Before the Storm

I was reading my Bible study this morning and the heading was Grace to Trust Him More. The author wrote about her sister drowning and the prayer she heard her dad lift by her sister's side committing her back to God. I felt my eyes tear up because I could relate as I watched my mom and dad do the same with our sister near the end of her battle with cancer. The author’s words regarding her moment cannot be expressed more beautifully so I will allow her to speak to the testimony of the most powerful trust we can have in God. The trust in God when our prayers aren’t answered…the trust that He will be our strength and our comfort…the trust that God will carry us through all things. ‘Becoming stronger happens before the bad news comes. My dad’s trust in God gave him strength long before the day my sister died. On the day of her death, when his heart was crushed, the truth was revealed. What we all saw was a man who trusted God with his whole heart. Trust proceeds strength. A fully surrendered trust allows the strength of God to be manifest in us.’ Stronger, Angela Thomas-Pharr, p. 87.

Trust proceeds strength…those are very powerful words that give us some insight as we watch how others walk out their overwhelming circumstances. Fully surrendered trust means not allowing a devastation to define us. Fully surrendered trust means not allowing a decision to consume us. Fully surrendered trust means letting go of a dream to pick up God’s dream for us. I don’t pretend that it is easy to develop a kind of trust that propels the kind of strength needed for disparaging times. Trust that proceeds strength takes practice from one adversity to another. Life provides the backdrop for schooling in this spiritual discipline but what is the alternative for us? Is the alternative of resentment or paralyzing fear better than the choice to practice trust when the storm is raging? Is the alternative to live like a victim instead of a victor which is promised by God? Not that it was easy to watch Mother and Daddy in my sister’s experience, but it was a blessing for my spiritual growth to see their trust in God exemplified well. I can only pray that my children and grandchildren will someday see my faith in full bloom as I saw my parents.

I know that life has forced many of you into facing things you never dreamed you would have to face. I know that most of you have traveled from adversity to adversity. But I’ve watched you and I’ve been blessed by you and I am compelled to tell you to keep on practicing trust…keep on moving in faith… keep trading your weakness for God’s strength. ‘When we trust Him, God makes us stronger…As with most spiritual disciplines, learning to trust God takes practice. That means you begin to intentionally practice the action of trusting God with things you don’t understand…settle yourself with God…get alone with Him…get on your knees if you want…tell the Lord you are intentionally choosing to trust Him.’ Stronger, p 89. There is a calm and peaceful eye in the middle of every storm. It is the eye of God that is with us and trust in Him is what gets us to that place of peace and strength.

"You keep him [or her] in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.  Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.' Isaiah 26:3-4.

Royally Destined

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live…Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

This morning my Bible study was entitled Death and Dying which wasn’t exactly what I wanted to consider at 6:00 in the morning. But it was my focus for the day and so I write. More than likely most of you have experienced an impactful death of a family member or friend. Even as I write and you read this, someone is coming to our mind. I cannot remember a time when I have known so many people to lose loved ones in such a short period of time. I find it odd that I always use the word ‘lose’ when talking about our loved ones who have arrived in Heaven. The word ‘lose’ seems misplaced on this subject because every one of our precious loved ones are probably Christians, so we know exactly where they reside. ‘And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.’ John 14:3. I suddenly realized why I use that word…it is because we are the losers, not them. We lost something very precious to us, but only temporarily. The only things our loved ones lost were a decaying bodies…sinful hearts…lives that sometimes taunted pain and suffering. I read a quote this morning that is very powerful if we look at our grief from the standpoint of our loved ones. ‘Death is not king, and the grave is not the destination. God is stronger than death and stronger than the fear of death.’ Stronger, Angela Thomas-Pharr, p. 81.

I love the thought that I am walking a parallel life with my loved ones with only a thin veil between the two divides. I love the spirit connection that God provides wherein my memories are almost my realities. I love the truth that every arrival in Heaven is the perfectly orchestrated journey that God took them on. I love the image of my loved ones casting their crowns they earned on earth right back at the feet of the One they love most. I love that ‘death is not king, and the grave is the not the destination.’ I’m excited that they are already setting up house at the place where I am going. And what did I have to do to receive all of this for eternity?…Believe…that is our only part. Believe that because Jesus died we will live. Believe that God has a perfect plan for our lives on both earth and in heaven. Believe that every word and every promise given by our Father is steeped in truth. Believe that we are not residents of this world but only travelers passing through it. Believe that we can tease the grave, ‘Where is your victory?’

