Beginning of the End

“See, I am doing a new thing!   Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness   and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19

Can I just be brutally honest and tell you how much I am over this virus?  My feelings are not meant to diminish anything that anyone has gone through or might endure up ahead.  They are simply my feelings and I am confident some of you might be feeling the same.  I believe the reason I am most over it is because I am a woman in love with beginnings.  The beginning of a new season…the beginning of a new project…the beginning of a new adventure.  So, for this woman I feel stuck in quicksand.  I was considering what topic I would write on this morning. How many more mornings must I try to say the same sentiment in different ways?  Where are my ‘fresh mercies’ this morning and why am I having these feelings?  I decided to reread my blogs and see how long the virus has held dominance in the writings.  No wonder, the topic is like stale bread instead of fresh mercies.  This virus has taken my writings hostage for over 6 weeks.  So today, I am rescuing my blog and turning the corner to new… fresh…beginnings.

God meant for us to participate with Him in creation…from Genesis to Revelation…from morning to evening…from our birth to our life in Heaven.  The Bible is full of beginnings and He is still creating…forming…molding…orchestrating.  If we could just think about every way to begin a new way, a new day, a new thought, and a new focus framed around the spirit of creation, we will find fresh mercies.  As I look out the window, I see the beginning of new buds on my rosebush.  I see the beginning of the sunlight hitting the tallest tree.  I see bags of mulch that will be the beginning of something beautiful in my yard.  I see a new plan for my daughter’s refashioned wedding that moved from a beautiful museum to our back yard in June.  I awake to a new day where my back is getting stronger.  In the room on the other side of my house sleeps my grandson who will awake to the beginning of his 15^th year.  Fresh beginnings are created in the recesses of our imagination patterned by God who creates new things hourly.  When we tap into His power, the quicksand holds no threat any longer.   Welcome to this woman’s new beginning!

Picking what We Ponder

“Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.” Prov 4:23 (NCV)

One of the most frightful times for me when my children were teenagers was when they got their license and they were free to drive alone. Handing them the keys to my car felt like I was giving them control over my future. My mind raced through every bad scenario humanly possible and was only at peace when I saw the car winding down our long driveway. The next morning as I awoke, I was always surprised at how anxious and fretful I had been the previous day.

Satan must be having a field day during this pandemic as we are all a captive audience. He doesn’t have to work as hard, be as crafty as usual or worry about timing. We are all sitting ducks periodically with worse case scenarios swirling above our heads. Yesterday by mid-morning I had already held up the keys to my mind and watched him drive off. From feelings of calm to chaos, peace to frustration and even a bit of anger my mind was all over the place, all before noon! I felt like a fraud as a devotional blogger and a failure as a woman who constantly claims that God is in control and works all things for our benefit. But what good is a testimony without sharing the test? Max Lucado, author of Anxious for Nothing summed up yesterday’s emotions by describing them as follows, ‘He [Satan] will lead you to a sunless place and leave you there…Exaggerated, overstated, inflated, irrational thoughts are the devils specialty.’ p. 122. Satan was probably smiling more than usual yesterday but it will not be repeated today! I am so grateful for authors who remind us of God’s word and what is Biblical truth. The phrase for today is ‘You can pick what you ponder.’ p.120. He writes, ‘You didn’t select your birthplace or birth date. You didn’t choose your parents or siblings. You don’t determine the weather or the amount of salt in the ocean. There are many things in life over which you have no choice. But the greatest activity of life is well within your dominion. You can choose what you think about.’ p. 121

When we hand over the keys to our thoughts to Christ during our exaggerated emotions, He will drive us to peace. He will help us capture what are 'head-on collision' scenarios and remind us of what is true and factual. Only when we think about the things of Christ will we experience true peace in our heart and calm in our soul. Today I will not allow Satan to run my thoughts or my life!

