Greatest April Fool's Day Ever

“Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus...and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. 'Hail, king of the Jews!' they said. They spit on him and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.” Matthew 27:27-31

It is tough to read this passage but it’s inclusion was the Lord’s decision and worthy of our consideration. I think it sets the stage of a time when evil was certainly battling divinity. The treatment of Jesus prior to His crucifixion is one that makes us want to turn our head away. The sacrilegious savagery is more than our minds can handle. But there were actual men who locked eyes with Him and did these things. The Son of God completely understood that the will and plan of God must be carried out to save the world. But these men were fools and they were getting ready to experience the greatest April Fool’s Day ever. Little did they know that He would die mocked and abandoned but would rise worshiped and adored! Little did they know that the crown of thorns on one day would be exchanged for the crown of Glory on another day. The very robe from which they stripped Him would be replaced with the robe of righteousness that would endure forever. They were foolish men with foolish hearts and I would give anything to have seen their faces on the most beautiful April Fool’s Day ever lived…Sunday when the stone was rolled back, and the tomb was empty! When the news came I can only imagine the words they spoke. Was it the same words that the disciples spoke when Jesus calmed the seas? "Who is this man?" they asked each other. At what point did they understand that this was the man who God sent to save the world? Did their hearts become fearful at the realization that this was the man who would become the very King for whom they mocked? All fools…

I ask myself the same question on this symbolic day... ‘Who is this man? Who is this God?’

He is:

the kind of Man who took those who wanted Him dead and offered life to them.

the kind of Man who forfeited His life to not forsake His calling.

the kind of Man who was buried in shame but raised in Glory.

the kind of Man who comforted me walking the halls of the Hospice House.

the kind of Man who carried me through my daughter’s addiction.

the kind of Man who promises me things now that will be fulfilled later.

He is:

the kind of Man who will heal your heart.

the kind of Man who will provide for your life.

the kind of Man who will comfort you in your loneliness.

the kind of Man who will give back to you one day in Heaven everything that was taken from you on earth.

He IS that kind of Man and His name is King Jesus!

Our Upper Rooms

“Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end…Next…he began to wash his disciples’ feet… ‘So if I, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example…’” John 13:1, 5, 14-15

I recall when my 101-year-old grandmother was lying in the nursing home her last month of life. I went and visited her and while she laid asleep, a CNA came in to check on her. She told me that the day before she was in her room when Grandmother opened her eyes and began telling her about Jesus. The young woman said that Grandmother with her quiet whisper used her waning strength to reveal who God was. Who knows what was going on in that woman’s life, but God wasn’t finished with Grandmother’s ministry. With a surrendered life, Grandmother knew what it was like to live out the example of Jesus. Love to the end… serve to the end…teach to the end...living out her Upper Room.

Today is Maundy Thursday which is the day many Christians take part in recognizing the Last Supper. It was believed that the dinner was held the evening before Jesus was to be crucified. What we discover about Jesus in this beautiful scene is the pure essence of who He was, and the spiritual quality of how He lived His life. Jesus was fully aware that His time had come, and His life was getting ready to end. He had a clear understanding of the suffering He would experience. This was believed to be the last gathering of the disciples with Jesus alive. What we witness is what Jesus spent the remaining hours doing with the people who meant the most to Him. He loved them all the way to the end of His life…He served them up until the moment His freedom was taken…He taught them by sharing a final lesson with them. There were a million things Jesus could have done in those waning hours of His life…and yet He made it about others.

As He was showing love inside that room, the leaders outside those walls were showing hate. As He gathered items with His hands, others were gathering nails to place in them. He used the washing of feet for His final lesson as the soldiers used their anger to nail His feet to the cross. They were preparing the death of the One who would save their lives! What a beautiful Savior…what a loving God. What a difference it was between the Upper Room and the outside world.

Will we experience our own Upper Room today and share in the example of Christ? Will we love those around us apart from how we are treated? Will we serve those who don’t deserve our care? Will we teach and share with others what God has shared with us? Or will we experience life on the outside with the mockers…the haters…the self-focused?

Each day we are provided opportunities to love, serve and teach in the Upper Room. The Upper Room is the chamber of our hearts where Christ reigns and love flows. The Upper Room is where Jesus washes our feet, so we can wash each other’s feet.

May we each experience our own Upper Rooms with Jesus today and walk in the manner worthy of His sacrifice. He waits for us to meet Him at the table where His fullness meets our devotion.

All Things Newly Made

“…to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month…as the time when [they] … got relief from their enemies and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into celebration.” Esther 9:21-22.

We all have dates that are forever burned onto our hearts and into our minds, some joyful like births but others heartbreaking like deaths. The painful anniversaries of departed loved ones’ always approach with such power of dread, grief and sorrow. Personally speaking, Feb 2, March 15 and March 16 hold buckets of tears as my loved ones lost their battles to Alzheimer’s and cancer. Illness of any kind is an enemy that wages war against our physical bodies. It is a relentless opponent that never tires of attacks. Enduring any kind of illness, whether mental or physical, wears down the body and the soul. I have repeatedly witnessed how illness temporarily robs one of everything, leaving its victim sorrowful and sad with the reality of life on earth winding down.