There was a woman who was diagnosed with an incurable disease and given 3 months to live. When asked how she maintained such a positive spirit, she gave a powerful piece of advice which I’ll never forget. ‘Keep your chin up and don’t go to the funeral – mine or yours or your loved ones – until the day of the funeral because you will miss the life that you have left.’ When we took our first breath, we began as royalty and because we believe we are destined for the Kingdom.

Living Out Our 'Yet'

“…yet, I will trust him.” Job 13:15

It seems that every time I bring up Facebook, I am faced with yet another precious life who is called to battle a disease. This journey is certainly not one walked in a vacuum for it invades their inner circle of family and friends. A diagnosis draws an unwanted line in the sand that separates the normal from the chaotic…the before from the after…the seen to the unseen. Job fully understood what is was like to receive bad news followed by devastating news, all the while experiencing his own physical suffering. His story is documented through 42 chapters in the Bible with the majority of those chapters being His discussion with God. He had lost his children, his livelihood, his resources and eventually his physical comfort. If anyone had reasons to be angry, despaired, devastated and crushed in spirit it was Job. But Job framed all his questions around the sovereignty of God. His trust that God was doing something he couldn’t understand was met with His confidence in God's goodness. His fellowship with God wasn’t based upon his circumstances in life, rather His relationship with God.

It seems like just yesterday when within a 4-week timeframe, my dad was diagnosed with cancer, my father-in-law with Alzheimer’s and my daughter with a disease requiring intense treatment with little hope of cure. It was a dizzying time in my life as there were so many waters through which to navigate. There is so much uncertainly when medical concerns arise, and it seems that no one in the medical field is in a hurry. I have come to understand that this slow pace is a part of God’s providence. He knows how much our hearts can take, and moved according to that knowledge. It takes great trust and patience to live in the starts and stops of illness. It takes great courage to awake everyday and chose faith over fear when fear screams louder. But God does not leave us alone in our journeys and gives us the courage and grace to face our unknowns. He calls those in the inner circles to walk their own part of the journey, developing their own trust in God.

No matter what may fall upon our lives, may we look to God for our strength, confidence and trust. Whatever we will experience may these words be our companion, ‘yet I will trust Him.’ They are words of offering…words of life…words of comfort. We all have a beginning to that beautiful battle cry that begins with ‘yet.’ When your heart starts to fail just close your eyes, picture your Father and whisper ‘yet I will trust You.’

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

Linking Arms with Creation

“…because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption…For we know that the whole creation groans and labors…Not only that…even we ourselves groan within…eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.” Romans 8:22, 23b

I’ve always considered the consequences of Adam and Eve to mainly affect us since we are born into sin and live in the flesh. But this morning I am realizing that every single thing God touched in creation was subjected from the fall to sin, decay and death. When I look at the beauty in creation, I see the handiwork of God, but this morning it seems that we really only see a limited display of creation. The verse above personifies that sin ushered in the bondage of creation as a prisoner itself assigning emotions to its anticipation of a delivery. I read the most beautiful quote from John Eldredge this morning regarding the fall of mankind and its implications for all of creation. He wrote, ‘Creation sometimes screams a confusing message…Fires burn, rivers flood, winds go hurricane, the earth shudders so hard it levels cities. But you must remember – this was not so in Eden. Mankind fell, surrendering this earth to the evil one. Paul says that creation groans for the day of restoration, making it clear that everything is not as it was meant to be…the earth is broken. Which only makes the beauty that does flow so generously that much more astounding. And reassuring.’ Beautiful Outlaw – John Eldredge (New York: Faith Words, 2011) p 61.

In keeping with that powerful quote, it reminds me of how broken people can still be beautiful. The beautiful Christian heart reveals the things of Christ when facing challenging circumstances. We sit and watch the testimony of their lives reveal the beauty of their fellowship with God. Even in suffering the heart of a Christian displays its version of amazing sunrises and beautiful sunsets through the service and love for others despite what they are going through. While still broken, the Christian heart still believes in the mending touch of the Creator and the sinner has confidence in the forgiving love of Jesus.

So as we eagerly anticipate, we stand shoulder to shoulder with arms linked with creation anticipating Heaven opening, and the One who will set everything right in its beautiful restoration will join us in perfection…and Eden will be restored, and Satan will be no more!

Until then, may our lives have beauty that flows generously like creation through our communion with Christ.

