This year my daughter gave me the best Christmas present on earth. You might be surprised to learn the gift was a simple piece of paper. It was simple in its form, yet to me it was a work of art. This paper gave me a glimpse of how an eight-year-old views Christmas.
On lined notebook paper she drew Jesus (picture a man with a beard and pink slippers) and herself (complete with fancy beaded braids in her hair). There was a church and a cross (which is interesting since our church meets in a school). There was also an acronym for JESUS CHRIST.
Just amazing!
loves Everyone!
Special
so not Useless
not Surprisingly awesome!
I love Jesus Christ
Heavinly (heavenly)
Righteousness
lets everyone go In heavin (heaven)
Soooooo thankful I have him!
I love to go To Church!
She said she wanted me to know that she understood Christmas is about more than just presents. (However, I didn't see her turn down any gifts when we celebrated our family Christmas early!)
Thank you, sweet girl, for reminding me how amazing, awesome, righteous and special Jesus is. He truly does love everyone and wants every single person on earth to go to heaven. I, like you, are so thankful I have Him!
A special college-rule sheet of notebook paper will be the gift I remember from this Christmas (although the pink flamingo necklace she bought me at school was a close second)!
Scripture: John 3:16-17
"For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him."
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Your only Son to earth. You sacrificed your Son so that we may have the opportunity for eternally life through Jesus. Thank you for the best present we could ever receive: the gift of Your Son. He is awesome, amazing, special and righteous!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
Letter from a Friend (Part 1)
Yesterday I received a letter from a friend. I met this woman more that 20 years ago when I was on a missions trip in high school. Over the past 20 years, we’ve kept in touch through cards and letters. However, lately we’ve lost touch. I was shocked to read her letter about how difficult this past year has been.
Over a year ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer and received chemotherapy. A few months later she found out she had Acute Leukemia. Again she underwent chemotherapy and has spent most of this year in the hospital.
I couldn’t believe she had gone through so many issues with her health recently. She admitted that she’s asked the question, “Why did this happen to me?” I’m sure I would ask the same question if I were in her situation! Her answer surprised me.
She said this experience has actually brought her closer to God. She said that through this ordeal, God has been her strength and that He’s been with her the whole time. She knows He has a purpose for her life and she wants to be faithful to Him through this time.
Her answer made me realize that when we encounter difficult situations in life we have two choices: we can blame God or we can cling to Him.
In my opinion, there is no stronger testimony on earth than watching someone cling to God during a trial. Anyone can praise God during the good times, but it takes true faith to give God control and trust Him during the storms of life.
Other people in my life are going through storms right now. I have friends with cancer, a friend with ALS, a friend who’s a single mom (not by choice), friends in financial crisis, and the list goes on. As I watch these people live their lives trusting in God, my own faith grows exponentially.
You see, they are living as Christ desires. They are exemplifying the passage in James chapter 1 that says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may become mature and complete, not lacking in anything.”
Perseverance and faith are two difficult words for me. They are easier said than done in my life! Watching how other Christ-followers live out these verses truly encourages me. There is so much more to say about this topic – more to come in part 2!
Scripture: James 1
Prayer: Lord, I want to praise You during the good times and the bad. I know I will encounter trials in my life, and I want to depend on You in the midst of them. Help me to live in such a way that others will see my life and glorify You. When I am experiencing a storm, I know that this testing of faith will ultimately develop perseverance. I want to be mature and complete in You!
Over a year ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer and received chemotherapy. A few months later she found out she had Acute Leukemia. Again she underwent chemotherapy and has spent most of this year in the hospital.
I couldn’t believe she had gone through so many issues with her health recently. She admitted that she’s asked the question, “Why did this happen to me?” I’m sure I would ask the same question if I were in her situation! Her answer surprised me.
She said this experience has actually brought her closer to God. She said that through this ordeal, God has been her strength and that He’s been with her the whole time. She knows He has a purpose for her life and she wants to be faithful to Him through this time.
Her answer made me realize that when we encounter difficult situations in life we have two choices: we can blame God or we can cling to Him.
In my opinion, there is no stronger testimony on earth than watching someone cling to God during a trial. Anyone can praise God during the good times, but it takes true faith to give God control and trust Him during the storms of life.
Other people in my life are going through storms right now. I have friends with cancer, a friend with ALS, a friend who’s a single mom (not by choice), friends in financial crisis, and the list goes on. As I watch these people live their lives trusting in God, my own faith grows exponentially.
You see, they are living as Christ desires. They are exemplifying the passage in James chapter 1 that says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may become mature and complete, not lacking in anything.”
Perseverance and faith are two difficult words for me. They are easier said than done in my life! Watching how other Christ-followers live out these verses truly encourages me. There is so much more to say about this topic – more to come in part 2!
Scripture: James 1
Prayer: Lord, I want to praise You during the good times and the bad. I know I will encounter trials in my life, and I want to depend on You in the midst of them. Help me to live in such a way that others will see my life and glorify You. When I am experiencing a storm, I know that this testing of faith will ultimately develop perseverance. I want to be mature and complete in You!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Shades of Gray: Part 2 (The Filter)
Last night I encountered another “shades of gray” moment.
After the kids go to bed in the evening, I enjoy watching a little TV to wind down. The problem is that there are few shows that are appropriate to watch.
My favorite shows are legal dramas. Watching them could be considered permissible. Okay, maybe some of the storylines are questionable. Also, some of the characters are involved in inappropriate relationships. The shades of gray started to appear in my mind like a swatch of paint colors.
First Corinthians 10:23 ran through my head. “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible, but not everything is constructive.”
As I thought about this verse, I realized it could be a valuable filter for so many things in our lives. Just as a furnace filter stops junk from getting in our home or a dryer filter catches the lint before it pollutes our clean clothes, this verse could be a filter for decisions in our lives.
We could think of this verse before we overeat, before we choose a movie, before we speak or before we make a financial decision. We could use this verse as a filter for almost anything in our lives.
You may be wondering if I watched that legal drama I mentioned earlier. I did choose to watch it. However, after a few minutes the storyline turned “off color.” I turned it off. I knew where the show was headed and I didn’t need that negative influence in my mind.
This morning I made coffee. I used a filter to keep the unwanted grounds out of my delightful hot drink. Later today I’ll drink filtered water from my fridge. I guess if I’m taking precautions to filter what goes into my body, I should also filter what’s going into my mind.
I have a challenge for us today. Write out 1 Corinthians 10:23 and tape to your fridge, phone, TV, checkbook or any other area of temptation. Use it as a filter for your mind. It will be interesting to see what seeps through this filter – and what doesn’t!
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10
Prayer: Lord, I know I have a choice as to what I put in my mind. Please help me to use 1 Corinthians 10:23 as a filter for decisions I make. I want to make choices that glorify You. Please give me the strength to choose the things that are beneficial and constructive according to Your will.
After the kids go to bed in the evening, I enjoy watching a little TV to wind down. The problem is that there are few shows that are appropriate to watch.
My favorite shows are legal dramas. Watching them could be considered permissible. Okay, maybe some of the storylines are questionable. Also, some of the characters are involved in inappropriate relationships. The shades of gray started to appear in my mind like a swatch of paint colors.
First Corinthians 10:23 ran through my head. “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible, but not everything is constructive.”
As I thought about this verse, I realized it could be a valuable filter for so many things in our lives. Just as a furnace filter stops junk from getting in our home or a dryer filter catches the lint before it pollutes our clean clothes, this verse could be a filter for decisions in our lives.
We could think of this verse before we overeat, before we choose a movie, before we speak or before we make a financial decision. We could use this verse as a filter for almost anything in our lives.
You may be wondering if I watched that legal drama I mentioned earlier. I did choose to watch it. However, after a few minutes the storyline turned “off color.” I turned it off. I knew where the show was headed and I didn’t need that negative influence in my mind.
This morning I made coffee. I used a filter to keep the unwanted grounds out of my delightful hot drink. Later today I’ll drink filtered water from my fridge. I guess if I’m taking precautions to filter what goes into my body, I should also filter what’s going into my mind.
I have a challenge for us today. Write out 1 Corinthians 10:23 and tape to your fridge, phone, TV, checkbook or any other area of temptation. Use it as a filter for your mind. It will be interesting to see what seeps through this filter – and what doesn’t!
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10
Prayer: Lord, I know I have a choice as to what I put in my mind. Please help me to use 1 Corinthians 10:23 as a filter for decisions I make. I want to make choices that glorify You. Please give me the strength to choose the things that are beneficial and constructive according to Your will.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Shades of Gray (Part 1: The Dilemma)
Last week I had a dilemma. The funny thing was that I didn’t even realize I had a dilemma until I read my devotions for the day. I was innocently reading in 1 Corinthians 10 when I stumbled upon some verses that I really needed to hear that day.
First I’ll list the verses and then I’ll explain the dilemma. Paul says, “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible, but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.”
Later in the chapter, Paul goes on to say, “Do not cause anyone to stumble … for I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.”
As I read those verses, I knew that God wanted me to abstain from doing something later that evening. I realized I was going to be faced with a situation at an office Christmas party where I could do something permissible, but not necessarily beneficial or constructive. I could choose to do something permissible and possibly cause someone else to stumble, or I could abstain with a clear conscience.
As I read the verses, it occurred to me that God placed those verses in front of me on a day when I was going to have to make a choice. I Corinthians 10 just happened to be the chapter I was reading that day, but it was no coincidence to God. He ordained those verses and scheduled them even before I knew I needed them.
I am going to write more about this topic, since I feel it’s an important subject. Shades of gray color our world, but God wants to guide us until we see in black and white. I have a lot to learn when it comes to this area, do you? Let’s study God’s Word together.
Scripture: I Corinthians 10
Prayer: Lord, prepare me for what you want to show me about shades of gray. I want to see things from Your point of view. I want others to draw closer to Christ when they are around me. I don’t want to confuse anyone by the choices I make in gray areas. I know You have a plan for my life and You want me to honor You in every decision I make. Please open my heart and mind as You show me the gray areas I need to change.
First I’ll list the verses and then I’ll explain the dilemma. Paul says, “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible, but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.”
Later in the chapter, Paul goes on to say, “Do not cause anyone to stumble … for I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.”
As I read those verses, I knew that God wanted me to abstain from doing something later that evening. I realized I was going to be faced with a situation at an office Christmas party where I could do something permissible, but not necessarily beneficial or constructive. I could choose to do something permissible and possibly cause someone else to stumble, or I could abstain with a clear conscience.
As I read the verses, it occurred to me that God placed those verses in front of me on a day when I was going to have to make a choice. I Corinthians 10 just happened to be the chapter I was reading that day, but it was no coincidence to God. He ordained those verses and scheduled them even before I knew I needed them.
I am going to write more about this topic, since I feel it’s an important subject. Shades of gray color our world, but God wants to guide us until we see in black and white. I have a lot to learn when it comes to this area, do you? Let’s study God’s Word together.
Scripture: I Corinthians 10
Prayer: Lord, prepare me for what you want to show me about shades of gray. I want to see things from Your point of view. I want others to draw closer to Christ when they are around me. I don’t want to confuse anyone by the choices I make in gray areas. I know You have a plan for my life and You want me to honor You in every decision I make. Please open my heart and mind as You show me the gray areas I need to change.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Reflections
I’m one of those people who likes to reflect. I guess you could say I’m a reflector. I’ve realized that there are both good and bad parts of being a reflector. The bad part is that sometimes I tend to dwell on or over-think situations and I can wind up making myself crazy. The good part is that I savor the pleasant memories in my life.
Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect. This year I decided to take reflection to the next level and reflect on Thanksgiving, the season of reflection. Are you lost? What I mean is that I decided to ask the kids to tell me their favorite memories of our most recent Thanksgiving so that we could savor them together.
My daughter surprised me by saying that there were two memories that stuck out from the weekend. The first memory was when her college-age cousin Brett took her out for ice cream at McDonald’s. The second memory was when her dad took her rock climbing at our local community center.
I have to admit it hurt my pride a little that neither one of her favorite Thanksgiving memories included me. As I reflected, though, I realized what a great blessing it is for my daughter to have two Christian males in her life who want to spend time with her. My initial selfish thoughts gave way to gratefulness.
One of the most valuable blessings in a girl’s life is to have positive male influences. This Thanksgiving, my daughter was blessed with two men who cared about her and wanted to spend time getting to know her better. These two men went out of their way to make her feel special.
Jesus told us that the first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind. The second commandment is a similar one: love your neighbor as yourself. When my husband and my nephew spent time with my daughter, they were loving their neighbor as themselves. They were investing in a little girl’s life. They were putting the words of Scripture into practice.
As a mom, knowing that my daughter has men she can look up to is one of the greatest blessings I could ask for her. As I reflect on Thanksgiving, this is one of my greatest memories, and it doesn’t even include me!
Scripture: Matthew 22:34-46
Prayer: Lord, I want to love You with all my heart, soul and mind. I want to spend time with You every day and lean on You during the good times and bad. Thank you that I can have a relationship with You. Please show me what it means (for me, in my everyday life) to love my neighbor as myself. I want to love others with a love that comes from You. Please open my eyes to the needs of others around me and show me tangible ways to love them.
Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect. This year I decided to take reflection to the next level and reflect on Thanksgiving, the season of reflection. Are you lost? What I mean is that I decided to ask the kids to tell me their favorite memories of our most recent Thanksgiving so that we could savor them together.
My daughter surprised me by saying that there were two memories that stuck out from the weekend. The first memory was when her college-age cousin Brett took her out for ice cream at McDonald’s. The second memory was when her dad took her rock climbing at our local community center.
I have to admit it hurt my pride a little that neither one of her favorite Thanksgiving memories included me. As I reflected, though, I realized what a great blessing it is for my daughter to have two Christian males in her life who want to spend time with her. My initial selfish thoughts gave way to gratefulness.
One of the most valuable blessings in a girl’s life is to have positive male influences. This Thanksgiving, my daughter was blessed with two men who cared about her and wanted to spend time getting to know her better. These two men went out of their way to make her feel special.
Jesus told us that the first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind. The second commandment is a similar one: love your neighbor as yourself. When my husband and my nephew spent time with my daughter, they were loving their neighbor as themselves. They were investing in a little girl’s life. They were putting the words of Scripture into practice.
As a mom, knowing that my daughter has men she can look up to is one of the greatest blessings I could ask for her. As I reflect on Thanksgiving, this is one of my greatest memories, and it doesn’t even include me!
Scripture: Matthew 22:34-46
Prayer: Lord, I want to love You with all my heart, soul and mind. I want to spend time with You every day and lean on You during the good times and bad. Thank you that I can have a relationship with You. Please show me what it means (for me, in my everyday life) to love my neighbor as myself. I want to love others with a love that comes from You. Please open my eyes to the needs of others around me and show me tangible ways to love them.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Bless This Meal (Please!)
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the many blessings in our lives. As I look forward to hosting Thanksgiving at my house, I am grateful for the little things that make Thanksgiving possible for someone like me. I’m willing to host Thanksgiving and try to cook dinner, but I really don’t have a clue about what I’m doing. So, despite my lack of cooking experience, I will give thanks for:
• Sam’s Club’s pre-made mashed potatoes and stuffing
• Plastic bags to self-baste the turkey
• Those little packets to help make gravy
• My mother-in-law who is making the pumpkin pies
• The gift of a Wii which will keep the kids entertained in the basement
• My dear friend who helped me make my grocery list
• A double oven (that reminds me – I should probably clean out the mess from our frozen pizzas)
• My health so that I can even make this attempt at Thanksgiving dinner
• Family and the grace they will need to eat the dinner set before them
While I am about as far from Martha Stewart or Rachael Ray as they come, somehow on Thanksgiving Day there will be dinner on the table and most if it will be edible. (Most likely it will be the food I buy from Sam’s!)
In all seriousness, I am truly thankful for the many blessings God has given me. I live in a country where I can vote for my government leaders and I can worship God without persecution. I have food to eat and a beautiful home. I have a wonderful family and amazing friends.
My inability to cook seems to pale in comparison to the many blessings in my life. When Thursday rolls around, I will remember the words from Psalm 92:2. I will proclaim God’s love in the morning and His faithfulness at night – no matter how the day (and the meal) turns out!
Scripture: Psalm 92
Prayer: Lord, it is good to praise You and to make music to Your name, O Most High, to proclaim Your love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night. I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands. How great are Your works, O Lord, how profound Your thoughts! Thank you for the many blessings in my life.
• Sam’s Club’s pre-made mashed potatoes and stuffing
• Plastic bags to self-baste the turkey
• Those little packets to help make gravy
• My mother-in-law who is making the pumpkin pies
• The gift of a Wii which will keep the kids entertained in the basement
• My dear friend who helped me make my grocery list
• A double oven (that reminds me – I should probably clean out the mess from our frozen pizzas)
• My health so that I can even make this attempt at Thanksgiving dinner
• Family and the grace they will need to eat the dinner set before them
While I am about as far from Martha Stewart or Rachael Ray as they come, somehow on Thanksgiving Day there will be dinner on the table and most if it will be edible. (Most likely it will be the food I buy from Sam’s!)
