A Green Thumb

Scripture:  Psalm 92

Yesterday I drove by the flower mart in town and I just had to stop. This is unusual for me because I do not have a green thumb. My mom, my sister and my aunts maintain beautiful greenery, but somehow I missed out on that gene. Once someone gave me a vine and told me vines were virtually impossible to kill. I did it. I killed a vine.

You may be wondering why I bothered to stop at the flower mart. Well, it was the 50% off sign that drew me in! By mid-June when the flowers are half-off I figure, what do I have to lose?

One plant I have come to love is the hosta. The hostas in our yard are so hearty that even I can’t kill them. I have even learned how to divide them every spring and transplant them to another area of my yard or give them away so that someone else can plant them in their yard.

I had to laugh this spring when a funny thing happened with my hostas. The day I was dividing them, I called a few people to ask if they wanted my extra plants. No one wanted them, so I had my son take them to the back yard and I forgot about them. A couple of weeks later a friend came over and complimented me on my hostas. She’s an avid gardener so I was feeling proud of myself as I told her how I divide them up each spring and usually have some left over.

She asked me what I did with the extra plants and I told her they were in the back yard. She wanted to look for them, and we found that my son had placed them on some cement blocks behind a shed. She said she’d take them and see if they’d grow in her yard. To my surprise, those forgotten hostas are now flourishing in her yard! It’s amazing so see those plants survive even when they’re transplanted weeks after being divided.

In my scripture reading today, I came across verses that talk about transplanting. Psalm 92:12-13 says,

“But the godly will flourish like palm trees

And grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.

For they are transplanted to the LORD’s own house.

They flourish in the courts of our God.”

Just like those hostas survived and thrived in their new home, someday we will not only live but flourish in heaven. I love the part of those verses that says that the godly will be transplanted into the LORD’s house. Oh, how I want to be uprooted and re-planted at the home of the Master Gardener! My hope lies in the fact that because I know Jesus, someday I will live with God and flourish in His courts!

Maybe in heaven I will finally have a green thumb!

Prayer:  God, thank you for the hope of heaven. Thank you that we can live with that hope if we accept Your Son Jesus as our Savior. Thank you for the promise of eternal life with You. I can’t wait to be transplanted someday from this sinful earth to the glorious home You’re preparing in heaven for those who love and serve You.

Obsessed with a Statue

Scripture:  2 Chronicles 29 & 30

My kids think I’m weird, but it’s not for reasons you may think. They think I’m weird because I’m a little obsessed with the Lincoln Memorial. We recently visited Washington, DC where I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. I was surprised myself at how powerfully the statue of a man who lived nearly 150 years ago impacted me.

As I stood in awe of the huge sculpture, I thought about Abraham Lincoln and the life he led. He was, of course, the 16^th president of the United States. He was instrumental in the process of freeing slaves in America. But what struck me the most was his willingness to stand up for what he believed was right. He was a man of character – someone whose statue even evokes feelings of respect and admiration.

In 2 Chronicles there was a man who inspired similar feelings as I read about him this week. His name was King Hezekiah. This amazing man wasn’t afraid to blaze a new trail and he didn’t waste any time doing it! The Bible says in the first month of the first year of his rain, Hezekiah reopened and repaired the Temple of the LORD. He was bold enough to start his new job by implementing changes immediately! 

The people of Judah had abandoned the LORD and His dwelling place. King Hezekiah realized that the LORD’s anger had fallen on Judah and Jerusalem for this very reason. He desired to restore Judah to a right relationship with God.

Just like President Lincoln, King Hezekiah was a man of character who wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. He immediately made sure that the Temple of the Lord was cleansed and that the Levites were purified. He specifically commanded that a burnt offering and sin offering should be made for all of Israel.

As you read today’s passage, it’s exciting to watch the hearts of the people change as they follow Hezekiah’s lead in praising God. As the people physically give their offerings to God, a spiritual renewal evolves. The king and all the people bow down in worship as they praise the LORD with psalms. Their hearts become willing and open to God.

The next step King Hezekiah took was to re-institute celebrating the Passover. He sent runners throughout Israel and Judah imploring the people to submit to the Lord and return to Him. Scripture says that most of the people laughed at the runners and made fun of them. But to those who turned to God, Hezekiah offered a prayer, “May the LORD, who is good, pardon those who decide to follow the LORD .” Scripture then tells us that the LORD listened to Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people.

I want to end with one last powerful verse, “Then the priests and Levites stood and blessed the people, and God heard their prayers from his holy dwelling in heaven” (2 Chron. 30:27). Is there anything more awesome than God hearing the prayers of His people from His holy dwelling place?

Thank God for men and women of character who stand up for what they know is right. Men like Abe Lincoln and King Hezekiah inspire us to be bold and courageous.

Now I’m going to go sit in my favorite chair, put on my favorite tall, black hat and read one of my favorite books about Abe Lincoln. I have no idea why my kids think I’m obsessed! J

Prayer:  LORD God, thank you for the records we have of people who have boldly followed You. Thank you for the inspiration they give to us. Please show us how we can be bold  for You today. May we recognize the opportunity to change our family, our town and even our world for Your glory. We want to make the most of the opportunities You place in our lives.

A Little Humor

Scripture:  Proverbs 30

If you think God doesn’t have a sense of humor, I’d encourage you to reconsider! I will offer a personal episode that happened yesterday as proof.

