, the life, came into the world flesh, tabernacled among men, and they neither recognized nor received Him.

Fast forward again. A little over two thousand years.

Do we recognize Christ in Christmas?

Do we recognize Him at all?

Do we recognize Him in every rising and setting of the sun? Hear Him in a child's laughter? Smell His fragrance on a newborn baby's skin? Behold Him in the strength of a widow, wife of 50 years, her first Christmas without?

Do we recognize Him in a drop of rain that yields yellow and pink and purple springs? Do we see Him in the snowflake, uniquely different from every other? Do we bow to the Giver when we see breath in cold winter air?

Does the bell peal for Him? Do the carols sing of Him?

He is the face of hunger, the parch of thirst. He is the stranger and the naked. He is the sick. He is the lonely. He is the imprisoned.

Do you recognize Him?

Are you even looking?

Bows and boxes. Malls and madness. Debt and delirium.

Do we know it's Christmas time at all?

He is in the world. A world that doesn't recognize Him.

That which is His own, doesn't receive Him.

Bad news for certain.

But...

"Behold, I am coming soon."

(Revelation 22: 7, 12, 20)

Then, Kyrios, the name above every name, will fell every knee to the ground, in heaven, on earth and under the earth. Every tongue will confess that Jesus, the Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

That is Good News!

#223 One More Thanksgiving Post

2011-11-22T14:54:00.000-05:00

What can I say about Thanksgiving that hasn't been said a thousand times on Facebook and Twitter and all over the blogosphere during the last two weeks?

I must confess that I'm cheating today. This post is an edited version of one that I wrote in 2005, when "Tuesdays with Jesus" first began. I admit that I have used it on some other Thanksgiving weeks since then.

I repent.

Many of you have never seen this post, and for those of you who have, I believe that the message is still as sweet for this very holiday week. Psalm 98 was my inspiration, and I would encourage you to stop what you're doing and read those words before you continue. Won't you please?

How typical is it to write about Thanksgiving this week? It doesn't surprise you, does it? I think that you may find what you are about to read is a little different. Are you up for a challenge?

The Lord asked me to do something this week that is quite out of the ordinary, and I invite you to accept the challenge with me. From today until next Saturday evening, give thanks. "Easy enough", you say. No, I mean ONLY give thanks. Don't ASK God for anything - ONLY give thanks.

Verse 1 of this psalm says, "Sing to the Lord a new song". The "songs" we typically sing are full of requests and petitions to God. I would guess that your "asking" time outweighs your praising and thanking time, when you go to God in prayer. Let's sing a new song - one of ONLY giving thanks. No whining, no complaining, no begging, no asking - ONLY thanks!

Do you believe that your Heavenly Father knows everything you need before you ask Him (Matthew 6:8)? Let me assure you that just because you aren't asking for a few days, doesn't mean that God will not be aware of your needs. He's not going to say, "Gee, I haven't heard any requests from Sally and Joe today - I wonder what's going on; I wonder what they need?" How absurd! Your Father knows! Yes, we are told to pray, but I believe that it will be refreshing and pleasing to God's ears to hear nothing but our heartfelt thanks for a few days.

We can thank Him because He has done marvelous things (v.1). His right hand and holy arm have worked salvation for Him (v. 1b). He is righteous (v. 2). He makes His love and faithfulness known to all the ends of the earth (v. 3). He is our King (v. 6). He is the judge who will judge in righteousness and equity (v. 9). He forgives all your sins, heals all your diseases, redeems your life from the pit, crowns you with love and compassion, and satisfies your desires with good things (Psalm 103: 1-5).

Thank Him - Praise Him!!

When I'm talking thanks, friend, I'm talking real thanks. Look at the commands of Psalm 98. Verse 4a says, "Shout". To "shout"is to utter a sudden loud cry. "Burst into jubilant song with music". (v. 4b) "Bursting" is like an explosion - "jubilant" is rejoicing in triumph. Explode into triumphant rejoicing over your God!

Sing - shout for joy (v. 6)! When David brought the Ark of the Lord back to Jerusalem, he was leaping and dancing before the Lord to the point that the Bible says his wife despised him. He told her, "I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this" (2 Samuel Ch. 6:16,21-22).

The sea, the mountains, the rivers, the whole world, is commanded to sing before the Lord (Psalm 98: vs. 7-9). Jesus said that if the people didn't cry out, "the stones will cry out" (Luke 19:40).

Don't be put to shame by the rocks!

The praise and thanksgiving set forth in God's word is not quiet, reserved, or afraid of what other people think about it.

It is shouting, dancing, joyful music, and exuberant praise to the One who is worthy!

Not only will days of only thanksgiving be pleasing to the Lord, but I believe that it will be beneficial to us as well.

Try something for me. Say your name five times in your head. Now try and think about your address while still thinking your name. Can't do it, can you? We can't think about two things at the same time! While thanking God, we cannot worry. While expressing thanks, we cannot complain. We can't fret. We can't murmur or grumble. We can't work out our own plans to take care of our problems.

There's freedom in the midst of the thanksgiving!

I believe that our joy will increase and overflow as we thank. If we really concentrate on what we have been given, we will become joyful. Our focus will shift from what we don't have, to "every good and perfect gift" that God has given us (James 1:17).

You may be thinking that you don't have much to be thankful for today. Oh, my friend, you do! Start with your spiritual blessings; the Cross, salvation, God's love for you. His faithfulness, His mercy and compassion. The forgiveness of all of your sins. The Blessed Holy Spirit living on the inside of you. If you are reading this right now, I assume that you have been blessed with a roof over your head, clothes on your back, and food to nourish your body. I praise God each morning for eyes that see, ears that hear, lips that speak, and a body that moves. Each breath, each heartbeat - a gift from God.

Do you hate doing laundry? Thank God for a husband and children who wear those clothes and that you have the means to buy them. Do you hate house cleaning? Thank Him for providing shelter. Do you hate your job? Please don't!! Thank Him that you have one -- so many do not! You get the point...

You might say, "But Donna, you just don't know what I'm going through right now. It's so hard to be thankful." The Bible tells us to "give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). All -- not some. Even in bad situations we can thank Him because "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Thank Him because "the testing of your faith is developing perseverance (patience). When perseverance has finished it's work you will be mature, complete, not lacking anything" (James 1: 3-4). Maybe you can't see the end from the beginning today? Thank God for teaching you how to trust Him!!

Today is Tuesday. Won't you join me for the next five days on this journey of total thankfulness? It won't be easy, I assure you. We're not used to it. That old, ugly father of lies may even put on a stronger attack. Let me make a few suggestions:

When you have a thought or a situation that would cause you to worry or fret or complain, just say "Jesus". There is power in that name.

Say, "Jesus" and then begin to thank Him, once again.

If you are in a prayer group this week, dare to be different - tell the others that you're doing nothing this week but thanking Him. Who knows? It may catch on....Hallelujah!

Thank Him for what He WILL do, ahead of time, "calling things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17). Thank Him for that healed marriage. Thank Him for that saved son or daughter. Thank Him for the provision He is sending...right now!

Put your laundry list of requests in your pocket, immerse yourself in the Word, and see all His benefits (Psalm 103:2). Shout for joy even if you don't feel like it. Be undignified! Let "Thank you Jesus!" continually be in your mouth! Then go to worship Him on Sunday morning. Praise, sing, dance, if you're not embarrassed. You will have "joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Peter 1:8).

I believe that God is going to do some mighty things in our lives this week. I really do. Won't you try it with me? And I would love to hear from you. Leave me a comment and share the awesome way that God has worked in your life and situations, as you spent a week in thanksgiving. Then we will rejoice and thank Him together!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.

September Morn Remembering Noah

2011-11-17T06:00:00.002-05:00

As I fill the bird feeder with seed and pick cherry tomatoes off the vine, the air feels the same. It's funny how a chill in the air, but the promise of a beautiful fall day, can take you back. It feels the same. The same as that last September morn.

I pull my morning jacket close around me and remember. That day held such promise and hope. Standing on a balcony, telling my sweet girl, "Go have yourself a baby." A bassinet and a welcome home sign were waiting. I can feel it all, today, on this September morn.

Hours later, a phone call. A weeping doctor said that the baby died. Noah was gone.

My tears are flowing freely now. I couldn't cry then. I couldn't cry for days.

I've never felt so helpless in all of my life.

Today I can feel it all. I relive it. The events. Minute by minute. Hour by hour. The weight of it threatens to blanket the sun that is rising in the east.

But the sun rises. Nevertheless. It has risen and set for the last 365 days. The days since that September morn. The days where we were sure that the sun would never shine again.

The only thing that would "never be", was that we would never, ever, be the same.

Maybe that's why things have just seemed not right this week. Just off kilter.

Geese fly overhead in V-formation. They feel it. They know the winter is coming. Their senses warn them. They are graciously allowed to fly away. They won't return until it's over.

Oh, to be one with them! To sense the coming cold and bitter winds, and take flight. To miss the frigid. To avoid the harsh. To bask in warm sunshine south, and not come back until it's over. If I could have...

Instead, He makes us stay. We stay and we cry and we bleed and we scream and we hurt and we endure and we lean and we trust, and we don't trust. We believe! Forgive our unbelief!

I am hiding. I am under the shadow of His wings. He holds me close and whispers in my ear through the words of this morning's devotional.

A verse that He gave me years ago for Noah's mom. Now He reminds me. For Noah.

"Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" (John 11: 40)

It took my breath away.

While we would love to be planning a 1st birthday party this week. While Noah's mom and dad would rather have held a breathing baby in their arms. While Gigi would've loved to add Hot Wheels to the toy box and watch army men decapitate Barbie dolls. All the while glory shines.

Glory is flesh and blood having close encounters with the Living God. Growing closer to Him by watching Noah's parents. A village in Uganda thriving because of a well bearing Noah's name. Drinking not only clean, physical water, but learning of the "Living Water" that is Christ Jesus. Holden Uganda. Hope Mommies. Tragedy that points folk to triumph that is possible only in Him. Learning what strength and provision and grace that is amazing really means. Enduring. Enduring well. Having this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God, and not from us. Seeing God in a way that could never have been possible without the horrific.

So many are still seeking the purpose and plan for their lives. Our sweet Noah fulfilled his purpose and the plan God had for his life without ever breathing earth's air. Now He resides with our Savior. A job well done, good and faithful servant. He gave his life for eternal purposes, just like his Jesus. He is more like Him than we can ever hope to be. He sees His face. He knows what it feels like to be held in the warm embrace of the everlasting arms.

Would I take that from Noah...even if I could?

I walk by faith and not by sight.

Aside from Christ, I have never, ever loved anyone that I cannot see, more than my grandson, Noah Daniel Mahalak.

September Mornings Still Can Make Me Feel That Way!

Happy First Birthday, Mister Man! You are a beautiful, beautiful boy!

#222 "Are They Amazed?"

2011-11-15T14:21:00.000-05:00

If you browse through the Gospel pages of my old and worn-torn Bible, you will notice that over the years I have circled every instance where Scripture says that someone, or a group of someones, was "amazed" by Jesus. I've never taken the time to count, but there are more than a few.

My morning readings this month have been from the book of Acts, and I'm excited that my church is also doing a series on this same book. As I was reading from chapter three a week or two ago, I came upon a verse at the end of a story where Peter and John had healed a lame man who used to sit at the gate called Beautiful. (Acts 3: 1-10) This man was now walking and jumping and praising God. This man who used to sit at the gate because he could do nothing more. This man, who by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, danced. The Scripture says that all who saw "were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him."

Jesus amazed people. His life and miracles amazed the crowds, the religious leaders, and the government rulers. Now "all the people" were amazed at the acts of His apostles and I take liberty to say, they were amazed at the apostles themselves.

Two thousand years later, are we, His apostles and disciples, amazing anyone?

Are we amazing them with our hypocrisy?

Are we amazing them with our unbelief ?

Are our lives indistinguishable from the value system of this world?

Are we more about what we are against, rather than what we are for?

Or...

Are we amazing them with the way that we love?

Are we amazing them with the way that we give?

Are we amazing them with the way we love our husbands, raise our children, handle our finances, and conduct our lives?

Are we amazing them with the way we forgive?

The way we sacrifice?

The way we stand strong in the storms of life, full of faith and unwavering belief?

Are we more about what we are for, rather than what we are against?

Acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God. (Micah 6: 8)

The suffix "-ians" means "belonging to the party of."

Christ is the Anointed One and the Messiah.

Put together, the word "Christian" means "belonging to the party of Christ, Anointed One and Messiah."

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." Gandhi

Lord, let it not be so!

Two thousand years later, Christ is still amazing. He continues to amaze people every day.

We, His followers, should be amazing too.

