Hope

My heart is sad tonight. During this week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, most of us are enjoying some relaxing family time – playing games, watching movies, and just having fun together. But, this evening, there are a couple of families who are dear to my heart who are experiencing some incredibly difficult things, and my heart aches for them.

As I’ve been thinking about them and praying for them, the verse that keeps coming to mind is this: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12

Hope deferred – to be re-visited at a later time – a hope to be fulfilled at a later date and perhaps in a way that we had not expected. Yes, our hearts are sick. Yes, we wonder why. Yes, we cry out to God and beg him for a miracle. But, no matter the outcome, all is not lost. Hope is still there – waiting in the wings – waiting for another place and another time - when all will become clear and hope at last will be fulfilled.

So, tonight I pray, and I weep, and I believe - and I hope...

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

Healing - a Christmas Gift

Emmanuel – God with us – Wonderful – Counselor – the Everlasting Father – the Prince of Peace. These are just a few of the names that are ascribed to Jesus in the prophecies foretelling His birth. But, the name that I’ve been drawn to this week as I’ve been meditating on Christmas is Jehovah Rapha – the God who heals. I know it’s a name that we associate more with the Easter story than with Christmas, but the events of those two holidays are completely intertwined. Without Christmas, there wouldn’t have been an Easter.

Psalm 103:1-5 says:

"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His Holy Name.
Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits –
Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s."

When God sent His son to the earth, He provided everything that we need for life and health and strength and salvation. It was – and is – His gift to us. All we have to do is receive it.

My family has been richly blessed this year, and there are piles of presents under our tree just waiting to be opened. But, all of them pale in comparison to the gift of a tiny baby born on that night so long ago in Bethlehem.

If you need healing this Christmas – physical, emotional, or spiritual – remember that gift has already been placed here for you and it’s just waiting for you to reach out and take it.

Joseph

When it comes time to read the Christmas story, most people automatically turn in their Bibles to Luke chapter 2. This account paints a beautiful picture of Mary and the events that surrounded her as she gave birth to baby Jesus on that first Christmas night. I love this passage of scripture, but it really minimizes the role of one of my favorite characters from the Christmas story – Joseph.

I personally think that Joseph was pretty amazing, and the account of Jesus’ birth found in the first chapter of Matthew gives us some insight into Joseph’s story. Think about it – Joseph found out that his fiancée was pregnant – by someone else! He had to be crushed – not to mention a little bit angry – and I would imagine that Mary’s story about what had happened didn’t really make him feel any better… Until, an angel appeared to him in a dream and confirmed what had happened. The angel instructed him to take Mary as his wife and to give the baby the name Jesus. And, then comes the amazing part – Matthew 1:24 says: “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.” He didn’t argue with the angel. He didn’t say – I need to pray about it. He didn’t say – I need to talk to my mentors about it. He didn’t say – NO! He immediately did what the Lord commanded. That took faith and obedience. And, in his obedience, Matthew 1:22 tells us that he helped to fulfill a prophecy about the Messiah.

Fast forward to the visit of the wisemen: After they had left the family, an angel appeared again to Joseph and instructed him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt in order to protect the child’s life. What was Joseph’s response? Matthew 2:14 says “So (Joseph) got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt.” He didn’t argue – He didn’t ask if he could wait until the morning – He didn’t explain how that really wasn’t a good idea since they didn’t know anyone in Egypt – He did ask where they would stay or how long they would be there. He just got up and went. Again, he showed himself to be a man of faith and obedience. And, again, he helped to fulfill a prophecy about the Messiah (Matthew 2:15).

His story continues much the same way throughout the rest of the second chapter of Matthew. God would speak, and Joseph would immediately obey. His heart was towards God. He had no idea of the importance of his actions. He didn’t realize that he was fulfilling prophecies. He didn’t fully understand God’s plan for this tiny baby that had been entrusted into his care for the few short years that He would live here on this earth. But, he loved the boy Jesus as his own child. He picked him up when he fell down. He tucked him into bed at night. He taught him the trade of carpentry. We don’t really hear much about Joseph after those short chapters in Matthew, but we know he was there – always in the background, always watching as the boy Jesus became a man, never turning back from the task that had been given him. A man of faith and obedience – a man who played an integral part in God’s plan to save the world…

Are you sleeping?

My thoughts this week are turned towards Christmas – and I’m sure that most of yours are as well. I’m trying to make sure that I get all of the last-minute Christmas shopping done, presents wrapped, and food prepared for our big Christmas Eve dinner with our family. But more than that, I’ve been thinking about the real reason for the season.

The events surrounding that first Christmas night are pretty amazing. If you stop and think about it from the perspective of the characters who actually experienced it, you realize that they must have been pretty much blown away by what happened. But, what about all of the people who were there that night in Bethlehem and missed it all? There were masses of people in Bethlehem that night because of the census – so many that there weren’t any rooms left for Mary and Joseph when they arrived. But, most – if not all – of those people were completely unaware of the miracle that was taking place right in their own backyard.

I heard a great song on the radio this morning called While You Were Sleeping by Casting Crowns. The chorus says:

Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping
For God became a man and stepped into your world today.
Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history
As a city with no room for its King.
While you were sleeping
While you were sleeping

How many of us are essentially asleep at the wheel as we navigate through life? Do we see the miracles that are taking place around us every day – because they surely are happening. Or, do we miss the wonder and power of God stepping into our everyday lives because we’ve been lulled into complacency by the world around us…

I’m going to take some time this week to ponder the miracle of Christmas and the many ways that it is still changing the world some 2000 years later. I’ll be sharing more thoughts throughout the week. In the meantime, check out this great song by Casting Crowns.

Snow Day

This week has really highlighted the craziness that comes along with being a working mom. Take Thursday, for example. We went to bed on Wednesday night with the threat of frozen precipitation and a 2-hour delay already in place for the area schools. So, I got up at 5:30 on Thursday morning (as per usual) thinking that I would get a few things done before school and work only to find snow on the ground, freezing rain coming down, and the schools cancelled for the day. I adjusted my expectations and my plan, and my day went something like this:



Read and respond to work e-mail for about an hour until oldest daughter gets up. Get breakfast for oldest daughter. Continue with work e-mail, rescheduling meetings to accommodate working from home in the morning. Younger daughter gets up. Make breakfast for younger daughter. Help older daughter start on Christmas project for her aunts and uncles. Go into office and close door. Participate in conference call with colleague from Denmark. Finish call and check on girls. Check work e-mail yet again. Make cookies and put them in the oven to bake while I pull together several documents needed for an afternoon meeting. Help daughters again with Christmas project. Participate in prep call for afternoon meeting. Put in a load of laundry. Check work e-mail and respond to phone mail. Send children outside with hubby to walk to the neighbor’s house. Put
laundry in the dryer. Finish up several loose ends for work. Finish getting ready to go out. Grab a quick sandwich. Write note to hubby with instructions for lunch and helping girls finish homework and Christmas crafts. Bundle up and venture out into the weather in order to get to the office for a 2:00 meeting. Dodge deer and ice-laden pine trees hanging into the road in order to get to
highway. Get to office only to find that I forgot to print out documents for meeting. Frantically search for printer in my manager’s office building. Meet with my manager, his manager and the CEO. Have follow up meeting with my manager. Call other stakeholders to report on results of meeting. Navigate icy roads to get back home. Sit down with computer while children are outside. Pay
bills online. Finish work on picture calendars for aunts and uncles and place online order, hoping they will get here in time for Christmas. Realize that it’s time for dinner. Start pulling together pulled pork sandwiches and baked potatoes only to find that there aren’t any burger-style buns in the house. Improvise by using hotdog buns for pork sandwiches. Eat dinner with family. Clean up kitchen and load dishwasher. Watch Christmas show with family. Put children to bed. Straighten family room. Fold laundry from earlier in the day. Lay down on the bed about 10:00 and try to watch a movie. Proceed to fall asleep with lights on and TV blaring.



I am extremely thankful that I work for a company that lets me work from home on days when the kids are out of school unexpectedly. That flexibility is so important to me! But, days like Thursday make me feel a bit schizophrenic as well. I tend to compartmentalize my life a bit in order to separate work (and the stress that sometimes comes along with it) from family. On days like Thursday, all of those lines become impossibly blurred.

I was thinking about all of this today, and it occurred to me that the Proverbs 31 woman took on all of that and more during one of her days – and she did it with such grace and dignity that her family stood up and praised her. I’ll give myself some credit for somehow managing to keep all of the balls in the air most of the time, but I have to confess that I don’t always maintain a positive attitude. Sometimes, I can get downright cranky. And, there are days when I’m pretty sure that my family would like to trade me in for another model.

I admit that like many women, I am not particularly fond of the Proverbs 31 woman. She’s a bit intimidating to say the least. But, I’m thinking that maybe it’s time to take another look at her. She was obviously a busy lady, and she still had a great attitude. I love that in verse 25 it says that she could “laugh at the days to come.”

So, I pray that I will learn how to take on the busy-ness of my days with the same strength and grace and dignity that was portrayed by the Proverbs 31 woman. And, I pray that when all is said and done, that my family will call me blessed.

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” Proverbs 31:30-31

Worship Wednesday - Waiting

What comes to mind when you hear the word "waiting"? For me, the word conjures up an image of frustration - toes tapping, arms crossed, brow creased - counting down the seconds until some event finally occurs so that I can get on with the next thing on my to-do list.

However, as I've been preparing my heart for the Christmas season, I've started to develop a new perspective. If you think about Christmas, it's really all about waiting. Except, in this case, waiting brings to mind a sense of hopeful anticipation‎ and ultimately results in longing fulfilled. As the waiting draws to a close, it signifies a wonderful new beginning more than the end of a season.

Think of Simeon and Anna who had waited their whole lives to see the Messiah - patiently and expectantly hoping for His appearance. Think of their joy when their hope was finally fulfilled in Jesus. (Luke 2:22-40)

Or, think of the children who start counting down the days to Christmas as soon as summer vacation ends. Think of their excitement as they anticipate the wonder of Christmas morning and the presents that will be waiting for them under the tree.

When you think about waiting in that context, it looks a lot less like something that should be avoided at all costs. In fact, I'm beginning to think that waiting is one of those disciplines that we should embrace as part of our worship unto the Lord.

Consider this quote:

"Celebrating Advent means being able to wait. ... Whoever does not know the austere blessedness of waiting - that is, of hopefully doing without - will never experience the full blessing of fulfillment." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

As you prepare for Christmas, are you waiting with an open heart and an expectant spirit - or are you frantically rushing through your to-do list with your mind set on just getting through the season?

I think the writer of this hymn understood the importance of waiting:

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

Come, Thou long expected Jesus,
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel's Strength and Consolation,
Hope of all the earth thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit,
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

Time...

I read a couple of great blog posts this week about time. They came at the subject from slightly different angles, but the gist of both posts was that if we learn to manage ourselves, then time (or the lack thereof!) suddenly becomes much less of an issue. John Maxwell makes the point that we need to manage our lives, not our time, because ultimately, we all have the same amount of time. It’s up to us how we use it. And, in Greg Darley’s words, he’s “calling bull” on all of us who use the excuse that we don’t have enough time to pursue our passions. He says the time is now!

As a busy working mom who’s trying to squeeze in time around the edges for my passion for worship and music – as well as finding time to work on my newest passion – this blog – I frequently find myself thinking, “I don’t have time.” However, if I’m really truthful, I should probably be saying, “I don’t make time.” I know that there’s a balance because I do need to spend time with my husband and my kids – and I have to eat and sleep occasionally – but I probably play the time card more often than I should.

I guess that a lot of it comes down to good old self-discipline and making good decisions about what we are – and aren’t – going to do. It also requires giving some thought ahead of time to what’s really important. If that’s settled, then it becomes much easier to prioritize and make the right choices when faced with options about how to spend our time.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1

Worship Wednesday

I love the Christmas season, and I love the songs that go along with it. I heard this song for the first time a few years ago when my hubby took me to a Michael W Smith Christmas concert, and I always think of it as we enter this season. It speaks to me of the peacefulness and safety and comfort that can be found in the presence of Jesus - no matter what else is going on around us. I imagine what it must have been like to be there in the stable that night when Jesus was born, and I find hope because All is Well.

What I Learned from Frosty

Last night, we decorated our Christmas tree. And, to help us get into the Christmas spirit, we had the Frosty the Snowman DVD going in the background. Now, I’ve probably seen that cartoon hundreds of time since I was a little girl. But, last night, one line just jumped out at me. I wasn’t really paying attention, so I don’t remember at exactly what point it occurred. At some point after Frosty woke up, he exclaimed, “I’m ALL living!” He said it with such a sense of wonder and excitement and enthusiasm. I just kept thinking: “How cool! He’s all living! He has a whole new state of being.” That phrase – I’m all living – has been stuck in my head ever since.

As Christians, shouldn’t we be exclaiming, “I’m all living!” as well? In Frosty’s case, it was the magic in that old silk hat they found that did the trick. In our case, it’s the Holy Spirit. I’m really not trying to compare the Holy Spirit to an old silk hat, but if you think about it, the Holy Spirit brings about that same sort of remarkable change in our spirits.

Colossians 2:13 says, “You were dead, because you were sinful and were not God’s people. But God let Christ make you alive, when He forgave all our sins.” After I heard Frosty, I kept wondering – when was the last time I got that excited about being alive – truly alive – in Christ? Do I walk around like “I’m all living!” or do I look more like the living dead? Sadly, it’s probably closer to the latter most of the time.