But what about seeing their departures through the spiritual lens of Heaven? What about tuning our spiritual ears to the distant cheers above? As our loved ones exhale their final breath on earth, their next inhale is the spiritual fragrance of Heaven. As they breathe life in the joyful surrounding of Christ, illness breathes it final breath on earth. Illness dies when our loved ones are given relief from their enemies of suffering.

When these dates roll around and I am tempted to be sorrowful and mourn their death, I must remember that the only thing that died on those dates was the enemy. Their suffering no longer holds the power of pain in their lives. On these dates, my loved ones’ sorrow was turned to joy, and their mourning was turned to dancing as they celebrated death to sin and suffering. They traded doctors and needles for God and His never-ending presence. As we sat at their funeral, they were sitting at the funerals of their enemies – cancer and Alzheimer’s. And everything about their lives was brand new.

‘And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God HIMSELF will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Rev 21:3-4.

Bringing Back Balance

“When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she envied her sister. ‘Give me…or I will die!’” Ge 30:1

This story is one that is truly heartbreaking, as it gives us a snapshot of what happens when our deepest desires go unmet. It is a story between two sisters, one who desperately wanted love and the other who desperately wanted children. They lived under the same roof and the comparison scale was unyielding. Two heart cries…two unmet desires…two unanswered prayers…two discontented lives. What a mess they made of it by interjecting their own ideas of how and when to bring about receiving the desires of their hearts. One lacked what the other had and they made their lives miserable.

Their stories just might be our stories this morning. What set of circumstances has God blessed you with that I am waiting to walk out? What situation do you see in my life for which you have been waiting? We all have a circle of family and friends…our own scale that we are constantly watching. We load our unmet dreams and hurts on one side causing a lop-sided balance. We pray… we plead…we watch and yet the scale doesn’t move. We are confident it will kill us, ‘Give me…or I will die’! So, what does cause the scale to get re-calibrated when our dreams go unfulfilled and our hearts are heavy?

God has wired our hearts to combat envy with two powerful attitudes…contentment for where we are and gratitude for where we’ve been. Each day God gives us an opportunity to practice these heart attitudes and it is our choice whether we join Him or not. ‘The more you stop staring at the blessings of others and focus in on what God is stirring in you, contentment will come. Contentment is the hallmark of living fully in the present.’ Nicki Koziarz, Rachel & Leah, p. 113. Contentment is a choice and once it is your goal, gratitude will follow. You can be satisfied today because of what God provided yesterday. True gratitude and contentment is hard to separate – one is the beautiful shadow of the other. Once you apply these attitudes to your life, you will slowly see the scale move back to a balanced life in Christ. Have you ever noticed that scales are intersected by a cross? When we live out Christ centered lives we are blessed by a beautiful balance.

“We’ve especially got to be on guard. If we’re not careful, we’ll miss what God has right in front of us: the blessings, the dreams, and the desires. He’s got them just for us.” Rachel & Leah, p. 112.

“This is GOD’s Word on the subject… ‘I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.’” Jeremiah 29:11.

Shooting Dice

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” Psalm 139:7-10

This is probably one of my top 3 favorite passages in the entire Bible. There is something about God taking the time to name different examples of our activities intersecting His presence. It made me remember one day in particular when my emotions were all over the map. Ten years ago, there was a day when my activities spanned from A – Z. I began my day 'in the heavens’…sitting in a dark room while the technician looked for evidence of the gender of my granddaughter. My sister had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. As I sat in that room the thought of a little girl coming into this world while another was leaving was almost too much to bear… ‘in the depths.’ How can our eyes cry two sets of tears at the same time, both joy and sadness? The next appointment that I had was with my father-in-law who suffered with Alzheimer’s. As he sat next to me in the lobby, my telephone rang, and it was my dad. He was discussing both his cancer and my sister’s cancer. At the end of that conversation my phone rang again. My son at college was on the other end informing me that he and his roommate had just been robbed. We talked through what needed to happen next. Quietly, my father-in-law sat next to me and I was unaware that he even knew what all had transpired. As I was driving him back home completely overwhelmed tears streamed down my cheeks making it almost impossible to see. My sweet father-in-law in his childlike state looked over to me and said, ‘Now let me get this right. Your dad still has cancer. Your sister is dying with cancer. The boy just got robbed.’ I looked at him and was amazed at how simply he was listing these heartbreaks as if reciting a grocery list. I confirmed that his assessment of things was correct and couldn’t help but to feel unjustified irritation. He had a disease for goodness sake and was doing his best every day and every moment. Just as the last emotional thread of my heart was unraveling, he stated, ‘Girl, you are shooting dice with no spots!’ How kind was God that day to shoot His grace right into the bulls-eye of my heart? I could not stop laughing and Bud became hysterical in his laughter realizing that ‘he made the teacher laugh.’ God was certainly in the height and depth of that day and always is no matter where my situation takes me.

