Fabulous or Foolish?

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Joy

Has anyone ever told you you’re crazy?

If you’re like me, your family and friends may not use those exact words, but their shocked reactions tell it like it is. “You’re crazy!”

It can be an honor really. We’re daring. We’re different. We don’t conform to the norm. I like being a little bit crazy. It means we’re unpredictable. We’re interesting. We love doing things that other people wouldn’t dare. Like skydiving and eating scorpions and racing cars. To some it’s craziness. But secretly they know it’s awesome!

There’s a big distinction, though, in craziness. Being crazy, as in fabulous, is far different than being crazy, as in foolish.

Is it good to be crazy fabulous? Absolutely! Crazy foolish? Not so much. How do we know what kind of crazy we are? Everyone’s crazy meter will be different so we can’t apply a blanket determination of Fabulous v. Foolish to stunts and activities. But there’s another aspect of life where people often think we’re foolish because they just can’t understand. And that’s our faith.

Before I knew Jesus, I thought people who talked about Him were crazy. Truly loco!

I believed in God. I knew Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins. I thought I was going to heaven. I prayed and could recite a few passages of Scripture. But talking about a relationship with Jesus? Believing that He lives in us today through the Holy Spirit? That was just weird. Those people were weird. And usually nerdy.

But one day I had an encounter with Jesus. One day my whole world changed. And on that day, my understanding of fabulous v. foolish changed.

On that day, I surrendered my life to Jesus. Standing in my room, I peeled off my old life like a wetsuit, pushed it to the ground and stepped out of it. Then I walked forward to Jesus, promising never to go back to my old life. And I never did.

The details of my life didn’t change overnight. But I did. I changed because God was now residing in my heart. Over time, I was transformed from the inside out. Jesus, through His Holy Spirit, redeemed my life. He changed everything about me: my words, my thoughts, my beliefs, my desires, my passions. Even my strengths and weaknesses. I surrendered all, and He began using my story for His glory.

All this talk about Jesus and a transformed life may seem foolish to you. I understand. I used to think that too. But God promises that if we come to Jesus, we will be saved. Saved for eternity. Saved for the here and now to be His light in the world’s dark places. And what seemed foolish to us before suddenly becomes the power of God in our life. It becomes the power of God in us.

If today you think this talk of Jesus sounds foolish, at least consider the “what if”. What if it’s true? What if the stories of transformed lives are true? What if people like me really do see something more? What if God really does have the power to change you? He alone can give you new life. New hope. New purpose.

Fabulous or foolish?

I’m living proof that faith in Jesus opens the door to God’s power in our life. Crazy or not, I want to tell people about what Jesus has done for me. Because I now understand that what I used to think was foolish is actually the most fabulous gift we can ever receive.

“The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18

May I pray?

Jesus, sometimes people who talk about you seem utterly foolish to us. And so we discount what they say and believe it’s foolish too. But Lord, there comes a time when we don’t know what’s true anymore. We know there must be more to life. We want to believe in heaven, and we wish we could know for sure that we’re going there. Lord, I lift up to You anyone who is struggling to know the truth. Anyone who is doubting. Anyone who wants to know more about You but doesn’t know where to start. May they pray to You today even if they’re not sure what to say. And may You reveal Your fabulous power in their heart and in their life. Amen.

Q4U: What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

One Choice That Leads To Hope

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Joy

Have you ever felt like something was hopeless? Maybe it was an issue with your family, and you knew the harsh words wouldn’t be forgotten. Maybe it was a situation at work that had no good possible outcome. Maybe it was your life, and the shattered pieces of broken dreams couldn’t be put back together again.

Most of us, at one time or another, will feel hopeless.

No one to help. Nowhere to turn. Suffering in darkness, alone. I’ve been in this place. More than once. I know the pain. I know the fear. I know the isolation. I know the despair.

Maybe you know someone struggling to find hope. Maybe you’ve been there before. Maybe you’re there now. For all of us, it’s important to know where to turn for hope.

When hope is lost or fading fast we have two choices. We can grasp onto what the world has to offer, or we can cling to God.

If we go with the world, we’ll be looking for someone or something to fill our emptiness. To give us a reason to live. To provide hope. Like what? Friends or family. A new or risky relationship. A new toy. A new job. An escape. Something to light a spark. Someone to pull us up from the mire of a mundane life. Something to give us purpose.

The problem is that no one and nothing can truly fill our emptiness. We cannot find hope in the hands of another person. We can’t find hope at the mall or online. We may find distractions. We may find a quick thrill. We may find something that excites us and keeps us going for another day. But these are all temporary fixes to our feelings of hopelessness. At some point, we’re back in the same dark pit. And we hate it. We don’t want to be there again. We can’t take it anymore. There has to be more to life than this.

But there is a second option.

Instead of grasping for something temporary, we can try something new. We can turn to God and cling to Him. Why? God brings purpose to every life, no matter how broken we think we are. God gives us reason to live. God fills our emptiness with hope.

We don’t have to create our own hope. God gives it to us.

How? By giving us the strength of His Holy Spirit so we can persevere. What if we don’t want to persevere? What if we just want things to be different? Hear me out. God doesn’t want to give us a quick fix. He doesn’t want us to end up back at a place of hopelessness down the road.

And so instead of making things different, He makes us different.

Through our suffering and hopelessness, God gives us the strength and desire to persevere. As we persevere, our character is changed. We grow stronger. We grow smarter. Our perspectives on what’s important and what’s right change. We change. We’re transformed from the inside out. And as we change, as we focus on God and how He’s working in us and through us, as we start reaching out to help others even in our own struggles, we see the light ahead. We see the promise of new life. We begin living out the hope of our future.

Our hope, then, is solid. It’s not fleeting. It’s not based on what other people say or do. It’s not based on what we have or lose, what we buy or break. Our hope is based on God. He is all-powerful. He is unchanging. He is everlasting. And so is the hope He gives us.

You may not believe God can bring hope to your situation. You may not be convinced that the past can be washed away, or that new life can be yours. And that’s okay. You don’t have to take my word for it. Test it for yourself. Try something new.

Whether you’re in a place of hopelessness now or not, God wants to fill your emptiness.

Come before God in your secret place and ask Him to meet you there. Open up to Him in humility. Call to Him. Cry to Him. Seek Him in the Psalms (Psalms 23, 30, 31, 40, 42, 51). Be honest with Him. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you. And when He does, you can decide for yourself which choice is better: the world or God.

For all who choose God, He pours out His love. He pours out His Holy Spirit. He pours out hope that will never lead to disappointment. God is the one choice that leads to everlasting hope.

“We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” Romans 5:3-5

May I pray?

Lord, some of us are in a place of absolute hopelessness. Some of us just feel empty and numb. All of us have struggled. We’ve tried one thing after another. But we’re still unsatisfied. We’re still lonely. And whether we recognize it or not, we’re in desperate need of You. Father, give us the courage to turn to You today. Bring us to our secret place and meet us there. Open our eyes to see You. Open our ears to hear You. Open our hearts to Your love. Open our souls to the hope that is only found in You. Help us to let go of what we cling to so You can begin transforming us from the inside out. May we never be the same again. Amen.

Q4U: What fills you with hope?

Be Careful What You Ask For

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Joy

Do you make a list of things you’d like for Christmas so that family and friends can shop appropriately? It’s that time of year again, and making a list is a good idea. Especially if your family doesn’t appreciate your taste in clothes or decorating.

I remember a few years ago I was given a green sweater with an enormous embroidered Santa covering the front, surrounded by small glittery snowflakes and holly. I know it was a nice sweater. I appreciate the thought. And I’m sure the sweater would look great on a grandmother or someone who likes to wear tinsel earrings and red shoes to match. But that’s not me. And I just couldn’t bring myself to put it on for the obligatory picture to show I was wearing it.

The infamous green sweater is a classic example of someone buying what they would like and not really knowing what I would like. Either that or they got stuck with it at the previous year’s gift exchange and decided to offload it, I mean re-gift it.

It’s hard when we ask for one thing and get something else.

So what are you asking God for these days? Many of us put items like new coats or purses on our Christmas list for family and friends, but when it comes to asking God for things we list the big ticket items. Like a new car, a new job, a new relationship.

But sometimes we realize that what we need to ask God for is not a thing, but change within us.

Like patience. I was talking to my friend last week and she was telling me about how she’s been praying and asking God for patience. She needs a lot of it. She has a business to grow that involves dealing daily with high maintenance clients. In addition, her husband quit his job to start a career in real estate so she’s carrying the financial burden as he gets launched. She was also hosting Thanksgiving for her family and her out-of-town in-laws who were planning on staying way too long for comfort. Stress was high, patience was thin, and so she had been praying.

She trusted God enough to know that He would answer. But His answer was not what she expected. To her (and to me) the perfect answer would have been something like a “patience pill”. Stress goes up, patience goes down, take two of these little pink patience pills with a strong dose of Scripture and prayer and you’ll be full of patience in the morning. The stressful situations will work themselves out quickly and without issue, and the world will be peaceful again in no time.

Sounds good to me. I’d like a few patience pills to go please.

Of course, God doesn’t work like this. In fact, what He did was the exact opposite. Instead of taking away the stressful situations or having everything miraculously work out, God began giving her new situations that were like a burr under the saddle. Irritants. Stresses. Conflicts. But with each one, she turned to God and prayed for strength and patience, and God answered. She was covered in His peace. She stood in His strength. She could feel the patience growing.

It wasn’t anything she was doing. It wasn’t anything she could have done on her own.

It was the power of God working in her and through her. He was growing patience within her. He was teaching her self-control and how to respond without reacting. He was giving her patience through the process of overloading her so that she had to rely on God.

It wasn’t a pill. It wasn’t a quick fix or a 24 hour bandaid. It was so much better. Because the patience God gave her will now be a part of who she is as she continues on her journey.

Be careful what you ask for this Christmas. Because if you’re asking God for something, He may not give you what you think you want. But He will always give you what is best. If you leave the specifics of the gift up to God, He’ll bless you with something truly amazing as you look back and see how it has changed you forever.

“How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:11

May I pray?

Heavenly Father, You are the giver of good gifts. You bless us with gifts we take for granted, like food at every meal, a warm house, and a soft pillow to sleep on. You bless us with gifts we often don’t appreciate, like a job that pays the bills and family or friends that love us even if they drive us crazy. And You bless us with gifts we can’t understand at the time, like turmoil and challenges that test us and change us if we’ll turn our hearts to You. Lord, as we head into this Christmas season, may we focus not on the gifts we hope to receive, but on You, the Giver of all good gifts. And may our Christmas list to You include those areas we struggle with, like patience, gratitude, and generosity. Continue Your work in us, that we may never be the same again. Amen.

Q4U: What are you asking for this Christmas?

A Different Kind of Thanksgiving

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Joy

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving memory? Maybe it’s a Thanksgiving with your family when everyone was together, before people moved away or passed away. Maybe it’s the traditions of turkey trots or touch football games or wearing pajamas until noon or watching parades. Maybe it’s a cooking mishap (like hitting “self-clean” instead of “bake”) that was a disaster at the time but now is worthy of laughs.

My favorite Thanksgiving memory goes back to the early years when my dad was still alive. Thanksgiving was one of the three days a year that we actually ate in the dining room (Christmas and Easter were the others). My parents always invited friends who didn’t have family nearby, so Mom would break out the china, crystal and silver. The table was beautiful. The food was amazing and would provide fabulous leftovers for days to come. And we’d always watch a football game on TV after dinner.

It was a day for family, friends and food. What could be better than that?

Now, some 30+ years later, Thanksgiving has new meaning for me. I don’t have the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with family anymore. But as I enter a new season of my life, it’s as if my eyes have been opened to see the vast storehouses of God’s goodness poured out. Truly, I am blessed beyond measure.

As I travel abroad each year and receive prayer requests from/for people around the world, I’m reminded that we, as Americans, cannot begin to fathom the poverty that most of the world is in. We cannot understand the wars, the persecution, the stench, the squalor, the desperation, the unmentionable things that happen in secret. We have so much. They have so little.

What can we do?

There are many ways to reach out to others. Offer a few hours of help in a food pantry. Sponsor a child through World Vision or Compassion International. Support ministries like International Justice Mission. But just as important, I believe we need to get on our knees and let God break our heart for what breaks His.

I pray this will be a different kind of Thanksgiving for all of us. One where we not only thank God for His blessings showered upon our life, but we also stand in the gap for others and lift them up to Him. People we know personally, and people we don’t. Those who are struggling financially, physically, spiritually. Those who feel alone or lost. Those who are forgotten.

Lord, thank You for…

Freedom. Freedom to worship. Freedom to go where we want, when we want. Freedom to speak our mind. Freedom to speak Truth without fear of reprisal or censuring. Lord, I pray for those around the world who do not have freedom. Those who are persecuted and tortured for their faith in You. Those who are imprisoned unjustly and separated from their families. Those who are sold, used and abused as slaves. Those in our own country who live in fear. God, I pray You comfort them, sustain them, strengthen them, and shine a light of hope in their life today. May they hear You. May they see You through someone You send to them with a word of encouragement.

Love. God’s love. The love of family. The love of friends. Lord, I pray that we will have the sensitivity to offer love to those who feel empty. I pray we’ll have the patience and humility to love the unlovely. I pray for those who have been hurt and broken; those who have walls of protection around their heart that prevent them from receiving love. May Your love reign in this world and break down barriers. May Your love shine in and through us to warm those we encounter this holiday season. A small drop of love brings hope to a dark and barren life. May we be intentional in showering Your love on others.

