God's Lantern

"Then Jesus told them, 'You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.'" John 12:35-36.

This is a basic boy scout staple - BE PREPARED! How simple this statement is but how easy it is to live life reactionary instead of being prepared. I live in the country and many times have been without power. If a storm was rising I would get things accomplished before it hit ensuring if we lost power I would be prepared. I would make sure I set the matches out, pulled out the candles, loaded new batteries in the flashlights and put them in our room and the rooms of the children. Even being prepared never helps the frustration of the dark because there is still an absence of complete light.

Our Christian walk should be more than just laying out the candles and matches when we sense a storm. There should be a daily and intentional effort of time spent with our Father so He can supply us with the continual power, warmth and light throughout our days whether there is calm or chaos. Through our efforts of reflecting His light we become light for others so they can see as they walk through their darkness.

Never estimate the power of your light!

You Become What You Think

"Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:9.


When I was a child I use to try to act like my mother when playing with my dolls. I would rock them, speak tenderly to them, dry their tears and be a mommy to their every need. I took on the character and attitudes of my mommy.

When I was a teenager I use to try on other personalities to see how they fit when I met a new friend - my mother can attest to this. She use to always say that I would begin acting like whomever I started hanging out with. Luckily, the constant change of wardrobe didn't do any lasting damage but did teach me that some things I saw, learned or heard from others that seemed to work for them didn't work for me.

As a child and friend of Christ I am counting on taking on His image, personality and characteristics but this time I am hoping for permanence. The search is over and the classroom is in place. Through seeing Him, hearing Him and learning from Him I can put into practice His ways, His dreams, His thoughts - not mine.

And the peace of God will be with me!

Invitation to Rest

"Come to me," he invites, "all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28 NIT).

God does not command this of us just as a party host doesn't command our presence at their party. Because they enjoy and care for us as friends or family, they invite us to spend time with them intimately. Our Father also invites us to hand over our burdens at the door of our hearts so He can help us experience Him in full. We cannot experience the full measure of God if our arms are full of fear, grief, disbelief, anger or weariness.

He invites us to lay down what we are carrying so He may fill our arms with rest, love and comfort. It is an invitation that is extended daily but up to us as to how often we accept the opportunity to fellowship.

Lay your burdens down at the feet of the cross and curl up in the Savior's lap.

Standing Firm

"If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all." Isaiah 7:9.

This next week my sister will be retested to see what effect her chemo treatment has made on her cancer. It is extremely tempting to base our faith on an outcome instead of on our Father. We cannot base faith on a desired resolution but rather on the Resoluter!

I am reading a wonderful book called "Becoming a Woman of Spiritual Passion" by Donna Morley. She states my point precisely.

"When we do not stand firm, our fear wins and makes us out to be hypocrites. Instead of having a strong faith that refuses to bow to others, we let others have power over our faith - they weaken it, they control it. No wonder the fear of man is so often condemned in Scripture."

Father, let my family experience faith and peace in You and not in any man-made test results. Prepare our hearts for what we learn next week and grant us your peace which "transcends all understanding". Amen.

Our Gift from Christ

"I leave you peace, my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don't let your hearts be afraid or troubled." John 14:27.

Jesus spoke this to the disciples before He was crucified. I can just see Jesus telling the disciples what He has left them in His will. That each child will receive "share and share alike" the peace of Christ. He left His peace as an inheritance for each of us to experience, enjoy and pass on to future children.

A will is a well thought out desire of a person who knows he will someday leave his possessions to those he loves. Through the cross we are all named in the will of Christ to receive His peace -not any other counterfeit form of peace. Through receiving this inheritance we are entitled to a life apart from fear and anxiety. The best part is Uncle Sam doesn't get any portion of this gift!

Don't deny your inheritance but open your arms wide to experience what was left to you!

Freedom in the Focus

"But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'" Matthew 14:30

Peter got out of the boat when he saw Jesus which took a great deal of faith. Once out of the boat the wind fought for his attention and Peter took his eyes off of Jesus. Peter began focusing on the wind instead of the powerful Force!

As my sister approaches her final chemo treatment for now I have asked the Lord to prepare the hearts of my family. Only our Father knows what is best for us and we cannot "esteem" ourselves to know His best for us every time. We have been afloat on this sea of cancer for quite a while and we have felt the blasts of the wind from this storm.

Next week when she is tested for her results I pray that our family will not take our eyes off of Jesus and not allow any wind to compete for our peace in Him. It is easy to step out of the boat when we feel defeated but the real faith is walking on the water through the storm step by step.

We have stepped out of the boat in our belief that she will be healed but the results of Monday will require a step on the water. Praise God for giving us His words which are alive in all ages!

"It is I"

"It's a ghost!" and cried out in fear. But Jesus quickly spoke to them, "Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid." Matthew 14:27

The disciples had rowed out to sea as obedience to Jesus' command. The storm arose and they could not find their Savior to rescue them. Jesus had gone up to the mountaintop to be with His Father. The disciples sat perched in the boat, white knuckled and terrified, but where was their Savior? He had spoken the waters still at other times - He knew they were out in the boat under the dark seas! Where was their Savior? When Jesus walked towards them upon the water they didn't even recognize Him. They immediately decided it was something harmful and nothing to do with deliverance.

When we are being tossed by our storms is the miracle you are pleading for limiting Jesus to the point to where you may not recognize the deliverance? We must allow Him to be God and deliver us from our storms in His manner - not our own manner.