‘Finally, brothers [and sisters], whatever is true…noble…right…pure…lovely…admirable…excellent… praiseworthy…Think about such things.’ Phil 4:8-9

Guarded by Angels

“He [God] has put his angels in charge of you to watch over you wherever you go.” Psalm 91:11 NCV

It was November 4th, 2018 and I was out running errands. On this day it was sunny and warm, and I didn’t mind my long list of things to do. Driving around listening to music and jumping in and out of the car at different locations was a perfect day. I was less than a mile from home when I saw a huge truck coming towards me. As I got closer a sports car shot out from behind the truck barreling straight for me in my lane with no shoulder on which to pull over. I’ve never written about this incident before I don’t think because I realize how crazy it sounds. But this morning as I read this verse this day came to mind. With nowhere to go I slammed on my brakes and remember whispering goodbye to my life here on earth and my loved ones. It was at that moment that the sports car made a move to squeeze between the front of my car and the truck he was passing. As I watched him right in front of me swerving back over in the other lane cutting off the truck, I saw the front of his car go through the front of mine. I didn’t imagine it…I didn’t dream it…it was my Psalm 91:11 moment where God put an angel in charge of me. It was neither my day to pass nor the way I would go to Heaven. If God still has assignments for us to do, He will keep us alive to accomplish them. He will send angels to move heaven and earth so His plans are not thwarted.

One of my absolute favorite verses is found is Psalm 139:16, ‘All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old.’ (NCV). We are living in a time globally when we are reminded multiple times daily that we could die from this virus circulating across the globe. With areas beginning to loosen certain restrictions it will be easy to be insecure and fearful that we might become sick. Reasonable caution is healthy but walking in fear is counterproductive to our faith. Before we took one breath, God wrote down how many breaths we were assigned. Before we knew to be scared, God gave us parents to watch over and protect us. No virus will kill us unless God wrote about it decades ago, and no unemployment will break us because God promised He would always provide for us. ‘No life is too short or too long. You will live your prescribed number of days. You might change the quality of your days but not the quantity...God has never promised a life with no storms. But he has promised to be there when we face them.’ Anxious for Nothing, Max Lucado, p. 112. And every day in between our first breath and our last will be walked out with angels watching over us.

Activating Angels

“Put the Lord in remembrance [of His promises], keep not silence [silent]” (Isa. 62:6 AMPC).

When my children were still under my care, I can’t number the times they reminded me of a promise I made to them. If I was taking too long leaving home to go shopping, they would remind me that I had said we would leave at that time. If errands stretched out too late in the afternoon and I changed my mind about taking them somewhere, their battle cry was always, ‘But you promised!’ I tried my best to promise things over which I knew I had control. The fulfillment of my promises rarely hinged on the fulfillment of their promises. After all, we are only as good as our word to others. I was never perfect at being able to deliver every promise made, but God is.

Isaiah invites us to remind God of His promises through the words of Scripture. Although we serve an invisible God, He has shared His visible promises in the Word. I love how Max Lucado exemplified reminding God of what He promised. ‘Populate your prayers with ‘You said…’ ‘You said you would walk me through the waters’ (Isaiah 43:2 author’s paraphrase). ‘You said you would lead me through the valley’ (Psalm 23:4, author’s paraphrase). ‘You said you would never leave me or forsake me’ (Heb 13:5, author’s paraphrase). Find a promise that fits your problem and build your prayer around it. These prayers of faith touch the heart of God and activate the angels of heaven. Miracles are set into motion…The path to peace is paved with prayer.’ Anxious for Nothing, Max Lucado, p. 87.

These are anxious times and prayer is the only thing that ensures peace in our journey. Be specific regarding the things you desire God to accomplish on your behalf. God has a heart for details…just consider His creation. Consider how many small insects He created that crawl upon the earth. Consider the blooms of every rose and the timing that God bids them to open. Consider the sap that rises in the tree…the wave that finds its landing spot upon the shore…the cloud that waves as it passes in front of the sun. When we express specific desires to God, we demonstrate our belief that He governs over every detail in our lives. We remind Him of the beautiful things that He has promised and the faithful record He has built for delivering those promises. So ‘keep not silent’ but power your prayers with the words of the One who is faithful.

Out on a Limb

“Jesus…was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus…He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.” Luke 19:1-6

One of my fondest memories from childhood was going to Sunday School. I can still see Miss Bullard with her high bun and tissue tucked under the stretchy watchband on her arm. With a felt board at the front of the classroom stories were told and stories were sung. If I close my eyes, I can still see Zacchaeus sitting on a limb of a tall tree while Jesus in a crowd of people were approaching from afar. As Jesus and the crew reached the tree, He stopped. He knew exactly what Zacchaeus was trying to do…he wanted to see Jesus. And what did Jesus do? He not only saw and acknowledged Zacchaeus, but Jesus told him to get out of the tree and meet Him at Zacchaeus’s home. Jesus desired to fellowship with him.