You, God. There is no greater gift than God Himself. Lord, thank You for revealing Yourself through Your Word so that we may know You more each day. Thank You for sacrificing Your Son, Jesus, for us so that we are no longer separated from You. Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit who lives in every believer so we will never again be alone. You are the Giver of everything we have. May we be thankful for the bounty of blessings You give to each one of us. But more importantly, may we look past the gifts and truly praise You, the Giver. May we be thankful for Your unchanging and unending love for us. It’s hard to imagine that the Creator of all things, who knows every intimate detail about each one of us, actually wants us to know Him intimately. And yet You do. Lord, I lift up those who don’t know You, or aren’t sure that they do. Open their eyes that they may see. Open their ears that they may hear. Open their hearts that they may know You and love You like never before.

This Thanksgiving, may we offer our thanks to God for the tremendous blessings He has bestowed upon us. But more than gifts, may we praise the Giver. And may we pray for others who aren’t experiencing freedom, love, and a relationship with Jesus.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1

Q4U: What’s your favorite Thanksgiving memory?

Help v. Hinder: 3 Ways to Equip Others

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Joy

Have you ever had someone try to help you and they ended up making things worse? Or have you ever wanted to help someone else but no matter what you did they couldn’t break free of what they were struggling with?

It’s hard to know how to help someone. Especially when we see they’re in pain. Especially when we think they’re making bad choices or not the choices needed to end the trial they’re facing. If they would do one or two things we’re sure their whole life could change for the better.

But when we take matters into our own hands in order to aid or rescue someone else, there’s a fine line between appropriately helping them out of their dark pit and hindering their ability to learn and mature.

It’s the premise about feeding a hungry person. If you give them a fish, you feed them for a day. If you teach them to fish, you feed them for a lifetime. We help others by equipping them and teaching them to fish in their pond of life. We hinder others by buying a fish here and there and expecting that they won’t go hungry again. If they never learn to fish on their own, they’re growth and maturity will be hampered and it will be hard for them to make good decisions.

Here are 3 Ways to Equip Others

1. Pray. It may seem odd to start with prayer, but we need guidance for how to approach the situation. And the person we want to help has to want help. Anything we try to force on someone isn’t going to last. They have to be receptive. Even if they’re combative, if they know deep down that they need help then there may be something we can do. But if we’re trying to impose our ideal or our will on them, we’ll be left drained and depressed when they don’t have the desire to be helped. Pray that they will have a true desire to go a new direction.

2. Ask questions and understand what they like and what they want. We have to take a genuine interest in them before they will respect what we have to say. It’s about love, respect and trust. We can make suggestions and help them to see the truth of the situation and potential consequences of various decisions. But at the end of the day, the solution has to be something that they believe is good and fits with their personality and interests. Otherwise they won’t stay the course.

3. Teach them how to fish with patience and kindness. Once we know what the agreed upon goal is, we can teach them step by step how to make the decisions to reach it. We walk with them during their journey. We encourage them along the way. We show patience and kindness even when they make mistakes or test our resilience. We may want to keep going back to Step 1 to pray! A key to success in this step is to also be speaking Truth into their life. The Word of God has the power to transform us––all of us. Plant the seeds of Truth while equipping them for the next season of their life. Those seeds will bring a harvest of good things in the months and years to come.

Helping someone by equipping them takes time and effort. It’s a lot easier to throw money at a situation or try to buy someone what they need. But when we help others learn how to make good decisions and provide for themselves, we’re giving them the opportunity not just to survive, but to begin a whole new journey of life.

Who knows, girls, we may even discover a fabulous new fishing hole in the process.

“The student who is fully trained will become like the teacher” Luke 6:40 (NLT)

May I pray?

Lord, we want to help others. But sometimes it’s really hard to know what to do. Give us the desire to do more than just offer money. Help us to take a true interest in others and get to know them so we can truly understand what they need. Emotionally, physically and spiritually. May we get out of our comfort zone and start walking the journey of life with others, speaking Your Truth along the way. Amen.

Q4U: How can you help equip someone in your life?

It’s How We Finish That Matters

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Joy

Who cares how we started? That’s what I want to say.

No, this isn’t the normal way I start a blog, but today I’m in a fighting mood. Why? Because there are so many of us girls out there who are weary, worn out, beaten down, and ready to give up. And I’m ready to fight for us all.

I’ve been there. I know the struggles. I know the dark places. I know the desperation.

I know what it feels like to feel lost and alone. Even in a sea of people. And so many of our real life struggles stem from not feeling good enough. We’ve heard it. We’ve believed it. Now we’re living it.

We just can’t get it right. Relationships. Family. Work. Diets. Money. God.

What’s the point of trying anymore? Maybe we fell again into our pit of desire. Maybe we can’t pay our bills. Maybe he left and we’re carrying the shame, guilt and embarrassment. Maybe it’s something else and we’re afraid of what others are thinking.

Look at the mess of our life! This isn’t what we signed up for. This isn’t how it’s supposed to be.

But here’s the truth, girls: It doesn’t matter where we are. It doesn’t matter where we’ve been. What matters is how we will finish.

Real life is like a 10 round fight in a boxing ring. We may make some mistakes early on. We may move left when we should have swung right. We’re going to take some jabs. We’re going to get knocked down a time or two. But when those early rounds are over, we’re smarter. We’re wiser. We’re better prepared for the next round. Until the final bell sounds, we still have time to fight the good fight. We still have time to fight to win.

Real life is like a marathon 26.2 mile race. We may get a slow start. We may have an injury from the past that keeps flaring up. We will get tired and feel like we can’t go another foot, much less another mile. But as we keep pressing on mile after mile, we get into a rhythm. Our pace quickens and we realize that physically we can do so much more. The battle is in our mind. Will we give in and walk? Will we give up and stop? Or will we persevere to the end and taste the sweetness of victory when we run across the finish line with arms held high?

Whether our analogy for real life is boxing or running or something else, the bottom line is that we won’t be able to pull off a real life victory without commitment and effort. But each day as we train, we get stronger. Each day as we turn to God’s Word, our souls are nourished with life-giving truth. Each day as we walk our journey with sisters in Christ, we’re strengthened by encouragement and support. Each day as we get on our knees and pour out our weaknesses to God, He fills us to overflowing with His strength. His power. His Holy Spirit. And in the process, He chips away the hard edges of our old life.

When we trust in God to train us and sustain us, He will transform us from the inside out. We will never be the same again. And we will rise above real life to victory.

So who cares how we started? Who cares where we started? It doesn’t even matter where we are today. The question is: Where are we going from here?

How will you finish?

Finish strong. Finish with God by your side. Finish the fight with sisters in your corner. Finish the race with sisters cheering you on. Finish so you can say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” That’s what matters.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7

May I pray?

Father God, oh how hard it is sometimes to think about finishing strong. Or finishing at all. We’re sinking in our circumstances. We’re stained by our past. And we don’t see how we can turn things around. But Lord, You can. You can take our broken pieces and put them together again in a beautiful new picture. Help us to persevere. Forgive us when we doubt You. Thank You for Your faithfulness to us. For if we’ll fight the good fight to the end, if we’ll finish the race and run to You, our faith will be a strong tower that will never be shaken. And through You, we will never be the same again. Amen.

Q4U: How can I be praying for you today?

Walking, Running, Rushing Thru Life

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Joy

Do you ever go for a leisurely walk? It’s a great idea to get out, relax and enjoy fresh air, warm sun, and the beauty of nature. But me? Not so much. I have a hard time finding time to be leisurely about anything.

When I walk it’s for a purpose.

Even walking the dogs is at a brisk pace because I view it as exercise. So we walk as fast as possible. My poor dogs! Often they try to stop and smell the roses. It’s more like trying to stop and smell the neighborhood dog markings on the roses, but I have to give them an “A” for effort. They’ll scamper up ahead so they have a few seconds of “smell time” before I catch up and pull them along. I always say the same thing to them, “Come on, we’re walking!” Obviously my view of an ideal walk is different than theirs.

As I toured Israel a couple of weeks ago, we did a lot of fast walking. We were always trying to stay ahead of the crowds. We were on and off the buses as quickly as possible and heading to our premier spot at each location. At one point I even ran ahead with our leader past another large group so the two of us could claim the territory we wanted by the Temple Mount wall. We got the spot, and all the rushing paid off. But rushing is not always worth it. When we’re constantly running, pushing and working in overdrive, we’re missing out on meaningful time spent with others along the way. And we’re wearing ourselves out.

Jesus walked everywhere He went. And He never rushed.

Shores of the Sea of Galilee

I was amazed to see place after place along the path of Jesus’ ministry in northern Israel. We went by bus, but He went on foot. Jesus and His disciples walked throughout Galilee, up and back from Jerusalem, and even into Samaria. But never once did He rush to get somewhere. In fact, several times He sent His disciples ahead and, instead of pushing an agenda, He went away to a quiet place to pray and spend time with God before continuing on.

Jesus was famous. He had crowds of people to teach and feed. He had sick people coming from all over to be healed. He had disciples to mentor and friends to encourage. He had family to love and lead, even when they doubted Him. He had more miles to walk during His 3 year ministry than many of us will walk in our lifetime.

And yet, Jesus never rushed. He never ran ahead. He never said, “I don’t have time for you right now.”

Jesus lived His life intentionally. He lived His life fully-engaged in every moment with the people He was with right then. Not dwelling on yesterday’s happenings. Not distracted by the next day’s challenges.

Not running or walking fast to make up time.

Today, Jesus says, “I am with you” (Matthew 28:20). What if we tried, for just one day, to live in the moment? To walk with Jesus at His pace. To interact with others along the way with Jesus by our side. To let Him choose our path. To let Him direct our words. To let Him be the focus of our day as we allow His love to fill us and flow out to others.

Walking a determined yet unrushed pace with Jesus shouldn’t be reserved for Sundays. It’s not something that should be a hassle or something we need to prepare for. It’s something we learn to do each day.

How? By learning to let go of our packed agenda. By stopping and hitting pause so we’re not rushing or running. By walking with Jesus as we take time to smell the sweet roses of life along the path of our day.

Come on, we’re walking! But today, we’re walking an unhurried walk with Jesus. Let’s follow Him and see what happens.

“As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow Me,’ Jesus said.” Mark 1:16-17

May I pray?

Lord, most of us are rushing most of the time. Even if we have free time, we’re often using that time to catch up on reading or errands or exercise. It’s hard to find relaxed time to spend with those we love, including You. Jesus, please help us to pause here for a few moments to think about what it would be like to walk by Your side today. May we focus our thoughts on You, listen for Your voice, and walk peacefully and unrushed through our day, loving others along the way. Amen.

Q4U: Do you ever go for a leisurely walk?

When “Doing” Leaves Us Empty

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Joy

Do you ever get to a point of doing so much that you wonder if it’s all worth it? I do. Does anyone even appreciate our concern and effort?

Some of us, including me, are serial “doers”. We see something that needs to be done and we do it. That’s just how we’re wired. And because we’re diligent and effective in getting things done, people ask us to do more. As the saying goes, if you want to get something done ask a busy person to do it. We’re time jugglers and schedule magicians. Somehow everything on the list always comes to completion, often without a minute spare.

Even if it comes down to the wire, it’s done and it’s done right.

Serial doers take our responsibilities seriously because we know that the job we do is a reflection of us. Unfortunately, we have a hard time saying “No”. So the tasks pile up and we get weighed down. It’s hard to relax when we’re focused on all of the things that need to get done.

Do you know anyone like this?

Maybe it’s your friend. Maybe it’s your mom or brother. Maybe it’s your boss. Maybe it’s you. Whether we’re serial doers or not, most of us have tendencies to stress out when the pressure’s on. We can run ourselves into the ground by “doing”. And then we’re too tired and empty to share meaningful time with the people we love.

The struggles of serial doers go all the way back to Jesus’ day.

Two of Jesus’ close friends were sisters name Martha and Mary. Martha was a doer. One day as Jesus and his disciples were traveling they stopped in at the sisters’ home. We don’t know if they came unannounced. We don’t know exactly how many people were in the group. But it’s possible there were upwards of 15 tired and hungry men who were suddenly hanging out in the living room around supper time. Back in those days, it was the women’s responsibility to be the hostesses and prepare meals for guests, whether they were unexpected or not. And all of the women would work together.

But on this day, only Martha was in the kitchen sweating out the details as she frantically tried to prepare a meal and set the tables for her honored guest and his entourage. Her sister Mary wasn’t helping at all! Mary was in the living room with the men, sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to everything He was telling the others. Martha was incensed. Not only was it completely inappropriate for Mary to be hanging out with the men, she wasn’t doing her part to help Martha!

So Martha did what most of us would do. She went to Jesus. To complain.

And what was Jesus’ response? Did He chastise Mary and tell her to get up and go help Martha? Did He tell Martha she was right to be stressed out over an almost impossible task? Did He address the meal at all? No.

Jesus’ response was simple and to the point.

He basically said (this is my expanded paraphrase), “Martha, I love you. But you worry and stress about too much. And at the end of the day, none of your “doing” really matters if you haven’t taken the time to sit and talk with Me. When you come to Me, you’ll find out what’s really important––love and relationships. There is a time and place to serve. But if it serving, if doing, pulls you away from Me, it’s not what I want. Mary has chosen what’s better. She has chosen to spend quality, unrushed, uninterrupted time with Me. And she will be honored for it.”

When doing leaves us empty, we’ve become a Martha. We’re so focused on what we’ve said “Yes” to that we’re missing the joy of serving. Let’s take a step back and become a Mary, even just for a few minutes. Let’s sit at the feet of Jesus and be recharged by unrushed, uninterrupted time with Him and those we love. Then we can get back to doing.