The “episode” took place on the tennis courts in our town. I had asked a high school girl to play tennis with me and we were able to squeeze onto the courts between lessons that were going on that day. We had played for about 15 minutes when it happened. As I lunged for a backhand, the outside of my shoe caught on the court and my ankle twisted.

I fell on my butt...

Awkwardly…

In front of the tennis coaches…

In utter embarrassment.

The smart thing to do would have been to go home and elevate my foot with an ice pack firmly around my swollen ankle. But, where’s the fun in that? I’d been pumped to play tennis and so I limped around the court for another half hour.

In front of all the people who watched me fall…

Who probably thought I was nuts…

And they were most likely right!

The truth is that I get injured often and if I sat out every time I fell or hurt myself, I may never actually do anything! I guess that’s just the risk you take when you like to play sports and you’re blessed with being accident prone. 

This morning as I read my devotions I laughed inwardly, telling myself there was no way God could relate the embarrassing story from yesterday with my scripture reading. Was I ever wrong. Allow me to share the second verse of the passage I read today.

“I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense.” (Proverbs 30:2)

The author of this Proverb, a man named Agur, perfectly explained how I felt about my own episode. I felt stupid that I’d fallen in front of everyone. If misery loves company than stupidity must love it too, because I felt comfort in the fact that Agur had the same feelings as me. He goes on to say that there is only One who has mastered human wisdom. Only one God that created each one of us uniquely, even those of us who are accident prone.

If I don’t laugh at myself, then who will? Don’t answer that question! Maybe I could find a lot of people to take that spot, but the point is that it’s important not to take ourselves too seriously. God created us to have a sense of humor. He has one and so should we!

Prayer:  Dear God, thank you for the gift of laughter. Sometimes I wish it didn’t come at my expense, but I thank You all the same. J Please help me to see the humor in life even in the pain. Thank you for how You made me – You made all of us with Your great might and awesome power.

The Tough Questions

Have you ever asked someone, “How does this outfit look on me?”

When I’m shopping for clothes, I want someone to give me an honest answer about how something looks on me. While I’d love it if they told me it looked great, I really do want them to be truthful. Ultimately, I don’t want to go home with an outfit I’ll never wear.

As we endure trials in life, it’s important that we have friends who will speak truthfully to us. Not just about clothes … but about the important stuff. The hard stuff. The messy stuff.

Friends who just tell us what we want to hear might be good for our ego, but they are not going to help us grow.

Proverbs 29:5

“To flatter friends

Is to lay a trap at their feet."

If you’re anything like me, you don’t like hearing that there are things in your life that could change. It’s hard for me to hear that I could have more patience with my kids or more grace with my husband. I don’t like hearing that I have things in my life to work on, but I need to listen when a friend is trying to give me advice to help me grow into the person God wants me to be.

Proverbs 25:12

“To one who listens, valid criticism

Is like a gold earring or other gold jewelry.”

What is valid criticism? I think I can explain what it’s not. It’s not someone wanting you to change because they don’t like who you are. It’s not someone trying to push their agenda on you. It’s not someone trying to change you out of jealousy.

Valid criticism comes from a true friend who loves God and has your best interests at heart. They want you to grow and maybe even change something in your life because they know that God is still working on you and they want to be part of the refining process. Valid criticism comes from someone you can trust and who has proven their friendship over time.

An important part of letting God refine you is being open to the help and advice of others. While we see things mainly from our own point of view, a trusted friend can offer valuable suggestions from a different perspective. Our job is to be open to receive that advice when it comes from a loving source.

Proverbs 28:23

“In the end, people appreciate honest criticism

Far more than flattery.”

When I ask a friend for sincere advice, I may secretly hope they tell me what I want to hear. But flattery is not what I’m really after. Recently I had a heart-to-heart talk with a close friend. I shared some things that I was struggling with in my life. She quietly listened to me and at the end she asked me one brief question.

“What are you going to do about it?”

Through this simple question, she showed me that she loves me enough not to let me whine and wallow. She was calling me to action, gently refining me.

 Proverbs 29:1

“Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism

will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.”

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank you for placing friends in our lives who love us enough to ask us the tough questions. May our hearts be open to listen to them. May we receive honest criticism from people who love us and care about us enough not to let us grow stagnant and bitter. We love You and want to continue to grow into the person You created us to be.

How do You Give?

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 31:1-13

What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase, “God loves a cheerful giver?” I wish it wasn’t the case, but when I think of this phrase, a distinct thought comes to mind. I envision these words coming from the lips of someone with a forced smile holding an offering plate in front of me.

While the words to this phrase are definitely true, giving cheerfully doesn’t always come easily. Depending on our current financial circumstances, how we were raised or how our church is structured, it can be a struggle to give with a cheerful heart.

I have a friend who told me that she gets frustrated with how it seems that her church is constantly asking for money. She feels that every time she goes to church they focus on money. Her church even started to call her at home to ask her when and how much she planned to donate. It’s hard to give cheerfully when you feel pressured and cornered.

I know others who feel they cannot give until their financial situation changes. They say that as soon as they start making more money, they plan to start tithing. Still others I know have told me that they grew up feeling like they had to give out of guilt and duty. They don’t like feeling this way, but it’s hard for them to give cheerfully when they can’t seem to break away from the past.

