Have You Lost Your Christmas Spirit?

There was a recent episode of "The Middle," in which the whole family was freaking out because the mom seemed to have lost her Christmas spirit. Instead of her annual traditions of present buying, baking, decorating, she had decided to lie on the couch, eat fudge and watch TV. (which may not sound like a bad plan at this point in the Christmas chaos).

Maybe you have felt like the mom in this TV show...tired of it all and just ready to sit on the couch and eat chocolate? I'll admit, I've been tempted to do just that. But this morning, God reminded me of what it really means to have the Christmas spirit...
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich." ~2 Cor.8:9.

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT ISN'T FOUND IN GIFTS OR SELF-GAIN...BUT IN GIVING...A GIVING UP OF OURSEVLES FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS, FOR THEIR GOOD AND GOD'S GLORY. That is what God did when He came to us that first Christmas night...that is what His whole life and death were about. And grace means that He did this, not because we deserved it, but because He loved us so much! How can we let our lives be about anything else? The Christmas spirit shines brightest when we reflect His self-sacrificing love like this:

"Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours; yours are the eyes through which He looks with compassion on the world, yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good, and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now."~St. Teresa of Avila

In the end, the mom from "The Middle" found her true Christmas spirit, when she was motivated by love. May we, too, be motivated by love...for the lonely, the difficult, and the distressed...that is how the Christmas spirit lives in us all year long♥

Clouds of Discouragement

        It really isn't hard to become discouraged. We turn on the news and feel the weight of the world on our shoulders...or closer to home, we feel the pain of failed relationships, financial struggles choke us, the stress of life overwhelms us and the waves of despair threaten to drown us. Perhaps you, like me, have felt like the clouds of discouragement are surrounding you?

If this is where you find yourself today, there are 2 paths you can take:
First of all, we need to recognize where discouragement comes from. Discouragement comes when we have expectations and desires that are not met~by others, circumstances or even God. If we choose to hold onto our discouragement, dwelling on it...it quickly turns to despair, which leads to destruction...destruction of our thoughts, our attitudes and our actions and eventually our lives. Look at what the writer says in the 42nd Psalm, "My tears have been my food day and night...Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?" Maybe you can relate today to those ancient words?

BUT, THERE IS ANOTHER WAY:
The next verses point us to the way out, "Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God....By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me~a prayer to the God of my life."
There are 3 things that give us direction when we have those unmet expectations and desires:
1)TAKE them to God. In honest prayer, lay them at His feet. He is big enough, strong enough and wise enough to handle our disappointment...we are not.
2) TURN to Him. The way OUT is UP. Turn your focus from yourself to God. The more we look to Him, the more Magnificent and Glorious He is...let your awe for Who He is overwhelm you and your discouragement may not disappear, but it will definitely be put in the right perspective.
3) TRUST Him with all of it. Don't hold onto any of it, it will only weigh you down. He knows exactly what to do with it...

When we TAKE our discouragement to God and TURN to Him in TRUST, a funny thing happens...our He alone can take our DIScouragement and turn it into ENcouragement! <3

Love Wins...Remembering 9/11

As I drove my son's carpool to school this morning at the crack BEFORE the crack of dawn (the tardy bell rings at 7:10 AM), I saw God reveal something of His magnificence....a breathtaking sunrise. In awe, I said to the sleepy teenagers in my car, "Wow! That is God's glory painted for us in the sky!" They probably weren't as thrilled by His masterpiece as I was, but my son did get my phone and take a bunch of photographs for me...I think he secretly enjoyed it as much as I did:) 

As I pondered the beauty of this new day dawning, I could not help but think of all the truth and comfort that God was speaking through this work of His hands. On this somber September day, that carries for us a dark and sorrowful reminder of one of the ugliest and most vial evils ever committed against our nation...God, in His graciousness, reminds us with every sunrise He paints...

that He is still sovereign, 

that there is still breathtaking beauty in this world,

 and that His mercies are new every morning.