Where can we go from His spirit or flee from His presence? Not in the doctor’s office…not at work …not in the isolated parts of our lives…not in the lonely cemeteries. Wherever we go and whatever we do He is there. In the most joyful moments of our lives…He is there, and He is good. In the most despairing moments of our lives…He is there, and He is more than enough. When we stay at home or when we travel…He is there, and He will protect. When our prayers are answered or when they are not…He is there, and He is loving. We can not only take comfort that His presence is with us in all times, but His presence will usher in whatever it is that we need. Our seasons change but thankfully God does not.

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” De 31:8

Surely Now...

“Surely…now…” Ge 29:32

Leah fully understood Jacob loved her sister Rachel instead of her. She began doing things hoping to gain his love…things that were irreversible…things that she orchestrated that she felt certain would change her circumstances. After each attempt she would comment that this time might be different. This time had a better chance of fulfilling her deepest desire, ‘surely now.’ Leah kept conceiving children trying to fulfill her ‘surely now’ heart cry. Four children to be exact so we can assume her attempts spanned at least 5 years. Finally, after the 4th one she shifted her efforts to praise instead of performance.

I began thinking about all the times my heart has had the same emotional mentality. If I do this, then I will be liked…surely now. If I set up that, then I will be successful…surely now. If I buy this, then I will be happy…surely now. It is so easy to string together these failed attempts as years pass us by. We buy into the lie that we have control over our circumstances. We conceive ideas that might bring our deepest desire to fruition. When God is taking too long it is tempting to take matters into our own hands. ‘Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?’ Isaiah 44:20. We all have lies to which we resort when waiting for a new season. The lie that God is holding out on us…the lie that we know better…the lie that we will never get out of our circumstances.

Like Leah there must come a time when we lay down those lies and lift our hands in praise. When we exchange self-focus for God-focus something shifts in our hearts. He gives us the grace to wait, the confidence to believe and the peace to walk through our seasons. Surely now we will be able to have peace apart from circumstances. Surely now we will believe that God is going before us orchestrating His best plan for us. Surely now we will walk in the confidence that everything flowing into our lives is motivated by the love of God.

“In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation." Isaiah 25:9

Spoiled Fruit

"Cain brought some fruits of the soil…But Abel brought fat portions from…the firstborn of his flock…So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast….Then the LORD said…'If you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it’"Gen. 4:3-7.

At the time my sister was diagnosed with terminal cancer I had been studying the word of God and pursuing intimate and deeper fellowship with Him for a few years. My pursuit of God had become a daily passion as I realized how far I had to go. When my sister began her journey with cancer, it took on a ministry of its own, providing an example of faith and hope for all no matter what circumstances people faced. It was a time when God was highly honored, and faith revered. Beth’s grace inspired all to strive to attain the same grace. Her courage astonished everyone making us dream of possessing that same courage but praying we would never have to. People testified to her amazing responses of faith in her heartbreaking circumstances. I am not proud to admit that I had feelings like Cain but as it was included in the Bible, the feelings must be recognized as part of humanity. Over the course of eleven months, as cancer crept into new places in Beth’s body, jealousy crept into new places in my heart. I desired for the faith garment she wore to appear on my life. On some unconscious level I believe that my desire to display faith became greater than my desire to display God.

I remember the December morning when I came over to move her into the Hospice House. I was standing next to her watching her put on her makeup. We had packed up her things and as she looked at her face in the mirror she began to share with me one of the most disturbing realizations. Her peace was met with my horror as she explained that her daughter had emotionally moved away from her and was connecting more deeply with her dad. Beth’s words…'and that is okay’…still haunt my soul as a mother. That could never be okay except through the grace and power of God. Her explanation was not that Syd had done anything wrong but was rather praising God that He was preparing her daughter for what might lay ahead. (Beth never gave up hope for an earthly miracle.) ‘But Abel brought...portions from the firstborn of his flock…’ I cannot imagine the impact on God’s heart that day…what precious rewards that sacrifice must have stored up in Heaven for her…a true Abraham/Isaac moment.  The further I moved away from this experience, the more revelation God gave me. The sin of jealousy did creep in and crouch at the door of the heart. I was downcast and had allowed these feelings to master over me.

When we are trying to acquire the approval and praise of others, we are giving 'Cain' offerings to the LORD...spoiled fruit. But when we surrender those things most precious in our lives we are standing before God offering up sacrificial portions. I recognize the price Beth had to pay which was nothing to envy…it cost her everything...but the favor she is experiencing in Heaven is unparalleled to anything on earth. Beth never saw herself as faithful warrior and over-comer as so many others viewed her. She wore a garment of humility and grace when considering her faith, feeling unworthy of those titles others gave her.