Look for God in the eye of the storm!

Dismissing the Crowds

"After he had dismissed them, he went up on the mountainside by himself to pray." Matthew 14:23.

Boy did God send this verse to me at the right time! My husband and I are at a point in our lives where the demands of many outweigh our hours and energy. I am sure everyone can relate. We do not live on this earth without experiencing the overwhelming seasons that come and go. We try to prepare for the tough ones and are grateful for the calm ones.

John the Baptist was beheaded at the request of Herodias, King Herod's sister-in-law. Once the news got to the disciples they went and got the body , buried him and informed Jesus who loved John as cousin and friend. When Jesus heard the news he went off by himself to handle His grief. Thousands of people had heard of the wonders and miracles Jesus was performing and began gathering around Him not allowing Him to take the needed time. Jesus knew they needed Him so he laid aside His own needs and "fed the thousands". There were still many people there who wanted Him, needed Him, wanted to touch Him but Jesus knew the value in retreating. He dismissed the people not because He didn't think their needs were worthy but rather He knew the importance of solitude and prayer to His Father for rest, renewal and restoration of His soul.

My Bible Study states "He said no to the important in order to say yes to the vital. He said no to a good opportunity in order to say yes to a better opportunity. It wasn't a selfish decision. It was a deliberate choice to honor priorities."

Christ will show us the daily priorities needed to live out His will, not our own will or the will of another. As you live your life, remember to say yes to the One who is vital in your life!

Singing in the Shadows

"Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me." Psalm 63:7-8.

I am blessed and privileged to be the mother of three wonderful children. It never failed that when they were little and we were out running errands my anxiety level would rise when I had to cross a road or parking lot with these three. I always made everyone grab a hand so no one would be "loose". There was always a frantic move as one broke free and took off!

To cling is to hold on to, adhere to, and to become a part of. As children of Christ He will uphold us and lead us to safety if we cling to Him. Clinging to Him is believing in Him, surrendering to Him and becoming one with Him.

Many times in life I have broken free and taken off trying to resolve my own problems only to be gathered by Him tucked back under His wings for His protection. I sing my praises to Him that He will always hold on to me even if I let go.

Head On Collisions!

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." Hebrews 10:23.

To swerve is to veer, detour and change direction. When adversity strikes we are tempted to not face it head on with God but to find a way to go around and avoid it. I remember when my son was five years old he had lied to me and my mother asked him why he had lied. He stated that he thought "It was just a phase he was going through" and my mom stated "Well can't you go around it?" I thought her response was both classic and clever!

How true is this mentality when we are faced with pain and suffering. We look onto our circumstances and would give anything to go around the season instead of through the season. The word "unswervingly" means solidly, unshakably and steadfastly. With Christ who has promised us faithfulness we must travel down the road of adversity and hit our circumstances head on with hope in His promise and not yield to the temptation of swerving into fear, despair and depression.

Profess your unswerving and unshakable hope in all seasons of your life.

Let Go and Let God!

"...but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me." John 14:31.

When I was a child, my sister and I would run to the bed awaiting our dad to come and throw us up in the air at bedtime. It was a ritual we were crazy about and always looked forward to. One night as he threw my sister up in the air her foot hit the ceiling light but luckily she wasn't hurt. My dad never did that again. We begged for him to continue that game night after night only to be turned down. We finally let go and accepted that while we didn't understand why the game had to end (nobody got hurt) we did understand that it was our dad's decision and he was looking out for our best interests.

How similar are we as children in Christ when we continue to ask for things not knowing what is good in the end. We jump up and down begging for something that might be damaging to us or not His best for us. When we finally reach the point of spiritual maturity where we let go and let God be God in every detail of our life we are guaranteed a life of victory. We may still "hit our foot on the ceiling light" but luckily we have a Father that can make everything right and be everything for us if we will simply commit it all to Him.

God is the constant Comforter and will comfort you step by step, pain by pain. Cry out at every step asking for His comfort and trust that His strength and power is so much bigger than your circumstances. Let go and Let God!

Let Freedom Ring!

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17

Happy 4th of July - food, family & fireworks!

True freedom comes from the Holy Spirit who brings all things in line with Christ. My celebration of freedom comes on another day - Christ's resurrection for it was on this day that we were attributed freedom in and through Christ. Since we as Christians can do all things through Christ we can access freedom in anything through the Holy Spirit - He is our freedom fighter!

True freedom is ours when we fully surrender everything in our lives to Christ. Through surrendering our captivities whatever they may be we gain freedom!

May your day be marked with the freedom in Christ!

To Know God...

"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he." Isaiah 43:10

To know someone to the point of trusting and believing them requires alot of time being spent with them. How can we truly know someone so well that we place our trust in them? Only through spending time with them, suffering with them and celebrating with them can we truly experience the highs and lows with them. These experiences anchor our relationships and bind people together for future trials and celebrations. We become dependent on them to be there for us and know the level of trust we have in them.

This is the cornerstone for our walk with Christ. We are chosen to endure suffering so that we may "bind" ourselves to God and He may reveal His faithfulness for our deliverence. He shows us things during our suffering that ensure His presence and through these experiences we come to know, believe and understand Him better. It also allows us to celebrate with and because of Him once He has so faithfully delivered us.

Only through spending constant time in His word and in prayer with Him do we learn who He is, how we can believe Him and understand His ways.

Through our witnessing we can teach others who He is in our lives encouraging the same for them.

How well do you know Christ?