#221 "Divine Discontent"

2011-11-09T13:56:00.000-05:00

I wrote a book, but I'm not a famous author.

I speak messages, but I'm not a famous "speaker."

I write words on a blog, but I'm not really a "blogger."

I don't know a famous musician, singer/songwriter.

I haven't traveled around the world to do mission work.

I can write. I can speak. I can blog. I can do good work. But at the age of 54, I am seeking. I'm still trying to figure it all out. I've got the "Who Am I?" question pretty down pat. Who I am in Christ, that is. That was no small feat, let me tell you.
I've learned to separate my "who" from my "do." It's that "do" part that's got me stumped.

It's hard to see the young women, seemingly "getting it" at such an early age. Oh, how I wish I had "gotten it" way back then. I would have been more committed. I would have been more forceful. I would have invested more. I would've let dishes pile and dust bunnies frolic, to make way for more of the important, the eternal, the best. I've reconciled all of that now too. Can't go back. Can't change a thing.

But God...

Can restore the years that the locusts have eaten.

Can redeem my stupidity, my mistakes, my straddling the fence.

Can make beautiful things from the ashes of my ignorance.

But what about now? The here and now.

I convinced myself that I am in a season of rest. Ceasing from all the "do's" of late, it would appear that I am resting from the work. A book published. A speaking engagement done. Family life calmer now.

Nothing calm about what I'm feeling inside. I want more. I want to be closer. I have a longing that I cannot put into words. As the deer pants.

"Divine Discontent", my friend Phillis used to call it. Ya, that's it.

Asking, seeking, knocking. Tears streaming. Telling God, "You know what I mean."

Even when I don't know what I mean.

Let His Holy Spirit pray with all manner of groaning.

Maybe the longing itself is the answer to prayer.

Maybe the longing is really the beginning.

But the beginning of what?

Ah. That's the hard part. The. Beginning. Of. What.

He made promises to me. Will He be like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails?

He and I have a covenant, don't we? I cut my life in two and arranged the halves. The day He passed between the pieces and made a promise.

I've seen it from a distance. I've tasted a bit. I've been close enough to grasp, but never close enough to apprehend.

As best as this human brain can comprehend, I feel like I know.

So I make my way up Mount Moriah. My Isaac's bundled in my arms. My hands that write. My lips that speak. My heart that longs. Hopes. Dreams. Expectations. Even those I love so dearly.

With every step, with every breath, saying, "Even if He takes this, He will provide."

I arrange it all on the altar. A divine exchange.

With the One who gave it all to me in the first.

It was never mine to begin with. So I give it back to Him.

My hand raised, knife in my grip. Perhaps He will stay my hand.

If I do not withhold from Him, my Isaacs.

Perhaps not.

But if He takes them from me, I will still say, "The Lord will provide."

God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering.

God Himself DID provide the LAMB for the burnt offering.

Is that not what all of my soul-seeking has been looking for all along?

"If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it."

(Matthew 10: 39 CEV)

#220 Hiding in the Baggage

2011-10-25T13:27:00.000-05:00

The first thing I must do is start this post with a DISCLAIMER.

I've chosen part of a verse of Scripture to base my writing on today. I will basically not reference the verses before or the verses that come after it. Well, maybe I will...maybe I won't. I'm not taking this verse in context. My goal is not to give you a formal exegesis. I am not saying that this is what we should take away from this particular Scripture. Today is just about something that struck me hard. Ready? Here we go...

"And the Lord said, Yes, he has hidden himself among the baggage."

(1 Samuel 10: 22)

About ten days ago, someone posted this verse on Twitter. Just the verse. No commentary, no nothing; just the verse. I haven't been able to shake it ever since. "He has hidden himself among the baggage."

In the text, "he" was Saul, and he was hiding among the trunks, suitcases, and luggage used for traveling. For our purposes, how many of us hide among things that encumber our freedom, our progress, our development, or our adaptability? How many of us hide amidst the BAGGAGE of our lives?

If we've walked earth's sod for any number of years, we've picked up stuff along the way. The King James Version of this same verse says, "Behold he hath hid himself among the stuff." Baggage. Stuff. We all have it.

Things that have happened to us in the past. Where we've come from. What was done to us. Things we've done ourselves. Experiences. Circumstances. Offenses. Conversations. Rejections. Abuses. Cuts. Bruises. Gaping wounds, sometimes scabbed, picked, and oozing poison once again.

We hide because of them. We hide behind them. We hide amidst and among them.

And we go nowhere.

Limits are placed on baggage when we board an airplane because lift-off and forward movement can only handle so much weight. Our emotional and psychological "baggage" will prevent us from soaring. It will impede our growth and forward momentum in every area of our lives. You were never created to carry all that weight.

One of the most gut-wrenching sermons I have ever seen and heard was one given by Bishop T.D. Jakes some years ago. I won't ever forget it as long as I live. The Bishop walked up and down the aisle and the front of the sanctuary, having someone place suitcases, duffel bags and all manner of luggage on him, piece by piece. Each one had a name. Names like those I listed above. In the beginning, he was able to move freely and rather quickly. With each added piece, his movements became more encumbered, slower, and eventually he could barely crawl up the steps of the altar before he collapsed under the weight of them all. What a visual of our beaten down estate when we try to function, all the while carrying around all of that baggage. I sobbed at the bare, raw truth depicted in that demonstration.

What would it look like, my friend, if we could reverse this demonstration? If one by one, we could deliberately take each bag off, and lay it at the foot of the Cross of the Lord's Christ? Imagine the increasing freedom of movement that corresponds with the discarding of each piece of baggage, until...until...we stand erect, unencumbered and free. And could we be so bold as to never pick those bags up again?

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1)

"...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." (Hebrews 12: 1)

A runner cannot run loaded down with any kind of weight. We will never be a part of the race, let alone win the race of life, loaded down with hindrances and baggage.

Throw off the baggage. Run free!

Those bags are not sufficient excuses to justify our wrong choices.

Those bags are not sufficient excuses to sit on the sidelines and never be used by God.

Those bags are not sufficient excuses to avoid the people of God.

Those bags are not a hiding place.

Those bags ARE heavy, destructive, devastating, limiting, suck-the-life out of you, straight from the pits of hell, weapons of the enemy of your soul.

You will never rise, fly, produce, serve, or experience true Holy Spirit joy or peace, as long as you insist on hiding amidst your baggage.

In the text, Saul was chosen to be king over Israel, but no one knew where he was. No one that is, except the Lord. It was He who said, "he has hidden himself among the baggage."

You may be able to run and hide from others; maybe even from yourself. But the Lord knows. He sees you cowering and trembling and hiding yourself among all that baggage.

Look. He is holding out His hand and beckoning you to come forth. He is calling you to step out into the light of His love and grace, forgiveness and mercy. He is ready to take those bags from you, one by one, and throw them into the abyss forever.

Go ahead.

Don't be afraid.

Come out of your hiding place.

He is there.

You will never be the same again.

#219 "Fall Into Rest"

2011-10-18T13:22:00.000-05:00

Green chlorophyll stands aside to make way for yellow, orange, and red, as the hum of food-making grows silent. Nature falls into autumn. The trees will rest.

I used to view the fall season in terms of death and dying. I even wrote from that perspective on this very blog. ("Beauty in the Dying") This year is different somehow. The wind dances through the half-barren branches and whispers something new as she goes. "Rest", she says. "Rest."

No word could be sweeter to my weary than that word...rest. The last few months were anything but that. I spent three months writing and self-publishing my e-book. September was spent preparing to speak to a group of precious women about the Living Water that is our Christ. Just over a week ago, my daughter married the man of her dreams, and we watched our 3 year old granddaughter for 5 days while they honeymooned. All along I kept saying, "if I can just get through these four things....then I can rest." I've gotten through. I've come out on the other side.

Weary. Tired. Empty. Physically. Emotionally. Spiritually.

God's creation declares that it is autumn, and it's not about dying...it's about rest.

As leaves become crunchy carpeting under my feet, I think a lot about what parallels there are between autumn and my need for rest. God has ordained the seasons for their specific purposes. "There is a season for every activity under heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1) Not only are seasons ordained in nature, but God ordains the times and seasons of our lives as well.

The Bible frequently mentions the "early rain", signifying the rain of the autumn. From May to October, no rain fell and the land became dry, parched and brown. The people patiently and expectantly looked for the autumn rains to come and prepare the earth for reception of the seed, and to revive the parched and thirsty soil.

My parched and thirsty soul needs the autumn rain to prepare my heart to receive the Seed.

Rest is the rain that will fill this empty vessel so that I can give out again.

Leaves fall.

Flowers cut down and dormant.

Production ceases.

The land rests.

In autumn's soul rest, I can cease from striving to produce.

I can quietly receive and lay down the frantic of giving out.

Holy Spirit rain falls afresh.

The harsh winds of winter will come soon enough. Rest only lasts long enough for one to get refilled. I want to give. I want to produce. I want to stand with face like flint against the winter blasts that will surely come my way. They always do.

But for such a time as this, I will...

...sit across the morning table from Jesus, and have discussion about His Word, before the rising of the sun. I will light more candles. I will make my home. I will cozy up in soft blankets when night falls and the lamps are lit. I will read good books that encourage me to do greater things in the name of Jesus. I will linger long in His presence and talk to Him about everything. I will take naps and use my slow cooker more often. I will choose joy and live thankful for everything. I will rest. I will rest. I will rest. It doesn't come naturally but it becomes a necessity.

I wait like the husbandman with longing to receive the Holy Spirit rain that will revive my parched and thirsty soul. I wait for autumn's refreshment, restoration and renewal, so that I may produce once again.

Because rest only lasts long enough for one to get refilled.

"Behold congenial Autumn comes,
the Sabbath of the Year."
- John Logan

#218 "But Now..."

2011-10-04T13:16:00.001-05:00

"My ears had heard of you

but now my eyes have seen you."

(Job 42: 5)

...in first morning sun illuminating first born Son.

...in "the Lord is a God who knows and remembers and because she asked for her".

(1 Samuel 1-2)

...in "Jesus loves me, this I know."

...in heritage and reward and quivers full.

...in afflictions eclipsed by Glory.

...in love

soft as an easy chair, strong until death, unquenchable, rivers cannot wash away.

...in answered prayer and double portions.

... in "It's benign, dear Donna..." Emily

...in plenty.

...and in want.

...in deep hug, tears streaming down the dark face of one I've never met, but who heard God speak, cut to the quick, through my imperfect words.

...in pain, in tears, in paralyzing fear, in the horror of the unspeakable.

...in crucifixion, in shared suffering, bruised reeds and broken hearts.

My ears had heard of you.

But now my eyes have seen you.

If not for dark, I would have never seen Light.

If not for the storm, I would have never seen the rainbow.

If not for the wind, the seeds would never fall.

If not for the waves, shore would never be so sweet.

The anchor holds.

If not for the vicissitudes of life, we would never be so close.

Because never are we closer than there.

Never feel His breath on our face.

Never feel the warm and muscle of Everlasting Arms.

Never closer than when we are broken, bruised, and battered.

My ears had heard of you

but now

my eyes have seen you.

I am blinded by Your beauty!

On An Autumn Tuesday

2011-09-27T12:57:00.000-05:00

I'm under the gun today, putting the finishing touches on a message I will give before some precious lovely ladies on Friday night. Although my body sits here, on a beautiful fall day in Michigan, my mind and my heart are far away, in another place and time. A place that is arid and hot. A place not many liked to travel to, and a place where someone encountered the living Christ in all of His fullness for the very first time. I still wanted to touch base with you, even though I just can't wrap my mind around much else right now.

Some of you will be attending the event on Friday. I wish that each and every one of you could! We have an awesomely awesome evening planned. But whether I will see your beautiful face in person or not, can I ask you to pray?

Pray that Christ will be high and lifted up in our midst. Pray that He will be the Guest of Honor at our gathering, and that He will show us His Glory, fresh and new!

This is so random, but I want to give you a present. Here is the recipe for the absolute BEST dessert you will ever make or eat, during an autumn season. I promise!

Crockpot Apple Streusel

Peel and slice: about 8 apples, to make 6 cups, sliced.

In a large bowl, toss the apples with:
1 1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. ground allspice
1/4 t. ground nutmeg

Place in a large (4-6 qt.) greased crockpot.

In another bowl, combine:

3/4 c. milk
2 T. butter or margarine, softened
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. Bisquick or other baking mix

Spoon over apples.

In another bowl, combine:

1 c. Bisquick or other baking mix
1/3 c. brown sugar

Cut in until crumbly:

3 T. cold butter or margarine

Add:

1/2 c. sliced almonds (or another kind of nut) *I leave this part out.

Sprinkle the streusel topping over the apples in the crockpot.

Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or until the apples are tender.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

You're gonna thank me for this!!