It’s been a while since I have been in a season that required me to look for Jesus as much as I am now. Multiple times during the day I feel like that little man who climbed up in the tree to get a glimpse of Him. Does Jesus see me when I feel burdened? Will He stop and acknowledge that I desperately need Him in my circumstances? Will He show His compassion and comfort with my present disappointments and frustrations although others around the world are suffering more than me? Will He invite me to meet with Him throughout the day whenever I need Him?

Times are very confusing and challenging right now without the knowledge of when things will get better and life will resume. It is true that this season is crowded with statistics, models, and newscasts… not to mention our own crowded thoughts. But when we separate ourselves from the fray and find a higher place, we have a much better chance of seeing Jesus. We can call on Him and He will answer because He is never far from us. We can always find Him when we cast our eyes towards His direction. He is never too busy to stop what He is doing, offer His presence to us, and satisfy our longing for Him. Isn’t it amazing how blessed we can be by a little story on a felt board 50 years ago?

Casting Our Cares

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Children, have you any food?’ They answered Him, ‘No.’ And He said to them, ‘Cast the net on the right side of the boat…’ So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.” John 21:5-6

On a dark night seven disciples decided they were going out in a boat to fish. A great deal of work was required when preparing to take a boat out on a fishing excursion. It was late at night, so I assume the men were tired but hopeful to catch, cook, clean and eat the fish. Hour upon hour their empty nets surfaced but their frustration no doubt was plentiful. I’ll bet their muscles were giving out after hours of casting the weighted nets into the dark to no avail. Early the next morning, as they dragged their dirty nets and their exhausted bodies to shore, they still had to clean the boat and fishing equipment. But Jesus called out to them encouraging them to fish on the opposite side of the boat. I wonder if they were irritated since they had been fishing all night from all sides of the boat. I am sure they were tired, hungry and frustrated that they came up empty. But what did they have to lose? They had caught absolutely nothing to satisfy their hunger and efforts. But because Jesus inserted Himself in their equation the yield was miraculous and their satisfaction complete. As they battled their nothingness in their situation, it wasn’t until Jesus was near that their everything was provided.

Each of us are also in our own little boats waiting…watching…fishing for positive outcomes. We want our nets to pull in normalcy, contentment and freedom. When we cast our emotions into the worries of nothingness, we yield nothing. But when we cast our nets into the Living Waters, they are so full of the abundance of Jesus we can barely drag our nets in. It isn’t until we calculate our catch with Jesus in the middle that we catch what we are fishing for…peace…hope…joy. As we continue to live during these challenging times, let us make sure we are casting our weighted nets onto Jesus.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7

Fragile Hope

“…knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3b-5.

A few days ago, I was out taking my morning walk which has

become the best part of my day. As the days continue to unfold with somewhat of a ‘Groundhog’s Day’ movie theme, I find it more difficult to keep the faith…display the smile…to feel ‘the peace of Christ ruling in my heart.’ I doubt I am the only one who feels a bit off…weepy at times…easily irritated with things that normally don’t take up space in my mind. But we were created for freedom, so I am not too hard on myself since our job is to isolate. As I walked, I was focused on how restrictive our lives are at present and I glanced down and saw this fragile little speckled egg on the ground. The outer shell was missing a portion of its protective wall, an area where the baby bird applied pressure as it got stronger. I can just see the tiny form squirming and moving with perseverance until daylight broke through. Did the light hurt its eyes because of the brightness? Were there moments when the bird doubted it had the strength to continue? Did the little bird use hope as much as it used pressure?

Hope…what a beautiful word that never loses its optimism. ‘Hope is found not in the avoidance of suffering but the working through it. So, what is hope? According to this passage, hope has to do with an experience of God’s love that does not disappoint but instead feels like a flood of God’s love in the heart…and offers us a sense of certainty about God and our future.’ Inheritance of Hope website. Are we not like that little baby bird squirming and striving to make it through this time with the hope of freedom coming soon? Don’t we need the same perseverance that the little bird exerted, for us to grow spiritual development and a strengthened relationship with God? Because of God’s love we are also shelled in as a means of God’s protection and wisdom. Just like the little bird, we were meant to soar and experience God’s creation in full throttle. We might feel fragile during these days and weeks, but our promise of freedom applied with the hope of a better tomorrow will be realized sooner than later… hope does not disappoint. I never met the little bird, but it took flight as soon as it could, and so will we. In the meantime, we will remain protected in God's love and sheltered in hope...even if some days feel more fragile than others.

But God!