In 2 Chronicles 31, King Hezekiah dedicated himself to showing the people of Judah how to be cheerful givers. We can learn a lot about giving through this chapter as we look at specific ways the people of Judah gave to the LORD.

They gave out of their first share. I love this because it shows that they didn’t wait until they could afford to give, they gave immediately out of the first part of their harvest. They gave the first share of their grain, new wine, olive oil, honey and produce of their fields. I know of someone who writes their tithe check before any of the other bills they pay each month, which is similar to the people of Judah giving their first share.

They gave generously. This has huge significance to me because it shows they gave cheerfully, not begrudgingly. When we give generously, we most likely give more than is required. Verse 5 says, “They brought a large quantity.”

When my husband and I were first married, we asked a relative his opinion on whether we should tithe on our gross earnings or our net earnings. I’ll never forget his answer. He said, “Do you want to be blessed on the gross or the net?” I don’t think he was saying that we should give more to get blessed more, I think he was saying in his own way that God loves a cheerful, generous giver.

They gave faithfully. Verse 12 says, “The people faithfully brought all the tithes and gifts to the Temple.” It doesn’t say they brought their tithes when they felt like it or when they had some extra olive oil or honey. They gave faithfully, which I think can also mean consistently. Giving faithfully requires that we trust that God will meet our needs.

When King Hezekiah saw the huge piles of food and donations, he asked the priests and Levites, “Where did all this come from?”

The high priest replied, “Since the people began bringing in gifts to the LORD’s Temple, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare. The LORD has blessed his people, and all this is left over.” King Hezekiah was amazed and thanked the LORD and the people of Israel.

Prayer: LORD, I want to give generously. I want You to have control over my finances. Please show me what I need to do so that I can give generously and faithfully out of my first share. Show me specifically what that means in my life. I want to honor You in all areas of my life out of a cheerful heart. I love You and want to serve You wholeheartedly.

A Ray on the Graph

Scripture: Romans 8:28-39

Both of my kids have been learning about graphing this year in school. I've been learning, or I should say re-learning math as I help them with their school work. Last week I was reminded that a "ray" is a portion of a line that has a starting point but no ending point. As an example, we thought of the sun's rays that start at the sun but could go on forever.

Don't worry, I'm not going to talk about math much longer, even though I'm sure you're riveted by this mathematical lesson!

Here's the cool part about how this math concept relates to our daily walk with Christ. I was imagining a graph where the starting point was on the horizontal axis and every point on the graph kept moving up and to the right. For example, it would be like plotting (3,0), (4,1), (5,2) and so on.

Picture this graph that starts at one point and continually goes up and to the right. It's a ray that goes on forever.

Today I was reminded that our walk with God should resemble the ray on this graph. Romans 8:29 says that we should be conformed to the likeness of Christ. In other words, we should daily strive to move up one dot on the graph. Today we're at spot (3,0) and tomorrow we should grow closer to Christ and move to spot (4,1).

Sometimes I beat myself up because I want to be holy as Christ is holy, but it seems like an overwhelming goal! As I picture this graph with my life as a ray, picturing this steady climb toward holiness gives me relief. I don't have to become like Christ in one day, but I am responsible to grow closer to God each day.

Thanks for bearing with this math analogy. It's funny how God can use anything - even math - to guide our thoughts and reveal His purpose for our lives.

Prayer: Lord, I want to grow closer to you each day. I want to be holy as you are holy. I want to take steps each day to become more like you.

I Don’t Want to Slip

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 2:1-12

When I’m struggling in my life, I definitely depend on God. From that statement, you may think that I have it all together. On the contrary!

While it is true that I turn to God during tough times, it is also true that I tend to forget about God during the good times. I know that’s a horrible thing to write and an even worse thing to do.

I guess that’s why I related so well to 2 Chronicles 12:1, “But when (King) Rehoboam was firmly established and strong, he abandoned the Law of the LORD, and all Israel followed him in this sin.”

Well Mr. “R,” I can relate! I can empathize with the false sense of self-sufficiency that comes from thinking that the good things in your life come from you and not God. Been there!

When life is difficult, the most obvious place for me to turn is straight to God and His word. I cling to it for hope and sustenance.

But when life is going well, I don’t turn to God as dependently as I do when I’m struggling. During the good times, I can forget to do my devotions and I usually don’t pray without ceasing. Basically and in all brutal honesty, I let my relationship with God slip.

King Rehoboam and I have more in common than I’d like to admit, but there is a good ending to the king’s life. Scripture tells us that the king and the leaders of Israel humbled themselves and the LORD saw their change of heart. 2 Chronicles 12:12 says “Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the LORD’s anger was turned away and he did not destroy him completely.”

The verse ends with an incredibly hopefully statement, “There were still some good things in the land of Judah.” Thank the Lord! I’m going to claim that for my life, too! Even though I mess up sometimes when life seems to hit a plateau, I need to keep a strong relationship with the Lord. “There will still be good things in the land of Minnesota!”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me even though I fail you sometimes. I am sorry for not clinging to you all of the time! I want to thank you for everything in my life. When things are going well, I want to give You all the praise and glory! When things are tough, I want to trust You all the more. Thank you for being a God who forgives.

Facts or Feelings?

Scripture: Ruth 1

Last night I spoke to a group of fourth and fifth grade girls about the book of Ruth. I shared that one of the reasons that I love this book is that it is full of emotions. Maybe I connect with Ruth because I am also full of emotions!