Searching for Shark's Teeth

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” Psalm 32:8

When our children were very young, we were at the beach and all they wanted to do was search for shark’s teeth. There had been other years with other searches, so we knew how this was going to go down. Kristen would find kids to play with on the beach, Caroline would end up finding all the shark’s teeth and Michael would end up in tears. This time Bruce and I had a plan so that Michael could feel victorious. We went to the store ahead of time and as they were picking out their beach toys, we were picking out shark teeth. Once it was time to walk on the beach and search for the hidden treasures Bruce would plant the teeth in certain areas and I would distract Caroline in other areas. We were determined to let Michael have some success before Caroline snatched up all the prizes. Michael was always so distracted by the birds and the people that he rarely looked down. But finally, on that day, as Bruce lovingly guided him to certain areas on the beach, he was able to collect a few shark’s teeth in his bucket. Caroline also found a few that day and the world made sense one again! I remember wanting so badly for Michael to find what he was searching for and I never took my eyes off on him while holding Cara’s hand. The joy on his face became the joy in my heart.

That is the way our Father is as He guides us through life and important decisions. He has placed the answers and the blessings upon our path and if we allow Him to guide our decisions, we will never miss our treasures. Without God being on the path with us in every step we run the risk of missing the message…run the risk of making the wrong decision…run the risk of missing the joy. God has a storehouse of blessings for you and for me and has the desire to help us discover His good and perfect plan. He takes us by the hand when we become distracted and lovingly walks us to the prize.

‘God is stronger than all our struggles with direction, our wrong turns and circuitous routes. He is able to guide each one of us – even those of us who feel completely lost.’ Stronger – Angela Thomas-Pharr, p. 62

Remembering the Miracles

“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” Matthew 3:16-17

I can’t even fathom being chosen as the one to alert people that the Messiah is coming followed by the humbling privilege of lowering Jesus into the waters of the Jordan baptizing Him. How unworthy John must have felt…how ridiculous it must have seemed…how humbling it must have been. And then, he witnessed what I can’t even imagine as Jesus broke through the surface of the water rising up. He saw the heavens open, heard the audible voice of God identifying Jesus as His beloved Son, and witnessed the Holy Spirit ‘ascending upon Him like a dove.’ You would think that experience alone would anchor Him for the rest of his life in faith, belief, and confidence in Jesus. And yet, later in Matthew we see one of the greatest doubts ever expressed by John who was chained in the dark and damp prison waiting on Jesus to rescue him. He sent a message through two of the disciples, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ Matthew 11:3. With everything John witnessed that day in the Jordan it is astonishing that he could doubt the legitimacy of Jesus.

As I consider this scene of John’s doubt in prison, I wonder if we are much different from John. When the tough times come and resolution is nowhere in sight, do we question ‘Where are you Jesus?’ Do we begin to wonder if Jesus is even coming? We begin to look around searching for another way out because of the inaction of Jesus in our suffering. We too have watched past miracles that Jesus has performed in our lives… the precious birth of our babies…the sweet unions of marriage…the healing of medical issues…the saving of our wayward children…the daily forgiveness of our sins…the sustaining comfort in our grief. And still we doubt that Jesus can save…will save…will show up. Jesus responded to John’s doubts the same way He responds to our doubts. He asks us to look around and see the miracles being performed daily. ‘Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.’ Matthew 11:5. Jesus was saying that the same God who has performed these miracles is the same God that will save us in our despair. When we take our doubts to Him, we will always be comforted with remembrances of past mercies and faithfulness. He will point to the miracles of others to encourage us to keep watching for our miracles…to stay alert for His presence…to expect fulfillment in His promises. Jesus was patient with John’s doubts as He is with all our doubts. ‘Doubt loses its power in the light of God’s truth, so we don’t have to be afraid when we take our doubts to God. His Word can stand up to any doubts. Most great followers of God have wrestled with their doubts until God’s truth won.’ Stronger, Angela Thomas-Pharr, p. 56.

The One who was...and is...and is to come!

Paddleboards and Pageants

“Goliath…stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance. ‘Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy...’ David said to Saul, ‘Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.’" 1 Sa 17:23, 25, 32

Last summer my granddaughter had a very scary experience on a paddleboard. She fell off and began to panic and had to be helped back to the floating dock. She was scared, embarrassed and humiliated in front of her family. We of course tried to encourage her, but she felt completely defeated. Thankfully my daughter encouraged her to get on her paddleboard and the two of them paddled down the river. As they got back in sight Kristen was sitting down and Kherington was paddling them back to the dock with a big smile on her face. Just like David she faced her Goliath and the power of that bad experienced toppled to the ground giving her victory. She has the same fearless spirit that her mother had as a little girl and still has to this day.

