The Land of Rebellion

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Joy

Do you know someone living in the land of rebellion? Making bad choices. Running with a partying crowd. Throwing caution to the wind. Caught in the wilderness of loneliness and emptiness. Heading down the path to a very dark place.

And not wanting help from anyone who tells them to stop.

I lived in the land of rebellion for twenty years after my dad died. I know it all too well. It starts out fun. But there comes a time when the luster wears off. The weight of rebellion is overpowering. In our struggle to survive, we counter-intuitively shut out everyone who tries to speak truth into our life. We don’t need their help. They don’t understand us. They don’t know what we’ve really been through. We don’t want people telling us how to live our life.

We’re tired of them. We’re tired of trying to be someone we’re not. But we’re also tired of running. Truthfully, we’re just plain tired.

I have a friend whose 18 year old daughter, “Amy”, is deep in the land of rebellion. Amy lived a very tough life as a little girl. She was molested for several years by a stepbrother, but no one knew. When she finally told her mother (a couple of years after the stepfather and stepbrother moved out), Amy was barely hanging on to hope and life. She was in and out of counseling. Had several failed suicide attempts. Spent a couple of months living at a group home for girls struggling with similar real life trauma. But Amy didn’t have her driver’s license and eventually dropped out of school. Because she couldn’t drive, she couldn’t get a job. She was frustrated with her mother. And this year, when she turned 18, Amy boldly declared that no one could force her to do anything anymore. So she was given the choice to go live at a house where she could earn her GED and receive work training, or go to a women’s shelter downtown. She chose the women’s shelter. She was out on the streets during the day and in the shelter at night. For about a week. Then she met a “boyfriend” who convinced her to go out on the streets full-time. And that’s where she is now.

Amy is living a nightmare. She has no money. She’s isolated herself from her family. She’s giving herself away for companionship, somehow convincing herself that this person is taking care of her.

I wish this story wasn’t true but it is. A lot of us have spent time in the land of rebellion in one way or another. Some of us are still there today. And there comes a time when clarity pervades the dark lies. We want to go home. Pride and our new friends tell us the lie that no one wants us back. And so we give up hope and go deeper into the dark land of rebellion.

Even in Jesus’ day the land of rebellion had an appealing lure.

Jesus told the story of a wealthy man’s son who asked for his inheritance so he could spend it on the high life of partying and self-indulgence. But after squandering everything he had, he was barely hanging on to hope and life in the land of rebellion. In a moment of clarity, the son pushed his pride aside and made the decision to go back home, even if it meant being a servant in his father’s household instead of an heir. To his surprise, while he was still a long way from the house, his father came running out to meet him. He showered the son with love and forgiveness, and restored him to a place of honor.

This is how God receives us.

No matter where we’ve been. No matter where we are. No matter what we’ve done. No matter how long we’ve been gone. Even if we’ve ever known God before. He wants us to know Him now. He wants us to come home to Him. He’s ready to run out and meet us, and shower us with His love and forgiveness.

For anyone running or living in the land of rebellion, it’s time to go home. God is ready and waiting.

We have to understand that our parents, family and friends may be skeptical. It may take some time for them to see that we really want to get out of the land of rebellion. And that’s okay. Eventually, they too will receive us with love and forgiveness when they see our commitment to change.

“So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Luke 16:20

May I pray?

Father God, the land of rebellion is a dark place that’s hard to escape. It’s full of lies that keep us in bondage. Lord, I lift up to You anyone struggling to get out today. Give them the courage to turn to You and pray for Your help. Give them the courage to call someone and ask for help. Please open a door so they can take the first step toward leaving the land of rebellion and coming home. And for those of us who know someone in the land of rebellion, grant us the wisdom to know how to reach out to them in love without condemnation and offer our help. Amen.

Q4U: Are you ready to leave the land of rebellion and head home to God?

Who Needs A Good Doctor?

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Joy

Do you have a good doctor you would recommend? The days of a physician that delivers babies and then cares for the entire family through adulthood are over. Now we have specialists for every phase of life, every disease, and every body part. Because there are so many doctors and specialties, few of us have a rapport with our doctor, if we even have a doctor at all.

I’m one of those people who will go once a year for my annual appointment because I have to. Other than that, if I’m not incapacitated with a major sinus infection or the flu, I’m not venturing to the doctor’s office for any reason. There are a lot of people who feel like they’re getting along just fine on their own and so they don’t see a physician for years. But even with an aversion to doctors’ offices, most of us will relent and go see the doctor when nothing else will help.

Many of us approach Jesus like we do doctors.

We don’t think we really need Jesus. We’re getting along fine on our own, why do we need to go see Him? But then something happens. We have a near death experience. Someone close to us is diagnosed with cancer, or even dies. Our child is sick and the doctors can’t seem to figure out why.

There comes a time when we realize we don’t have the power to heal ourselves or the ones we love. And we need healing.

Doctors can do amazing things with today’s medical technology. But medicine can only go so far. We need more. More than just physical healing. We need emotional healing. We need spiritual healing. Soul deep healing can happen even if physical healing does not. And it starts with hope.

Eternal hope isn’t found in any surgery or medication. Eternal hope is found in the Doctor we’re not sure we need. Jesus.

In order to find this hope, we have to come to Jesus. He is the Great Physician. He is God, and God is Jehovah-rapha, the Lord Who Heals. Jesus can heal us from the inside out. He can heal our heart wounds from the past. He can heal our physical bodies today. And even if He chooses not to heal us physically, He can bring wholeness to our soul as He prepares us for eternity in heaven with Him.

There may be some of us who think we’re too sick for Jesus to heal. We’ve lived some rough years in the world. We’ve made really bad choices that left deep gashes and wicked scars, in our mind and on our heart. We may believe that Jesus wants to help people who go to church and live a “good” life, but He wouldn’t want or be able to help someone like us.

Please know that Jesus did not come to hang out with healthy people who don’t need help. Jesus came to heal the people who know they’re sick.

Jesus came to touch the lepers who were untouchable. He came to forgive the prostitutes who were desperate for a new life. He came to transform the tax collectors who were hated by their own people because they lied, cheated and stole. He came to provide for and encourage the widows and orphans who were pushed aside by society. He even came to heal the woman who had been bleeding, broken and ostracized for over a decade. Through His love and attention, He healed her emotionally. Through His touch, He healed her physically.

In each case, Jesus did much more than physical healing.

Jesus has the power to heal us physically. But more important to Him is that we’re healed emotionally and spiritually. Jesus came to heal those who want soul-deep transformational healing.

We’re all in need of the Good Doctor.

“When Jesus heard this, He told them, ‘Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.’” Mark 2:17 (NLT)

May I pray?

Jesus, we’re sinners in need of You. We may or may not have physical ailments that we want healed. But one thing is for sure, we need healing. We have wounds and scars from the past that won’t go away. We have bruised and broken relationships that we can’t seem to fix on our own. We’re missing pieces of our heart from loved ones who are gone. Lord, You are Jehovah-rapha. You alone have the power to heal us from the inside out and transform our life. Please touch us with Your healing hand today. Please fill us with the eternal hope that comes only from You. Amen.

Q4U: Will you uncover your wounds for Jesus so He can start healing them?

In Her Own Words… Jill

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Joy

My name is Jill and this is my story…

I sat outside in the grass, leaning against the side of the house. I sobbed. “What has happened?” I wondered. Rob and I had been married 5 years. We had a beautiful 2 year old son, lived in a new home, and I was due to have our 2^nd child in a few short months. I had a great nursing job, and Rob was not only working towards his college degree, but was also employed part-time at our church. From outward appearances, we had the perfect lives. But inside I felt angry, disillusioned, lonely and depressed.

Our marriage had started out wonderfully. We were completely in love, and happiest when we were together. We developed close friendships with other young couples from our church, and spent many happy hours sharing in fellowship and worship together. Rob and I grew even closer during my first pregnancy, and when Matt was born, we were elated! Life with a new baby was challenging at times, but Rob was a great Daddy and so sweet with Matt. My love for him grew.

I don’t know when it started, but at some point my happiness began to fade. Rob and I started to spend much more time apart than together. We arranged our work schedules and Rob’s class schedule so that one of us could be home with Matt, and not have to put him in daycare. Even when we had free time, however, we started to spend it apart. Tensions grew as money became tighter. I liked to save money, and resented that Matt liked to spend, running up our credit card bills and refusing to keep track of checks that he wrote. For the first time in my life, I was deep in debt. Although he verbalized excitement about the new baby, I didn’t feel his support like I had during my first pregnancy. We started fighting, and hurtful words were exchanged. I felt I didn’t love him anymore.

That afternoon as I sat and cried, I wanted to run away. We had no family in the area to run to, however, so I just got into my car and started to drive. I didn’t know where I was going, but I ended up in the neighborhood near our church. I pulled into the church parking lot. The door to the sanctuary was open and I went in, crying, shaking, desperate. I didn’t expect anyone to be there. I sat down on a pew and soon afterward, Bill, the associate pastor, walked up and sat next to me. He and his wife were close friends of ours, but they didn’t know the struggles that we had been facing. Nobody knew. I cried and he listened. He prayed with me, encouraged me, helped to remind me of Rob’s good qualities and his love for me, and advised me about where I could get some financial advice. I returned home, hopeful for the first time in many months.

Thomas was born in the Spring. He was truly a blessing. However, Rob and I continued to struggle. I felt isolated and weighed down with financial worries, and Rob seemed unconcerned about our relationship or finances. We couldn’t communicate about either without becoming angry or upset. Rob and I had made a promise to each other when we got married that we would never divorce. I intended to keep my promise but the future looked bleak when I imagined years trapped in a loveless marriage. I prayed, seeking God’s wisdom and help. When I had the opportunity to visit my mom, she sensed that I was unhappy. I felt ashamed and didn’t want to burden her with my problems. But she lovingly persisted in her questioning and I finally broke down and told her everything. We cried together––I because of my despair, and she because I was hurting. My mom, like Bill, supported me but also encouraged me to see the good things in Rob. She offered some practical ideas to help my financial situation and she prayed for me. When our visit was over, I returned home feeling strengthened. I had some positive steps that I planned to take, to improve my relationship with Rob and also to get our finances under control.

I made an appointment with a financial counselor. Rob had agreed that he would go with me but he backed out at the last minute. I was furious. But I decided to go alone and take whatever steps were necessary to secure my financial future. The counselor was very helpful and I decided that day that in order to protect myself and my children, I would need to separate my finances from Rob’s. This would enable me to fight my way out of debt over time and force Rob to be accountable for his own irresponsibility. It was a difficult decision but I was desperate. I left my appointment determined to follow through, but I also felt saddened knowing that God desires married couples to be united. Before going home, I walked into a shop next door. My eyes fell upon a checkbook cover which had printed on it a Bible verse:

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Jeremiah 29:11

I immediately felt God speaking to my heart. This verse was a promise to me. I believed it and I would trust Him to fulfill it.

The verse strengthened me over the next few years. I memorized it and claimed its promises regularly. I disciplined myself, and with God’s help I was able to climb out of debt. At the same time, I remained faithful in my tithing, recognizing that God honors obedience. He provided for all of our material needs. I began to rely more on God to fill my emotional needs, and less on Rob. God was always there and never disappointed me. He also showed me areas where I needed to change and grow, and I began to be able to take my eyes off of myself more often and to see Rob’s needs.

God gave me a new love for Rob, and over time our relationship has become sweet again. We have weathered some difficult times. And God has been faithful. I do indeed now possess the future that God promised me. I am free of debt, I have all that I need materially, I have a wonderful relationship with my grown boys and my husband, and I continue to have great hope not just for today but for the future. From experience, I also know that no matter what I may face, God is faithful. He will never leave me. He loves me more than I can comprehend and His plans for me are good. I can trust all of His promises.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Jeremiah 29:11

May I pray?

Heavenly Father, so many of us struggle in relationships and marriage. Stress of work and family, and the heavy burdens of debt can snuff out the feelings of love we used to share. Lord, it’s not easy to hold onto the commitment we made and work through issues, especially when it seems one sided. But Lord, You are faithful to us and will lead us in the right direction when we turn to You and let go of what we think should happen. Bless those marriages that are in turmoil today with new hope. Bless my sisters who feel isolated, and let them know they don’t have to go through this alone. Amen.

Q4U: Do you have a Rising Above Real Life story? You can encourage others by sharing the ups and downs of your journey. Please contact me at Joy@RisingAboveRealLife.com. Names can remain confidential.

Fear that Binds Us

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Joy

Is there something that scares you? Snakes? Elevators? Heights? Clowns? Public speaking? Death? Fear is powerful. Fear is consuming. Left unchecked it can grip like a vice and squeeze until we can’t function or even breathe. For those who give in, they’re dragged down to dark pits of extreme hysteria.

I was on a flight to Florida recently. The woman behind me was hyperventilating because she had such an intense fear of flying. The problem was that the cabin door hadn’t even been closed yet––we were on the ground with passengers still boarding. Yet just being on the plane and anticipating the flight ahead evoked sheer panic. She had flown before. She never had a bad experience on a flight. No close calls with death. No sudden drops in altitude or air pressure. But she was terrified. Her fear was real.

The passenger seated next to her tried to console her. The stewardess let her know that she could still get off the plane if she wanted to. It wasn’t too late. But between short breaths the woman declined saying she had to get to Florida. So the man across the aisle began to pray over her.

Slowly, the woman’s frantic breathing calmed. Her sobs subsided. She was quiet.

And then the stewardess announced that the cabin door was closed. Fear rang out again. We taxied toward the runway and prepared for takeoff. As the plane jettisoned off the ground and took flight, I was praying for the woman. I prayed that she would be enveloped in God’s unmistakable peace and comfort. That His presence would consume her, not fear.

And then I prayed that I would get a sense of what this woman was feeling so that I could better understand her fear and know specifically how to pray for her.

It’s important to know that I love to fly. I love the feeling at takeoff when the plane goes airborne and heads for the sky. I love the view from the window as the plane rises over the countryside and the patchwork of farms and forest emerges. I love the sense of adventure and freedom of flying. But on this day, as I prayed to feel this woman’s fear, I was nauseous. An unexplainable anxiety welled up as my heartbeat raced and my palms became sweaty. It was awful. And shocking. I praised the Lord for answering my prayer. And I praised Him that this fear was temporary.

The woman was quiet for the next two hours of our flight as she gripped the armrests for dear life and sat motionless. But as we began our approach and the plane turned left and right to line up with the runway, she began losing it. Literally. Over and over she threw up into her airbag and the passengers around her scrambled to get additional bags.

I began praying for her again. But this time I didn’t ask to feel what she felt.