So, in memory of all those who lost their lives because of the evil desires of men...

let us slow down, breathe deep and look around...   God IS still displaying His brilliant, transformative love through the beauty He puts all around us each day... 

Drink in His warmth when you see the sun. 

Be reminded of His cleansing Spirit when you feel the rain on your face.

Think of the everlasting life He offers when you smell the evergreen trees.

As long as we have breath in our lungs, let us not forget that there is no evil anywhere, that can ever overcome the love of Christ poured out for us and on display for us to see...a sweet reminder that in the end

LOVE WINS.

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they reveal knowledge.

They have no speech, they use no words;

no sound is heard from them.

Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world. ~Ps. 19:1-4

Finding Our Bearings

Untethered from her moorings and drifting out to sea,

she looks for her bearings as the darkness descends

and the skies turn from gray to black.

Suddenly, she remembers an ancient map of old

given to her by those of long ago.

She studies the outlines of the distant shores, 

wondering if the landscape has changed

and if what was is no more? 

“Is this map outdated?” she muses,

as her doubts slowly take the shape of discouragement.

Will the darkness grip more tightly or will she find a way?

The waves begin to grow and loom

as the heart and helm are suspended with fear and indecision.

The ship stalls...and the sailor looks up in a cry to the heavens

 for help.

As her tear filled eyes search the night sky for some hope,

 a star appears

Evidence of the constant One who so carefully put each of these in place.

The Designer of All gently reassures her heart. 

 Comfort and direction descend from above and wrap around her like a warm embrace,

as the sweet faithfulness of the God who penned the map and hung the stars

comes more clearly into view

she is drawn to the safety of His shore,

guided by the truth of a Light that always shines.

Leading, loving, and legacy...all wrapped into One.

The Anchor for her soul.

The Silversmith and Silver Anniversaries

Silver is a metal that as it is refined in the heat of the flame, the impurities that darken and hide it's beauty, slowly fall away. The silversmith must keep a close watch on the silver during the entire process to insure it's beauty is brought forth and not destroyed. Over and over, he carefully puts it into the center of the fire and then withdraws it, studying it closely to see if it is ready. Then, the moment comes when he knows that his work has brought forth beauty...when he sees his own reflection in it. The black, dingy piece of metal has now become valuable, because of this reflection...because of the work of the faithful silversmith. 

There is a reason that the 25th wedding anniversary is represented by silver. As my husband and I celebrate ours today, I can't help but see the parallel of the years to this process...
When we first got married, there were so many "impurities" of selfishness and pride, that it was often hard to believe there was anything of value under all those layers of dingyness. But through the years, as we have surrendered more and more of ourselves to the Silversmith and the wisdom of His plan and purpose, and as He has used the "heat" of life and marriage, we can see that His gentle hand has slowly removed and refined much "slag" or impurities from us. Refining is not an easy or overnight process and we are by no means perfect, but I am thankful that our Silversmith has always been watchful and patient over these 25 years. He has never left us to be destroyed in the heat, but has brought our marriage to a place where it can begin to become what it was intended to be by the Silversmith, from the beginning of time...a reflection of His sacrificial love to the world. 
I pray His reflection becomes ALL that can be seen over the next 25 years... Amazing grace!

A Letter to My Wounded Sisters

  My Precious Sister,

   I have wept silent tears for you. My heart aches for the burdens you have been carrying for so long...weighing you down and stealing your joy. 

 I have walked the depths of the valley you are in. I have known the long nights of crying out in the darkness.

    I see your weariness. How tired you are of trying to outrun it. Done with trying to find a mask that covers it. Worn out from striving for some accomplishment to overcome it. Yet the fear, the shame, the hurt is always with you...haunting you, whispering the lies that only you can hear...drowning you in despair and exhaustion.  

   The scars you wear are solemn reminders of your desperate attempts to hide the pain hidden deep. But no matter how many cuts you make, you can't make the dark disappear. 
    
    Please hear me sweet sister: 

YOU ARE NOT ALONE! 