My daughter Kristen is facing her own Goliath at the end of April. Her giant has been ‘shouting its usual defiance’ during the past year. Last year, she was invited to enter a charitable pageant to have the possibility of bolstering a charity for which she is empassioned. It was a beautiful night and she looked radiant as she glided across the stage. In the end she was crowned winner and took her walk across stage. Someone is the pageant demanded a recount which revealed that she should have been 1st runner up. The next morning the representative came and collected her crown and sash and the new winner was announced without apologies. It was one of the most humiliating and embarrassing experience of her life, but she was extremely gracious and accommodating. I know she has struggled through the past year to make sense of what happened, trying to coral her emotions. But just like her daughter with the paddleboard, she has decided to climb back up on that stage and face her Goliath. Her goal is not to win the crown, but to slay the beast…any negative power that experience holds over her. Just like David she is not going to lose heart any longer from last years’ experience. She will glide across the stage with a sling full of faith and will have victory thanks to the courage and grace of God. It doesn’t take a crown to experience victory when we walk in God's power!

I’m not sure what your Goliath is shouting into your heart this morning but through God’s courage, power and strength you don’t have to lose heart. We have the most powerful Stone to sling at any giant that holds power over us. We have Christ as our cornerstone and all victory is built on Him. Whether your giant is medical, emotional or relational you can dismantle the overarching fear and despair which presently taunts you. So pick up your sling and your stone and run into battle with the God of every moment!

"Reaching into his shepherd's bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground." 1 Sa 17:49.

No More Casualties

Many years ago, when I was fighting the raging storm of my child’s drug addiction, I began having severe pain in my back. Doctor after doctor and test after test revealed the worse answer… nothing was wrong with me. The months passed until I became almost bedbound with crippling pain in my back. Exhausted and exasperated I went back to my original doctor empty handed of any real answers. He finally looked at me and said what no one likes to hear… ‘Brenda, I believe it is simply stress.’ I’m here to tell you that there was nothing simple about my stress or my life. At first, I felt nothing but anger at the thought that it was all in my head, but then sadness followed quickly with the reality that nothing about my circumstances were going to change anytime soon. My battle cry was when, my war was fear and my body was a casualty. I’m so thankful that was over 23 years ago, and the Lord rescued both mother and child.

This morning I was reading my Bible study when suddenly I realized that I was under stress which was news to me. The question asked about ‘little stressors in my life’ and my pen took off before my mind could stop it. Four different stressors streamed out in green ink which revealed an age-old battle cry… ‘When…How long Lord?’ One stressor was when will our townhome sell, while another was when we will have work? Yet another two stressors pled two private pleas of promises made but the timeframe not given. I suddenly realized why I’ve been so short and sassy and bossy with poor Bruce. I’m stressed out with the how longs of my life and the continual realization that I have no control over those resolutions. Thankfully, God gives us everything we need in our battle cries to relieve the stress. He instructs us to remedy our stressors with His beautiful concoction of medicine. ‘Finally…whatever is true…honorable…just…pure…lovely… commendable…any excellence…worthy of praise…think about these things…and the God of peace will be with you.’ Ph 4:8-9. That’s right! That’s it! When I think of the sale, I will think of the past blessings from our time at Folly. When I think of no work, I will think of the provisions God has made for us through this time. When I think of the unfulfilled promises, I will think of the comfort in the fact that these promises will not be broken.

I’m not sure if your battle cry is ‘Who, Lord?’, ‘How, Lord?’ 'What if, Lord?' or even ‘Why, Lord?’ But, I do know that when we think about the things that God offers, the things of Ph 4:8-9, we gain the strength from the power that God has provided in all of our wars. We must reach for it and push away from the defeating thoughts of the circumstances that stress us. ‘These worries we carry are legitimate concerns, but God is faithful and good.’ Stronger, Angela Thomas-Pharr, p. 55.

I’m so grateful that God’s strength is so much greater than my when’s, and this same power and strength is available for your battle cries.

Wearing the Wrong Prescription

The other day while in the car Bruce and I were listening to a radio interview with a woman who had discovered that her biological dad was not the dad who raised her. Her mother disclosed that she was conceived through the process of insemination. She adored the man who raised her but felt she wanted to pursue the identity of her biological dad. Through resources provided she was able to meet the man who was partially responsible for her conception. It was a fine experience but one that reconfirmed her love and devotion for the dad who raised her. But it was one of her final statements that really struck my heart. She stated that it helped her better understand things that seemed out of place in her mind. She said that it was if she had been walking around with the wrong prescription all those years and that the truth had finally put everything in focus. It didn’t change her life but helped her perspective.