Our fears may not make sense to other people. They may not make sense to us. But they’re real. They’re physically and emotionally draining. And they can so incapacitate us that we lose out on the amazing things happening around us. We dread what lies ahead and all we can focus on is the heart-gripping fear and the adrenaline-pulsing anxiety that suck every ounce of life out of us.

Maybe we fear telling the truth. Maybe we fear something we’re supposed to do. Maybe we fear our past and what would happen if people found out where we’ve been. Maybe we fear not being in control of a situation, like flying.

Regardless of our fears, God can deliver us and restore our strength. Our fears can be completely washed away so they bind us no more. How? Because God is peace, Jehovah-shalom. And peace and fear cannot co-exist. If we surrender to God instead of fear, we will rest in His peace.

Lay your fears out before God. Ask Him to come and fill you with His presence, His peace. Trust in His power of deliverance. Walk forward with Him. And if fear ever starts to well up again, go straight to God and ask for His peace again. Trust in His power of deliverance again. Walk forward with Him again.

God is peace. He is the truth and hope that overcomes fear. No matter what your fear is.

“I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4

May I pray?

Lord, we may joke about some of the things we’re afraid of. But sometimes we have deep-seeded fears that go down into the core of our being. Those fears can wrap us in physical trauma that we can’t explain. Father, I pray that anyone living in fear today will come to You and lay those fears out before You. Help them acknowledge their fears so they can make the decision to turn from fear and take refuge in You instead. By Your power, fill them with Your peace. May their fears be transformed into praise for You. Amen.

Q4U: What do you fear and why?

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: Ambition

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Joy

Are you driven? Not as in are you driven around by your friend who has her own car. But is there something in your life that you’re driven to achieve? For most of us, great opportunities for advancement and growth rarely fall into our lap. In order to climb the ranks in business or achieve our personal goals we have to show ambition. We have to get out of our comfort zone and go after what we want.

We’ve talked a lot this week about pursuing success and making things happen. Today I want to look at the various sides of ambition so we don’t walk away thinking that wanting something and working hard for it are wrong.

Ambition, i.e. the drive to achieve something of value to us, is a good thing. As long as what we’re pursuing is the right “thing”.

How do we know what we should be pursuing? Take a look at yesterday’s blog Make It Happen. We should never shy away from being ambitious. But we should ask ourselves if what we’re pursuing: is in line with God’s Word, brings glory to Him, and is confirmed by God as we bring it to Him in prayer over time.

Ambition that honors God and allows us to join in His work is The Good of ambition.

Unfortunately, a lot of people lack ambition. Laziness, depression, and past failures can zap any desire we might otherwise have to try to achieve something new. Sometimes we may be complacent because it’s easier to stick with status quo rather than show some initiative. Sometimes we may feel burdened by life and we can’t imagine taking on anything else, no matter what the potential reward. Sometimes we may be so beaten down by our experiences of the past that we’re afraid to put ourselves out there again.

Lack of ambition is The Bad of ambition. It prevents us from expanding our horizons. And our relationship with God can stagnate because we’re not trusting Him to lead us forward and help us grow.

The Ugly is the final side of ambition. The dark side.

Ambition goes awry when we start putting ourselves above other people. We view our desires as more important than other people. We become conceited. We become self-focused and self-centered. We climb over others to get where we want to be. We’re on a mission, and nothing or no one will get in our way.

Ambition also goes awry when we start pursuing fame, power or wealth instead of God.

We don’t like to think of ourselves as displaying The Ugly of ambition. But most of us have. Many of us still do. Most of us will always struggle with it to some degree. In order to see The Ugly, it takes a willingness to humbly look at our life and what drives us. And if we don’t assess our attitudes or actions, we can expect the crisis that will one day come because of our pursuits.

Today let’s take our eyes off the prize we’re trying to attain, and instead let’s put our focus on Jesus. Let’s pray earnestly about what we’re striving for, why, how it fits into God’s plan for our life, and whether or not we’re climbing over others to get there.

If we begin to pursue God and let Him drive the process, any selfish desires or Ugly ambition will take a back seat.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3

May I pray?

God, most of us have grown up believing that ambition is good, and even expected for anyone who wants to do something important with their life. But sometimes the pressure is too much. And sometimes we go to the extreme of pursuing our dreams regardless of what it costs us or others. Lord, please help us to turn to You. Help us to honestly and humbly assess what we’re striving for to see how it lines up with Your Word. Amen.

Q4U: Does your life display the good, the bad or the downright ugly of ambition?

Make It Happen

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Joy

Have you ever pushed for something and been completely committed to it, only to realize down the road that it was a bad idea? We talked yesterday about personal mottos and life mantras, and I shared that as a teenager there were two personal mottos I adopted and lived by for over twenty years:
– Dare to be Different
– Make It Happen

Today let’s talk about “making it happen” because this is something most of us try to do. Often.

The first question is: What is “It”? What are we trying to make happen? It could be anything we feel we have to have. It could be something we’re passionate about. It could be something we think would be fun or advantageous. It could be something we desperately need.

A job. A relationship. A baby. A strategic business deal. The right school for our child. A gala. The appearance of a lifestyle.

It will be different for each of us. What isn’t different is that we’ll do whatever it takes to make It happen.

It becomes a mission. And we start viewing our success or failure based on our ability to bring It to fruition. Our focus, our conversations, our stress and anxiety. They’re all centered around It. We have to understand that It isn’t inherently bad. But if It begins to consume our life, then we have a problem.

The other problem is that we can be dead-set on making It happen, and It may not be what God wants for us.

This is where seeking God and asking for guidance comes in. Our emotions and desires are fully engaged in It. We want It. We need It. We can’t see why we shouldn’t have It. Sooner rather than later. And so we make It happen.

Sometimes what we want or think should happen is really good. But It still may not be what’s best according to God’s plan. How will we know what God wants? By asking Him. By going to Him in prayer. By humbly putting It in God’s hands and waiting for a response as we seek God and His will.

Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Many people read this and think that if they pray to God He’ll give them what they want. That’s not what the verse says. It starts by saying “Delight yourself in the LORD.” That means love God. He wants each and every one of us to get to know Him. To pursue Him and get excited about our relationship with Him. Then He will give us the desires of our heart. Again, this doesn’t mean He’ll necessarily give us what we think we want today. God says He’ll give us His desires, i.e. He’ll place His desires upon our heart and they will become our desires.

As we grow in our relationship with God, not only do we become more like Him, but our desires become the same things that God desires for us. So what we want today probably will not be the same things we want as our perspective is transformed and we look at things through God’s eyes.

Having drive and bringing things to completion can be very good. But if we’re striving to make It happen, regardless of what It is, we’re headed for a bumpy road ahead. Let’s press pause, and instead of pursuing It, let’s pursue God. Let’s delight in Him first. Then we’ll receive the desires of our heart.

We may be very surprised at how different our new desires are compared to It.

“Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

May I pray?

Father God, we’ve been taught that going after our dreams and making things happen are good. But what we’re not taught is that there can be serious consequences and we can miss out on Your blessing when we pursue things instead of pursuing You. Please speak to us today as we bring our requests for guidance to You. May we think about what it means to truly delight in someone, and may we begin delighting in You. Amen.

Q4U: What is your personal motto or life mantra?

Dare to be Different

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Joy

Do you have a personal motto? Some people memorize motivational or inspirational sayings to recall in times of trial. Some people want a mantra they can carry through life which depicts their purpose or calling.

As a teenager, there were two personal mottos I adopted and lived by for over twenty years:
– Dare to be Different
– Make It Happen

The first motto appealed to my rebellious spirit. I loved the concept of being different. And I reveled in the challenge of any dare.

For me, it wasn’t the idea of being different as in being odd. It was being different as in standing out. Being daring. Trying what others were afraid to try. Doing what others couldn’t or wouldn’t do. Being adventurous. Living on the edge. Pushing the envelope. Seeing how far I could go, and how fast. In everything.

In my mind, I had something to prove.

I didn’t want to be like the masses of people who meandered through life with nothing to show for it. I didn’t want to live a humdrum existence. I wanted to soar the thrilling heights of a charmed life. I had to prove that I wasn’t an ordinary girl from an ordinary, broken home. I was special. I was fun. I was fearless. And I was going to have it all.

Life was a competition. I was creative and determined to win. I dared to be different. I was going all in.

In one sense, my personal motto and life mantra served me well as I scrambled up the corporate ladder and scaled the walls of success. After all, that was my one tangible goal in life. To be successful. And in so doing, to honor my father’s memory and make him proud. To provide a better life to my future children than what I had growing up. To be able to give them all of the things I wanted but couldn’t have. To get and give all of the things that bring happiness.

Of course, it didn’t turn out this way. And success, wealth and “things” don’t bring true or lasting happiness.

The end of my original Dare to be Different chapter in life came when I was introduced to Jesus at age 35. I had reached the pinnacle of my career at age 33, and there was no one there to celebrate with. Success was empty. Life at the top was lonely. And I had squandered so many years climbing the mountain of the world that I never had the children I was doing it all for.

When I met Jesus, my world changed. I changed.

I no longer had anything to prove. I realized that nothing would fill my emptiness except Jesus, and so my goal in life was now to pursue Him. It may sound weird. But all I have is from Him. I am nothing without Him. By the grace of God, He has redeemed my life from the dark pits of loneliness and despair. He has given me a second chance and allowed me to experience new life based on eternal hope.

Today, I still dare to be different, but in a new way.

I dare to live my life for Jesus and make different choices than most people I know. I do it in the hopes that if there’s anyone else wanting to leave the past behind to move forward in new life, they’ll know it can be done. And I’m here to help them. That’s what sisterhood is all about.

So let me challenge you. Will you dare to be different too?

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by a renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2

May I pray?

Jesus, many of us want a life that’s different than what we had growing up, and even different than what we have now. And many of us try to fill our loneliness with slick new toys, a fast and fabulous lifestyle, and empty relationships. But Lord, at some point we’ll end up at the bottom of a dark pit staring up and wondering, “Where are we, and where are You?” Help us to turn to You today and say “Yes”. Yes, we dare to be different and live our life for You. In Your holy and precious Name I pray. Amen.

Q4U: How will you dare to be different?

What’s In Your Wallet?

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Joy

Have you seen or heard those catchy credit card commercials that depict the medieval people in funny modern-day situations? The message of the commercials is twofold: 1) we can and should go experience the world, and 2) no matter what predicament we get in, this credit card will take care of everything. The commercials end with the question, “What’s in your wallet?”

They make us wonder, “What am I missing out on?” and “Is what I already have really going to take care of me when I need help?” The intent is that we’ll decide we need that credit card. It opens up new opportunities for fun. It ensures our full protection. It gives us peace of mind.

So what is in our wallet (or purse)?

Credit cards and checkbooks? How many? Makeup and lip gloss to make us feel beautiful? iPhones to stay connected? Designer sunglasses to keep us cool? Keys to houses and cars and work? Pictures of special people? Daytimers? Books? A card for a friend that we keep forgetting to give them? Okay, that’s in mine. Things at the bottom that we haven’t seen in months?

Our wallet or purse is a pretty good indication of where we are in life and what we do each day.

It carries links to our most treasured possessions. Money. Beauty. House or car. Career. The perfect relationship. But do any of these truly offer full protection or bring peace of mind? Can they fill our longings for purpose and connection, or do they temporarily offer an escape that ultimately leads to emptiness? For some of us, we don’t have strong relationships and we do whatever we can to fill the void. For others, our busyness with work and activities often takes our time and attention away from those people and things that we want to be most important in our life.

So where is our treasure?

What do we pour our heart into? What gets our best time every day? What do we focus on and look forward to? What do we spend money on and save up for? Family? Kids? Husband or boyfriend? Friends? Job? Vacations? Our golf game? Favorite TV shows? Magazines? Our amazing shoe collection? Great parties on Saturday nights? Something else?

Does God fit in there anywhere?

The things we hold dear can be wonderful gifts in our life that bless us in amazing ways. But if they pull us away from building strong bonds with family and friends, and if we begin pursuing the gifts instead of the Giver, we’re headed for a dark and lonely place.

What we pour our heart and soul into should fill our lives with joy and peace. Are we happy with the treasure displayed in our life today? Or are we continually digging for empty treasure that goes out of style or is forgotten tomorrow? Are we sacrificing time with those people we genuinely care about? Are we sacrificing time with God?

Think about who and what you treasure. Then give them your best today.

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Luke 12:34

May I pray?

Lord, we’re constantly bombarded with messages telling us that we should want more, buy more, work more so we can play more. But at the end of the day, these things rarely fill us up. We’re left feeling empty, and so we go in a circle again, trying to do more and get more. Father, help us to step back and think about what’s most important in our life. Help us to understand that true joy and peace do not come from anything we can buy or make or get, but they come through a loving relationship with You and with others. Help us today to stop trying to get something to satisfy us. May we instead pour our heart into lasting treasure. Amen.

Q4U: What is the treasure in your life?

Is It All In The Shoes?

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Joy

What’s your favorite pair of shoes? Mine is a cute pair of pink silk stiletto sandals with high ankle straps and big pink beads over the toes. They’re pretty and fun and as comfortable as heels can be. What’s not to love? I just need more outfits to wear them with.

Shoes can say a lot about us.

My friend told me about a class that teaches women to look at a guy’s shoes when first meeting him in order to “size up” what kind of person he is (and that doesn’t mean figuring out if he wears a 9 or a 10). The premise is that you can determine what a guy thinks about himself and how he’ll care about others (including you) based on his shoes. Really? Apparently I keep forgetting to do that.

I certainly wouldn’t pay to go to a class like that, but it got me thinking. What are we looking at when we first meet people? Not just guys, but people in general. What do we see?

Truthfully, we tend to be very judgmental whether we care to admit it or not.

Do we look someone up and down to quickly assess if they’re the type of person we want to get to know? Are we friendlier to people who dress nice and smell good? Do we draw near to people who are the life of the party and stay away from the ones standing sheepishly in the corner? Do we steer clear of people who have a handicap and avoid eye contact with those we know aren’t quite “right”?

Are we self-centered as we meet new people, figuring out what’s in it for us? How can they help us? What can they bring to our life? And is it better than what someone else has to offer?

I heard a story about a woman who was blind. She met a man who loved her deeply and would do anything for her. But she wasn’t happy because she couldn’t see the world and do things like others could. Day in and day out she complained and was miserable, even though she had someone very dear to share her life with. One day she was told that an eye donor had been found. Her boyfriend was there by her side before she went into surgery. He told her he would love her always, even if the surgery didn’t restore her eyesight. The surgery was a success. A week later the bandages were taken off and she was able to see her boyfriend for the first time. To her disappointment, he was blind. He was the eye donor. He had given his eyes so that she could see. And now she wanted more than he could offer.