   Oh, I know you believe that you are, that no one could possibly understand what you feel. And so you have retreated further inside yourself. 
 The enemy of your soul wants nothing more than this...to isolate you, to pull you away from the One Who formed you (Psalm 139:13), the One who sings over you every morning (Zephaniah 3:17).
When will you stop doubting His heart toward you? Don't you know? Haven't you heard? From the days of our sister Eve, the Enemy has been spinning the same old lies...that God isn't really for you, maybe everybody else, but not you...that He is holding out on you like some vindictive, promise breaker who can't be trusted? Satan subtly sows the seeds of doubt that bring forth despair. 

   What do I say to convince you that the love He has for you is deeper than your wounds? How do I help you know that this love He has for you is wide enough to carry all your hurts and long enough to last forever? (Eph.3:18-19)That the One Who made you knit all the parts of you so tenderly (Psalm 139:15), with every cell a stamp of His Divine Image upon you? 

So how do I make you see that you are so beautiful to Him? Not just to know it in your mind, but have it permeate your heart so completely that you see the masterpiece He made you (Eph.2:10) every time you look in the mirror?

No words of mine could match the Word that He has already given. His Answer to every doubt you have ever had. The depth of His love for you has been clearly proven. There is no more evidence that can be offered that could possibly speak more precisely and dispute more completely every lie that the enemy has ever told you. 

God answered Who He really is and how much He loves you on the Cross. 

There is only One who can truly heal your wounds because of His. And it wasn't because you were pretty enough, smart enough, good enough...it was when you were at your worst that He loved you enough to die for you. 

That is the place Truth can be found. So stop trying to find the answers from within your own mind or experiences. Look up and see the Cross, the evidence of His love  that silences the noisy lies in your head. 
 Every lie the enemy had ever spoken was refuted. 

All you have to do is believe He loves you like no other. Always has. Always will. 

   




   

Who Is This Jesus?

    Luke 22:66-71

You'd think they would have known. After all, they had spent their lives studying and teaching the Scriptures, and leading God's people. But the blind often lead the blind into darkness and no one even knows they've been going in circles, until Someone comes with a Light.

    They point blank asked Him to tell them who He was. 

"If you are the Christ," they said, "tell us."

"Are you the Son of God?" 

    Standing right there in front of them, He did just that, clearly and plainly for all to hear. 

"You are right in saying I am." 

Christ before the High Priest
about 1617, Gerrit van Honthorst
copyright National Gallery of London

    I Am. Jesus' words echoed God's first naming of Himself to Moses, "Tell them I Am sent you." The Mystery, Majesty and Magnitude was far too great to fit into an ordinary Name. Centuries later, here was the Messiah claiming that same Title...that same Mystery, that same Majesty and with that same Magnitude. How could this have been missed by the very ones who should have recognized Him? How did they not know Who He was? What caused their blindness?

Perhaps when 

 Hearts are hardened by jealousy we cannot hear the whisper of His Voice.

or the 

 Fear of losing power & position put blinders on our faith,

while

 Our finite minds limit an infinite God with intellectual pride 

and 

Our selfish expectations turn into demands of who we think God should be.

Head knowledge alone doesn't melt a heart of stone. And only Jesus can transform a heart with a stone rolled away. 

    Here we sit today, with endless knowledge at our fingertips and the empty tomb open before us and who do we say this Jesus is? 

    If we say that we believe Jesus is our Savior, are we living blind and deaf to Him in our midst?  How does this Jesus change our hearts, our lives, our ways? Do we love more, do we extend mercy and grace to others even when they don't deserve it? Does it change the kind of husband/wife, parent and friend that we are? Does it make us yearn to know Him more? 

    The Mystery, Magnitude and Majesty are standing right in front of us this Holy Week...may we all have eyes to see, ears to hear and hearts that respond with the eternal joy of faith that lives out this bold claim:

He is I Am!

    

Never Say Never

  

   He said it. Everyone there heard him. When Jesus told Peter his faith was going to falter, Peter emphatically denied it. He even upped the ante with a mixture of pride and self-righteous indignation, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." There it was...Peter's words, not so unlike our own, "I'd NEVER do that." 