Immediately I began thinking about my life before I had a living relationship with God and my life since then. I had a Christian walk but not a Christ hunger, so things were distorted much like putting on glasses that prevented my 20/20 spiritual vision. Having the wrong spiritual prescription meant seeing things through the eyes of the world instead of the eyes of the Creator. Wearing the wrong prescription meant making decisions apart from the will of God. It meant my vision was obstructed by smudges and scratches from past experiences. It meant never cleaning my glasses and seeing the truth of God as it related to my sinful decisions. Most importantly, it meant pursuing my own reflection instead of trying to display His. But in 2006, He removed those eye pieces and replaced them with a new set…a set that was clearer to see the things He wanted me to see. He showed me love with Him like I had never seen before, and He showed me areas where I was living outside of His will.

This I know for sure…if I don’t take the intentional time to clean my glasses each morning, they will display the earthly residue from the day before. If I don’t align my mind with what the Word says I will have a distorted view when the world tempts me. We must commit to getting our eyes checked daily to ensure we are not living our lives through the eyes of an incorrect prescription. We cannot allow the world to write our prescription in this journey. Clarity is too imperative in getting to our destination of eternity.

One beautiful day our faith will become sight and there will be no need for glasses but for now may we see the things that God desires and may be all be attentive to His guidance.

"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

Reflecting His Image

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Co 3:18

One of my absolute pleasures when I am at Folly is sitting on my screen porch watching the activity on the river. Many times, there will be paddleboarders, speedboats zipping by and families crabbing off the dock. On some occasions, boats will sit idle for a long time, never moving and anchored deep in the river. But my favorite view of the river is when there is no movement in the current and the surface is still and looks like glass. The mirrored reflection of the vessel shows the stillness of the current.

I began remembering times when circumstances in my life were chaotic and turbulent. These times were times when I tried to handle things apart from Jesus. The undercurrents just about swept me away and the rippled effects of my poor decisions created other issues for my marriage and my life. When I see this picture, it reminds me of how grateful I am that God didn’t leave me in my futile attempts and turbulent living. Life has continued to roar on with its joyful celebrations, its frustrating challenges, its failure to deliver, amazing blessings and its flare for excitement. So how do we navigate through all the emotions and circumstances that come our way? We don’t… we stop…we pray …we believe…we remember those four powerful words for reflecting a better way…BE STILL and KNOW! (Psalm 46:10) Be still and know that this tough season will end. Be still and know that God will carry you through your grief. Be still and know that no matter what God has a good and perfect plan for your life. Be still and know that you will be healed on earth or heaven. Be still and know you will embrace your departed loved ones again someday. Be still and know...He is God.

When we settle our heart and focus our mind on God daily, the surface of our lives is in symphony with the condition of our heart creating a peaceful and glorious reflection of God’s fullness. We can anchor beneath Him because He is the anchor for all things and in all seasons. It will not matter what the current of life brings our way for our hope in is God who equips us for all situations and shows us His image through our close communion with Him.

I want to be a reflection of Christ’s beautiful life no matter what is going on under the surface. I want my image to appear close to His, but I have a long way to go. I know that as I am anchored to God I am anchored good and perfect things and to victory. May we all reflect the beauty and glory of God which comes from the Spirit.

Marching in Single File

When I was a little girl I never enjoyed the instruction of lining up and walking in a straight line at school. There were so many rules that went along with it. Stay in step...watch the person in front of you...don't touch the people around you...no talking. I was much more comfortable just hanging out in a group with my friends. I was so thankful when we arrived at the place we were going so I could huddle back up with my girlfriends.

We all traverse through this life with a group of people whom God has placed around us… family, friends, colleagues, fellow believers along with a host of acquaintances. But sometimes we face a season that imposes its suffocating will upon us leaving us with such loneliness that we can barely breath. When adversity arises, it can be accompanied with a certain loneliness as our groups tend to thin out…spread out…maybe even fade out. Usually and thankfully, there will certainly be a handful who surround us with love, support and hope. A few years ago, I experienced this exact thing when all but a handful of people on this earth stayed invested in my tough journey. They offered me grace when I needed it and love and support when I had very little. They were angels on earth and God is well aware how precious they were and are to me. I read something this morning in my Bible Study from a sermon preached in 1855 by Charles Spurgeon that took my breath away with the image painted in my mind. He said, ‘We take sweet counsel together and walk to the House of God in company. Yet somewhere or other on the road, every Christian will find narrow paths and close places where pilgrims must march in single file.’  The Immutability of God, New Park Street Chapel, Southwark, London, Jan 7, 1855.