In all seriousness, I am truly thankful for the many blessings God has given me. I live in a country where I can vote for my government leaders and I can worship God without persecution. I have food to eat and a beautiful home. I have a wonderful family and amazing friends.
My inability to cook seems to pale in comparison to the many blessings in my life. When Thursday rolls around, I will remember the words from Psalm 92:2. I will proclaim God’s love in the morning and His faithfulness at night – no matter how the day (and the meal) turns out!
Scripture: Psalm 92
Prayer: Lord, it is good to praise You and to make music to Your name, O Most High, to proclaim Your love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night. I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands. How great are Your works, O Lord, how profound Your thoughts! Thank you for the many blessings in my life.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Don’t Look at Me!
I read an interesting story today in the book of Daniel. In the story, King Nebuchadnezzar (let’s call him King Neb for short) had a strange dream. He saw an enormous tree whose branches touched the sky. This tree was full of fruit, gave shelter to the beasts of the field and the birds of the air flocked to its branches. Sounds like quite the tree!
King Neb saw a “holy one” come down from heaven and order the tree chopped down to the stump. The holy one ordered the stump to be drenched with dew and bound with iron and bronze. He then commanded that the tree’s mind be changed from that of a man to that of an animal for seven years.
What a strange dream! Only Daniel knew what it meant, and he was pretty sure King Neb did not want to know the answer. After some deliberation, Daniel uttered the fateful words, “You, O king are that tree!” It must have taken some courage and maybe a little stuttering to get those words out!
Daniel warned the king that unless he turned from his sins and acknowledged God, this dream would become a reality for him. Do you think he was smart enough to listen to Daniel and change his prideful ways? Unfortunately, the answer is no.
One year later, the king was walking on his roof at the palace and if you can believe it, these are the words that came out of his mouth, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” Have you ever heard so many “I’s” and “my’s”?
The words were still on his lips when a voice from heaven announced that King Neb was being stripped of his royal authority. He was driven out to the middle of nowhere and he actually ate grass like a cow. His body was drenched with dew, his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird. It sounds like Grizzly Adams had nothing on him!
When the seven years were over, King Neb came to his senses and honored the Lord. He praised and glorified and exalted the King of heaven. He came to the realization that everything he had came from God. He also admitted, “Those who walk in pride He is able to humble.”
This story is a good reminder that all good things come from God. We’d be wise to remember this and to give praise where praise is due! If there is anything good is our lives, if we have any talents or skills, if we’ve been blessed in any way, then we need to give the glory to God. In other words, we should say, “Don’t look at me; look at God!”
If only King Neb would have stood on his roof and said, “Look at God, for He has blessed me,” instead of “Look at me and all the great things I’ve done,” he would have saved himself seven years of living like a wet, deranged cow.
Scripture: Daniel 4
Prayer: God, You alone give me what I need. Sometimes You give me more than I need and I want to thank you for Your many blessings. I realize that You have given me everything good in my life and that all blessings are from You. I want to praise, exalt and glorify You, the King of heaven, because everything you do is right and all Your ways are just.
King Neb saw a “holy one” come down from heaven and order the tree chopped down to the stump. The holy one ordered the stump to be drenched with dew and bound with iron and bronze. He then commanded that the tree’s mind be changed from that of a man to that of an animal for seven years.
What a strange dream! Only Daniel knew what it meant, and he was pretty sure King Neb did not want to know the answer. After some deliberation, Daniel uttered the fateful words, “You, O king are that tree!” It must have taken some courage and maybe a little stuttering to get those words out!
Daniel warned the king that unless he turned from his sins and acknowledged God, this dream would become a reality for him. Do you think he was smart enough to listen to Daniel and change his prideful ways? Unfortunately, the answer is no.
One year later, the king was walking on his roof at the palace and if you can believe it, these are the words that came out of his mouth, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” Have you ever heard so many “I’s” and “my’s”?
The words were still on his lips when a voice from heaven announced that King Neb was being stripped of his royal authority. He was driven out to the middle of nowhere and he actually ate grass like a cow. His body was drenched with dew, his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird. It sounds like Grizzly Adams had nothing on him!
When the seven years were over, King Neb came to his senses and honored the Lord. He praised and glorified and exalted the King of heaven. He came to the realization that everything he had came from God. He also admitted, “Those who walk in pride He is able to humble.”
This story is a good reminder that all good things come from God. We’d be wise to remember this and to give praise where praise is due! If there is anything good is our lives, if we have any talents or skills, if we’ve been blessed in any way, then we need to give the glory to God. In other words, we should say, “Don’t look at me; look at God!”
If only King Neb would have stood on his roof and said, “Look at God, for He has blessed me,” instead of “Look at me and all the great things I’ve done,” he would have saved himself seven years of living like a wet, deranged cow.
Scripture: Daniel 4
Prayer: God, You alone give me what I need. Sometimes You give me more than I need and I want to thank you for Your many blessings. I realize that You have given me everything good in my life and that all blessings are from You. I want to praise, exalt and glorify You, the King of heaven, because everything you do is right and all Your ways are just.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Pick Me!
My husband and I just got back from a company trip to Miami Beach, Florida. This was not my first choice for a “vacation location,” however, we were thankful for the chance get away.
After we arrived, we learned that our hotel housed one of the premier night clubs in the area. We are not “clubbers,” but one night we decided to hang out in the hotel lobby and watch the action from a distance.
What we saw was a world apart from the night life we’re used to in rural Minnesota! We were surrounded by micro-mini skirts, tight tops and perfectly made-up faces. They were all trying to be beautiful for one reason – to gain access to the club. We watched as they waited in line for a chance to get in. A chance to pay a $200 cover charge and $300 for drinks! I also heard that $800 would pay for the right to sit on a couch.
I think I paid less than $800 for the couch in my living room – and I get to keep it!
What made me even more sad than watching people spend crazy amounts of money on short-lived entertainment was watching how they got in to the club. “Scouts” would walk around the hotel lobby, searching for “beautiful people.” If someone caught their eye, the scout would tap them on the shoulder and they were “in.” He would lead them to the front of the line and into the club.
As I watched this scene unfold, a thought entered my mind. I envisioned God as one of those scouts walking around the room. I pictured Him searching the room, stopping next to me and then tapping me on the shoulder. He picked me! Then I pictured Him tapping everyone in the room, giving them all access to the greatest club in the world – heaven!
I’m so glad that God accepts me for who I am. He accepts you, too. He doesn’t care about what we look like or what we’ve done.
Jesus already paid our cover charge when He died on the cross. He’s tapped every one of us on the shoulder and offered us not just one night with Him, but a lifetime with Him. All we have to do is follow Him to the front of the line. The price has been paid.
Scripture: I Cor. 6:19-20, John 1:12
Prayer: Lord, thank you for accepting us for who we are and not for outward appearance. Thank you for looking at our hearts. Thank you for paying our debt when You sent Your Son to die on the cross. In the words of a beautiful hymn, “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin has left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.”
Optional prayer to accept the gift of Jesus: Dear God, I believe in You and want to be Your child. I am sorry for my sins and want to ask Your forgiveness. I believe that You sent Your son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins. Please take control of my life, as I realize that You can do a better job than I can! I promise to get to know You better as I seek You each day.
After we arrived, we learned that our hotel housed one of the premier night clubs in the area. We are not “clubbers,” but one night we decided to hang out in the hotel lobby and watch the action from a distance.
What we saw was a world apart from the night life we’re used to in rural Minnesota! We were surrounded by micro-mini skirts, tight tops and perfectly made-up faces. They were all trying to be beautiful for one reason – to gain access to the club. We watched as they waited in line for a chance to get in. A chance to pay a $200 cover charge and $300 for drinks! I also heard that $800 would pay for the right to sit on a couch.
I think I paid less than $800 for the couch in my living room – and I get to keep it!
What made me even more sad than watching people spend crazy amounts of money on short-lived entertainment was watching how they got in to the club. “Scouts” would walk around the hotel lobby, searching for “beautiful people.” If someone caught their eye, the scout would tap them on the shoulder and they were “in.” He would lead them to the front of the line and into the club.
As I watched this scene unfold, a thought entered my mind. I envisioned God as one of those scouts walking around the room. I pictured Him searching the room, stopping next to me and then tapping me on the shoulder. He picked me! Then I pictured Him tapping everyone in the room, giving them all access to the greatest club in the world – heaven!
I’m so glad that God accepts me for who I am. He accepts you, too. He doesn’t care about what we look like or what we’ve done.
Jesus already paid our cover charge when He died on the cross. He’s tapped every one of us on the shoulder and offered us not just one night with Him, but a lifetime with Him. All we have to do is follow Him to the front of the line. The price has been paid.
Scripture: I Cor. 6:19-20, John 1:12
Prayer: Lord, thank you for accepting us for who we are and not for outward appearance. Thank you for looking at our hearts. Thank you for paying our debt when You sent Your Son to die on the cross. In the words of a beautiful hymn, “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin has left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.”
Optional prayer to accept the gift of Jesus: Dear God, I believe in You and want to be Your child. I am sorry for my sins and want to ask Your forgiveness. I believe that You sent Your son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins. Please take control of my life, as I realize that You can do a better job than I can! I promise to get to know You better as I seek You each day.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
What Did I Forget?
Maybe I have a weird sense of humor. Ok, I'll admit it - I do have a weird sense of humor! That will explain why something I read today in the Bible struck me as funny.
In a letter to the church of Corinth, Paul says something that made me laugh. He said, "Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else."
Does that strike anyone else as funny? I think it's great that Paul can't remember who he baptized because it helps me relate to him on a new level. It would seem that forgetfulness can happen to anyone.
Sometimes I walk over to my pantry and can't remember what I'm looking for. I can usually remember someone's name for about 30 seconds, then it's mysteriously erased from my brain. If I don't write something down, I can be certain that it will be forgotten, so I keep lists everywhere. The older I get, the worse my memory becomes! Can you relate?
Paul was talking about the church in Corinth and the fact that they weren't getting along. Some of them said they followed Paul, some Apollos, some Cephas and still others said they followed Christ. Paul wanted to let them know the only One they should be following was Christ.
Paul asked them, "Were you baptized in the name of Paul? Was Paul crucified for you?" Paul goes on to say that he's thankful he did not baptize any of them so no one could say they were baptized in his name.
Paul then told the church to focus on Christ; not any other person. Paul told the church that his priority was to preach the gospel so that the cross was not emptied of its power. Basically, he was telling them not to look to anyone other than Christ for wisdom, power and strength.
When we look to other people instead of Christ, we lessen the gift Christ gave us when He died on the cross. That's one thing we shouldn't forget, no matter how poor our brains may be. Even though Paul couldn't remember all the names of the people he baptized, we'll cut him some slack because he definitely had his priorities straight.
Scripture: I Cor. 1:10-17
Prayer: Jesus, I don't want to ever put anyone in front of You. You died on the cross for me, and I am so grateful. Thank you for the gift of salvation. I never want to forget what You've sacrificed for me.
In a letter to the church of Corinth, Paul says something that made me laugh. He said, "Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else."
Does that strike anyone else as funny? I think it's great that Paul can't remember who he baptized because it helps me relate to him on a new level. It would seem that forgetfulness can happen to anyone.
Sometimes I walk over to my pantry and can't remember what I'm looking for. I can usually remember someone's name for about 30 seconds, then it's mysteriously erased from my brain. If I don't write something down, I can be certain that it will be forgotten, so I keep lists everywhere. The older I get, the worse my memory becomes! Can you relate?
Paul was talking about the church in Corinth and the fact that they weren't getting along. Some of them said they followed Paul, some Apollos, some Cephas and still others said they followed Christ. Paul wanted to let them know the only One they should be following was Christ.
Paul asked them, "Were you baptized in the name of Paul? Was Paul crucified for you?" Paul goes on to say that he's thankful he did not baptize any of them so no one could say they were baptized in his name.
Paul then told the church to focus on Christ; not any other person. Paul told the church that his priority was to preach the gospel so that the cross was not emptied of its power. Basically, he was telling them not to look to anyone other than Christ for wisdom, power and strength.
When we look to other people instead of Christ, we lessen the gift Christ gave us when He died on the cross. That's one thing we shouldn't forget, no matter how poor our brains may be. Even though Paul couldn't remember all the names of the people he baptized, we'll cut him some slack because he definitely had his priorities straight.
Scripture: I Cor. 1:10-17
Prayer: Jesus, I don't want to ever put anyone in front of You. You died on the cross for me, and I am so grateful. Thank you for the gift of salvation. I never want to forget what You've sacrificed for me.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Wake up to Tomorrow
The other day my third grade daughter came home from school crying. Her bad day got even worse when she made poor choices at home and I sent to her room without an after school snack. I told her she could come out of her room when she was ready to have a good attitude. When she didn’t come out for quite a while, I decided to check on her.
I opened her bedroom door noticed her room was dark. As my eyes searched for her in the darkness, I finally found her laying under her the covers in her bed. I slowly crawled under the covers with her and asked her what was wrong. She replied, “I just want to go to sleep and wake up tomorrow when it’s a new day.”
Amen sister!
I can relate, can you? I’ve had days when all I wanted to do is lay in bed under the covers, fall asleep and wake up tomorrow.
Maybe Jeremiah felt the same way. In Lamentations, he says that every day can have a new beginning, which makes me think he also had days when he wanted to crawl under the covers and hide out until morning!
He says, “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness.”
Amen brother!
Scripture: Lamentations 3:21-26
*For an extra boost, repeat these verses out loud and claim them as your own. Speaking the words out loud helps to brand them on our hearts and gives them power in our lives. Each time you speak these verses, emphasize different words and phrases and they will give you a vision for God’s love, compassion and hope.
Prayer: Lord, thank you that our hope is in You and not in the things of this world. Your compassions are new every morning, Great is Your faithfulness!
I opened her bedroom door noticed her room was dark. As my eyes searched for her in the darkness, I finally found her laying under her the covers in her bed. I slowly crawled under the covers with her and asked her what was wrong. She replied, “I just want to go to sleep and wake up tomorrow when it’s a new day.”
Amen sister!
I can relate, can you? I’ve had days when all I wanted to do is lay in bed under the covers, fall asleep and wake up tomorrow.
Maybe Jeremiah felt the same way. In Lamentations, he says that every day can have a new beginning, which makes me think he also had days when he wanted to crawl under the covers and hide out until morning!
He says, “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness.”
Amen brother!
Scripture: Lamentations 3:21-26
*For an extra boost, repeat these verses out loud and claim them as your own. Speaking the words out loud helps to brand them on our hearts and gives them power in our lives. Each time you speak these verses, emphasize different words and phrases and they will give you a vision for God’s love, compassion and hope.
Prayer: Lord, thank you that our hope is in You and not in the things of this world. Your compassions are new every morning, Great is Your faithfulness!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Divine Assignments
This morning the kids and I were reading a devotional about divine assignments. (Not the 007 type, but pretty close!) There are many examples of divine assignments in the Bible. Mary’s was to give birth to the Messiah. It’s hard to top that one! Moses had the divine assignment of freeing the Israelites from slavery. These were clearly tasks ordained by God!
We started thinking about how we could be involved with God’s divine assignments. What would a divine assignment look like for a stay-at-home mom and two grade-school age kids? What does it look like for any of us?
The kids had some great ideas. They could help someone at school who is hurting. They could be extra kind and include someone in their class who is not always included. My ideas were to encourage a friend or write a blog entry that could draw someone closer to Christ. We all prayed that God would show us His divine assignment for us today and then the kids left for school.
I didn’t have long to wait for mine to be revealed. Soon after the kids left, a friend called. She has been going through a rough time lately and I knew my divine assignment was to encourage her. The Scripture passages I’ve been reading lately fit in perfectly with the issues she’s dealing with right now, so I shared what the Lord had shown me.
The important part of my divine assignment was that I had the tools to help my friend. There have been times in my life when I have not been in the Word and would not have been able to help her. I was thankful that I’d been reading the Bible and that God could use what He’s been showing me to help someone else.
Another friend of mine is often presented with divine assignments at her workplace. Co-workers and even clients come to her for advice and wisdom because they know her knowledge comes from the Lord. Some of her divine assignments are unexpected and take time out of her busy day, but I know that the Lord has placed her at her job so that He can use her to encourage others around her.
All of us have divine assignments. We just have to look for them and take advantage of them when they arise. If you don’t feel like you have any divine assignments, then pray that God will give you one. Read the Word daily so you have the right tools to complete the assignment. I can’t wait to find out about the divine assignments my kids had today!
Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I want You to give me divine assignments. I know I need to be in Your Word and in prayer so that I will see the assignments when You present them. I want to be ready and waiting when an assignment arises and I want to be used by You.
We started thinking about how we could be involved with God’s divine assignments. What would a divine assignment look like for a stay-at-home mom and two grade-school age kids? What does it look like for any of us?
The kids had some great ideas. They could help someone at school who is hurting. They could be extra kind and include someone in their class who is not always included. My ideas were to encourage a friend or write a blog entry that could draw someone closer to Christ. We all prayed that God would show us His divine assignment for us today and then the kids left for school.