Never say never.

"I'd never hurt a friend"...and then we gossip.

"I'd never tell a lie"...and then we give a false impression.

"I'd never kill"...and our careless words destroy someone.

"I'd never be disloyal"... then the going gets tough, and we bail.

"I'd never deny Christ"...and yet we do.

   

    The faltering comes to all of us. The moment we invest in our own abilities, we, like Peter, are vulnerable to being "sifted" by Satan. That is our first misstep. This is the subtle, yet dangerous attitude that takes us on that first step toward denial. We see in Peter's story, the next step. "Peter followed at a distance."(Luke 22:54) and then quickly after that, the third step, "Peter sat down with them."(Luke 22:55)

No longer close to Jesus' strength and protection, Peter then tries to identify himself with the crowd. 

    The stage is set and the three denials that he ever even knew Jesus come swiftly and without thought of anything other than his own self-protection. 

Faith has been replaced by fear.

And the rooster crows.

It is at this climactic point where the inevitability of human failure collides with the purpose of Christ's crucifixion. 

"The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter."(vs.61)

It was that heart penetrating look, that simultaneously spoke of truth and grace...of deep knowing and merciful forgiveness...of sorrow and of love.

It was in that moment that we see clearly the impossibility of our own ability to remain loyal to our Savior in contrast to the faithfulness of Jesus, even to His sacrificial death on a Cross 

for us. 

And just as it did for Peter, that realization should take us to our knees, in humble repentance.

As the grace of it all takes our breath away.

Fight the Good Fight

        When life has you painted into a corner, how do you respond? What weapons do you use? Do you come out swinging...flailing and fighting to defend yourself? Or perhaps you run as fast as your heart will take you...trying desperately to separate yourself from the emotional chaos of it all. 

      We often respond to life's difficulties with earthly weapons of self-defense. 

     The sword was what Jesus' disciples chose when they were confronted by the soldiers and crowd who came to arrest their Friend and Leader. Quickly and impulsively Peter cut off the ear of Malchus, the servant of the Jewish high priest. Peter's response to difficulty was instinctive and swift...and perhaps not so unlike how we often react when someone accuses, threatens, or criticizes us or someone we love. 

    But this Holy Week, Jesus shows us a radically different way...with transforming weapons of power unlike any we might have chosen on our own. 

"But Jesus answered, 'No more of this!' And He touched the man's ear and healed him."~Luke 22:51

    In one of the final acts of His earthly ministry with His disciples, Jesus teaches them (and us), a crucial lesson. When the "battle" was at a critical point, when Jesus could have used all of Heaven's power to destroy those who came with evil intent...He uses the divine instead of the deadly, the poignant instead of the poison and from His quiver of defense, He pulls these weapons:
1) THE WEAPON OF TRUST in the Father's plan to be best, even if it meant suffering and difficulty.
2) THE WEAPON OF PRAYER. Jesus had just spent the previous hours in communion with the Father, being strengthened through prayer. 
3) THE WEAPON OF LOVE. This is the most powerful of all...this is the heart of what motivated His entire life, death and resurrection. It was this love for you and me that brought Him to that night in the Garden and ultimately to the Cross. With His holy hands and heart He wielded the "weapon" that not only healed one man's ear... 

but restored the brokenness of all humanity.

May we fight the good fight in the same way as Christ...with trust, prayer and love. 

       

Bridge Building

Have you ever been in a check-out line and witnessed 2 people who are angrily hurling words at each other like weapons. Most of us just want to turn away or run from observing their conflict...it's uncomfortable...it's embarrassing. We might even think, "I'm glad that's not me in that argument. Maybe what I'm dealing with isn't that bad after all." 
Sadly, this illustrates the very picture we give the world when we, as Christians, publically spar and jab each other...and yes, hurl words like weapons, when we disagree on things publically~ESPECIALLY on social media and the internet. 
I have a father who is a Presbyterian minister, a brother who is an Episcopal priest and I am in a Southern Baptist seminary and a member of a non-denominational church. So, obviously I am not saying that I think all faith-filled, Christ loving believers have to agree on everything. I am very thankful that my "Heinz 57" family can be together, enjoy each other's company and even have loving, humble discussions on topics of faith privately and face to face. But that is the point: 
AS CHRISTIANS, WE NEED TO DISCUSS OUR DIFFERENCES PRIVATELY AND IF AT ALL POSSIBLE FACE TO FACE AND WE NEED TO RESPECT THE OTHER PERSONS INTERPRETATIONS EVEN IF WE CHOOSE TO HUMBLY DISAGREE. 