Last night I mentioned that as females, we experience many types of emotions. I was surprised to see most of the girls nodding their heads in agreement. Even girls as young as nine and ten years old are smart enough to realize the power that feelings and emotions play in their lives.

There are many positive aspects of emotions, like allowing us to experience joy and happiness. However, there are also negative aspects of emotions such as unrealistic feelings. These types of feeling are not based on facts! I know because I’ve experienced them first-hand. So did Naomi in the book of Ruth.

In Ruth chapter 1, Naomi experiences many situations in her life that would leave anyone discouraged. Because of a famine in her homeland, she is forced to move to a new land with her husband and two sons. While she is in this new land, her husband and sons die.

After many years have passed, the famine in her homeland is over and she decides to return. The bright spot in her life is her daughter-in-law Ruth has decided to uproot her own life and move with Naomi. However, in the midst of this blessing, Naomi seems focused on her negative feelings. Let’s take a look at how Naomi felt by reading her words in Ruth 1:20-21.

• “Don’t call me Naomi (Naomi means “pleasant”), call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.”
• “I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty.”
• “Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”

Sometimes when things don’t go as planned, we have a tendency to exaggerate. Have you ever done this? I have! It seems that this is what’s happening with Naomi. I’m not saying she doesn’t have every right to be frustrated with how her life has played out, but is she looking at the facts of her life or basing her feelings solely on her emotions?

Let’s do our own investigation to uncover the facts about Naomi’s situation.

• Naomi was feeling that her life was bitter. The fact was that she was back in her hometown with friends and family.
• Naomi was feeling that the LORD brought her back empty. The fact was that her loyal daughter-in-law Ruth was with her!
• Naomi was feeling that the LORD had afflicted her. The fact was that The LORD did not cause her husband and sons to die.

Let’s be honest. Naomi isn’t the only one to struggle with negative thoughts and feelings. We all struggle in this area from time to time. The important thing to do when you’re going through a tough time is to think realistically about your situation. Figure out if your struggle is based on facts or feelings.

Prayer: Lord, I don’t want to overreact and let my feelings and emotions get the better of me. You have given us a verse to help us set our mind on facts. Right now I want to pray Philippians 4:8. … “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” I want to live in truth!

How Smart is That?

Scripture: 1 Kings 10:23-25; 11:1-6

I recently read a magazine article about a young man who swindled people out of a lot of money. He went to jail for running a Ponzi scheme in the late ‘80s at the age of 20. He was convicted of 57 federal felonies, sentenced to 25 years and ordered to pay $26 million in restitution.

He later became a Christian and after he got out of prison, he became a pastor at a church in San Diego. He seemed to turn his life around, even helping the government catch criminals involved in the same activities that once led him to jail.

However, the article revealed that this man has recently gotten himself back into trouble. The title of his life story could read, “From Criminal to Man Reformed to Criminal Again.” How smart is that? As I read the article, it made me sad to think that this man had come so far toward rehabilitating his life just to let poor choices once again become his downfall.

A similar story takes place in the Old Testament. First Kings chapter 10 reveals that King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king on earth. People from every nation came to consult him and hear the wisdom God had given him. It sure seemed like King Solomon had it all together – wisdom and wealth besides.

Just like the story I read in the magazine, though, King Solomon’s life took a fateful turn. He chose to marry women whom the Lord had forbidden. In his old age, they succeeded in turning his heart away from God. The Bible says that Solomon refused to follow the LORD completely, as his father, David, had done.

How smart is that? Oh, that we would not make the same mistake. May we seek God in all aspects of our lives so that we will be wise in the knowledge of the Truth. May the title of our life stories read, “From Sinner to Saved - by God’s Grace.” Wisdom and eternal wealth besides!

Prayer: Lord, when we are tempted to go against Your will and Your Word, please help us to be strong. We want to depend on You and You alone. We want to look to You to be the source of our strength to get through each day. Thank you for loving us and forgiving us when we sin. We want to follow You completely!

This post is dedicated to Wayne and Joy Wensmann who have been such an encouragement in my writing. They are true examples of what it means to follow God completely!

A True Love Story

Scripture: Jeremiah 31:1-14

Do you find love stories irresistible? I do! A good romance includes laughter, joy, heart ache, and of course, love. If you enjoy a good romance, then grab a cup of coffee or tea and keep reading. You’re in for a treat!

This story begins in the 1940’s, a time in our history when young men from across America left the comforts of home to serve in World War II. The prospect of leaving for war must have been terrifying, but one young man named Ken Jensen found comfort in receiving letters from his hometown in western Minnesota. When letters arrived from a certain young lady named Lillian, they were especially sweet!

As Ken and Lil’s letters traveled back and forth across the miles, an intimate friendship began. That friendship grew into love and Ken and Lil were married on July 19, 1946. Their love story continued as they raised five children together. Life wasn’t always easy, but their commitment to each other and love for God helped them navigate the joys and trials of life.

During a typical wedding ceremony, most people repeat the vows, “For better or worse, in sickness and in health, ‘till death do us part.” Most of us cannot imagine the “worse” part or the “sickness” part unless it becomes reality. Ken and Lil experienced both health and sickness. However, with God’s strength, even the adversity of illness could not diminish their love.