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” Ge 50:20-21

This is the story of Joseph which competes with every action-packed thriller ever made. Joseph was the baby of ten older brothers who were insanely jealous of how much their dad loved him. Joseph didn’t do much to endear himself, rather shared with the brothers his dream of dominion over them. They came up with a secret plan to kill him involving throwing him in a deep pit in the desert to die. Instead, they sold him to a group of passing Ishmaelites who were on their way to Egypt. The brothers’ jealousy resulted in the events that placed Joseph into slavery but ended with favor bestowed upon him in Egypt. He was granted a high position by the Pharaoh that would later prove to be the salvation of his own brothers and father. Life for Joseph was a life of privilege and poverty…favored and hated…from the palace to the prison. But in the end, God had allowed these circumstances to occur to fulfill His purpose for Joseph’s life. This beautiful passage was spoken from Joseph to his brothers once he was in power. His proclamation of divine providence is the same proclamation that we can say to our circumstances, ‘But God…’

I’m confident that we all have past circumstances when only by the grace of God did we survive. I had a daughter who walked in darkness for eight years, but God brought her into a life of purpose, testimony and clean healthy living. I secretly mounted debt and fractured our marriage, but God brought us through it 19 years ago and we will celebrate 35 years of marriage this June. We went a few years without work, but God provided every single day in whatever ways we lacked. Cancer and Alzheimer’s struck and robbed us of three of our beloved family members, but God has healed our heart. So, as I sit here in isolation with the uncertainty of this set of circumstances I will try to remember to proclaim ‘but God’ in every moment. I don’t know how long we must stay isolated from our love ones, but God knows the exact moment. I don’t know if our retirement money will still be enough to span our lives, but God knows the day each of us will no longer need money. I don’t know if we will be able to have our celebration of our daughter’s wedding in 8 weeks, but God will bless their marriage whether it is just the family or the entire guest list. When I fear I will say ‘but God.’ When I worry I will say ‘but God.’ When I’m frustrated I will say ‘but God.’

Whatever you are facing this morning, this afternoon or tomorrow please remember that every thought of anxiety has a ‘but God’ solution. He will bring peace into our troubled hearts and weary souls if we march out the battle with these two words…BUT GOD!

God's Greatest Move

“O death, where is your victory?” 1 Co 15:55b

After Jesus had given up His spirit, it is written that Joseph went to Pilate, asking permission to remove Jesus from the cross, prepare his body for burial and lay him to rest in the grave that Joseph had gotten for himself. Scholars have written that Joseph was a rich man, a secret disciple of Jesus, a member of the Council. Whatever the relationship was, this we know for sure…he loved Jesus and his heart was broken. After obtaining permission, he and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus’ body with spices in strips of linen, as part of the Jewish tradition. At some point there must have been a moment when their eyes met with unspoken acknowledgment that the time had come. With heavy spirits and broken hearts, they turned to the dark entrance of the tomb and slowly approached. One last glance over their shoulders and as they came out of the tomb the only thing left was for the final stone to be rolled across the entrance.

I know all about the final stone being rolled. My sister was diagnosed with a rare cancer with her prognosis being 2-4 months to live when discovered. Her brave walk lasted 11 months and ended one cold March day 11 years ago. I know what it is like to see a loved one laying lifeless on the edge of death. It was on a Friday and I was at her bedside in the Hospice House. She had been despondent for six days and her body lay still as if it had already passed. I knew her breaths were limited and so were her hours. As my eyes fell upon her in those ebbing hours, I was aware that the stone was beginning to roll marking the close of her life. I reached down to the floor and pulled her slippers to my heart knowing her feet would never walk this earth again. I walked around the room and gathered up clothes…her sweater hanging on the chair…her prayer shawl draped over the bed…her robe hanging on the back of the door…Things that seemed necessary on another day but not on this day. On the bathroom counter her small wedding band rested that would soon represent only memories for my brother-in-law. I gently folded her clothes and placed them in her suitcase. Heartbroken I lifted the framed picture of her 8-year -old daughter and placed it between her clothes. I took one more look, touched her one more time, reached down and kissed her on the cheek. I whispered, ‘safe travels…I will see you again someday’, slipped out of the room and soon after, the final stone was rolled. Behind that final stone laid several deaths. The death of the future dreams she shared with her husband and daughter…the death of shared future celebrations between four sisters. Behind that final stone laid multiple deaths for those who were left behind to mourn…to grieve…and to try to make sense of it all.