WE MUST STOP FEEDING EACH OTHER TO THE LIONS.

LET'S BE BRIDGE BUILDERS, NOT BRIDGE BURNERS.

Hidden behind the shield of our computor screens, we forget that every insult, every harsh word and even just the petty nature of so much of it all is weakening the power of our witness to each and every hurting and lost person who reads it. Perhaps they look at us and think, "I'm glad that's not me in that argument. Maybe what I'm dealing with isn't that bad after all." And they turn away...
And this was Christ's prayer, just before He was arrested, for all of us who call ourselves Christ followers:
"I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be ONE as we are ONE: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete UNITY to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

Top Ten Things Our Kids Need to Know for Life

     

    From the moment we first see them, hold them, study those tiny fingers and toes, and wonder in amazement at the sheer miracle God has created...our children have our hearts. We are simultaneously in love and completely overwhelmed by the enormous responsibility. It is both a monumental task we've been given and a great privilege. Every stage is fraught with challenges, along with moments of unspeakable joy. 
    None of us get this parenting thing right all the time. There are definitely days and seasons when we've probably all  thought that maybe we should just run away and join the circus, where they could sell tickets to come and see us as "The World's Worst Parent." So please know that it is not with a prideful parenting "I have it all right and you should parent like I do" perspective that I share this post with you, but simply one of a mom who has made plenty of mistakes and will probably make plenty more. It is from a heart that, by the grace of God, is still learning how to love her children wisely, how to see them with the perspective God wants us to have for their lives...all the while knowing that they are really His and He is only giving me the privilege of teaching them Who He wants to be in their lives. 

    So here are the ten things I have found to be hugely beneficial in my children's lives...

1) Know your identity. Everyone else may be trying to figure out who they are in things like popularity, boys, academics, sports, etc. Remember that you already have the most important identity. You don't need to look anywhere else for that. You have been found. You are His daughter or son and you are loved for eternity. Nothing and no one can change that. 

2) Seeking perfection will leave you exhausted, frustrated and anxious. God sees you perfect already, because He sees you through Christ. Do your best and leave the rest to Him. There is great peace in this. 

3) Don't compare yourself to others. If you see yourself as better than they are, you will be prideful. If you see yourself as lesser, then you will be defeated and depressed. Let Christ be the only One to Whom you look for inspiration and emulation.

4) Don't copy the things of this world. Get to know Christ, so that you can live and love like Him. 

5) Happiness and joy are not the same thing. Happiness is circumstantial. Circumstances change. One day people like you, the next day they may not. Joy comes from within, it is not based on things happening around you. It is a product of a grateful life focused on Who God is and who you are in His eyes. Practice gratitude and you will find joy. 

6) You have a choice to make in the trials of life. People will betray you, there will be times you fail, your heart will be broken. Your choices will determine if these difficulties will make you better or bitter. Remember that God is just as faithful in the valley as He is on the mountaintop...choose to run toward Him, not from Him. It is not a guarantee that the circumstances will change, but YOU will be changed to be more like Christ. 

7) Remember that EVERY person is made in God's Image. Value them as God does, respect them, love them, be kind to them...treat them as you would want to be treated. 

8) All rules, from God and your parents, are given from the love they have for you. Think about what Christ did for you, because He loves you...let that inspire your own obedience.

9) All choices have consequences. The choices that reflect your desire to live like Christ will produce more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control in you. The choices that are based on what the world would tell you or on your own selfish desires, will increase a heavy burden for you that will weigh your life down. 