“But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.’ But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.’” Luke 10:40-42 (NLT)

May I pray?

Jesus, oh how we can relate to Martha! There are plenty of people we think aren’t carrying their weight. We’re tired and over-burdened with the things we have to do. And often it all seems so unfair. Lord, help us to take a step back today and see our busyness from Your perspective. Help us to lay our burdens down and come sit with You. Then You can pour into us so that we can pour out to others without becoming empty. Thank You for loving us and loving the time we spend with You. Amen.

Q4U: In what ways are you like Martha?

Who is Looking For You?

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Joy

Have you ever been completely lost? I don’t mean just lost as in you don’t have the right driving directions to get to a new restaurant. I mean really lost––as in you’re alone in a foreign or isolated place and you have no way of getting out on your own. It’s scary! And we don’t have to be on a deserted island like the TV Show LOST to be lost. Even in a sea of people we can be lost if we don’t know anyone or we can’t speak the language.

While in northern Israel we went to Mensa Christi on the Sea of Galilee. This is the area where Peter went after the crucifixion of Christ. After he had denied Jesus three times and then watched as Christ was beaten and killed. Peter knew Christ had risen. He knew Christ was indeed the promised Messiah. But Peter also knew what he had done. On the night Jesus was betrayed, Peter he had promised to stand by Jesus until the end. And several hours later he ran away in fear.

He was a coward. He was a failure. He was useless.

He was lost. His life was in ruin. His purpose in life was gone now that he wasn’t worthy of being by Jesus’ side. Have you ever felt this way? I have.

So what did Peter do? He went back to what he knew. He returned to his hometown to try to work as a fisherman. But he couldn’t even do that right. He wasn’t catching any fish.

And then Jesus came looking for him.

Forgiveness at Mensa Christi

Jesus met Peter on the shores of Mensa Christi. The Lord filled his nets with fish and then fed him breakfast. Jesus restored Peter financially. He restored Peter physically. And then Jesus restored Peter spiritually and emotionally. How? By assuring him of the forgiveness poured out for each of us when Jesus died on the cross. By calling him to a life of purpose in service to Christ.

Peter was never the same.

In one day Peter went from being a downcast and depressed fisherman to being one of the strongest defenders of faith in Christ. All because Jesus came looking for him. Peter was willing to accept God’s forgiveness and believe that Jesus could use his broken life for God’s glory. And God did.

God came looking for someone else we know. Ever hear of Adam and Eve? After they ate the apple on that dark day, they hid in the garden because they were afraid. They knew they had made a big mistake. But instead of coming to God to ask forgiveness, they ran away.

So God came looking for Adam.

“The LORD God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” (Genesis 3:9) Isn’t that odd? He’s God. Wouldn’t He know where Adam was? Yes. He did. But He wanted to show Adam how important he was to God. He wanted to give Adam the opportunity to confess what he had done and receive forgiveness and restoration.

Make no mistake, our bad decisions may have consequences we will live with for the rest of our life. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t be forgiven. That doesn’t mean we have to live an isolated and lost life without God. And that doesn’t mean we can’t be used as God’s light in our dark places when we allow Him to work in us and through us to transform our life.

Do you feel lost? Do you wonder about your purpose in life? Do you doubt if God can really use someone like you? Or why He would want to? Are you hiding from God and others?

Here’s truth: God already knows where you are.

God also understands our human need to feel wanted, to feel needed, to feel loved and pursued. To feel forgiven. Especially when we’ve made a big mistake.

God wants us to come to Him and be restored to new life. No matter where we’ve been. No matter what we’ve done. He is always faithful. And that will never change.

God is looking for you. Right now.

“If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny who He is.” 2 Timothy 2:13 (NLT)

May I pray?

Jesus, thank You that You are looking for us. Thank You that You know where we are. And thank You that You will never change who You are: Faithful. Forgive us for hiding from You. Please give us the courage today to stand up and say, “Lord, here I am.” May we confess our fears and failures to You so we can be restored to a love relationship with You. Help us to accept Your forgiveness and move forward in new life. May we use the testimony of our brokenness to encourage others in their walk with You. Amen.

Q4U: When was a situation in which you felt completely lost?

A Majority That Always Wins

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Joy

What’s a situation you faced when you felt completely outnumbered? Most of us have never been on a battlefield when enemy forces dwarfed our own, but we can still feel like the odds are against us. Maybe it’s a sports competition and not all of our players show up. Maybe it’s a conflict at work and our colleagues side with the boss and overrule our professional recommendations. Maybe it’s a debate at home about what color we should paint the family room and our kids prefer Daddy’s choice of Sportsman Red over our perfect pick of Meadow Sage.

Whatever the scenario, it can be disappointing and stressful when we’re in the minority. Especially in cases when the majority wins.

The View from Mt. Carmel

As I toured Israel, we went to the top of Mt. Carmel. This is the mountain where the prophet Elijah had a showdown with the prophets of Baal, a pagan god. It was Elijah against 450 false prophets. Not great odds there. And the king of Israel had gathered all of the people of the kingdom to watch the competition. Talk about pressure!

What was the point of the duel? To prove who was the true God. What was at stake? The faith of the people of Israel.

Baal was supposedly the god of fire from lightning. So Elijah suggested a contest that Baal should have won, if he was real. The competition was to see which one, Baal or God (ie Jehovah), could bring fire down from heaven to burn a sacrifice on an altar. The god who answered by fire––he would prove to be God.

The prophets of Baal went first.

They prepared their altar and from morning until noon they called on the name of Baal. But there was no answer. They danced and shouted and cut themselves with spears as was their custom. But still no response. Elijah taunted them saying, “Shout louder! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping.” I have to agree with Elijah on this one. I mean really, if Baal was a god, certainly he could be roused by his 450 prophets to do the one thing he was known for––bringing fire down from heaven! But afternoon gave way to evening and the frantic group continued their prophesying to no avail.

So Elijah stepped up to the plate.

Now remember, it’s Elijah on one side and the 450 men with their altar on the other side. Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD and he dug a trench around it. Then he said to the people, “Fill four large jars of water and pour it on the altar.” Then he had them do it again. Then he had them do it a third time. Water poured down off the altar and filled the trench.

Why the water? Think of it as showmanship or icing on the cake. Elijah wanted everyone to see that there was no coincidence in what was about to happen. This would prove that there’s only one God. And God’s power is limitless.

So what did Elijah do next? He did the most powerful thing any of us can do. He prayed.

But Elijah didn’t pray that God would help him accomplish his goal. He didn’t pray that God would wipe out his competition. He didn’t pray that God would bring resources to help him in his battle. Just like us, he could have prayed any of these things and the prayer would have been a good prayer.

Instead, Elijah prayed the best prayer. He humbly and sincerely prayed that God would display His glory and turn the people’s hearts back to Him.

These are the types of prayers that God loves to answer. Through this prayer, Elijah joined God’s team and immediately became the majority in the competition. How? Because no one is more powerful than God. As Lon Solomon says, 1 + God is always a majority.

These are the types of prayers God wants us to pray. Are we willing to lay our agendas down before the Lord and truly pray, “Lord, not my will but Yours be done”? Will we humbly and sincerely pray that God’s power and glory be revealed to the world through our lives? If so, we give God the opportunity to work through us to do miracles in other people’s lives. And in the process we will be radically changed forever.

So next time you’re feeling outnumbered, surrender to God’s plan and give Him free reign to pour His power into the situation. 1 + God is always a majority. And that majority always wins.

Does the equation of your life show 1 + God?

“‘O LORD, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that You, O LORD, are God and that You have brought them back to Yourself.’” 1 Kings 18:37 (NLT)

May I pray?

God, You are the one and only true God. Your power is limitless. Your wisdom is infinite. And Your love for Your children is greater than anything that we can fathom. Move in our hearts today as we bring our life challenges to You. Help us to sincerely lay our struggles before You and let go. May Your will be done. May Your undeniable power be shown to us and others. Thank You for still being in the business of turning those who are lost back to You. I pray we’ll all come running. Amen.

Q4U: What’s a situation you faced when you felt completely outnumbered?

Floating in the Dead Sea

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Joy

Ahhh, nothing like floating in the Dead Sea!

Have you ever relaxed on a raft in a pool or the ocean? For me it’s the epitome of peacefulness. Feeling the warm sun, smelling the fresh breeze, floating softly as the stress just melts away. That’s the life. If only such bliss could continue for more than an hour!

Not many of us have the opportunity to float care-free on a regular basis. Besides a pool, ocean or very large bathtub, there’s another critical element we need: a raft. Although we can float on our back without aid from a raft, we have to stay alert to make sure our legs and torso don’t drop because that’s when gravity takes over and we start to sink. No, we just can’t get the same peaceful floating experience without a raft.

Or can we?

When I was in Israel, we made our way South and stopped for an afternoon at the Dead Sea. Although I had been to the Great Salt Lake in Utah, something about a body of water with “Dead” in the name made me imagine putrid, black water. What a surprise to see the beautiful blue-green sea with the bright white beaches. But those beaches aren’t sand––they’re salt! The Dead Sea is completely saturated with salt. In fact, the salt concentration in the water is 33% which is the highest possible saturation without becoming salt crystals. By comparison, the average ocean is only 12-13% salt. One more fun fact: the salt on the bottom of the Dead Sea (that looks like sand) is over a half mile thick.

The amazing benefit of all of that salt is that you can’t sink!

You can actually sit down on the water and float. No effort required! Remember those sit and spins we used to have as kids? Well, this is sit and float! You can bob up and down, and you’ll always pop back up. At one point, I paddled out to deep water and tried to push down to touch the bottom. I couldn’t. The saturated salt water prevented me from going under.

As I sat on the water and then reclined back as if I was in a lounge chair, it made me think of how God holds us up.

Nothing about this water in the Dead Sea looked different than water in any other tropical location. I couldn’t see the salt keeping me afloat. I didn’t know how it was possible that I could feel like I was supported by a raft when there was nothing tangible holding me up. I was safe and secure without doing anything myself. All I had to do was relax and lay back, and the salt water did the rest.

In the same way, God keeps us afloat. We don’t always see Him working around us. We don’t know how He’s protecting us and keeping our head above water. But He is. And if we’re willing to trust Him and lay back to rest in His powerful hands, we can float peacefully in our circumstances without any risk of sinking.

The hard part is relaxing and trusting that God’s hands are beneath us.

It’s easy to get caught up in the swirl of real life. The frenzy of circumstances and everyday busyness can make us panic and feel like we’re going under. That’s when it’s time to hit pause and remember that our life is like being in the Dead Sea. No matter how deep it gets below us, our circumstances are saturated with God’s love and protection. His hands are always holding us up. We’re safe with Him. We’ll never sink. And we can experience the amazing phenomenon of floating in the midst of our circumstances without a manmade raft.

The turmoil of real life can be as unnerving as floating in a lounge chair of salt water. But who knows, the saltiness of our real life experiences may be something we truly cherish as we begin to rest in God’s hands and float in peace like never before.

“My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.” Psalm 63:8

May I pray?

Lord, it’s hard to sit down on salt water and believe we’re not going to sink. In the same way, it’s hard to rest in Your hands and believe that You’re going to hold us up. Give us the courage to turn our circumstances over to You. Help us to take that first step of faith. Help us to calmly rest in Your hands and turn the results over to You. You alone can keep us afloat. And You will if we’ll put our trust in You. Thank You for Your unfailing love. Amen.

Q4U: What’s been a struggle in your life where you can now lay back and trust God as you rest in His hands?

Here I Am, But Send Someone Else!

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Joy

Have you ever been “volunteered” for something you really didn’t want to do? If you’re like me, you’re still wondering, “How did it happen?” When they were looking for someone to step up we did the right thing; we kept our hand in our pocket and looked down at the ground so we wouldn’t make eye contact. How on earth did they still pick us? We weren’t just roped into doing it. We were lassoed and cow-tied until we had no choice.

Maybe we felt obligated because of the people asking. Maybe we felt guilty because we said “no” too many times before. Maybe they had answers that were better than every objection we tried to raise. Whatever the reason, our name got on the list and we couldn’t back out.

People try to avoid getting picked by God too.

And not just ordinary people like you and me. Some of history’s greatest leaders started out by trying to pass the buck. Trying to avoid eye contact. Trying to suggest that someone else was better for the job.

Climbing Mt. Sinai

While climbing Mt. Sinai in Egypt last week, we talked about God’s call to Moses. Moses grew up in Pharaoh’s house and he was royalty. But then he killed a man and he fled to the desert around Mt. Sinai. For 40 years he herded flocks in that isolated land. Talk about a lifestyle change!

And then God showed up.

God was looking for someone to go back to Pharaoh and demand that God’s people be set free from slavery. And God chose Moses for the job. The problem? Moses didn’t want to do it.

When God called, Moses started out by saying, “Here I am.” But as God revealed His plan to Moses, it was excuse after excuse as follows:

Moses’ protest: Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh? In other words, I’m a nobody.
God’s answer: I will be with you. You’re now chosen by God.

Moses’ protest: What if the people ask me who You are? I don’t even really know You.
God’s answer: I AM WHO I AM. I am the unchanging faithful God who existed before all things. Trust Me.

Moses’ protest: What if the people don’t listen to me or believe You’re with me?
God’s answer: I will give you the ability to do miraculous things so they will know I am with you. You’ll be just as amazed as they will be. But you have to take the first step in faith.

Moses’ protest: I’m not a good public speaker. I stutter and don’t have good English.
God’s answer: I created you and your mouth. I will help you speak and I will teach you what to say. Don’t worry about the details.