Sometimes we’re like the woman who was blind. Always wanting something more. Always disappointed no matter who we have in our life. Not looking past other people’s handicaps, even if they’ve loved us through ours.

Sometimes we’re like the boyfriend. Wishing others would see us for who we really are. Wishing others would know and appreciate the love we have to share. Wishing others would stop focusing on what they don’t have and start living life to the fullest in the moment, before everything changes.

It’s time to get to the heart of the matter.

If we judge others based on their appearance or what we think they can bring to our life, we need to adjust our perspective and truly look for the good in others. Even if it’s hidden behind a wall of protection.

And if others brush us off or discount our worth because we don’t measure up to their standards, then be encouraged. What’s truly important is not what they see, but what God sees. God looks at the heart. He knows the love we have to share. And He thinks we’re beautiful because of it.

Who we are is not about shoes or anything we bring to the table. It’s about our heart and the love we have to share.

“‘The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’”1 Samuel 16:7

May I pray?

Lord, thank You for not judging us based on how we look, what we bring to the table, or how we mess up. I praise You that You can see into our heart and know exactly who we are. Please help us to not judge others based on their appearance. Help us to start seeing the heart of the matter––the heart of others. And may we all take comfort in knowing that Your love and acceptance for us is not based on what we can do. It’s based solely on who You are, and that never changes. You will never love us more and You will never love us less. You love us fully today. May we rest in Your love. Amen.

Q4U: What do you see when meeting people for the first time?

To Give or Receive: Love is the Question

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Joy

If I were to ask how you express love to others, is there something that comes to mind right away? We hear a lot of talk about love languages. Supposedly, that’s how we express our love to others in meaningful ways. And how we want others to express love to us. I haven’t read love language books, but here’s what I know: 1) we often express love without words; 2) experiences in the past can affect how we express and receive love now.

Expressing love to others can be hard. And sometimes it’s even harder to receive love.

So here’s a pop quiz (don’t worry it won’t be graded). How would you answer these questions:

1. How have you expressed love to others in the past?
2. How do you express it now?
3. How do you want others to express love to you?

For me, it depends on who the “other” is.

For family and friends, my way of showing love in the past was buying gifts. I sought unique and expensive gifts, sometimes spending so much on gifts when travelling that I didn’t have money left to buy souvenirs for myself. This wasn’t a great way of showing love. Rarely did others appreciate how much time or money I spent, so I was often disappointed. Now, I try to say “I love you” more often. And even though I used to dread the huggy types, I’m a hugger. Sometimes it’s hard, though, to feel connected when we’re separated by thousands of miles.

Expressing love to a boyfriend/husband is different. In the past, I desperately desired to be loved (stemming from feeling abandoned at age 13 when my father died). I tried to show love every way possible. I’d say it. I was very affectionate and overly intimate. I did special things like notes, trips and other surprises. I lavished them with gifts. I went overboard to show how much I wanted them. When I think about all the money and tears I’ve wasted through the years on boyfriends, it’s sickening. What an amazing difference it is now to have a love relationship based on just that: love.

The moral of the story: You can’t buy love, for any price.

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that no one on this earth can fully satisfy our deep desire to be loved. Not family. Not friends. Not a boyfriend or husband. There’s no prince charming who’ll “complete” us or whisk us away to “happily ever after”.

He doesn’t exist.

Does that mean that hope of true love doesn’t exist? No. True love is still alive and well in the world. But we have to check our perspective. It’s important to understand how we show our love and make sure it’s in a way that our special “others” can receive. We also need to understand how we best receive love and communicate this to the special people in our life.

Love is dependent on love. We first have to be willing to give our love before we can truly receive theirs.

And more than anything, we need to understand that no one is responsible for our happiness or filling our empty places. The truth is that all of us are made whole by God alone. He completes us. Regardless of our circumstances, true joy in life and “ever after” in eternity come only through an intimate love relationship with Jesus Christ.

If love is missing in your life, turn to God and ask Him to fill your emptiness and longing. He will know how. He will satisfy your desire for love if you’re willing to open up to Him.

God is love. May this be the love we give and receive.

“Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” Psalm 90:14

May I pray?

Father God, so many of us have been disappointed in the past when we tried to show our love and it wasn’t received by the other person. Many of us have been wounded in relationships. We’ve spent years desiring and pursuing true love and intimacy, hoping someone would cherish us for who we are. Lord, thank You that You love us for who we are. Thank You that You have a fullness of love ready to pour into us, if only we’ll accept it. Please help us to feel Your love today. Wrap Your arms around us. Allow us to understand what it means to be made whole in You. Encourage us to pursue You, that we may know Your love in a way we never thought possible. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Q4U: What is one of the most meaningful ways that someone special can show their love to you?

I Trust You, But…

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Joy

When things are going haywire and the storms of life begin to swirl, is there someone that you trust to always be there for you? Someone who will take care of you? Someone who will listen and bring reason to the chaos? Someone who will hold you tight and show you that you’re safe? And when the storms are gone and the doldrums of everyday life return, can you trust them to still be there?

What does it mean to trust someone?

According to the dictionary, “trust” is a firm belief or confidence in the honesty, integrity, reliability and justice of another person. It’s confident expectation based on hope.

And generally that hope is based on past history.

I’ll admit that I have a hard time trusting. Mainly because my experience is that people don’t stick around. Death of a parent at a young age ingrains that in your mind, and then bad relationships confirm it. We want to find someone to be our rock in times of trouble. We hope that someone will have our back as we fight in the bunkers of life. But many of us never experience relationships based on mutual love, respect and trust. So we don’t trust. We can’t. It’s better not to get our hopes up than to have to deal with broken trust.

So what about God? Can we trust Him?

It’s a loaded question. Is God trustworthy? Yes. Do we know Him well enough to place our trust in Him? That’s what we have to find out.

Most of us want to believe that we trust God. Do we trust Him with our life? Certainly. If we thought we were facing our last moments we would call out to Him and trust that Jesus would be there waiting to take our hand and lead us home to heaven. But do we trust Him with our struggles in life? I’m not so sure.

My problem is that there’s always a “but” in my trust of God. I’ll say things like:

“Lord, I trust You, but I don’t understand.”
“Lord, I trust You, but I’m not strong enough to get through this.”
“Lord, I trust You, but I don’t trust myself.”

“Lord, I trust You, but…”

The “but” cuts God off. It turns the focus from God, His power and His sovereignty––to me and my weakness. If I really trusted God, there wouldn’t be a “but”. True trust would be:

“Lord, I trust You. Period.”

No buts about it. If God is the Creator of the universe, if He truly stands outside of time and knows the second half of my story, if He holds all power in His hand, if He can crack the hardest of hearts and knows every hair on my head, He is more than capable of handling my current crisis.

God is a mighty warrior who never loses a battle. He embodies power, wisdom, peace and healing. He knows all, sees all, hears all, and responds when His children call. He is the only person who truly has our best interest at heart––always––without any prejudice or self-interest.

God wants us to hope in Him. He wants us to experience His love, grow in trust because of that relationship, and open up to living a joyful life with Him. He is absolutely worthy of our trust. He will never leave us. He will never turn against us. He will never want anything but the best for us. God wants us to know Him intimately as our Father, our Savior, and our Friend so that we can say without hesitation, “Lord, I trust You. Period.”

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

May I pray?

God, it’s not easy to trust others when our trust has been betrayed so many times. And even though we may know that You are trustworthy, we still have a hard time trusting that You’re going to help us in our time of need. We don’t trust You because we can’t see beyond our current crisis. Or we don’t trust You because we know the outcome we think should happen but we’re afraid Your plan may be different. Help us today to acknowledge our weaknesses, to let go of our desires for a particular outcome, and to put our full trust in You. Period. Amen.

Q4U: What would it take for you to be able to say, “Lord, I trust You. Period.”?

What To Do When Jesus Is Coming

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Joy

What do you do to get ready when a guest is coming to visit? It probably depends on who they are and how long they’re staying. If they’re someone important that we’re trying to impress, the vacuum comes out, counters are wiped down, our duster is fished out of the closet cobwebs, and all toys must be stashed out of sight. If they’re staying for more than an evening, new house rules are given for everyone to follow, including the dogs. But if our guest is family or a close friend coming to stay, we may not go to all that fuss.

As my grandmother taught me to say, “I’m treating you like family.” That’s code for: I like you so much I didn’t clean anything.

If a close friend is coming from out-of-town, we’ll do whatever it takes to clear our schedule, get up early, and stay up late so we can spend as much time together as possible. It’s not a matter of common courtesy. It’s what we genuinely want to do because we love our friend and dearly miss them.

So if we go out of our way to prepare for people we’re trying to impress, and if we clear our schedule for people we truly love, what do we do for Jesus?

Do we treat Jesus as an honored guest? Do we dust off our life and clean out the cobwebs so we can give our best to Him?

Do we treat Him as someone we love dearly and miss spending time with? Do we show Him how important He is to us by waking up early to talk to Him before heading off to work? Do we call Him during the day on our prayer line and spend time with Him at night before bed talking about our day?

Or do we go about our daily life without really thinking about Jesus at all? Without even looking His way?

Jesus is waiting for us. He’s with us right now. He wants us to turn to Him and acknowledge that He’s here. He wants us to sit with Him and have coffee in the morning as we read His Word. He wants us to call and talk to Him throughout the day.

If only we could pray through email. Actually we can––by journaling.

Write Jesus a quick email each day before lunch and hit save instead of send. Set aside special time with Him, not because you have to fit Him in your schedule, but because you can’t wait to talk to Him.

Jesus longs for us to spend time with Him. His schedule is always open. He’s willing and available to sit and listen. And He wants to tell us about Himself. If only we would listen.

Let’s make our heart Christ’s home. Let’s make Him feel welcome and be excited to see Him. He smiles every time we come towards Him. His arms are open and ready to receive us.

Jesus is coming to stay. Will you make time for Him?

“‘When I go, you will not be left all alone; I will come back to you.’” John 14:18 (GNT)

May I pray?

Lord, most of us go to great lengths to make our guests feel welcome and at home. But most of the time we treat You like family. We don’t do anything special for You. Father, please forgive us. Help us to start making the time to spend with You each day. Help us to acknowledge that You are with us, even right now. Help us to find new ways to connect with You each day through prayer, journaling and time in Your Word. May we have a true desire to grow our relationship with You. Amen.

Q4U: Will you make time for Jesus?

In Her Own Words… Angela

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Joy

My name is Angela and this is my story….

Ever notice how sometimes God gives us a warning of what’s coming so that it’s not quite such a shock? This has happened to me more times than I can count, and it happened again with this last miscarriage. Last week, while still pregnant, I read a blog written by a woman who was angry at God. She was at a place of disappointment and confusion, and was just mad. She basically laid out an ultimatum of “You better show up, God, or I am out of here.” As I read this I thought, “Could I ever get to that place? Could that be me?” I actually thought about how I would respond if I were to lose this baby. How would I feel? Could I be so angry at God that I would consider walking away from Him? My answer within myself was, “No, I don’t think so,” but honestly, I wasn’t totally sure.

And then it happened.

No heartbeat on the ultrasound. And my first response was anger. I’m not sure who or what I was angry at. It was more the situation, the fact that this had happened. AGAIN. My fourth miscarriage, this time at 11 weeks, the earliest loss so far. But, then if you start tracing roots… that would ultimately lead back to the sovereignty of God, so I guess if I was angry at the circumstance, then by default I was angry at God.

That night I finally opened up to my husband and just laid my feelings out there. Poor guy, sometimes he’s the last to know how I’m feeling. But this time, I told him all the gory details. Cried, bawled and sobbed it all out, and woke up okay the next morning. And then sometime that day, God brought to mind the song by Mercy Me called “Bring the Rain”. This was a song that had spoken deeply to me during the time of the second miscarriage (which I lost at 18 weeks). The lyrics are amazing and so meaningful to anyone who has been through tough trials:

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I’ve gone through

The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You

Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It’s never really ever crossed my mind

To turn my back on You, oh Lord,
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray…

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there’ll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that’s what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain

It was the line “But if that’s what it takes to praise You” that really struck me and here’s why: God chose to promise my husband and me a daughter. I don’t know why. I longed for a daughter for many years, but I can honestly say that He has taken that longing from me and made me content with the three boys that I have. But for some reason, He has made it clear to me that there is a daughter for us. And He gave me a special name for her. It’s a name that has incredibly personal and deep meaning for me and what I’ve been through these last few years. The name is, in itself, a promise of healing and redemption. He has given this daughter of ours an incredible back story, and she’s not even here yet.

Because of this back story and because of the ways God has been at work in my life, I know that when she arrives in my arms, HE will be GLORIFIED! When I remembered those lyrics on Friday, what hit me was this: God is going to be glorified through the birth of our daughter. So, if He chose to not allow this child to be born to us at this time, it could only be because He will receive MORE glory from her not being born than if she were. I do not understand how this is possible. I do not understand how this will play out. But I do believe that His glory is why I am living my life on this earth and if losing this baby will bring Him glory, then so be it.

Does it make this easy? No. Does this mean I won’t have moments where I dissolve into a puddle of tears? No. Will I mourn this child every December as the due date passes and there is no birthday cake with a growing number of candles to blow out? YES. But, I also know that the pain will diminish with time. And I will choose to believe that when it’s time to try again, God will give me the strength to face it. And I will choose to believe that even if I lose that baby too, it’s still for His glory.

There’s a passage in the Book of Job describing Job’s reaction when he was told that all of his children and wealth had been destroyed:

“At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.’” Job 1:20-21

I hope that one day I will be at the place Job was. He was neck deep in grief, but his first response was to fall to the ground in worship of a Holy and Sovereign God. My first response this time was anger. May He continue to work in my heart so that next time I choose to worship… first.

May I pray?

Father God, there are some things we will never understand. And yet, like Angela, we have to trust that even in the midst of our most painful trials, You are still in control. And You have purpose. Lord, thank You for never changing. You are always good, You are always holy, and You are always holding us close. Help us to surrender our hurts, trials and disappointments to You. May You shine Your light of hope and love through us into our dark circumstances. May You be glorified in our life. Amen.

Q4U: Do you have a Rising Above Real Life story? You can encourage others by sharing your journey. Please contact me at Joy@RisingAboveRealLife.com. Names can remain confidential.