So, Frosty has motivated me to stir myself up and remind myself that “I’m all living!” Rather than walking around with my head hanging down just going through the motions of my day-to-day life, I want to take on life with all of the wonder and enthusiasm that Frosty portrayed – with the joy that comes from having a new life in Christ.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Thankful for... Salvation

As I wrap up my week of “thankful” posts, I’ve saved the best – and most important – for last.

Words are not enough to express my gratitude to God for sending his Son, Jesus, to this earth to die on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice for my sins so that I might experience eternal life with Him.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” - John 3:16

I’m thankful for the freedom that brings to my life.

“My friends, the message is that Jesus can forgive your sins! The Law of Moses could not set you free from all your sins. But everyone who has faith in Jesus is set free!” – Acts 13:38-39 (CEV)

I’m thankful for the peace that I can experience as a result.

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:7

I’m thankful for the healing that’s available to me.

“But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5

I’m so thankful that all of these things are freely available to all of us. All we have to do is believe.

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him wil never be put to shame.’ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’.” – Romans 10:9-13

Thankful for - My Country

Today I am thankful for my country. I am thankful that I have been blessed to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave. I am thankful that I live in a country where I am free to worship without fear. I am thankful that I live in a country that was founded by men and women of faith who understood the importance of setting aside dedicated time to give thanks to the Creator for His bountiful blessings in our lives. In the words of George Washington:


“Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me ‘to recommend to the people of the United States a Day of Public Thanksgiving and Prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.’

Now Therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the Twenty-Sixth Day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been able to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.”

May God continue to bless the United States of America!

“For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.” – Romans 11:36

Thankful for... Technology

Today I am thankful for technology. I know it seems like a trivial thing, but really – how did people ever get along without e-mail? What did we do before cell phones? And, how did we ever stay connected without facebook and twitter? Technology has enhanced our lives in so many ways.

I often think of the early missionaries. When they were preparing for their journey to the other side of the earth, they would sometimes pack their belongings in a coffin because they knew that they would never be coming back. They would endure long, miserable months in a tiny ship sailing across the ocean. And, when they arrived, their only means of communication with their friends and family was to write letters which took months to make it back home. Contrast that to modern day missionaries. My husband travelled to Africa this fall. He hopped on an airplane and arrived the next day. And, while it was a long flight by our standards, the travel time could be measured in hours. While he was there, he was able to text me pretty regularly, post blogs about his trip, and upload pictures to facebook for all of his friends to see.

The world is becoming smaller every day, and the opportunities that we have available to us are endless. Technology enables us to stay connected, but it also provides the tools that are needed to generally improve our quality of life in so many areas.

When I think of the evolution of technology just in my lifetime, I’m amazed. I wonder what incredible things my children will see in theirs…

"Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name." - Psalm 18:49

Thankful for... Provision

Today, I am thankful for provision for all of my physical needs. I think in this case, the old saying “you never know what you have until it’s gone” really applies. While you shouldn’t have to compare yourself to others in order to be thankful for what you have, in this case it can help to put things into perspective. Let me explain.

My husband has been called to take the gospel to remote parts of the world, and at one point he had thought that he would need to go it alone without a wife and family to tie him down. So, when he met me, he decided to put me through a missionary bootcamp of sorts to make sure that I could cut it outside of North America - since I’m such a delicate southern girl. However, he forgot about the whole Steel Magnolias phenomenon and was very pleased when I passed his test with flying colors. I laugh about it now, but I really did learn some very valuable life lessons during that time.

I learned that I take it for granted that the lights will come on when I flip the switch. I learned that I never have to think twice about whether I’ll have enough clean water to drink or enough warm water for a shower. I learned that air conditioning is one of God’s greatest blessings – especially when it’s 100+ degrees and 99% humidity! I learned that a readily available Western-style toilet is one of life’s greatest luxuries. Many of these things are just part of an assumed baseline standard of living here in the US. However, there are millions of people around the world who don’t have clean water to drink or enough food to eat or even a clean, dry place to sleep at night. After experiencing some of those conditions myself, I became acutely aware of how abundantly blessed I am.

So, today, I am thankful for my house and my car. I’m thankful that I have plenty of food to eat and plenty of clean water to drink. I’m thankful for my job. I’m thankful for all of the little luxuries that I enjoy every day – television, radio, all manner of technology,... I’m thankful for heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. I’m thankful that I can take a hot shower any time I want to – day or night! I am thankful that I have clothes to wear. And, I am thankful that even in tough economic times, I’ve always had enough for me and for my family.

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” – Philippians 4:19-20

Thankful for... People

Wow! Now that I’ve decided to write these “gratitude blog” posts, I’ve got so many things to be thankful for that I don’t know where to start! So, I think that I’ll start with people. I’m so thankful for the many wonderful people that God has placed in my life. Here’s a list that includes many - but certainly not all – of the people who are a blessing in my life:

My wonderful husband – I don’t know how I ever got along without him! He has given me encouragement to try new things and to stretch myself in ways that I never thought I could. And, he has given me grace when I have failed. I love him with all of my heart, and I know that he loves me the same. Our wedding ceremony included the following words, and I can truly say that my husband has continued to live up to this charge:

It is your duty to be to Tonya a considerate, tender, faithful, loving husband; to support, guide, and cherish her in prosperity and trouble; to thoughtfully and carefully enlarge the place she holds in your life; to constantly show her the tokens of your love; to shelter her from danger; and to cherish for her a manly and unalterable affection. It being the command of God's Word, that husbands love their wives, even as Christ loved the Church and gave His own life for her.

My precious children – I’m not sure if I ever really understood unconditional love until I had children of my own. My children bring so much joy to my life – even though there are days when I wonder if aliens from outer space have invaded their bodies :-) My children love me even when I’m a grumpy mommy, and that’s not an easy thing to do. It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to love them and care for them and train them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

My faithful friends – Proverbs 27:17 (The Message) says “You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another.” God has placed so many good friends in my life – friends who have celebrated with me in the good times and mourned with me in the bad times – friends who are closer than family in some cases. I’m so glad that God hasn’t called us to live this Christian life alone. Instead, he has placed us in community so that we can “do life together.” That’s so much better than being a lone ranger!

My esteemed mentors – Where would I be without those people who have invested so much time and energy into my life? I’ve had mentors at many different stages and in many different aspects of my life, and they have all played a huge part in encouraging and guiding me to become the person that I am today.

The cool thing about God is that he has chosen to use people to accomplish his will on the earth. He didn’t leave Jesus here to do it all Himself. Instead, He sent the Holy Spirit to empower US to do His work. In John 14:12-14, just before He was crucified, Jesus told His disciples: “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

I’m so very thankful that there are people who have chosen to be “Jesus with skin on” in my life, and I pray that somewhere along the way, I’ve been able to be the same thing for them.