Thanks for your prayers! Not one will be wasted on us!

#217 "September Morn Remembering Noah"

2011-09-20T09:16:00.001-05:00

A verse that He gave me years ago for Noah's mom. Now He reminds me. For Noah.

"Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" (John 11: 40)

It took my breath away.

Would I take that from Noah...even if I could?

I walk by faith and not by sight.

Aside from Christ, I have never, ever loved anyone that I cannot see, more than my grandson, Noah Daniel Mahalak.

September Mornings Still Can Make Me Feel That Way!

Happy First Birthday, Mister Man! You are a beautiful, beautiful boy!

#216 "The Prison Of Her Soul"

2011-09-12T13:10:00.003-05:00

The room was small. A bed, a desk, and facilities was all. Remembering, it was cold. Thirty five years she had spent in that place.

In the prison of her soul.

Others had just arrived. More had been there longer. In the place where heaviness and hopelessness was the mark on the day.

Trying to pass the time with pursuits she hoped would numb the pain that she felt inside. Chasing after things.

Success. Riches. Acceptance. Love in the embrace of arms that only took and never gave.

Nothing worked there. In the prison of her soul.

The list of charges was long and only seemed to grow with each new sunrise.

Trying to tow the line. To be a good girl. The accuser always brought another charge.

GUILTY!

She always wondered what it would be like to know the man at work who belonged to another.

GUILTY! Charge: Adultery!

She remembers signing the consent form. Ending the tiny life of one who could never fight for the right to one day breathe Earth's air.

GUILTY! Charge: Murder!

Judgment, envy, hatred, anger, gossip, selfishness.

Screaming in her head.

GUILTY! GUILTY! GUILTY!

Banging on the bars. A voice.

"You are free to go."

A dream? A cruel joke?
Free? Free? I will never be free!

A man has agreed to take her place. She can go free. Could it be? Who would ever do that? A man?

Almost laughable! Men had only let her down. She hears herself say, "I want to meet this man." They have already taken him away. It is for her to believe and walk free.

Leaving her cell, she hides in the shadows, watching. She recalls an old story she had heard. Peter, wasn't it? Watching from the shadows? She can scarcely breathe when she finds him. Beatings. For her.

Hands go to ears trying to quiet the voices. Taunting. Mocking. Him. For her. Spitting on him. Not her.

She follows in the shadows. "Dead Man Walking", they cry. She stares at his back on it's way to the death chamber. She wants so badly to see his face.

What is he carrying? A cross with something written on it. Oh! No! Every sin, evil thought and sickness she ever had was carved into the wooden beam.

Heavy nails pierce hands and feet. Nailed to the beam he bore. Screams of pain. Pain she will never be required to know. Blood flows. "I must get closer...I must see him!"

Just then. He turns. The most beautiful eyes she has ever seen...eyes full of love.

"Is He speaking? To me?"

"My beautiful daughter, I love you so much. You are free - believe it - you are truly free. You are not only forgiven, but your sins are totally off of your record. No one will ever be able to accuse you again. Every sin you will ever commit in your life will be covered by this blood that I am shedding for you right now!"

For a moment His words are interrupted by someone trying to give Him something to drink. But He turns back and says, "Wait. I have more to give you." MORE! What more could He give? Getting weaker with each passing moment, He says that He will send what His Father promised. Another. Holy Spirit. To be with her all the days of her life. A guide. A comforter. A counselor. Life eternal with Him. She will see Him again. She will never be alone again. She will never be abused. She will never be rejected. Forever loved.

He cries out one more time. "It is finished!"

He is dead. She is free.

A soldier stands by. A tear falling down his cheek. She approaches him and asks, "Who was that man?"

"Surely this man was the Son of God!"

He hands her the release papers. Shaking hands and pounding heart. The words.

Pardoned. No condemnation.

Penalty paid.

New creation.

Forever righteous.

Loved.

Valued.

Accepted.

Protected.

Redeemed.

Perfect!

She walks out of the darkness and into the light of freedom. She can't wait for you to hear her story. She starts searching for others who need to be set free. Prisoner turned evangelist.

Can you hear her?

Don't try to quiet her. She will not be silent.

Excuse her for being a little...RADICAL.

Radical Love touched her life, right there, in the prison of her soul.

"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

#215 "More Than Enough"

2011-09-06T13:16:00.002-05:00

A couple of Sunday's ago, we were sitting at the local Starbucks after breakfast, after church. This has become somewhat of a Sunday ritual. Chuck and I, Kelly and Dan, and Miss Ashton, leave our church service, have breakfast at the local coney island, and head over to Starbucks. Ashton loves her "coffee" which is really some strawberry-coconut, no caffeine concoction, depending on her fancy of the morning. We start 'em on Starbucks young in this family!

As we were chatting and sipping our drinks, Ashton's eyes were caught by the picture on the front of my cell phone.

Ashton and Brooklyn

I picked up my phone to show her momma and said, "Those are my girls." In the sweetest voice you would ever hear, Ash leaned her head on my shoulder and said, "You're MY Gigi?" (that would be me) I said, "Yes, honey, I'm your Gigi, but am I Brooklyn's Gigi too?" With the biggest sigh a 3 year old could muster, she hugged me tight and said, "Yaaa." There was a hint of sadness in her voice. Maybe she feared that there was just not enough Gigi to go around.

There once was a man named Jairus, who was one of the rulers of the synagogue. His little daughter was dying and he had heard of Jesus, who was healing many people. Falling at His feet, he begged Jesus to go with him to the place where his daughter lie. Jesus agreed and they set out for the home of the ruler.

Along the way, amidst the great crowds, walked a woman who had suffered from "female problems" for twelve long years. She had also heard of this Healer. Repeating these words, over and over again to herself, "If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed," she pressed forward through the multitude until she came upon the Man and touched the hem of His garment. Immediately, her bleeding stopped.

The Healer stopped to have an encounter with the healed. All the while, tapping his toes, Jairus waited. I can only imagine what he was thinking as his little daughter lay dying, and here was Jesus tending to another. Sure, she had an "issue", but HIS daughter was on her death bed, with only moments left to live. If this Man didn't hurry....

Then came the news. It was too late. "Your daughter is dead," Jairus heard. There just hadn't been enough Jesus to go around.

Perhaps you're standing on the sidelines today, tapping your foot, because it seems that Jesus is doing something for everyone else but you. You asked Him, but He's stopped along the way to bless, heal, provide, and supply someone else's need. If this Jesus doesn't hurry....

The enemy will tell you just what "some men" came and told Jairus. "Why bother the teacher any more?" It's not your turn. It's too late. You missed out. He's forgotten you. He gave all He had to someone else.

"Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."

Jesus went to the home of Jairus in spite of what they said. He knew something they didn't know. She was only sleeping, He told them. Not dead. They laughed at Him. Woe to those who laugh at the Healer!

Immediately the girl stood up, walked around and ate a meal.

Jesus modeled for us a key ingredient to any victory. Ignore what the enemy says!

There is enough of Jesus for you, no matter how long He stops to care for someone else. It's not too late. You haven't missed out. He hasn't given His all to another. His garment is long enough. His power is great enough. He knows something you do not. Ignore the voice of the enemy. Don't be afraid. Just believe! Even if He stops along the way. A delay is not a denial.

My heart has enough room and enough love for both of my granddaughters. There is quite enough Gigi to go around.

Christ's heart has enough love, and His hands have enough power to heal, for you and for me. He will tend to both of us you see, because He loves us both the same. There's more than enough of Him to go around.

Scripture Reference: Mark 5: 21-43

Get your copy of my new e-book today!

Lessons from Ruth: Discovering Your Destiny
By Donna Schultz
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Thank you to my friend, Emily, who shared my book on her blog! Don't miss reading her words. She has a beautiful heart to share with you!

#214 A Chapter from "Lessons From Ruth: Discovering Your Destiny"

2011-08-30T12:39:00.003-05:00

Chapter Ten

“Happenstance or Providence”

Cities and towns in Ruth’s day were usually set upon a hill. Bethlehem was no exception, and it is believed that at the foot of the hill leading out of Bethlehem, there lay a fertile valley in which the fields of the man Boaz lie.

We can probably say with good certainty that when Ruth crossed the border of Bethlehem and started down the hill, she had no idea where on earth she was going. As she walked along the way, there were no angelic visitations and no visions in the sky. There were no road signs at the bottom of the hill, and as far as we can surmise, no voices spoke to her.

Can’t you just feel the excitement of the four words that Samuel uses to describe what happens next? “As it turned out”. As it turned out, Ruth found herself in the field of Boaz. The King James translation says, “Her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging to Boaz.” That’s a fun sentence to say. From Ruth’s viewpoint, she just “happened” to end up in Boaz’s field. It was just happenstance. It was only a coincidence. I think not.

If Ruth had gone to another field, they may as well have called the shepherds and the Magi, and told them not to bother taking that trip to Bethlehem many years later. This was a set up. This was a divine set up!

Ruth was not in Boaz’s field by chance. God had provided this place. He directed Ruth to the appropriate Bethlehem field. Ruth was uncertain, but God was not. His providence over-ruled any uncertainty she may have had.

If the FBI had been there dusting for prints, the fingerprints of God would have been all over this one! The Holy Spirit had already written Matthew Chapter One, the genealogy of Christ, Ruth’s name was entered, and things had to go exactly according to plan.

Your times are in the hands of God today. Psalm 31: 15 says exactly that. “My times are in your hands.” Psalm 37: 23 says, “The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord.” And Proverbs 20: 24 says, “A man’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?” Ruth had no understanding that day of what God was up to as her sandaled feet hit the barley fields of Boaz. God has the ultimate, final say in our lives. His fingerprints are all over us.

“As it turned out?” I don’t think so. I’m sure that Ruth saw her present situation, being as poor as she was, forced to pick up scraps, as a set-back. But this was no set-back. This was a set-up! A divine set-up!

If we could start to look at our own situations and circumstances and say, “Yes, this really stinks, but I believe that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). The situation I’m in is NOT a set-back. It’s a set-up!”

You might say, “Well, Donna, God was setting things up for the birth of the Messiah. Who am I? What difference do my circumstances make in the grand scheme of things?” Can I tell you that you have no idea what God may want to do with your life? You have no clue what He may have in mind. Think about your situation today and say out loud, “It’s a set-up!” Go ahead. Say it again. “It’s a set-up!”

God can use that very situation to work out His mighty plan for your life. He can use it to change your family, your church, your workplace, and your entire destiny. You may be hot, dirty, and exhausted from picking up scraps day after day, toiling in the hot sun of your circumstances, but God can turn that around in a hot second.

Joseph knew this. Look at what he told his brothers; the very same brothers who threw him in a pit and left him for dead.

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50: 20)

God is able to take every fiery dart the enemy throws at you and turn it to good. God can take even the evil deeds of others and turn them around for good. He’s setting you up!

We can believe that with all of our hearts, or we can murmur, grumble, and complain our way through our circumstances. That’s exactly what the nation of Israel did. It took them forty years to make an eleven day journey. We can wander aimlessly in the wilderness or we can get to our promised land, depending on the choice we make.

God is patient. He’s a gentleman. He will wait for you to stop murmuring, grumbling and complaining for as long as it takes. He will never force you to do anything. But you never know who, any minute, just around the corner, might be coming to the field where you are picking up the scraps! Your “just then” could be “right now!”

Verse 4 says, “Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem.” Was this another case of happenstance? Was it another happy accident? After what we’ve just learned, can you say, “NO WAY?” Nothing that happened here was an accident. This Boaz, the one who just happened to arrive from Bethlehem, was of the clan of Elimelech, Naomi’s dead husband, and we will soon see just how important that was. God hasn’t missed a trick! It’s all been a set-up!

Lessons from Ruth: Discovering Your Destiny
By Donna Schultz
Buy Now!

AVAILABLE IN PDF AND KINDLE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD

#213 "Grace Amid the Thorns"

2011-08-23T12:59:00.000-05:00

photo from: margauxville.com

Thorns. Like pointed arrows. We touch. We hurt. We bleed.

Flaming arrows of the evil one. They hit their mark. We hurt. We bleed.

Thorns in the flesh. Sent to torment. Allowed for a reason.

Paul's thorn kept him from becoming conceited. What would I become without the thorns?

What will I become with them?

Three times and more, I ask for the taking away.

"My grace is sufficient for you," He says.

Is it really? The words flow off my lips.

"His grace is sufficient for me."

But is it? Really?

It is, because He says it is.

The better question is, "Do I really believe it is?"

When it hurts. When I bleed. When it hits the mark.

Is grace enough for me?

Grace. Unmerited favor from God.

Good in the middle of bad. Light in the midst of dark.

Like those days when it rains but the sun is still shining.