The View from Heaven

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Joy

Have you ever experienced the view from heaven? Most of us have flown in airplanes and looked down at the patchwork of farms, rivers, forests and urban civilization below. Many of us have seen pictures of planet earth taken from space in textbooks or in documentary films. But have you ever floated above the clouds, felt the crisp, cool air on your face, and experienced the view from a vantage above where birds fly?

A few months ago, I did. I jumped out of a plane 2.5 miles above the earth.

For the first time in my life I had a glimpse of the unobstructed view from heaven. I wasn’t just seeing it through a glass window. I was experiencing it. Watching it unfold. Hearing it. Feeling it. Smelling it. Living it. Even though I was falling toward the ground at 120 mph, it felt like I was floating among the clouds as I looked out toward the horizon. And I wondered, is this what the psalmist means when he says, “As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is God’s love…”?

Or is heaven even higher than 2.5 miles above the earth, and is the space between heaven and earth even greater than what we can see from horizon to horizon, in order to depict God’s love for us?

Here’s truth: God’s love is endless.

It can’t be measured. It can’t be contained. We can’t even begin to fathom the vastness of God’s love because there is no quantifying the distance between heaven and earth. No matter how far up we go, God is still higher and His love is still greater. Likewise, there is no quantifying the distance between sunrise and sunset. Through His love, God will take our sin and separate us from it as far as the sunrise is from the sunset. It will be gone. We will be free.

Just because we can’t truly comprehend God or heaven or the way He loves us to a fullness that has no measure, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try. There are mysteries that will remain mysteries. But there are amazing truths God is ready to reveal if we’ll take a step toward Him.

It’s like making a leap of faith. Like stepping out of the side of the plane into the open air of nothingness. Skydivers don’t jump out of an airplane to experience the brief moment of separating from the plane. And they don’t jump because they’re excited about the landing. They jump for the thrill of the ride down. The free fall. The floating on air. The view from heaven.

Just like skydivers, if we make the leap of faith and step out into the unknown of God’s love, we’ll see firsthand how wide and long and high and deep is God’s love. We’ll feel His hand beneath us like the wind that keeps us floating. We’ll experience a freedom in life through Him that’s like nothing we ever could have imagined.

Making the leap of faith into God’s hands may be a little scary at first. But the ride on the wind of His love will exhilarate us. It will empower us. It will humble us. It will take our breath away.

It’s time to get our parachutes on and prepare to jump. A band of sisters is about to light up the sky as we ride the wind in tandem! The view from heaven will be amazingly beautiful, and the thrill of the jump will be indescribable. Yet neither of these even begins to compare to the depth and fullness of love God wants us to experience.

Let’s make the leap of faith together and experience God’s love and forgiveness like never before.

“As high as heaven is over the earth, so strong is [God’s] love to those who fear Him. And as far as the sunrise is from the sunset, He has separated us from our sins.” Psalm 103:11-12 (MSG)

May I pray?

God in Heaven, we have a hard time understanding You and Your love for us. We hear that Your love is powerful and unfailing for those who honor and reverently fear You. We hear that You will take away our sin to a place that is so far from us that it’s as if it never existed. And yet, because we can’t fully comprehend what this means, we sometimes believe it’s too much for us to think about. Help us today to meditate on the vastness of Your love that fills the distance between heaven and earth. May we take a step of faith in believing in You and Your unchanging love for us. Amen.

Q4U: Will you take a step of faith toward God today by really considering His endless love for you?

Peace is Not the Absence of Trouble

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Joy

What is peace? We hear people talk about wanting world peace or peace of mind. Some people use “peace” as a way of wishing others well at the end of a conversation or email. But what exactly is peace? Is it tranquility? Is it the absence of conflict or war? Is it mind-numbing silence? Or maybe a sense of security?

Are any of these really peace? If so, there’s a problem because this kind of peace will never last.

Peace based on a feeling or the absence of something else will be gone like the wind. Why? Because peace can’t sustain itself. And because human nature inclines us to hurt feelings and conflict. So we see the disintegration of peace over and over again in marriages, in families, among friends, among nations. It’s a cycle. Peace. Disintegration of peace. No peace (i.e. conflict). Build up of peace. Peace…

Our hearts long for peace, as elusive as it may seem. Unfortunately, temporary peace isn’t really peace. It’s just the current absence of trouble. But if peace as we know it isn’t really peace, then what is peace? What is true, unchanging, never-fleeting peace?

Peace isn’t the absence of trouble. Peace is the presence of God.

God is peace, Jehovah-shalom. His very essence is peace. A peace that transcends all understanding, meaning we can’t comprehend the fullness of true peace because it’s not something that can be created or purchased. Outside of God we can never experience true peace on our own. God is peace. Peace is the presence of God.

As we seek to find peace in our life, there’s another important truth to remember: Fear and peace cannot co-exist.

If there is any agitation in our heart––any fear, concern, anxiety, distress, anger, bitterness––then we do not have peace.

Finding peace doesn’t mean escaping to the nearest Zen garden for an hour of aromatherapy and stillness. Finding peace means finding God. Seeking Him. Sitting in His presence. Reading Scripture so God can speak peace into our heart, mind and soul through His words. God’s power is in His peace. He alone can take away all fear.

Finding peace also means trusting God. Because of who He is. He is God. And because of His character. He is trustworthy. He is peace. Trusting God is the only way to find peace. “When I am afraid, I will trust in You.” Psalm 56:3

There are many reasons to want peace. And there are many stressful circumstances we wish we could escape. But knowing that we have to live through our current situation before we can get to the next, we have to find peace in our circumstances. This is one way we rise above real life.

There is only one peace that never changes and never goes away. The peace found in the presence of God. The peace that is God’s presence in us. When we’re afraid, we can trust in Him. When we’re anxious or concerned or stressed or frustrated or angry or bitter, we can come to Him and pour it all out. Then He will fill us to overflowing with His peace. We may have to come to Him moment by moment or day by day depending on our circumstances. And that’s okay. Jesus says, “Come.” He wants to give Himself to us. He wants to pour His peace into us. He wants us to remain in His presence. Starting today.

No one can have lasting peace without God. Peace is the presence of God.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

May I pray?

Jesus, so much of our daily life is lived in the absence of peace. We live in a swirl of busyness and stress, and often have days when we struggle with fears and the anxiety they cause. Thank You for Your promise of peace if we will come to You and lay our burdens down. Please help us, Lord, to make the time today to seek You. To sit with You and let go of everything that weighs us down so You can fill us with Your peace. Amen.

Q4U: Will you come into the presence of God today and ask Him to fill you with His peace as you pour out your fears, anxiety and stress?

Seasons, They Are Changing

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Joy

What’s your favorite season? It’s hard for me to decide. I love spring flowers and the warm, fresh breeze that ushers in excitement of new beginnings. I love the long days of summer and time outdoors with friends. I love the cool, crisp air of fall and the beautiful kaleidoscope of colorful leaves in the east coast trees. I love a beautiful blanket of snow and cozy fires in winter.

Every season is so unique and there’s something to be savored about each. But I will say that as one season comes to a close and the next one begins, I’m ready for change.

There are also seasons of real life.

Seasons of real life come and go. Some we wish would never end. Some we wish would never have started. But no matter what our current circumstances are, they’re only for a season. And one season always leads to the next.

Unfortunately, the changing seasons of real life can’t be predicted based on cyclical weather and temperature patterns. We don’t know how long one season will last. We don’t know what the next season will bring. Sometimes we don’t enjoy the current season because we’re focused on the uncertainty of what lies ahead. Or we’re bogged down by trials and we use all of our energy trying to escape.

But you can’t escape a season. You have to ride it out.

It’s not until our seasons begin to change again that we look back and see how much we missed out on. How much we could have learned if we would have been open minded and content with waiting. If we would have used it as a time of preparation instead of kicking and screaming to the point of exhaustion.

And then it’s too late.

That season in our life will never come again. We may never have the same close relationships or opportunity to spend time with the people in our life during that season, including our extended family and children. We will never have the same circumstances that could have sharpened us, prepared us, strengthened us, and solidified our faith in God.

The winds of time continue to blow. The seasons, they are changing.

It may be hard to believe at the time, but God uses the seasons in our life to mold us, grow us, draw us closer to Him, and put us in position to help others. It’s in the seasons of turmoil and trials that we’re changed. Hard edges are chipped off. Pride is melted down. Desires for new life and new beginnings being to sprout. And through it all, if we turn to God and trust that He has purpose for this season, He will turn all things to good. He will teach us survival skills. He’ll grow compassion for others in our heart. He’ll place us strategically in the lives of people who are struggling like we are, or like we used to be.

Seasons come and seasons go. And God uses the seasons of our lives to grow us and prepare us for amazing things ahead. That doesn’t mean that the next season will be easy. But it can be full of life and new beginnings as we use our experience from past seasons to help our sisters walk forward in their trials.

Seasons, they are changing. Praise the Lord!

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NLT)

May I pray?

God, as we look back over our life we can see the seasons that brought the most growth and change. Often those seasons were the hardest ones we faced. But when we’re in them, it’s very difficult to learn and grow when all we want is for the season to be over. We don’t see You. We don’t feel You. We don’t hear You. But oh how we need You! Father, I pray that You will strengthen us in our seasons of trials as we cling to You. Help us to trust that You are in control; that You have something important for us to learn. And may we all reach out to others and offer encouragement and help in their barren seasons of life. Amen.

Q4U: What’s your favorite season and why?

What Moves You?

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Joy

What moves you? Feelings? Something you see? Something you hear? It’s hard to answer that question without knowing what “move” means. Move how? Move us in what way? Move us emotionally to a place of compassion? Move us to tears because we feel someone else’s pain? Move us to action to defend honor or someone who is beaten down?

We are creative, emotional beings intricately wired to be moved. And then we react. Sometimes we’re moved out of love for someone. Sometimes the fight or flight response kicks in. Sometimes we’re not even sure why we’re moved but the overwhelming sense of movement in our spirit is undeniable.

So what do you think moves people to God?

In a perfect world we might expect that an abundance of wealth, the awesome bond of a deep love relationship, or the blessing of something wonderful and unexpected would draw people to God.

Surprisingly, in real life it rarely seems to be the good things that draw us to God.

When times are good, many people don’t see any need for God and so they ride the wave of prosperity, adventure, and passion as long as they can. But like all waves, at some point it comes crashing down or fades out around us.

It’s in these times of turmoil or emptiness that most people begin to wonder about God. When waves are crashing over us and we’re pulled down by the undertow. When the excitement of life fades away and the reality of our finite existence becomes clear.

What moves people toward God?

Guilt. Anxiety. Pain. Uncertainty. Helplessness. Hopelessness. Emptiness. Knowing we’re in over our head.

Times of crisis, intense pain and upheaval move us from a place of complacency and self-focus to realizing our desperate need of a Savior. If you’re in this place now, or if you know someone who is, please know this:

When you move toward God, He responds.

God is ready, willing and able to come to you and pull you above whatever your circumstances may be. He is the one and only Almighty God. The all-powerful. The all-knowing. The ever-present. He will not force anyone to come to Him. But when we do, He’s there.

What moves you to God?

Today is the day to start thinking about it. Don’t wait until the wave of crisis or depression crashes over you. Reach out to Him. Call to Him. Expect Him. And He’ll come in a mighty way.

“I lift my eyes up to the hills––where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.’” Psalm 121:1

May I pray?

Lord, when things are good we often take credit and continue on our own way without thinking about You. And even when things start to get dicey, our tendency is to turn to others instead of moving toward You. Today, God, we’re calling to You. We’re lifting our eyes to You and reaching out for help. Please come quickly. Please help us to see You clearly. In good times and in bad, help us to keep our eyes fixed on You. May we praise You in our circumstances because of the help You give us. Amen.

Q4U: What moves you to God?

Knock, Knock! Who’s There? Jesus.

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Joy

Do you know any good “Knock, Knock” jokes? I have a hard time remembering jokes, but here are a few I think are really funny:

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Juno.
Juno who?
Juno I’m out here waiting, right?

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Amos.
Amos who?
Amosquito just bit me!

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Hatch.
Hatch who?
Bless you, and please cover your mouth next time.

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Noah.
Noah who?
Noah way to open the door?

Okay, enough Knock, Knock’s. Nothing like a little laughter to get us started though!

Have you ever had someone come knocking on your door, and stand there for several minutes knocking off and on? It’s kind of disturbing, especially if you’ve made the decision not to answer the door for whatever reason. If they keep knocking, there are probably two reasons why: 1) they know us personally and are determined to talk to us, and 2) they’re convinced we’re there and can hear them knocking.

We may not always want to talk to the person standing at our door knocking. But what if Jesus showed up one day? That day is today.

Jesus stands at the door to our heart. And He knocks. And knocks. And knocks. Not only that, He calls out to us. He knows we’re home. He knows that we can hear Him, whether we recognize His voice or not. He’s here. Waiting. Standing firm. Asking us to come toward Him and open the door.

On Friday we talked about how our life is like a pendulum and we often swing past God or move away from Him. But He promises that if we come close to Him, He will come close to us. Jesus confirms it. He stands before us and asks us to open up to Him. And if we do, He’s not going to stand at a distance on the front stoop of our life while we get to know Him.

Jesus is ready to come in, hang out, and share intimate time as friends.

That may sound odd to you. You may not know what that means or what it looks like to have Jesus come into your heart and make Himself at home. I certainly didn’t. But here’s a story that helped me understand.

A girl, Roselyn, had a friend that kept talking about a personal relationship with Jesus. Roselyn made fun of this and couldn’t understand it. She was Jewish so why would she want to hear about Jesus? But there came a day in her life, like today, when Roselyn heard about Jesus knocking on the door and wanting to come into her life. Just like He wants to come into ours. He won’t force His way in. We have to invite Him in. He’ll continue to knock. He’ll call out to us in various ways. He knows we’re here. He knows we can hear Him. And so He keeps knocking. Roselyn decided to test this idea of Jesus coming through the doorway of her life, and she invited Him over for dinner. She actually made a dinner and set a place for Him. She talked to Jesus as if He was there, and read Scripture to Him about Him from the Book of John (her friend had given her a Bible). And the next day, she talked to Jesus again by trying to pray for the first time. And then she played her guitar for Him. And began to sing to Him each day. As she opened up to Jesus, not only did He come in, hang out and share amazing moments as close friends, but Roselyn started to get to know Him. As her friend. As her Savior. As her protector and Lord.

Now Roselyn can’t imagine living without Jesus. Her life will never be the same again, all because she was willing to open the door and invite Him in.

Jesus is knocking on your door today. Will you answer? Don’t put it off thinking that He’ll be there tomorrow. None of us knows what tomorrow brings or how many times Jesus will come to our door. What we do know is that He’s knocking today. Invite Him in. Spend some time with Him. Get to know Him. What do you have to lose?