Every heart is connected to the heart of God and that relationship is sacred and private. God never intended for us to measure ourselves against mankind, but rather against the Son who sacrificed everything. We must look to our own sacrifices that God is calling us to offer. Sacrifices look different for everyone, and many are hidden in the heart, but God honors and blesses every single one.

A Tangled-up Mess

“For as much as a surpassing spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and declaring of riddles, and loosing of knots, were found in the same Daniel.” Daniel 5:12

This chapter is one of the most peculiar stories in the Bible in my opinion, but one I’ve always loved. ‘King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand. Suddenly the fingers of a man's hand emerged and began writing on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing.’ Daniel 5:1-5. The king could not interpret what the handwriting said so the queen reminded him that Daniel had the Spirit of God within him. Through this Spirit he would be able to understand what was written…solve the riddle…loosen the knots of interpretation.

Yesterday I was going to volunteer at an organization for the day. I glanced up at my window seal and noticed for the millionth time my knotted up black pearl necklace. I have had this necklace for over 10 years and for the last 5 years it has remained in a tangled mess. The knot is so tight and both Bruce and I have tried multiple times over the years to untangle it. I had placed it on the window seal to take it to a jeweler, and of course it has laid there for 6 months. I had ten minutes before I needed to leave and picked up the necklace again. I was playing with the one loose end and began thinking about the impossibility of loosening the knot that had been there for years. My mind began wandering about several things that needed resolution in my life. As I pondered these things my hands were rolling the different pearls between my fingers. My mind returned to the necklace and I heard myself say, ‘Lord you could just say the word and this necklace would be loosened.’ I know how crazy this sounds but at that moment I saw the intersecting chain that needed to be threaded through another and within 5 minutes the necklace was completely straightened out. It was as if He took over my hands and began moving pearls under and over…in and out…weaving the fine chain where it needed to go. I immediately knew God was showing me that every unresolved matter in my life was in His hands. I was so encouraged to know that things that appear tangled up in my life are in the perfect order of God's resolution. I was completely in awe and will never wear this necklace again without thinking of this experience.

I began considering how all of us probably have ‘knots’ that have been there for years…knots that we have tried to loosen on our own only to fail. When we take matters into our hands we can end up with one knotted necklace for sure. No matter how tangled the mess, we can call on God to take over and show us how to move through our difficult seasons. We need Him to thread His peace and understanding revealing how to endure the things that have us knotted up. We must let go of our failed attempts at controlling the outcome of our circumstances and allow Him to straighten it out for us.

Like Daniel, we as believers have the Spirit living within each of us. We have access to the same power that Daniel used to ‘loosen the knots’ of the riddle. We can call on that power that raised Christ from the dead to raise us up in hope, comfort and encouragement. We can pray that God would place His hands around ours and untangle our circumstances. I pray that you allow God to loosen whatever has you ‘knotted up’ today so that the beauty of your life can be displayed.

Very Good Indeed

"I have chosen Bezalel, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of crafts…people are to work based on everything the LORD has commanded. The LORD has given them wisdom and understanding to know how to do all the work…" Exodus 35:30-36:1

I will admit that until this story I had never heard of Bezalel.  I doubt he is mentioned prior to this chapter.  He wandered onto the pages as an obscure character out of the blue.  He had a skill no doubt…some type of artisan ability.  But what made him special was that when he came on the scene he came with the fullness of the Spirit of God.  God took his talent and infused it with power and this ordinary worker became the lead man to build an exquisite temple for their extraordinary God.  I wonder if he realized his wisdom and understanding had exponentially increased overnight?  Was he amazed and surprised by the abilities he possessed realizing it was the supernatural filling of the Spirit?  He had to be both humbled and grateful for the work God gave Him to accomplish on behalf of so many.  Were there moments when the enormity of the requirements of the job taunted him ?  We don’t know these answers, but we do know Bezalel was human with fears and insecurities.

God’s timeliness of His word never ceases to amaze me.  The subject of work has certainly been considered over the past two years as we have been in the valley of a two-year drought.  Bruce’s faith has been both tested and tried during this season.  He has been faithful in believing that God is orchestrating the circumstances that will eventually lead to work.  Daily he lays it at the Lord’s feet and walks in acceptance and confidence as the monthly pages blow off the calendar.  Last night he told me that he was asked the other day how he will feel when work does resume.  Would he feel confident that he could still make an impact with all the time that had passed?  Had he lost any self confidence through this experience?  Bruce told me that his answer began with stumbling words, attempting to formulate his response.  Then the clouds receded, and clarity shown bright.  He answered that he was confident that whatever God had called him to accomplish, and whenever the call came God would equip him to successfully do the work. 

