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. 

Transformed by the Light

                                                               

        Black night fills my window panes, 

awaiting the new day's dawn.

Sleep deprived eyes fumble for the morning coffee.

Head down, making my way toward the window,

I look out.

A small gasp escapes my lips 

at the breathtaking beauty,

majesty ushered in.

Only moments ago,

where clouds were hidden in darkness,

the sun's colors

are now painted on their faces...

vibrant pinks,

 radiant oranges,

deep purples and blues,

reflections of what waits just below the horizen,

soon to burst forth.

Transformed by the light...what was once dark and hidden, 

has become a masterpiece.

Behold, He is making all things new.

With each new dawn, there is this hope-filled promise

for you and for me. 

Like the clouds once enveloped in darkness, 

we too, wait for the Son, 

drawing us closer to His love.

And as He does,

our lives suddenly burst forth 

with

 His magnificent beauty,

hearts singing with vibrant joy,

drawing deep from His Living water,

radiating His glory.

When the Master Painter looks at your heart today, may it be Christ's beautiful love that He sees reflected.

 This will be what draws the world to 

want to know Him.

How can they know Him if they can't see Him and how will they see Him if we don't show them?

Let the world see a beautiful reflection of the Son today...let it be what takes their breath away.

         And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. ~2 Corinthians 3:18

Sometimes You Have to Go Through Good Friday to Get to Easter~Remembering Sarah

     Today marks 15 years. Fifteen years since we sang our sweet daughter, Sarah, lullabies as she left our warm embrace for the heavenly hands of Jesus. She was only nine and 1/2 months old, but the length of her life did not determine it's impact. Tonight as I miss her precious smile, I am reflecting with gratitude on the ways God used her short life to change me profoundly and permanantly. Here is a piece I wrote shortly after her death. It is my prayer that some of these lessons will touch your heart. That in some small way, her life will bless you, too. 
     I love you my Sarah~I can't wait to see your smile again.
                                       

                                   What God Taught Me Through Sarah

I’ve learned
that you can sometimes be a great witness for the Lord without ever saying a word.
I’ve learned
that sometimes laughter really is the best medicine.
I’ve learned
that there are alto worse things than death.
I’ve learned 
that watching your child suffer is the most difficult thing a parent has to do.
I’ve learned
that the best doctors are usually people you’d want for best friends.
I’ve learned 
that we have children with the idea that we will teach them about life; when 
teach us so much more.
I’ve learned 
that no matter how much I love my children, God will always love them more.
I’ve learned
that the miracle of dying can be as beautiful as the miracle of birth.
I’ve learned
that God never promised it would be an easy journey, just that He’d be with us every step of the way. 
I’ve learned
that we will never be able to answer our most desparate “why’s” in this life.
I’ve learned 
life can deal us the cruelest blows when we least expect it. 
I’ve learned
grief never ends, it just gets different.
I’ve learned
that God does give us more than we can handle, but never more than we can handle with Him.
I’ve learned 
that the more we think we understand God, that the less we probably do.
I’ve learned
suffering can make your faith, love and hope stronger, if you give it to God.
I’ve learned
nothing feels better than holding your child in your arms.
I’ve learned
sometimes the smallest in body are the largest in spirit.
I’ve learned
when your child is sick, nothing else matters.
I’ve learned
that a healthy child is not only a blessing, but a miracle.
I’ve learned 
sometimes when you think God is the furthest away, He’s really the closest.
I’ve learned
real friends stick by you, even when the going gets tough. 
I’ve learned
that most people are extremely generous and want to help.
I’ve learned
you can feel the greatest joy and the deepest sorrow at the same time.
I’ve learned
you can never take too many pictures of your children, sing too many lullabies, hold them too long, or love them too much.
I’ve learned
no matter how terrible a situation is, God can bring good from it. God is the good in everything. 
I’ve learned 
sometimes you have to stop asking “why?” and ask “what?”~ “What does God want me to do with this situation?”
I’ve learned
you have to go through Good Friday to get to Easter. 

Feeling Forgotten?

                           Feeling Forgotten?
                                       

      Have you been feeling like God has forgotten you...like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling...or that He has turned His face from you? Listen to the Truth of these words that Jesus spoke long ago, but still resonate today within our soul:

     "Are not 5 sparrows sold for 2 pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of far more value than many sparrows." ~Luke 12:6-7

    I have a confession to make. I am terrible at memorizing. But this verse is one I am diligently working on, because the power and purpose of it need to be written on my heart as a daily reminder of who I am in God's eyes...and that His opinion about my value is the only one that really matters. 