I didn’t have long to wait for mine to be revealed. Soon after the kids left, a friend called. She has been going through a rough time lately and I knew my divine assignment was to encourage her. The Scripture passages I’ve been reading lately fit in perfectly with the issues she’s dealing with right now, so I shared what the Lord had shown me.
The important part of my divine assignment was that I had the tools to help my friend. There have been times in my life when I have not been in the Word and would not have been able to help her. I was thankful that I’d been reading the Bible and that God could use what He’s been showing me to help someone else.
Another friend of mine is often presented with divine assignments at her workplace. Co-workers and even clients come to her for advice and wisdom because they know her knowledge comes from the Lord. Some of her divine assignments are unexpected and take time out of her busy day, but I know that the Lord has placed her at her job so that He can use her to encourage others around her.
All of us have divine assignments. We just have to look for them and take advantage of them when they arise. If you don’t feel like you have any divine assignments, then pray that God will give you one. Read the Word daily so you have the right tools to complete the assignment. I can’t wait to find out about the divine assignments my kids had today!
Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I want You to give me divine assignments. I know I need to be in Your Word and in prayer so that I will see the assignments when You present them. I want to be ready and waiting when an assignment arises and I want to be used by You.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Later is Now
It was a beautiful summer day. It was so nice out, in fact, that I decided I would start the day by going for a jog. After all, if I waited until later to exercise, it would never happen. As I tied my running shoes, my thoughts drifted to the Bible on my coffee table. I paused at the door and briefly thought about doing my devotions, but I decided I could do them when I got back.
After my jog I needed to shower, of course. Then I needed to get the kids some breakfast and start a load of laundry. I had wanted to teach the kids tennis this summer, and today was perfect tennis weather. I told the kids to grab their racquets and we headed off to the courts. When we got home it was already time to make lunch. I switched the load of clothes and my thoughts drifted back to the Bible on the table. “Later, after lunch,” I thought.
After lunch some neighbor kids rang our doorbell and asked my kids to play outside. Since the kids seemed entertained, I decided to stain another section of our deck. Before long it was time to think about supper. I came inside and walked right past my Bible, mentally putting off my devotions until bedtime.
Supper came and went, and afterward our family enjoyed a round of golf. We came home exhausted and caught the end of the Twins game. All of a sudden it was 9:30 p.m. Time to get the kids in bed. By then, I was too tired to do my devotions. I rationalized that I would get up early tomorrow.
Even though the day had been great, I felt empty inside. Something was missing. We enjoyed a fun and fairly productive day, yet it did not feel complete. I knew what was missing, so I said a quick prayer before bed, thinking that I would definitely spend the first part of my day with God tomorrow.
Later.
The next morning I walked downstairs and saw my Bible. I realized what time it was.
It was later.
Sitting down on my favorite chair, I started reading my Bible. I felt God speaking to me through His Word, soothing and comforting me. I felt centered and loved. The sad thing is that He wanted me to feel these things the day before, but I had ignored Him. He could have encouraged me and strengthened me, but I kept telling Him, “Later.”
No matter what time of day it is, if you haven’t spent time with God yet, later is now!
Scripture: Psalm 63
Prayer: Lord, I’m sorry for passing You by. I’m sorry for walking past my Bible when I should be stopping to spend time with You. I’m sorry that I’ve made other things in my life more important than my relationship with You. Please forgive me and meet me today through Your Word.
After my jog I needed to shower, of course. Then I needed to get the kids some breakfast and start a load of laundry. I had wanted to teach the kids tennis this summer, and today was perfect tennis weather. I told the kids to grab their racquets and we headed off to the courts. When we got home it was already time to make lunch. I switched the load of clothes and my thoughts drifted back to the Bible on the table. “Later, after lunch,” I thought.
After lunch some neighbor kids rang our doorbell and asked my kids to play outside. Since the kids seemed entertained, I decided to stain another section of our deck. Before long it was time to think about supper. I came inside and walked right past my Bible, mentally putting off my devotions until bedtime.
Supper came and went, and afterward our family enjoyed a round of golf. We came home exhausted and caught the end of the Twins game. All of a sudden it was 9:30 p.m. Time to get the kids in bed. By then, I was too tired to do my devotions. I rationalized that I would get up early tomorrow.
Even though the day had been great, I felt empty inside. Something was missing. We enjoyed a fun and fairly productive day, yet it did not feel complete. I knew what was missing, so I said a quick prayer before bed, thinking that I would definitely spend the first part of my day with God tomorrow.
Later.
The next morning I walked downstairs and saw my Bible. I realized what time it was.
It was later.
Sitting down on my favorite chair, I started reading my Bible. I felt God speaking to me through His Word, soothing and comforting me. I felt centered and loved. The sad thing is that He wanted me to feel these things the day before, but I had ignored Him. He could have encouraged me and strengthened me, but I kept telling Him, “Later.”
No matter what time of day it is, if you haven’t spent time with God yet, later is now!
Scripture: Psalm 63
Prayer: Lord, I’m sorry for passing You by. I’m sorry for walking past my Bible when I should be stopping to spend time with You. I’m sorry that I’ve made other things in my life more important than my relationship with You. Please forgive me and meet me today through Your Word.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Control Freak
I’ve been called a lot of things including, “Type A,” a “leader,” “organized,” – you get the picture! One thing I’ve never been called is “flexible.” There’s a good reason for that – it’s because I’m not flexible. I really don’t like anything to change my plans or get in the way of what’s already been scheduled. Right now you’re probably thinking one of two things, either “I can relate,” or “Why doesn’t she just chill out?”
If you’re thinking I should chill out, then you’re right! I agree with you. Always being in control hasn’t brought me the happiness and fulfillment I thought it would. Somehow I thought by controlling all aspects of my life, I could insulate myself from the disappointments and challenges that life could bring. However, I am realizing that by trying to run my life, I am really missing out on living life to the fullest.
Currently I am reading through the book of James. The Lord keeps leading me back to chapter 4, verses 13-15. They say, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this city or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you don’t even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’”
If that’s not convicting for a chronic controller, I don’t know what is! Basically, these verses are saying, “Who do you think you are? Are you so presumptuous that you actually think you have any control over your life? In the scheme of things, your time here on earth is the equivalent to one breath in someone’s entire lifetime. Stop trying to be in charge and get over yourself.” (Gretchyn’s Paraphrase Translation)
It’s silly and laughable when you really think about it. To think that any of us has control over our lives or even our family’s lives is crazy. These verses are a wake-up call to a control freak like me. No wonder God wants me to read them over and over again.
Now comes the interesting part. What does it mean to honestly give up the control that I so dearly love? I know God will reveal the answer to me as I seek His will for my life. Hey – maybe I can give up control in small pieces. That would be nice, but it’s probably missing the point! This control freak has a lot to learn!
Scripture: James 4:13-15
Prayer: Lord, I am sorry for thinking that I can control anything in my life. I know I have been missing out on blessings that You would love to give me by not being open to Your plan. I want to let You be in charge of my life and follow Your will.
If you’re thinking I should chill out, then you’re right! I agree with you. Always being in control hasn’t brought me the happiness and fulfillment I thought it would. Somehow I thought by controlling all aspects of my life, I could insulate myself from the disappointments and challenges that life could bring. However, I am realizing that by trying to run my life, I am really missing out on living life to the fullest.
Currently I am reading through the book of James. The Lord keeps leading me back to chapter 4, verses 13-15. They say, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this city or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you don’t even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’”
If that’s not convicting for a chronic controller, I don’t know what is! Basically, these verses are saying, “Who do you think you are? Are you so presumptuous that you actually think you have any control over your life? In the scheme of things, your time here on earth is the equivalent to one breath in someone’s entire lifetime. Stop trying to be in charge and get over yourself.” (Gretchyn’s Paraphrase Translation)
It’s silly and laughable when you really think about it. To think that any of us has control over our lives or even our family’s lives is crazy. These verses are a wake-up call to a control freak like me. No wonder God wants me to read them over and over again.
Now comes the interesting part. What does it mean to honestly give up the control that I so dearly love? I know God will reveal the answer to me as I seek His will for my life. Hey – maybe I can give up control in small pieces. That would be nice, but it’s probably missing the point! This control freak has a lot to learn!
Scripture: James 4:13-15
Prayer: Lord, I am sorry for thinking that I can control anything in my life. I know I have been missing out on blessings that You would love to give me by not being open to Your plan. I want to let You be in charge of my life and follow Your will.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
J-O Y spells Prayer
After reading that title, you may think I am out of my mind! Yes, I actually do know how to spell the word “prayer,” so please don’t go searching for my grade school teachers to let them know what a bad speller I am. Prayer is spelled
J-O-Y.
Have you ever noticed your prayer life becoming monotonous? At our house, we catch ourselves saying the same prayers over and over. Most of the time we say, “Thank you for this food,” or “Thank you for this day,” or “Thank you for dying on the cross for our sins.” None of these prayers are wrong, but when we pray the same words all the time, the words can start to mean less to us.
You’ve probably heard of the acronym JOY – “Jesus, Others, You spells JOY!” It means that putting Jesus first, others second and yourself last will result in a joyful life. It’s a good concept to adopt in life, and it also works in your prayer life. I decided to try it with my kids.
I explained that we were going to change our prayers to include Jesus first (thanking & praising Him for one of His many attributes), others second (praying for someone else) and then you (they could pray for a request about themselves). Two sets of eyes stared blankly back at me. They were underwhelmed with my new prayer method.
I could see I was going to have to help them with this. When we started praying with the new JOY method, the most challenging part was thinking of the attributes of God. Thank goodness for the book of Psalms! We found many words we could use to praise God – He’s merciful, He’s righteous, He’s our creator, He’s our protector – just to name a few!
Changing the way we pray has really helped to focus our attention on God and to learn more about His attributes at the same time. It has also been good to pray for others before we pray about ourselves. Using the JOY method has been a good change for our family. We are all finding out more about God and His characteristics, which seem to be limitless!
Now without looking it up in the dictionary or thinking about what you learned in school, how do you spell prayer?
Prayer: God, there are so many of your qualities and traits that go unnoticed unless we search for them in Your Word. Please forgive us for the times when we are stagnant in our prayer life. We want to give You the praise and honor You deserve, and we want to do it creatively. Thank you for the many facets of Your being – You are such an amazing God!
Scripture: Choose a Psalm that highlights God’s qualities
J-O-Y.
Have you ever noticed your prayer life becoming monotonous? At our house, we catch ourselves saying the same prayers over and over. Most of the time we say, “Thank you for this food,” or “Thank you for this day,” or “Thank you for dying on the cross for our sins.” None of these prayers are wrong, but when we pray the same words all the time, the words can start to mean less to us.
You’ve probably heard of the acronym JOY – “Jesus, Others, You spells JOY!” It means that putting Jesus first, others second and yourself last will result in a joyful life. It’s a good concept to adopt in life, and it also works in your prayer life. I decided to try it with my kids.
I explained that we were going to change our prayers to include Jesus first (thanking & praising Him for one of His many attributes), others second (praying for someone else) and then you (they could pray for a request about themselves). Two sets of eyes stared blankly back at me. They were underwhelmed with my new prayer method.
I could see I was going to have to help them with this. When we started praying with the new JOY method, the most challenging part was thinking of the attributes of God. Thank goodness for the book of Psalms! We found many words we could use to praise God – He’s merciful, He’s righteous, He’s our creator, He’s our protector – just to name a few!
Changing the way we pray has really helped to focus our attention on God and to learn more about His attributes at the same time. It has also been good to pray for others before we pray about ourselves. Using the JOY method has been a good change for our family. We are all finding out more about God and His characteristics, which seem to be limitless!
Now without looking it up in the dictionary or thinking about what you learned in school, how do you spell prayer?
Prayer: God, there are so many of your qualities and traits that go unnoticed unless we search for them in Your Word. Please forgive us for the times when we are stagnant in our prayer life. We want to give You the praise and honor You deserve, and we want to do it creatively. Thank you for the many facets of Your being – You are such an amazing God!
Scripture: Choose a Psalm that highlights God’s qualities
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Misunderstandings
It was Thursday and I was excited because that evening I had plans to meet a friend for dinner. Just to be safe, I texted my friend to confirm the time and place we would meet. A few minutes later my phone rang. It was my friend explaining she thought we had planned to meet the following Thursday. One of us had gotten the date wrong, which created our misunderstanding.
Similar to misunderstandings in life, I believe there are times we can misunderstand Scripture. Sometimes, without even realizing it or trying to do so, we can think a verse means one thing when it really means another.
This happened to me recently as I read the book of James. James 1:5-8 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”
When I was growing up, my class memorized these verses at our Christian school. Unfortunately, I misunderstood their meaning. I used to think James was saying that I should bring my specific requests to God and then believe that He will answer my prayer according to His will. When I read these verses as an adult, I was surprised to realize that I had misunderstood their true message.
In reality, James is telling us that if we need wisdom in our lives, we should ask God for it. These verses don’t say we should ask God to fix our situation, but that we should ask God for wisdom to deal with our circumstance. He promises that God will give us wisdom when we ask, on one condition. We must believe and not doubt.
Lately I’ve realized the second part of those verses is actually the hardest part for me. I can say I believe God will give me wisdom, but do I really trust and believe, or do I keep some of the control for myself? I’m a planner and a controller, so I don’t like to leave any part of my life up to someone else. James speaks clearly, though, that we must ask for wisdom and believe that God will give it to us, or we cannot expect to receive anything from God.
Those are powerful words. Now that I understand their true meaning, I am working on putting it into practice in my daily life. When a challenge arises, I now ask for wisdom to deal with the challenge and then tell God I believe He is in control (not me!). This is a new concept for me to implement in my life. However, now that James set me straight, I need to learn from my misunderstanding!
Prayer: Thank you Lord, for clarifying what Scripture verses really mean. I don’t want to misunderstand Your Word. Thank you for Your promise that if we ask for wisdom, You will give it to us generously, without finding fault. Please clear up any misunderstandings I may have in my spiritual walk so that I may grow closer to You.
Scripture: James 1
Similar to misunderstandings in life, I believe there are times we can misunderstand Scripture. Sometimes, without even realizing it or trying to do so, we can think a verse means one thing when it really means another.
This happened to me recently as I read the book of James. James 1:5-8 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”
When I was growing up, my class memorized these verses at our Christian school. Unfortunately, I misunderstood their meaning. I used to think James was saying that I should bring my specific requests to God and then believe that He will answer my prayer according to His will. When I read these verses as an adult, I was surprised to realize that I had misunderstood their true message.
In reality, James is telling us that if we need wisdom in our lives, we should ask God for it. These verses don’t say we should ask God to fix our situation, but that we should ask God for wisdom to deal with our circumstance. He promises that God will give us wisdom when we ask, on one condition. We must believe and not doubt.
Lately I’ve realized the second part of those verses is actually the hardest part for me. I can say I believe God will give me wisdom, but do I really trust and believe, or do I keep some of the control for myself? I’m a planner and a controller, so I don’t like to leave any part of my life up to someone else. James speaks clearly, though, that we must ask for wisdom and believe that God will give it to us, or we cannot expect to receive anything from God.
Those are powerful words. Now that I understand their true meaning, I am working on putting it into practice in my daily life. When a challenge arises, I now ask for wisdom to deal with the challenge and then tell God I believe He is in control (not me!). This is a new concept for me to implement in my life. However, now that James set me straight, I need to learn from my misunderstanding!
Prayer: Thank you Lord, for clarifying what Scripture verses really mean. I don’t want to misunderstand Your Word. Thank you for Your promise that if we ask for wisdom, You will give it to us generously, without finding fault. Please clear up any misunderstandings I may have in my spiritual walk so that I may grow closer to You.
Scripture: James 1
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
He Makes Me Feel Safe
Recently I was listening to a young woman talk about her husband. She was asked why she was attracted to him and what she liked about him. Her response was simple. “He makes me feel safe,” she replied. Her words resonated with me because I think that in general, we all want to feel like we are safe.
For a little while yesterday I did not feel safe. This may seem trivial to some people, but if anyone has a phobia of some sort, you will relate to my predicament. I thought I heard a mouse in the house. Some people are scared of snakes, other of spiders and I’m petrified of mice and rodents in general. Stuart Little – not cute. Tom & Jerry – not cute. Even that new “chef” cartoon rat – not cute.
So when I thought I heard a mouse in my house yesterday I sat paralyzed on my stairs. My pride evaporated as I called my friend next door and she came over with her 5-year-old son to help me look for the mouse. While her son sat on the stairs with me, Nikki searched and could not find even a hint of mouse droppings. Only then did I feel safe enough to get off of the stairs and help her look.
“Mouse!” Yelled her son from his perch on the stairs. My heart stopped beating as I looked at him for a clue as to where the mouse was. “Just kidding,” he said as he doubled over in laughter. Not funny!
I’m a little embarrassed to say that the mouse noise I heard was really my ice cube maker frantically trying to make ice. As my dear, mouse-hunting friend left, I thanked her for helping me feel safe in my house again.