Grace is the rose that grows from the thorn bush.

image from: haendi.files.wordpress.com

Three times He asked for the thorncup to be taken from Him.

image from: http://www.awordforyou.org/

Abba's grace.

Sufficient for Him.

Sufficient for me.

#212 "Platforms"

2011-08-16T13:18:00.004-05:00

Do you blog? Do you have a Facebook page? Do you "tweet?" Are you on Google+, MySpace or Tumblr? Xanga or Vox? Whether we like it or not, and whether we agree with the concept or not, social media is a part of our everyday life. Most people engage themselves in at least one of these avenues of communication with other people several times a day.

If you spend any time at all on any one of a host of social media sites, you have been given a platform. You are standing on a figurative soapbox sharing a little something with a lot of someones.

Lest I be labeled self-righteous, let me be clear and confess that I blog, I "tweet", and I have a Facebook page. My intent is not to tell you that social media is wrong or to suck the fun right out of it. My intent is to make somebody aware of the fact that they have been given a platform to speak. The question is, speak about what?

When we sit down with our fingers poised above the keys of our PC or laptop, what do we choose to share?

We all do it. We plug our books. We blog hop. We share our websites. We advance our political views. We post funny, amusing and laughable things. I do it. You do it as well, and there is nothing wrong with that. But every once in a while I believe that we need to use the social platforms God has given us to say something of worth and value. To share some kingdom stuff. To share some not so fun, serious stuff.

There is a great big world out there,

beyond our four walls and our own backyards.

It is with this very intent that I will share with you today what God has been pressing on my heart.

"URGENT: The most severe drought in decades is threatening the lives of more than 11 million people — especially young children — in the Horn of Africa. Famine has been declared in parts of southern Somalia, and threatens to spread further if nothing is done to prevent it. Kenya and Ethiopia are also severely affected by the crisis, with millions in critical need of food and water."

World Vision

Mission Feeding

"A child dies every 15 seconds from diseases caused by a lack of safe water and sanitation, that's 1.5 million children dying from preventable diseases such as diarrhea, cholera and typhoid every year."

Holden Uganda

"An estimated 27 million people are held in slavery worldwide, meaning there are more slaves in the world than were taken from Africa during 300 years of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Each year, more than 1 million children are exploited in the global commercial sex trade. Between 18,000 and 20,000 victims are trafficked into the United States annually. Many who work with this issue believe this number is considerably higher. 100,000 to 300,000 children in America are at risk for sex trafficking each year."

RESCUELIFE

The A21 Campaign

These are the particular issues that are near and dear to my heart. They are the ones that keep me awake at night. They are the very situations that I feel helpless to do anything about and the ones that make tears stain my cheeks. They are the ones that compel me to open my check book and write numbers.

I send. I pray. I hope.

Today I'm choosing to use my God-given platform to share some serious things. As one blogger put it, "I don't want to be a Debbie-Downer", but I must. God wants me to. How do I know?

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31: 8-9

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25: 40

We are all given platforms to speak. I have them. You have them. What will you do with the platform you've been given?

"What I ask of American Christianity is not to show us more creeds, but more of Christ; not more rites and ceremonies, but more religion glowing with love and replete with life,—religion which will be to all weaker races an uplifting power, and not a degrading influence. Jesus Christ has given us a platform of life and duty from which all oppression and selfishness is necessarily excluded. While politicians may stumble on the barren mountains of fretful controversy and ask in strange bewilderment, "What shall we do with the weaker races?" I hold that Jesus Christ answered that question nearly two thousand years since. "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do you even so to them." Francis Ellen Watkins Harper

**All organization names are clickable links.

#211 "If I Perish, I Perish"

2011-08-09T14:26:00.006-05:00

During my quiet time this morning, I was reminded of the day, almost six years ago, when I had my first confirmation from God that I would be called to a new avenue of ministry. At the time, I was heavily involved in doing Outreach Ministry on the east side of Detroit. Stirring on the inside of me was a divine discontent with what I was doing, but I fought it for a long, long time. Through a series of circumstances, some that weren't so swell, God finally had my attention. What I felt God was saying at the time seemed absurd. I thought I was making it up in my bleached blonde head. It wouldn't go away. It was there at all times. It was scary. I ignored.

God had to put me on the backside of a mountain, away from what I had given my time and gifting to for so long, in order to prepare me for what lie ahead. One day He spoke to me so loud and clear through the pages of Scripture that I needed to take off my shoes. I was standing on Holy Ground. It was scary. This time I could not ignore.

I underlined. I circled. I wrote the date next to the word in my Bible. What God said to me from a burning bush changed the course of everything, and still drives me today.

The road hasn't been easy. You have to crawl before you walk, and I've done my share of crawling, trying to walk, falling, getting brushed off, and going again. It's been an uphill climb. It's been scary. I've still struggled with the ignoring part. God always leads me back to the commission. To the "what He wants me to do." Little steps of faith have grown year after year into huge leaps. Has it been worth it? You betcha it has!

I want to do big things for God. Big things require prayer, sacrifice and faith that when you can't see an inch in front of you, you take a step anyway.

God has been opening doors for me lately that sometimes scare me to death. I know that it's God because I've done nothing to orchestrate them. They have required me to sacrifice some important things for a season. They have required me to fall on my knees and pray like never before. They have required me to step out in faith when I'm so sure there will be nothing under my feet and I will fall, fall, fall, until I come crashing down.

Then He reminds me that Moses had to raise the staff in order to part the Red Sea.

He reminds me that David had to release the stones from the sling in order to slay Goliath.

He reminds me that Peter had to step out of the boat in order to walk on the water.

He reminds me that Esther had to go against all protocol of the Persian palace to get an audience with the king and save a nation.

The voice of Mordecai rings in my ears saying, "who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

It can be scary. It can feel absurd.

I will obey.

And if I perish, I perish.

#210 "The Problem, The Prescription, The Promise"

2011-08-02T14:07:00.000-05:00

The thirtieth chapter of the book of Isaiah begins in my Bible with the heading, "Woe to the Obstinate Nation."  Judah was being threatened by the Assyrian Empire and they sought an alliance with Egypt to ward off the threat. Rather than turning to God for protection, a strong faction wanted to seek help from Egypt, a country waning as a world power. Judah was forming plans for their survival, but they weren't God's plans.

Sending envoys to Egypt required passing through dangerous terrain, ripe with wild animals. They took expensive gifts on the backs of donkeys and camels. Judah's people went to great lengths, hardship, and expense because of their desperation for help. They had rejected all of the counsel given to them from the Lord, through the prophet Isaiah.

Could a chapter in the book of our lives be titled, "Woe to the Obstinate Christian?"

The Problem

We all have problems. Jesus promised that in this world we would have trouble, and that's a fact. You may not be in a season of sorrow, threatening circumstances, or dire situations right now, but we all go through them at one time or another. Some continue for years.

When we find ourselves surrounded by a powerful Assyrian army that threatens our well-being, and perhaps even our very survival, to whom do we turn?

Like those in Judah back in the day, we often plug our ears and refuse to listen to the word of the Lord. We reject godly counsel, all the while exerting enormous energy, and going to great lengths to devise our own plans.

The silliest thing ever is that this people was seeking to make an alliance with the nation that used to be their taskmasters. God pulled out all the stops to lead them out of Egypt, and when they found themselves in trouble, they turned to the very nation who had held them in slavery and bondage for 400 years.

How often do we go right back to the place of our former imprisonment when we need help?

There are all manner of "Egypts" that we can look to in our times of trouble, instead of looking up and seeking the help of the Lord. Out of a sense of panic, we sell ourselves into slavery once again to food, a bottle, a substance, a feeling, the arms of another person, be that flesh and blood real, or a fantasy on the internet. We trade the things of God for endless time on social media, to escape from having to think at all. We search for love, acceptance, perfectionism, achievement at all costs. We plot and we plan and we try and we attempt to figure our own way out. We set our feet on dangerous terrain, ripe with roaring lions, waiting in the shadows to devour us.

What is your "Egypt"? What is that place that God miraculously delivered you from, that you have that tendency to turn to each and every time you get in trouble? I can't name it for you, but you know. You know.

That place... that "Egypt"...that's the problem.

The Prescription

What if instead of going to Egypt in search of your answers, you turned to God? What if you opened the pages of Scripture and searched for the way out, instead of tightening the shackles around your ankles once again? Here is what you would find.

"This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength." (Isaiah 30: 15)

When you feel surrounded, with no way out, don't panic. Just as Egypt became a useless power, one that God called, "good for nothing" (Isaiah 30:7), your Egypt will do you no good. Instead, repent from looking anywhere, and to anything, instead of the living God, for your help in times of trouble.

Repent.

Rest.

Be quiet.

Trust.

Therein lies your salvation and your strength.

You can choose to "have none of it" (Isaiah 30: 15d), just like Judah did. A doctor can write a prescription for your physical ailment and put it in your hand, but it will do no healing good if you never take it to the pharmacy and get it filled. It will never help you if you don't take the medicine.

The Promise

Oh, I don't even have to do commentary on the promise. Scripture spells it out so plainly and wonderfully. Feast your eyes on your surety from God, if you will turn to Him, and leave Egypt in the dust, where it belongs.

"The Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion." (Isaiah 30: 18)

"How gracious He will be when you cry for help! As soon as He hears, He will answer you." (Isaiah 30: 19)

"Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity (are you eating that bread today?), and the water of affliction (drinking a big glass full?), your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." (Isaiah 30: 20-21)

What a promise! What a Savior! What an amazing God! The Holy One Himself will show you what to do!

You can choose to ignore the word of God like Judah did back in the day. Woe to you! "Woe" in the Hebrew sense is a passionate cry of grief or despair in the face of a present or coming danger.

You can sit around and cry "Woe is me" as the enemy laughs, tightening the grip on your chains. Or...

You can leave your "Egypt" in the past and receive the promise of the living God.

Coming August 31, 2011

#209 Rest

2011-07-26T13:43:00.004-05:00

On Thursday, my man, me, and my Mustang are hitting the open road and heading north to one of our favorite places on earth. We'll be celebrating 20 years of marriage. I am so looking forward to spending a lot of hours right here, listening to the waves beat against the shore, and soaking up some sun.

My son-in-law asked me what our plans would be for our time away. I told him that we would go to the beach, eat out, have some Dairy Queen, and basically do a whole lot of nothing. His response was, "That sounds so boring." I guess it does, but boring is just what we're aiming for on this trip. Most folks that I've talked to about our get-away had the same words of advice..."Get some rest."

It's kind of a sad state of affairs that in order to get some rest we have to pack our suitcases and drive hundreds of miles away from home.

Our DVR's are backed up with shows we haven't had the time to watch. Our e-mail boxes contain hundreds of entries that we just can't get around to reading. When I step away from Twitter for a few hours, a couple hundred posts are waiting for my return. (Until I decided that I don't have to follow each and every person that follows me.) Facebook is blowing up. My phone blinks from missed texts. And that's only the media part of our lives in the year of Our Lord, 2011.

We work. We raise children. We have spouses to love and care for. We volunteer. There are groceries to buy, lawns to mow, houses to clean, errands to run, books to read, laundry to wash, appointments to show up for, and people in our lives that need tending to. We're overworked, over stimulated and over-over-overly in need of rest.

But what do you think? Do you think it's possible that we can be at rest without hitting the highway and getting away from it all? Can we be at rest right in the middle of life and all it's craziness?

The Bible talks a lot about rest. The word "rest" is mentioned 275 times in 265 verses of the King James Version of the Bible. I wanted to search out some of these instances so that I could find the secret to living a life characterized by rest. Rest amid busyness. Rest amid problems. Rest amid sorrow. Rest amid being pulled in a hundred different directions. Rest from the noise, the clamor, and the bombardment of the world around me. You and I don't have the luxury of being on never-ending holiday, so we need to find a way to live in rest, in the daily Mondays through Fridays of our lives; day after day, month after month, year after year.

More often than not, we feel like David when he penned these words, "I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest--I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and the storm." (Psalm 55: 6-8) But what if it's just not realistic to run away? What if...

What if we could find rest in the goodness of God? David did his fair share of running and hiding, but he also comforted himself in those times when he spoke a reminder to, "Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you." (Psalm 116:7) Look at the Message: "I said to myself, "Relax and rest. God has showered you with blessings. Soul, you've been rescued from death; Eye, you've been rescued from tears; And you, Foot, were kept from stumbling." We can find rest by meditating on every good thing that the Lord has done in our lives. Being reminded of the Lord's goodness to us in the past, will slow the pulse a bit when we are anxious about the future, and during those times when we're feeling overwhelmed.