Knock, knock! Who’s there? Jesus.

“‘Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.’” Revelation 3:20 (NLT)

May I pray?

Jesus, thank You for knocking on our door and asking to come in. We may be afraid. We may feel unworthy or ashamed. We may think You got the address wrong and meant to knock on our neighbor’s door. But Lord, here You are. Knocking on our door today. Give us the courage to open up. Even if we don’t know what to say. Join us as we open Scripture and read to You about You. Thank You that every time we invite You to join us, You gladly accept. Amen.

Q4U: How will you respond to Jesus as He knocks on your door today?

The Pendulum of Life

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Joy

Have you ever watched the pendulum of a large clock, like a grandfather clock? It goes back and forth in a slow, methodic rhythm. Never stopping. Never detouring. Just left and right and left again, over and over as it ticks off the time passing by.

Our lives are a lot like that pendulum.

We’re constantly in motion. We’re forever moving forward or back. We often experience the same kinds of challenges over and over as we make the same types of decisions over and over. Sometimes we want things to be drastically different, but time passes by slowly without much change. Is there something we have to learn before we can move on? Will we ever grow past this time in our life? Even if life spirals out of control because of something that happens, it somehow falls back into the steady rhythm of day after day.

The one thing we can count on is that our life pendulum never stops. Whether time is going way too fast or days are barely moving on, the truth is that nothing ever stays the same.

In good times or bad, time never stands still. We are always moving and changing. Those around us are always moving and changing. Our intertwined lives and our relationships with others never stay the same. We have to continually work at keeping in touch. Staying close. Understanding what’s happening. Miss a day talking to a close friend, and we now have to catch up with what they’re thinking, what they’re doing, where they’re heading, what’s exciting or what’s going wrong. And why.

At the same time, whether you believe in God or not, our lives are intertwined with Him. Known or unknown, we all are in a relationship with Him. A relationship that’s always changing. And we’re either moving toward Him or we’re moving away.

There may have been a time in the past when we felt really close to God. We saw Him, we heard Him, we felt His presence. We believed in Him with passion and lived that passion out. And now we don’t. Things happened. Things changed. We changed.

Or we may’ve lived to this point in our lives doubting that there really is a God who knows and sees all things, and much less cares. The people that we know who claim to be Christians aren’t any different than anyone else, except that they believe they’re somehow going to heaven and others aren’t. And yet, we still wonder about God. We still wonder about heaven, and what happens after death.

Or maybe we’re at a juncture in our lives when we need to find the truth about God. We’ve lived enough pain and hurt to know what the world has to offer and we want to see if there’s something more. Surely there must be something more. We need to know for ourselves. We want to hope for our kids. Are you there, God?

No matter where we’ve been. No matter where we are. No matter how long it’s been since we humbly came before God, if ever. God is calling. And He wants us to come to Him. He wants us to stop the pendulum of our lives from moving away from Him, and start going toward Him.

God is God eternal. He is unchanging. His love remains the same. He calls to us and waits for us to respond. We can swing past Him. We can continue to move away from Him. But He gives us this promise: If we move toward Him––if we come looking for Him––He will be found.

It’s never too late to change the pattern of our lives. It’s never too late to stop swinging past or away from God and instead start moving toward Him. Hear Him? He’s calling.

“Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” James 4:8 (NLT)

May I pray?

God, we all have different backgrounds, but one thing that’s universal is that our lives never stay the same forever. People come and go. Situations get better or worse. Things happen. Things change. Thank You, Lord, that even in the midst of chaos, You will never change. Help us today to make a decision to move toward You and start focusing on what doesn’t change. Amen.

Q4U: Is your life swinging past or away from God, or are you moving toward Him?

The Power of Belief

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Joy

What is something you believe is true without a shadow of a doubt? How do you know? Usually we know something is true based on personal experience.

I’m helping a friend of mine train for her first half-marathon. Each week we’re increasing the mileage on our long run by 1 mile. It doesn’t sound like it would be that hard to increase from a 7 mile run to an 8 mile run to a 9 mile run. But believe me, it is (this I know from personal experience). Each Saturday as we run further than the last, our legs get tired, our bodies have aches in all kinds of weird places, and there’s always the temptation to stop.

But my friend and I have totally different responses to the fatigue and pain.

She’s not sure if she can keep going, and on most runs she stops to walk. I, on the other hand, know that I can finish the run no matter how much it hurts. How do I know this? Because I have personal experience. I’ve run 22 miles in the pouring rain. I finished a 26.2 mile marathon in extremely hot conditions. I was battling painful injuries during both of those and neither time did I stop to walk. So there is no doubt in my mind that I can keep going and push through the pain no matter how tired I get. Physically, I can finish the run each week. For me, it’s a mental battle of whether or not I’m willing to push through to the end.

Because of personal experience, I have confidence. I have the power of belief. I know without a shadow of a doubt what I can do. And no one will convince me that I can’t do something just because they say I can’t.

What if we would take hold of the power of belief and apply it to every aspect of our life?

What if we would stop listening to people who say we can’t do something? We’re not good enough? We’ll never make it?

What if we would stop listening to our inner voice that says it’s okay to give up? It’s not that important anyway? We’re not going to finish strong so why even try?

What if we would stop listening to those around us that say that God doesn’t really exist? Reading the Bible and praying is a waste of time? Christians are narrow-minded and naïve?

What if?

What if we started living based on our personal experience and not the words of other people?

What if we started exploring the possibilities of what could be instead of mulling the certainties of what isn’t?

What if we started pursuing Jesus Christ as our Savior so that we’d have personal experience to draw from in our faith walk?

The power of belief is ours for the taking. And it’s ours to hold onto. We can’t let anyone talk us in circles so that we’re not sure of what’s true anymore.

One thing that we can know with certainty, without a shadow of a doubt, is that there is always hope for tomorrow. I know this from personal experience. Hope does not rest in what we can do. Hope does not rest in what anyone around us can do. Hope rests solely in what Jesus Christ has already done for us. And that will never change. Believe it.

“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

May I pray?

Jesus, sometimes we know what we believe and we can feel the power in it. But often we’re not sure what to believe, or others challenge us or try to change our mind. Help us to draw on personal experience and stand firm in what we know is true, about ourselves and about You. And Lord, for those who aren’t sure about You, please help them to see something new today that will give them a glimpse of Your love and Your power in their life. Amen.

Q4U: What is something that you know is true, even if others don’t believe it?

An Audience Of One

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Joy

Do you ever feel like you’re performing for others? Like the script of your life isn’t what you want to write, but it’s what other people have written for you? Or that you’re not really the person you want to be because you’re always trying to please someone else? To be someone else?

We spend a lot of time trying to please others. We defer to their expectations. We give in to their demands. We try to change to be who they want us to be. And we begin playing a part, a role, in the performance of our life.

The problem is that we’re not cast as ourselves. Since we’re trying to be someone else and please others, we’re ultimately cast as someone we’re not. And living out each day gets harder and harder.

There are so many questions we could ask. Who are we, really? Who do we want to be? What role do we want to play in our life? Who do we want starring in a lead role with us? Who would we like to fire? Are we someone who has to be in the spotlight, or do we cower behind the curtains stage left?

Important questions, and if we actually took the time to answer them honestly we’d probably be very surprised. But none of these questions really gets to the heart of the matter. So here’s our question for today: Who is our audience?

Who are we playing for? Who do we look to when we live out our most critical scenes? Who is it that should matter the most?

At the end of our life, when the curtain closes for the final time, who will be left in the seats before us?

Some of us play for a very large audience. There are so many people we’re trying to please. So many people we want to write good reviews. Day after day. Month after month. Year after year. Parents. Siblings. Husband or boyfriend. Kids. Best friend. Party friends. Old friends we want to impress. Boss. Co-workers. Rivals. Neighbors. People who see us out on the town. People we sit next to at church. People we meet when we travel. People who looked down on us in the past. People who look down on us now. People we want to influence. People we want to be jealous. People we wish would like us, just the way we are.

Many of the people in our audience don’t know us very well. In fact, some may not know us at all. But as actors in our life play, we hope they’ll love us in our role. We want them to cheer and clap. We want them to leave in awe and see our worth as the leading role. We may even want a standing ovation. No one can play this part as good as we can.

But should we be playing to other people? Should they be in the audience at all?

The truth is that our audience consists only of people from whom we’re seeking approval. Maybe it’s time to change who we’re playing for. Maybe it’s time to rip up the script written by others and start developing our own role based on who we want to be.

Maybe it’s time to start living for an Audience of One. God.

When the curtain comes down on our final act, He alone will be the one before us. He alone will be writing our review. Will He applaud His approval and say, “Well done, My good and faithful servant!” or will He be disappointed that we played out our role on stage looking at everyone else in the cast but never once directing our focus to Him?

Whether we acknowledge it now or not, our life is lived for an Audience of One. God is our biggest fan. And He wants us to turn to Him and never turn away. He wants us to fix our eyes on Him and dance like there’s nobody else in the room. It starts with faith. Faith that He exists. Faith that He is our Director in life, not our critic. Faith that He has lined up the most amazing after-party we could ever imagine, and it will start as soon as the curtain falls.

Don’t miss the opportunity to get to know your Audience. He loves who you really are. And He’s sitting on the edge of His seat watching every scene of your life with the affectionate eyes of a devoted Father. He wants you to play for Him. Will you?

“It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)

May I pray?

Father God, sometimes there are so many people in the theatre of our life that we don’t even remember You’re there. We don’t acknowledge You. We don’t notice You. We don’t look for You. And yet You continue to sit in Your front row seat each day, calling to us. Hoping we’ll turn to You and smile. Forgive us, Father, for not living our lives for an Audience of One. May today be the day that we change our focus. May this be the day that we look You in the eyes and say, “Daddy, today I live my life for You.” Amen.

Q4U: Who is your audience?

Are We There Yet?

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Joy

Have you ever been on a long trip when someone in your family (or group) breaks through the impatience barrier and utters those all-too-famous words, “Are we there yet?” The answer, of course, is obvious. No. If we were there, we wouldn’t still be traveling to get there. But in our impatient and control-centered humanness, we can’t help but ask it again. Are we there yet? And when that question becomes forbidden by co-travelers (aka parents), we go to the next one, “How soon ‘til we get there?”

We often associate these questions with bored children. But without realizing it, most of us are asking the same questions. To God. To family and friends. To whoever will listen. Are we there yet? Do we have to keep waiting? When is the stinkin’ journey to the next season of life going to be over?

And then we start compromising, convincing ourselves we don’t want to give God time to work in our lives. Maybe the wilderness isn’t such a bad place to hang out after all. At least we could start putting down some roots. Can’t we start unpacking now and get comfortable? Why keep waiting for something we don’t know anything about?

But the answer is still the same. No, we’re not there yet. Pipe down.

Yesterday we talked about the freedom of flying. How awesome our mountaintop experiences are when we soar with God on wings like eagles, and see the world from His unobstructed perspective. Soaring is a delight and joy lived out in the moment. Unfortunately, most of our life isn’t lived on the highest peaks or in the air soaring above the valleys below.

Most of life is lived on the ground.

Most of life is lived on foot. Running the race marked out for us. Trekking through the valleys on our way to the next mountain. Battling through the trenches. Crawling through the mud pits of real life.

Life on the ground has its ups and downs. When we’re running, life is good. We may not be reveling at the vista we see, but we feel strong as we run with purpose. We’re headed from one mountain peak to the next, knowing that good things are ahead. But we can only run for so long. The wilderness of real life is dense and dark, and often our path becomes full of thorns. And so we slow to a walk. Making our way through the thickets. Climbing over obstacles. Wading through murky waters. Often wondering where the path has gone. Are we still headed for the next peak, or are we totally lost? Daily life becomes a heavy pack we’re carrying. And one day we realize that we’re now living drudgery instead of delight.

Once we were soaring on wings like eagles. Now we’re barely able to take another step without giving up. What happened?

The reality is that we can’t soar through life from beginning to end. We have to spend time on the ground. But it doesn’t have to drain us. We can run with excitement and not grow weary. We can walk daily life and not feel faint. How? By putting our hope in God, and keeping it there even in dark times. By trusting in Him to lead the way through the wilderness when the path has vanished. By waiting for what He reveals, and when, as our new life unfolds down the road. And by walking the journey of life with others in sisterhood.

As sisters walking together, we encourage each other to keep going when we’re ready to give up. We help each other stay on track when we’re veering off course. And we share love and laughter one day at a time. No one has to walk the journey alone. No one should.

Some days are harder than others. But if we’ll stop looking at our watch and asking, “Are we there yet?” and instead ask, “Lord, where are You?” our whole perspective will change. God is ready to take our heavy packs and carry them for us. If we continue to come to Him each day, He’ll fill us up with strength we could never find on our own. And He’ll make sure we get where we’re supposed to go, right on time.

Remember, if we’re with God, we’ll never miss out on the best things of life He has planned for us. Never.

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

May I pray?

God, we want to climb the next peak and soar with You again. It’s so hard when most of life is lived on the ground. We grow weary and faint. We forget how to find You. And sometimes we don’t even notice that we’re lost. Thank You that it’s never too late to come back to You. Please answer us today as we call to You. And please help us to reach out to sisters in Christ so we can walk the journey together. Amen.

Q4U: Are you more prone to ask God, “Are we there yet?” or “Lord, where are You?”

Superpower Coming Right Up

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Joy

If you were approached by a superhero genie who could grant you one wish for any superpower, what would you ask for? It may seem like a strange question, but seriously, take a moment and think about it. What superpower would you want?

My first thought is to ask for something I could use in the battle between good and evil. Like the ability to open people’s minds to understand truth versus lies. But then I think of all of the repercussions that could come from that superpower. The very sad and uncomfortable moments when a friend asks, “Do these jeans make my butt look big?” Or “I just got my hair done, what do you think?” How crushing it would be if they heard the true interpretation of, “Maybe another pair would show off your legs better.” Or the silent thought, “You paid money for that?” No, I don’t think it’s a good superpower. It could be manipulated to hurt the ones we love. And we’ve seen enough movies to know what happens then. There would have to be a sequel.

So after careful review, which took a lot more time than I care to admit, my superpower wish would be… drum roll, please… to fly.