I realize that many of you are going through situations that are much more critical than a mouse in your house. You may feel open, vulnerable and in need of a safe place to wait out the storm you’re enduring.
Yesterday I listed some verses that proclaimed “God is our refuge.” I looked up the word refuge in the dictionary. It means (1)The state of being protected, as from danger or hardship. (2) A place that provides protection or shelter: haven. Something to which one may turn for help, relief, or escape.
In the midst of our trials, God wants to be our protector, our shelter, our escape. Will you tuck yourself under God’s shelter today? Will you let Him be your protector and trust that He will do what He’s promised? He is the only one who can truly help you feel safe in the midst of turmoil.
Scripture: Ps. 18:2, Ps. 62:5-8
Prayer: Lord, when trials and scary situations enter our lives, thank you that we can turn to You for protection, guidance and safety. We want to trust You to hold us through the difficult times in our lives. Life brings many ups and downs, but we know that You are constant through it all.
For a little while yesterday I did not feel safe. This may seem trivial to some people, but if anyone has a phobia of some sort, you will relate to my predicament. I thought I heard a mouse in the house. Some people are scared of snakes, other of spiders and I’m petrified of mice and rodents in general. Stuart Little – not cute. Tom & Jerry – not cute. Even that new “chef” cartoon rat – not cute.
So when I thought I heard a mouse in my house yesterday I sat paralyzed on my stairs. My pride evaporated as I called my friend next door and she came over with her 5-year-old son to help me look for the mouse. While her son sat on the stairs with me, Nikki searched and could not find even a hint of mouse droppings. Only then did I feel safe enough to get off of the stairs and help her look.
“Mouse!” Yelled her son from his perch on the stairs. My heart stopped beating as I looked at him for a clue as to where the mouse was. “Just kidding,” he said as he doubled over in laughter. Not funny!
I’m a little embarrassed to say that the mouse noise I heard was really my ice cube maker frantically trying to make ice. As my dear, mouse-hunting friend left, I thanked her for helping me feel safe in my house again.
I realize that many of you are going through situations that are much more critical than a mouse in your house. You may feel open, vulnerable and in need of a safe place to wait out the storm you’re enduring.
Yesterday I listed some verses that proclaimed “God is our refuge.” I looked up the word refuge in the dictionary. It means (1)The state of being protected, as from danger or hardship. (2) A place that provides protection or shelter: haven. Something to which one may turn for help, relief, or escape.
In the midst of our trials, God wants to be our protector, our shelter, our escape. Will you tuck yourself under God’s shelter today? Will you let Him be your protector and trust that He will do what He’s promised? He is the only one who can truly help you feel safe in the midst of turmoil.
Scripture: Ps. 18:2, Ps. 62:5-8
Prayer: Lord, when trials and scary situations enter our lives, thank you that we can turn to You for protection, guidance and safety. We want to trust You to hold us through the difficult times in our lives. Life brings many ups and downs, but we know that You are constant through it all.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Ok, I get it!
Have you ever had the feeling that God was trying to tell you something? I’ve had that feeling lately.
My scripture readings over the last few days have started to develop a common theme. I’ve been reading Psalms 59-62, and I’ve been struck by the concept that God is our refuge. My last blog entry talked about God being our refuge during the storms of life. Then today I was talking to my sister-in-law who’s in charge of women’s ministries at her church in Texas. I asked her what they have going on right now and she said they’re working on a women’s retreat about refuge.
Ok, I get it! I think God wants to show me something!
To really get a handle on the fact that God wants to be our place of refuge, let’s do something together. Print off the following verses and circle every time a word relating to “refuge” is mentioned. The psalmist lists various words for refuge such as “fortress,” “rock,” “shield,” etc.
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalm 18:2
“O my Strength, I watch for You;
You, O God, are my fortress.”
Psalm 59:9
“But I will sing of your strength,
In the morning I will sing of your love;
For you are my fortress,
My refuge in times of trouble.
O my Strength, I sing praise to You;
You, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.”
Psalm 59:16-17
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
My hope comes from Him,
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
He is my fortress, I will not be shaken,
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
He is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust Him at all times, O people;
Pour out your hearts to Him,
For God is our refuge.”
Psalm 62:5-8
Now make a list of each word you found as synonym for refuge.
Here is the list I came up with: rock, fortress, deliverer, refuge, shield, horn & strength. Do we have the same list? These words attest to a powerful God, don’t they? There’s more to discover about God and His desire to be our refuge, so let’s learn more about it together. Stay posted, and maybe we can say, “Ok, I get it” together!
Prayer: Lord, what do you have to show us through Your Word today? We read that You want to be our refuge because we see You’ve mentioned it over and over in Scripture. Please show each one of us how to apply this concept to our lives as we dig into these Bible verses.
Scripture: See above verses!
My scripture readings over the last few days have started to develop a common theme. I’ve been reading Psalms 59-62, and I’ve been struck by the concept that God is our refuge. My last blog entry talked about God being our refuge during the storms of life. Then today I was talking to my sister-in-law who’s in charge of women’s ministries at her church in Texas. I asked her what they have going on right now and she said they’re working on a women’s retreat about refuge.
Ok, I get it! I think God wants to show me something!
To really get a handle on the fact that God wants to be our place of refuge, let’s do something together. Print off the following verses and circle every time a word relating to “refuge” is mentioned. The psalmist lists various words for refuge such as “fortress,” “rock,” “shield,” etc.
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalm 18:2
“O my Strength, I watch for You;
You, O God, are my fortress.”
Psalm 59:9
“But I will sing of your strength,
In the morning I will sing of your love;
For you are my fortress,
My refuge in times of trouble.
O my Strength, I sing praise to You;
You, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.”
Psalm 59:16-17
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
My hope comes from Him,
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
He is my fortress, I will not be shaken,
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
He is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust Him at all times, O people;
Pour out your hearts to Him,
For God is our refuge.”
Psalm 62:5-8
Now make a list of each word you found as synonym for refuge.
Here is the list I came up with: rock, fortress, deliverer, refuge, shield, horn & strength. Do we have the same list? These words attest to a powerful God, don’t they? There’s more to discover about God and His desire to be our refuge, so let’s learn more about it together. Stay posted, and maybe we can say, “Ok, I get it” together!
Prayer: Lord, what do you have to show us through Your Word today? We read that You want to be our refuge because we see You’ve mentioned it over and over in Scripture. Please show each one of us how to apply this concept to our lives as we dig into these Bible verses.
Scripture: See above verses!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Divine Assignments
This morning the kids and I were reading a devotional about divine assignments. (Not the 007 type, but pretty close!) There are many examples of divine assignments in the Bible. Mary’s was to give birth to the Messiah. It’s hard to top that one! Moses had the divine assignment of freeing the Israelites from slavery. These were clearly tasks ordained by God!
We started thinking about how we could be involved with God’s divine assignments. What types of divine assignments can a stay-at-home mom and two grade-school age kids, or any of us for that matter, encounter in our daily lives?
The kids had some great ideas. They could help someone at school who is hurting. They could be extra kind and include someone in their class who is not always included. My ideas were to encourage a friend or write a blog entry that could draw someone closer to Christ. We all prayed that God would show us His divine assignment for today and then the kids left for school.
I didn’t have long to wait for mine to be revealed. Soon after the kids left, a friend called. She has been going through a rough time lately and I knew my divine assignment was to encourage her. The Scripture passages I’ve been reading lately fit in perfectly with the issues she’s dealing with right now, so I shared what the Lord had shown me.
The important part of my divine assignment was that I had the tools to help my friend. There have been times in my life when I have not been in the Word and would not have been able to help her. I was thankful that I’d been reading the Bible and that God could use what He’s been showing me to help someone else.
Another friend of mine is often presented with divine assignments at her workplace. Co-workers and even clients come to her for advice and wisdom because they know her knowledge comes from the Lord. Some of her divine assignments are unexpected and take time out of her busy day, but I know that the Lord has placed her at her job so that He can use her to encourage others around her.
All of us have divine assignments. We just have to look for them and take advantage of them when they arise. If you don’t feel like you have any divine assignments, then pray that God will give you one. Read the Word daily so you have the right tools to complete the assignment. I can’t wait to find out about the divine assignments my kids had today!
Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I want You to give me divine assignments. I know I need to be in Your Word and in prayer so that I will see the assignments when You present them. I want to be ready and waiting when an assignment arises and I want to be used by You.
We started thinking about how we could be involved with God’s divine assignments. What types of divine assignments can a stay-at-home mom and two grade-school age kids, or any of us for that matter, encounter in our daily lives?
The kids had some great ideas. They could help someone at school who is hurting. They could be extra kind and include someone in their class who is not always included. My ideas were to encourage a friend or write a blog entry that could draw someone closer to Christ. We all prayed that God would show us His divine assignment for today and then the kids left for school.
I didn’t have long to wait for mine to be revealed. Soon after the kids left, a friend called. She has been going through a rough time lately and I knew my divine assignment was to encourage her. The Scripture passages I’ve been reading lately fit in perfectly with the issues she’s dealing with right now, so I shared what the Lord had shown me.
The important part of my divine assignment was that I had the tools to help my friend. There have been times in my life when I have not been in the Word and would not have been able to help her. I was thankful that I’d been reading the Bible and that God could use what He’s been showing me to help someone else.
Another friend of mine is often presented with divine assignments at her workplace. Co-workers and even clients come to her for advice and wisdom because they know her knowledge comes from the Lord. Some of her divine assignments are unexpected and take time out of her busy day, but I know that the Lord has placed her at her job so that He can use her to encourage others around her.
All of us have divine assignments. We just have to look for them and take advantage of them when they arise. If you don’t feel like you have any divine assignments, then pray that God will give you one. Read the Word daily so you have the right tools to complete the assignment. I can’t wait to find out about the divine assignments my kids had today!
Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I want You to give me divine assignments. I know I need to be in Your Word and in prayer so that I will see the assignments when You present them. I want to be ready and waiting when an assignment arises and I want to be used by You.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Searching for Refuge
This summer my mom and I took the kids up to Minnesota’s captivating North Shore. It rained most of the time, but we still enjoyed breathtaking views of the beautiful rocky shoreline. The rain continued through our entire trip home. As we reached my mom’s house to drop her off, the rain’s intensity increased and so did my desire for the kids and I to reach our own home and our own beds.
A few minutes after leaving mom’s house the weather turned ugly. I have never driven through such a horrible storm as I did that day. I could not see even one foot in front of me as the driving rain poured down and then it began to hail. When I saw lightning flash three times on the road in front of me, I knew the kids and I needed to pray, literally, for our lives.
I searched for a place on the side of the road to pull over. I longed for some driveway or another side road where we could take refuge. If we stayed on the road and pulled over, we risked the chance of someone coming behind us and hitting us. If we turned around to go back to my parent’s house, we risked the chance of someone coming from the other direction and hitting us. It was one of the scariest moments of my life.
“We’re going to turn around. Pray!” I told the kids. With a desperate prayer, I swung the car around and started the scary journey back to my parent’s home. After fifteen long minutes that felt like hours, we arrived at our place of refuge. It felt so good to be safe in a warm, dry place.
I was reminded of this story today as I read in Psalms. Quite a few verses in the book of Psalms talk about God as our refuge.
Psalm 57:1 “…for in You my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.”
Psalm 59:16-17 “For You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.”
Psalm 61: 3 “For You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in Your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.”
These are just a few verses that I’ve read lately, so I’m sure there are plenty more about God being our refuge. That day in the midst of a physical storm in my life, God was there, guiding my car to a safe place of refuge. When you or I are experiencing an emotional storm, He is also there. The Bible says we can take refuge in the shadow of His wings.
No matter what kind of storm you’re going through in life, take refuge in God. He wants to put His arms around you and embrace you. He wants you to take refuge in the shadow of His wings until the storm has passed. Like me on that horrible night, you may have to go through the storm first, but take heart in knowing He will be right beside you until the disaster has passed.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 57, 59 & 61
Prayer: Lord, we do not enjoy going through storms, whether they’re physical or emotional. However, we know storms are part of life here on earth. Thank you for being such a loving and caring God. Thank you for promising to be our refuge until the storm has passed. Thank you for coming along side us as we encounter storms in our lives. We will trust in You.
A few minutes after leaving mom’s house the weather turned ugly. I have never driven through such a horrible storm as I did that day. I could not see even one foot in front of me as the driving rain poured down and then it began to hail. When I saw lightning flash three times on the road in front of me, I knew the kids and I needed to pray, literally, for our lives.
I searched for a place on the side of the road to pull over. I longed for some driveway or another side road where we could take refuge. If we stayed on the road and pulled over, we risked the chance of someone coming behind us and hitting us. If we turned around to go back to my parent’s house, we risked the chance of someone coming from the other direction and hitting us. It was one of the scariest moments of my life.
“We’re going to turn around. Pray!” I told the kids. With a desperate prayer, I swung the car around and started the scary journey back to my parent’s home. After fifteen long minutes that felt like hours, we arrived at our place of refuge. It felt so good to be safe in a warm, dry place.
I was reminded of this story today as I read in Psalms. Quite a few verses in the book of Psalms talk about God as our refuge.
Psalm 57:1 “…for in You my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.”
Psalm 59:16-17 “For You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.”
Psalm 61: 3 “For You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in Your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.”
These are just a few verses that I’ve read lately, so I’m sure there are plenty more about God being our refuge. That day in the midst of a physical storm in my life, God was there, guiding my car to a safe place of refuge. When you or I are experiencing an emotional storm, He is also there. The Bible says we can take refuge in the shadow of His wings.
No matter what kind of storm you’re going through in life, take refuge in God. He wants to put His arms around you and embrace you. He wants you to take refuge in the shadow of His wings until the storm has passed. Like me on that horrible night, you may have to go through the storm first, but take heart in knowing He will be right beside you until the disaster has passed.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 57, 59 & 61
Prayer: Lord, we do not enjoy going through storms, whether they’re physical or emotional. However, we know storms are part of life here on earth. Thank you for being such a loving and caring God. Thank you for promising to be our refuge until the storm has passed. Thank you for coming along side us as we encounter storms in our lives. We will trust in You.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Silent Step Could Mean Big Changes
This year is one of those “bonus” school years for me because both of my kids are in the same school. This unique “bonus” happens once every three years. It’s an ideal situation because I only have to keep track of what is going on at one school instead of two!
Unfortunately, the upper elementary school where both kids attend doesn’t seem to need as many parent volunteers as the primary school did. While I miss being involved in their classrooms, I’ve found out I can still volunteer in other areas. Now I’m on the call list to help with the school’s quarterly testing. It’s not the same as being in their classes, which made me a little sad. However, the job did come with the title, “Volunteer Test Proctor.” Who in their right mind would turn down a job with such a prestigious name?
As I proctored some tests yesterday, I realized that there was a higher purpose to being a Volunteer Test Proctor. (I really enjoy using that title.) I decided I would use the testing time to pray for each one of the students in my computer lab by name. As I walked around the room, I prayed that God would protect them, that they would have a good school year, and most importantly, I prayed that they would seek God and know Him on a personal level.
When they finished their test, I told each one of them that they’d done a good job and to have a good day. I tried to compliment them on something they were wearing (it happened to be crazy hat day so it was pretty easy to start up conversations) or ask them about the book they’d brought to read after their test. I don’t know what each child’s home life is like, so I tried to be a bright spot in their day.
I Timothy 2:1-4 says, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone … God our Savior wants all men to be saved.” Maybe you don’t have a school setting available to you, but you could go around your office and pray for each co-worker by name. At the check-out line, you can silently pray for the clerk. As you drive out of your neighborhood, you can pray over one house a day and ask God to be present in that home.
There are many unique ways to pray for people every day. Silent prayers can make a huge difference, even if the person you’re praying for is a stranger. Start today by finding someone you can bless through anonymous prayer. You may never know the outcome of that prayer, but we don’t have to know the end result for prayer to be effective. We can trust in God’s Word that says He wants all men to be saved. Your intercession can make all the difference in the world.
Scripture: I Timothy 2:1-4
Prayer: Lord, thank you that you allow us to help change the world through prayers. Please help us to take notice of the people around us who need prayer. Thank you that You want all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. We want to take the time to pray for others, even if we’ve never met them and will never see them again. Thank you for the power of prayer.
Unfortunately, the upper elementary school where both kids attend doesn’t seem to need as many parent volunteers as the primary school did. While I miss being involved in their classrooms, I’ve found out I can still volunteer in other areas. Now I’m on the call list to help with the school’s quarterly testing. It’s not the same as being in their classes, which made me a little sad. However, the job did come with the title, “Volunteer Test Proctor.” Who in their right mind would turn down a job with such a prestigious name?
As I proctored some tests yesterday, I realized that there was a higher purpose to being a Volunteer Test Proctor. (I really enjoy using that title.) I decided I would use the testing time to pray for each one of the students in my computer lab by name. As I walked around the room, I prayed that God would protect them, that they would have a good school year, and most importantly, I prayed that they would seek God and know Him on a personal level.