    Just look at the Truth that resounds here:

Sparrows were sold for a very small price. They held little value by the world's standards, but to God, every one of them was special. In fact, in Matthew, Jesus tells us that not even one of them will fall to the ground without the Father knowing about it...that He is sovereign over even the birds of the air. 

If the Creator has not forgotten one single bird, then how could we ever believe He has forgotten us? 

We must recognize that feeling of being forgotten by God as a bold-faced lie from the Enemy...if he can get you to think you've been forgotten, he can destroy your trust in the very One who promises to "never leave you nor forsake you." He can undermine your faith. 

And without faith, the door of our hearts are left wide open for fear to be ushered in and take over. 

Instead, realize the detail that God has created you with. Look at what Jesus tells us in the passage. God is completely aware of and concerned with every cell of your being and every detail is known to Him. Psalm 139 is perhaps the most beautiful picture of God's loving and careful crafting of each of us. Read it when the fear begins to creep in. Such care has He taken in designing you. You are His masterpiece...He CANNOT forget you, it would go against Who He is. You are written on His heart and engraved on the palms of His hands. This is why you need not fear or feel forgotten...

Recognize and receive the value He holds for you. God's heart for you is not based on anything you've done right, nor is it changed by anything you may have done wrong. Instead, it is based on Who He is...His unconditional love for you. In fact, He loves you so much, that He laid down His life for you! 

Fear not...you are far from forgotten, you are dearly loved. 

                              Live loved!

     

Promises, Promises

                                            Promises, Promises
                                       

      'Tis the season for making promises. You know, all those resolutions that we package into neat little boxes of goals, wrapping them in the pretty paper of determination and tying them neatly with ribbons of good intent?  So, why is it that just as quickly as all of those beautifully wrapped Christmas gifts were ripped open, their glittery paper and fancy bows tossed into the trash...that our self-professed promises meet the same fate? What is it that trips us up year after year, leaving us defeated and discouraged by mid-January? What  can possibly make this year any different? 
    Perhaps the answer lies not so much in what we want to accomplish, but how much we want it and why we want it.
     What is the motivation behind each promise or resolution you've made? Each of us are driven by what our heart treasures most. Think about it...if what we want most is money and wealth, then our choices and goals are determined by this desire. If we crave popularity, we make decisions based on what we think will give us the most credibilty with others. If we are motivated by appearance, then we determine that we will lose weight or dress a certain way. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with any of these desires, but if we want these with the hope that, "if I could just have _____, then I'd be happy, fulfilled and satisfied...then my life would be better than last year" we will forever live in the land of discontent and disappointment. 
    Let me suggest a different direction and perhaps a new approach to this year:
     1. The desires of your heart are what motivate and fuel your thinking. 
     2. Your thinking determines your actions, which in turn, determine the direction of your life. 
    3. Therefore, in order to change the direction of you life, you must begin with your heart. 
     And here's the secret:
IF THE GREATEST DESIRE OF YOUR HEART; YOUR TREASURE; YOUR MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION...IS GOD HIMSELF, THEN THE DIRECTION OF YOUR LIFE WILL BE MOTIVATED BY HIS GREAT LOVE FOR YOU. 
    I have learned that when my heart is centered on no other goal than knowing and glorifying Him in EVERY thought, action and word...that is when I have experienced what it means to live in the love of the Creator...and that is a place of ever-increasing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. It is not contingent on anything I can do better or goal I can accomplish this year...it is a promise that has already been kept by the only real Promise Keeper. He has already fulfilled the only promise that really matters in Christ.  
   So this year, why don't you start with only one resolution~to center your heart on Him and His amazing love for you? Determine to make knowing Him more, throughout each day, talking to Him, reading His Word and trusting His promises your only goal. Then as the desire of your heart for Him grows, your thinking will begin to change from self-focused goals to God and others-focused and it is a GUARANTEE that by this time next year, the DIRECTION OF YOUR LIFE WILL CHANGE...you will be filled with more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. There really isn't any other resolution that will give your heart all of that~and that's a Promise you can count on!