Some of the toughest times are times when we are called to wait…times that seem empty of purpose… times that call out to our deepest fear and greatest need.  For one person who has loved and lost it a time of grief wondering if their healing will ever come.  For another person it is a time of illness when weeks fade into months.  For someone else it is a time of waiting on God to arrange employment… a partner…a pregnancy…this list goes on and on.  God is first and foremost a Creator.  In every minute of every day His hands are forming opportunities for each one of us.  Like creation He breathes wisdom into anything we are called to walk out.  His power is at our fingertips because we have been filled with His spirit.  We can also walk in confidence whatever situation He brings our way, because like Bezalel we too have been chosen by God and filled with His spirit to accomplish great things.  The most beautiful things in our lives will appear when we allow the Creator to create.  It is what He does best, and we are reminded of this daily through the beautiful sunrise and sunset. 

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed.” Ge 1:31

Mostly Beautiful

"And I remember that some of it wasn't very nice. But most of it was beautiful. But just the same, all I kept saying to everybody was, 'I want to go home.' And they sent me home…And this is my room - and you're all here! And I'm not gonna leave here ever, ever again because I love you all! - there's no place like home. There's no place like home.” Dorothy, Wizard of Oz.

I was reminded of a scene from the Wizard of Oz this morning when Dorothy awakened and was surrounded with everyone who meant anything. She recounted a dream where life was mostly beautiful, but some of life wasn’t very nice. But her joy was complete because she was finally home, and she would never leave again.

A while back I remember a dream as vivid as if it was my reality. I was standing in my foyer when I opened the door to greet someone. First Beth my sister walked in, and I immediately wrapped my arms around her and we fell to the ground. We began rolling around like children, laughing and teasing. I looked up and saw my dad walking in the front door and I jumped to my feet like the floor was on fire. I grabbed and hugged him tightly and began telling him how much I missed him, and how much life stood still when he went away. The love in his eyes and the laughter in his voice told me wherever he had been, was necessary and he was as happy as I was to be together. As I turned around my eyes met the sweet and tender eyes of my Grandmother Miller. I began weeping and thought I would never let go of her. I told her in the dream I believe I had missed her presence most. She was my earthly representation of a person completely hidden in Christ. In the dream she was somewhat surprised that I said that, true to her humble character. When I awoke I laid there and relived that dream over and over in my mind. I rediscovered life with these three people through the connection of a dream.

One day we will all close our eyes to this world, and as we open them up we will rediscover all our loved ones. They will surround us and will give us their full attention as we reconnect with their heavenly bodies. There will be laughter, love and joy as we tell them how much we’ve missed them. We might try to explain the beauty of our lives they missed. We might try to share some of the tough times…heartbreaking times…cruel times. Maybe we will be in mid-sentence when suddenly we turn around and there standing in the door is the One whose presence we have been waiting most to see. Our Father in Heaven…and holy is His name…His will has come…and has been done moving us from earth to Heaven. All else will fade away because we will realize that what we knew in part has now been made fully known to us. We are all together again…forever and ever…and Dorothy is right…there’s no place like home!

"Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely." 1 Co 13:12

Here's To Redemption!

“Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

Any of you who know me well know that I LOVE March Madness and college basketball. I can’t even imagine the perseverance and work that goes into the practices and competitions. Nor can I comprehend the dedication of those young athletes who have dreamed about their NCAA tournament moment since childhood as they dribbled in the parking lots of their neighborhoods. These focused minded athletes directed by wonderfully skilled coaches give us all the benefits of watching the culmination of years of their hard work and dedication. But this weekend something happened that has never occurred in the NCAA Tournament, casting our eyes on something else. A number 16-seed upset a number 1 seed in the opening round breaking a 135-game losing streak for a 16-seed team. The defeated opponents were stunned and completely devastated for they have had a near perfect year. That would have been enough…that would have been crushing. But what happened after that was so much more devastating. The media continued talking about and showing the faces of those heartbroken boys highlighting the enormity of their failure. It doesn’t matter who wins the 2018 NCAA Tournament because this tournament will be defined by the failure of someone instead of the win. But the man who has coached these boys is a man of God and has shown in the past that he refused to allow society to define him by his achievements or failures. ‘Bennett is a Christian, vocal but not pushy in his faith, a walking example of grace and humility. But I pray that Bennett's words come true: That no matter what I think or what you think, neither Bennett nor his players define themselves by those 40 minutes of basketball. And that for this coach and this program, joy will come in the morning, after a dark night. So, here's to the Virginia Cavaliers winning the 2019 national title. Here's to redemption!’ Writer Reid Forgrave, CBSSports.com

We can all relate to this experience as we have all failed and had to face our own circle of friends and family. We can’t erase the failures in which we walked, but we have the promise and confidence that God can. When we truly repent of these failures He forgives us of our sins, and ‘remembers them no more, casting them as far as the east is from the west.’ (Hebrews 8:12, Psalm 103:12) Man might still define us by our actions, but God defines us by His love. Man can only see the outward circumstances of our lives, but God sees the condition of our hearts. When we have truly sought forgiveness and turned away from our sinful behavior, we are guaranteed redemption. But not on the court, for the redemption that we will walk out is one that leads to the ultimate championship…and we will cut down the nets of Heaven!