Can you imagine? I’ve never really thought about having the ability to fly because it isn’t possible. But now that I am thinking about it, how cool would it be to straighten our cape, push off once and then take off into the sky? Talk about the ultimate rush! I would love it! As long as we’re merely playing around. But because we’re now superheroes with this power (yes, I’m making the assumption that you asked for the same superpower today), we’d have to use it in the infamous battle of good v. evil. So once we take the first leap to go save someone, how would we know where we’re going? Internal GPS wasn’t an option with the “one wish” plan. Neither was the ultrasonic hearing that allows us to distinguish the voices of those in distress. And jiminy cricket the commercial airliners aren’t respecting our airspace! Maybe having only one superpower with no augmenting side-powers wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

But so many of us still want to fly! Just once, we’d like to truly soar. To break free of the limitations that hold us down. To break free of everything that holds us back.

What would it be like? Jumping from an airplane, feeling the wind beneath us as we plummet with a bird’s eye view, that’s pretty close. Floating quietly in a hot air balloon over the tree tops as deer and fox scatter below (balloons actually go a lot faster than I thought they would), that’s pretty close too. Hang gliding from cliffs and following the flight plan of the birds, that has to be similar. And the closest thing we know of today, donning a birdman wing suit and catapulting from the mountaintops, now that’s the ultimate flying experience.

Or is it?

All of these are short-lived moments of escape. Of adventure. Of thrill and adrenaline. And in each one of them we’re actually being pulled down by the power of gravity. We’re not mounting up on wings like eagles. We’re not soaring. We’re falling.

Don’t get me wrong. All of our flying options (except maybe the birdman wing suit––I’ve only seen it on TV) are amazing experiences where for a short time we can feel the freedom of flight. But they don’t allow us to rise up. They don’t help us to rise above. For those of us trying to rise above real life, we have to find a way to soar. Not fall.

And God tells us how.

By tapping into His power. By allowing Him to be the wind beneath our wings that lifts us to new heights. By placing our hope securely in Him because His character will never change. By actively waiting so He can renew our strength and prepare us for the new season ahead.

We don’t have the power to fly. But those who trust in God and wait for Him will soar like never before. And even if it’s for a short period of time, nothing compares to flying the highs of life with God Himself.

I can fly!

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.” Isaiah 40:31

May I pray?

Lord, oh how we’d like to fly! What freedom! Help us to see that we can in fact taste that freedom. If we let go of all that weighs us down. If we place our hope in You. Not in ourselves. Not in someone else. But in You alone. And when we hope in You, our perspective changes. Our chains are loosened. Our strength returns. And we’re free to jump into Your arms and fly! May today be the day that we take our first flying lesson with You. Thank You that Your desire is for us to fly too. Amen.

Q4U: If you were approached by a superhero genie who could grant you one wish for any superpower, what would you ask for and why?

Love in the Trenches

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Joy

Do you know of any amazing love stories? True stories. Stories that bring tears of compassion. Stories that reassure us that deep, undying love does exist. The kind that keep us hoping. The kind that show us how love should be.

This kind of love story is about being in the trenches of real life. Fighting our battles side by side. And knowing that no matter how hard it gets, there’s nowhere else we’d rather be. Because we’re in it together.

Does love like this really exist? Yes. And here’s one of those love stories…

Chris Medina was a contestant on American Idol in 2010. In 2009, just two months before his wedding, his fiancé was in a terrible car accident. She suffered traumatic brain injuries that took many of her faculties, including her ability to walk by herself. She also suffered severe fractures to her skull and face. Chris lived out his promise to stay by her side, becoming one of her main caretakers. And a year later to the day, he tried out for American Idol at his fiancé’s insistence. She was there with him, in her wheelchair.

Chris released a song last year about his devotion to his beloved fiancé. The video is a must see about their touching love story. Here’s the link to “What Are Words” by Chris Medina.

What Are Words

Anywhere you are, I am near
Anywhere you go, I’ll be there
Anytime you whisper my name, you’ll see
How every single promise I keep
‘Cause what kind of guy would I be
If I was to leave when you need me most

What are words
If you really don’t mean them when you say them
What are words
If they’re only for good times, then they’re done
When it’s love
Yeah, you say them out loud
Those words, they never go away
They live on, even when we’re gone

And I know an angel was sent
Just for me and I know I’m meant
To be where I am
And I’m gonna be
Standing right beside her tonight
And I’m gonna be by her side
I would never leave when she needs me most

Anywhere you are, I am near
Anywhere you go, I’ll be there
And I’m gonna be here forever more
Every single promise I keep
‘Cause what kind of guy would I be
If I was to leave when you need me most

I’m forever keeping my angel close

May we all stand by our love in the trenches of life. No matter how hard it gets.

“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.” Song of Songs 8:6

May I pray?

Heavenly Father, it’s not easy when we’re in the trenches of real life. We long for someone to truly love us and stay with us through it all. For those who are struggling on their own, I pray that Your love would fill them to overflowing today. Please shield them from harm. Please give them a ray of hope. And grant them the courage to reach out to someone so they don’t have to go through it alone. For those committed to love in the trenches, I pray a special blessing upon them today. May You strengthen their love and devotion, and allow joy to be their hallmark. Amen.

Q4U: Do you know of any amazing love stories you can share with others?

The Pain of Goodbye

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Joy

Have you ever had to say “goodbye” to someone you love? One of the hardest things in life is letting go of someone we truly care about. Whether they die, move away or move on, we’re left with an overwhelming sense of loss. Our loss. There’s a gaping hole in our everyday life. Love and friendship are missing. Their quick wit and laugh which brought a smile to our face are gone. Their comfort in our low moments won’t be there anymore.

It feels as if we’re left with a lead weight around our shoulders that we have to carry forward on our own.

Do you know someone in this place? I do. It’s dark and lonely, and few can understand the very real sadness. This isn’t how life should be. The love of a special friend is a precious gift, and when we lose it our life is thrown into turmoil. We’re nauseous and depressed. We either want to run away, escape into fantasy, or crawl into a hole and hide.

I wish we didn’t have to feel this way. I wish there was a list of steps that could pull us up out of the pit of loss. I wish I had a magic potion to offer that would take the pain away and heal our heart.

The only remedy I know is love.

We’ve lost a close friend or family member. Our life is now void of their love. We need the love of others. We need the love of God.

I’ve been in the pit of loss and despair. I’ve endured the pain of abandonment and rejection and my father’s death. I know how hard it is to hang on when no one is around to help. Sometimes all we need is someone to listen, a shoulder to cry on, an arm to hold us tight so we can let it all out. Oh how I wish I had these when I needed them. And I pray that anyone struggling through the loss of someone special in their life will reach out to someone they trust.

If you know of someone who’s hurting, will you be that friend to them today? Will you go and sit with them? You don’t need to have answers or give advice. Just share your time and offer the gift of your presence. Let the love of Jesus flow through you. Let them know someone truly cares about them so they don’t feel alone and isolated. Let them know God sees every tear and hears every prayer, and He truly cares about them too.

Love brings hope.

We can’t always find love or hope on our own. When we’re blinded by the tears of sadness and wondering why it has to be this way, we can’t encourage ourselves. We need a friend. We need a sister. We need someone to help us hold onto the truth of God’s love for us and His continued work in our life.

If someone you know is hurting, please help. Please love and encourage them. Please hold them tight and pray over them. And continue to pray for them and follow up with them in the days to follow. They need to know someone cares.

If you’re struggling with the loss of someone special, please reach out to someone you trust and let them know you need help. Or send me an email so I can be praying for you (Joy@RisingAboveRealLife.com). You don’t have to be alone. Saying goodbye for the last time is extremely painful. And feeling alone or isolated compounds the loss.

Please believe that God truly cares for you. He’s sad when you’re sad. He’s there with you, even now. I know we don’t always feel His presence, or see how He’s working in our life, or understand why things have to be this way. But He loves you deeply and doesn’t want you to hurt.

Run to God and let Him hold you tight as you cry. He’ll never let you down.

“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.” Isaiah 66:13

May I pray?

Father God, Your love for us is tender. You feel every hurt we feel and you share every emotion. As a mother comforts her beloved child so You want to comfort us as Your beloved children. Help us to come to You today. Help us to feel Your presence. Please, Lord, please let Your comfort break through the pain and bring peace. And please give us the compassion to help our sisters as they struggle through their “goodbyes”. Amen.

Q4U: Will you comfort someone today with the gift of your presence?

Try, Try Again and Again and Again

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Joy

How many times have you heard the old adage, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!”? For me, way too many to count. It’s a favorite of most parents. And it’s said with the best of intentions. Wanting to dissuade their child’s impulse to give up. Wanting to encourage their child to brush themselves off and press on to achieve what they started out to achieve. Even if it’s something as simple as riding a bike without training wheels.

This trite statement embodies some very profound truths. It’s important to feel the victory. If something’s worth anything, it’s worth fighting for. There’s always a way to overcome the odds. The world is full of challenges so if we’re going to succeed, we have to learn from our mistakes and try something different.

Some of the most successful people in history haven’t been the smartest, strongest, or best looking. They’re the ones who didn’t give up.

There are plenty of examples of people who didn’t give up––and we’re all thankful for it. Edison pursuing electricity. Bell and his telephone. The Wright brothers and flight. If they had gotten burned or skinned their knee and given up, where would we be today? As Albert Einstein said, “The person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”

Of course there’s another lesser-known adage that’s just as important: “What’s the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result.”

Ah, yes. The story of much of my life. And unfortunately, this is how most of us approach life. We make the same type of bad decisions, go after the same type of wrong relationships, and falter through the same type of religious rituals, over and over again.

Not much changes. We’re still in the same type of place, with the same type of person, feeling the same type of emptiness.

And so we try it again. And again. And again.

But good news! We don’t have to stay in this cycle. There’s hope and it starts with turning to God. How? Because if we start walking in step with God, our other decisions will start changing as well.

Here’s the problem. When most of us think about God, we think of rules. And so the first thing we try to do is follow the rules. And we fail. So we try again. And we fail. And maybe we’ll keep trying for a while. Maybe we’ll add a few more rote prayers or trips to church. But ultimately we give up. We might as well. What’s the point of trying to follow rules we can’t keep?

And that’s why Jesus came.

Jesus came to show us that the rules aren’t what brings us closer to God. The rules just show us why we need God––because we can’t live a perfect life and we can’t save ourselves. What brings us closer to God is opening our heart to Him and having a true desire to know Him.

Only Jesus lived a perfect life without stumbling in sin. We can’t. And God doesn’t expect us to. But what He does expect us to do is to get up and try again. But this time, instead of doing the things we’ve done up until this point, He wants us to try something new. Coming to Jesus. And allowing Him to be the light in our darkness.

Without God, we’ll always have an emptiness that nothing else can fill. It’s a God-sized hole in our soul. He designed it that way, so that we’d keep on trying to fill it. Again and again. The key is that He tells us what to do differently this time. Him.

“Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.” Micah 6:8

May I pray?

Lord, we’ve tried and tried and tried. So many things we’ve tried. And we keep coming up empty. Thank you that Jesus didn’t come to shine a light on all the things we’re doing wrong. He came to shine a light into our darkness and show us the way out. God, please meet us where we sit today. Help us as we open up to You and give You our heart. Amen.

Q4U: Will you try again, but in a new way, to seek God personally instead of just trying to keep a list of rules?

Hindsight is 20/20

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Joy

How often do you go to the eye doctor? When I had laser eye surgery, I was told to go at least once a year in order to keep the lifetime guarantee on the surgeon’s work. I committed to those annual appointments and felt very proud that I kept my end of the agreement. Each year I thought, “I’m so good, I go to the eye doctor every year!” Of course, the reality is that I only went twice. Yes, it was for two whole years, but only two actual appointments. As with everything, life got in the way. And over time it just didn’t seem that important anymore. So much for the lifetime guarantee.

Now that my vision is getting bad again, I wish I had kept my commitment.

As they say, hindsight is 20/20. It’s easy to look back and see the mistakes we’ve made. Or the things we should have kept doing. Or things we should have stopped a long time ago. Everything seems perfectly clear––what we could have done or should have done differently. If only we had chosen wisely, how much better the outcomes would have been. How much better our life would be.

But the truth is that seeing what choices we should change is far different than actually making the decision to change them. If we were back in that situation now, would we make a different decision? Unfortunately, even if the answer is yes we can’t go back. Instead, we have to look at where we are now. With that in mind, is it time to take stock of where we are today? Should we look at our current decisions and consider the impact they’ll have on our future? It sounds simple. If only it was. It’s like being on an obstacle course, with challenge after challenge before us, and decisions to be made for how to conquer them.

It’s near impossible to navigate the obstacle course of life on our own.

There are walls to climb, mud fields to crawl through, pits to avoid, and puzzles to solve. And that’s why we need teammates. We need sisterhood. We need others to encourage us and help us figure out the best approach to each new challenge. We need to know we’re a part of something greater than ourselves. Can we get through the obstacle course of life on our own? Maybe. But it will be much harder, take much longer, and we won’t have the celebratory victory at the end if we go it alone. Giving yourself a “high five” isn’t all that satisfying.

And there’s another critical part to the obstacle course. We need to run with people who can show us where to go.

If we’re running with a blindfold on, we can’t be led by someone who also has a blindfold on. That’s the blind leading the blind. Neither of us can see where we’re going and we’ll both end up in a pit. Maybe we’re blindfolded spiritually. We want to see God but we don’t know where He is in our life. Maybe we’re blindfolded emotionally. We’ve been hurt and we don’t know how to find healing for our wounds.

If we’re in a phase of life where we can’t see clearly, or maybe we can’t see at all, it’s time to reach out to someone who can guide us through the maze. Someone who knows Jesus and can help us find our way to Him. Someone who can dress our wounds and then bring us to God, the only person who can heal us from the inside out.

The obstacle course of life can be extremely challenging. It can also be filled with excitement and victory as we work in tandem with others to conquer each new task. The key is to find at least one person who’s running without a blindfold so they can help guide us safely to the other side.

“Then Jesus gave the following illustration: ‘Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch?’” Luke 6:39 (NLT)

May I pray?

God, sometimes we dread the obstacle course of life with its unknown challenges. Often that’s because we don’t have anyone on our side who has conquered the challenges already. And sometimes we know we’re blindfolded but we don’t have anyone to guide us around the pits. Father, please bless us with a new sister in Christ who can see You clearly. Please grant us the courage to reach out to her and ask for help. May we praise You knowing we will celebrate our victory together at the end of the race. Amen.

Q4U: Who is your go-to person that will help guide you around life’s pits?

Chronicles of a Wind Chaser

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Joy

Are you a storm chaser, aka “extreme weather adventurer”? Not many of us are. Although we love to see the footage others capture by pursuing tornadoes and hurricanes, very few of us, if any, have actually gotten in a car or van and high-tailed it toward an approaching storm. To be honest, I don’t know anyone that even has it on their bucket list.