What if we believed God? The nation of Israel fell in the desert and "were not able to enter [God's rest], because of their unbelief." (Hebrews 3: 19) What if we could truly believe that God is sovereign over the affairs of our lives; that He has ordered each of our days according to His plans and purposes, and that nothing reaches us without being sent from Him, or allowed to first pass through His loving hands? What if we believed every single stroke and punctuation mark of His Word about who we are in Him, about His priorities for our lives, and about what He would have us pay attention to and take care of on a daily basis?

How often do you ask God what He wants to do on any given day? More often, I think we tell Him what we're going to do, and hope that He tags along. We might find that we can truly do "all things through Christ who gives us strength" (Philippians 4: 13), when those "things" are His "things". A lot of our hairiness is of our own making. We try to do it all, being everything to everyone, adding task upon task to our "to do" lists, and end up stressed out, burnt out, and just plain old out. Believe that God wants to be involved in every bit of the minutia of your life. Involve Him. Include Him. He will never give you so much to do that you keel over from exhaustion. He wants you to have boundaries that are set up according to the parameters of His Word. Your Bible has something to say about every situation, problem, and question in your life. What if you believed God and His Word today? Might it give you some much needed rest?

What if you made spending time with God the first thing on your "to do" list each and every day? Jesus said these beautiful words over 2000 years ago and He is still speaking them to you today. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11: 28-30) The Son of God Himself knew that this principle was vital, rising early every morning to spend time with the Father. If Jesus needed this precious time of fellowship with His Father, we certainly cannot begin to fool ourselves into thinking that we don't.

Quiet time with God ... well, there's nothing like it. Praising Him for Who He is and all that He has done gets your eyes fixed on Him, and away from the anxious thoughts about what is pressing ahead of you on any given day. Confessing your faults to Him, in honesty and repentance, will give you the freedom to get up and spend your day without guilt, shame or regret, because you will be secure in His forgiveness. Telling Him all of your concerns, praying for what is ahead, and placing the coming day in His hands takes the pressure off of you. He will carry the yoke with you. You will feel His presence, sense the impartation of His wisdom in whatever you face, and know that His Holy Spirit is right there with you. Ask Him how He wants you to order your day, what really needs doing, and what has no value at all and can be forgotten. He will be your Guide. He will be your Good Shepherd. Might that bring you some much needed rest?

My man and I will enjoy our four days away, that's for sure. But the majority of our days aren't spent on a get-away vacation. I'm going to work on implementing these Biblical principles of rest on the other 361 days of the year. Won't you join me?

"Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls." (Jeremiah 6: 16)

Coming August 31, 2011

E-Book

#208 "Evil Forebodings"

2011-07-19T14:03:00.002-05:00

So it's Tuesday again. Here I sit, with my fingers poised over the keys. That's about all that's poised right now. I have a million thoughts running through my head, but nothing that's making it's way down the circuits from my brain to my fingertips. I need to write something. It's Tuesday. My title is "Tuesdays with Jesus", right?

I'm thinking about how the meteorologists predicted severe storms in our area yesterday. I laughed when I saw that my man had put the sprinkler out in the morning. But I guess the joke was on me because it never rained; at least not in our neck of the woods.

I had some profound statement to make about that a few minutes ago. I didn't write it down and now it's gone. I hate when that happens.

It had something to do with the way we get all worked up over storms that we think are on their way into our lives. I've heard them called "evil forebodings."

We're about to have a conversation with someone, and we imagine the worst exchange. We have to go to the doctor and get our test results, and we imagine the worst possible diagnosis. Our child is late coming home, and we imagine the dreaded telephone call. We shake and quiver and feel nauseous. The mind races, the stomach turns, and the knees get weak.

We did get a few ominous clouds appearing overhead, and the winds kicked up. But it never rained. It never stormed. No thunder. No lightning. The sun came out. The winds turned to light breezes and the clouds became light and puffy.

Just like those evil forebodings. How many times have your worst fears NEVER come to pass? You realize how ridiculous you were being and you became ashamed by your lack of faith. Why on earth do we do that?

Your enemy, the devil, throws some pretty hefty darts and aims right for your mind. A dart of evil foreboding here. A flaming arrow of unnecessary fear there.

When you hear thunder in the distance and the storm clouds are gathering over your head, there is only one thing to do.

Ephesians 6:16

Feed your faith and your fear will starve to death. Put the shield of faith in one hand and wield the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, with the other.

"We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5 NCV)

Straight out, don't be afraid of imaginary things. The skies can look fierce. The winds may howl. But that doesn't always mean that a storm will come. I guess I had something to say after all.

"I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened." Mark Twain

#207 Clearly Mislabeled

2011-07-12T12:43:00.005-05:00

This spring, we decided to uproot our perennial garden and replace it with a vegetable garden. Because there ain't a thing more scrumptious than a homegrown tomato, we planted four of them. Not four tomatoes... four tomato plants. Our mouths have been watering as we've anticipated the late August harvest of those beauties.

My man and I are not seasoned gardeners. In other words, we're part of the group known as "the-growing-our- own- food challenged." We didn't do too badly with the Romaine lettuce. We got a small, but good crop, and have just a little left over for one more salad. Now we're watching cucumber plants spreading on the ground, green beans that are getting big enough to pull, and small buds of sweet peppers and strawberries starting to appear.

But it's those tomatoes that have had us stumped. The plants just keep getting bigger and bigger, and there are literally a hundred small tomatoes on those branches. We've been wondering how they will ever grow when they're so close to one another. Picture us. Dumb and Dumber, standing with our mouths agape, wowing at all the tiny tomatoes that we just know will turn into big ole ones any day now. I have already been planning to have a tomato sale on my front lawn, because we will never be able to eat them all.

Those plants have been expanding. I mean they have been growing up AND out. These greens were taking over the rest of the garden.

The label on the plants that we bought in May said, "Early Girl Tomato".

This is a picture of a full size "Early Girl":

This morning I knelt down and took a good look on the inside of all that foliage and this is what I found:

No "Early Girls" here! These were cherry tomatoes! Those four plants had been clearly mislabeled.

The moral of the story is....

No matter how badly I want those cherry tomatoes to be full sized, succulent, "Early Girl" beauties, they never will be, because that is not what they were created to be. They may have a sign on them that says, "Early Girl", but they were "cherry tomatoes" that someone put the wrong label on. They have been, they are, and they will forever be, what they were created to be.

Maybe someone has mislabeled you and called you by the wrong name. They have unrealistic expectations of who they would like you to be. They put the wrong label on you because of things that you have done in the past. They give you another name because of the circumstances that you find yourself in.

They call you by that name to your face. They whisper it behind your back.

The good news is, no matter how badly they want you to be the person they expect you to be, and no matter how badly they want their labels to define you, you will never be those things because that is not who God created you to be.

You have been, you are, and you will forever be loved, chosen, valued, and highly esteemed in the eyes of your Heavenly Father.

You have been, you are, and you will forever be forgiven, free, changed, and redeemed by your Savior.

You have been, you are, and you will forever be beautiful, precious, beloved, and cherished by God.

You are His darling, His dearest, His pet, and His treasure.

You are worth a King's ransom. You are worth your weight in the precious blood of God's own Son.

You have been clearly mislabeled!

I'm linking at

#206 Dear Sweet Sixteen

2011-07-05T15:34:00.006-05:00

A few days ago, someone that I went to high school with "friend requested" me on Facebook. Later that day, I saw that he tagged me in a picture. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what kind of a picture he could have. This is what I saw when I looked.

This is me, circa 1973, during our high school production of "Bye Bye Birdie". O. My. Gosh! I laughed so hard that my sides hurt. Besides the fact that I looked stoned, I couldn't get over how young I was. By the way, I was NOT under the influence of anything . I was always too afraid to do those kinds of things at that age. You know, visions of dying from an overdose, or the wrath of my parents. I don't know which one would have been worse.

After my initial laugh and re-posting it on Facebook, I forgot about it for awhile. Later that night, it began to haunt me. I stared at that picture and remembered that girl. It's so weird. It seems like a lifetime ago. Really, it was. When I look at her, it's like looking at a different person. Thirty-eight years have passed since I've seen her. I started to think about what I would say to her, if we could sit down and chat, in the spring of 1973. I'd like to think we would sit down and have a tender moment singing, "You Are Sixteen Going On Seventeen", like Maria and Leisl in the Sound of Music. The words to that song seem a little trite in comparison to what I would tell this particular sweet sixteen. There can be no songs and no chats. Maybe I could write her a letter and begin with the words, "Dear Sweet Sixteen."

Dear Sweet Sixteen,

Someone gave me your picture today. For some reason, it brings tears to my eyes. I get all choked up when I think about you. I have so much to tell you. A lifetime of things to tell you. You probably won't want to listen, because after all, you know it all, don't you? I am the only one that is really qualified to tell you these things. I'm the only one that can, because I know you so well. I know you through and through.

I know that today, on the set of that high school play, you're just sixteen years old. You've got your first job at the hospital. You're driving around in that '65 Mustang like there's no tomorrow. Did you know that it will be a classic car someday? I want to tell you that when you see Kenny on the side of the road, DO NOT look! That way you won't hit the car in front of you and total it out. If you do, you'll have to wait 35 years to get another one of those Pony's.

Sweet Sixteen, you're just months away from falling in love. I'm not talking about the crushes you've had so far. I'm not talking about those times you "thought" you were in love. You are about to fall head over heels, over the moon, for someone. It is going to be the best of times and the worst of times. There will be obstacles too great for that love to overcome, but I want you to know that it's for the best. It will be okay. I see it all today through 20/20 vision and you would never have wanted it to turn out any other way. Dry your tears.

Today you are innocent. Oh, if I could get you to understand the precious gift that your innocence is. Maybe I could get you to hold onto it for awhile longer. I know what you think of yourself. I know what you long for. I know your hopes and dreams. I know why you will do the things that you do. I wish I could stop you! I want you to understand how precious you are. How valuable you are. Value yourself. Treat yourself with respect.

If you could just get that, it would save you so many years of continued heartache. You are loved. You don't have to keep running here and there and everywhere, looking for love in all the wrong places. Your heart will just break over and over and over again. Your self-respect and self-esteem will erode, piece by piece until you find yourself in a deep, dark pit, surrounded by mud and mire. Oh, if I could just stop you now. Stop you from the sin.. Keep you out of the stink. Save you from the darkness.

But I can't stop you, can I? There is no stopping you.

Que Sera, Sera. Whatever Will Be, Will Be, right?

Sweet Sixteen, I wish it wouldn't have to take 30+ years for you to see why you feel the need to do the things you do. One day, understanding will bring healing. You know that I know what you've been through. I know how you're hurting even though you don't even know that you do. One day you will know. One day you will see.

You will see that you didn't have to make crucial life decisions just because that's what your friends did. You will see that you didn't have to choose a career path because that's what someone else wanted. It all stemmed from your intense need to be accepted. To be perfect for everyone else. To have no one ever be displeased or disappointed in you. You never had to do that, Sweet Sixteen. Oh, how I wish you'd known.

One day, when you are right in the middle of the deepest pit of sin that you will ever find yourself in, Someone will be standing at the top of that pit, in the light, holding out His hand to you. He will come to you in an old white Bible and start to woo you with His words, and court you with His truth, and call you to come to Him. You've never had to be perfect for Him, you see. You've never had to earn His love. He's been right there all along. He will prove it by coming closest to you while you are a sinner. A sinful woman. A sin-full woman.

On that day you will have found what you've been searching for. He is the Prince that you've been looking for all along. He will sweep you off your feet and you will never be the same again. He is the only One Who will never hurt you, leave you, reject you or forsake you. No matter what. Oh, sweet sixteen, can you hold on until He comes?

Alas, I know that you won't. I know that I can't stop you. I am you. I never listened.

I want you to know that one day that Prince will save you from yourself. You will come out of that pit and breathe the fresh air that is freedom. He will bring you a man who will love you as close to the way your Heavenly Father loves you as is humanly possible. You will be a mom, Sweet Sixteen. It will be the greatest joy of your life. Nothing compares to it. Except of course the children that YOUR children will bring into the world. You will be able to stand in the gap between the generations and leave a legacy. A different legacy. Your Prince will rebuild and restore and renew things through you and your obedience to Him. He will use you in a mighty way to serve Him.

Would I stop you, really, if I could? Come to think of it, I don't know. I would love to save you so much heartache. But in the end, I think it was all necessary. I believe it was all part of the plan. His plan. It was all a road map to your destiny. I'm not saying your choices were always smart or beneficial. But God was able to make all things work together for your good. I can't wait for you to get to that day where you meet Him, truly meet Him, for the first time. And perhaps the only way that would ever happen was for you to live the life you did all these years. It was all a path toward the arms of your perfect Prince Charming, the One you were always searching for. The One you will fall head over heels, over the moon, in love with. And that love will overcome every single obstacle you will ever face.