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 1:7

The Voice of Legacy

A few years ago, I was with my mother at the doctor’s office. He was going over some things that he thought would be beneficial for her health. He said something that I have never forgotten that really made a huge impact on me. He said to her that what she does in her 80’s will determine how she will experience her 90’s. For some reason that simple truth was echoed in shouts that day. I began examining my own life to see if there were things that didn’t support my overall goal of balanced health. I discovered that I could be healthier in all areas today to better ensure my tomorrows. I determined the more I take time to walk in my 50's the healthier my heart will be in my 60's. I believe that this goes for everything. If I pursue peace in my 50’s my 60’s might be less chaotic. If I get in the habit of choosing grace over bitterness in my 50’s I might be more compassionate in my 60’s. If I seek gratitude for where I am today, with all its gains and losses, I just might experience deeper joy in my tomorrows. What does all of this end up looking like? It’s called legacy and we don’t even realize we are building one until we are gone. Our actions speak the unfolding story of our hearts, and once we no longer have a voice on this earth our legacy will tell our stories.

I was thinking of this when I woke up because today is 8 years that Daddy’s legacy began speaking the story of his life. What a story he had and what a legacy he left. He showed four little girls and one amazing wife what a man of God looked like. He walked out his beliefs and lived a life of complete integrity and loyalty to faith, family and friends. He led a ministry in full-time service without pay for the last 10 years of his life that brought young children who didn't attend church to Christ. I am so grateful that I had a dad who exemplified Christ and gave Him all the glory. Our legacies echo the story when we reach our eternal destination recording one decision after another completing the book. In eternal prospective, I believe that the way we will experience Heaven will be dependent upon the way we served on earth. I’m so grateful that as believers Christ left the ultimate legacy inviting us into His story, connecting us with His sacrifice and rewards.

When our legacy eventually finds it voice what story will it speak? What we do and how we live today will determine how we experience our tomorrows and our forever's.

“I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6.

The Wings of Freedom

A butterfly starts life as a very small, round, oval or cylindrical egg. When the egg hatches, the caterpillar will start his work and eat the leaf they were born onto. One day, the caterpillar stops eating and spins itself a silky cocoon. Within its protective casing, the caterpillar radically transforms its body, eventually emerging as a butterfly. From the outside of the cocoon, it looks as if the caterpillar may just be resting, but the inside is where all the action is. Within the cocoon the old body parts of the caterpillar are undergoing a remarkable transformation to become the beautiful parts that make up the butterfly that will emerge. As soon as the butterfly has rested after coming out of the cocoon, it will pump blood into the wings in order to get them working and flapping – then they get to fly.

My sister Beth entered into this world April 20, 1965. We were blessed to have her born into our family and she grew up with her own flare and adventuresome spirit. She was the one in the family who marched to the beat of her own drum. Then in March of 2008 her body took on what would be the vehicle that took her to heaven…cancer was her cocoon and work began inside her body like never before. From the outside we saw the fight…the struggle…the deterioration of her body…the quiet and unreachable silence near the end…eventually her flight home. But, we never got to see the emergence of the butterfly from our viewpoint. I began thinking this morning what did heaven see while looking onto her cocoon? We saw her crawl into this world like the caterpillar, grow into a beautiful woman and eventually cancer spun its dark cocoon. On our end the activity stopped but on heaven’s end it was just beginning. I’ll bet they could see through the cocoon, watching her change…waiting for her beautiful flight into the skies of heaven. Then finally on earth’s calendar March 15, 2009 they saw the breaking of the cocoon…they held their breath…their excitement arose because she was getting ready to fly! I’ll bet the angels could fully visualize the beauty of her emergence. As light broke through her darkness, she exchanged fight for flight. She found herself flying high in the garden of God where she found new life and movement in her new body. Oh sure, the first movement was probably clumsy and awkward, but she was experiencing new found freedom…freedom from sickness and freedom from sadness. The gardens were full of beautiful butterflies, and she discovered that the struggle and fight within the cocoon was the work required for the ultimate freedom with God.

One day we will all emerge from within the cocoon and join the others who have been transformed forever into the beautiful creation God formed. Grief can be so selfish because from our standpoint we see a broken empty cocoon but from Beth’s standpoint, she is walking out the perfect life that God promises each of us.

We love and miss you, thinking daily of you Beth Ann!

The Cost of Comparison

“Now Laban had two daughters: the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. Leah had tender eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.” Ge 29:16-17

This verse…good grief! I don’t know a woman alive who could read this verse and not cringe at the blatant comparison of the two young girls. Most of us can even conjure up an experience where we had ‘tender eyes’ while another was ‘shapely and beautiful.’ For me it was the summer after 8th grade when I was hired to work away from home at Bonclarken, our church camp. Teens and college kids from all over were thrown together to do life for 6 weeks for some, and the entire summer for others. I was so excited to be hired and never imagined the fishbowl in which I would live. Our small group of employees set the stage for a summer of constant comparison for me, and an extended time of feeling like I was the one with ‘tender eyes.’ I even made the job (cafeteria waitress) for which I was hired an opportunity for comparison. As a little 13-year-old I remember thinking that the ‘shapely and beautiful’ girls were hired for the highly coveted snack bar position, while the ‘tender eye’ girls were waitresses slinging food. The summer went on and so did my insecurity as I watched boy after boy go after the same 2 girls. While I had a ton of fun that summer, I was ready to get home and stop working so hard at consoling myself.