So here’s another question: Are you a wind chaser? Unfortunately, I am. And I’m guessing that many of you are too.

What’s a wind chaser? Someone who chases after the wind. Yes, I know you got that. What it means is someone who chases after everything the world has to offer.

I can chase the wind with the best of them.

Money. Career. Travel. Toys, and lots of them. Beautiful homes. Fast cars. Lavish parties. Expensive wine. Sparkling jewelry. Fabulous shoes. Cutting edge investments. The perfect family. A well-proportioned and youthful body. Prestige. Power. Control. Everything that dreams are made of, and many things that aren’t. Can you feel the wind blowing? A fresh breeze of excitement and allure beckoning us to come closer and take a look. Don’t be afraid to pick it up. Try it on for size. Smell its distinctive aroma. Feel the glamour. Surely all of our problems are solved with this. Certainly the loneliness and lack of purpose will go away as soon as we get… What?

It’s as empty as the wind. All of it.

Wind is elusive. We can see its path. We can feel its power. But we can’t quite grab onto it. It keeps moving. And just when we think we have it in our sights, we realize it’s now somewhere else. The ever-changing flow of desire. The ever-moving target of happiness and fulfillment.

One of the richest and wisest men that ever lived knew all about chasing after the wind. His name was Solomon. He was King David’s beloved son and the man chosen by God to rule His people. Early in his life, God appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, “Ask for whatever you want Me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5) How’s that for carte blanche! I can think of a lot of things I’d ask for if I was the hip new ruler of a powerful nation. Especially to keep the legacy going of a warrior dad like David. Powerful armies to subdue enemies. Peace and protection. A few homes around the kingdom would be nice too. I’d have a list going in no time. But unlike me, Solomon asked God for one thing: Wisdom to rule His people. And because of this selfless request, God granted Solomon wisdom and riches beyond what any king or kingdom has ever seen. He literally had it all.

And it changed him.

As Solomon’s fame and stature grew, he stopped pursuing God and instead starting chasing after the wind. Solomon chronicled everything he did in the Book of Ecclesiastes. Building homes and wineries, gardens and parks, reservoirs and water groves. Amassing extreme wealth and harems of the world’s most beautiful women. Studying scientific theories to understand the mysteries of life. Following his hundreds of wives to worship other gods and other religions. Throwing parties for the world’s elite and trying to cheer himself up with laughter and camaraderie. In his own words, “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.” (Ecclesiastes 2:10)

In other words, Solomon gave himself everything. He was the ultimate wind chaser. And he came up empty.

Solomon began his adult life with God’s blessing. But then he became a wind chaser, and he lost all sense of meaning and purpose for his life. He pursued one thing after another after another. And in the end, he had everything he could ever imagine and then some.

Except he no longer had God.

Let’s not follow in Solomon’s footsteps. No matter what kind of wind we’re chasing, we will always come up empty. We won’t find the answer to life’s mysteries by chasing after the wind.

Meaning and purpose in life are only found when we pursue Jesus.

“Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 2:11

May I pray?

Jesus, You alone are worthy of all power and praise. You alone are worthy of our pursuit. But Lord, sometimes we don’t even realize we’re chasing after the wind. It’s what everyone does. It’s what we’ve always done, and our parents before us. Help us today to break the cycle. Show us how we’re chasing emptiness, and help us to turn our time and attention to You. Fill us with purpose like nothing else can. Not because of what we can do for You, but because of who we are in You. Your beloved. Amen.

Q4U: What can you do today to stop chasing after the wind and start pursuing Jesus?

The Truth About Strengths & Weaknesses

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Joy

What’s your greatest strength? How about your greatest weakness? For some of us, we have answers ready to go. We know what we’re good at and can talk about these strengths at length. We also know areas that need improvement, but we’re very adept at turning these weaknesses into positives during a job interview. Unfortunately, what we communicate as strengths and weaknesses are generally surface level or related to job performance. They don’t get to the core of who we are and what we really want out of life.

Recently I heard a guy by the name of Marcus Buckingham speak at a conference. He’s the force behind The Strong Life Test which is based on the premise that our ideas of strengths and weaknesses are all wrong. We go through life believing that our strengths are what we’re good at. Even if we don’t like what we’re good at. And our weaknesses are what we’re bad at. And because they’re weaknesses, we focus on them and keep practicing over and over so we can get better.

We want to be the best we can be. But our approach is all wrong.

Whether we’re doing what we’re good at but don’t like, or focusing on what we’re bad at which makes us feel worse because we just can’t get it, we’re constantly going through the motions of life and getting drained by the minute. We may be an amazing attorney or teacher or bus driver or stay at home mom. But even though we’re good at it, we feel like there should be something more because we constantly feel empty. There’s something that’s just not right.

What’s missing? The truth about strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths aren’t what we’re good at, and weaknesses aren’t what we’re bad at. Strengths are those things that strengthen us. And weaknesses are those things that weaken us.

Think about it. Strengths make us stronger. Weaknesses make us weaker.

We can be really good at something and to this point we’ve believed it’s one of our greatest strengths. But if we don’t like it, or if we’re doing it only to pay the bills, it’s not making us stronger. Day after day it’s sucking the life out of us and making us weaker.

By the same token, there may be something that we’re not good at and we don’t enjoy (so we know it’s a weakness), but other people think we need to be doing it. So day after day we practice and commit our spare time so we’ll get better or obtain a higher degree. And we get weaker and weaker.

Both of these scenarios are weaknesses. Whether we’re good at something or not, if we dread it or it continues to bring us down, it’s a weakness. It makes us weaker.

We need to focus on our strengths. We should be promoting those things that make us feel stronger. We should be spending our time with people who encourage us and fill us up instead of those people who tear us down or wear us down. Strengths make us feel stronger. We feel good. We feel alive. We feel like we could take on the world.

What’s interesting is that Marcus Buckingham interviewed many highly successful, high profile women to find the common denominator for their strong lives. Many of these women had insane schedules and wore many hats as business owners, wives and mothers. But they all had one thing in common: what they did on a daily basis and what they focused their time on were the strengths that made them feel stronger.

It’s not about how much free time we have or how much money we have. It’s about how we spend our time and who we spend it with. Let’s find our strongest life. Let’s focus on those things and those people that make us feel stronger, and let go of those things that weaken us.

Strengths make us stronger.

Click the link if you’d like to take Marcus Buckingham’s Strong Life Test.

“‘Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.’” Nehemiah 8:10

May I pray?

Lord, many of us have spent our lives pursuing things that don’t make us stronger. In reality, they weaken us more and more as time goes on. Help us today to step back and take a good hard look at what we do on a regular basis and who we do it with. May we begin to live our strongest life by focusing on those things that strengthen us to the core. And may we turn to You first in all our endeavors, for a joyful life with You is truly the foundation of strength. Amen.

Q4U: What makes you stronger, and what makes you weaker?

Life Is What Happens When…

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Joy

What are you holding out for in life? Is there something you think will make life better? Something you think of and say, “Life will be better when…” When I get a new job. When I find a guy who truly understands me. When I don’t have to take care of my parents. When “he” stops drinking. When my ex starts taking the kids on a regular basis.

When…

We keep holding out for “when…” thinking that life will get good again, or good for the first time, when… We’ll be able to start truly living life to the fullest when… We’ll be happy when…

What we don’t understand is that “when…” may never come. And even if it does, it’s not going to fill all the voids in our life. There will be something else that’s still out there, another when… And so month after month, year after year, we’re waiting, planning, focusing, obsessing on when…

And life is passing us by.

There is no destination in this life. We’ll never “arrive” at some magical place this side of heaven where desires and longings are all fulfilled. We’re on a continual journey as long as we’re on this earth.

And the journey is what we’re supposed to savor.

Life is to be lived to the fullest, in the moment. It’s not to be wasted as we hold out for when…

Life is what happens when… we’re waiting for tomorrow.
Life is what happens when… we’re planning for tomorrow.
Life is what happens when… we’re focusing on tomorrow.
Life is what happens when… we’re obsessing on tomorrow.

One day we’re going to look back and say life is what happened. Life is what we missed. Life was so much better than we gave it credit for, and now those years are gone. All because we were fixated on “tomorrow”. On when…

What if tomorrow never comes? For us or for someone we love? What if today is the day we were given to live life to the fullest, not tomorrow? Have you heard the song “Live Like You Were Dying” by Tim McGraw? It talks about a guy who gets a medical report saying he might not have much time left to live. And so he begins to live in the moment, in the present, as if there is no tomorrow. The chorus says:

I went skydiving
I went rocky mountain climbing
I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu
And I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I’d been denyin’
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dyin’

What if we took that chance today? What if we were to live as if we were dying? Better yet, what if we were to live as if we were living? Truly living? Loving deeper. Speaking sweeter. Forgiving old hurts. Embracing God.

There’s nothing wrong with planning for the future, as long as we’re living life fully today. As long as we’re not holding out for when… As long as we realize there will come a final day when we will meet our Maker.

Today is a new day. It’s time to start jumping into life with both feet off the ground.

“Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to You.” Psalm 86:4 (NLT)

May I pray?

Father God, rarely do we view each new day as a day to be savored. A day to be lived to the fullest. There are bills to pay, people to take care of, schedules to keep up with, and relationships that need fixing. So we hold out for a different tomorrow thinking surely that’s when life will be worth living. Lord, help us to see through those lies. Help us to start living life today. Truly living it. Not with reckless abandon, but with joy and purpose. With love in sisterhood. Amen.

Q4U: What are you holding out for in life?

What’s More Valuable Than 15 Minutes?

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Joy

What can you do in 15 minutes? Watch half a sitcom? Rush through the day’s happenings on Facebook and email? Remove your chipped toenail polish and apply two coats of a new color? Let’s be honest, 15 minutes isn’t a lot of time.

Unless someone’s asking us to spend it with God.

Why is that? Is it because He’s Almighty God, so if we can’t find 45 minutes to an hour to spend with Him (which we don’t) we figure it’s not worth His time? Or are we too busy filling our 15 minute slots with TV and internet and “me time”? Or could it be that we don’t know what we would say for 15 whole minutes if we were sitting in God’s presence?

Or do we just not think about spending time with God one-on-one?

Many of us feel like we don’t have the kind of relationship with God that we should. Other people talk about how they hear God, but we don’t. Or we’re not sure if we do. And spending time with God? There have been plenty of times that we intended to read the Bible or focus on prayer. Once in a while we actually set aside the time, for a day or two. But then we get distracted, or we don’t understand what we read, or we feel like we’re talking to the wall.

Why is it that some people can connect with God, but for some of us it doesn’t seem to work?

Instead of asking “Why?”, let’s get to the heart of the matter. God isn’t interested in rituals or prescribed prayers. He doesn’t care about the “good” things we do that prove we’re on the right track. He doesn’t keep score or add bonus points when we go above and beyond the call of duty. It’s not about doing. It’s about being. Being with Him.

What if God were to tell us exactly what it would take to “connect” with Him? Would you do it? No matter what? Our answer will determine whether or not we’ll be able to truly connect with God.

If we’re looking for peace, prosperity, protection and blessing––all the things we believe will give us good feelings and bring the good life we dream about––well, then, the reality is that we probably won’t be connecting with God on a deep level anytime soon. Why not? Because we’re basically looking to use God and ride His coattails.

If we stop looking for what we can get out of the relationship and instead start looking for God, then we’ll find Him.

So we’re back to the most important question of the day: What if God were to tell us exactly what it would take to “connect” with Him? Would you do it? No matter what? If so, then here’s the answer: 15 minutes. Okay, I admit this is a simplified answer, but hang with me here.

God wants our time. We show what’s most important in our lives by what we give our time and uninterrupted attention to. And just like we long for blocks of quality time with the people we love most, so too God longs for time with us. Unfortunately, we rarely, if ever, give it to Him.

So here’s the 15 minute challenge. Are you willing to spend 15 minutes at the start of each day reading God’s Word, delving into what He’s actually saying, and asking Him how it applies to your life? 15 minutes each morning, letting go of your agenda for the day and connecting with God so you can follow Him for the rest of the day.

Two things I’ll say about 15 minutes with God. First, if you really commit to doing this, you will never be the same again. God will meet you wherever you are. Tell Him what you’re doing. Ask Him to show up each morning and reveal Himself to you through His Word. Ask Him to unlock mysteries and connect with you like never before. Ask Him to take away anything that keeps you from Him. God loves prayers like that. So be ready, because if you’re truly asking from your heart, He will answer.

Second, if you really commit to doing this, you’ll find out very quickly that 15 minutes isn’t very long at all. Initially, it may seem like it goes slowly. Use a timer if you need to. God won’t mind because you’re making the effort and offering your time to Him. And as you get into what you’re reading, it’s going to fly by. So you may decide to spend 15 minutes reading and meditating on God’s Word, and another 15 minutes talking to Him in prayer. It’s still a 15 minute challenge, but in two parts. Don’t give up on the idea now just because there’s a curve ball option. Start with 15 minutes and then take it from there.

What’s more valuable than 15 minutes? Nothing if we’re spending it with God.

“Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:12-13

May I pray?

Almighty God, sometimes we’re intimidated by You. We don’t really know who You are or what Your voice sounds like. We don’t know how to connect with You, or if You want to connect with us. Father, we commit to You today 15 minutes. In some ways it doesn’t seem like much, but in some ways it seems like an eternity. Please meet us wherever we are when we come before You. Meet us in Your Word and in prayer for our 15 minutes a day. Hear us calling for You. Speak to us. Allow us to find You. May our love for You grow deep as we meet You each day. Amen.

Q4U: What’s more important in your life than 15 minutes with God each day?

We’re All In The Same Boat

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Joy

Have you ever been on a sightseeing cruise? Many towns in Europe and the U.S. offer cruises up and down waterways to see their most famous and noteworthy landmarks. The boats look like multi-level, steel mini-ships, usually with an open deck on top where people can get a full 360 degree view as they float along. It’s a cool way to learn about the history and layout of a city from a completely different perspective.

We’re all on a sightseeing cruise. It’s called life. The only difference is that our life boat leaves the safety of the harbor and heads out into open water. Sometimes the seas are calm and we’re amazed at the beauty of our surroundings and the awe-inspiring sunsets. Sometimes seas are rough and we’re tossed back and forth as our boat is battered by unrelenting waves. But we’re all in the same boat. No one has all sunsets. And no one has all storms.

Often there’s a question about who has the best seat on our life boat. People up front are dressed nicer, laugh louder, and sip their wine with poise. It doesn’t seem fair, but they are the “special” people. There are preachers, nuns and charity workers up front too. They probably deserve it.