“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” Ephesians 1:15-16.

Fortune Cookies and Oprah

As a general rule, I don’t let fortune cookies or Oprah Winfrey have too much influence on my actions. However, today, those two forces have conspired together to inspire a series of blog posts that I want to write this week.

First, the fortune cookie… We had lunch today at a Chinese restaurant, and when I opened my fortune cookie at the end of the meal, I found the following bit of wisdom: “Do you see difficulty behind every opportunity, or opportunity behind every difficulty?” Hmmmm… I had to think about that one, and I’ll confess that I didn’t really like my answer. I’m not always the most optimistic person, but lately, it seems like I’ve been more negative / complaining / whiney than usual – and I’m not proud of that.

As I pondered those thoughts, my mind turned to the Thanksgiving holiday that’s coming up this week, and I wondered whether infusing my life with a little more thankfulness might help to combat some of that negativity. Enter Oprah Winfrey… A few years ago, Oprah promoted the concept of a gratitude journal where you spend some time each day writing down things for which you are thankful. I actually thought that was pretty good advice at the time although I never implemented the practice myself. So, this week, I decided to use my blog as a gratitude journal to help me focus on the many blessings in my life.

I don’t know about you, but it’s easy for me to become overly focused on the hard or frustrating or negative things in my life. Dealing with those things takes a lot of emotional energy, so it’s natural for your focus to be drawn in that direction. But, I’m learning that if I’m not careful, those things can drain me dry. And, the fact of the matter is, I actually have it pretty good right now. There are definitely areas in my life where I’m struggling, but laus deo (Praise be to God!) – the good in my life far outweighs the bad. And, I know that God is in control and has a plan for everything to work together for my good, even if it’s not clear right now.

So, I’m going to take some time this week to pause and count my blessings. And, I’m going to write them down as a memorial - to let the world know how good God has been to me and to serve as a reminder for me one day in the future when things aren’t going so well.

I challenge you to do the same.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

More questions than answers...

In keeping with the title of my blog, most of my posts have centered around little pieces of wisdom or tidbits of knowledge that I have gleaned from the things that I’m experiencing in my life. I’m going to change it up today and ask some questions around a topic that I am struggling to understand right now. If any of you are out there reading, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject.

My question hinges on the relationship between four different aspects of my life: vocation, calling, spiritual gifts, and natural abilities. I have a pretty good understanding of where I am with respect to each of those items individually. However, what I’m trying to understand is how – or if – those things should influence each other.

I always hear people say “You should be doing what you’re passionate about!” But, what if your passion doesn’t translate into dollars? Is there still a way to incorporate your passion into your vocation? What about spiritual gifts? Will you derive more satisfaction from your job if you’re doing something that leverages your spiritual gifts in some way? And, if you’re not in full-time ministry, how does your calling fit into all of this?

I, for one, don’t believe that natural gifts, spiritual gifts, calling, and vocation are mutually exclusive. I believe that they’re all an integral part of who or what God made us to be, and therefore, they can’t be considered in isolation.

For example, I’m in a vocation that seems to leverage quite a few of my natural abilities, and as a result, I’ve been fairly successful. However, I don’t find my job fulfilling. At least for the near term, I don’t see my vocation merging too closely with my calling. But, I do see the potential for incorporating more of my spiritual gifts into my vocation (teaching, for example).

I spend 40+ hours of my week pursuing my vocation, and I’d like to derive more satisfaction – more joy – more gratification, from my job. After all, that’s a big chunk of time to devote to something each week. I’m becoming more and more convinced that finding a vocation that incorporates some aspect of my spiritual gifts, working in tandem with my natural gifts, and in some way enabling me to devote more time to pursuing my calling, is where I need to be.

Any thoughts out there on how to achieve this goal?

Do Not Touch!

When I was boarding a plane yesterday, I noticed a round piece of metal attached to the jet bridge with big red letters that said “Danger! Do Not Touch!” At that moment, I was overwhelmed with the desire to reach out and touch that metal circle. I had to mentally slap myself on the hand to keep from doing it. I was thinking, “How could that little round piece of metal be dangerous? I mean, really, what would happen if I just touched it a little bit – really quickly? How bad could it be?”

I had a lot of other thoughts go through my mind after that – like “What in the world is wrong with me? Why I am I obsessing about that little metal circle?” And, then I thought – “Wow – I bet there’s a blog topic here somewhere!”

I think it’s easy for us to understand the desire to reach out and touch something that’s attractive in some way - like a beautiful Christmas ornament or a piece of crystal. Inherently, we know that there’s some risk there, but the beauty of the object is enough to make us momentarily forget about the risk. But, in this case, the risk – the danger – was literally written all over the object. And, yet, I still had to hold myself back from touching it.

What compels us to do crazy things – things that are obviously bad or harmful in some way? Why do we forge ahead when there are flashing lights all around us screaming “Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!” It’s the paradox of human nature, and it’s been plaguing us since the beginning of time.

Paul put it this way:

“What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.

But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.

It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.

I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question? “
Romans 7:14-24 (The Message)

If we stop right there, things look pretty hopeless. How in the world can we ever live up to God’s standards? I mean, it sounds like Paul couldn’t even do it! How can we be “good enough” when there’s this constant battle raging in us and around us?

Never fear! That’s not the end of the story. Just keep on reading Paul’s letter, and you’ll find the following:

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2

And that, my friend, is some very good news!

Worship Wednesday - JOY!

When I was in high school, one of my youth leaders did a simple teaching that has stayed with me for lo these many years. He was teaching about joy, and he suggested that, in order to find true joy, we should think of the word as an acronym:

J - Jesus first
O - Others second
Y - Yourself last

If you keep that perspective, you'll find joy. But, if you get it backwards, then all you have is YOJ, and who wants that?!?

I don't know about you, but I occasionally go through times in my life where I have a little too much YOJ and not enough JOY. That usually means that my spiritual gas tank is getting low and needs to be filled up - which in turn means that I need to spend a little more time in worship, focusing on Jesus, and a little less time feeling sorry for myself and thinking about my problems.

Psalm 100 reminds us of the goodness of God and encourages us to enter into worship with joy. May the words of this Psalm help to refill your joy tank today!

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before Him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is He who made us, and we are His;
we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving
and His courts with praise;
give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the Lord is good and His love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations."

Worship Wednesday

I love concerts - always have. I remember going to concerts when I was in my late teens and early twenties, looking around the stadium, and wondering why the "old people" were at the concert. Well, last week, I went to see Chris Tomlin in concert at the State Fair, and when I looked around the stadium, I realized that I was now one of the "old people" at the concert :-) We actually went with a big group of folks who were all around our age. We filled up a whole row with "old people." And, we had a blast!

If you haven't had the opportunity to see Tomlin in concert, you should go if you get the chance. Not only is he a great musician - he's also a great worship leader. He drew the audience in and had us all participating. And, he shared some great thoughts around why and how we worship.