When they finished their test, I told each one of them that they’d done a good job and to have a good day. I tried to compliment them on something they were wearing (it happened to be crazy hat day so it was pretty easy to start up conversations) or ask them about the book they’d brought to read after their test. I don’t know what each child’s home life is like, so I tried to be a bright spot in their day.
I Timothy 2:1-4 says, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone … God our Savior wants all men to be saved.” Maybe you don’t have a school setting available to you, but you could go around your office and pray for each co-worker by name. At the check-out line, you can silently pray for the clerk. As you drive out of your neighborhood, you can pray over one house a day and ask God to be present in that home.
There are many unique ways to pray for people every day. Silent prayers can make a huge difference, even if the person you’re praying for is a stranger. Start today by finding someone you can bless through anonymous prayer. You may never know the outcome of that prayer, but we don’t have to know the end result for prayer to be effective. We can trust in God’s Word that says He wants all men to be saved. Your intercession can make all the difference in the world.
Scripture: I Timothy 2:1-4
Prayer: Lord, thank you that you allow us to help change the world through prayers. Please help us to take notice of the people around us who need prayer. Thank you that You want all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. We want to take the time to pray for others, even if we’ve never met them and will never see them again. Thank you for the power of prayer.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Dating Again
Back in March, I started doing something I called “50 First Dates.” (Check the March archives for the “50 First Dates” entry.) I felt God calling me to spend the first part of my day with Him, so I decided to commit to spending 50 mornings in a row with Him. Those “dates” became some of the sweetest experiences I’ve ever had with God. I felt close so to Him, and I was really growing in my faith.
After the 50 days were done, I became lax on how diligently I was spending the first part of my day with God. I’d miss one here or there then I’d miss a couple days in a row. As time went on, I could tell my relationship with God was getting weaker. I wasn’t keeping Him as a priority in my day. I’d justify not spending time with Him in the morning by telling myself I’d spend time with Him later. Sometimes later never came.
A friend and I decided to hold each other accountable to spending time early in the morning with God. We called it giving God our “first and best” to God. However, we realized that the first moment we wake up in the morning may not actually be the “best” time to spend with God. (If you’ve read my blog then you’re acutely aware I am not a morning person!)
We decided that we would change it to giving the first part of the day to God, either first thing when we woke up or right after the kids left for school -- but no later than that!
Today was a new beginning. Of course I started after the kids went to school. I’m looking forward to 49 more dates with God. After that, I’ll start 50 more dates until I hit 365. I realized I can’t afford to stop the dates or even to postpone the dates. I want that close fellowship with my Savior.
After the kids left for school, I read James 4:8 which says, “Come near to God and He will come near to you.” It’s so simple. If we spend time with God, He will come near to us. I am clinging to that promise in James and I’m looking forward to what God wants to show me.
Scripture: James 4:8
Prayer: Lord, what are we missing on the days we choose not to spend time with You? Why would we choose not to spend time in close fellowship with the Creator of the universe? We are sorry for all of the times we don’t put You first in our day. Thank you for the promise in Your Word that if we come near to You, You will come near to us. Thank you for the gift of a relationship with You. We promise not to take it for granted.
After the 50 days were done, I became lax on how diligently I was spending the first part of my day with God. I’d miss one here or there then I’d miss a couple days in a row. As time went on, I could tell my relationship with God was getting weaker. I wasn’t keeping Him as a priority in my day. I’d justify not spending time with Him in the morning by telling myself I’d spend time with Him later. Sometimes later never came.
A friend and I decided to hold each other accountable to spending time early in the morning with God. We called it giving God our “first and best” to God. However, we realized that the first moment we wake up in the morning may not actually be the “best” time to spend with God. (If you’ve read my blog then you’re acutely aware I am not a morning person!)
We decided that we would change it to giving the first part of the day to God, either first thing when we woke up or right after the kids left for school -- but no later than that!
Today was a new beginning. Of course I started after the kids went to school. I’m looking forward to 49 more dates with God. After that, I’ll start 50 more dates until I hit 365. I realized I can’t afford to stop the dates or even to postpone the dates. I want that close fellowship with my Savior.
After the kids left for school, I read James 4:8 which says, “Come near to God and He will come near to you.” It’s so simple. If we spend time with God, He will come near to us. I am clinging to that promise in James and I’m looking forward to what God wants to show me.
Scripture: James 4:8
Prayer: Lord, what are we missing on the days we choose not to spend time with You? Why would we choose not to spend time in close fellowship with the Creator of the universe? We are sorry for all of the times we don’t put You first in our day. Thank you for the promise in Your Word that if we come near to You, You will come near to us. Thank you for the gift of a relationship with You. We promise not to take it for granted.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Panic Mode
On Monday of last week I have to admit I was freaking out. You see, my husband and I are going to Florida in two months and we need someone to watch our kids. All of a sudden on Monday I started to panic. I needed to find six nights of childcare and for some reason, I needed to do it on that Monday.
Do you ever have days like that – days where something that really isn’t an emergency all of a sudden seems extremely important? That’s how it was for me last Monday. I was feeling a sense of urgency to find a temporary home for my kids and I worked myself up into panic mode.
I tried not to sound as desperate as I felt when I sent out an e-mail to a few friends. I was hoping that if each of them could take my kids for a night or two, then maybe things would work out.
Soon I got a phone call from a friend saying that my kids could stay with her family for the whole week. A couple of hours later I got an e-mail from another friend who had already arranged her work schedule and she also offered to take my kids for the entire week. At this point I was speechless (not a common thing for me)!
While I was still reeling from my friends’ very generous offers, I headed over to the school for parent orientation night. I saw another friend I had contacted earlier that day. She asked me if I had read my e-mails tonight. I told her I hadn’t. She said, “You may want to read them. I sent you one that details why our family should get to watch your kids for the whole week.”
Again, I was speechless and amazed. My first thought was, “God is so good.” I was overwhelmed by the knowledge that the God who created the universe cares about me so much that he found childcare for me. Now that’s a caring God!
As I sat through the orientation, I don’t remember hearing much about what the teacher said. (Sorry Mr. Tweten!) My heart was so full of love and thankfulness that I couldn’t focus very well on what was going on around me. I can’t remember a time where I felt so loved by my friends. I have some of the greatest friends in the world, and that evening I was reminded of that fact.
It’s funny how just that morning I was in panic/freak out mode. Then God, in His infinite love and mercy, decided to bless me – and not just bless me, but bless the socks off me! All I could do was stand in awe of Him and fall more deeply in love with Him.
Scripture: Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: if one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Prayer: God, You fill my cup and not just to the top, but overflowing! Thank you for friends who lift me up and encourage me by their selfless actions. God, You bless me beyond measure.
Do you ever have days like that – days where something that really isn’t an emergency all of a sudden seems extremely important? That’s how it was for me last Monday. I was feeling a sense of urgency to find a temporary home for my kids and I worked myself up into panic mode.
I tried not to sound as desperate as I felt when I sent out an e-mail to a few friends. I was hoping that if each of them could take my kids for a night or two, then maybe things would work out.
Soon I got a phone call from a friend saying that my kids could stay with her family for the whole week. A couple of hours later I got an e-mail from another friend who had already arranged her work schedule and she also offered to take my kids for the entire week. At this point I was speechless (not a common thing for me)!
While I was still reeling from my friends’ very generous offers, I headed over to the school for parent orientation night. I saw another friend I had contacted earlier that day. She asked me if I had read my e-mails tonight. I told her I hadn’t. She said, “You may want to read them. I sent you one that details why our family should get to watch your kids for the whole week.”
Again, I was speechless and amazed. My first thought was, “God is so good.” I was overwhelmed by the knowledge that the God who created the universe cares about me so much that he found childcare for me. Now that’s a caring God!
As I sat through the orientation, I don’t remember hearing much about what the teacher said. (Sorry Mr. Tweten!) My heart was so full of love and thankfulness that I couldn’t focus very well on what was going on around me. I can’t remember a time where I felt so loved by my friends. I have some of the greatest friends in the world, and that evening I was reminded of that fact.
It’s funny how just that morning I was in panic/freak out mode. Then God, in His infinite love and mercy, decided to bless me – and not just bless me, but bless the socks off me! All I could do was stand in awe of Him and fall more deeply in love with Him.
Scripture: Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: if one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Prayer: God, You fill my cup and not just to the top, but overflowing! Thank you for friends who lift me up and encourage me by their selfless actions. God, You bless me beyond measure.
Friday, September 3, 2010
The Foolish Man with a Talking Donkey
When you picture a donkey, what is the first word that comes to mind? Ok, you probably shouldn’t say that word out loud, but I’m guessing it wasn’t the word “smart.” I can think of a lot of animals that I would consider smarter than a donkey. When I see bees spreading pollen or hear about a dog that saved someone’s life, it reminds me of how smart some animals are. However, when I think about donkeys, “smart” isn’t the first word that comes to mind!
There’s a story in Numbers 22 about a man named Balaam and his donkey. The story begins one morning as Balaam and his donkey set out for Moab. However, God did not want him to go on this journey, so He sent an angel to stand in the middle of the road. Balaam could not see the angel, but his donkey could! The Bible says the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a sword drawn. The donkey (which the Bible says was female – could it be this is why it was so smart?) turned off the road into a field. Balaam was mad at his transportation for going off the path and he beat the donkey.
As they continued to travel they ended up in a path between two vineyards with walls on both sides. Again the angel of the Lord stood in their way and this time the donkey saw the angel and pressed against a wall, crushing Balaam’s foot. Balaam beat her again.
Amidst the strange happenings of the day, Balaam continued on his journey and the angel again tried to block his path. When the donkey saw the angel for the third time, she laid down underneath Balaam. She may have been thinking, “Enough is enough! Maybe there’s a reason this angel keeps blocking our path!” Balaam again got mad and beat her.
To make a strange day even more absurd, the donkey spoke to Balaam and asked, “What have I done to make you beat me three times?”
Even stranger yet, Balaam answered her, like it’s an every-day occurrence to talk to your donkey! “You have made a fool out of me! If I had a sword, I’d kill you right now!” he answered.
“Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” (it’s hard to even type this because, really, donkeys don’t talk!) asked the donkey.
“No,” replied Balaam.
Then Balaam’s eyes were opened and he saw the angel of the Lord. The puzzling events of the day must have fit together as he realized that God was using his donkey to halt his journey.
Balaam wasn’t supposed to go on the journey, but he did so against God’s will. Then when God used his donkey to try and stop him, he beat his donkey because he “felt like a fool.” Balaam’s pride took over and how he looked was more important to him than what God was trying to tell him. He was willing to kill his method of transportation to save face.
Is that how we react when someone hurts us or offends us? I see it in my kids when someone says something that hurts them. They feel bad or foolish, so they lash out with words or actions that are worse than what was done to them. It’s such a pride thing!
I know I’ve said things to others out of anger or hurt feelings and I’ve regretted it later. If someone makes me feel foolish, my natural reaction is to want them to feel foolish, too. It’s not right. I should just turn away and I shouldn’t lash out. Sometimes that’s easier said than done. However, I don’t want God to have to follow me around and use taking animals to get me to see the light in this area. I want to learn how to deal correctly with situations when I’m wronged!
It’s ok to acknowledge that someone has hurt us or wronged us, but it’s not ok to get back at them. We may need to talk to that person and let them know what they said was hurtful, but it should always be done in a loving manner. When we’re in the midst of the situation, it’s better to hold our tongue than to say something we regret later. If only Balaam would’ve taken the hint and turned around, he would have skipped the whole part about feeling foolish and he would have have spared his donkey a lot of pain!
Prayer: Lord, people are going to say or do things that hurt me – it’s a fact of life. When they do, please help me keep my pride in check. Guide my reaction so that I do not respond out of anger or frustration. Help me to stand up for myself in a Godly way and to show grace and love to others … even those who say hurtful things.
Scripture: Numbers 22
There’s a story in Numbers 22 about a man named Balaam and his donkey. The story begins one morning as Balaam and his donkey set out for Moab. However, God did not want him to go on this journey, so He sent an angel to stand in the middle of the road. Balaam could not see the angel, but his donkey could! The Bible says the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a sword drawn. The donkey (which the Bible says was female – could it be this is why it was so smart?) turned off the road into a field. Balaam was mad at his transportation for going off the path and he beat the donkey.
As they continued to travel they ended up in a path between two vineyards with walls on both sides. Again the angel of the Lord stood in their way and this time the donkey saw the angel and pressed against a wall, crushing Balaam’s foot. Balaam beat her again.
Amidst the strange happenings of the day, Balaam continued on his journey and the angel again tried to block his path. When the donkey saw the angel for the third time, she laid down underneath Balaam. She may have been thinking, “Enough is enough! Maybe there’s a reason this angel keeps blocking our path!” Balaam again got mad and beat her.
To make a strange day even more absurd, the donkey spoke to Balaam and asked, “What have I done to make you beat me three times?”
Even stranger yet, Balaam answered her, like it’s an every-day occurrence to talk to your donkey! “You have made a fool out of me! If I had a sword, I’d kill you right now!” he answered.
“Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” (it’s hard to even type this because, really, donkeys don’t talk!) asked the donkey.
“No,” replied Balaam.
Then Balaam’s eyes were opened and he saw the angel of the Lord. The puzzling events of the day must have fit together as he realized that God was using his donkey to halt his journey.
Balaam wasn’t supposed to go on the journey, but he did so against God’s will. Then when God used his donkey to try and stop him, he beat his donkey because he “felt like a fool.” Balaam’s pride took over and how he looked was more important to him than what God was trying to tell him. He was willing to kill his method of transportation to save face.
Is that how we react when someone hurts us or offends us? I see it in my kids when someone says something that hurts them. They feel bad or foolish, so they lash out with words or actions that are worse than what was done to them. It’s such a pride thing!
I know I’ve said things to others out of anger or hurt feelings and I’ve regretted it later. If someone makes me feel foolish, my natural reaction is to want them to feel foolish, too. It’s not right. I should just turn away and I shouldn’t lash out. Sometimes that’s easier said than done. However, I don’t want God to have to follow me around and use taking animals to get me to see the light in this area. I want to learn how to deal correctly with situations when I’m wronged!
It’s ok to acknowledge that someone has hurt us or wronged us, but it’s not ok to get back at them. We may need to talk to that person and let them know what they said was hurtful, but it should always be done in a loving manner. When we’re in the midst of the situation, it’s better to hold our tongue than to say something we regret later. If only Balaam would’ve taken the hint and turned around, he would have skipped the whole part about feeling foolish and he would have have spared his donkey a lot of pain!
Prayer: Lord, people are going to say or do things that hurt me – it’s a fact of life. When they do, please help me keep my pride in check. Guide my reaction so that I do not respond out of anger or frustration. Help me to stand up for myself in a Godly way and to show grace and love to others … even those who say hurtful things.
Scripture: Numbers 22
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Pick up Your Coffee and Follow Him
Imagine yourself casually strolling down the streets of your town. You may be window shopping or just sipping a cup of coffee as you enjoy the day. As you stop to glance in a new boutique, you realize there is someone beside you. As you turn to face Him, you notice a kind man, a stranger looking at you like He knows you.
“I’ve been wanting to speak with you since I saw you get your coffee,” He says to you.
“Do I know you?” You ask, not really afraid, but a little perplexed.
“You may have heard of Me, but we haven’t officially met in person. My name is Jesus, and I want you to put down your coffee and follow Me.” He states this so matter-of-factly that you immediately set down your favorite latte and walk with Him. There are others following this man, too, and you suddenly realize this is Jesus Christ, the Son of God and King of Israel.
Of course, this is a modern-day example of what it may have been like when Jesus chose his disciples. John 1:35-51 shows Jesus choosing His first disciples. Andrew, Peter and Philip followed Jesus without hesitation, but Nathanael waivered. Personally, I can relate more to Nathanael’s reaction than the other three who followed so quickly. Change doesn’t come easy for me, and I don’t think it came easy for Nathanael either.
Nathanael needed a little confirmation before he would take the plunge and follow Jesus. “How do You know me?” Nathanael questioned. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were sitting under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Jesus knew all about Nathanael before He even met him. This intimate knowledge convinced Nathanael and he replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”
Let’s talk about the other three disciples for a minute. According to this scripture passage, they followed Jesus without question from the beginning. Reading these verses made me wonder what it was about Jesus that caused these men to quit their jobs and refocus their lives to follow Christ. My conclusion is that the reasons for following Jesus are the same today as they were 2,000 years ago. Anyone who meets Him wants to learn more about Him.
The disciples followed Jesus because they could tell there was something special about Him. They wanted to know more, so they dropped everything to follow Him. It’s the same for us. The more we learn about Him, the more we want to know. The more I dig into the Bible, the more I want to learn about Jesus. There is something amazing about Him that draws us in today just as it drew in the disciples so long ago.
One irony is that unlike the opening story, I am usually not setting down my coffee to follow Jesus, I’m picking it up! The best part of my day is sitting on my favorite couch with a hot cup of coffee, reading the Bible and getting to know more about the Lord. “How do you know me?” I ask Him during one of these quiet moments. “I saw you here while you with your vanilla hazelnut coffee.” That’s all I need to know.