We live in a world where comparison is our favorite past time, a game everyone plays, and no one wins. We compare our looks and popularity to others…we compare our success or failure in our jobs to others…we compare our financial situation to others...we compare our children to others…we even compare our losses to others. Comparisons create the most consuming, over-analyzed activity that our brains can do. So, what do we do when we find ourselves in situations with ‘tender eyes?’ How can we rewrite the script when we see the ‘shapely and beautiful’ on whatever platform? We can pray for eyes to see our worth through God’s eyes. We can refuse to follow the thinking that we are less than another. We can ask the Holy Spirit to reaffirm how much we are loved by our Father. We can call it what it is when these feelings arise…lies sent by Satan to gain a foothold.  Most importantly we can choose gratitude.  God will always remind us of what we have, while Satan will always point out what we do not have.

When we feel like we suffer from the tender eye syndrome let us all turn to the mirror that really reflects beauty… the Bible. It is the ultimate love story written by a God who adores and loves each one the same. God has no favorites and desires us to see ourselves in every situation as shapely and beautiful. It is why He shapes us into the likeness of Christ, and why we have been chosen in Christ as His beautiful bride. Let us claim the true position that we have been given...CHOSEN...and walk out lives in confidence and clarity.

"But you [we] are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9

As Angels Move

“And he dreamed:  A stairway was set on the ground with its top reaching the sky, and God’s angels were ascending and descending on it.  The LORD was standing there beside him…‘Look, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.  I will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’” Ge 28:12, 15

Jacob was on a 500-mile journey heading towards his uncle Laban’s house to allow his brother’s anger to subside.  He had deceived his father and betrayed his brother by pretending to be Esau and received the blessing of inheritance and birthright.  Not his shining moment for sure but encouraged by his deceptive mother he hit the road.  No doubt he was exhausted and lonely wondering what his future held.  Was he remorseful and fearful of never returning home?    At some point he gave in to his exhaustion and fell asleep.  That was when the dream occured, and it is one of most beautiful images we are left with in the Bible.  Throughout the Word, it is written many times that God sent angels to help His children.  He sent an angel to Mary to tell her she would carry the Son of God.  He sent an angel to wrestle with Jacob to show that God could be trusted.  He even sent an angel to strengthen Jesus the night before His death, when His prayer to God was met with silence.  What I find interesting is that through this dream God gave Jacob a glimpse of a future promise fulfilled instead of the actual fulfillment.  God knew that Jacob wasn’t ready to receive in full what God had planned for him.

I know what it feels like to be given a promise from God as a future fulfillment.  I have seen a glimpse of a beautiful promise which I will one day receive.  I know that until that day I have my own ladder where angels move bringing down their encouragement and comfort, while carrying away my doubts and anxieties.  They move in and out of our circumstances, carrying out the commands of our Father who wants good and precious things for His children.  The Bible tells us that angels are His servants, carrying out His will, working for our good and are ministering spirits, sent to serve us when we are believers (He 1:14).

I wonder what situation you are experiencing this morning that has you anxious or discouraged?  What circumstances need the movement of angels to assist you, protect you and encourage you?  Whenever we feel alone or despaired we must remember that angels are all around moving on our behalf at the insistence of our Father.  There are ladders all around us with the armies of angels going before us and ministering to us.  And maybe if we lean our ears into the movement of God, we might even hear the flapping of their wings.

“For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up.” Psalm 91:11-12

Chain of Blessings

“While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.  As soon as Jacob saw his uncle Laban’s daughter Rachel…he went up and rolled the stone from the opening and watered his uncle Laban’s sheep.  Then Jacob kissed Rachel…She ran and told her father.” Ge 29:9-12

Talk about a dirty job for a woman…being in the hot sun day after day in charge of keeping a flock of wandering animals from straying.  Leading them to the same well in the same location and talking with the same shepherds day upon day.  No where was Jacob on Rachel’s radar that one fateful day…that ‘defining moment’ day.  Neither of their lives would ever be the same.  It was a beautiful love story, one that was worthy for inclusion into the Bible.  God orchestrated the timing of their meeting in their most mundane activities.  No romantic dates…no violins… no premeditated arrangement.  Just God…being God.