This Tomlin song is one of my new favorites. It was great to sing the words along with the others at the concert as a declaration that we would follow Jesus wherever He leads. I don't know if it will work its way into the worship sets at my church, but it has certainly gained a place on my personal playlist. Enjoy!

Lessons Learned - in Vegas (Part Deux)

Have you ever been lost? Or, worse yet, have you ever been lost in a place where everyone else seems to know where they’re going? That happened to me this week. I spent 2-1/2 days in Caesars Palace – literally. From the time I checked in on Sunday, I didn’t go outside again until I checked out on Tuesday. Everything you need is right there – the hotel, the conference center, restaurants, shops, entertainment, the casino (if you’re into that kind of thing). And, while others seemed to navigate the tangled maze with ease, I pretty much got lost every time I left my hotel room. It all looked alike – slot machines and flashing lights and winding corridors – with very few signs to guide the way. I had conversations that went something like:

“Excuse me, but could you tell me how to get to the Centurion Tower?”

“Oh – you just go across the casino and past the barge and you should see it on the left.”

Alrighty, then – that clears things right up.

Or, how about this (yelled by a colleague from across the casino):

“Hey – Why are you heading towards the sports bar?”

“I don’t know – I’m just trying to find the conference center.”

“Well, you’re going the wrong way – What are you? Country come to town?”

Why, yes - Yes, I am!

I’ve actually come to the conclusion that the hotel/casino complexes in Vegas are designed that way on purpose. People are wandering around, trying to find their way, but eventually they get tired and give up – and guess what?! There’s a slot machine or a poker table waiting for them right there, so they might as well sit down and stay a while because they’re going nowhere fast.

Life can be like that as well. We’re all on a journey, but sometimes we get lost. We feel confused and turned around, and there aren’t any signs to point us in the right direction. So, we finally just sit down right where we are because it’s easier than pressing on and trying to find our way. But, the problem is – the longer you sit there, the harder it is to get up and start the journey again. Complacency sets in, and the next thing you know, years have gone by, and you’re left wondering where the time went…

Don’t let yourself get stuck at the poker table of life – Pull out your roadmap – your Bible – and remind yourself of where you were headed when you started the journey. Ask someone for some help. Look around for that open door that you need to walk through. God has a purpose for this journey that is your life, and the enemy would like nothing better than to see you get sidetracked before you’ve accomplished what you set out to do.

Hebrews 12:1-2 encourages us to persevere in our journey. I’ve read these verses many times before, but The Message translation gave me a fresh perspective. If you find yourself stuck in your journey, let these words push you to keep on keeping on today.

“… we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running – and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed – that exhilarating finish in and with God – He could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now He’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!”
- Hebrews 12:1-2 (The Message)

Lessons Learned - in Vegas

The past few days have been a crazy whirlwind: family fun at the State Fair all day Friday, Chris Tomlin concert Friday night, out of town relatives visiting Saturday, church Sunday morning and a late evening flight to Vegas Sunday night for a work conference. And, just being in Las Vegas for two days is a whirlwind of its own. Pick your favorite vice, and there’s an opportunity to indulge it staring you in the face everywhere you turn, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s such a wacky, surreal place to be. Even now, sitting at the airport, there are people playing slot machines right in front of me. Crazy!

I had an interesting conversation with the taxi driver on the way to the airport this afternoon. This guy wasn’t your typical cab driver. He was originally from the East Coast, college educated at the University of Maryland, and still close to his family back home. But, he left all that to come to Vegas to pursue fame and fortune. He was, in a way, a modern-day prodigal son.

While thinking about this cab driver and the story of the prodigal son and some of the teaching that I heard this weekend, I found a recurring theme that really jumped out at me: Freedom can only be found in surrender. When the prodigal son left home, I’m sure that he thought: “Finally! I’m free! I can do whatever I want to do, go wherever I want to go, be whatever I want to be. I’ve got it made! I’m in control!” And that was fine for a while. I’m sure that he made some friends and had some fun along the way. But, eventually, those things that he was pursuing began to control him, and his freedom started to feel more like bondage. All of his indulgences started to cost him. They took more of his time and more of his money, until at last, he ended up in the pig sty.

At that point, he was faced with a choice. He could stay where he was, in the middle of the mess that he’d made of his life. Or, he could go back home and surrender himself to the will of his father. Because, after all, his father’s servants had it better than he did at the moment. So, he headed home, burdened with the weight of what he’d done and the shame that it had brought him.

But, when he arrived home and told his father what had happened, he got an unexpected surprise. At that point of surrender, when he believed that he was signing up to be a servant in his childhood home, his father welcomed him with open arms. When his father placed the robe on his back, the prodigal son finally found the real freedom that he’d been searching for all along.

There are so many people in that same condition. They’re desperate for freedom, but they’re pursuing it in all the wrong ways and in all the wrong places. They’re ending up in a virtual pig sty, just like the prodigal son, bound by the lifestyle that they’ve chosen. The weight of those chains is just too much to bear for most people. But, if they, like the prodigal son, can find it in their hearts to surrender to their heavenly Father, they too can find freedom.

Are there things in your life that are dragging you down or holding you back? Are you a slave to your possessions or your career? It’s time to let go. It’s time to surrender… because freedom is waiting on the other side.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." -- Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)

World Statistics Day

We interrupt today's regularly scheduled blog post to bring you a special message:

Happy World Statistics Day!

What, you might ask, is World Statistics Day, and why do you care?

World Statistics Day is a day set aside to recognize the service provided by the global statistical system at national and international levels and to strengthen the awareness and trust of the public in official statistics. It serves as an advocacy tool to further support the work of statisticians across different settings, cultures, and domains.

And, why do I care? One of the things that most folks don't know about me is that I have a Ph.D. in Statistics. That's right - I'm an official, card-carrying geek - a pointy-headed statistician. And, that innate desire to analyze things carries over into every aspect of my life, much to the chagrin of those who know me best.

When I tell people that I'm a statistician, I usually get a blank stare - or a comment about how much they hated that one stats class that they had to take in college. In reality, it's a very interesting profession. It's the place where real world problems and data meet the analytical tools and methods that are needed to derive meaninful information. As one of my colleagues often says, being a statistician is never boring because it allows you to play in everyone's backyard.

So, now I've done my part to raise awareness of the statistics profession and to celebrate World Statistics Day. And, thus my parting question:

Have you hugged your statistician today?

Surprised by Grace

When we were preparing to have our first child, we took every parenting class that we could find and read every book that we could get our hands on because we knew we would need help once we brought a tiny little baby into the world. However, as we made it through the toddler years and the first days of school, I think that we may have gotten a little too confident in our parenting abilities. Our oldest is now entering that awkward pre-teen stage and some of our tried and true parenting techniques are not working so well anymore. So, I decided to take a few classes on parenting “tweens,” and I’ve found them to be both thought provoking and extremely useful.