And finally, after all of his protests were rebutted, Moses said to God, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”

That’s the bottom line, isn’t it? When God asks us to do something, we come up with all kinds of excuses of why we’re inadequate or why we shouldn’t go. But the truth is that we want someone else to do it.

It shouldn’t be about us.

We feel like a nobody, but God says we’re chosen by Him. We feel like there are other people who know God better than we do, but God says to trust Him. We’re afraid of what people will think and say because we silently think the idea is crazy too, but God says to step out in faith and watch Him work. We get nervous because we aren’t good at speaking or debating, but God says He will speak through us and give us the right words at the right time.

No excuses. God created us. He knows our limitations. All He’s asking us to do is to show up and trust Him. He’ll do the rest. With God, all things are possible.

Is God calling you to do something? Will you say, “Here I am, but please send someone else!” Or will you trust Him and say, “Here I am, pick me!”

Imagine the amazing things He can do through you if you’ll just say “yes”.

“But Moses said, ‘O Lord, please send someone else to do it.’” Exodus 4:13

May I pray?

God, here we are. Reluctant to listen to what You want us to do. Many of us feel Your tug on our heart. We know You’re asking us to do something but we don’t really want to say “yes”. What we want to say is, “O Lord, please send someone else!” Father, forgive us for not trusting You. Help us overcome our fears. And fill us with Your excitement about the amazing things You’ll do in and through us when we step out in faith. Amen.

Q4U: What’s something you were coerced into doing that turned out to be a real blessing?

The Beauty of Baptism–Our New Threads

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Joy

My Baptism in the Jordan River

Have you ever seen someone get baptized? What does it mean? I’ve watched baptisms at various churches and each one is different. Some baptize babies and others baptize people who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Some baptize by putting water on the head and others baptize by full-immersion dunking in what looks like a tub or pool. What’s the purpose of baptism? Is it necessary? Today we’ll find out.

Baptism is not required to get into heaven.

The truth is that we don’t have to be baptized. And being baptized as an infant doesn’t guarantee our salvation or have any bearing on how we’ll choose to live our life. That’s why Bible-based churches don’t baptize babies. They may have a ceremony to bless and dedicate children, but baptisms are a celebration of a person’s decision to offer their life to Jesus.

John the Baptist was the first person we know of who baptized others. He stood in the Jordan River in Israel and many people came to him. Why did John the Baptist call the people of his day to baptism? It was a sign of repentance. Initially, baptism represented turning back to God and asking Him to wash away their sins.

John the Baptist also baptized Jesus as fulfillment of prophecy.

John baptized with water. But Jesus came to baptize us with the Holy Spirit. When John saw Jesus, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

Jesus came to wash us clean of sin once and for all. And He offers the gift of the Holy Spirit. That means that when we ask Jesus to come into our life, He comes into our heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s through faith in Jesus that we have access into heaven. It’s through the baptism of the Holy Spirit that we share life with Him and know that He’s with us. Always.

So what does baptism with water mean today?

It means that we believe that Jesus is the Messiah, our Savior, and that we want to celebrate our faith through baptism. It means that we’re turning our sins over to Him and asking Him to wash us clean. It means that we’re ready to follow Him into new life because we know we can trust where He’ll lead us.

In baptism, we’re submerged in the water to signify Jesus’ death for our sins and the death of our old life. We’re then raised up out of the water to signify the resurrection of Jesus and the eternal life we now share with Him.

We’re saved by faith, not baptism. But baptism in water is like putting on beautiful new clothes.

As believers, baptism is our way of showing family and friends that we’re now different. We’re united with Christ. We’re excited. We’re celebrating our heavenly inheritance. We’re on a journey to new life. We’re putting on Jesus like a fancy new coat. Talk about some awesome threads!

When I was in Israel, I had the honor of a re-dedication baptism in the Jordan River. Each of us wore a white robe over our bathing suit and we looked like a gathering of angels celebrating the beauty of baptism. Lives were changed. New threads of Christ were donned. How humbling to be baptized in the same river in which Jesus was baptized 2,000 years ago. He was there with us on our baptism day, and I will never forget it.

If you haven’t been baptized as a believer in Jesus Christ, I encourage you to put on the beautiful new clothes of a life surrendered to Christ. Baptism doesn’t have to be in the Jordan River to be special. It will be special because you’re there in the water with Jesus.

“For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.” Galatians 3:26-27 (NLT)

May I pray?

Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of eternal life that You give freely to anyone who believes in Your Son, Jesus. And thank You for the baptism of the Holy Spirit given generously to those who seek You. Lord, we don’t have to be baptized in water, but we know it pleases You when we show our desire to be united with Christ. Encourage those who haven’t been baptized as believers to stop waiting for a “special” time. May we all put on our beautiful threads of new life. Amen.

Q4U: Have you been baptized as a believer in Christ?

A Matter of Life or Death

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Joy

Have you ever had to make a decision with huge consequences? It’s not easy figuring out the right choice because there are so many factors to consider. Risks. Pros and cons. The effects on us and others. Long-term repercussions we can’t fully grasp.

We have no idea how things will turn out so we have to come to a conclusion based on our assumptions.

What if we make the wrong decision? Can we go back and change it later? Will we be able to unwind the consequences and go a different direction? If the answer is “no” then we better weigh our options carefully and understand the choice we’re making.

Golgotha–The Place of the Skull

While in Jerusalem, we visited Golgotha which means The Place of the Skull. This is believed to be the site where Jesus was crucified. The natural rock formations look like the face of a skull and it was the site of Roman executions and stonings. Adjacent to the skull cliff is a large garden with a burial tomb, just like John reported (John 19:41).

We sat in the garden facing Golgotha and reviewed events that unfolded 2,000 years ago.

Luke tells us that there were two other men, both criminals, who were crucified with Jesus that day (Luke 23:32-43). One on the right, one on the left, and Jesus in the middle. Golgotha is not on a hill in the outskirts of Jerusalem as some people imagine. It’s right by the intersection of the two main roads that led in and out of the city. And it’s at ground level. This is how the Romans did it––maximum exposure, shame and insult. Everyone coming in and out of the city would see the men hanging there and would be able to add to their humiliation.

People stood watching as Jesus hung under a sign that said, “This is the King of the Jews”. Rulers sneered. Soldiers mocked. Women wept.

One of the criminals on the cross next to Jesus hurled insults at Him too and said, “So You’re the Messiah? Prove it by saving Yourself and us!” But the second criminal rebuked that man and said, “Don’t you fear God? You’re going to die…” And then he turned to Jesus and said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.”

As I stared at Golgotha, the reality hit home. Just like the criminals hanging next to Jesus, we have a choice to make. We can either accept Him or reject Him. We can believe that Jesus died for our sins and was raised for our salvation, or we can mock Him and believe that His death was the end of the story.

If we truly believe that Jesus is who He said He was, then we owe Him our life.

He is the Messiah. He has the power to transform our life now. He offers us eternal life with Him in His heavenly kingdom. He will be waiting for us when we breathe our last breath.

If you know that Jesus is your Savior, let your choices and your life reflect it.

If you aren’t sure that Jesus is who He said He was, I encourage you to read John 6:25-51 today and study what it says. Think about it. Pray and ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you. And begin to consider the consequences of the decision to accept or reject Him.

It’s a matter of life or death. And there’s no middle ground.

Regardless of what has happened in your life up until now, it’s not too late to accept Jesus. The criminal who asked to be remembered was given eternal life that day.

“Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.’” Luke 23:43

May I pray?

Lord Jesus, we don’t like thinking about death. It’s hard to visualize what happened in Your last hours on the cross, and we certainly don’t want to think about our final moments. But the truth is that we have a choice to make with eternal consequences. And that choice is to accept You as our Savior or to reject You. Open our eyes and ears so we’ll learn the truth about You. Open our hearts to embrace You. May our lives from this day forward be living sacrifices that reflect our trust in You. Amen.

Q4U: Do your life choices show that you’ve accepted Jesus?

Calling On God–Local or Long Distance?

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Joy

Do you know anyone with a calling plan that allows calls to certain numbers without charging minutes? Before cell phones, we had land lines that charged different rates for local and long distance calls, and different rates for daytime, nights and weekends. My mom would always wait until 7:01pm when the nighttime rates kicked in and then she’d start calling out-of-state family. And she always made those calls from the kitchen phone. Why? Because it had the long cord that stretched clear across the room.

For most of us, the days of being charged for long distance calls and having phones with stretchy, spiral cords are over. But many of us still wait until a certain time of day or until we’re in a certain room of the house before we start thinking about calling God on our prayer line. And often there’s a big difference between our local and long distance calls.

Local Calls. Sometimes we may feel close to God and so we call Him up at a moment’s notice to talk about what’s going on. These are our local prayer calls to God. We don’t hesitate or think about whether or not it’s the right time. We want to talk to Him and we know He’ll answer. He always does. Our prayer calls may be long and involved, or we may have many short chats throughout the day. We call and He’s always ready to listen and respond. It’s good to be local.

But sometimes we struggle with the distance between us and God.

Long Distance Calls. We want to talk to God but there are so many reasons we don’t. We feel like He’s a million miles away. He’s probably busy. He may not remember us. After what we’ve done, He won’t want to talk to us. We don’t know what to say. Our prayers seem dry and repetitive. So we stop calling on God. And we drift further and further away.

But here’s truth: Praying to God is never a long distance call. No matter what we feel, God is always right by our side. We may not always see Him or feel Him, but that doesn’t mean He’s not here. That doesn’t mean He’s distant. Call out to Him! Reach out and believe He will respond. God says that if we come near to Him, He will come near to us. Let’s pray this promise to God with expectation and hope.

On the Temple Mount in Jerusalem

Although some people may travel to Israel or other destinations to feel close to God, we don’t have to be in Jerusalem to make a local call to Him. Wherever we are, it’s the right place and the right time to reach out and start a conversation.

We don’t need to use fancy words or have a prayer memorized.

In fact, God doesn’t want us to pray this way. God wants us to pray from our heart. How? By being open and honest with our thoughts and feelings. By talking to Him like we’d talk to one of our closest friends. By reading His Word and giving Him the opportunity to respond to us. By having a conversation with Him, which means we also listen. We can call Him up anytime, anywhere. Even in the car (just don’t close your eyes to pray).

God wants to hear from us like we want to hear from those we love most. We don’t have to wait until nighttime because our prayer call to God is never long distance. He’s right by our side. Right now.

“The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.” Psalm 145:18

May I pray?

Father God, You long to hear from us. Thank You for always being a local call. Please forgive us for not calling You regularly and for not talking to You from our heart. Please help us to have the courage to speak openly and honestly with You about every aspect of our life. Please help us to come to You first, knowing that You will always listen. May we learn to be still and listen to You too. Amen.

Q4U: Will you make a local prayer call to God today?

Don’t Be Afraid!

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Joy

What do Golgotha, Mt. of Olives, Dead Sea, Mt. Sinai, Galilee, Nazareth, Bet Shean and Petra, Jordan all have in common? No hints. Give up? Ok, I’ll tell you. They’re a few of the places I experienced on my trip to Israel, Jordan and Egypt!

Shalom, my friends! I’m back from the Holy Land. I want to give a shout out to all of the amazing people I met on Lon Solomon’s Holy Land Tour. Especially to my awesome roomie for the trip, Liz!

What an honor to be a part of this group. Learning history. Visualizing the events of 2,000+ years ago. Walking where Jesus walked. Praying where He prayed. Sitting next to where the cross stood. Taking communion outside the empty tomb. Climbing Mt. Sinai and looking back across the desert where the Israelites wandered for 40 years. I’m overcome by the gravity of events that unfolded thousands of years ago.

Over the next couple of weeks I’ll be sharing blogs inspired in the Holy Land.

On the Sea of Galilee

Today I think back to a brisk sunny day as we floated in an old fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee. We read the story of Jesus from Matthew 14. Jesus had miraculously turned five loaves of bread and two fish into enough food to feed over 5,000 people. His disciples then got into a fishing boat and headed out on the Sea of Galilee while Jesus went up the mountain to pray. Late in the night, as the wind and waves buffeted the boat, Jesus walked across the sea to rejoin his disciples.

The men in the boat were terrified.

The storm and the ghostly figure walking toward them on the water were too much for them to handle. These burly men cried out like little kids. But Jesus calmed their fears and reassured them by saying, “Don’t be afraid! It’s Me! There’s nothing to fear.”

Why did Jesus tell them not to fear? Because He was there. He was in control of the storm, the waves, their boat. Their circumstances.

Then Peter, being the impulsive fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants kind of guy that he was, said, “Lord, if it’s You, tell me to come to You on the water.” And Jesus said, “Come.” With heart racing Peter climbed over the side of the boat and fixed his eyes on Jesus. He took one step, and then another, and walked on the water towards the Lord. But the wind swirled and waves splashed up his legs. He looked around and fear overtook him again.

Peter began to sink like a bag of rocks and he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

We know the end of the story. Jesus reached out, pulled Peter up, and put him back in the boat. But Jesus also said something to Peter that He may be saying to us too, “Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Are we like Peter? When the winds of real life swirl around us and waves of turmoil prove we’re not standing on solid ground, do we take our eyes off Jesus? Do we get swallowed up by our circumstances and panic as we cry out for help?

It was natural for Peter to be gripped by fear. If it weren’t for Jesus he couldn’t walk on water. Neither can we. But when we follow Jesus and He says, “Come,” we can take courage and know that there is no reason to be afraid. He is in control. With Him all things are possible. Our circumstances are a storm that will never overtake us and never pull us down if we trust Jesus and don’t doubt His power or His undying love for us.