Carry on, Sweet Sixteen. I won't get in your way. I know the end of the story.

And they lived happily ever after.

A Repost From August, 2008

2011-07-04T12:41:00.000-05:00

The jury in the Casey Anthony murder trial has been deliberating for almost an hour and a half. I remembered this post that I wrote way back when it all began. Today we know that Caylee Anthony is in fact, dead. Perhaps we really don't know a whole lot more than that for certain, and perhaps we never will. After re-reading my post today I believe the message is timeless and remains the same. I'd like to share it with you.

From August, 2008:

Casey Anthony sits smugly at home in Orlando, Florida this morning. She's wearing her ankle monitor, having hot showers and saying absolutely nothing to investigators about what really happened to her three year old daughter, Caylee, who has been missing since the middle of June. Mind you, Casey didn't even report Caylee missing until weeks after the fact. In the meantime, she was out partying with her friends and doing who knows what else. (Read more at http://www.foxnews.com/)

Closer to home, here in Detroit, another mom is grieving the loss of a baby, only a few months old. I received the news last night that as the family was getting ready for church, the baby was found dead and it looks like SIDS.

I don't even know what my point there was, but I just saw the contrast between the two, and had to write about it. I'm sure that this young mom in Detroit would give anything to hold her baby in her arms...alive. The young mom in Orlando...I don't even know...seriously!

God's Word tells me that He is a just God. So that's where I leave Casey Anthony today. To the Judge, who will see that justice is carried out. "Jesus, you know exactly where Caylee is. Reveal that to those who are still searching. We hold out hope in You that she is still alive." Jesus...

Here in Detroit, there is no media, no bounty hunter and no bail bondsman. There is no hope that this baby will ever come back. There is just a simple family with unimaginable pain and there are those of us who know them, wondering what to do. Praying for them, words fail and all I can say is... Jesus...

When you search the Scriptures you can find many verses that deal with death, dying and eternity. But what does the Bible have to say when the pain is so deep, and the words just seem to fall flat? As I searched concordances, expository dictionaries, and websites, only five little words seemed to fit. "Mourn with those who mourn." (Romans 12: 15b) Seems to me that being present for grieving people is not about what we have to say, but entirely about what we do. Mourn with those who mourn. Be present. Be a shoulder to cry ON. Be a friend who cries WITH. That's our part.

The prophet Isaiah wrote long ago about One who would come and "bind up the brokenhearted" and "bestow the oil of gladness instead of mourning." (see Isaiah 61:1-3) About 730 years later that One walked into a Jewish synagogue, picked up a scroll, and read from that same passage in Isaiah. After He finished reading, "He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down". Then He spoke, saying, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4: 14-21) He still sits today. Only now He sits at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (Hebrews 1: 3) In the Greek, "sat" means to "settle, hover or dwell." He sat down when the work was done, when the words were fulfilled, when He said, "It is finished." Jesus Christ is alive, not predicted. And He is the only One able to bind up broken hearts and give gladness for mourning. I don't know how He does it. I can't say when He will do it. But I know that He will. And I entrust this grieving mother and extended family to His care, knowing that I know, that He is the only One who is able. That's His part.

There is no answer to the "why?" Job never did get an explanation as to why he lost seven sons and three daughters all at the same time. Let none of us be presumptuous or so full of ourselves to think that we can tell families like this why tragedy entered their lives. Don't be like Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite who thought they had all the answers and made God very angry. (See Job 42: 7-9) Be honest enough to admit that you don't have a clue! Sometimes there are just no words when the unthinkable hits a life. When it doesn't seem fair. When one mom doesn't care what happened to her daughter, and another mom longs to hold her baby in her arms and her heart is a big, giant, gaping hole. Mourn with those who mourn. Call on the name of Jesus...That's all I know.

Fall to your knees with me today, whether you know this family or not. Intercede for them that God would bring His comfort and tend deeply to each one. Ask Him to lift them up in the coming days and months as they struggle to go on. Never forgetting their precious little one. Pray for God to be God and provide strength, sustenance and His love. I heard Kathy Troccoli tell a story of her time of intense grief after the death of her mother. As she sat sobbing in a chapel, God said to her, "Am I not still God?" He is still God! Hallelujah! And because He Is, He is the only One who can heal and mend and bind up the broken pieces of our shattered lives.

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Revelation 21: 1-4) Eagerly wait for the day of God to come.

Jesus...For the Anthony's in Florida and for this family in Detroit....do what only You can do, in the way that only You can do it. We'll do our part and we are more than confident that You will do yours, in Your perfect way, and in Your perfect time. Amen.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Heart

2011-07-01T13:44:00.000-05:00

I love how the above verse flows off my lips. "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." (Proverbs 17: 22) Go ahead. Say it out loud. Tell me it didn't make you smile. It just sounds cheery to me. I don't know. Maybe it's just me, but I like it.

I've noticed this week that we are just too serious. Don't get me wrong. We have a whole lot on this planet called earth to be seriously serious about. Wars, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, poverty, and human trafficking are just some of the issues that are on the pages of our morning newspapers. Not to mention the particular tragedies we face in our own everyday lives. Death, sickness, loss of jobs, rising prices that leave more month than money left over to meet the family's needs. I used to know a guy who would always say, "I don't read the news because it's all bad news, and I have enough bad news." Anyone?

That being said, I find it hard to believe that God would want us walking around with scowls on our faces all the time, deepening the furrows of our brows, because we think we have to be so darn serious all the time. Right in the middle of the book of Proverbs, God speaks about being cheerful. I've already shown you the verse about a merry heart. Look at some others.

"A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit." (Prov. 15: 13)

"The cheerful heart has a continual feast." (Prov. 15: 15b)

"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones." (Prov. 15: 30)

But can we be of good cheer in spite of what's going on in the world? In spite of what's happening in our worlds? Watch this.

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 KJV)

That's Jesus talking. He's saying "Cheer up. Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world." There you go!

I remember when the Jesus Film first came out. My eyes filled with tears when I saw Jesus portrayed in a film... oh no, could it be? Smiling!!! I have to believe that Jesus smiled. I have to believe that Jesus laughed. He was fully God, but He was also fully human. It does my heart a world of good to know that Jesus would've laughed and smiled, and told a few jokes. Clean ones of course.

It's been proven that laughter is good for us.


Physical Health Benefits: Boosts immunity Lowers stress hormones Decreases pain Relaxes your muscles Prevents heart disease	Mental Health Benefits: Adds joy and zest to life Eases anxiety and fear Relieves stress Improves mood Enhances resilience	Social Benefits: Strengthens relationships Attracts others to us Enhances teamwork Helps defuse conflict Promotes group bonding

Source: http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm

I actually know a woman named "Mary Hart." Do you think that every time she signs her name she's reminded to have a "merry heart?"

This picture hangs in my kitchen, above my stove. It always reminds me of what's important.

"Live well, Laugh often, Love always."

Friend, take seriously and treat seriously those things that you must. But don't forget to laugh. Don't forget to have fun. Don't forget to smile and joke and have a good time. If today, you can't find anything to laugh about, know that above all else, God loves you. Psalm 90: 14 says, "Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."

It's okay to laugh. It's okay to be silly now and again. What kind of a witness is a continual sour face and dead serious countenance anyway? Do you think an unbeliever will be attracted to that? Let's show the world some joy. A joy that comes from being a believer, saved and dearly loved by an amazing God! If we have a joyful, cheerful attitude, we can change the atmosphere of our homes, our workplaces, and our churches. We will feel better physically, emotionally and spiritually. There is no downside to being cheerful; to laughing often. Find the humor in the little annoyances of the day. Laugh at yourself. Don't take yourself so seriously. Watch a funny movie. Sing, dance, and be silly once in a while.

One of the things I love about my marriage to my man is that after 20 years, we can still make each other laugh. I cherish that so much. My children make me laugh like none other . We've got to laugh. If we don't, we'll be so serious that we will seriously lose our ever-lovin' minds.

My son posted these words on Facebook a few days ago:

"A woman has twins and gives them up for adoption. One goes to a family in Egypt and is named Amahl while the other goes to a family in Spain and is named Juan. Years later Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother and upon receiving the picture she tells her husband she wishes she also had a picture of Amahl. "But they're twins," says her husband, "If you've seen Juan you've seen Amahl..."

I think Jesus might have even laughed at that one.

*All images taken from Google Images

#205 The Morning Altar

2011-06-28T12:52:00.002-05:00

If this patio could talk, you would know everything you'd ever want to know about me. I live for this time of year. Not having the luxury of year-round warm weather, this Michigan girl longs for the days when I can have my quiet time outside.

Beth Moore taught me how to Believe God and Break Free on this patio. We studied our favorite subject of all time right here...Jesus The One and Only. Kelly Minter led me to rid myself of any other God but Him, and taught me through the story of Ruth, how important it is to leave a legacy for the future generations. More recently, Tammie Head joined me every morning and moved me from serving God as a duty, to an all out delight, in my relationship with Him.

For the first summer in a long time, I'm not going through a structured summer Bible study. I have felt the Lord leading me to spend time with Him...just Him...every morning. A time to read His Word, and only His Word, to see what He would have to speak to my heart and to my spirit.

Some mornings it seems as if He's not speaking at all. Do you ever have those times with Him? You read the Word, you pray, but it's just not happening? You don't get anything profound or earth-shattering in your reading? Especially if you find yourself in Leviticus or Numbers. So you pack up your stuff...your Bible, your pen, your journal, and get up and start your day. If no one has ever told you this before, let me be the first to assure you, that's normal and it's okay. God is tickled pink that you spent the time with Him. He is pleased with your commitment to give Him first place in your day.

As the morning rays of sun came through the trees this morning, I remembered other times here. This patio has seen me laugh with the Lord. He does have a real sense of humor sometimes. It has heard me cry and heaven knows, it has heard me cry out. I have mourned here. I have begged God here. I have been confused and laid fleeces here, searching for some sign of direction for important decisions. I have been absolutely terrified here, and had that fear replaced by peace right in this spot. I have put my knees to these patio blocks and worshiped on my face here.

When I look up at the morning sky, I often wonder how close heaven really is. Is it just beyond the clouds, painted on the blue palette that I can see with my naked eye? Is my Savior THAT close? When the apostle John was on the isle of Patmos he looked up and saw a door standing open in Heaven (Revelation 4:1). When Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran, he lay down to rest and had a dream. He saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and angels ascending and descending on it. And above it, stood the Lord. (Genesis 28: 10-13). Is God...is Heaven...that close? I wait, but the sky doesn't open above me. But I think that a little glimpse of Heaven opened around me.

The early morning sun was streaming through the trees.

I saw flowers that had bloomed overnight. Lilies were beginning to wake up and open into beautiful pink and orange trumpets.

Yellow flowers promise cucumbers.

There will be tomatoes and green beans for supper soon.

The breeze is blowing through the trees. A neighbor makes her way to the fence to chat for a minute. Butterflies flutter. Squirrels and rabbits frolic. Birds are at the feeder. A new day has dawned. Fresh. Another day. Another chance at life. Another adventure. Another sign of the faithfulness of my God.

That patio became a morning altar on which I worshipped. Somehow, a little bit of heaven revealed itself in my corner of planet Earth. Supernatural met natural in my own backyard. And it was beautiful. If the beauty of the creation is even one iota an indication of the beauty of Heaven, how beautiful Heaven must be. If the beauty of the creation is even one iota a foretaste of the beauty of God, how beautiful He must be!

Open your eyes and look around. God is giving glimpses of Himself and Heaven all around us. You may not spend your quiet time on a patio like mine, but whether you meet with God on a porch, or a farm watching amber waves of grain sway in the breeze, or a balcony in the city, or right there at your table, Heaven may not open above you, but it will be evident all around you. Right there is your call to worship. Right there is your morning altar.

"Oh praise the Lord!

This earth is crammed with heaven!

Oh, praise the Lord!

And, Christian, look around!

For every bush you pass with fire is flaming,

And every spot you tread is holy ground."

--Anne Ortlund

I'm listed at:

A Titus 2 Lesson

2011-06-24T09:16:00.000-05:00

About a month ago, I had the privilege to speak to a group of women at my church who call themselves "The Mature Women of Grace". MWOG's for short. I was slightly overwhelmed over what I, a 54 year old woman, could possibly say to a group of seasoned, older women. They have lived, and loved, and lost, and experienced so much more than I have. What could I say to them that they didn't already know?

Knowing that my only hope was the Word of God, I found myself in Paul's letter to Titus.

"Teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God." (Titus 2:3-5)

After a little bible study, I was impressed in my spirit to let these precious women know that we, the younger generations following after them, needed them. They have been commissioned by God in His Word to train us and to teach us. We need them. In our fast-paced, disposable society, our elders can often feel cast aside and useless. They may feel that their usefulness has outlived itself and they should just be quiet, sit in a corner, and wait to be taken to glory. According to Scripture, that is the farthest thing from the truth.

You may be a Timothy (perhaps of the female persuasion) today. You're raising littles or you're just finding your way in life. Or you may be a Eunice, like me, in the middle aged years of life. Still parenting, now grandparenting, experiencing a mixture of the stages of life, wondering where you go from here. (2 Timothy 1: 5) But can I tell you something? We need those Lois's. We need the wisdom they have gleaned through years of experience doing this thing called "life". We need them to pass down their faith, the Word of God, and godly counsel. We need to be listening to women who have not followed the ways or wisdom of this world, but the ways of God. Those who have stood strong, fought the good fight, are finishing the race, and have something to share with us.

With that in mind, as we closed that day, I asked each MWOG to write down, on an index card, one piece of advice they would give to those of us in the younger generations that follow them. I would like to share some of their words with you. I pray that in the way that only God can do, His Spirit will give YOU a word for today, for this season of life you are experiencing; for such a time as this.

No matter how tired or busy you are, you are never to let a day go by without doing a kindness to someone!
Guard your hearts from evil, letting the words and the meditation of your heart be pleasing to God. (Psalm 19:14)
Patience
Remember God loves you and you are never alone.
God never comes too early and He never comes too late. Wait upon the Lord and accept His answers.
Let go and let God.
Read your Bible. Pray everyday if you want to grow. There is joy in serving Jesus.
Look for God's hands on your life, and His grace. Trust Him and wait on His will for your life.
Try to be an example to your family and those around you.
Share your thoughts to others with God's love and His Word, using Scripture.
Listen more than speak and be very aware or discerning of tensions building in relationships.
Be not moved by the things that are urgent but keep your mind on the important things.

These words are profound in their simplicity. Maybe that's what happens as we grow older. As one of the ladies said, perhaps the urgent things step aside for the important things. As it should be. Oh, that we could learn that lesson earlier than our golden years!

Thank you to all of the Lois's in our lives who are willing to teach us by their words, their experience, and their godly example. We need you. We value you. We are listening to you.

Lord, help those of us who are Eunices and Timothys to heed the advice and imitate the faith of those who come before us.

#204 "If We Could Only Believe"

2011-06-22T18:50:00.001-05:00

I was able to spend Monday and Tuesday with my granddaughter, Ashton, while her parents were out of town. As I prepared for her arrival on Monday morning, I prayed for all of the usual things. I prayed that we would have a good time. I prayed for huge amounts of patience. I prayed for a quickening of my mortal body, which doesn't move as quickly as it used to when my own kids were three. I also prayed that somewhere, sometime, in the coming two days, I might be able to speak the name of Jesus to her.

I could have been one of those weird-o Christians, and when Ash handed me the red bottle of play ketchup, I could have said, "Oh, Ash! It reminds me of the blood of Jesus." Don't laugh. I've actually heard that one before in a restaurant. But I thought that was a little much for a toddler to absorb.

Instead, our days were filled with eating plastic food, coloring, and watching first-class children's TV (insert hint of sarcasm). We played inside. We played outside. We watched bugs and decided that they were really yucky. We filled the bird bath so the birds could be clean. We danced like ballerinas. We played golf in the yard and gave each other congratulations and gold medals. We watered the flowers and cut some for a mini-bouquet.

Barbies cried "Help" in their distress and were saved by Tinkerbells flying to the rescue. Baby dolls were fed and diapered. Friends were made at McDonald's and there was fun at the park with Pippy (aka Chuck). We ate together, pottied together and had a fun sleep-over in Gigi's bed. I'm still exhausted, but it was a wonderful couple of days.

About a half hour before Kelly and Dan came to pick her up, Ashton crawled up into my lap to snuggle and began to sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." When that was over she effortlessly transitioned into "Jesus Loves Me This I Know....." We sang it twice and my heart....oh, my heart.

We didn't need to spend time on theology lessons or Bible studies for three year old little girls during our time together. Ashton is secure in the love of her parents and her grandparents. But most importantly, even though she doesn't truly understand it all, she knows that there is Someone out there, and His name is Jesus, and He loves her. That's all she needs to know for now. My little Miss Ashton has already found the firm foundation on which to build her life.

Her little feet are already planted on a firm place. They will grow and so will she. Life will bring sunshine and storms, joys and sorrows, exhilarating happiness and deepest pains. But she already has the rock solid foundation on which to withstand any storm, trial or pain for the rest of her life. The Solid Rock of Jesus Christ.

So simple. So true. Jesus loves me. This I know. For the Bible tells me so. You know, if we who are grown could just get this. I mean, really get this. Jesus loves me. Yes! Jesus loves me. Yes! Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.

If we could believe this, maybe we would stop worrying so much, stop and smell the flowers, and cut bouquets. Maybe we would fill bird baths with water, and skip, and dance like ballerinas, and hold hands, and make friends with strangers, and cuddle, and sing. Maybe we would run as if we had wings.

But most of all, maybe we would really believe that there is Someone out there, and His name is Jesus, and He will always come to our rescue when we cry for help.

Linked to: http://www.beholdingglory.com/index.html

His Mercy Is Enough

2011-06-17T10:52:00.000-05:00

I'm quite the control freak. I'm getting better, but I always think that if I don't have my hands in all my "situations", then I'm displaying an attitude of indifference. God is beginning to show me that's it's quite the contrary. Let me be honest. God's been showing me this for a long time. I am now just beginning to see and understand.

Last night, I found myself in an old familiar place in my house, thanking God for the journey of the past day and talking to him about some things that happened. I was reminded of another time, some years ago, when I sat in that same place just before going to bed, and poured my heart out to God. I can look back now and see that He was oh, so faithful and good to me. I remember the things that I prayed for. I remember the tears rolling down my cheeks. I remember the seeming hopelessness of the situation. Today I see the Glory of God. Today I see the Ephesians 3:20 God in all of His Majesty. Today I see that He did exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond anything I could have ever thought, imagined or dreamed in that situation. Why should today be any different? Why should this situation be any harder. Is anything impossible for God?

As I pray out loud, my spoken words are often the answers to how God wants me to deal with situations. The Holy Spirit helps me pray and I hear His words coming out of my own mouth, directing me, counseling me, comforting me, and convicting me. I heard Him speak again last night. Perhaps what I'm learning will help you today in "the situation" that you are in.

Don't lose sleep over your problems. The Bible tells us that God doesn't sleep or slumber. (Psalm 121:3) He doesn't even take a nap. He is going to be up all night anyway, so give your problem to Him and let Him take care of it. You need a good night's sleep. Echo the words of David, "I will lie down and sleep in peace for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4: 8) True joy and peace don't depend on circumstances, but on the knowledge of God's provision and protection. Rest your head on your pillow and sleep with the full assurance that God is awake and taking care of your business.

Lay your problem on the morning altar. So you got a good night's sleep, but the second you open your eyes your thoughts are on that situation. That probably never happens to you, but I know that I can relate. Don't waste much time getting to a quiet time with your Heavenly Father. If you stay your mind too long on that problem, you will lose your joy before your day even begins. God promises that He will keep in perfect peace the one whose mind is stayed on Him. (Isaiah 26: 3) David sought the Lord early in the morning. (Psalm 63: 1) He wrote those words from a desert. He had issues and problems. He knew that early in the morning he needed a quiet time with God. By the end of the psalm, David was singing songs and rejoicing. He didn't let those problems ruin the rest of his day. Cast your care. Talk to God about it. Hear what He wants to say to you in His Word. Then leave that problem on the morning altar and begin your day. I promise you, my friend, it will make all the difference in the world. You will have your joy back. You will have peace. Your family may even thank you, because your mood will be sweeter, knowing that God has your problem in His hands.

Acknowledge that you don't know everything and that's okay. The famous saying is that ignorance is bliss. Sometimes, in a strange way, I believe it is. We don't know everything about our situations. We only see with our naked eyes what God sees from beginning to end. (Isaiah 46:10) Not only that, but sometimes....sometimes...the situation is worse than we know. Stick with me here. Thinking back to that other time in my life and that situation I told you about, things were in actuality, worse than I knew. I believe that at times, God spares us from the knowing of every intimate detail of our problems, because we would just plain out be overcome. It would be too much to handle. And that my friend is mercy. Your situation and my situation today may be more than we know, but God in His mercy spares us those details. We really don't need to know them anyway. They are God-sized issues that need God-sized solutions. His mercy in our not-knowing needs to be enough. It needs to be okay.

Every spring, a family of birds builds their nest in my bathroom vent. When I sit on the patio, I watch the parent birds flying in and out of the vent with all manner of goodies in their mouths to feed the babes. Those young ones can't see anything beyond the door to the vent where they watch for mom and dad to come and take care of them. They haven't a clue what their parents are facing on the outside of that door. The danger. The predators. The reality that mom or dad may never come back. All they know is that they trust that they will be taken care of. And all the while they sing.

So is this kind of behavior apathetic? No, I choose to call it hope. Is it denial? No, I choose to call it faith. Indifference to our problems? Far from it. It is the resting of a troubled soul in the arms of a loving God who sees, and knows, and cares, and provides, and is faithful to His promises. And if the situation is more than we can bear, His mercy is enough.

#203 "Who Am I?"

2011-06-14T05:44:00.000-05:00

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5: 1-2)

In order to convey what I want to say today, I have to bite the bullet and be totally transparent. What I'm about to reveal is something I've only discussed with God.

Ever since I can remember, I have always wanted to be someone else.

In kindergarten, I wanted to be Patty with the pretty dresses and long flowing curls. In elementary school, I longed to be Elaine because she had a sister, and a HUGE attic bedroom filled with games and books, and privacy. Please don't think I'm a true nut case, but I even punched the lenses out of my sunglasses to make it look like I wore glasses. Elaine did. And I wanted to be Elaine. I can't even begin to name all of the girls I wanted to be in high school. The cool girls; the ones who were the most popular. The ones who always got the guy. The cheerleaders and the scholars. It all depended on who I was fixated on at the moment. If they wore a sweater vest over their rolled up uniform, so did I. If they wore their blazer, so did I. I can't even bring myself to speak of a ruse that I pulled in college, because I thought something someone else did was so cool, and I wanted to be viewed in the same way.

After graduating from college, I was an adult, right? Chronologically yes. But I was still turning my attention to other women who I admired for one reason or another, and I set out to be just like them. I wanted to be an accomplished gardener. I wanted a body perm and clothes like someone else. I don't think they do body perms anymore do they? Gosh, I hope not! I wanted to embroider towels like one. I wanted to have things in my home like another. She was having a baby. It was my turn to have a baby. I was an imitator. I was a poser. I wanted to be like everyone else. Deep down inside, I may have even wanted to BE someone else.

I'm sure there is a whole lot the psychologists could tell me about the reasons behind all of this secret, strange behavior. I will not dishonor anyone to justify the things that I exhibited for most of my adult life. I will only name it.

For many reasons I was so insecure about who I was, that the only way I felt I would be accepted was to be just like someone else. The bare me just wouldn't be exciting enough, interesting enough, rich enough, eloquent enough, smart enough, beautiful enough, or God help me, good enough to measure up. So I constantly strove to be an imitator of those who were all those things. Or at least they appeared to be.

A sense of freedom and release gradually grew over the years after I became a Christian, and after I started reading God's Word on a regular basis. God lovingly and gently began to tell me who I was in His eyes. The more I made up my mind to believe God when He told me how much He loved me, and that He loved me just the way I was, the less I compared myself to others. I wish that I could say it was a Damascus Road deliverance, but that would be a lie. Freedom came one inch up the sides of the pit at a time, and I slid down the slippery slopes on more than one occasion, falling chest deep back into the mud and the mire. But at least I knew what I was doing and could more quickly run to Jesus for a big gulp of fresh air. I never really got why this was such a big deal. No one knew. Just my God and me. It was a secret, held close, and when I fell, it was never a public spectacle. But don't you agree that it's those hidden faults, those secret sins that do the most insidious damage?

I am praying that if you're secretly exhibiting this same behavior, I can share the revelation that delivered me one morning. My Savior and I were discussing this yet AGAIN. I wasn't just outwardly manifesting my feelings of insecurity. That was bad enough, considering that I should have been believing God about who I am IN HIM. That morning, God showed me this:

Wanting to be like, or to be someone else, meant that I was a total ingrate as far as who God made me was concerned. I was ungrateful for the life He had given me, the gifts that were meant for me alone, and the circumstances that had been allowed by my Heavenly Father, just for me. If I were content and grateful for MY life, I would never want to imitate or be like someone else. Gosh, I hope it takes you less than 50+ years to get this, dear one.