I can look back over the course of my own life and see those defining moment days.  The day I was scheduled to interview for a job was the day I met my husband of almost 33 years.  The day I was at home sick with the flu was the day I decided to start meditating in the Bible and 12 years later I’m still mining jewels.  The first day that I wrote something that I knew was written beyond my capabilities.  These are all defining moments that string together forming a beautiful necklace of God’s grace.  It reminds me of a necklace I used to have called ‘Add a Bead’.  Each bead was usually added as a gift for an occasion.  This bead for an accomplishment, that bead for a birth, another bead for Christmas.

When we were born God gave us a beautiful chain upon which He adds His beads of blessing.  Each bead is perfectly chosen for us and is uniquely given to us. There have been times in my life when I compared mine to another, counting her beads instead of gratefully wearing mine.   We cannot allow comparison to diminish the beautiful days He has orchestrated for us.  When we keep our eyes on the opportunities that lay before us instead of the success of those around us, we position ourselves to recognize our own defining moments.  They are there…He’s promised great things to those who love Him and walk in His ways.  ‘God has the best surprises in life for us.’ Rachel & Leah, Nicki Koziarz, p.28.

Today and everyday may we walk in gratitude for the adornment of blessings that God has given us.  He will continue to add blessings to our lives and defining moments to our days.

The Priceless Penny

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?’  The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, what you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:37, 40

The other day my daughter texted me about something that had occurred in the Harris Teeter parking lot.  She was getting out of her car when a homeless woman approached her, asking if she would be willing to allow her to wash her windshield for a penny.  Caroline said that she was such a sweet woman, agreed to the terms and gave her some money.  She understood well that this woman wanted to earn her money, instead of receiving a handout.  Caroline said that while in the store she began to feel like she wanted to do more so she bought some bottled waters, a few hoagies and some bags of chips.  Upon returning to her car, the woman was standing there crying because another driver had accidentally run over her backpack which contained Windex and cloths no doubt.  Thankfully, the driver of the car also gave her some money to replace the contents of her backpack.  Caroline said the woman began to apologize for crying and asked her if she had done a good job on her window. 

The experience lingered in her heart and mind into the following day where she felt like she had not done enough.  I told her that it seemed she did everything for that woman that the Holy Spirit had prompted her to do.  I also told her that God uses many people to care for His children and that she could be assured her part was blessed.  The next morning when I was walking, the above verse came to mind and I could almost see the woman and my daughter exchanging gifts.  Caroline gave her physical provision, and the homeless woman gave Caroline spiritual provision.  It was an opportunity for Caroline to be obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, growing in her faith.  For the woman, it was a gift of being visible to someone, receiving compassion and provision for the moment.  It was an opportunity for the woman to feel proud of an accomplishment.  It was a moment in time between two women who were brought together by God for a gift exchange, and both received the blessing. 

When we show others kindness, gentleness and engagement we remind them that God sends the community of Christ into the toughest set of circumstances.  When we take the time to meet people where they are we exemplify the walk of Christ.  When we share the resources that God has given to us, He will multiply the offerings.  One of the greatest gifts we can give another is to meet them eye to eye, heart to heart and show the love that Christ has shown us.  After all, we will one day stand before the throne and give an account for all the beautiful ways we served Christ while on earth.

So, as we walk out this beautiful Sunday I pray that each of us will have the opportunity to show kindness to those who are less fortunate, and who knows…we just might be entertaining an angel.

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2

The Sin Nazi

“He [Esau] said to Jacob, ‘Let me eat some of that red stuff, because I’m exhausted.’ Jacob replied, ‘First sell me your birthright’…So Esau despised his birthright.” Ge 25:30-34

There are a few episodes of Seinfeld that I just love! All I have to say is ‘soup Nazi’ and an image is more than likely conjured up in your mind. The characters wait in line for a long time discussing what kind of soup to buy, how to order the soup, and what not to say when ordering the soup. As they wait their appetites grow and their plans are formed. If any word or action offends the soup Nazi, he yells ‘No soup for you!’ and motions them away. By the time they had the soup in their sites their actions or words resulted in favor or failure.

Jacob was the soup Nazi on this fateful day, when his brother came in famished from the field. Jacob no doubt had spent his life in the shadows of the brother who would be favored by their father upon his death. Only one son would receive the birthright and blessing, and law mandated that it was the first born. Jacob, with a life spent comparing himself to his brother, planned a way to provide something Esau wanted at his most vulnerable time. He was hungry, and only Jacob stood between his appetite and his satisfaction.

Aren’t we just like this sometimes? God is wanting to bless us and show favor upon us, but we are standing in line to receive something that satisfies the flesh. And the ‘sin Nazi’ is right there for the offering. He determines what he will dish out to each of us depending on our appetite. We must compromise on this…turn our backs on that…and before we know it we despise our blessing. When we allow ourselves to become vulnerable in any part of our lives, we subject our future favor from God to possible faith failures in the moment. The consequences can reach far beyond our comprehension. The beautiful thing about Jesus is that we come to Him just as we are whenever we need satisfaction. There is no waiting line to see Jesus, and He will serve our hearts with whatever lack we have. We will walk in favor and freedom instead of failure and fear.