The most common phrase in the Bible is “Don’t be afraid.” God wants us to know that when we walk with Him, there’s nothing to fear. So take courage in every life storm. Jesus is here!

“But Jesus spoke to them at once. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ He said. ‘Take courage. I am here!’” Matthew 14:27 (NLT)

May I pray?

Jesus, I’m humbled by Your love and faithfulness. You want us to know You. You want us to trust You. You want us to keep our eyes fixed on You so we won’t sink in our circumstances and our life storms. Lord, please save us! Help us to turn to You. Help us to reach out to grab Your hand so You can pull us up on solid ground. May we stand courageously knowing that with You, all things are possible. Amen.

Q4U: What was a time when you felt like you were sinking in your circumstances?

Hope for Tomorrow

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Joy

Have you ever had one of those days where nothing goes right?

You turn off the alarm instead of hitting snooze and fall back asleep. Jolting awake an hour later, you grab clothes with blazing speed–not enough time to wash your hair, put on makeup, or eat. No teeth brushing either, which your officemate regrets the rest of the day. Later you spill coffee down the front of your white shirt and walk around with a large wet spot until it dries to a dull brown. You send an email to the wrong person and have a major typo in a document that goes out. No cash, no lunch and the deli doesn’t take credit cards. After eating a stale granola bar, you endure a heated phone call with your unhappy client and add three more emergency projects to your already overwhelmed To-Do list. You’re ten minutes late dialing into your boss’s boss’s weekly update call. Finally the workday ends. And your gas tank is empty. You man the pump in the sweltering heat and then arrive home. But your milk is sour so even a boring dinner of cereal isn’t an option. You hesitate to ask, “Seriously, what else can go wrong today?” Then you open your only piece of mail–a past due notice for the cell phone bill you forgot to pay. And by the way, your dog is sick and had an “accident” on your bed. Welcome home.

Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Okay, maybe this is just my worst day. But sooner or later, we all have them. Days we hope for something different.

Hope. Most of us want things to happen or change but we realize they’re out of our control. So we use the word hope a lot. “I hope you feel better.” “I hope she does well on her test.” “I hope I don’t lose my job.” “I hope he comes back.” “I hope things don’t get worse.”

What is hope? Hope is desiring something and believing on some level that it can happen.

Hope helps us think about what can be, instead of what currently is. Hope encourages us to keep pressing on. Hope keeps us from sinking as we struggle to stay afloat. Sometimes we’re afraid to hope. We’ve been let down in the past. We’re hurt. We don’t know where to turn or what to believe. We hoped for something and it didn’t happen. We feel betrayed. Our hopes have been shattered.

How can we hope again? The truth is that our circumstances will never stay the same. Things may get harder before they get better, but if we hold onto the smallest ray of hope, we can know with certainty that tomorrow is a day closer to something new.

To find hope, we have to look outside of ourselves and outside of our circumstances. True hope is based on new life ahead. No matter where we are–no matter where we’ve been–we can have new life. There is hope. God will fill us with hope. He will bring us to new life. But we have to take the first step. We have to turn to God and trust Him. God has the power to set us on solid ground. He has the power to transform our life. God wants us to know Him and trust Him. He wants us to have hope.

Place your hope in God. Then He will fill you with hope for tomorrow and beyond.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

May I pray?

Lord, many of us struggle with finding hope in our daily lives. We may be okay for a while, but then something happens and we’re back in a place of loneliness, despair or confusion. Lord, help us to bring our fears and hurts to You so that You can take them from us. Fill us to overflowing with Your hope, joy and peace. You are the God of hope. There is no other like You. Help us to believe in You and trust in You. We praise You for Your power and love. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray. Amen.

Q4U: What is something that happened on a day when nothing went right, and how did you find hope that things would get better?

Too Many Pity Shots Ruin The Party

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Joy

Have you ever been at a party where someone had too much to drink? It can get ugly. Whether “true feelings” flow or someone is emboldened by lack of judgment, generally tears are involved. Harsh words erupt. Tempers flare. The party’s ruined. And the next morning is filled with regrets as details of “what really happened” come to light.

I’ve seen this happen when people drink shots. Shots seem fun at first. But the alcohol quickly takes over as their faculties go out the window. They begin losing that “good” feeling. And the more they drink to recapture it, the farther away they drift into a river of oblivion.

Pity is like drinking shots of alcohol.

Pity is feeling sorry for ourselves. Sorry for our situation. Sorry for the bad things that have happened to us. Sorry that we don’t have the life we think we should. The problem with pity is that we let ourselves soak in it without doing anything to change where we are or where we’re headed. And the pity shots begin.

At first, pity shots make us feel really good. And so we keep doing them. “Look what happened to me.” “My life isn’t fair.” “I shouldn’t be the one to have to deal with this.” But the more pity shots we take, the worse we feel. We want to get that good feeling we had at first. So we continue pity shot after pity shot. But we can’t regain that pity high. We feel sick, depressed and incoherent. Our life feels like a party gone wrong.

And the next day we wake up with a bad headache and pity hangover.

We try to remember what we did or said. How we blabbed and cried and revealed way too much. And as we remember, we try to forget.

No one wants to be around someone who’s wallowing in pity. When we’re the ones taking pity shots, we bring ourselves down and everyone around us. When someone else is drowning in pity, we don’t know what to say or how to react.

We should handle pity shots differently if we’re the ones overloading on them, or if someone else is.

If we’re the ones at the bar with pity shots lined up and waiting, it’s time to get up off the bar stool. Let’s walk away from the self-destructive “woe is me” attitude and the damaging effect it has over time. We need to keep things in perspective and continue to focus on how far we’ve come. And the good things ahead. This isn’t to say that we can’t be real with others or we can’t share our frustrations and fears. We need to vent. We need to get things out so they don’t bottle up inside of us. But it’s important to have one or two close friends, our sisters, to talk us through the times we’re feeling down.

If someone else is filling up on pity shots, we need to be sensitive. Even if we’re tired of hearing the same thing over and over. Their feelings are very real to them, and we don’t always know what’s happening behind the scenes in their life. There may be a lot more to the story than what they’ve revealed. So let’s be that friend who helps them put down the shots of destructive thinking. If we can help them start focusing on the big picture and the hope ahead, things will look a whole lot brighter for them come morning.

We all have times in life when we make bad decisions that lead to bad consequences. And our current real life may include scars of the past. During times of turmoil when we’re struggling with what has happened or where we are, it’s easy to start feeling sorry for ourselves. But let’s break the cycle. Instead of reaching for pity shots, let’s praise God in our circumstances. Not for our circumstances, but in them. By doing so we take away the sting of pity. And we open the door to a much better tomorrow.

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)

May I pray?

Father God, there are some days we don’t feel good about life. Things we’ve done or decisions someone else made bring us to a place of sorrow and regret. And instead of taking action to move on in our situation, sometimes we just want to sit with our pity shots. The feelings are real, but pity can suck the joy out of us. Help us to reach out to a friend and share our feelings without wallowing in pity. Help us to open up to You, Lord, so You can shine Your light of truth in our dark places. Today, may we have a heart of praise. No matter where we are, may we offer You a prayer of thanks in our circumstances. May we remember that nothing will stay the same, and tomorrow can be a much brighter day. Amen.

Q4U: What has helped you to back away from pity shots?

It’s Not About Me – Living With Joy

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Joy

When was the last time you encountered someone who believes the world revolves around them? They’re actually not that hard to find. We’re living during “Generation Me”, a generation of people who thinks life is all about “Me”.

Regardless of our age, we all fit into GenMe one way or another (even if it’s by six degrees of Kevin Bacon). And GenMe has some great qualities. We’re young and vivacious. We believe in honesty and living with passion for a cause, regardless of what that cause may be. But we also have deep-rooted expectations of entitlement, believing we deserve things right away and shouldn’t have to pay our dues or put time in to learn the ropes and climb the ladder. We don’t want to be bored. And we have a hard time accepting criticism because we see it as negativity or a personal attack on our dreams.

We don’t try to be self-centered. In fact, many of us actually go out of our way to put others first. So much so that we often feel like it’s never about us. Just in the last couple of weeks I’ve been complaining to God saying, “Lord, just once I want it to be about ME!”

And I think He laughs.

Because if I start looking at things from God’s perspective, I really do act like it’s all about me. I’m too busy to spend time with Him in devoted prayer. I ask Him to reveal Himself to me through His Word, but I don’t have time to sit and listen to His answer or really delve deep. Could He speak to me while I’m in the car? But then I’m on the cell phone or reading emails or texting during red lights. I’ll check in with Him again during a quick blessing at lunch and dinner. And I try to get back to quality reading time before bed, while I’m watching the news. Maybe during commercials I can mute the sound. Time for lights out, so I run down a list of prayer requests for me, my family and friends before falling asleep. Tomorrow’s another day.

How is it not all about me?

What I don’t see is that living in a repeated cycle of busyness is like being in a cyclone. I’m spinning in the storm trying to grab onto parts of my life as they swirl around me. My focus is on what’s happening in my life. Even if I’m spending time taking care of others’ needs, I’m doing it because I have to check it off the list. And my attitude toward God still reflects that it’s all about me and my lack of time, energy, and focus on Him.

There’s no joy in living like that.

We may find temporary thrill or happiness as we live for “Me”, but not lasting joy. How do we find joy? One way is by changing our perspective and priorities to J-O-Y.

J-O-Y. Jesus. Others. Yourself.

Trying to put Jesus first in our life, others second, and focus on ourselves last is a daily challenge. And this doesn’t mean that we’re diminishing our worth or should allow others to take advantage of us. It means that we prioritize our time with the Lord each day. And we show continual love and respect to others as we focus on serving them before we serve ourselves. Not because we have to. But because it brings us renewed happiness to step out of our ordinary pattern of life to help others and treat them the way we want them to treat us.

So when we’re caught up in the swirl of busyness, let’s remember it’s not about “Me” (or in my case, Joy); it’s about J-O-Y. Let’s hit pause and step back. Where are our priorities? The truth is that we’re too busy not to pray. If we’ll take the time to get grounded with Jesus, we can take our eyes off our problems and start living with joy.

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” Philippians 2:3-4 (NLT)

May I pray?

Jesus, it’s not easy thinking we live as if it’s all about us. Compared to others, we’re not self-centered at all. But then we look at our priorities and our attitudes, especially toward You, and we see a lot of “Me”. God, please help us to take a step back today and gain perspective. Help us to see how the busyness can rule and ruin our happiness and joy. May we come to You with joy in our hearts and lay our burdens down. May we humbly be Your hands and feet today as we serve others. And may Your lasting joy reign in our lives. Amen.

Q4U: What step can you take today to start living with J-O-Y?

Where’s the Hand Gel? – Real Life Dirt

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Joy

Are we obsessed with being clean?

No really. There was a time when there were only two kinds of soap: liquid and bar. Liquid was used for washing dishes and the bar was for washing people. Now there’s liquid, bar, cream, exfoliating, moisturizing, anti-bacterial, perfumed, unscented, and many combinations of the above. And these are just for the shower! We have Wet Ones for a convenient on-the-go freshening, baby wipes for stinky bottoms, and my favorite travel companion: hand gel. Which thankfully comes in many wonderful colors and fragrances.

Apparently there is more dirt to be washed away and more germs to be eradicated than ever before in history. Either that, or we’re obsessed.

My obsession for hand gel reached epic proportions in India. The only water available during the day was bottled water we carried for drinking. Temperatures rose with the sun each day and we were covered in dirt and sweat. So no water could be spared for washing hands. After playing with kids in the dirty confines of leper colonies and orphanages, how do you clean your hands enough to eat an energy bar? Do you risk touching a banana and hope any viral grunge is blocked by the peel?

And so my love for hand gel was born. I lathered it and slathered it over and over every day, as the anti-bacterial gel mysteriously evaporated with each rub.

But it didn’t wash off the dirt.

My cure-all hand gel may have killed germs and smelled good, but it had no way of washing away the grime. The hand gel only masked the dirt that then congregated under my fingernails. It was gross. And not clean.

A lot of us want a steady supply of hand gel in our daily lives. Myself included. We don’t want to get our hands dirty in real humanity. We don’t want to risk catching a dread disease from someone who’s homeless or struggling with addiction. We don’t want to be inconvenienced by pausing our busy schedule to help carry someone else’s load today. We don’t want to feel the uneasiness that would come if we dared to reach out our hand to someone sinking in the quicksand of hopelessness. We don’t want to acknowledge the dirt in our own life.

We want to look good and smell good and think we’re clean.

But we all have dirt under our fingernails. Nothing we buy will ever wash off the dirt of this world. So it’s time to stop trying to lather up with hand gel. It’s time to touch the real lives of other people. It’s time to accept our dirt of the past and theirs too.

It’s time to come clean about where we’ve really been and realize that there are so many other girls out there who’ve been trudging through the same mud pits of life.

Because we don’t have to stay there. We can be washed clean. Of everything.

There’s a place, only one place, where all the muck and grime of real life can be washed away. At the spring of Living Water. Jesus Christ. He can take it all away–the pain, the shame, the isolation, the regret. He can make us shine as white as snow. He can make us new. And He will. If we humbly come before Him and ask Him to.

The best part is that His Living Water never runs out. We don’t have to save it. We don’t have to hide it. Jesus wants us to share it with all the people out there like us. Everyone with dirt under their fingernails.

“For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their Shepherd; He will lead them to springs of Living Water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:17

May I pray?

Lord, it’s not easy thinking about the dirt in our own life. And it’s not easy talking about getting our hands dirty by reaching a helping hand into the lives of others. So Jesus, we look to You. You didn’t come to hang out with clean people. You came to save the unclean. You came to wash us of everything that weighs us down and makes us feel dirty. You are the Living Water that refreshes and renews. And You offer to wash away the stains of the past. All of them. Today, may we have the courage to try something new, and bare our dirt before You so You can begin washing it away. Amen.

Q4U: What is one new way you could extend a hand to someone, or how did someone reach out to help you in a time of need?

Fishing v. Phishing – Dangers of Gossip

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Joy

Not all girls are outdoorsy types, but have you ever had an outdoor experience that made you feel like one with nature? Like you were a part of what was happening in the serene world that others may never see? I had an experience like that a few years ago when I went salmon fishing in Upstate New York. The fall foliage glowed in ribbons of crimson and gold. Each morning we waded out to the middle of the river as soon as the sun began to rise above the trees. Bird calls and rushing water were nature’s symphony playing encore after encore. And occasionally there’d be an off-beat thump as someone cast for new positioning of their line.

Standing waist-deep in the water, feeling the warmth of the sun overpowering the cold air and snowflakes, hearing only the peaceful rhythm of nature–it was like nothing I had ever imagined. For a brief time, we were an integral part of that mysterious world. And then chaos cut in. A fish would bite, the fight between beast and angler ensued, and everyone cheered as the fisherman (or fishergirl) wrestled with reel and line to land the monster fish before it broke free. It was bittersweet. Yes, the salmon were on their way upstream to spawn and then die. But we were interceding in the process to the detriment of the fish we admired.

There’s another kind of phishing that can hurt people we like and admire.

I don’t mean phishing where we try to get someone’s online passwords or credit card info. I’m suggesting that a lot of us go phishing for personal details about close friends and colleagues that we then feed to others as gossip.

Whether we get the insider information because we’re a trusted friend or because we’re the only one around to listen, we learn juicy tidbits that are too good to keep to ourselves.

Even if we’ve agreed not to tell, we decide it’s still okay to share a few details with one or two people. But then they tell two friends. And so on, and so on.

Sometimes we’re asking others to pray for that person. Sometimes we’re telling friends what’s happening so they’re in the know. Sometimes we’re laughing about it with other people behind the back of the one who’s struggling.

There’s a fine line between pertinent information others need to know and gossip.

Gossip hurts people. It hurts their reputation. It divulges personal information that isn’t common knowledge, and shouldn’t be. It causes rifts when someone finds out something they weren’t meant to know.

Gossip hurts friendships. It betrays trust. It wounds those we care about. It makes our friend vulnerable, because others know too much about their personal situation.

Gossip can’t be retrieved. Once it’s out of our mouths, it’s out of our control.

Even if we aren’t malicious in our sharing of someone’s personal details, it can have the same effect as dirty gossip. Have you heard the saying, “Loose lips sink ships”? I don’t know where it originated, but it confirms that I don’t want to be on the gossip boat. So let’s honor our friends and be deserving of their trust. Let’s think about what they would tell others, and what they wouldn’t, and respect their boundaries. Let’s protect their privacy and their reputation by limiting what we share with others, even in prayer requests. God knows everything about their situation. Other people don’t need to.

Here’s the litmus test: If we wouldn’t share the details of someone’s situation if they were standing next to us, then we shouldn’t share the details at all.

“Troublemakers start fights; gossips break up friendships.” Proverbs 16:28 (MSG)

May I pray?

Jesus, we know gossiping about others is wrong, and sometimes we don’t realize that’s just what we’re doing until it’s too late. Help us to think before we speak. Help us to carefully weigh the potential hurt we could cause, and how our friend would feel if they knew we had shared the details of their situation. May we honor others in what we say, and what we don’t say. May we be the kind of trustworthy friends that we wish others would be for us. Amen.

Q4U: What helps you decide whether or not to share personal details about someone else?

Swimming the Deep End

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Joy

Have you ever been in the ocean at night? At first, it’s exhilarating. We feel daring and adventurous swimming the shallow waters between mystery and solid ground. But as clouds darken the sky, there’s no way to see what lurks below. The farther out we drift, the more nervous we become. What if a shark thinks we’re a wounded seal? What if a wave crashes down and we begin to drown? What if the undertow pulls us out? Who would be able to save us? Could they even find us? Will our night of living on the edge become a nightmare?

Our attitude toward potential danger–like swimming in the ocean at night–says a lot about us.

Not everyone has nerves of steel. And many of us would rather play it safe by avoiding possible hazards, no matter how remote they may be. So we stay in the swimming pools of life. The ones with the really deep diving wells. We frolic and splash, and sometimes keep our floaties on. No need to mix things up and get in over our head.

But whether we venture out on our own or accidently float a bit too far, at some point in our life we’ll all be swimming the deep end.

We feel that rush of adrenaline, good or bad, as the bottom sinks away below us and the water gets cold. Treading water isn’t that hard. Our skills are tested as we conjure up the confidence that we can stay afloat as long as necessary. But fatigue sets in. Sooner than we think it should. We want to get back on solid ground, but if our feet touch down now we’re sunk. Why doesn’t anyone throw us a life ring?

The deep end becomes a scary place.

It’s not fun anymore because it’s clear: We’re not in control. And we can’t save ourselves. We have nowhere to turn. In these times of helplessness we cry out to God. We may not be sure we believe. We may not know if He hears us. But we’re desperate and afraid. And sinking.

God hears. Jesus responds.

It often takes us slipping off our life raft into deep water before we recognize our need for Jesus. He’s our lifeguard. Always watching. Always ready to swim up next to us and keep us afloat. He may pull us to safety. But He may not. He may tread water with us and show us how strong we really are. He wants to help us face our fears. He wants to help us overcome our obstacles. He wants us to turn to Him and trust Him, especially in the deep end.

Jesus came to save us–He won’t let us sink if we hold onto Him.

When we’re swimming the deep end of real life, we can grab for other things and other people, but nothing will keep us floating for very long. Only Jesus can truly save us. Only He can bring us to solid ground.

Don’t wait until you’re sinking. Call on Him now. Let Jesus start teaching you how to prepare for the deep end. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find yourself treading water next to someone who feels like they’re going under. Then you can throw them a life ring of hope as you tell them about the One who can save them.

“The Lord protects the helpless; when I was in danger, He saved me.” Psalm 116:6 (GNT)

May I pray?

Jesus, thank you for coming to save us. Help us to stop grabbing for other things and other people that can’t keep us afloat. Take hold of us, Lord, and don’t let go. Keep our head above water and turn our face to You. We want to see You. We want to know You’re here. And if it’s Your will that we stay in the deep end for a while longer, then please give us the stamina to keep treading water. May we learn to praise You for treading water with us. Amen.

Q4U: What deep end experience have you faced?

Daddy’s Little Girl

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Joy

Do you know anyone who’s a Daddy’s Girl? It’s not that their dad is playing favorites. There’s just a special bond that forms between some fathers and their daughters that nothing can rival.

I was a Daddy’s Girl.

Oh how I loved my daddy and wanted to be just like him. I can’t even begin to describe the devastation of finding out at age 13 that he was dying of cancer. Why would he leave me? I thought I was special. I thought we were special together. I couldn’t understand.

Life went on. One of the hardest days in my mid-twenties was when I realized I had lived more of my life without my dad than with him. My heart sank as a cloud of darkness smothered me. It was so unfair. It was so sad. It was so lonely. Who would help me? Who would give me advice? Who would love me and cherish me no matter how bad I messed up?

No one I knew.

I’ve been told that when children face trauma or start down the paths of addiction, there’s a part of their brain that stops developing. To some degree, feelings and emotions can be stuck at that age for the rest of their life. Sometimes I wonder if that’s what happened to me. Is that why I still long to run to my dad in excitement and jump into his arms? Why I still picture climbing up in his lap? Why I still wish for the safety of his strong arms as we rock in his recliner? Why I still smile when I think about how he danced me around the room as I stood on his feet?

There are still days when I miss him terribly. Days when I need him here. Today is one of those days.

But my daddy is gone. He won’t be coming back.

My heart will always have a special place reserved for him. Tears will probably flow at times like this for the rest of my life. You may have experienced the loss of someone close to you. You may have similar feelings. You may wonder if you’ll ever be able to let go.

Take comfort that death is not the end to life. For those who know Jesus, our joyful reunion in paradise is just a matter of time. We don’t have to forget those who’ve gone before us. But we do have to continue down our path of life.

The greatest blessing in my life is the relationship I now have with my Heavenly Father, God.

Yes, sometimes I’m still immature. Yes, sometimes I whine and complain and stomp my feet when I don’t like what’s happening. But He never stops loving me. I’m His beloved daughter. He always helps me. He gives me advice. He loves me and cherishes me no matter how bad I mess up.

And my Father loves you the same way He loves me.

He anxiously waits for us to wake up every morning so He can spend time with us. Even when we forget He’s there. He calls us, over and over again. Even when we don’t call Him back. He blesses us with special gifts. Even when we don’t give anything to Him. He forgives us when we disobey and hurt Him. Even when we don’t ask. He finds us and wipes away our tears. Even when we hide from Him. And every night He watches us sleep and quietly sings over us.

God is our Father in Heaven. He loves us so fully that we can’t comprehend. And yet, we give so little of ourselves back to Him. Let’s bless God today. How? By running into His arms with excitement and climbing up in His lap. By talking to Him. Laughing with Him. Telling Him we love Him. Asking Him to shine His light of hope into our dark days. Oh how happy it makes Him when His children come to Him!

Rejoice, sweet Sister. We’re beloved children of God. And we’ll always be Daddy’s Little Girl.

“But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12 (NLT)

May I pray?

Father in Heaven, sometimes it’s hard to understand how we can be Your beloved children. And then we realize that’s what it means to have faith. To believe. Thank you for Your unfailing love. Thank you for the many special things You do for us every day, even when we don’t acknowledge them. Help us to come to You today and share sweet and tender moments. And please comfort those who are sad and lonely. May they feel Your presence and find peace knowing they are Daddy’s Little Girl. Amen.

Q4U: What is one small way you can bless God today?

The Struggling Worm

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Joy

Have you ever gone to a bridal shower, baby shower or other gathering and you have to play a game to get to know the other people at the party? Personally, I hate those games (ok, maybe “hate” is too strong a word–how about “dread”). I went to one of those parties recently. The game required everyone to write down something about themselves that no one else knew. Then the “mom-to-be” had to guess who wrote each one. It’s like the girls giving the party knew we all had deep dark secrets and they were using this event as a way to trick us (or guilt us) into revealing them. Otherwise we’d come off as anti-social.

I’d like to rebel against games like this.

At the risk of seeming boring I want to write something like, “I was born on a Tuesday.” That would be my way of saying, “No deep dark secrets here!” Of course by now you probably know that’s not true (the part about no secrets, not about being born on Tuesday–I actually have no idea what day of the week I was born, although I’m sure there’s an app for that). So in order to feed the need for personal dirt without revealing anything juicy, I wrote, “I used to have an eight-foot long pet boa constrictor named Fluffy.” It’s true.

A few weeks later, I was walking my dogs. It was early morning and sprinklers had been running in many of the yards. Suddenly I knew what I should write next time as my “secret”:

When I see worms that have been flushed out of the grass by rain or sprinklers, and they’re struggling to get to the grass on the other side of the sidewalk before they dry out and die, I pick them up and put them in the grass.

The perfect “secret” that would certainly make everyone second-guess playing that “game of secrets” ever again! Or they might decide to play the game but not invite me. In any case, at my last party with this game when the worm secret was revealed as mine, I would be asked: Why?

Why do I pick up worms to save them from almost certain death?

So on my early morning walk, I wondered. Is it because I like to root for the underdog? Is it because my conscience won’t let me walk by something that I could save without helping, even if it’s just a worm? Is it because I’d want someone to stop and help me (not that I believe I’ll ever be a worm, but you know what I mean)?

My final answer? It’s all of these.

I shout for the kid who isn’t as good as the others but still has the courage to stay on the field and try his hardest. I’m a sucker for all of the people-helping-people shows on TV, and usually I’ve soaked several kleenex by the end of the “reveal”. I’ll pull gum off someone’s shoe, tell a stranger they have a sticker on their back, and stop along the sidewalk to pick up struggling worm after struggling worm and move them to the grass before they die.

Why? Because it’s the right thing to do. Because I’d want someone to do it for me. And because I want to be different than others in our I’m-too-busy-and-too-important world who are unwilling to stop and do the little things.

The little things we do for others can make a big difference in their lives. And ours.

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.” Matthew 7:12

May I pray?

God, thank you for the many people who have blessed each one of us in one way or another by doing little things for us. Please help us today to do something special for someone else. Whether it’s opening a door, helping someone with a heavy bag, or even just smiling and saying hello to someone who looks sad. Father, please give us the opportunity today, and move in our hearts to give us the nudge to do it. May our little things add up to be a big day of blessing for others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Q4U 1: Yes, it’s the dreaded one: What is one thing about you that no one else knows?

Or Q4U 2: What is a little thing someone did for you that had a big impact on your day or even your life?

Forgotten Dreams

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Joy

Many of us have endured the pangs of despair and heavy sorrow from shattered hopes and dreams. If this is where you are today, my heart goes out to you. I am truly sorry that you’re in pain. Please know that you’re not alone. I’ve walked this path before you, and I’m here to walk the path again–with you.

Forgotten Dreams

The sun is setting on another day;
darkness will soon overshadow.
How long ago was it that I smiled and dreamed
about the life I had hoped to know.

Two hearts, two lives, two molded into one;
the future was lively and pleasing.
But it all fades away with the passing of time
and letting go of those dreams is not easy.

Day after day, the whirlwind of life
continues to pull tears to my cheek.
And I brush them away, hoping no one will see
the residue of the salty streak.

I have made many choices, some good and some bad,
and though struggling I will survive.
But my dreams, they’re lost, my heart, it’s bare,
and I no longer feel alive.

Two hearts, two lives, two molded into one;
the future was happy and pleasing.
But it all fades away with the passing of time
and letting go of those dreams is not easy.

Take me my prince to the castle of my dreams
where princesses laugh and play.
Let me remember the touch of your hand;
let me remember you each day.

So now it’s goodbye, but how my heart aches,
and each moment an eternity it seems.
My prince, my love, my neighbor, my friend,
I wish you and I had shared dreams.

Two hearts, two lives, two molded into one;
now one stands alone and broken.
But it all fades away with the passing of time
and my dreams will someday be forgotten.

I originally wrote Forgotten Dreams many years ago as I stumbled under the crushing reality of divorce. At that time, I had little hope. For anything. I had no understanding of redeemed life. I shuffled through each dark day not knowing how to bear the shame, brokenness and desperation of a life gone wrong. I was alone and in agony. And my life spiraled out of control for several years.

Then I met Jesus.

Before this, I had heard of Jesus. I knew who He was. I read about Him and prayed to Him. I knew OF Him. But I didn’t really KNOW Him. One day, all of that changed. I met someone who was on fire for the Lord and he told me about having a personal relationship with Jesus. Jesus knew where I was. He knew where I had been. And He loved me anyway. He wanted me to come to Him. Just as I was. No need to wait. No need to change before taking His hand. He called. I answered. And my life was never the same again.

Healing the wounds and brokenness of the past took time. But I was made whole again. My old dreams were replaced with new ones. For the first time in my life I had hope of a genuinely good tomorrow. And I lived with the assurance that I will spend eternity with my Savior.

You too can find rest and hope in the Lord. Climb up on the Rock of Jesus Christ. Take His hand and let Him lift you up. Go to Him in prayer, seek Him in His Word, and start to truly KNOW Him. Your life will never be the same again. And your new dreams won’t be forgotten.

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 62:5-6

May I pray?

God, shattered hopes and forgotten dreams scar our hearts and take away our desires. The loss of someone we love through breakup, divorce or death tears us apart. Father, I ask a blessing upon my sisters who are struggling in this place of despair today. Even now, as we pray, I ask that Your hand would comfort them as You fill them with a peace beyond understanding. May they have the courage to come to You today and let it all out. Jesus, please hold them tight and give them the hope for a genuinely good tomorrow. Amen.

Q4U: Do you have a story of found hope that you’d be willing to share with others who are struggling?

Cocoa’s Frisbee–Which Way Do We Go?

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Joy

My friend has four small dogs that love to romp and play outdoors. I’ve always thought of myself as a “big dog” kind of girl, but recently I had the opportunity to spend some time at my friend’s house. The personalities and amusing preferences of her furry “kids” won me over. Benji the “old man”, who’s almost 18, can’t see, hear, or smell, but he’s all about finding the next meal. He’s my new hero. Snuggles the white puffball looks like a little miss prissy but she’s always up for a good mud puddle. A pup after my own heart. Kotie wants to be heard. By everyone. No sneaking out at night with her around. And then there’s Cocoa. Cocoa is the trail blazer. Pint-sized as she is, she’s not afraid of anything.

And when the Frisbee comes out, Cocoa’s on a mission.

Each time we went outside, Cocoa ran straight to the Frisbee. As soon as I picked it up, she was gone. Off at full speed! The problem was that she never looked to see where I was throwing it. She ran her course looking straight ahead. After about 20 yards, she’d stop and continue looking ahead, waiting for the Frisbee to drop in front of her. Unfortunately for her, I never threw the Frisbee where she was running. Cocoa would stop and wait. But she never looked to me for instruction. She ran and ran, always expecting the Frisbee to be there. She never waited to see where I would throw it. She never looked back at me so I could point to where it was. She didn’t listen when I called her or tried to tell her where to go.

I laughed at Cocoa. Until I realized she’s so much like me.

How many times have I started running down the path of my life without knowing where I’m really supposed to be going? And when I got down the road, expecting to see something drop in my lap, why was I so surprised when it didn’t? How many times have I expected “it” to happen, but I never looked to God for instruction? How many times have I gone my own way without asking where God is pointing? Without hearing what He’s trying to tell me?

Am I the only one? Anyone else chase after a Frisbee that you never seem to catch?

For all of us Frisbee-chasers, there’s good news! Not only does God want to tell us the way to go, He’ll lead us down the path. We don’t have to run blindly and alone. We don’t have to be disappointed time and time again with empty expectations. God is with us. He’s waiting to show us where to go. But we have to turn to Him. To look to Him and listen. And when He says “go” and points the way, let the tail-wagging begin as we finally catch our Frisbee!

“I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.” Proverbs 4:11

“You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” Psalm 16:11

May I pray?

Heavenly Father, thank you that no matter how many times we take off running without knowing what direction we really should go, You patiently wait for us to come back. Help us to humbly bring our questions to You today. Help us learn to look to You and listen. Open our eyes to see and our ears to hear. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Q4U: What “Frisbee” have you been chasing and how do you relate to Cocoa?

Headed for the Holy Land!

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Joy

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to live back in the day of Moses or Jesus? Besides thinking it would be hard to not shower or to wear cute shoes in the sand, imagine if we could be back in Egypt as God showed His power and might through the plagues. Imagine witnessing the parting of the Red Sea, and fleeing on dry ground to the other side as the Egyptian army was wiped out. Imagine following the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire as God led the Israelites through the desert for 40 years before they entered the Promised Land. Imagine hearing people rave about this man Jesus and then seeing Him walk through Jerusalem healing lepers, blind men, and a woman who had been bleeding profusely for over a decade. Imagine seeing Lazarus alive and well after being raised from the dead by Jesus. Imagine sitting on a hillside and listening to Jesus tell parables and teach the truth of the Scriptures. Imagine hiding among the crowd as Jesus hung on the cross and cried out to God. Imagine sitting on the shore of the Sea of Galilee as our risen Lord cooked breakfast for His disciples and said His final farewell before returning to Heaven.

Imagine!

I’m excited to say that I’m about to do more than just imagine. In a couple of days I’ll be leaving for a two week excursion to Israel and Jordan!

I’ll walk the road where Jesus carried His cross on the way to Golgotha. I’ll see the tomb where it’s believed He was laid. I’ll climb Mt. Carmel where Elijah had his showdown with the prophets of Baal. I’ll walk the shores of the Sea of Galilee and see where Jesus fed the 5,000 and walked on water. I’ll sit in the private courtyard of the Garden of Gethsemane and pray among the olive trees that were actually alive on the night that Jesus prayed there before His betrayal. I’ll visit the caves at the Dead Sea where the Dead Sea Scrolls rested for almost 2,000 years before being discovered. I’ll be baptized (rededicated) in the Jordan River where John the Baptist had his ministry. I’ll walk the desert where the Israelites wandered, and I’ll climb Mt. Sinai and visit the site where God spoke to Moses in the burning bush. I’ll enter the elusive Siq which leads into Petra, Jordan, the remarkable city carved out of pink rock. I’ll see where the Apostle Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea.

This will be the trip of a lifetime. A chance to meet God in His Holy Land and see firsthand how and where the events of Scripture unfolded. A time to soak up God’s truth and experience history, His Story, like never before.

I’m ready to relive the account those eye witnesses told through the Bible as I travel the same paths they traveled.

While I’m gone, blogs will run from past months. I’ll be back with new blogs on November 7^th. As I travel, I’ll continue to pray for our growing sisterhood and for everyone who comes to our site for daily encouragement. Please pray that this trip will be a time of renewal and revelation.

I know God has big things in store for me as I journey to the Holy Land. God has performed amazing miracles in my life time and time again, and I can’t wait to experience the awesome wonders of the Bible as His Word come alive.

Shalom, my friends. May God shower you with blessings as you continue to seek Him with open hearts. See you on the other side!

“He is your praise; He is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.” Deuteronomy 10:21

May I pray?

Almighty God, we weren’t there when You parted the Red Sea or when You walked on water. But we have seen firsthand the miracles You’ve performed in our lives and the lives of others. I praise You for Your power and Your faithfulness. Please, Lord, open our eyes that we may see You. Open our ears that we may hear You. Open our hearts that we may experience Your love like never before. And may we learn to love You and others with same type of undying love You’ve shown Your children throughout history. Amen.

Q4U: If you could be transported back to Bible times, what scene or story from the Bible would you like to experience in person?

Honesty is a Kiss

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Joy

How do you greet your closest friends? In many cultures, people greet friends with a kiss on one or both cheeks. In our culture, most of us greet casual friends with a wave or handshake or maybe even a hug. Only our closest friends receive a kiss, and sometimes family will receive a kiss on the lips.

A kiss on the lips honors those who mean the most to us.

A kiss is special. It represents love and trust. It shows affection and a desire to be connected with that person in a special way. A kiss signifies a bond that goes deeper than casual acquaintances.

God says that honesty is like a kiss on the lips.

Honesty is special. Honesty builds love and trust. Honesty honors the person we’re speaking to by not withholding information or giving a false answer. Honesty honors God by trusting that the truth will set us free because there is no fear in truth. If we’re honest up front, there’s nothing that can come out later that will be a surprise.

Giving an honest answer takes courage.

Sometimes we’re afraid of what others will think. Sometimes it’s hard to be honest about what we’ve done or where we’ve been because we’re still carrying guilt and shame. We’ve made bad choices. We’ve suffered the consequences. But that’s not where we want to be anymore. That’s not who we are.

Even though it can be very hard to speak honestly, there is relief when the truth is out.

We don’t need to tell everyone everything. But we do need to be honest with those who are closest to us. We need to offer them the kiss of honesty. We can’t build a relationship of true love and trust if we aren’t open and honest about what skeletons from the past we’re hiding in our closet.

If we’ve been afraid to be honest about something happening in our current circumstances, it’s time to step out in courage and speak honestly.

If we’ve been afraid to face our past and reveal the skeletons in our closet, it’s time to shine light in our hidden places and clear out the fears of the past.

This is where sisterhood becomes so important. Many of us are concerned that if other people knew the truth about us they wouldn’t love us or accept us. Or they’d look at us differently. But here’s the truth: We all have regrets from the past. We’ve all made mistakes and bad decisions. Some of us (like me) more than others. But we can’t let fears of those mistakes and bad decisions keep us in bondage. We need to cut the chains of fear, tell our story to someone we can trust, and leave the past behind.

Honesty is the foundation of unbreakable bonds of love and trust. Honesty opens the door and releases the fears that we try to cover up. Honesty grows courage and strength as we step out in faith toward new life.

It’s time to be honest. With God. With ourselves. With those we love. With our sisters who will stay by our side to the end.

“An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.” Proverbs 24:26

May I pray?

Lord, it’s not easy to give the kiss of honesty. We don’t want to hurt the ones we love. We don’t want to risk our relationships because of skeletons from the past. Sometimes we convince ourselves that if we don’t say anything, it’s not really lying. But the truth is that if we don’t say anything, we’re not being honest. Give us the courage to step toward new life today by speaking honestly about all things. May we rest in the fact that nothing is hidden from You. And You will forgive us and grant us grace to move forward when we give You the kiss of honesty. Amen.

Q4U: What is something you haven’t been completely honest about?

Pumpkins in our Patch of Real Life

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Joy

Have you ever grown your own vegetables? It sounds like a great idea at first. But trying to get vegetable plants to grow and survive in a backyard garden to the point of actually producing edible fruit is easier said than done.

As we head into fall, many of us will make our annual trek to the local pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect pumpkin. Some are small orange spheres ideal for the kitchen table. Others will be well-suited for jack-o-lanterns, either tall, squatty, or adorned with gnarly branches. And some are absolutely gargantuan weighing several hundred pounds. Imagine the pumpkin seeds that come from that monster!

Whether or not we have a green thumb for growing veggies and pumpkins, many of us are called to be gardeners. Our children (and our friends) are the pumpkins in our pumpkin patch of real life.

What are 4 ways to nurture our pumpkin patch kids?

1. Water––We pour life-giving love, time and attention into our children and friends. We keep the soil of their hearts moist with the living water of God’s Word and truth. We help them feel secure knowing they are dearly loved, accepted, and cared for, and always will be.

2. Fertilize––We provide additional nourishment of encouragement, direction, and discipline. We help them grow by opening their horizons to new interests. We foster character building by helping them learn that life is not about winning, it’s about loving. We pray for and with them.

3. Prune––We guide them in pursuing areas where they excel. We stay engaged in their life and activities, and help them make the hard decisions of what they should and shouldn’t do. This may include clipping off some dead or wilting branches so that healthy branches can fully bloom.

4. Protect––We keep them safe by putting up fences. The boundaries we set are not only for them, but for others looking in as well. Rabbits and squirrels try to sneak in and take small bites here and there which can injure or scar our little pumpkins. Left unchecked, foxes and raccoons will roam the pumpkin patch and inflict huge gashes which may severely wound our pumpkins. And robbers are on the prowl to climb the fence and steal what they can. We stay watchful to guard against these intruders.

Nurturing and tending our pumpkin patch of real life is a huge responsibility. But the rewards are endless. What a blessing to watch our pumpkin patch kids grow, bloom, and develop into beautiful, mature adults. All leading up to that day when we proudly release them into the marketplace of their real life. And they begin to produce fruit of their own.

Who knows. Maybe a few of their seeds will make it back into our pumpkin patch for another season.

“Train a child in the way [she] should go, and when [she] is old [she] will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6

May I pray?

God, sometimes the responsibility of raising children and encouraging friends can be overwhelming. We feel ill-equipped and unsure of what to do or how. Help us, Lord, to take a step back and start looking for small ways that we can have big impact. Above all, may we shower love and acceptance on those in our care, and praise You for the time we have to pour into their life and help them grow. May the fruit of their lives, and ours, be for Your glory. Amen.

Q4U: What is one way you can pour into the life of someone else today?

We Can’t Lose Our Citizenship

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Joy

What comes to mind when you think of “citizenship”? I think of our country and the freedoms that we have. How blessed we are to be American. The song that comes to mind is Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” and the line that says “I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free.” We are free. Free to think what we want, say what we want, and do what we want. And as long as we don’t break the laws set up to protect the life and liberties of others, we will never lose our American citizenship and the freedom that comes with it.

Most of us rest in the security of knowing we are citizens of the United States of America. We don’t think about being physically persecuted for our faith or our desire for freedom. We’ve been given the right to exercise both, just by being American citizens.

But not all of us feel that our heavenly citizenship is secure.

Yesterday we talked about getting our Passport to Heaven. Unlike our US citizenship where we’re automatically given citizenship just by being born in America, we aren’t automatically given citizenship in Heaven just by being born into a certain family. We aren’t handed a passport when we accomplish certain things, earn merit badges, or become “good enough”.

Citizenship in Heaven is ours when we’re adopted into God’s family. It’s like an inheritance. We become children of God by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior. We then receive our passport to Heaven and our citizenship is secure.

We can’t lose our citizenship in Heaven.

It’s not something that we have to keep track of. It’s not a small booklet we have to present to God showing the stamps of good things we did. God says that once we enter into a relationship with Jesus, we become citizens of Heaven. “Our citizenship is in Heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:20

Our citizenship in Heaven is secure “by the powerful name of Jesus Christ… There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under Heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:10-12 NLT

It’s not because of who we are or what we’ve done that we’re given citizenship in Heaven. It’s because of who Jesus is and what He did for us.

We can never lose our citizenship because we make a mistake, fall back into old patterns, or wander in the dark wilderness of real life. God loves us. And He always will. He wants us to be with Him in Heaven. So once we accept His gift of salvation and become citizens of Heaven, He keeps the proof of our citizenship in Heaven with Him. We can’t lose it.

Don’t ever think you’re not good enough to be accepted by God as His child. Don’t ever think that you could have done something that caused you to lose your heavenly citizenship. God can never love us more, and He can never love us less. He loves us completely. No matter where we’ve been. No matter where we are. No matter what we’ve done. But we have to turn to Him.

If you’re not sure if you’re a citizen of Heaven, ask Jesus into your life today. Start a relationship with Him. Learn about Him in God’s Word. Pray through the Scriptures in today’s blog.

And rest easy tonight knowing you are a citizen of Heaven. If you believe Jesus is your Savior, you will never lose that inheritance. No matter what.

“… into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade––kept in Heaven for you.” 1 Peter 1:4

May I pray?

Jesus, we don’t often think about our citizenship because we take it for granted. But Lord, when it comes to our citizenship in Heaven, sometimes we’re not sure what to believe. Help us to understand the truth of Your gift to us. That by coming to You and accepting Jesus as our Savior, we are automatically given citizenship in Heaven. And we can never lose it. For those who aren’t sure if they have inherited heavenly citizenship, please draw them close to You today and open up the truth in Your Word. For those who know their citizenship is secure, may they not take their citizenship for granted but instead offer their lives as living testimonies to Your forgiveness and grace. Amen.

Q4U: What comes to mind when you think of citizenship?

Passport to Heaven

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Joy

What’s the number one city you’ve never been to but you’d like to visit? There are so many on my list, but if I had to narrow it down to just one I think I’d pick Prague in the Czech Republic. Prague is supposed to be an amazingly beautiful city with a great mix of old world architecture and history, fabulous cuisine, and unique festivals that attract people from all over the world. It’s been on my short list for many years. But as with any foreign city, if I want to travel there I have to have a passport.

What about that far off city of Heaven with the pearly gates we’ve all heard about? What are we going to need to get in there?

When we take our last breath here on earth and begin our trek in eternity, the reality of where we’ll spend it will set in. It may seem odd to talk about needing a passport to get into Heaven, but it’s kind of like that. We can’t get into Heaven because of what family we were born into or what great deeds we did during our life. Yes, there will be rewards in Heaven based on how we lived our life, but that’s only after our passport gets us in.

Let’s not wait until it’s too late to understand how to get a passport to Heaven.

Revelation 21:27 says that “only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” will get into the city of God, which is Heaven. Our passport has to be registered in the Lamb’s book of life. Who’s the Lamb? Jesus. How do we get our names registered in the book of life?

By becoming citizens of Heaven. By believing that Jesus died for us and paid the price for our citizenship. By believing that Jesus is our Savior.

Just like in Jesus’ day, there are many people today who believe that they can get into Heaven by keep rules, saying certain prayers, going to church, or being “good”. None of these make us citizens of Heaven. Jesus Himself said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.”

Become like little children. Humble. Sincere. Trusting. Believing. Loving. Growing. Devoted. Excited. Not worrying. Hoping and dreaming.

We can’t remain set in our ways and our thinking. We have to have childlike faith and believe without seeing. This doesn’t mean we should be naïve. It means we should go to God our Father with mind open and ask that truth be revealed.

Jesus said we must be childlike. Not childish.

Life isn’t about who has what or who has more. We can’t take anything with us when we head for Heaven’s gates. And we shouldn’t be preoccupied with titles and status and stuff. None of that truly matters in the grand scheme of things. What does matter is that we live with childlike curiosity and the desire to learn and grow. That we take our Father’s hand and hold tight as He walks us through the storms of real life. That we stay close as He leads us to amazing vistas seen only from the mountaintops of perseverance.

God wants us to experience life as citizens of Heaven. Let’s get our passport to Heaven stamped so that we’re ready when our name is called. A whole new world will open up here on earth as we live with new childlike excitement, knowing our eternal destiny is secure.

“‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.’” Matthew 18:3

May I pray?

Heavenly Father, we don’t often think about Heaven and what happens when we die. Most of us are so busy pursuing life on earth that we don’t consider eternity. But Lord, You don’t want anyone to get to Heaven and then find out their name wasn’t in the Lamb’s book of life. May Your truth resonate in our hearts today. May we climb over any walls we’ve put up in our mind that keep us from believing in You or Jesus or Heaven. May we come to You today with childlike faith so we can hear Your truth and receive revelation. Amen.

Q4U: Do you have a passport to Heaven?

Do You Want Help?

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Joy

Do you have a hard time asking for help? I do. Sometimes it’s because I don’t want to rely on other people. Sometimes it’s because I think that I should be able to do it by myself. Sometimes it’s because it’s easier to do things myself than to walk someone through what I need help with, and then continually answer their questions. Regardless of my excuses, here’s the truth: I need help. We all do.

But there’s a difference between needing help and wanting it.

There are plenty of things we can do on our own. But with most things in life, we could use some help. An extra set of hands makes tasks go faster. Having someone to listen allows us to vent our frustrations and gain perspective when we’re frazzled. Sharing time with a special friend helps us feel connected and loved. It’s important for us to acknowledge that help is good. That’s the first step to wanting help.

But good help is hard to find.

Why is it that when we want help we don’t have anyone to go to, and when we don’t want help everyone comes out of the woodwork to give us advice on what we should do and how?

For those of us who have a hard time asking for help, we often justify our stubbornness by pointing out that even if we wanted help we don’t have anyone to provide it. Many times, it’s true. There isn’t anyone in our life ready to step up and lend a hand. But that doesn’t mean that we can stop being open to receiving help. We should venture out and ask for help instead of expecting someone to notice that we need help. And we should turn to God.

We may think that God’s too busy to help us. We may think that praying for help would be a nuisance or inconvenience since what we need help with isn’t as important as a financial crisis or world peace. We may think that because we’ve been struggling with this for so long, there’s really no use in asking for God’s help.

But if we don’t ask God for help with every aspect of our life, we aren’t open to seeing Him come through for us in every aspect of our life.

God wants us to come to Him. He wants us to trust Him. He wants us to want His help. And He can deliver. When Jesus was in Jerusalem, He went to Bethesda which was one of the gates of the city where there was a pool. Every so often the water of the pool would begin to ripple. Legend had it that when the water rippled, an angel’s wings were touching the water and the first person into the pool would be healed of whatever ailment they had. People who were blind, lame, and paralyzed came to the pool and would lie there waiting for the ripples. Then whoever was with them, family or friend, would scramble to help them into the pool first.

As Jesus walked by the pool, He saw a man who had been an invalid for 38 years. That’s a long time to be in need of help! He was lying there by the pool waiting for the ripples. Jesus asked the man, “Do you want to get well?”

What an odd question. You’d think the man wanted to get well because he had been there for so long. Then again, he had been there so long, maybe he didn’t really want help.

The man replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” That sounds familiar. How often do we feel like there’s no one to help when we need it? And so we sit in discouragement and watch others jump ahead in life.

Then Jesus said, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured. He picked up his mat and began to walk around. Talk about a miracle! Thirty-eight years of anguish and depression gone in one brief encounter with Jesus!

Jesus has the same power to help us today.

If we want help, Jesus will help. If we want to get well, He will heal us. But not always in the way we think He should. If we come to Jesus and believe that He can and will heal us, He will. He will heal us spiritually and prepare us for eternity with Him. That’s His number one priority. But for those who want a physical miracle and base their belief in Jesus on whether or not He’ll touch their bodies and provide full physical restoration, there may not be physical healing. Jesus can and does work miracles. Even today. But the question is: Do we want the miracle-worker, or do we merely want the miracle? Do we want Jesus, or do we merely want Him to restore what’s missing?

Jesus asks us all, “Do you want to get well? Are you willing to walk with Me so I can restore you? Do you want to be with Me for eternity?”

If the answer is Yes, prepare to pick up your mat and follow Him.

“One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, He asked him, ‘Do you want to get well?’” John 5:5-6

May I pray?

Lord, we want to be healed. Whether we have a wounded heart from past relationships or we’re struggling with physical illness, we want to be made whole again. We know You can work a miracle in our life. But more important than our emotional or physical healing is our spiritual healing. Help us to come before You today and humbly seek You so that You can begin to work a miracle in our soul. May our lives be for Your glory. Amen.

Q4U: Do you want Jesus to help you?

How Do You Say L-O-V-E?

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Joy

How do you say “I love you”? Not how do you actually speak those three words (although that can be hard to do sometimes). But how do you show someone that you love them? Some people hold long embraces and say those impactful three words with sweet sincerity. Some shower gifts. Some go to great lengths to create an atmosphere of love or create unexpected surprises. All of these are great ways to show someone we love them.

But the best way to prove our L-O-V-E is by giving our T-I-M-E.

Time is our most precious commodity. None of us have enough of it. None of us can buy more of it. We value our time because time wasted can’t be recovered. And time continues to roll on whether we want it to or not. With so little free time, it becomes a real challenge to spend blocks of uninterrupted time with the people we love.

But when we do, the rewards are exponential.

We’re pulled in so many directions. Work. School. Kids. Family needs. Activities. Appointments. Errands. Most of us are running crazy every day of the week. There’s not enough time to sleep much less add anything else to the schedule. When do we have time to be still and enjoy face to face time and quality conversation with those we love?

In our culture of texts, tweets, email and Facebook, do we even know how to have face to face time with quality conversation?

It’s time to try.

We know how special we feel when someone takes time out of their day to spend time with us. Especially in our times of need. Especially when they’re not rushed and they genuinely want to see us and hear what we have to say. Or when they’re miles away but they call and ask questions and listen to our heart and offer encouragement. Spending time together is how we build bonds of love and trust. It’s how we share life. It’s how we get to truly know each other and understand our past hurts as well as our passions, hopes and dreams. It’s how we do life together and grow in sisterhood.

Through T-I-M-E. Uninterrupted time. Time focused on each other. Special time of sharing fun things and making memories. Regularly recurring blocks of time. Time spent loving, rejoicing, crying, hoping. Whatever the occasion may call for. Time together. Time we can never get back if we spend it doing something else.

It’s time to start making time for special people.

Our husband or boyfriend. Our kids. Our family. Our sisters. All of the people we think should understand most our lack of time. All of the people who suffer most because of our lack of time. Everything we do may be for them, but if we don’t have time to share with them along the way, we’ll have very little worth anything to celebrate at the end of the journey.

It’s time to show our love through T-I-M-E. Offer your most precious commodity to those who are most precious to you. Don’t just tell them you love them. Show it by committing your time to them today.

“This is how we know what love is: Christ gave His life for us. We too, then, ought to give our lives for others!” 1 John 3:16 (GNT)

May I pray?

Jesus, many of us feel starved of love. We want to love and be loved. And yet the reality is that we don’t spend quality time with others in order to build bonds of love and trust. Including the bonds of sisterhood. Help us, Lord, to reach out to others. Help us to make time and commit time to those we love. Including You. May our lives be transformed because of the quality time we spend with those we love and those we know who need help. Amen.

Q4U: How do you show your love to others?

The Land of Rebellion

Posted on October 12, 2011 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 October 11, 2011 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?