This week, the instructor was looking ahead to the teen years and pointed out that sometimes parents and their teens get into a cycle where they are “knocking heads” at every turn – so much so that the teen just starts to expect a negative response from the parent no matter what they do. The instructor suggested that if you’re in one of those times with your child, sometimes it can help to simply stop and surprise them with grace. I thought that was great advice, but beyond that, the phrase that she used has been stuck in my head and in my heart all week long.

Surprise them with grace!

What a great thought! It works in a lot of situations – not just with a difficult teenager. If the cashier at the drive thru window messes up your order, rather than getting angry and glaring at them, surprise them with grace! If someone cuts you off in traffic, rather than honking your horn and calling them every unholy name in the book, surprise them with grace! If the checker at the grocery store is slower than molasses (and that’s the one I always get!), rather than grumbling under your breath and tapping your foot impatiently, surprise them with grace! If your spouse leaves his socks in the middle of the floor – again – rather than complaining or nagging, surprise him with grace!

Remember the bumper sticker that was popular a few years back? – “Practice Random Acts of Kindness.” Let’s take that one step further and “Surprise them with grace!” It might be just the thing that will remind them that you are able to show grace to them because God poured out his grace and mercy on you.

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” – 2 Peter 1:2

Worship and First Love

If asked to define myself, it would be hard to come up with a few succinct words to explain who I am. I’m a wife, a mother, a friend, a statistician, a teacher, a manager – and the list could go on and on. While each of the many aspects of my life are important, there are usually one or two that take top billing at any particular point in time. But, one of the constants in my life has been music. I started playing the piano when I was 8 years old, and I started playing for church when I was 12. Somehow, the congregation in that little country church suffered through my halting renditions of “Love Lifted Me” and “Just as I Am” and gave me the opportunity to get my feet wet as a lead worshipper of sorts. And thankfully, through the years, my skill has grown and my understanding of what it means to worship God through music has grown as well.

So, the past few months have been interesting as I’ve stepped back a bit from the musical aspects of leading worship in my church and focused more on writing. But, it has also given me the opportunity to reflect more broadly on worship and the role it should play in our church and in our lives.

One of the questions I always ask when digging into a topic is “What?” In this case, “What is worship?” The word has been used in a lot of different ways and for a lot of different purposes, so much so, that if you asked 5 different people to define the word, you would probably get 5 different answers. It is used to refer to what happens inside a church building on Sunday morning – “Did you go to worship service today?” It can be used to describe a genre of music. It has been used to distinguish between the more upbeat songs that we sing in church (praise) and the slower, more intimate songs that we sing (worship). And, I could go on and on.

So, I decided to do what every good researcher does these days and did a quick google search for the definition of worship to see what I could turn up. I found lots of good (and not so good) definitions, but the one that really spoke to me is the following, written in the late 1800’s:

“Worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His Beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose – and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our original sin and the source of all actual sin.” –from William Temple’s Readings in St John’s Gospel.

I like this definition because it emphasizes the fact that worship should involve every aspect of our being, and it should result in an intense adoration of our God that is reflected in everything we do. It’s not something that should be reserved for Sunday morning, and it doesn’t have to involve music – although music is a great way to express our adoration to our God.

If you’re married, think about the way you felt when you first fell in love with your spouse. You were likely consumed by that love (I know that I was!), and you were intensely focused on getting to know that person, on finding ways to spend time with them, and on showing them how much you cared. And, it was obvious to anyone who was watching that you adored the person you were with.

That kind of passion – that first love, if you will – should be evident in our worship of our God. And, it should show on our faces and in our lives. Think of Moses when he came down from the mountain after receiving the Ten Commandments. It says in Exodus 34:29, “…his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.” All of the people were able to see that he was changed because he had spent time in the presence of God. The same should be true of us.

Are we living a lifestyle of worship? Are we pursuing God the way we would pursue our first love? Are we changed in a way that says to everyone around us that we have spent time in the presence of the Lord today? Those are tough questions, but they’re the ones that I’ve been asking myself recently.

Worship Wednesday

I have found that some of the best teaching - and learning - moments that I have with my children happen when we're driving around in our car. Most of the time, I have the radio tuned to KLOVE, and most of the time, at least one of us is singing along. This week, the song Starry Night by Chris August came on the radio, and I heard my 10-year old daughter asking her little sister: "Do you know what it means when he says 'plank-filled eye'?" My ears perked up because 1) I had never noticed that particular lyric although I've heard this song many times and 2) I wanted to hear her explanation. So, she proceeded to explain the scripture in Matthew where it admonishes us not to point out the speck in someone else's eye when we have a plank in our own eye. She further explained that this means that we shouldn't criticize someone for doing something bad when we've probably done something worse ourselves.

I was pretty impressed that she had heard the lyric, connected it with the scripture, and gave a sound explanation of what it meant - all on her own! It just goes to show you that you never know what your kids are actually picking up. What seems like background noise to us may be making a lasting impression on their hearts, so we need to be careful about what we allow them to see and hear. That is just one of the many reasons why I'm thankful that we have so much great Christian music available to us.

So, with that lengthy explanation, here is the song - Starry Night:

Worship as Missions

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.”

I love this quote from John Piper's book Let the Nations Be Glad. I first heard Steve Hawthorne teach on it when I took the Perspectives course in 1996, and since then, it’s been central to my thinking about both of those subjects – worship and missions. The phrase that really resonated with me is this: “Missions exists because worship doesn’t.”

You may be thinking - could that really be true? We have awesome worship at our church every Sunday. And, while that’s one aspect of worship, I don’t think that’s what Piper is referring to in this statement. I think that he is referring to an attitude of worship – a lifestyle of worship – that is lived out every day and in every aspect of our lives.

God created us for His glory (Isaiah 43:6-7), and His greatest desire – His end goal, if you will - is for every tribe, tongue, and nation to glorify His name. He even says in Isaiah 48:11 that He will not yield His glory to another. When He is glorified – when His name is lifted up – He will draw all men to Him. It is our responsibility as His representatives here on earth to insure that His name is glorified. That’s where worship meets missions. While we may excel at worshipping Him inside the walls of a church building on Sunday morning, are we living a life on Monday through Saturday that glorifies Him in such a way that men and women are drawn to Him as a result? I know that I fall short many times and in many ways.

Through our worship, we can have a part in drawing others to worship Him, so that serves to make us all missionaries. Our job, then, is to keep worshipping Him with our hearts and our lives, in spirit and in truth – sharing the story of His glory through our words and our lives - until the day finally comes when ALL peoples are united in worshipping Him.

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14

Worship Wednesday - A Moment of Silence

This week, instead of sharing a worship song, I'm going to share a scripture that illustrates an important aspect of worship that we often overlook - the concept of stillness. I love music, but sometimes my most profound moments of worship come when I tune everything else out and just get quiet and meditate on who God is. Psalm 46:10 (NIV) says:

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth."