10) The secret to loving others, is living loved by God. If you only love others based on whether you think that they deserve your love, you will are forgetting that "yet, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." People can be hard to love sometimes, but so can each of us. God never stops loving you. Who are you to do any less?

     As parents, our lives speak more loudly than our words...our walk must match our talk. So look at the list again. Are there any of these you may need to grow in with God's help? 
    Thankfully, God doesn't expect us to be perfect parents. He simply wants us to teach our children to know that they were created for, and are loved immeasurably by, the only perfect Parent. 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ~Dueteronomy 6:5-7

Two Roads

    Relief is the road we most often want to take. It is easy to find, it is a quick fix and it is comes from somewhere outside of our own heart... but it never lasts. When trials and suffering grip us and threaten to take us under, relief whispers to our soul, "I am what you need." Relief is that shortcut we want to take, leaving us on the side of the road, never realizing how close we came to somewhere so much better. Relief tricks us into thinking that it has brought us joy, when in reality it has fooled us into settling for a cheap substitute...momentary happiness. Joy lives further down the street. But we can only find her when we keep going. When we wade through the muck and the fog and persevere. So how do we know when we have found change and not relief?

Because change

....is hard work  

....always includes a willingness to be honest and accept responsibility for our part 

....comes when our hearts are truly grieved, not just sorry we got caught

....means looking at the difficult and the deep

...takes time

.... lasts

....brings joy even if the circumstances and people around you may stay the same

....is motivated and empowered by the love, sacrifice and grace given to us in Christ 

When we choose change, instead of relief, God's love changes us. The more we understand and accept His love, grace and truth the more we are not just changed, we are transformed. It is a lifelong journey. As real heart change comes, the more we become like Christ. Not just a temporary quick fix, short-lived happiness will be ours...but a deep abiding joy that lasts...no matter what may come. 

    These are the two roads. All of us stand at the crossroads many times in our lives. So which road will you take? The choice is yours...

A New Season...

      I've always cherished the change of seasons...the excitement of what's to come, the freshness, the possibilities and potential for what lies veiled and just around the bend. 
     So it is with our lives. Seasons end...children grow up, people move, jobs change. The world seems to never stay the same for long. Inevitably there are transitions. Transitional times are our most vulnerable times. We can feel off balance and uncertain. Our souls long for assurance that our future is safe. As a good friend told me recently, "Our unknown future is safe in the hands of an Almighty God." So what do we do in this meantime? How do we take a step by step walk of faith, when our vision is still unclear? 
   One of my favorite passages in Scripture is in the Book of Joshua. In Joshua 3, the Isrealites have been in the desert for 40 years after their rescue from slavery in Egypt. With every step they've taken on their journey, God Himself has taught them daily to trust in His faithful provision and protection. At this point in the story, they are camped on the banks of the Jordan River, on the verge of entering The Promised Land. It is so close, they can feel it. Yet, there are specific instructions that God gives His people as they sit at this place of transition...it is a word for them to trust, it is a word for all of us to follow.


"After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: 'When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.'
Joshua told the people, 'Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.'
Joshua said to the priests, 'Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.' So they took it up and went ahead of them."~Joshua 3:2-5

(emphasis mine)

    God's instructions are timeless in this passage:
1) We must be ready to move when He says move. We must be alert and ready to follow Him. Notice that this ability to move and follow have come from a long season of growing trust...trust that has been shaped into faith by the hands of God.
2) We must "consecrate" ourselves to Him. That word means that we are to be set apart for Him, for His purposes. If we are to enter our "promised land," then we cannot follow the ways of the world, we must be different...we speak, we act, we choose, we love in a way that reflects God to the world. 
3) We must wait for His lead. Sometimes this is the hardest part. We can see where we want to go..."just let me run on over there"..."I can get there on my own."  But when we run ahead of God, we are essentially saying that we want to take control, that we don't trust His timing or His sovereignty. And often we end up tripping or falling in our mad rush to make things happen the way we want. 