Lil suffered from memory loss during the later years of her life. Sometimes she would remember her children and Ken when they came to visit, but eventually her memory slipped farther and farther away. Even Lil’s fading memory couldn’t weaken Ken’s love for her. In the three years that Lil was in a memory care center, Ken visited her faithfully every day except three, and that was because he was too sick to leave the house.

He loved her with his whole heart until the day she died at age 86. I had the privilege of witnessing this love story since Ken and Lil are my grandpa and grandma. As I watched my grandpa lovingly care for his wife of 65 years until the day she met Jesus, a thought entered my mind, “Oh, to be loved like that.”

My next though was, “I am loved like that!” In Jeremiah 31:3, the LORD says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” The LORD loves us in a love story for the ages! As much as I witnessed a beautiful example of love between my grandpa and grandma, my Heavenly Father loves me even more than my earthly mind can imagine.

With our limited human minds, we think we know what love is. Our heart melts as we watch a romantic movie or experience the emotions earthly love can bring. But to be loved with an everlasting love? To think that God draws us with loving-kindness? It’s beyond what our minds can fathom. Now that’s a true love story!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us with an everlasting love. Thank you for showing us what true love is by sending Your son Jesus to earth as a sacrifice for our sins. Thank you for giving us our very own love story.

From Pagers to Siri

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 14:8-17

It’s crazy to think about how our methods of communication have changed over the years. This will probably date me a little, but when I got my first job out of college, I was given a pager. Yes, a pager! I thought I was so cool! Sometimes I’d have to go out of the office for work, and the pager made it possible for work to reach me if necessary.

My job was to help film video programs about environmental resources, so when I was paged, I was usually in the middle of a forest or wetland. As you can guess, finding a telephone to call back to work usually took awhile. However, the pager was my method of communication at that time in my life.

A few years ago I got my own cell phone – talk about moving up in the world! The direct and immediate communication the cell phone provided was amazing. When we got unlimited texting, I was amazed at how I could text people a message and usually get an instantaneous response.

Now there’s something called “Siri” on iPhone 4S. If you ask Siri something, Siri understands what you say, knows what you mean, and even talks back. You can ask Siri, “Where can I find a good cheeseburger,” and Siri will list off the restaurants in your area that serve cheeseburgers.

Sometimes we forget we have our own Siri already in place. It’s called prayer. Any time of the day or night, we can call on God and He will answer us. (No cell phone service required!) Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” While Siri is one of the latest and greatest wonders in modern communication, God has had and always will have the corner on the communication market!

In the Old Testament, David and God often had personal conversations. Think about that for a minute! I’m talking about personal communication with the living God! Here’s one example of their dialogue in 1 Chronicles 14:8-17:

David asked God, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”

The LORD replied, “Yes, go ahead, I will hand them over to you.”

David asked God for direction and God answered him. Now that’s better than any pager, text message, or Siri. If man-made Siri can listen and understand you, how much more can the God who created you listen and understand you when you call on Him?

Prayer: God, You created me and You know me better than any person or phone ever could. I want to keep the lines of communication open between us. I promise to go to You for advice and I believe that You will listen to me and answer my prayers. Thank you for caring about me and loving me enough to provide a way for me to talk to You.

Running on Empty

Scripture: Colossians 1:24-2:7

Here’s a little questions to start your day - how do you view the world? (Maybe you should have a cup of coffee before you answer this one!) Do you see a glass as half full or half empty? I hate to admit it, but I usually see the glass as half empty. It’s an area where I struggle, and I’m learning to depend on God’s Word for the truth regarding my perceptions about life.

I once heard someone compare a glass of water to how we feel about our lives. When our glass is full, we have something to give to others. We can pour a little out and still have something left to satisfy our needs. When our glass is running low, every drop of water we pour out drains sustenance from our bodies.

Some of the things that fill our glass include kind words, time with God, healthy relationships, positive work environments, an unhealthy church and encouraging friendships. Some things that drain our glass are bitterness, unforgiveness, stress, busyness, an unhealthy church environment, illness, lack of time with God, finances, unhealthy relationships, etc.

How full is your glass right now? There have been times in my life when my glass has been full to the point of overflowing. I’ve had plenty of mental, emotional and physical energy to invest in others without draining my glass. Lately, however, my glass is running on empty.

The lyrics to a song by Britt Nicole profoundly describe my deepest desire, “Jesus, I just want to be found by You.” I want and need Jesus to fill my glass. I am going to a women’s conference this weekend and it couldn’t have come at a better time! Heavenly Father, I humbly request you to “Fill ‘er up!”

Prayer: Jesus, oh, Jesus, I just want to be found by You. Please fill my glass with You so that I may overflow to those around me. I want to praise You and love You no matter where life has taken me. I love You and ask You to fill me with Yourself.

Who Do I Think I Am?

Scripture: Romans 14:1-8

Quite a few years ago I was in a Bible study with some friends. As we were sharing prayer requests, I decided to put myself out there and share a struggle of mine. “Please pray for me because I have a hard time not judging other people,” I said.

I might as well have said, “Please pray for me because I’m a serial axe murderer.”

You could’ve heard a pin drop in the room and I realized then and there that the subject of judging others must be taboo in the Christian world. I’ve felt convicted for a long time to address this topic, so I’m going to address this personal struggle of mine – maybe it’s a struggle you share, too.