Behind them are the ordinary people. The ones who try to live a good life and give to others when they can. They work hard to make an honest living. Being in the middle is fine. They can still see the sunsets. They may not feel like they’re as good as first class, but they’re happy they’re not back with the riff-raff.

The back of the boat is dicey. Don’t venture there alone. It’s full of people down on their luck and those who made bad choices. They’re stuck with embezzlers and murderers and homeless people who smell. The worst of them probably shouldn’t even be on the boat. But they are. And surprisingly everyone in the rear of the boat sees the same sunsets as the people up front.

Whether we’re proudly socializing in first class, quietly sitting in the middle, or regretfully hiding in the back, we’re all in the same boat. And that boat can’t float without Jesus Christ. If our boat sinks, everyone is going down together. It doesn’t matter if we’re up front or pushed up against the back rails. No one can save themselves. Not even the preachers or nuns.

But here’s the thing. We can’t view ourselves as less worthy of being saved just because of where we sit on the boat.

We all have sin in our life. We all make mistakes. And we all have a Savior who has come to rescue us. Jesus doesn’t look past us to save someone else first. He comes directly to us. He reaches out His hand and says, “Trust Me.” We are worthy. We are precious. We are His beloved. And He wants to save everyone. No matter how good or how bad our seat is.

We’re all in the same boat. And we know the boat is going down. We just don’t know how much time we have left. Don’t let doubt or shame or feelings of unworthiness prevent you from being saved.

Take hold of Jesus’ hand today. He can walk on water. He alone has the power to save.

“But when [Peter] saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ He said, ‘why did you doubt?’” Matthew 14:30-31

May I pray?

Jesus, we often live as if we can walk on water and save ourselves. But when the storms of life start sinking our pleasure cruise, we realize how little we can actually do on our own. Lord, please forgive us for our pride, doubt, shame and fear. Please help us to let go of our feelings of unworthiness because of where we’ve been or where we now sit. Grant us the courage to take Your hand today. Amen.

Q4U: Do you ever feel like other people would be saved before you if the life boat went down?

In Her Own Words… Stacey

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Joy

My name is Stacey and this is my story…

Life was good. Loving husband. Two healthy, beautiful daughters–one was almost 4 years old, the other 1 ½. Caring, involved grandparents for my children. Thankfully, my husband’s job allowed me to stay home with the girls. I was blessed in many ways. It was summer and I was planning Kendall’s 4^th birthday party: confirming guest lists, favors, cake, the works. On August 17, the day before Kendall’s birthday, I had just put the kids down for a nap. Ahhh, time to relax and wrap up the party planning. The phone had been ringing non-stop so I went to check who called. It was my dad. Just then he called again. I picked up the phone and listened to his trembling voice, “Stacey, it’s Gail (my mom). She’s on the kitchen floor. I’m waiting for an ambulance.” Fear pulsed through my entire body. I can’t even recall what I said. Then Dad added, “Stacey, she’s cold. I think she’s gone.”

Even now, tears fill my eyes as I think of that moment. The worst experience I could ever imagine was happening to me. But how? She’s only 62 years old. She still has so much love to give, so much life to live. Within the hour, it was confirmed—my mom was gone. Shock set in. Devastated and overwhelmed, I could barely grasp what had happened. How will I cope? Not only did I have to handle my own feelings, but I had to break the news to Gran (Mom’s Mom), and my children who adored their “MeeMaw.” Kendall didn’t understand. “But MeeMaw wanted to come to my party. She was on the list.” Of course she did. But God had other plans for her.

Over the next 12 months, in addition to Mom I lost 3 more family members. My faith remained strong through all of this and God drew me close. But with the loss of the fourth in less than a year, I couldn’t help but ask, “Why?” Why God? Why so much loss in such a brief period of time? How much can this family take? Amidst the sadness of losing so many, I was led to re-read hymns and Scriptures that comforted me after Mom left this earth. They reminded me that: 1) though I’m sad, our loved ones in heaven are anything but sad—they are forever in God’s glory, and 2) my life on this earth is a pilgrimage—it’s not my final destination. Life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever. God wants us to be with Him in heaven.

It was a very tough year, but I’ve come through these tragedies by the grace of God. He has lovingly taken my hand and led me through my valleys. I’d like to share two of the ways I was comforted during my grief journey (and it was a journey—it didn’t happen all at once).

First, I was comforted by others. Hugs, encouraging words, and loving support that friends and family gave. I specifically recall one sympathy card where a family friend wrote: I lost my mom at about your age. It took time, but I eventually realized that as much as I missed Mom, I would never wish her back to this earth for my benefit. What a beautiful thought. Heaven versus earth, I choose heaven for my mom. The timing was not what I would have chosen, but I trust God and His timing.

Second, I was comforted by generational faith. Faith passed down from Gran to Mom to me, and now to my daughters. Both Gran and Mom had an intimate love for God. This may be the most important legacy anyone can leave for their family. They planted the seeds of faith in their children. They lived their lives as godly examples of what it means to pursue Christ and love others, even when it’s hard. Both are gone now. They’re in heaven with their Savior. But somehow I know they’re smiling down on us. They will always be in our hearts. And I have the promise that I will see them both again because we put our faith in Jesus. Praise God for this eternal promise.

As the first year after Mom’s passing came to a close, I dreaded the “anniversary date” of her death. Tears flowed frequently just thinking about it. One day while crying, I felt God tell me—don’t dread this day, celebrate this day. Praise Him! I needed that nudge. Now we celebrate August 17 as my mom’s Heaven Birthday. We send up balloons to heaven with messages to Mom, and the girls blow kisses to their MeeMaw.

This past August was the 4^th Heaven Birthday for Mom. I no longer feel like I’ve lost my mom. What appeared to be a loss, well, it’s just a temporary separation. I celebrate where Mom is and embrace the promise through Christ Jesus that I will see her again.

I’d like to close with a comforting thought that was shared with me: Always remember, “Peace is not the absence of trouble. Peace is the presence of God.” I trust God and know He will continue to love and support me and my family. So even though the death of these loved ones represents a tragic loss for us, it’s a beautiful gain for them—for they are in heaven.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. 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 take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:1-3

If you’re struggling with the loss of a loved one, there are people who can help you walk through your grief journey. One support group is GriefShare and they can be found at www.GriefShare.org .

May I pray?

Heavenly Father, thank you that You didn’t create us for earth, You created us for eternity with You. But we still have a part of us missing when someone we love dies and we’re left behind. Father, I ask a special blessing upon everyone mourning the loss of someone they love. May they come to You and find peace in Your presence. May they embrace the promise of heaven, where there will be no more pain and no more tears. Please comfort them with tender love today. Amen.

When Does It Get Easier?

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Joy

Do you ever feel like you struggle with the same things again and again? Most of us do. We’re good for two or three years, and then “boom” there it is. That same weakness flaring up again. Shouldn’t we be over this by now?

We spent several days this week talking about temptation because it’s something we all deal with. And we always will. Sometimes we may feel like we’re being tested. Sometimes it may seem like an all-out attack. But one thing is certain. We will never outgrow it. We will never mature past it. Temptation in whatever form––money, power, control, physical intimacy, drugs, alcohol––will forever be a part of life until the day Jesus returns.

There was a time last year when I was back in the throes of temptation. I had plenty of warning. And I shrugged it off. Ignored it really. And suddenly there I sat in the burning house, with the door closed behind me (see Wednesday’s blog “Burning Down the House–Temptation”). It was a dark room reminiscent of the life I used to live. I could feel myself giving in. Heading back down the path to yesteryear.

But then I took hold of my sword of Truth: “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices… Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world…” (Romans 12:1-2)

Stop! This is not who I am anymore! This is not who I want to be! I’m better than this. I’m a daughter of the King of kings and I need to act like it and be treated like it.

I jumped through the open window (so to speak). And God was there to catch me.

To say I was disappointed in myself is a complete understatement. How could I have entertained such temptation and allowed myself to be exposed to that situation? The next morning, I sat before God and asked His forgiveness. When I read my morning devotional, God spoke clearly. The text was Jeremiah 18:1-10 which describes a potter who molds clay into beautiful works of art. And when the clay is marred or won’t conform in the potter’s hands, he re-works it into a new creation. The devotional ended with these words:

“No matter what messes we have made of our lives, God can remold us into vessels that are good in His eyes. As we confess any sin and submit ourselves in obedience to His Word, we allow the Master to do His redemptive work in our lives. That is the only way for the pieces of our brokenness to be made whole and good once again.”

I broke down in tears. Praise the Lord He accepted my confession of sin. Praise the Lord He confirmed His forgiveness and His continued work in my life.

But then a little voice in my ear said, “Who do you think you are? Here you’re trying to be a role model for other girls, and you’re no better than anyone else.”

For a split second I began to doubt if God could still use me.

And then I said to the enemy, “You’re right. I’m just like everyone else. That’s exactly why I reach out to others. I’ve been where they’ve been. I’m still prone to wander like the rest of humanity. I’ll always struggle with temptation and weakness the way everybody does. But here’s truth: my life has been transformed by Christ and I’m never going back. I may stumble here and there. I may get knocked down a time or two. But I’m never giving up. I’m never giving in. Jesus has washed me clean of the mud once again and I stand in my pretty white dress before Him this morning, ready to keep going.”

Actually, I’d like to think my pretty white dress was more like a glowing white commando outfit.

My friend, none of us is perfect. We all have struggles that we deal with over and over. But each time we learn, and each time is an opportunity to grow stronger. And please know this: We’re in this together. This is what sisterhood is all about. Helping each other get back up again. Because when we stumble or fall, we can’t let temptation or weakness defeat us.

Whether you’re running the race of life feeling strong, struggling to walk your daily grind, or crawling through the muck of sin and disappointment, know that there are others willing to help who’ve been there before you.

And God is ready to hold you in His hands and transform you into a beautiful new creation.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

May I pray?

Lord, we’re broken. Even when we feel strong, there’s always a weak spot. And so we struggle with the same types of temptations over and over again. But God, You can make us new. You can take our brokenness and turn it into something for Your glory. Thank you for the way You lovingly mold us. Please fill our cracks and empty places as You transform us from the inside out. And may we stay in Your hands until Your work is complete. Amen.

Q4U: Are you willing to put your life in God’s hands so He can mend your brokenness and make you into a beautiful new creation?

3 Steps to Wielding the Sword of Truth

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Joy

Our culture is fixated on weapons. Sleek handguns or Rambo-esque semi-automatic rifles are in almost every TV show, video game and movie. Kids grow up knowing how to expertly wield a lightsaber just like the Jedi knights in Star Wars. And slang abounds with various references, like “I’m packing heat” (i.e. carrying a loaded gun) or “We need to bring out the big guns” (i.e. our secret weapon which is usually some smooth-talking dude in an insanely expensive suit or a show-no-mercy mafia guy).

Although we see and hear a lot about guns, unless we’re into martial arts or Samurai history we probably don’t know much about swords. Back in the day, before the advent of gun powder, swords were the weapon of choice for warriors. Depending on the type of fighting anticipated, they would have long or short blades with one or two edges. Some swords were showpieces of elaborate bronze or gold artistry. Other swords had one purpose only––to quickly take down the enemy.

Girls, today is the day we’re going to learn how to wield our prized sword to quickly take down the enemy in three easy steps.

What’s our sword? God’s Word.

Step 1: Pick Up Our Sword. Whether we’re facing an onslaught of temptation or undergoing a testing of our weaknesses, we need to be prepared. It isn’t enough to just pick up the sword. We have to know how to use it. Otherwise, we’re a sitting duck that doesn’t stand a chance. Of course, in order to learn how to use our sword, we do have to first pick it up. For anyone wanting a new hard copy Bible, I highly recommend the Life Application Bible which comes in various translations (I use NIV). For those who prefer reading online, I recommend www.BibleGateway.com. We need access to God’s Word and we need to be willing to go to it regularly. That’s what it means to pick up our sword. Now that our sword is in hand, it’s time to learn to cut through lies and wield Truth.

Step 2: Learn A Few Key Moves (And Practice Them). We don’t have to know every move of a Samurai warrior to be effective in wielding a sword. Our translation: we don’t have to memorize entire Books of the Bible or even know the name of every Book to be able to use the Word of God as our weapon of protection. We can start by just memorizing one or two verses based on our temptations or weaknesses. If our weakness is physical intimacy, we might choose 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 or Galatians 5:24-25. If our weakness is alcohol or excessive partying, we might choose Ephesians 5:18 or Romans 13:13-14. For our second verse, we may want to pick one of the promises of God or His confirmation of our new life. Examples would be Jeremiah 29:11, John 8:11, John 10:10, 2 Corinthians 5:17, or Galatians 2:20. One of my favorite verses that acts as my primary sword of choice for any temptation or weakness is Romans 12:1-2. What’s important is that we find one or two verses (our “go to” verses) that have meaning for us, and memorize them. This is our way of practicing the moves of the sword. We have to be ready to grab a verse from memory and use it in prayer to cut through lies and speak Truth into any situation.

Step 3: Wield Our Sword With Confidence. Being confident in wielding God’s Word gets easier as we spend more time practicing Step 2. But even if we’re new to swordsmanship of God’s Word, we can still use it with confidence. How do I know this? Because the power is in God’s Word, not us. Our job is to be willing and prepared to use it. If you don’t have your verses memorized, put them on 3×5 cards and take them with you. You can still bring the power of God’s Word into your everyday situations. Don’t shy away. Don’t forget your sword is there. Don’t use it as a last resort. Pick it up at the first sign of danger and slash! Unleash the power of God’s Word and let His strength move through you.

Temptation is waiting in the wings of our life. Lurking in the shadows. Preparing to come out on center stage when we least expect it. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)

And if we ever think we have temptation figured out or it’s shut away behind lock and key––watch out! “Pride goes before the fall.” (Proverbs 16:18 condensed)

The good news is that we can be ready at a moment’s notice to fight temptation if we’ve done our preparation. And it’s never too late to start. Learning to wield our sword, the Word of God, takes practice. But the first step is always to remember to pick up our sword––our “go to” verse. Then we can unleash the power of God’s Word.

Choose a verse. Memorize it. Speak its truth in times of temptation and weakness. This is how we wield the sword of Truth. This is what transforms us from the inside out.

“In view of God’s mercy, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God––this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is––His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2

May I pray?

God, sometimes we feel ill-equipped to stand up under temptation or endure times of weakness. Thank you that You have given us a weapon that wields Your power. Help us to memorize one or two verses this week as we practice using Your sword, Your Word, in our everyday situations. May we gain confidence as we grab our “go to” verse and walk away victorious. Amen.

Q4U: What Scripture will you memorize as the first sword you grab when temptation approaches?