Ungrateful. When that word hit my spirit, I was wrecked with godly sorrow that brought tears streaming down my cheeks. God had been exceedingly, abundantly, beyond good to me all of my life, and I was ungrateful? All I could bring myself to say was "I'm sorry!" and repeated it over and over and over again.

Because this was a part of my behavior, I recognize it so easily in others, especially out there in the blogosphere. She will remain unnamed, but there is a very popular Bible teacher who everyone is trying to imitate in their writing and their speaking. I see her unique phrasing and mastery of words repeated in countless tweets every single day. Recognizing my downward descent back into the pit, I actually had to take a break from this teacher's books and videos some years ago in order to allow God to do His work, the work of making me uniquely ME. Friend, if God desired two of her, He would have made her twins.

We are called to be imitators of Christ. There is nothing wrong with godly mentors, friends and leaders who influence our Christian journey. The apostle Paul wrote a few times about wanting people to imitate Him. (1 Cor. 11:1; 1 Thess. 1:6) But we can cross the line and fall neck deep into striving to be that fallible human being that we admire so. We can long for their life, their ministry, and their unique calling. Can I tell you that person is only human? They will make mistakes; they will fall. Here's a revelation: their life isn't perfect either. They weren't made to be put on a man-made pedestal. Only Christ Himself will never fall, will never err, will never let you down. He is the One and Only who is worthy of your imitation.

God has prepared an amazing life for you. He prepared it specifically and uniquely for you before the foundation of the world. Every part of your physical, emotional and spiritual DNA has been molded by the Potter Himself. You are here at this time, in this place, with your own gifts, talents, abilities, family, work, ministry, circumstances and situations for such a time as this.

I don't have a clue if anyone reading this can relate to what I've shared. If not, then at least I got this out there in the atmosphere and it isn't hidden anymore. But if you can relate in any way...praise God and stop!

When we put a lot of thought into giving a gift to someone we love, we pick it out with much care, wrap it just so, and excitedly anticipate the opening of the gift. There is nothing worse than not getting the reaction we had hoped for. We want the one who received our present to love it, thank us for it, and cherish it, because we put so much into the process, right up until the moment they cut the ribbon and open the box.

How must our Heavenly Father feel when He has worked painstakingly to prepare our life, our gifts, our talents, and every minute detail of our lives just for us, and instead He finds us longing for the life He has given someone else? There is no gentle way to say it. We are ungrateful. Just as it would hurt our heart to suffer this kind of reaction from someone we gave a gift to, I believe we grieve our Father when we do the same.

"Rabbi Zusya said that on the Day of Judgment, God would ask him, not why he had not been Moses, but why he had not been Zusya." ~Walter Kaufmann

Who are you trying to imitate? Whose life are you longing to have? True freedom and true abundant, overflowing life will be yours the day you climb up into the fresh air and thank your good and loving Heavenly Father for the life He has given YOU. He only wants you to be YOU. That's all He expects because you are one of a kind and He has a wild ride in store for the rest of your days.

He loves you just the way you are.

Living the Word with you,
Donna

Tuesdays with Jesus #202

2011-06-07T13:52:00.001-05:00

#202 "Sweet Communion"

June 7, 2011

"As often as possible, Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer." (Luke 5:16 The Message)

He rose early in the morning while it was still dark. On tip-toe, He made His way around His sleeping friends. Laying a hand on each one, He smiled and whispered how He loved them so. They needed their sleep because the road ahead would be steep and long. They didn't fully understand what was happening and they would need all of the strength they could muster for the coming days. Let them sleep. A time was near when slumber wouldn't be as sweet.

He moved quietly out of the house and felt the coolness of the Jerusalem morning on His skin. Wrapping His cloak a little tighter around His shoulders, He made His way toward the hills; the hills that His very own hands had created. His sandaled feet grew wet with the morning dew, until He found just the right solitary place, to get down on His knees, and begin to pray.

Oh, that we could have been hiding a stone's throw away to eavesdrop on those moments. Wrapped in our own cloaks to keep us from the morning chill, what would our ears have heard? Something so supernatural. Something so beyond our finite human understanding. God talking to God. Son speaking to Father. The Only Begotten enjoying sweet communion with the Majesty in heaven.

Scattered throughout the Scriptures, we are given glimpses of Jesus praying to His Father. He prayed as He was being baptized, and the heavens opened to the Father's voice as He told His Son that He loved Him and that He was well pleased. Jesus was heard praying right before Lazarus walked out of the tomb. He offered prayers of thanksgiving before His last earthly supper with His friends. At that same supper He prayed aloud for Himself, His friends and get this…He prayed for you. (John 17:20-26) One night, in an olive grove, Scripture allows us to listen in on the soon to be Lamb of God praying the most agonizing prayer to ever pierce the atmosphere from earth to heaven. And in a voice so weak that only those at the foot of the cross could hear, He cried words of feeling abandoned and then total submission before He breathed His last.

Those were the big moments. But it's those daily, early in the morning while it was still dark prayers that captivate me. Those are the ones I wish I could've heard. I can only surmise. I can only imagine.

I imagine that He prayed for strength. Jesus breathed our very air and His calloused feet walked the sod of this earth for three years. He was God in a human body. We know from Scripture that He grew tired, hungry and thirsty. He needed an impartation of physical strength to keep going from place to place to minister to the people. He needed emotional strength to keep His eyes fixed on Jerusalem and what awaited Him there.

I imagine that He prayed for patience. He needed patience for those who didn't understand. He needed patience when multitudes followed Him wherever He went. He needed patience to meet the needs of those who followed when all He wanted to do was take a rest. He needed buckets of patience for those Pharisees. He could have smote those self-righteous religious types with just a mind bullet, but He never did. For that He needed patience.

I imagine that He prayed for perspective and focus. At any time, they could have made Him King. He could have been exactly what Israel had hoped the Messiah would be. He could reign and free them from Roman oppression. But if He allowed them to make Him King, He never would have become our Savior. For that He needed focus and the right perspective. He needed the Father to remind Him that all things would work together for good and certainly for the best.

I imagine that He prayed when He would watch many people turn and desert him. I imagine He prayed about His relationship with the man Judas who He knew every waking moment of every day would eventually betray Him. It would take only the heart of God to endure Judas for three long years. I imagine He prayed for His family when they didn't accept Him or understand Him.

I imagine that He prayed words of daily submission to the will of His Father. He would one day offer the ultimate sacrifice on the Cross, but each and every day I imagine He offered Himself as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.

We all need strength, patience, perspective, focus, healing of our broken hearts and relationship issues. We need a time to offer ourselves as living sacrifices at the beginning of each day. We can never know what we will face in the waking hours ahead of us. We need to follow the example of Jesus by wrapping our cloak tightly around our shoulders early in the morning, making our way to some solitary place to get on our knees and pray.

We can only imagine the conversations that took place in solitary places during the early morning hours on the hills of Jerusalem in those days. What sweet communion there must have been between the King of the Universe and the Prince of Peace. That same sweet communion can be yours.

If Jesus needed this daily time with His Father, don't you?

Living the Word along with you,

Donna

www.livingthewordministries.org

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Tuesdays with Jesus #201

2011-05-31T14:15:00.001-05:00

#201 "You May Be In A Battle, But The War Has Been Won!"

May 31, 2011

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him." (2 Corinthians 2: 14)

For six or seven weeks I've been doing a Bible study called "Duty or Delight" by Tammie Head. (http://www.lifeway.com/product/005429354/#) To say it's been outstanding and transformational would be an understatement. Anyway, check it out if you're looking for some structured Bible study time this summer. Schedules change in these hot months and we lean a little bit toward rest, relaxation and vacations. We should never choose the R&R and vacation route when it comes to God's Word. Be purposeful about staying in the Word in these coming months, and if you need something to keep you focused, definitely check out "Duty or Delight".

As I walked through week six of Tammie's study, she led me to an old familiar passage of Scripture in Ephesians 6. You know the place, I'm sure. I hope it's familiar to you too. It's the passage about putting on the armor of God. Riiight....that's the one!

You can check out the study to find out Tammie's take on it, and by the way...awesome! But right in the middle of the week God showed me something that just leapt off the pages of my Bible. I love the Word! I love how you can read the same passages over and over again through the years, and suddenly you see something you've never seen before. Scripture truly is "living and active" (Hebrews 4:12). It's so fun to connect the dots and have a new revelation.

Are you ready for a little Bible Study?

First of all, you need to understand that you are in a war. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you have an enemy. Your enemy, the devil, schemes and devises detailed, well thought out methods to destroy you. You may even feel like the battle is particularly fierce in your life today. That's because it is! Revelation 12:12 tells us that "he [the devil] is full of fury, because he knows that his time is short." Your enemy's days are numbered and he is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5: 8) You and me!

Your battle may manifest itself in your marriage, problems on your job, troubled children, relational strife, financial difficulties, illness, or a host of other situations that have you beside yourself today. But in reality, those situations are being controlled by something else. If we could see supernaturally, we would witness a battle going on around us that rivals anything we see in Iraq or Afghanistan. It's a battle against an adversary that hates you and has unseen forces trained to hit you with a fatal blow. Their aim is your soul, your faith, your confidence in God and your very life.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6: 12)

Pretty scary, huh? It will be very scary if we only look at life through what is visible to our naked eye. But fear has no hold on us when see what is going on in our lives through supernatural eyes; through the eyes of the Spirit. Put your spiritual glasses on and hang on to your hat.

When Tammie brought me to Ephesians 6:12 in the study, four words stood out to me. "In the heavenly realms." It was then that I remembered one of my Scripture memory verses found at the beginning of that same book, Ephesians, in chapter one. This is why I believe it is of utmost importance to know your Bible. I can't encourage Scripture memorization enough. Watch this.

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 1: 18-20)

Where are the powers and authorities and forces of evil? _____________________

Friend, where is Christ seated? __________________________________

Your Bible may use the words, "in high places" or "in heavenly places", but the same words are used in Ephesians 1: 18-20, and in Ephesians 6: 12, whatever translation you have.

While all of the forces of evil dwell in the heavenly realms, God the Father has seated Christ Jesus in those very same heavenly realms.

What is Christ doing?

Standing Lying down Running Sitting

Christ is seated in the heavenly realms. The Greek word is kathizo and means that He is sitting in a position of authority on the throne of God. I believe He is also seated because one sits when one is done. Christ is done. It is finished. He has done the work. He has won the victory. He is seated at the right hand of God in the heavenly realms. Those forces prowling around in those same realms, and prowling around in the shadows surrounding your life, can do you no harm. They can't touch you without the express permission of God who is right there watching them, listening to them, and either giving them permission for His own perfect reasons, or rendering them powerless against you. He's right there!

**If you want to explore this further, read Job 1 and 2.

Now, watch this.

Fill in the blank:

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the ________________, against the _______________ of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

Get ready!

Turn to Colossians 2: 9-10 and 15, and fill in the blanks.

"For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every _____________ and _____________." (vs. 9-10)

"And having disarmed the _______________ and ________________, he made a public spectacle of them triumphing over them by the cross." (v. 15)

Who is Christ head over?________________________________________.

How many of them?_________________________

Who did he disarm and make a public spectacle of?_______________________

Christ is head over EVERY power and authority in the heavenly realms where He is seated at the right hand of the Father, because by His Cross, He made a public spectacle of them all! He disarmed every last one of them and they cannot harm you. Are you seeing with your Spirit eyes what you could never see with your natural eyes before?

This is truth, precious one! This is where our faith must be our eyes, as we fix them on what is unseen, not on what is seen.

The battle you're fighting today is not against your spouse, your child, the mortgage company, your boss or the illness inside of your body that is trying to take your life. It's not against difficult people or traumatizing acts leveled against you, or that ache in your heart that you wake up to each and every morning. Your battle is against spiritual forces in heavenly places, but the triumphant, magnificent, all powerful, holy, perfect Son of the Living God has beaten each and every one of those powers and authorities. He is right there. Those forces can never get out of hand or out of control. You have no reason to ever be afraid. You will never really lose because Jesus has won the victory for you. You have everything that you need in Him to never let the enemy utterly take you down or out. You may be in a battle today, but Jesus has won the war!

Right now you may feel like you are losing every battle that comes your way. You may feel that the enemy has caught you and you will never be free. I pray that by doing this little bible study today you may renew your mind with the truth that the Lord Jesus has won your victory for you. I know it seems like you will never taste the sweetness of the win, but I will leave you with this quote.

"The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest and most exciting triumph of all time. Many sports teams win on the last play of the game. But Jesus' victory was more dramatic. He did not win in the "last second" - Jesus won the victory three days after the game was over!"

Living the Word along with you,

Donna

www.livingthewordministries.org

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