If we take a good look at ourselves – a deep look, we would probably all have to admit that we have been guilty of judging others at some point in time. I’ve been on both ends of judgement. I’ve judged others and I’ve been judged. Neither spot is a good place to be.

This morning my son handed me his Teen Study Bible which was open to a devotional called, “Don’t Judge.” It pointed to Romans 14:1-8, so I read this passage. Paul makes it clear that as Christians, we are not to judge other Christians about disputable matters. I believe Paul is talking about matters that are not violating God’s laws in Scripture.

Christians, though we are supposed to be filled with the same grace extended by God through Jesus, are often the first to judge. If we are convicted about something, we can easily fall into the trap of thinking that everyone around us should be convicted about that same thing.

In this Romans passage, Paul cuts to the chase about judging others. He says, “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”

In Gretchyn’s Paraphrase Bible (GPB – ha!), this verse would read, “Who do you think you are judging other people? Only God can judge. So, zip it and let the Holy Spirit do His work.” Do you think I’m going to get a paraphrase Bible published any time soon? Me either!

When we are tempted to judge someone about a disputable matter, we need to take a big, huge, gigantic step back. By judging others, we are really saying that we know the will of God in someone’s life better than the Holy Spirit. Is that truly a place we want to be?

Prayer: Lord, please forgive me for all of the wasted time I've spent judging others. Holy Spirit, please convict me when I am starting to judge someone else and remind me that You are the judge; not me! I don’t want to cause dissention in the church body. I want to encourage others and not judge them. Thank you for the example You set of grace through Your Son Jesus. I want to extend grace to others just as You extended grace to me!

More Questions Than Answers

Scripture: Judges 13-16

It’s about time I post on this blog! Some of you have mentioned that I haven’t written lately. I miss writing posts! Unfortunately, my new homeschooling schedule leaves precious little time (or mental energy!) to write. However, I plan to start posting more often.

Another reason I haven’t written lately is that my Bible reading has been leaving me with more questions than answers. Do you ever find that to be true?

Take the story of Samson for instance. I don’t get it! This man is supposed to be a judge for Israel, yet his life leaves a lot to be desired.

For starters, he definitely has a weakness for the wrong women. Samson was attracted to a Philistine (a tribe who oppressed the Israelites for forty years). Samson was determined to marry this woman and told His dad, “I want to marry her. Get her for me.” In other words, I want what I want and I want it now!

In a strange turn of events soon after they were married, Samson left his wife and went back to live with his father and mother. Later, when he decided he wanted her back, he found out she was given in marriage to the best man at his wedding. Then Samson did what any rational man would do in this situation – he tied torches on the tails of 300 foxes and burned down grain fields that belonged to the Philistines.

Of course the Philistines came after Samson, looking for revenge. Scripture says the Spirit of the LORD came upon Samson and he used the jawbone of a donkey to kill 1,000 Philistines. Then he boasted about it. The following Scripture says that Samson spent a night in the town of Gaza and slept with a prostitute.

As I’m reading these chapters in Judges, my finite mind is trying to reconcile the fact that Samson is a judge - and womanizer. He’s a Nazirite (he took a vow to be set apart for God's service) who's filled with rage and anger. Can you see why I have more questions than answers?

The beginning of the end for Samson is when he falls in love with a woman named Delilah. I guess you could say that she was the death of him. But even in his death, God used Samson for His purposes.

My pea-sized brain is trying to understand the mind of God and I’m coming up short – go figure! What I’m realizing through the life of Samson is that God can use anyone He pleases to accomplish His purposes. Who am I to question that fact?

Prayer: God, Your ways are not my ways and Your thoughts are not my thoughts. I acknowledge that You have plans to use us for Your glory despite our faults. Please take my failures and my weak areas and use them for Your glory. I am humbled that You love me and have a purpose for my life.

Just Like Joshua

Have you ever found yourself in the process of starting something new? It may be a new job, a new baby, a new school year, a new volunteer role or some other new undertaking. What feelings are you experiencing? You may be dealing with self doubt, fear, excitement, anticipation and more!

That’s where I’m at right now in my life. There are three pretty big changes coming up for me. First, I’m starting to homeschool my kids in a couple of weeks. Second, I’m taking on a co-coordinator position for our church’s Wednesday night 4th and 5th grade girls group. Third, I’m starting the process of putting together a devotional book and getting it published.

If you’re in the process of starting a new adventure like me, then you can relate to the rollercoaster of emotions I experience. One day I’m bursting with hope and anticipation. The next day when my kids are fighting and I can’t find any homeschool curriculum, I’m filled with fear and doubt.

During these times of apprehension, I need to cling to the promises of God’s Word. He’s led me to these changes in my life, so I need to believe that He will bring me through them for His glory. I was reading Joshua 1:1-9, where God is speaking to Joshua after he takes over Moses’ job. Joshua had big shoes to fill and I’m guessing he felt a little inadequate. God had some powerful words for Joshua and these same words apply to us in new situations we face.

“Be strong and courageous.” (v. 6)

“Be strong and very courageous.” (v. 7)

“This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (v. 9)

If God is calling you to enter a new chapter in your life, remember these verses and claim them. If you are following His will for your life, rest assured that He promises to be with you every step of the way.