I love that! Be still and KNOW - not think, not hope - KNOW that He is God.

But, if you want a more modern take on this scripture - one that captures the importance of stillness for those of us who are caught up in the frenetic activity that defines so many of our lives - check out how The Message puts the same verse:

"Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God!"

Can you relate?

The discipline of stillness is an important component of worship, and I think the constant barage of "input" that we are faced with today - iPods, smart phones, internet, radio, tv, you name it - has made it uncomfortable, if not almost impossible, for people to stop and be still.

So, think about it - when was the last time you stopped to take a long, loving look at your High God? If it's been a while, I invite you to take a moment, turn off all of your electronic devices, and give it a try...

Walking on Water

As a Christian, one of the most frequent questions that I hear is “Why do bad things happen to good people?” – or some variation on that theme. And, honestly, I don’t think that there is any one best answer to that question. What I do know is that we live in a fallen world and therefore, whether we like it or not, we are going to experience some suffering while we’re here. Suffering is a relative term, and what one person may consider “suffering” may seem trivial to someone else. But, nonetheless, when you’re going through a difficult time, it’s hard not to question God or demand for Him to “fix it,” as my Pastor said this morning.

Another thing I know to be true is that God is in control. Nothing happens without His knowledge. We can have confidence in the fact that He is the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God –all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present in all of our circumstances, whether good or bad. We are never out of His care, no matter how difficult things may be.

Our Pastor made a great point this morning. He noted that, when things go wrong, we often go to God asking Him to “fix it.” We expect our comfort to come when our circumstances improve. However, we should instead take comfort in who God is and in the fact that He has chosen us to be His children. When things seem out of control, we need to center ourselves on that truth.

Think of the story in Matthew 14:25-31 where Peter walks on the water:

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But, when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him.

Think about it. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he was able to do the miraculous. He was able to walk on water. But, as soon as he looked around and saw his circumstances, he started to sink. I think many times, it’s that way for us, too. When we look at our circumstances, we can become overwhelmed. In the natural, things may simply look impossible. And, it’s hard to understand what’s happening. But, when we fix our eyes on Jesus, we’re able to see past the circumstances and remember that the one who created the universe holds us in the palm of His hand. We can rest in that confidence no matter what else is going on around us.

We sang one of my favorite songs this morning, and it ties right in with these thoughts. It’s based on Romans 8:28, and it’s a reminder that, no matter what’s going on in your life right now, God has everything under control. May the words encourage your heart as much as they have encouraged mine.

Worship Wednesday - on Thursday!

In keeping with the theme of my last two posts, this week's worship song features the African Children's Choir. Let all the nations sing a new Hallelujah!

Good idea or God idea?

When I was putting my children to bed a few nights ago, I had the following conversation with my oldest daughter:

“Mommy, do you think that Daddy will bring us back something from Africa?”
“I’m sure that he will.”
“Do you think he’ll bring us back an orphan?”
“Um, no, I’m pretty sure that he won’t.”
“But, why not?”

So, I proceeded to explain to her about the process of adopting a child from overseas – the paperwork, the adoption fees, etc. And, I gave her a list of reasons why we probably won’t be adopting right now. But, I also told her that if she felt really strongly that we should adopt an orphan, then she should pray and ask God to make a way for us. So, she said that she would. And, as I was walking out the door, she said, “Mommy, I want you to pray, too.” Yikes!

We had always thought that we might adopt a child one day, but we’ve gotten older, and finances have gotten tighter, and… and… and… There’s a whole list of reasons – or maybe they’re excuses – why it’s not a “good idea” for us to adopt. But, could it be a “God idea”? I’m not completely closed to the idea, but I’m not really jumping up and down about it, either. And, it scares the stuff out of me to think that my daughter – with her sincere little girl faith – has decided to take this up as a prayer campaign.

I’ve had a scripture running through my head (Psalm 68:6) for several weeks. I thought I knew why, and it had nothing to do with orphans. But, for the last few days, my thoughts have been going something like this:

I’m so glad that we have the chance to help these orphans in Swaziland. (God sets the lonely in families…) We can sponsor some of the kids – We don’t need to adopt. (God sets the lonely in families…) After all, we can’t afford to adopt right now. (God sets the lonely in families…) We’re just too old! (God sets the lonely in families…)

Do you think that maybe God is trying to get a point across? Do you think that He’s trying to get me to open my heart to the idea of doing more? Hmmmm…

To be honest, I don’t know if God wants us to adopt or if He’s doing something else in my heart. I do know that He’s going to have to do some miraculous things in order for it to be feasible for us to adopt in the natural. And, I’m confident He can do them if He wants us to travel down that road.

So, my question to you is this: Is God speaking to you about something in an area of your life where you’ve already closed the door? Could He be asking you to open that door back up and consider what He would have you to do? Have you let your “good ideas” block out His “God ideas?”

Being challenged by my child to pray about it was a wake-up call for me. I’m going to take that challenge. What about you?

The Mission Trip Phenomenon

I have a love-hate relationship with mission trips – at least the ones that my husband takes 2 or 3 times a year. I love that he is fulfilling his calling to take the gospel to those who have never had the chance to hear. I love that he is walking out “true religion” (James 1:27) by serving the poorest of the poor. But, I don’t love the unexpected side-effects that tend to happen when he goes on one of these trips. We’ve affectionately come to call it “the mission trip phenomenon” around our house.

Inevitably, when he leaves to go on a trip, things start to go wrong – sometimes before the trip and almost always while he’s away. For example, he went to South America in January a couple of years ago. We had not had any measurable snow here in several years. However, while he was gone, we had about 8-10 inches of snow. And, since we live way out in the country, we have a VERY long driveway. So, in order to get the kids to school and myself to work, I had to shovel the whole driveway by myself. It took the better part of a day! Everything worked out fine, but did the biggest snowfall that we’ve had in the past 6 years REALLY have to happen while he was on a mission trip?

Or, take last year for example – He was ministering in a country that shall remain nameless. This trip was during the big H1N1 flu outbreak. I don’t think that I’ve ever had the flu in my life. However, while he was gone, my daughter got H1N1 and then I got it as well. It was not pretty…

And, just this week, as we’re preparing for him to go to Africa to work with AIDS orphans in Swaziland, we got a letter from the IRS saying that we’ve been audited! We sold our house 2 years ago, and apparently we have to prove that it was our permanent residence when we sold it. Come on people! We lived there for 10 years – and the IRS sent our tax return to that address every year! Where do they think we were living? The audit meeting was pre-set for next week – while he’s in Africa.

Last but not least – our smoke alarm malfunctioned at 4:30 this morning. First, let me say that I’m thankful it was a false alarm. But, still, it woke the whole house – including my husband who was hoping for a couple more hours of sleep before heading out on a 24-hour journey across the globe.