Scripture Reading: John 1:35-51
Prayer: Jesus, it’s amazing that you know us just by looking at us. After all, You created us and so You know everything about us. Please help us to make time for you each day to get to know you better.
“I’ve been wanting to speak with you since I saw you get your coffee,” He says to you.
“Do I know you?” You ask, not really afraid, but a little perplexed.
“You may have heard of Me, but we haven’t officially met in person. My name is Jesus, and I want you to put down your coffee and follow Me.” He states this so matter-of-factly that you immediately set down your favorite latte and walk with Him. There are others following this man, too, and you suddenly realize this is Jesus Christ, the Son of God and King of Israel.
Of course, this is a modern-day example of what it may have been like when Jesus chose his disciples. John 1:35-51 shows Jesus choosing His first disciples. Andrew, Peter and Philip followed Jesus without hesitation, but Nathanael waivered. Personally, I can relate more to Nathanael’s reaction than the other three who followed so quickly. Change doesn’t come easy for me, and I don’t think it came easy for Nathanael either.
Nathanael needed a little confirmation before he would take the plunge and follow Jesus. “How do You know me?” Nathanael questioned. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were sitting under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Jesus knew all about Nathanael before He even met him. This intimate knowledge convinced Nathanael and he replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”
Let’s talk about the other three disciples for a minute. According to this scripture passage, they followed Jesus without question from the beginning. Reading these verses made me wonder what it was about Jesus that caused these men to quit their jobs and refocus their lives to follow Christ. My conclusion is that the reasons for following Jesus are the same today as they were 2,000 years ago. Anyone who meets Him wants to learn more about Him.
The disciples followed Jesus because they could tell there was something special about Him. They wanted to know more, so they dropped everything to follow Him. It’s the same for us. The more we learn about Him, the more we want to know. The more I dig into the Bible, the more I want to learn about Jesus. There is something amazing about Him that draws us in today just as it drew in the disciples so long ago.
One irony is that unlike the opening story, I am usually not setting down my coffee to follow Jesus, I’m picking it up! The best part of my day is sitting on my favorite couch with a hot cup of coffee, reading the Bible and getting to know more about the Lord. “How do you know me?” I ask Him during one of these quiet moments. “I saw you here while you with your vanilla hazelnut coffee.” That’s all I need to know.
Scripture Reading: John 1:35-51
Prayer: Jesus, it’s amazing that you know us just by looking at us. After all, You created us and so You know everything about us. Please help us to make time for you each day to get to know you better.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
One of Those Days
Have you ever had “one of those days?” I recently experienced “one.” I was mad, frustrated and annoyed with everyone around me. You could say I was tightly wound. It’s a good thing I don’t own a dog, because I probably would’ve kicked him!
It was a day where it seemed I could do nothing right. My husband and I were arguing about minor miscommunications. My kids weren’t obeying. No one liked the supper I made, and I was beating myself up over not being a good enough friend. I was starting to feel less and less valuable as the minutes ticked on.
We ended up running errands as a family that night. As many of you know, kids and errands don’t always mix well. This time it was a lethal combination. To give an example, even a store clerk had to reprimand my kids. It was not my most shining moment as a parent. By the time we arrived home at 9:30, I was mentally exhausted.
My son, however, seemed to have a bounce in his step. There’s nothing more annoying to someone in a mental pity party than to see a cheerful person. The minute we got out of the car, he ran up to me and excitedly asked, “Mom, can I tell you something?”
I blankly stared at him with the I-can’t-believe-you-would-dare-to-be-cheerful-after-what-you-pulled-at-the-store-tonight look. He watched my face for a few seconds, assessing the situation. Then he carefully said, “I’ll just tell you about it tomorrow” and turned and ran in the house. Smart kid.
The rest of the evening didn’t improve much, so I was hoping the next day would be better. Since the kids were grounded, it turned out to be a productive day around home. We baked a triple batch of banana bread, cleaned the wood floors and even played a game of “Life” together.
We also went into the Community Center so they could burn off some energy in the pool and I could work out my previous frustrations in the fitness room. As I was cruising on the elliptical machine, the song “Who I am in You” by Addison Road played on my iPod.
Oh, you’re bringing me to life
And I’m finding who I am in You
Who I am in You
Oh, You’re changing me inside,
And I’m finding who I am in You,
Who I am in You
As I listened to the song, I realized that my self-imposed inadequacies fade when God looks at me. It’s who I am in Him that really matters. I had been focusing on what I thought were my failures instead of seeing myself as God sees me. As the words to that song played, I felt God’s love wash over me and the painful memories of the previous day faded in comparison.
Scripture verse: “From everlasting to everlasting,
The Lord’s love is with those who fear Him,
And His righteousness with their children’s children.”
Psalm 103:17
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for loving me in spite of my failures and inadequacy. You love me not just today or tomorrow; Your love is from everlasting to everlasting. Even when I am frustrated with myself and those around me, Your love is always there for me. I need to focus on who I am in You and cling to that beautiful thought. Thank you for extending Your righteousness to my children and grandchildren. I am blessed by Your love for me and for my family.
It was a day where it seemed I could do nothing right. My husband and I were arguing about minor miscommunications. My kids weren’t obeying. No one liked the supper I made, and I was beating myself up over not being a good enough friend. I was starting to feel less and less valuable as the minutes ticked on.
We ended up running errands as a family that night. As many of you know, kids and errands don’t always mix well. This time it was a lethal combination. To give an example, even a store clerk had to reprimand my kids. It was not my most shining moment as a parent. By the time we arrived home at 9:30, I was mentally exhausted.
My son, however, seemed to have a bounce in his step. There’s nothing more annoying to someone in a mental pity party than to see a cheerful person. The minute we got out of the car, he ran up to me and excitedly asked, “Mom, can I tell you something?”
I blankly stared at him with the I-can’t-believe-you-would-dare-to-be-cheerful-after-what-you-pulled-at-the-store-tonight look. He watched my face for a few seconds, assessing the situation. Then he carefully said, “I’ll just tell you about it tomorrow” and turned and ran in the house. Smart kid.
The rest of the evening didn’t improve much, so I was hoping the next day would be better. Since the kids were grounded, it turned out to be a productive day around home. We baked a triple batch of banana bread, cleaned the wood floors and even played a game of “Life” together.
We also went into the Community Center so they could burn off some energy in the pool and I could work out my previous frustrations in the fitness room. As I was cruising on the elliptical machine, the song “Who I am in You” by Addison Road played on my iPod.
Oh, you’re bringing me to life
And I’m finding who I am in You
Who I am in You
Oh, You’re changing me inside,
And I’m finding who I am in You,
Who I am in You
As I listened to the song, I realized that my self-imposed inadequacies fade when God looks at me. It’s who I am in Him that really matters. I had been focusing on what I thought were my failures instead of seeing myself as God sees me. As the words to that song played, I felt God’s love wash over me and the painful memories of the previous day faded in comparison.
Scripture verse: “From everlasting to everlasting,
The Lord’s love is with those who fear Him,
And His righteousness with their children’s children.”
Psalm 103:17
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for loving me in spite of my failures and inadequacy. You love me not just today or tomorrow; Your love is from everlasting to everlasting. Even when I am frustrated with myself and those around me, Your love is always there for me. I need to focus on who I am in You and cling to that beautiful thought. Thank you for extending Your righteousness to my children and grandchildren. I am blessed by Your love for me and for my family.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Happy Birthday Me
It was my birthday yesterday. I want you to know that I’m not a birthday diva. Really, I’m not. However, if someone wants to call me to wish me happy birthday or send me a card, I’m not going to turn them away. That would be rude. After all, you only turn 29 … once!
Who am I to refuse a free Caribou birthday drink or a complimentary Pollo Fundido and fried ice cream at Mexican Village? And if my family wants to get me a pedicure for my birthday gift, I will humbly accept it as the loving gift it was intended to be. If my son wants to make my bed, who am I to refuse that once-in-a-lifetime experience? If my kids want to stand a little closer to me on my birthday or hold my hand a little more often, then you can bet I’m going to soak in all the extra attention that my birthday brings.
I can’t help it if my little friend Sawyer and my niece Stella call to sing me an adorable birthday song. When texts pop up with sweet birthday wishes and encouraging words, I have to admit I feel pretty special. When I look at my facebook wall and see all the birthday messages from friends and family, I am touched and blessed to know that so many people acknowledged my special day. I’m not a birthday diva – not at all!
I am so thankful for all the birthday wishes, gifts and free food and drink, but there is more to my birthday than that. As you can see, I love all the attention my birthday brings, but it would mean nothing without love of one person; my Lord. It’s wonderful to have the love of my family and friends, but it’s astounding to have a Savior who loves me. He shows me He loves me every day through His Word, through conversations in prayer, through nature and through people He places in my life.
Psalm 16:2 says, “You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing.” Not even birthdays! God gives me everything good in my life.
In Psalm 16:11 David says, “You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to love getting my pedicure, but eternal pleasures sound pretty good, too. I wonder what a heavenly pedicure would feel like?
Scripture passage: Psalm 16
Prayer: Lord, thank you for every good thing You’ve brought into my life. I acknowledge that You are the reason I am on this earth and I want to thank you for giving me life and for giving me the opportunity to spend eternity with You. You do fill me with joy and I give You honor for every blessing in my life. Help me to use my life to honor You. In Your name I pray, Amen.
Who am I to refuse a free Caribou birthday drink or a complimentary Pollo Fundido and fried ice cream at Mexican Village? And if my family wants to get me a pedicure for my birthday gift, I will humbly accept it as the loving gift it was intended to be. If my son wants to make my bed, who am I to refuse that once-in-a-lifetime experience? If my kids want to stand a little closer to me on my birthday or hold my hand a little more often, then you can bet I’m going to soak in all the extra attention that my birthday brings.
I can’t help it if my little friend Sawyer and my niece Stella call to sing me an adorable birthday song. When texts pop up with sweet birthday wishes and encouraging words, I have to admit I feel pretty special. When I look at my facebook wall and see all the birthday messages from friends and family, I am touched and blessed to know that so many people acknowledged my special day. I’m not a birthday diva – not at all!
I am so thankful for all the birthday wishes, gifts and free food and drink, but there is more to my birthday than that. As you can see, I love all the attention my birthday brings, but it would mean nothing without love of one person; my Lord. It’s wonderful to have the love of my family and friends, but it’s astounding to have a Savior who loves me. He shows me He loves me every day through His Word, through conversations in prayer, through nature and through people He places in my life.
Psalm 16:2 says, “You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing.” Not even birthdays! God gives me everything good in my life.
In Psalm 16:11 David says, “You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to love getting my pedicure, but eternal pleasures sound pretty good, too. I wonder what a heavenly pedicure would feel like?
Scripture passage: Psalm 16
Prayer: Lord, thank you for every good thing You’ve brought into my life. I acknowledge that You are the reason I am on this earth and I want to thank you for giving me life and for giving me the opportunity to spend eternity with You. You do fill me with joy and I give You honor for every blessing in my life. Help me to use my life to honor You. In Your name I pray, Amen.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
It's Sooooooo Easy!
One of my high school teachers used to say a phrase that still echoes in my head today. After he’d finish teaching his lesson, he’d add the statement, “It’s sooooooo easy” using his patronizing voice. The tiny word “so” was never as long as when his low voice would drag it out. That phrase always made me feel like I was in idiot if I didn’t catch on to what he was teaching that day.
I was reminded of this phrase the other day when I was reading in 1 John. I came across one simple verse that epitomizes the Christian life. “And this is His (God’s) command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us (1 John 3:23).” You can see why I fell in love with that verse! In that one verse, we have the essence of what it means to be a Christian. I thought to myself, “It’s sooooo easy!” Even though living the Christian life isn’t always easy, God made it easy for us to understand what being a Christian is all about.
The first part of that verse says that we become a child of Christ by believing in the name of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. John 6:40 tells us that “Anyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life.” Believing in Jesus is not always easy or simple for some people. There are many reasons that people use for not believing in Jesus. However, to those who do choose to believe in Him and are willing to trust and serve Him, He has promised eternal life.
The second part of the verse says to love one another as He commanded us. This is where the rubber meets the road. This is where we show we are true disciples of Christ. After we accept Christ, we are instructed to love one another. Notice that there are no stipulations to this verse. (I kind of wish there were!) What about the co-worker who has it out for us? What about the Christian friend who has hurt us? What about that family member who works on our last nerve? What about people who have done despicable things? Are we really supposed to love them?
The end of this verse makes it clear that we are called to love everyone. Sometimes it’s not soooooo easy to love certain people. It’s easy for me to love people in my life who are kind to me. It’s a lot harder to love people who are difficult.
God set the ultimate example of love by sending His only Son to die for a sinful world. That sinful world includes you and me. We have done nothing to deserve God’s love, yet while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Loving others can mean different things for different people. Some people love others by helping those in need. Some people show love by participating in a missions trip. Some people show love by choosing to forgive someone who’s hurt them. Other people show love by reaching out to people in their community. There are many ways to show God's love.
No matter how God wants you to show love, the important thing is that you are doing it. It’s not always soooooo easy to show love. Take God for example. I’m sure it wasn’t sooooo easy for Him to give up His Son and watch Him suffer, but He did it out of love. After God’s ultimate sacrifice, all He asks of us is that we believe in Jesus and love others. That doesn’t seem like much to ask!
Scripture reading: I John 3
Prayer: Lord, I believe in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. I want to obey Your command by loving others. Please show me how to love others around me and in other parts of the world. Thank you for Your sacrifice of love for us when You sent Your Son to die on the cross for my sins.
I was reminded of this phrase the other day when I was reading in 1 John. I came across one simple verse that epitomizes the Christian life. “And this is His (God’s) command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us (1 John 3:23).” You can see why I fell in love with that verse! In that one verse, we have the essence of what it means to be a Christian. I thought to myself, “It’s sooooo easy!” Even though living the Christian life isn’t always easy, God made it easy for us to understand what being a Christian is all about.
The first part of that verse says that we become a child of Christ by believing in the name of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. John 6:40 tells us that “Anyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life.” Believing in Jesus is not always easy or simple for some people. There are many reasons that people use for not believing in Jesus. However, to those who do choose to believe in Him and are willing to trust and serve Him, He has promised eternal life.
The second part of the verse says to love one another as He commanded us. This is where the rubber meets the road. This is where we show we are true disciples of Christ. After we accept Christ, we are instructed to love one another. Notice that there are no stipulations to this verse. (I kind of wish there were!) What about the co-worker who has it out for us? What about the Christian friend who has hurt us? What about that family member who works on our last nerve? What about people who have done despicable things? Are we really supposed to love them?
The end of this verse makes it clear that we are called to love everyone. Sometimes it’s not soooooo easy to love certain people. It’s easy for me to love people in my life who are kind to me. It’s a lot harder to love people who are difficult.
God set the ultimate example of love by sending His only Son to die for a sinful world. That sinful world includes you and me. We have done nothing to deserve God’s love, yet while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Loving others can mean different things for different people. Some people love others by helping those in need. Some people show love by participating in a missions trip. Some people show love by choosing to forgive someone who’s hurt them. Other people show love by reaching out to people in their community. There are many ways to show God's love.
No matter how God wants you to show love, the important thing is that you are doing it. It’s not always soooooo easy to show love. Take God for example. I’m sure it wasn’t sooooo easy for Him to give up His Son and watch Him suffer, but He did it out of love. After God’s ultimate sacrifice, all He asks of us is that we believe in Jesus and love others. That doesn’t seem like much to ask!
Scripture reading: I John 3
Prayer: Lord, I believe in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. I want to obey Your command by loving others. Please show me how to love others around me and in other parts of the world. Thank you for Your sacrifice of love for us when You sent Your Son to die on the cross for my sins.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Shut up and Listen
Being still is a foreign concept to many of us. I know I often have a hard time quieting my mind. Sometimes when I pray or read my devotions, my mind wanders off to a hundred different places. What do I need at the grocery store? What do I have on my agenda today? I haven’t called my friend back yet. There are so many thoughts going through my mind during devotions, but not all of them pertain to God!
Our world today offers such a wide variety of conveniences that we don’t feel we should ever have to be still and wait for anything. I can get a hold of people in a flash through my cell phone, e-mail or facebook. Sometimes, if I don’t need an immediate response, I actually send a letter through the mail (how archaic) or use my landline to make a phone call. If the person I call isn’t home, I can leave a message for them to call me back as soon as possible.
In less than 5 minutes I can get a pizza, sub sandwich, fresh salad, burger, chicken dinner or a loaded burrito. At home I can make a skillet meal in 15 minutes and then put the dishes in my dishwasher, which will clean & sterilize an entire load of dishes in less than two hours. I can microwave leftovers in one minute and heat up my coffee in 20 seconds. Yesterday I actually stopped the microwave after 19 seconds because I couldn’t wait any longer!
It’s hard to practice the discipline of being still in a world where we don’t have to wait for anything. Sometimes we even use multiple modern conveniences at once. For instance, I can talk on my phone at home (through my “Madonna” headset) while I wash & fold laundry, clean my house or cook dinner. I like to call it multitasking! However, when I multitask, I’m not 100 percent focused on any one task.