I’ll just bet there are some of you out there right now who are marching in single file with the weight of loneliness…fear…worry...grief. God’s word echoes throughout each book of the Bible His promise of presence. He knew that there would be times when we were marching in single file just as Jesus did in the wilderness and on the way to the hill where He painfully but lovingly laid down His life. But one of my favorite verses that parallels Spurgeon’s imagery of our march is 2 Co 2:14. ‘But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere.’

When we follow Christ, our greatest failure will be turned into victory and our loneliness will be met with fellowship with God. When we are marching in single file with Christ leading, we cannot help but to reflect the aromatics of our Leader. Our greatest loneliness will be experienced when we find ourselves in the valley and we have lost sight of Jesus. He knows exactly where we are and how to guide us back but the more visible He is in front of us will determine the more closely our fellowship is with Him.  Even when the march is single file our Guide does not change. Let us keep our eyes on Jesus especially when we are marching in single file.

Just Passing Through

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs…They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God…” Psalm 84:5-7

I can’t tell you the number of times I have wrapped this passage around my painful circumstances like a much-needed garment on a blustery day. It is only fitting that the Lord sent this passage to me this morning as a loving reminder of how far I have come on the pilgrimage of grief. Today marks 10 years since I saw my sister on this earth with my eyes. As she lay there still and silent, I know that she was already seeing Heaven and the outstretched hand of God welcoming her home. Our family had applied God’s strength to our pilgrimage, and it was time to move through the Valley of Baca [weeping]. We knew that along the way God would provide springs of strength and comfort if we were faithful to move from strength to strength and not take up residence in our pain. Here we are a decade later of moving from comfort to comfort and the promises have been fulfilled. At each turn…at each holiday…at each moment where tears flowed making a spring… God met us at that place and healed our hearts. Don’t get me wrong…as you know I’m sure it is a tough pilgrimage, but God is tougher. God is stronger. God is the God of the eternal, so the end of our pilgrimage is right into the arms of our loved ones, and 'till each appears before God.'

I continue to receive messages regarding new pilgrimages into troubled times with plenty of weeping. But the promise is there, and we can count on God equipping and providing all that is required and needed. For the parent who fears their child is on the wrong path kneel by the spring and splash yourself in God’s word where the prodigal child returns home. For the brokenhearted who had to say goodbye to their loved one temporarily, visit the empty grave of Christ. For the one who has received a medical diagnosis walk in the many feet of those in the Bible who were touched by Jesus and healed from their sickness. The Bible is full of peril and promise…suffering and healing…sadness and celebration. From Genesis to Revelation are the many springs of strength and comfort in which we are invited to drench ourselves.

Whatever valley through which you are walking, set your pilgrimage on Who instead of what and you will receive strength at every point and in every step.

Lowering Our Mats

“Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith… he said to the paralytic, ‘I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house’” Mark 2:3-11.

I was so blessed to be led this morning to this beautiful story that I haven’t read in some time.  It is the perfect timing of our perfect God who is faithful speak through His word.  As I wrote yesterday it is tough for us not to get disheartened from the many needs of people all around us.  We see our loved ones and those we care about in need of all kinds of healing.  We want to do something to help… anything…but most of the time the most powerful and beneficial thing we can give them is prayer.  We like the friends in our story want to present them before Jesus in prayer and petition.  We place those friends and family members in need of Jesus on our prayer mat and lower them before His feet.  We intercede for those who may be too discouraged or too sick to approach Him by themselves.  There are great blessings from God when we take the time to approach God with the needs of others.  Our story testifies that Jesus was blessed and moved by not only the sick one but those friends who carried and lowered their friend in front of Jesus.

I know times when my friends and family carried me on their prayer mat and walked many tough miles with me.  They lowered me through the opening and placed me before the feet of Jesus.  I know that without those intercessions of love I would have felt all alone. 

Whether you are one carrying the prayer mat to Jesus or the sick one being carried to Him just know that God blesses the journey and hears our petitions.  One of the most important elements of this story is the fact that the blessings weren’t given at a distance.  We will never receive the embracing comfort from afar.  It is only when we approach the Savior and enter into His presence that we will feel the absolute faithfulness of God. 