Scripture: Joshua 1:1-9

Prayer: Dear Lord, I feel a little like Joshua right now. I am feeling ______________ about _______________ (situation). I know You were with Joshua after Moses died, and I am claiming the same words You spoke to Joshua for my own life. Today I am trusting in Your promise that You will be with me wherever I go. I will choose to be strong and courageous.

Cool Car Conversation Continued

The last blog entry ended with my son asking me how God spoke to me about home schooling. I had paused to clear my head so that I could explain my answer in the best way possible. I know what you’re thinking and you’re right – I was also buying time!

During my silence, I thought back to the situations that led us to choose homeschooling. I truly believe that God ordained each one.

“Well,” I began slowly, “First God opened our hearts to homeschooling through Shalyn’s interest in it. I really never thought we’d home school you, too.”

“Next God put people in our lives who really made us think about the benefits of home school. Sometimes God uses other people who are following Christ to lead us in the right direction,“ I said. “God also used His Word to show me the importance of passing His laws from generation to generation. Every time I read the phrase ‘generation to generation’ in the Bible, I felt God telling me that He wanted me to be the one to teach you and Shalyn. That phrase kept popping up in my devotions and I couldn’t ignore the fact that God was speaking to me.”

“God also spoke to me through prayer. While dad and I were contemplating whether or not to home school you, we both prayed a lot. I brought up some of my specific doubts to God. After each doubt I expressed to God, I strongly felt Him telling me to have faith in our decision to home school,” I said.

“What is that like?” he asked.

“Well, you know how your conscience tells you not to do something bad or to do something that’s good? It’s kind of like that when the Holy Spirit talks to you. He prompts you sometimes quietly and sometimes loudly! When I brought many different doubts about home schooling you before Him, He quietly said to my heart, ‘I’ve already told you what to do, now do it and trust Me.’” I said.

Again there was silence, but it was okay. This silence was a “thinking” silence. A “processing” silence. I would like to think it was also an “accepting” silence, but I don’t know if Caleb’s ready to let God change his heart about home schooling quite yet. God’s timing is not my timing. For now He provided me with the opportunity for a cool conversation with Caleb.

Scripture: Exodus 31:16; Exodus 35:20-22 (willing hearts); Exodus 40:12-15

Prayer: Lord, in Your Word You say You want willing hearts. May our hearts be open to whatever You have planned for us. We love You and want to serve You. Please show us how to pass Your Word from generation to generation.

Cool Car Conversation

Sometimes car trips provide a great opportunity for unexpected in-depth conversations. In the confined space of a car, there's a unique feeling of safety that makes people feel comfortable to talk. This was the case for my son, Caleb, and me yesterday.

As we traveled the two hours home from our cabin, he and I had a rare opportunity to talk without interruption. For half of the drive I listened to him talk about subjects that interest him. After listening and asking him questions about topics ranging from football to pencil toppers, I broached the subject of homeschooling.

Just as I expected, the car suddenly became quiet. You see, Caleb does not want to be home schooled. He says he will miss his friends and that he loves everything about public school – even the bus ride! He was extremely disappointed when my husband and I first broke the news to him.

After a few moments of silence passed, he asked me again why he “has” to home school.

Again, silence flooded the vehicle. Should I give him the patented, “Because your dad and I say so” answer, or should I lay it on the line for him?

Since he was stuck with me for another hour, I decided to lay it on the line.

I told him that his dad and I never really had the intention of home schooling. God has worked in our lives this year to bring us to this decision. When his sister, Shalyn, got sick last winter, she continually asked to be home schooled. I admitted to Caleb that I never thought seriously about home schooling until that point. But as my husband and I started praying about it, God opened both of our hearts to the idea.

At first, we thought we would only home school Shalyn, but soon it became obvious that we were supposed to home school Caleb as well. We knew this decision would not go over well with him, but we decided that since God had definitely led us to home school, we needed to make this unpopular decision as his parents.

I decided to press the issue further, since he was stuck with me and all! I told Caleb that it would be disobedient to God if we didn’t home school him. I told him that God had told both his dad and me that this was the right decision for our family. He then asked me a great question. He asked, “How do you know when God is talking to you, because I’ve never actually heard Him?”

Silence again. Now that is a loaded question if I’ve ever heard one! I wanted to respond to him, not by patronizing him or giving him trite answers. I wanted to truly tell him how God speaks to us. I decided that with God’s help I would lay it on the line again! The final part of our conversation will be posted soon!

Scripture: Exodus 27:20-21; Exodus 30:17-21 (*Note the phrase “generation to generation” used in both passages.)

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for Your perfect timing. You work on our hearts and soften them to be ready to do exactly what You ask of us. We want to be ready and willing and open to the plans You have for our lives. Please help us to trust You and to take a step of faith, even when we can’t see the path ahead.

How Did I Get Here?

Do you ever take a long, hard look at your life and wonder, “How did I get here?” You probably ask yourself that question because you never expected your life to turn out the way it did. No matter whether you’ve been following God’s plan for your life up to this point or if you’ve made your own choices … here you are!

Since we’ve decided to home school, I’ve been asked a similar question quite often. The question is usually phrased something like this, “What made you decide to home school?” It’s a good question. For someone like me who’s much better at writing than speaking, it’s a difficult one to answer eloquently. Usually I have to pause, take a deep breath and collect my thoughts.

How did I get here?