In Psalm 46:10 the Bible says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” When I was reading this verse, I realized something. God doesn’t want a percentage of our attention. He wants all of it. When I spend time with God, I need to be fully devoted to Him. I need to be still and listen.
Sometimes I pray about the same request over and over. I wonder why God is not answering my prayers. Then I think about how much time I’ve actually spent with Him being still, reading the Scriptures and listening. It is possible to pray and yet not listen to God. There are poignant words to a Christian song that say, “I try to hear from heaven, but I talk the whole time.” Those lyrics hit me hard because I am guilty of praying and not hearing. I talk to God, but I don’t listen quietly for His response.
A big part of seeking God involves being still. It’s a discipline. We need to practice being still and restructure our devotional time to include quietly listening. Keep a notebook nearby so that when your mind wanders, you can write down your thoughts (like your grocery list and who you forgot to call) and deal with them later.
If we want to hear from heaven, we need to shut up. Please don’t tell my kids I said shut up or I’ll get in big trouble! I’m going to conclude by rephrasing Psalm 46:10-11 into a prayer.
Prayer:
Lord, I am going to shut up and listen. I acknowledge that You are God. You are more than enough for any situation I encounter, so I will trust You. Part of trusting You is presenting my requests to You and then sitting quietly to listen for Your response. You may not answer immediately, but I realize that You can’t answer at all if I’m not listening! You will be exalted among the nations and You will be exalted in the earth. You are that amazing! The Lord Almighty is always with me, He is the God of Jacob and He’s my fortress. You have always been around and You will protect me through any storm in life.
Scripture reading: Psalm 46
Our world today offers such a wide variety of conveniences that we don’t feel we should ever have to be still and wait for anything. I can get a hold of people in a flash through my cell phone, e-mail or facebook. Sometimes, if I don’t need an immediate response, I actually send a letter through the mail (how archaic) or use my landline to make a phone call. If the person I call isn’t home, I can leave a message for them to call me back as soon as possible.
In less than 5 minutes I can get a pizza, sub sandwich, fresh salad, burger, chicken dinner or a loaded burrito. At home I can make a skillet meal in 15 minutes and then put the dishes in my dishwasher, which will clean & sterilize an entire load of dishes in less than two hours. I can microwave leftovers in one minute and heat up my coffee in 20 seconds. Yesterday I actually stopped the microwave after 19 seconds because I couldn’t wait any longer!
It’s hard to practice the discipline of being still in a world where we don’t have to wait for anything. Sometimes we even use multiple modern conveniences at once. For instance, I can talk on my phone at home (through my “Madonna” headset) while I wash & fold laundry, clean my house or cook dinner. I like to call it multitasking! However, when I multitask, I’m not 100 percent focused on any one task.
In Psalm 46:10 the Bible says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” When I was reading this verse, I realized something. God doesn’t want a percentage of our attention. He wants all of it. When I spend time with God, I need to be fully devoted to Him. I need to be still and listen.
Sometimes I pray about the same request over and over. I wonder why God is not answering my prayers. Then I think about how much time I’ve actually spent with Him being still, reading the Scriptures and listening. It is possible to pray and yet not listen to God. There are poignant words to a Christian song that say, “I try to hear from heaven, but I talk the whole time.” Those lyrics hit me hard because I am guilty of praying and not hearing. I talk to God, but I don’t listen quietly for His response.
A big part of seeking God involves being still. It’s a discipline. We need to practice being still and restructure our devotional time to include quietly listening. Keep a notebook nearby so that when your mind wanders, you can write down your thoughts (like your grocery list and who you forgot to call) and deal with them later.
If we want to hear from heaven, we need to shut up. Please don’t tell my kids I said shut up or I’ll get in big trouble! I’m going to conclude by rephrasing Psalm 46:10-11 into a prayer.
Prayer:
Lord, I am going to shut up and listen. I acknowledge that You are God. You are more than enough for any situation I encounter, so I will trust You. Part of trusting You is presenting my requests to You and then sitting quietly to listen for Your response. You may not answer immediately, but I realize that You can’t answer at all if I’m not listening! You will be exalted among the nations and You will be exalted in the earth. You are that amazing! The Lord Almighty is always with me, He is the God of Jacob and He’s my fortress. You have always been around and You will protect me through any storm in life.
Scripture reading: Psalm 46
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Because God Says So!
A few years ago I was walking in Minneapolis with some friends. As we walked, we passed a homeless man who was asking for spare change. While most of us looked away and ignored him, one of my friends walked over and gave him some money. I think her act of kindness touched our hearts and also taught us a valuable lesson. God wants us to help others, not walk by them.
I can only speak for myself when I say I was humbled by that experience. In the past I have walked or driven past people who ask for money. It’s not that I don’t care about them, it’s more that I don’t care enough to do anything to help them. My heart would feel bad for them, that they had no place to live and that they were surviving on spare change. My hands, however, did not bear any of the fruit from my heart.
When I graduated from college I worked in the city and saw people asking for money every day. I became callous to their needs. I began to justify the fact that I walked right past them by telling myself these people with their tin cans or guitars looked perfectly capable of getting a job. Maybe they were just lazy. They probably didn’t make good use of their money while they had it, so why should I be responsible to help them out of their crisis?
Why? Because God says so!
Psalm 41:1 says, “Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.” My study Bible says that God wants our generosity to reflect His own free giving. As He has blessed us, we should bless others. Now that’s something to wrap my little brain around! He has given me so many earthly blessings and on top of that I have the promise of eternal life with Him. With that in mind, I feel humbled when I think of how many needy people I’ve walked by in my life.
This weekend my husband and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary in downtown Minneapolis. We took a little time to “people watch” after dinner. I may seem like a redneck for even saying this, but I have to admit it was fun to sit and watch all the “city folk” and see the diversity of people enjoying the city that evening. As we sat on a bench, a homeless man came up to us and asked us for a quarter. At first we said we didn’t have a quarter, but as he walked away I felt the Holy Spirit convicting me.
I quickly decided that it was time I stop feeling bad for people in need and actually do something about it. I called to him, “Sir!” As he turned around, I reached into my purse to find some money. It was only a couple of dollars, but he seemed grateful. I realized that it didn’t matter why he was homeless or how he got to that place in life. What matters is that God wants us to have regard for the weak and needy.
Prayer: Lord, help me to not only see the needs of others around me, but to do something about their needs! Please show me how I can help someone today.
Scripture: Psalm 41
I can only speak for myself when I say I was humbled by that experience. In the past I have walked or driven past people who ask for money. It’s not that I don’t care about them, it’s more that I don’t care enough to do anything to help them. My heart would feel bad for them, that they had no place to live and that they were surviving on spare change. My hands, however, did not bear any of the fruit from my heart.
When I graduated from college I worked in the city and saw people asking for money every day. I became callous to their needs. I began to justify the fact that I walked right past them by telling myself these people with their tin cans or guitars looked perfectly capable of getting a job. Maybe they were just lazy. They probably didn’t make good use of their money while they had it, so why should I be responsible to help them out of their crisis?
Why? Because God says so!
Psalm 41:1 says, “Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.” My study Bible says that God wants our generosity to reflect His own free giving. As He has blessed us, we should bless others. Now that’s something to wrap my little brain around! He has given me so many earthly blessings and on top of that I have the promise of eternal life with Him. With that in mind, I feel humbled when I think of how many needy people I’ve walked by in my life.
This weekend my husband and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary in downtown Minneapolis. We took a little time to “people watch” after dinner. I may seem like a redneck for even saying this, but I have to admit it was fun to sit and watch all the “city folk” and see the diversity of people enjoying the city that evening. As we sat on a bench, a homeless man came up to us and asked us for a quarter. At first we said we didn’t have a quarter, but as he walked away I felt the Holy Spirit convicting me.
I quickly decided that it was time I stop feeling bad for people in need and actually do something about it. I called to him, “Sir!” As he turned around, I reached into my purse to find some money. It was only a couple of dollars, but he seemed grateful. I realized that it didn’t matter why he was homeless or how he got to that place in life. What matters is that God wants us to have regard for the weak and needy.
Prayer: Lord, help me to not only see the needs of others around me, but to do something about their needs! Please show me how I can help someone today.
Scripture: Psalm 41
Monday, May 10, 2010
Spuds and Studs
A Story About Mother’s Day
When my husband told me that he was taking care of Mother’s Day dinner, I felt like I was in heaven! I think most women enjoy a day off from cooking and this was going to be my lucky day! In my mind I was planning all of the ways I would be relaxing while my husband slaved away in the kitchen. It was going to be great!
We traveled to Barry’s brother’s house on Saturday and I was already salivating in anticipation of the food that would be prepared the next day. I was picturing the dinner table in my mind. However, when I closed my eyes, all I could see was grilled chicken and potato chips. I imagined a beautiful table set with placemats, nice dishes, chicken and chips.
Why did this picture keep coming to mind? Maybe it’s because reality had sunk in. It’s a known fact that my husband doesn’t like to cook. He is great at grilling, but he doesn’t cook. The only things I’ve seen him make are frozen pizza’s and grilled cheese.
I started to panic. Maybe I wasn’t going to have my lavish Mother’s Day dinner after all.
My fears were confirmed on Saturday night as my husband and brother-in-law prepared the grocery list. My sister-in-law and I were telling them we’d like to have grilled chicken and baked potatoes. We suggested they should buy a five-pound bag of white potatoes. “Do you know where to find them?” she asked. “Yeah, we’ll just buy baked potatoes,” answered my husband (who only bakes frozen pizzas).
This is where the panic really set in.
After a trip to two grocery stores and the Dairy Queen (to get me a Blizzard), they returned home.
Before we turned in for bed, we asked my brother-in-law how he was going to prepare the baked potatoes. “We’re going to grill them,” he replied. My sister-in-law explained there wouldn’t be room on the grill with all the chicken. “Then we’ll put them in the microwave,” he said.
More panic.
Just then Barry walked in the room and we asked him if he knew how to cook a baked potato. He seemed very sure of himself as he answered, “You chop them up and cook them in a pot.” Hilarious laughter ensued as we asked them what part of baked potato they weren’t understanding! So far they were going to grill, microwave and boil our baked potatoes! When Barry asked if he should peel the potatoes before he boiled them, I was laughing so hard I almost lost it.
I’m not a fortune teller, but I could see a trip to McDonald’s in our future!
In the end we didn’t make a fast food run, and our meal was great. Barry cleaned the potatoes and my sister-in-law wrapped them in foil and baked them.
After dinner it was time for a dessert of angel food cake topped with strawberries and whipped cream. We snuck in the kitchen to find Barry frosting the angel food cake with the whipped cream. He had the whole cake almost covered by the time we got there. I guess it all gets mixed up in your stomach regardless of how it’s presented!
As I thought about the events of this weekend, the words of Ephesians 5:25 came to mind. It says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” My husband showed he loved me by making an effort to do something that’s out of his comfort zone. The man who only cooks pizza and grilled cheese did his best to make me a special Mother’s Day lunch.
We dined on grilled chicken, baked potatoes, dill pickle chips and Cool Whip-frosted angel food cake. My husband set the table with the good dishes (and some dusty water glasses he didn’t know he was supposed to rinse out). The point is that he tried very hard to make it a special day.
When I close my eyes I can still picture the beautifully-set table. I can still taste the lemon-pepper chicken. I can hear the unmistakable laughter of family. The memories of this Mother’s Day will last forever, thanks to my husband, the stud who dared to cook a spud!
If you want to know more, read Ephesians 5.
Questions: What have you done lately to bless someone else? Is there something the Holy Spirit is telling you to do that you know will stretch your faith? Pray that the Lord will give you strength and courage to follow His will.
When my husband told me that he was taking care of Mother’s Day dinner, I felt like I was in heaven! I think most women enjoy a day off from cooking and this was going to be my lucky day! In my mind I was planning all of the ways I would be relaxing while my husband slaved away in the kitchen. It was going to be great!
We traveled to Barry’s brother’s house on Saturday and I was already salivating in anticipation of the food that would be prepared the next day. I was picturing the dinner table in my mind. However, when I closed my eyes, all I could see was grilled chicken and potato chips. I imagined a beautiful table set with placemats, nice dishes, chicken and chips.
Why did this picture keep coming to mind? Maybe it’s because reality had sunk in. It’s a known fact that my husband doesn’t like to cook. He is great at grilling, but he doesn’t cook. The only things I’ve seen him make are frozen pizza’s and grilled cheese.
I started to panic. Maybe I wasn’t going to have my lavish Mother’s Day dinner after all.
My fears were confirmed on Saturday night as my husband and brother-in-law prepared the grocery list. My sister-in-law and I were telling them we’d like to have grilled chicken and baked potatoes. We suggested they should buy a five-pound bag of white potatoes. “Do you know where to find them?” she asked. “Yeah, we’ll just buy baked potatoes,” answered my husband (who only bakes frozen pizzas).
This is where the panic really set in.
After a trip to two grocery stores and the Dairy Queen (to get me a Blizzard), they returned home.
Before we turned in for bed, we asked my brother-in-law how he was going to prepare the baked potatoes. “We’re going to grill them,” he replied. My sister-in-law explained there wouldn’t be room on the grill with all the chicken. “Then we’ll put them in the microwave,” he said.
More panic.
Just then Barry walked in the room and we asked him if he knew how to cook a baked potato. He seemed very sure of himself as he answered, “You chop them up and cook them in a pot.” Hilarious laughter ensued as we asked them what part of baked potato they weren’t understanding! So far they were going to grill, microwave and boil our baked potatoes! When Barry asked if he should peel the potatoes before he boiled them, I was laughing so hard I almost lost it.
I’m not a fortune teller, but I could see a trip to McDonald’s in our future!
In the end we didn’t make a fast food run, and our meal was great. Barry cleaned the potatoes and my sister-in-law wrapped them in foil and baked them.
After dinner it was time for a dessert of angel food cake topped with strawberries and whipped cream. We snuck in the kitchen to find Barry frosting the angel food cake with the whipped cream. He had the whole cake almost covered by the time we got there. I guess it all gets mixed up in your stomach regardless of how it’s presented!
As I thought about the events of this weekend, the words of Ephesians 5:25 came to mind. It says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” My husband showed he loved me by making an effort to do something that’s out of his comfort zone. The man who only cooks pizza and grilled cheese did his best to make me a special Mother’s Day lunch.
We dined on grilled chicken, baked potatoes, dill pickle chips and Cool Whip-frosted angel food cake. My husband set the table with the good dishes (and some dusty water glasses he didn’t know he was supposed to rinse out). The point is that he tried very hard to make it a special day.
When I close my eyes I can still picture the beautifully-set table. I can still taste the lemon-pepper chicken. I can hear the unmistakable laughter of family. The memories of this Mother’s Day will last forever, thanks to my husband, the stud who dared to cook a spud!
If you want to know more, read Ephesians 5.
Questions: What have you done lately to bless someone else? Is there something the Holy Spirit is telling you to do that you know will stretch your faith? Pray that the Lord will give you strength and courage to follow His will.
Friday, April 30, 2010
24-Hour Prayer Power
What a difference a day makes! I’ve heard this saying before, but this weekend I realized just how true it is. Although the saying should be, “what a difference a day of prayer makes!” From Saturday morning to Sunday morning God showed me just how much power there is in prayer.
The reason behind my fervent prayer was the fact that I was playing the drums on the worship team at church on Sunday. We’d had worship team practice on Thursday night and to say that it hadn’t gone well would be an understatement. I had messed up many times and couldn’t seem to get some of the song endings right. My negative thoughts convinced me I’d ruin worship and make a fool of myself in the process.
To top it off, my seasonal allergies kicked into high gear. I felt miserable! By Saturday the need for prayer was undeniably evident. During these types of situations, the only thing that calms me down is talking to God by writing in my prayer journal. As I settled down before the Lord, I wrote Him a desperate prayer.
4.24.10
Lord, my throat hurts, my head hurts, my eyes are watering and I can’t sleep. Please help my body to function! Lord, I want to glorify You on the drums tomorrow. I need You to take my meager ability and multiply it! I can only do this though Your strength. I am claiming Philippians 4:13, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”
Writing that prayer helped calm my fears and get me through the day. There was only a little time for practicing on Saturday, so I needed to trust God for musical ability that could only come from Him! Judging from Thursday’s practice, He’d have to pull off a miracle! I woke up early Sunday morning and decided that time would be best spent in prayer. I remembered the encouraging words of Psalm 33 and decided to read it again. Then I wrote another prayer in my journal.
4.25.10 (a.m.)
Psalm 33 says to “Sing joyfully to the Lord … Praise Him, Praise the Lord with the harp (I inserted the drums), make music to Him on the ten-stringed lyre (again, drums), sing to Him a new song, play skillfully and shout for joy.”
Lord, I don’t feel well today. I really need You! I want to honor You on the drums today. Please guide my hands and feet so that others may worship You. Please help me to play skillfully. I don’t want my mistakes to distract others. I will give You all the honor and glory.