‘We never draw closer to God when we just live life; it takes deliberate pursuit and attentiveness.’ Francis Chan

Talking to Mountains

“‘But what should I say, if they ask me your name?’ ‘Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.’" Exodus 3:13

I woke up this morning with such a spirit of heaviness for not just a few of my friends, but many. It seems that sickness, fear and grief have highjacked my prayers. So many friends are facing tough walks right now and I am overwhelmed by their circumstances. I’m only a listener while they are sojourners making their pilgrimage through the rough terrain. They find themselves pressed up against the biggest mountain yet…the mountain of grief…the mountain of fear…the mountain of illness. And yet, only as a listener and encourager this morning I find myself in need of a reminder that like Moses I must remember that whatever mountain is up ahead God has sent us equipped with His power and promised us of His presence. God’s answer was swift and sure… ‘I Am has sent me to...’

Everyone has a blank on the other side of that statement, but the introduction is the same for us all as believers. Whatever the mountain is we have the authority to stand at the base and proclaim to that mountain that God…the great I Am…is greater than the height, depth and circumference of its enormity. We remind our hearts that no sin, stain or shame can remain when the cleansing touch of the great I Am is applied to it. God has existed since before time and is always in all things with the motivation of love for each of us.

So, whatever mountain has blocked your path, you tell it who sent you and tell it with confidence. The great I Am has sent you with power…the great I Am has sent you with wisdom…the great I Am has sent you with strength. For the lonely person God is with you…for the worried parent God is with your children…for the person waiting for the miracle God is working it all out. For the brokenhearted who had to say goodbye for now to their loved one God is saying hello to them face to face and giving them everything!

I pray that this reminder will hold my heart strong and your heart strong as we not only experience our own mountain but walk along side others as they face their mountains. If you also need a reminder this morning you will be blessed by this song.

https://youtu.be/YnZkYupqFNo

“Greater than the mountain that’s in front of me…You are greater…so much greater…Greater than the power of the enemy…You are greater…so much greater…No fear no grave… no other name…is greater than…the great I Am…” Greater Than, Gateway Worship

Considering the Lilies

“Why are you anxious…? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin…But seek first the kingdom of God…and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:28-33

I love Spring and cannot wait to see the beautiful flowers awaken to their brilliant colors. They lazily open their eyes and wait on the Lord to peel back their warm covering. The flowers trust that their Creator knows the exact timing when the winter is over, and it is safe for them to fully embrace the new season. He sends the rain at the exact time and in the exact measure. He sends the warmth to remind them that it is He who makes things grow. The flowers in all their glory grow and produce beauty in their blooms at the hands of God. They do not have to grow on their own or water themselves for that is the work of the Lord…no toiling…no striving to do it on their own. They fully understand that their purpose is to provide the beauty that the Lord determines.

Every single one of us is also a creation of God meant to reflect His glory, and has been assigned a purpose for being here. Our purpose is not to figure out on our own how to grow and how to bloom. Our purpose is to place ourselves in the hands of God and allow Him to consider the details of our lives. He never meant for us to feel anxious about things that we cannot control. He never meant for us to worry ourselves into into a tailspin. I don’t know about you, but I am fully aware that I’m guilty of not ‘considering the lilies.’ I’m guilty of trying to make things happen before the season is over. Many days I gnaw on problems instead of allowing God in His wisdom and timing to reveal the answer. I’m tired of not considering the lilies and missing out on the promises and power of God.

I think today I’m going to make an intentional effort to allow God to color my blooms and not worry about the details of it. I am going to consider the lilies with every anxious thought that may seep into my mind. We must be determined to allow certain petals to fall…petals of fear…petals of anger…petals of control so God can work His wonder and add His wisdom, power and will to work out every detail of our lives. ‘God is stronger than any battle you will ever face. He is the source of all the strength you will ever need.’ Stronger, Angela Thomas-Pharr, p. 17.

Consider the lilies…

“For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” Matthew 6:32

Secret Places

“‘Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?’” says the LORD…’” Jeremiah 23:24.

When I was a little girl our family lived in a big house on a 5-acre tract of land. Sometimes when I would get mad or upset about something I would go outside and sit behind a tree where no one could see me. Other times I would just disappear upstairs to my room and dare anyone to enter. I even remember that sometimes I would go sit in our parked car in the driveway. Our home was full of windows and I am sure that Mother could see me wherever I went. I felt as if because I was out of sight I couldn’t be seen, but at any point Mother was no further than 50 feet away most likely. She knew I would return and would be right by her side again. Looking back there was probably nowhere that I ever went to be alone that she didn’t know I had gone.

Our Father is no different when dealing with us and our tendency to hide ourselves in secret places. Last night when I laid down to sleep, He was there, and this morning when I awoke, He was there. In a little while I will get in my car to run errands and He will be there with me and will be by my side in each errand I must complete. If I am sad or nervous today, He is in my emotions and if I am celebrating anything, He is joyfully by my side. He sees me when I sin or walk in my flaws, and He sees me when I choose the right way and follow Him. His love is not determined by anything I do or fail to do today...tomorrow...next year.