The first thoughts of home schooling entered my mind when my kids were still toddlers. I dreamed of taking a vacation with them to all of the educational sights in our nation. We could take a long trip and see the Liberty Bell, the Washington Monument, Hershey’s Chocolate World and all of the other important reminders of our nation’s history! In order to take a long trip like this, I realized we’d probably have to home school someday.

Those thoughts slowly dissipated, however, when we enrolled our son in kindergarten at public school. Two years later our daughter started school. All of a sudden six years went by and thoughts of home schooling were few and far between. When my husband and I did talk about home schooling, we agreed it was great for some families, but not for our family.

Then the Lord started to change my heart this winter. I didn’t even realize He was doing it! It was a very covert operation! The Lord really does have a sense of humor and He knows my personality doesn’t acclimate to change easily. So in His loving kindness, He started gently putting thoughts of homeschooling in my mind.

Over the years the Lord has taught me that He gives us what we need in His timing, not our timing. In my next blog entry, I will describe the events that led us to choose home schooling. Let’s just say that God is very creative and leave it at that for now!

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-3

Prayer: God, Your ways are higher than our ways and Your thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Thank you for guiding us down the paths You have planned for us. We want to honor You by following Your paths and not going our own way. We love You and want to follow where You want to lead us.

An Unexpected Journey

As I look back over the last seven months, I can see God’s hand working in the lives of my family. I never would have expected the outcome, however.

As I look forward to the future, I am excited and scared to death at the same time. I am excited because I know God has led us to this new journey, but I am scared to death because we will be traveling new paths and any type of change doesn’t sit well with my personality. I am a consistent-type person, not a change-type person!

This year the Lord has decided that He’s going to shake up our family a bit. He’s shown both my husband and I that we need to home school our fourth-grade daughter and our sixth-grade son. In later blog entries I will unravel the details of how God changed our hearts and brought us to this path. It’s been a crazy ride, but sometimes God takes us down windy, bumpy roads to lead us to the path He’s designed for us.

When we see these crazy paths ahead of us, we can choose to follow God in faith or to take our own course. In my own life, I’ve found that option number two never works! This time I chose option number one.

Talk about a windy, bumpy road - Moses was born a Hebrew, but he was raised as the son of an Egyptian Pharaoh’s daughter. When he grew up, the Lord asked him to lead the oppressed and enslaved Hebrews out of Egypt.

Moses could’ve said, “No thanks. I’m done with Egypt and I’m staying away from them for good!”

However, he eventually followed God’s path and did many great things for the Lord.

There is more to my story, which I will explain in the next blog entry. There is much to tell. There are “God sightings,” joys, fears and even some tears. I can’t wait to share this journey with you.

Scripture: Exodus 3:1-22

Prayer: Lord, our human nature tells us to take control of our lives. However, when we do that, we almost always mess up! We acknowledge that fact and yet we struggle between wanting to control our lives and giving them over to You. Today we acknowledge that Your way is always best. You never said Your way would be easy, but it’s the BEST way! Thank you for having plans to prosper us and not to harm us … plans to give us a hope and a future!

Baby, Baby!

I just love baby dedications. A few times during the year our church sets aside part of the regular Sunday morning service to dedicate babies to God. It’s fun because you never know how those little ones are going to behave. As our pastor takes the babies in his arms one by one, I always watch closely to see how they will react to him. Sometimes they play with his mustache, sometimes they are content and other times they get scared and start to cry.

No matter how they react, the pastor always prays over the baby and its parents. I love watching each family commit to raise their child in a godly home and promise to teach them about Christ’s love.

However, what I love most about baby dedications is when the pastor turns to the congregation and asks us if we are willing to live a life that will point these children to the Lord. He asks if we are willing to be part of the group of people who will ultimately help these children come to know Jesus in a personal way.

Each time there is a baby dedication, it is a time of personal reflection for me. It’s a time for me to recommit my life to the Lord as I realize that I have an important job to do – not only for my own family – but for the kids in our congregation and community. You see, it’s not only each individual family’s job to point their children to Christ, it’s the responsibility of the entire church body.

My devotions right now are taking me through the book of Leviticus. It’s a strange book to read, full of rules and regulations for the Israelites. However, one phrase stood out today – “generation to generation.” The Lord is clear that what He’s telling them is not just for them at that one point in time; it’s to be passed on from generation to generation.

Just as the Israelites were responsible to pass their laws, customs and traditions to future generations, today we are responsible to pass our love for the Lord and knowledge of His Word to the children around us.

There are so many ways to encourage kids in our community. To name a few; you can coach a little league team, volunteer at church in the kids program, help at a VBS, volunteer in a school classroom, buy some lemonade from the kids down the street, write a note of encouragement to a child you know, attend a program, school play or sporting event of a child in your community to support their talents. You can also financially support a child in another country, pray for them and correspond with them. All of the examples I just listed are ones that I’ve seen people in my community do.

Don’t forget, kids are always watching you. Most often they’re watching your actions. If they look up to you and they see you doing something inappropriate, they will think it’s ok for them to do it, too. This week, ask God for a specific way that you can impact future generations.

Scripture: Leviticus 23:9-14

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we know you love children dearly. While your Son lived on earth, he took extra time to talk to the children whom He met. We want to follow Your example and show extra love to children. Please show us how we can do this. Holy Spirit, please lead us to the area of service where we can help children grow to love You more. We want to live our lives so that children have an example of how to love You. Amen