The only way I was going to play skillfully was if God took over. There was absolutely no way anyone was going to “shout for joy” if I played like I did in practice. I was depending on God to take my drumsticks and use them for His glory.
He answered my prayer in a big way! On Sunday evening I took a few minutes to think about how God had made His presence known in my life that day and I made another prayer journal entry.
4.25.10 (p.m.)
Lord, thank you for being my hands and feet today. Worship time was awesome! I could feel Your presence. Thank you for answering my prayers. You showed Yourself through the music, communion and through Pastor’s message. You are an amazing and awesome God!
Sometimes I try to live my life in my own strength and I don’t rely on God. Then things start going wrong and I wonder why my life is a mess. This weekend’s 24-hour prayer power experience has helped me realize that God deserves to take charge of everything in my life. Why am I still holding on to things, thinking that I can do a better job handling my life than He can?
Playing the drums is one of my steps of faith. On my own I cannot make a joyful noise, but He has the power to make a joyful noise through me. I’d rather have my life planned out and scheduled so that there are no surprises or unknowns, but the Lord knows that I need experiences like playing the drums so I’ll depend on Him.
What drumsticks (areas of your life) to you need to hand over to God? Let Him take over those areas and use them to play skillfully.
If you want to know more, read Psalm 33.
The reason behind my fervent prayer was the fact that I was playing the drums on the worship team at church on Sunday. We’d had worship team practice on Thursday night and to say that it hadn’t gone well would be an understatement. I had messed up many times and couldn’t seem to get some of the song endings right. My negative thoughts convinced me I’d ruin worship and make a fool of myself in the process.
To top it off, my seasonal allergies kicked into high gear. I felt miserable! By Saturday the need for prayer was undeniably evident. During these types of situations, the only thing that calms me down is talking to God by writing in my prayer journal. As I settled down before the Lord, I wrote Him a desperate prayer.
4.24.10
Lord, my throat hurts, my head hurts, my eyes are watering and I can’t sleep. Please help my body to function! Lord, I want to glorify You on the drums tomorrow. I need You to take my meager ability and multiply it! I can only do this though Your strength. I am claiming Philippians 4:13, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”
Writing that prayer helped calm my fears and get me through the day. There was only a little time for practicing on Saturday, so I needed to trust God for musical ability that could only come from Him! Judging from Thursday’s practice, He’d have to pull off a miracle! I woke up early Sunday morning and decided that time would be best spent in prayer. I remembered the encouraging words of Psalm 33 and decided to read it again. Then I wrote another prayer in my journal.
4.25.10 (a.m.)
Psalm 33 says to “Sing joyfully to the Lord … Praise Him, Praise the Lord with the harp (I inserted the drums), make music to Him on the ten-stringed lyre (again, drums), sing to Him a new song, play skillfully and shout for joy.”
Lord, I don’t feel well today. I really need You! I want to honor You on the drums today. Please guide my hands and feet so that others may worship You. Please help me to play skillfully. I don’t want my mistakes to distract others. I will give You all the honor and glory.
The only way I was going to play skillfully was if God took over. There was absolutely no way anyone was going to “shout for joy” if I played like I did in practice. I was depending on God to take my drumsticks and use them for His glory.
He answered my prayer in a big way! On Sunday evening I took a few minutes to think about how God had made His presence known in my life that day and I made another prayer journal entry.
4.25.10 (p.m.)
Lord, thank you for being my hands and feet today. Worship time was awesome! I could feel Your presence. Thank you for answering my prayers. You showed Yourself through the music, communion and through Pastor’s message. You are an amazing and awesome God!
Sometimes I try to live my life in my own strength and I don’t rely on God. Then things start going wrong and I wonder why my life is a mess. This weekend’s 24-hour prayer power experience has helped me realize that God deserves to take charge of everything in my life. Why am I still holding on to things, thinking that I can do a better job handling my life than He can?
Playing the drums is one of my steps of faith. On my own I cannot make a joyful noise, but He has the power to make a joyful noise through me. I’d rather have my life planned out and scheduled so that there are no surprises or unknowns, but the Lord knows that I need experiences like playing the drums so I’ll depend on Him.
What drumsticks (areas of your life) to you need to hand over to God? Let Him take over those areas and use them to play skillfully.
If you want to know more, read Psalm 33.
Monday, April 12, 2010
What Do You Expect?
My husband once told me that I expect too much out of people. When he said this to me, it was one of those comments I didn’t want to hear because it was painfully true. I am definitely guilty of putting unrealistic expectations on my friends, my family and even my husband.
Some expectations are fine. I expect my kids to work hard in school, do their chores at home and show respect to others. However, I can’t expect them to be perfect. They are going to fight with each other. They are going to fail. They are going to do things that make me want to crawl into a hole. I cannot have unrealistic expectations for them and I need to love them even when they let me down.
When we were first married, I had lofty expectations of my husband. He needed to have a good job, treat me like a queen, be frugal with money and spend all of his free time with me. How hard could that be? I wanted him to give me the world on a silver platter, and when that didn’t happen (imagine that!), I was disappointed.
When I raised my expectations of him to such a high level, there was no way he could reach them. Not even with an extension ladder or a ten-foot pole. It caused a lot of tension in our marriage when he wanted to golf on Saturdays instead of spending time with me. What I didn’t realize was that since he excelled at golf, playing 18 holes was a way for him to do something he was good at and to blow off steam. Steam that may have come from the weight of my expectations!
In the end, I decided to take up golf myself so we could play together. Now our whole family can golf and it’s a fun way to spend time together. It still gets a little tense when golf season rolls around, but I’m working on being supportive – or at least tolerant of the time spent golfing. I’m trying to accept my husband and encourage him, even if it includes golf!
In the book “One Month to Live” by Kerry & Chris Shook, there’s a section about accepting others. They say, “One of our greatest problems in relationships is that we’re always trying to change the people we’re relating to. To accept others means that we stop trying to change them and we start trying to understand them.” They cite Romans 15:7 which says, “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”
My daughter and I recently saw the movie, “Tooth Fairy” starring Dwayne Johnson (previously known as “The Rock”), who plays a washed-up professional hockey player. After one hockey game, Johnson meets a little boy who idolizes him. The little boy looks at his idol and says, “One day I’m going to play in the big leagues just like you!” However, instead of encouraging the kid, Johnson tells him how hard life is as a hockey player and that only a small percentage of kids who play hockey ever end up playing it professionally. He goes on and on with his tirade and then ends by saying, “Lower your expectations.” I’m pretty sure that’s not what the boy wanted to hear from his hero.
However, it may actually be a good concept for relationships. Maybe if we could lower our unrealistic expectations of others, we would enjoy our relationships more. There are some things like honesty, trust & loyalty that are essential to relationships, but there are other things that are not. If we’re looking to others to meet needs that only God can meet, then our expectations will always fall short.
Prayer: Lord, I want to look at others through Your eyes. I don’t want to judge others or put urealistic expectations on them. Just as You accept me as I am, please help me to accept others. I want to bring You praise by accepting others as a beautiful creation You made.
If you want to know more, read Matthew 7:1-5 and Romans 15:7-13.
Some expectations are fine. I expect my kids to work hard in school, do their chores at home and show respect to others. However, I can’t expect them to be perfect. They are going to fight with each other. They are going to fail. They are going to do things that make me want to crawl into a hole. I cannot have unrealistic expectations for them and I need to love them even when they let me down.
When we were first married, I had lofty expectations of my husband. He needed to have a good job, treat me like a queen, be frugal with money and spend all of his free time with me. How hard could that be? I wanted him to give me the world on a silver platter, and when that didn’t happen (imagine that!), I was disappointed.
When I raised my expectations of him to such a high level, there was no way he could reach them. Not even with an extension ladder or a ten-foot pole. It caused a lot of tension in our marriage when he wanted to golf on Saturdays instead of spending time with me. What I didn’t realize was that since he excelled at golf, playing 18 holes was a way for him to do something he was good at and to blow off steam. Steam that may have come from the weight of my expectations!
In the end, I decided to take up golf myself so we could play together. Now our whole family can golf and it’s a fun way to spend time together. It still gets a little tense when golf season rolls around, but I’m working on being supportive – or at least tolerant of the time spent golfing. I’m trying to accept my husband and encourage him, even if it includes golf!
In the book “One Month to Live” by Kerry & Chris Shook, there’s a section about accepting others. They say, “One of our greatest problems in relationships is that we’re always trying to change the people we’re relating to. To accept others means that we stop trying to change them and we start trying to understand them.” They cite Romans 15:7 which says, “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”
My daughter and I recently saw the movie, “Tooth Fairy” starring Dwayne Johnson (previously known as “The Rock”), who plays a washed-up professional hockey player. After one hockey game, Johnson meets a little boy who idolizes him. The little boy looks at his idol and says, “One day I’m going to play in the big leagues just like you!” However, instead of encouraging the kid, Johnson tells him how hard life is as a hockey player and that only a small percentage of kids who play hockey ever end up playing it professionally. He goes on and on with his tirade and then ends by saying, “Lower your expectations.” I’m pretty sure that’s not what the boy wanted to hear from his hero.
However, it may actually be a good concept for relationships. Maybe if we could lower our unrealistic expectations of others, we would enjoy our relationships more. There are some things like honesty, trust & loyalty that are essential to relationships, but there are other things that are not. If we’re looking to others to meet needs that only God can meet, then our expectations will always fall short.
Prayer: Lord, I want to look at others through Your eyes. I don’t want to judge others or put urealistic expectations on them. Just as You accept me as I am, please help me to accept others. I want to bring You praise by accepting others as a beautiful creation You made.
If you want to know more, read Matthew 7:1-5 and Romans 15:7-13.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Easter Fortune Cookie
Have you ever sung a song over and over in your head and then later realized you’d been singing the wrong lyrics? It’s happened to me before, and it’s also happened to my daughter. Once, she was convinced Taylor Swift’s lyrics “Didn’t kiss him and I should have” were “Didn’t kiss him on the shoe head.” No matter what we said, we couldn’t convince her otherwise.
We sang a song at church last Sunday called “Lead Me to the Cross.” I’ll list some of the real lyrics and then I’ll explain how I was singing them wrong. The song begins:
Savior I come, quiet my soul, remember
Redemption’s hill, where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear, I count it all as lost.
Lead me to the cross, where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees, Lord I lay me down
Bring me to my knees, I belong to You
Oh lead me, lead me to the cross.
I realized I had always sung the wrong lyrics to this song. I was singing, “lead me to the cross, where your blood poured out” instead of “where your love poured out.” Literally, Jesus’ blood poured out, but in reality, it was His love that was pouring out for us. As we sang that song, I pictured Jesus on the cross, blood spilling down, love flowing out. Love for a human race that he chose to die for, regardless of whether we loved Him back or not.
Philippians 2:7-11 explains how Jesus took the nature of a servant in human likeness, humbling Himself to die on a cross. He was the perfect sacrificial lamb, and He took on our sin when he died. Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” All we have to do is receive the gift He’s offering.
As I was thinking about Easter and the significance of celebrating this holiday, a funny thing happened. I was eating at my favorite Chinese restaurant with my mom and I opened my fortune cookie at the end of our meal. It read, “You will soon receive an unusual gift freely given. Accept!” If that isn’t a good fortune for Easter, I don’t know what is! Who knew the fortune in a cookie could hit the mark so perfectly?
What about you? Have you accepted? Will you accept? It’s a gift freely given, and it’s yours for the taking. Thank goodness the gift of eternal life God gave us by sending His Son is not just a fortune; it’s a reality.
If you want to know more, read John 19:16-30.
We sang a song at church last Sunday called “Lead Me to the Cross.” I’ll list some of the real lyrics and then I’ll explain how I was singing them wrong. The song begins:
Savior I come, quiet my soul, remember
Redemption’s hill, where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear, I count it all as lost.
Lead me to the cross, where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees, Lord I lay me down
Bring me to my knees, I belong to You
Oh lead me, lead me to the cross.
I realized I had always sung the wrong lyrics to this song. I was singing, “lead me to the cross, where your blood poured out” instead of “where your love poured out.” Literally, Jesus’ blood poured out, but in reality, it was His love that was pouring out for us. As we sang that song, I pictured Jesus on the cross, blood spilling down, love flowing out. Love for a human race that he chose to die for, regardless of whether we loved Him back or not.
Philippians 2:7-11 explains how Jesus took the nature of a servant in human likeness, humbling Himself to die on a cross. He was the perfect sacrificial lamb, and He took on our sin when he died. Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” All we have to do is receive the gift He’s offering.
As I was thinking about Easter and the significance of celebrating this holiday, a funny thing happened. I was eating at my favorite Chinese restaurant with my mom and I opened my fortune cookie at the end of our meal. It read, “You will soon receive an unusual gift freely given. Accept!” If that isn’t a good fortune for Easter, I don’t know what is! Who knew the fortune in a cookie could hit the mark so perfectly?
What about you? Have you accepted? Will you accept? It’s a gift freely given, and it’s yours for the taking. Thank goodness the gift of eternal life God gave us by sending His Son is not just a fortune; it’s a reality.
If you want to know more, read John 19:16-30.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
50 First Dates
I’m pretty out of it in the morning, but I must have been especially tired last Tuesday. On Tuesday morning, I read through a Psalm as I usually do and then I prayed. On Wednesday I went back and read the same Psalm over again by accident. I didn’t even remember that I’d read it the day before! On Tuesday I hadn’t underlined or highlighted anything, but on Wednesday the words of that Psalm gave me the encouragement I needed for that day.
At first I felt a little embarrassed because of my mistake. How could I have read a whole Psalm the previous morning and not remembered it? Not only that, but how could I get so much out of the Psalm on Wednesday when the previous day I hadn’t highlighted anything?
This scenario reminded me of the movie “50 First Dates” starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. Let me clarify something – I am by no means recommending this movie! I guess I’ll claim the adage, “Do as I say and not as I do!” However, the premise of this movie does have some value. In the movie, Adam meets Drew who has amnesia and never remembers the previous day. Adam spends every day wooing Drew, spending time with her and making her fall in love with him. Then he wakes up the next morning and starts from square one. He loves her so much that he is willing have 50 first dates with her.
In the movie, Drew Barrymore’s character began each day with a fresh, new perspective on life. Wouldn’t it be nice sometimes to not remember what happened yesterday? In real life, we can get a positive outlook for the day by spending time with God. We can have 50 first dates (or more) with God.
It doesn’t even matter if we get up and read the same Scripture passage every day (although at some point we’ll have to move on – there’s a lot of Scripture to cover). Sometimes one Scripture will affect us differently than it did the last time we read it. The important thing is that we’re spending time in God’s Word each day. We shouldn’t get frustrated if we don’t remember everything we’ve read, because maybe what we read was just enough to get us through one day.
If you’ve read my previous two blog entries, then you’ll know that I’m getting up every morning to spend the first minutes of my day with God. It’s been an adjustment since I’m “crabbier” in the morning, but it’s been a great change in my life. Now I am going to bump my First Fruits Challenge up to 50 First Dates with God. To meet this goal I get to spend 27 more dates with God. That will equal fifty mornings spent with the only One who can tolerate me at that time of the day. Do you think maybe I could become a morning person? I guess only God can do miracles!
If you want to know more, read Psalm 12 (but try not to forget you read it!).
At first I felt a little embarrassed because of my mistake. How could I have read a whole Psalm the previous morning and not remembered it? Not only that, but how could I get so much out of the Psalm on Wednesday when the previous day I hadn’t highlighted anything?
This scenario reminded me of the movie “50 First Dates” starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. Let me clarify something – I am by no means recommending this movie! I guess I’ll claim the adage, “Do as I say and not as I do!” However, the premise of this movie does have some value. In the movie, Adam meets Drew who has amnesia and never remembers the previous day. Adam spends every day wooing Drew, spending time with her and making her fall in love with him. Then he wakes up the next morning and starts from square one. He loves her so much that he is willing have 50 first dates with her.
In the movie, Drew Barrymore’s character began each day with a fresh, new perspective on life. Wouldn’t it be nice sometimes to not remember what happened yesterday? In real life, we can get a positive outlook for the day by spending time with God. We can have 50 first dates (or more) with God.
It doesn’t even matter if we get up and read the same Scripture passage every day (although at some point we’ll have to move on – there’s a lot of Scripture to cover). Sometimes one Scripture will affect us differently than it did the last time we read it. The important thing is that we’re spending time in God’s Word each day. We shouldn’t get frustrated if we don’t remember everything we’ve read, because maybe what we read was just enough to get us through one day.
If you’ve read my previous two blog entries, then you’ll know that I’m getting up every morning to spend the first minutes of my day with God. It’s been an adjustment since I’m “crabbier” in the morning, but it’s been a great change in my life. Now I am going to bump my First Fruits Challenge up to 50 First Dates with God. To meet this goal I get to spend 27 more dates with God. That will equal fifty mornings spent with the only One who can tolerate me at that time of the day. Do you think maybe I could become a morning person? I guess only God can do miracles!
If you want to know more, read Psalm 12 (but try not to forget you read it!).
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