From THAT experience on THAT Friday, maybe I know a little of what Jesus’ followers were going through on THIS Friday, Good Friday. But from the standpoint of the disciples, it was anything but good. As they reflected on all that had transpired that day, their walk with Jesus must have seemed like a faraway dream. What happened to the promise that the King would set up His kingdom? What was the next step on a journey that seemed to prematurely end? As the day lost its light, the dream lost its pulse. Future plans were dashed… overwhelming confusion… unanswered questions. They were left on that Friday staring into the final stone which held captive all their hopes and dreams.

But as believers and having access to God’s completed story of redemption, we know how the story ends. Death on earth means life in Heaven. Because of Christ, no tomb can hold us and no grave triumphs over us! Unlike the disciples we have hope when our loved ones pass over into glory, because the stone becomes the gate and places are taken next to Christ Jesus. ‘Good Friday marks the day when wrath and mercy met at the cross. Paradoxically, the day that seemed to be the greatest triumph of evil was actually the deathblow in God’s gloriously good plan to redeem the world from bondage.’ Christianity Today website, Father, I Commit My Spirit into Your Hands

Searching our Horizons

"And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, 'Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace!'" Luke 19:41

This morning as I was drinking my coffee I was mesmerized by the dark sky and the multitude of stars so clearly seen. It is going to be a beautiful day, so beautiful that if I’m not careful I won’t even think of Jesus today. And yet, over 2000 years ago He woke up thinking of me and thinking of you. The same sun that is rising this morning is the same sun that rose that morning when men were plotting against Jesus. It was Holy Tuesday and the day when both His deity and power would be challenged and discredited by all of those in authority. They questioned Him throughout the day trying to trick Him so they could imprison Him. Jesus awoke to the reality that Holy Tuesday was the day when conspiracies to trap Him would escalate with the end goal of ridding their city of Him. What crime had Jesus committed in reality? The crime of loving God and loving man so much that He would be murdered for them. While they had His death on their mind, Jesus had their life on His mind. The week would grow in intensity and the lack of faith that Israel revealed broke His heart.

We are living in a time when our days also are growing in intensity and it's easy to have a lack of faith. With each morning's newscast the number of people contracting the virus rises along with the deaths. No wonder Jesus slipped away from the chaos to take stock in the reality of what was occurring. My walks are my moments when I climb to the top of my mountain looking for a future horizon with gatherings with my loved ones, giving tight and long bear hugs to my children and grandchildren. The horizon shows me and my mother at The Olive Garden laughing and telling old stories. It shows me with my sisters celebrating their April birthdays. It shows me in my daughter's car going to Spring Break next year with them in Florida. I can see me and Bruce at our favorite Italian spot in the community. But most of all the horizon shows me standing at my seat at my beautiful church on Easter Sunday with standing room only as we all worship the one true resurrected Savior!

It’s so easy to rush pass Holy Week but Jesus deserves more than a rushed resurrection. There was nothing fast or easy about the days leading up to His death. I’m sure that every day seemed like forever and every attack seemed like a betrayal. But some days I’m no different that those people over 2000 years ago. Some days I challenge His power… ‘Can’t you do this...or won’t you do that?’ Some days like those people I don’t recognize when Jesus is trying to be my Savior. Sometimes I accuse Him of taking too much time...doing much too little...when really He is accomplishing so much through this challenging time. So for now I will take descend the mountain and accept that while mountains are made to scale, lives are lived at the bottom.

I pray that today wherever we are and whatever we are involved in, we will think of Jesus since He was thinking of us in the days leading up to the cross.

The True Contagion

“Let your gentleness be evident to all...the Lord is at hand.” Philippians 4:5

Over the weekend the news seemed to have been colored with violent blacks and charcoals. Descriptions for this Holy week included our Pearl Harbor day…one of the darkest times in the history of our nation…devastating losses in death. But one of the most repeated words I’ve heard for at least a month is ‘contagious.’ The relentless movement and infiltration of this contagion has forced us to distance ourselves from most friends and family for which we usually love on and fellowship.

I began considering Holy Week as it related to Jesus. As Sunday melted into Monday, did Jesus awake like I did this morning with the heaviness of His ‘Pearl Harbor Day’ on His mind? I’m sure that He was aware that one of the darkest days in the history of the world was getting ready to occur. He fully understood how this story would end…a devastating loss for His mother, His siblings and His disciples and friends. The pursuit had been relentless, and intense hatred for Jesus had become contagious. But as I consider the details of His Holy week, I consider what was ultimately contagious…His gentleness…evidence of His Godliness. Everything considered, while Jesus was being hated by others, the disciples were being loved by Jesus at the Last Supper. While Jesus was preparing to die, He was preparing His friends of how to live. While Peter cut off the ear of the man who was arresting Jesus, he was told by Jesus to put away his sword. Even as Jesus hung on the cross with labored breath, He whispered to the criminal that they would be together that day in Paradise. His gentleness was contagious which marked the true presence of God.