When we follow His ways, there are sweet promises for the season to come! "You will know which way to go", even if it is somewhere you've never been before and "the Lord will do amazing things among you." 

So, if you are like me, in a transitional season...filled with a strange mixture of excitement and uncertainty...remember how much you can trust Him. He WILL lead you to the places He has for you, so be ready, stay close and don't run ahead...He has amazing things coming for you and me!

Misplaced Trust

    

     Have you ever placed your trust in someone or something only to find yourself empty handed or heartbroken? Perhaps the one you're putting your trust in is yourself, living with the anxiety and worry of being your own all in all...your own version of perfect? Has this endless striving left you exhausted and depleted? 

    If you read this and think, "That's MY story!" know that you are not alone. Most of us, at some point in time, put our trust, and consequently our hope, in the wrong place. So how in the world do we know where to put our trust? And how do we do that, so that we can have that peace and contentment for which we are so desperately longing? Is there really a place where...
There is no fear?
There is protection?
There is great reward?
The answer to all three is, "YES!" 

But there is only one place you can find it and it is NOT in...

~a dating relationship
~a friendship
~a perfect job
~good grades
~popularity
~how many twitter followers you have
~Facebook or Instagram "likes"
~the right college
~your bank account
~model-like looks
~trendy clothes 
~the stuff you have
~the car you drive
~your spouse
~religion 

None of these will ALWAYS satisfy you. Perhaps you may find temporary happiness, but eventually, no matter how great they may seem, you will be left disappointed, betrayed or even abandoned. 
That is because as good and beautiful as some of these things may seem, they were NEVER designed to fill the place in your heart or life that is only reserved for God.
A genuine, life-giving relationship with Him through faith in Christ is the ONLY place where our trust should be. 
That being said, why are so many of us, as believers, still struggling with the chains of worry, the fears of failure, discouragement and disappointment? 
Because faith is not a "one-time deal." It is not, "I believe in Christ for my eternal salvation, but I'm going to rely on other people, things or myself for my earthly happiness." That is where we truly miss out! Instead, it is a DAILY, sometimes moment by moment, SURRENDERING. When you CHOOSE to develop a closer relationship with Him, when you daily spend time with Him, through Scripture and prayer, worshipping Him and placing your heart in His hands...then and only then will you begin to grow in your love for Him, then you will know just how trustworthy He is! When your focus is His love you...you can't help but grow in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control(Galatians 5:16-26)! There is not one other thing that you can place your trust in that will ALWAYS grow you in these attributes... and who doesn't want and need more of these? 
    So, instead of looking to anything else to place your trust in and fill your heart, begin getting to know Him. Just like any relationship, it won't happen overnight, but with every step you take and the more you begin to turn to Him, you will know that having a deep, abiding relationship with the Creator of all things is the ONLY safe place to put your trust. 

It Matters Where You Pitch Your Tent

      

     Any of you who saw my Facebook comments on the Grammy's last night, know how disturbed I was by them. I finally had to stop watching what was a sad depiction of where we are culturally and what we are glorifying as a society. The reality of how lost so many people are is no more evident anywhere than much of what is depicted in Hollywood and transported into our homes via the media. The cumulative, detrimental effect on our children is profoundly heartbreaking in so many ways.
   With this still very fresh in my mind, I sat down to spend my morning time with God, praying for His insight. I believe it was no accident, that in my reading through Genesis, I found myself at this story today...

 There were once two men, an older man and a younger. After traveling together for many days and weeks, it soon became apparent that the time had come for them to part ways. They were to settle in two different places. The older man, out of generosity, gave the younger man the first choice of which land he'd like to make his home. The younger man looked up and saw what seemed to be the most lush land, so he chose that for himself. He and his family departed and chose to settle near the city that was in this land. It was a city in which people lived merely for themselves and their own pleasures. Because of this, it was known to be a dark and dangerous place. But he didn't see the evil, he chose to see the pleasure and he wanted this for himself. There, he pitched his tent. 
      The older man chose to see things through God's eyes, therefore, his priorities were different. He recognized the protection and provision that comes from worshipping the Creator, instead of the created. He pitched his tent away from the city and all the evil that lurked there. He honored God with his life and his choices. 