One of God’s most comforting attributes is His omnipresence …His ability to always be there with us in everything, in all circumstances, and at all times. His is present with us even when we are absent from Him. He is constant even when we are fickle. He is always giving even as we are always taking.

How does this truth bless you this morning? Does it bless the lonely to know that His presence means you are never truly alone? Does it bless the unemployed who feels forgotten to know God is with you and has a perfect and provisional plan for you? Does it bless the brokenhearted to know that in your grief His constant presence is sustaining enough for you? Does it amaze us that since God is omnipresent…that is, everywhere at the same time…that as He is holding us with one hand, He is holding our departed loved one with the other hand?

King David penned the most eloquent passage perfectly expressing God’s omnipresence. May it wrap around your heart like a warm garment as you read it with God Himself sitting next to you.

‘Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.’ Psalm 139:7-10.

Our Spiritual Spray

“Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.’” John 4:13-14

One of my sweetest memories with my children was when we took them to Charleston when they were little. It was a hot day and we had been told in advance that there was a large waterfront fountain in which children could play. So, they wore their bathing suits under their shorts and spent an hour running around under the water which sprayed up into the sky out of the many openings of the fountain. It was a joy to watch their excitement, freedom in play and the refreshing water to keep them cool on a very hot day. There were so many children playing under the spray of that huge fountain.

This memory today is the image that was placed in my mind as I read this passage. So many times, in my life I wasted my thirst on things of this world such as my physical image…my obsession with pleasing people… my empty pursuit of gaining acceptance and approval from others. It didn’t matter what I did the quench was never fully satisfied, and the thirst always returned. I was drinking in the water of the world instead of allowing the Spirit to ebb and flow within me. It was only when I began pursuing a life aligned with the teaching of Christ that I began having a steady flow of satisfaction and nourishment. The more of the Spirit’s flow that we get in our hearts, the more of the world’s flow we get out of our lives.

This morning I think of my Grandmother Miller who was this towering fountain of spiritual water whose spray was all encompassing. I watched a lifetime of ‘children playing under the spray’ of her spiritual fountain. When they were around her, they were joyful, hopeful and encouraged to run and dream. I know for myself there was something special about being around her and watching God move within her. It was her willingness to allow the Spirit to guide her in all ways. She never tried to block His flow but allowed her life to be a walking testimony of His amazing love. 

As beautiful as Charleston’s waterfront fountain is, it doesn’t hold a candle to the spiritual spray that each of us can display when we allow the flow of the Spirit in every aspect of our lives.

Waiting on Crowns

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12

Well today is March 1^st and for our family this month holds two important memorial markers in our family.  Two weeks from today it will be a decade since I’ve laid my eyes on my little sister, Beth.  For those who didn’t know her, I’m truly sorry because she was one little high-spirited soul who squeezed every ounce of living out of each day.  For those who knew and loved her no doubt a smile and giggle have found its way in your heart just now thinking about the crazy things she did.  Two weeks from tomorrow will mark 9 years since I heard my sweet daddy tell me he loves me.  For those of you who knew him you just might be a better person for it and quite possibly inspired by him.  He walked this earth with integrity on every level, with a heart for bringing children to Jesus.  His work in Child Evangelism Fellowship placed many unchurched children into the lap of Jesus.  They both went through the trials of cancer, both walked tough journeys.  They both walked their trials with grace, faith and complete dependency on God.  They had tough days and good days…discouraging days and encouraging days…sad times and joyful times.  But now they stroll the golden avenues of Heaven with a crown atop their precious heads.  The promise was clear from the Lord, ‘Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.’ John 14:21. He went on to promise, ‘When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 1 Co 15:53. And then the promises of all promises, ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well.  In my Father’s house are many rooms.  If it were not so, would I have not told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am” John 14:1-3.  And that is exactly what He did…just as He promised…just as they were…just as we are.

The older I get the more heaven-minded I become.  We were never meant to live here forever since this is not our home.  We were created by His precious hands into an hourglass life, each of us with a certain number of grains of sand.  But we were not born to die, but rather to live…to really live…eternally… perfectly…in community with God, the saints and our crowned loved ones.  Beth and Daddy ran their race and crossed the finish line and walked up the podium steps as the King of Kings placed their crowns on their heads. 

One day I will break the ribbon crossing over my finish line and will finally begin living in the fullness of face to face communion with the Promise maker.  Death has certainly been swallowed up in victory… now that’s real living!