When we are heavyhearted and anxiety rages within us, we can remember that Christ also faced His ‘Pearl Harbor Day,’ but showed His true character by His gentleness and concern for others. I can’t help but to believe that gentleness in Christ is more contagious than any virus that has a shelf life. As we walk out our first day of Holy Week, may our gentleness towards others testify that our Lord is at hand and walks every step with us.

When Flyers Must Fly

“Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God is calling us” Phil 3:13-14 TLB.

I’m unsure how old I was the first time I sat in the dark beneath the high wire of a trapeze performance. I do recall being very nervous for the one who had left the ledge and was soaring towards the one who was to catch her. Would he be there at the right time? Would he miss her hand? Would she plummet to the floor? Would he lose His grip leaving her with nothing but an empty swing too short to reach? But each time I witnessed a trapeze performance the connection was seamless and the timing was exquisite.

Are you feeling that you woke up a few weeks ago after you had left the ledge anticipating the catch of normalcy only to realize the swing is empty? We were soaring through life with presumed assumptions of having that same job, enjoying that same restaurant, having that same bank balance and enjoying guaranteed health. Suddenly the swing comes our way and we see that it is too short to grab hold to because things we connect with are suddenly missing. So, as we are straining to reach for something…anything…to catch us during this season what are our options? Maybe the only option is to look beyond the swing. Just maybe what can save us is a Person instead of the things upon which we normally depend. When we look beyond the swing, we will see the outreached hand of God who will always catch us. He knows the very second when we left the ledge before we even realized what was up ahead. He has timed His presence perfectly to keep us from falling ensuring that our grip is not what saves us but His grip.

When we feel as if there is an empty swing up ahead, we must maintain our focus, continue our soar with full trust in the faithful catch of God. ‘The secret is that the flyer does nothing and the catcher does everything. I have simply to stretch out my arms and hands and wait for him to catch me and pull me safely in…A flyer must fly, and a catcher must catch, and the flyer must trust, with outstretched arms, that his catcher will be there for him.’ Henri Nouwen [former trapeze artist]

‘Your Father has never dropped anyone. He will not drop you. His grip is sturdy, and his hands are open.’ Anxious for Nothing, Max Lucado, p. 48

Welcome Sweet April!

“…I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.” Isaiah 6:1

Goodbye March! I’m glad to see you go and I will try to recall you fondly, but it will be difficult. You gave me sweet days with my sister-in-law and brother-in-law early in your month. You gave teases of sunny days that would be our constant enjoyment in the month that follows. You provided a day where family and friends enjoyed a shower for my baby celebrating her upcoming June wedding. But just as I was lulled into a pleasurable March you came down with a hammer…unexpectedly… unsettling…unbelievably. You upended every part of my peaceful life and gave me constant gaze at the decline of every freedom known. But this morning standing firmly on the first day of April, I look at you in the rear-view mirror and claim that you are the fool! The joke is on you! Because just above your circumstances, there is a spiritual view of Heaven where all things are perfect with a God who planned on everything you threw at us!

Come with me this first day of April and lift your eyes to the clouds. If you watch closely you will see them pulled back displaying a King! It is not a king who has rehearsed his lines and is waiting on cue from the actors who are angels. No, this King is real with complete sovereignty over every detail of this world. Sovereignty…what a powerful word for a powerful Creator. ‘Sovereignty is the term the Bible uses to describe God’s perfect control and management of the universe. He preserves and governs every element. He is continually involved with all created things, directing them to act in a way that fulfills his divine purpose.’ Anxiety for Nothing, Max Lucado, p. 22.

God’s perfect control…governing every element…directing all things to act in His plan. Sometimes God calms our fears not by removing our problems but by revealing His divine power and presence. When we cannot fix our circumstances, we can certainly entrust them back to the One who governs them. With April upon us, let us lift our eyes above the chaos of this world and trade our worries for our worship. And if we are tempted to look back down, may we only look for a second to comprehend just how high we really are in Christ. Fill your mind and thoughts with the certainty of God’s power to bring all things under His control for our good.

Welcome to April!

“…upholding all things by the word of His power…” Hebrews 1:3