    So how did the story end? 
As, you may know, from reading Genesis 19, there were catastrophic consequnces for the younger man, Lot. He lost his wife, his home, and all of his possessions. He barely escaped Sodom and Gomorrah with his life. The immoral influence had become embedded in his heart and in the hearts of his descendants for generations to come.
The older  man, Abraham, stayed in close relationship with God. He and his decsendants prospered. In giving God his heart, Abraham and his descendants were blessed in immeasurable ways. 

In this ancient story, there are many parallels with where we are today. May we learn these lessons for ourselves and share them with those we love, because...

 It matters who you surround yourself with. 

 It matters what your priorities are. 

 It matters what choices you make. 

 It matters where your heart dwells.

 It matters where you pitch your tent. 

Honor God with your choices. Honor God with your life.





   

The Heart Behind the Badge

            This day marks my husband's retirement from  28 years in law enforcement.  We have been married almost 25 of those years. It seems cliche to say it, but I will anyway...he is my hero. 

      Many times, especially at the beginning of our marriage, I feared for his safety, yet he walked with unexplainable bravery.  His passion never waned for the duty he felt called to perform. His ability to face emotionally charged situations with unwavering calm, his commitment to integrity no matter the situation, his endless concern for the good of others, are just a few of the things that have painted a priceless portrait of a godly man of courage for me and our children. He has taught me much about trusting in the Lord’s will and protection and living each day to it’s fullest. A man of few words, whose life has spoken much. His life has been lived through his actions, speaking silently of... 

                                        

                The Heart Behind the Badge

To the world you may have appeared to have a tough exterior or a quiet solitude, but I know the heart behind the badge. 

Together we have lived the ups and downs, the highs and lows, that only those behind the badge and those whose hearts they hold really know....

~I have seen the way your heart has been transformed by the surrendering. The laying down of your life each morning at the feet of God Himself. 

I have watched with grateful eyes how you always start your days with coffee and Christ, praying for His leading that you may lead us in His ways. Seeing the man He has made you over the days and years has been what makes me love you most. 

~I know the heart that I have placed my trust in for 25 years. That you have held my trust like precious glass, always careful to keep it unbroken, do you know what that has meant to me? 

~I know a heart that has written countless notes of love and encouragement, never failing to speak those 3 words to me every day.  All the "I love you’s" add up, you know. They’ve had the power to shape me into a wife who is secure in the place she holds in your heart... never having to fear your leaving or straying. Do you know what a priceless gift that peace has been in my heart? The freedom it has given me?  

~I know the heart that loves our children. I have seen the way you have cradled them, kissed their boo-boos, corrected their wanderings and set them on the path of life. The quiet way you have provided them with your strength and security, always pointing them, with your life, to the One Who is your source of strength. 

~I see the way your heart can be melted by their smiles...the way your loving them is teaching them to love others. 

~And I have seen the heart that loves the broken, the hurting and the lost. It is at the core of who you are and what you do. I have seen your life poured out for the hundreds of teenage faces through decades of youth ministry and missions. I know the impact you have made on the hearts and lives of those young people...who have learned and seen in you what being a man of courage really means. 

~I have watched your passion to share God’s plan for marriage with couples and other men. I know the heart that goes the extra mile to pour into those men and women, so that the legacy they leave will speak of the sacrificial love of Christ for generations to come. Do you know how this grows my love for you to even greater depths? 

~I have seen the tears you shed over fellow officers who have been hurt or killed. The overwhelming heartbreak I dare not imagine for too long.

~There is a  sweet grace in living with a man who is daily willing to lay down his own life for not only me and our family, but for our neighbors, our friends, and even strangers.

When most people look at you, they see a police officer...they see tough, they see brave, they see strong...but I see so much more. I see the heart behind the badge...and I am blessed to know that such a heart belongs to me. 

I love you my husband. You will forever be my hero.