I could go on and on with these stories, but, at this point, you might be asking – Have you ever thought that maybe he should just stop going on these trips? The answer is – Of course I have! However, I’ve come to realize that when we look at all of this craziness with our natural eyes, it makes us want to back off. But, when we see it with our spiritual eyes, things look a little different.

Ephesians 6:10-13 says: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

You see, as Christians, we are in a battle. We have an enemy. And, the last thing that he wants us to do is to walk out our faith and to lead others into the kingdom of God. He wants to keep them for himself. He doesn’t want them to hear the truth. So, I believe that he’s the happiest when we’re the most complacent. If he can convince us as Christians to just sit back and “enjoy the good life,” then he doesn’t have to worry about us. We’re no longer a threat to him because we’ve effectively removed ourselves from the battle.

So, when I see all of these things coming against us as my husband heads out on a mission trip, it just serves to strengthen my resolve that we’re doing the right thing. The enemy wouldn’t be messing with us if he wasn’t worried about what we’re doing. If he’s messing with us, then that probably means that we’re headed in the right direction. When you’re on the frontlines of the battle, you’re going to get a little beat up every now and then. But, that’s ok, because the end result – the ultimate victory – is worth it!

Dear Heavenly Father, please help me not to be afraid to stand on the frontlines and fight for your Kingdom. Help me instead to put on your armor and stand firm in the face of the evil one.

“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.” Matthew 11:12

Worship Wednesday

Wow - What a crazy week it's been! I've started writing several times, but I haven't been able to get that focused quiet time that I need to write a full blog post since my last Worship Wednesday post. And, I usually have a song bouncing around in my heart that I'm just waiting to share each Wednesday, but not this week. Until... We were doing homework this afternoon, and my 5th grader was working on her Bible assignment. She lost focus on the chapter in Matthew that she was supposed to be reading and ended up in Revelations. She started reading:

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."

She called me over and said, "Look, Mom! The words to that song are right here in the Bible!" She was so excited about what she'd found.

I love Revelation Song. The words - right out of scripture - are so powerful, and the thought of worshipping around the throne of God with people from every tribe and tongue and nation for the rest of eternity always sends chills running up and down my spine. I'm not in any big hurry to leave this earth, but I can't wait for the day when I can worship at the very feet of the one who created me!

So, close your eyes and imagine that day as you enjoy this beautiful song...

Worship Wednesday

The past few days have been really hard. Without going into detail, I was feeling pretty weary on the drive home from work this afternoon. So, I popped in a random CD for some background music, and this song came on. I listened to it over and over, and it was like balm for my soul. I cried out with the songwriter (Rich Mullins): "Hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf. You have been King of my Glory. Won't you be my Prince of Peace?"

It always amazes me how God can use the right song at the right time to minister to the deepest needs in my life. I pray that this song will speak to you and touch the deep places of your soul as well.

Savor the Season

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” That’s so true of our lives. Our lives are made up of a series of seasons – good and bad, easy and hard. The trouble with seasons is that you have to pass through them – you can’t just skip over them. You can’t just decide to jump directly from the beautiful colors of fall into the fresh beauty of spring without first enduring the cold season of winter. And, sometimes, during the long cold days of winter, we can become so focused on looking for spring – for what’s coming next - that we forget to live fully in the current season.

I just finished reading Mary Beth Chapman’s book (Choosing to SEE). If you aren’t familiar with the Chapman’s, their adopted Chinese daughter was killed in a tragic car accident at the age of 5. Mary Beth is living in a hard season. But, her story isn’t one of despair. Instead, it’s a story of hope and the faithfulness of God to walk with us through every season – no matter how hard.

When I put the book down, I felt really challenged. You see, I’m struggling with my current season – fighting with it, really. It’s not that this season is hard, but it’s not quite comfortable. Like Mary Beth, I like to be in control, and her story helped me to realize that sometimes we have to be forced to give up that control so that God can have his perfect work in our lives.

Every season has its own joys, challenges, and lessons to be learned. Rather than hiding out and waiting for a new season to arrive, I’m realizing that I need to settle in and embrace this season that I’m living in. When I look back on this season, I don’t want to be filled with regret for the things that could have been. Instead, I want to be able to see that God’s grace was permeating my very being and sustaining me every step of the way.

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalm 1:1-3

Thankful for Birthdays

I love birthdays – especially mine! It’s awesome to have a day set aside to celebrate your life, and it’s a great time to reflect on the struggles and blessings of the past year and the dreams you have for the next one. So, on the eve of my birthday, I’m taking some time to reflect and to give thanks.

I’m thankful for health. I’ve battled some pretty severe illness over the past few years, so I’ve learned not to take my health for granted.

I’m thankful for my family. I have two beautiful daughters who are smart and sweet and loving – at least most of the time. There have been some challenges as they’ve moved into new seasons of their lives, but there have been joys as well. I love watching them as they grow and learn, and I pray that I will do the right things to help guide them into their teen years and on into adulthood. I’m sometimes sad for me as I see their little girl years flying by, but excited for them as they experience all of the new and wonderful things each age has to offer.

I’m blessed to have the most wonderful husband on the planet. He is so supportive and encouraging. He never complains when the house isn’t quite clean or the laundry isn’t done or we have spaghetti – again – because I forgot to plan ahead for our evening meal. He loves me even when I’m grumpy, which is more often than I’d like to admit. I don’t know what I’d do without him, and I’m so thankful that God put him into my life.

I’m thankful for my job – No, really! Those who know me well know that I sometimes have to remind myself of this one. I had never planned to be a working mother, much less a working mother with a high-profile, high-stress job at a software company. But, I do enjoy my work, and I have an extremely flexible schedule that helps me to balance my work life with my family life. And, I work at one of the most stable companies in the area, so despite the crazy economic times that we live in, I feel secure in my job at a time when many people don’t.

And, when I think about the next year, I’m expectant. I feel like I’m moving into a new season of my life. I’m not quite sure what that season holds or where it will take me, but I’m excited about it. So, it doesn’t really concern me that there’s one more candle on my cake. It just reminds me that I have another new beginning and a chance to grab hold of all that God has in store for me in the coming year.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Worship Wednesday

As a mother, it's so hard to see my daughters and their friends comparing themselves to the girls that they see on TV and in magazines. They're constantly bombarded with these images, and there's so much pressure to live up to the world's standard of beauty. But, the truth is, true beauty comes from the inside out, not the other way around. I shared this song with a young friend this week who was struggling with her own self image. There's so much truth here, but I especially love the words to the chorus:

There could never be a more beautiful you.
Don't buy the lies, disguises, and hoops they make you jump through.
You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do.
There could never be a more beautiful you.

All of us need to hear those words every now and then. Here's the rest of the song - A More Beautiful You: