For the last couple of weeks, a friend and I have been talking off and on about how life can be hard at Christmas even when we have great family and friends who love us. Christmas is a tender time for the human heart. The holiday season boasts of peace, joy and love, yet we hurt over losses, relationship challenges, lost or stagnant dreams, and missed goals. Emotions are stirred up and can crash into each other and we experience many things. The season of hope over the birth of Christ can feel more like an open season on our emotions than a season of hope.
Why is this? Why does the most hope-filled and joyful holiday of the year seem to trigger anything from a sense of melancholy to intense feelings of grief and loneliness? Could it be that the enemy of our soul might try to distract us from the true meaning of Christmas?
Jesus was born as the hope of the world. The Christmas holiday celebrates the birth of the Son of God Who chose to enter into human history by living as a man and dying for our sins. Being forgiven of our sins and escaping their penalty is a message of great hope. It is a message and a story that the devil will do everything he can to stop. Two thousand years have gone by, yet the story of a child born in a barn with angels announcing His birth is still told. I believe the devil knows he cannot stop the telling of the story so he uses other tactics like conflict, loneliness, and grief to distract us. He also uses depression and sickness among other things. The goal? To get us to doubt God’s love and goodness toward us so that we will not believe in the Son that was born to us, the One Who can save us and speak hope, peace, and love to our hearts.
I don’t know about you, but I experienced many painful emotions this holiday season. In spite of these emotions, I made sure I focused on the hope and love that only God can give. I refused to doubt God’s love and goodness toward me even in the midst of grief and loneliness. You know what happened? God provided comfort for me in many ways right in the middle of the grief and loneliness. God was so creative. He blessed me with the opportunity to have a new Christmas tree for a room in my house where I have wanted to put one for ten years, a father who put lights up on the outside of my house, a daughter and new son-in-law who filled my stocking when they came to visit on Christmas Day, and a friend who let me cry on her shoulder (literally!) when I was hurting too much to keep it inside.
Christmas truly is the season of love and hope. And if the season triggered despair, discouragement, depression, grief, loneliness, or any other painful emotion for you, hold on tightly to hope anyway and trust God’s love more than you ever have before.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
When the Time Was Right: God Can be Trusted
I love the phrase in the King James Version of the Bible, “It came to pass…” This phrase is used almost 500 times and the majority of the time it is used to refer to God’s predictions coming true. Throughout history, God spoke to people about what He was going to do. One of those things He spoke about was providing His only Son to be our Savior. He first spoke about this to Adam and Eve (the story is found in Genesis Chapter 3). It took thousands and thousands of years before God made good on His Word. And when He did, Jesus was born.
A contemporary phrase for “It came to pass” would be “When the time was right.” Sometimes we want what we want and we want it now. We want the pain to go away, to stop feel lonely, to get a positive report from the doctor, to find a better paying job, to have a relationship problem solved, to change a bad habit, or to receive deliverance from an addition. These are all good things to have and we might wonder why God doesn’t provide the answer to our prayer immediately. I admit I do not understand God’s timing and never will. However, I have experienced His timing and know it is perfect. God will never arrive one minute early and He will never arrive one minute late. When the time is right, all the things God has for You will be provided.
“…the time came [when the time was right] for the baby to be born and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:6-7).
Even though it took a long time to come to pass, God kept His promise to give mankind a Savior. Whatever you do, do not give up on God. Trust Him and wait patiently for Him (Psalm 37:7). And when the time is right, God will provide for you.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Show Your Loyalty
For quite a few years now I’ve had people in a variety of professional places and settings ask me if I’m a Christian or if I go to church. It happened again today at work. This person I just met today and spent some time talking to asked me, “Do you go to church?” I told him I did and he said, “I can tell.” How could he tell? All we talked about was UFC/mixed martial arts fighting and Smallville. (NOTE: UFC is a professional, mixed-martial arts fighting sport. Smallville is a TV series about Clark Kent and has covered his life from his freshman year in high school to his present job at the Daily Planet. Neither one of these topics has anything to do with God!)
Now, I believe that going to church and a relationship with God are two different things but my relationship with God compels me to go to church. I also understand that when some people ask “Do you go to church?” they are really asking, “Do you believe in God?” After this man left to go do other work I wondered how it is that I get asked with no forewarning if I am a Christian or if I go to church. I realized a short time later that God is answering a daily prayer of mine that prompts some people to ask.
About two hours after talking with new UFC/Smallville friend, I rode the elevator with two other ladies on my way back from lunch. Both of these ladies had on Harley Davidson (HD) apparel. In addition to her HD t-shirt, one woman had on a skull-cap style bandanna with the Harley Davidson emblem centered right in the middle of her forehead. There was no way you could miss her advertisement and her loyalty to HD. As I got off the elevator I thought about my loyalties. I have White Sox apparel. I was even wearing my White Sox hoodie on the elevator ride! I have White Sox stickers and a White Sox license plate holder on my car. People don’t have to be around me very long to discover that I enjoy baseball and, most especially, the White Sox.. Evidently, some people don’t have to be around me very long to discover I believe in God.
Ironically enough, I don’t wear a skull-cap with “Loyal to God” on it. I don’t have a fish symbol on my car. (I’d have to be more careful about going the speed limit if I had one of those!) And I don’t even have a t-shirt that reads, “Jesus, the real thing” (but then I’m Pepsi drinker anyway!). So how is it that people pick up on my faith in God?
I think people sense something different and attribute it to God (or church) because of how I treat them. Every day I ask God to develop within the characteristics of His Spirit. These characteristics are called the “fruit of the Spirit.” They are love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control (see Galatians ?). I more specifically ask for God to develop in me the characteristics of love so that I will be even more patient, kind, and gentle. I also want love to be expressed through me by being a person that is not easily angered, doesn’t keep a record of wrongs, and is not easily offended (see I Corinthians 13:4-8). I readily admit that I also ask God to let people see Him in me and be attracted to Him as a result.
I realize today that God has been answering my daily prayer for others to see Him in me. After all, the Bible states that people will know we are Christians by our love…not our skull-caps.
Now, I believe that going to church and a relationship with God are two different things but my relationship with God compels me to go to church. I also understand that when some people ask “Do you go to church?” they are really asking, “Do you believe in God?” After this man left to go do other work I wondered how it is that I get asked with no forewarning if I am a Christian or if I go to church. I realized a short time later that God is answering a daily prayer of mine that prompts some people to ask.
About two hours after talking with new UFC/Smallville friend, I rode the elevator with two other ladies on my way back from lunch. Both of these ladies had on Harley Davidson (HD) apparel. In addition to her HD t-shirt, one woman had on a skull-cap style bandanna with the Harley Davidson emblem centered right in the middle of her forehead. There was no way you could miss her advertisement and her loyalty to HD. As I got off the elevator I thought about my loyalties. I have White Sox apparel. I was even wearing my White Sox hoodie on the elevator ride! I have White Sox stickers and a White Sox license plate holder on my car. People don’t have to be around me very long to discover that I enjoy baseball and, most especially, the White Sox.. Evidently, some people don’t have to be around me very long to discover I believe in God.
Ironically enough, I don’t wear a skull-cap with “Loyal to God” on it. I don’t have a fish symbol on my car. (I’d have to be more careful about going the speed limit if I had one of those!) And I don’t even have a t-shirt that reads, “Jesus, the real thing” (but then I’m Pepsi drinker anyway!). So how is it that people pick up on my faith in God?
I think people sense something different and attribute it to God (or church) because of how I treat them. Every day I ask God to develop within the characteristics of His Spirit. These characteristics are called the “fruit of the Spirit.” They are love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control (see Galatians ?). I more specifically ask for God to develop in me the characteristics of love so that I will be even more patient, kind, and gentle. I also want love to be expressed through me by being a person that is not easily angered, doesn’t keep a record of wrongs, and is not easily offended (see I Corinthians 13:4-8). I readily admit that I also ask God to let people see Him in me and be attracted to Him as a result.
I realize today that God has been answering my daily prayer for others to see Him in me. After all, the Bible states that people will know we are Christians by our love…not our skull-caps.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Someone Watching Over Me
In church on Sunday my worship pastor quoted Psalm 121. A verse familiar to me captured my attention: “…he who watches over you will not slumber” (verse 8). I was reminded that my God does not sleep. He watches over me and He watches over me all the time. I do not have to be concerned about God falling asleep on the job. His attention and watchful care is there 24/7/365.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
One Simple Adjustment
Do you have any areas of your life that are out of control and you wish they (or you) were different? Have you ever thought that you want to make a big change in your life? I have. Despite my desire to change I put it off. I procrastinated. Procrastination led to a paralyzed feeling (because the problem just got bigger and bigger) and the paralyzed feeling led to disbelief. Somewhere along the way I began to believe I just can’t do it. I was so wrong. I learned that to make a big change in any area of my life all I had to do was make one simple adjustment. That’s all you have to do, too. To see change in any area of your life, make one simple adjustment then add patience to your simple adjustment and over the course of time things (and you!) will change.
Want to lose weight? Make one simple adjustment by eating half of what you do now.
Want to de-clutter your house? Make one simple adjustment by picking up one clutter item each day and when you set it down, set it in the place where it belongs.
Want to get rid of your loneliness? When you feel lonely, make one simple adjustment by calling one person and asking them him/her how they are doing.
Want to slow down and create more time to put toward your own self-care? Make one simple adjustment and say no the next time you are asked to do something. (If I can learn how to say no anyone can. You will learn that people get over you telling them no. But more importantly, you learn to get over saying no, too!)
Want to get out of debt? Make one simple adjustment by taking the money you spend on your daily Starbucks, Polar Pop, drive-thru breakfast or lunch, or whatever your daily spending habit is and pay down your balances with that money. (FYI: A Starbuck each day on your way to work can add up to $90 a month or more.)
Want to get rid of bitterness in your heart? Make one simple adjustment by praying for that person who wronged you instead of thinking bad thoughts about that person who wronged you.
Do you see the impact of one simple adjustment? One simple adjustment executed every day over the course of time will make the big change you want to have.
Thoughts to ponder:
Striking a tree with an axe once a day will eventually cause the tree to fall.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
Want to lose weight? Make one simple adjustment by eating half of what you do now.
Want to de-clutter your house? Make one simple adjustment by picking up one clutter item each day and when you set it down, set it in the place where it belongs.
Want to get rid of your loneliness? When you feel lonely, make one simple adjustment by calling one person and asking them him/her how they are doing.
Want to slow down and create more time to put toward your own self-care? Make one simple adjustment and say no the next time you are asked to do something. (If I can learn how to say no anyone can. You will learn that people get over you telling them no. But more importantly, you learn to get over saying no, too!)
Want to get out of debt? Make one simple adjustment by taking the money you spend on your daily Starbucks, Polar Pop, drive-thru breakfast or lunch, or whatever your daily spending habit is and pay down your balances with that money. (FYI: A Starbuck each day on your way to work can add up to $90 a month or more.)
Want to get rid of bitterness in your heart? Make one simple adjustment by praying for that person who wronged you instead of thinking bad thoughts about that person who wronged you.
Do you see the impact of one simple adjustment? One simple adjustment executed every day over the course of time will make the big change you want to have.
Thoughts to ponder:
Striking a tree with an axe once a day will eventually cause the tree to fall.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Nothing to Offer
I have nothing to offer God that He doesn’t already have. He is the Lord God Almighty and I am just me. The comparison would be similar to considering what an amoeba would add to a relationship with Albert Einstein or Stephen Hawking.
In human relationships, each person is imperfect. In human relationships each person brings strengths and weaknesses to the relationship. This is acceptable in human relationships because we add value to each other. As we share our strengths to offset the other person’s weaknesses, the relationship grows and we are better people because of the relationship. However…
In a relationship with God we bring all the imperfections and He brings all the purity.
In a relationship with God we bring all the weakness and He brings all the strength.
In a relationship with God we add no value to Who He is and He adds all the value of Who He is to us.
In a relationship with God we are the ones who grow and become better people and God remains as He is because we can not add anything to Who He is.
When I consider my a relationship with God, all I can offer Him are my imperfections and my weaknesses. Yet, God still loves me despite my inability to add anything to Who He is. I admit that I do not understand how God wants to be in a relationship with me but I believe by faith that He wants to be in relationship with me. I have human relationships where it seems like I give so little and receive so much.
I have been on a journey for the last couple of years. Over this time period there have been a couple of people who have traveled with me from the very beginning. Others were there for certain periods of time based on what God knew I needed at that time. Some of these people were existing friends and some of them are new friends that God provided for me along the way. Each of these women have added everything to my life. They have given to me their strength and their wisdom and their knowledge and their love and their support. I feel that all I have given are my imperfections, my weaknesses, and my troubles. Even so, they are still my friends. I know that I have standing invitations from each one of them to call upon them any time day or night if I need them. My seeming lack of contribution to the relationships because of my neediness has not stopped them from being my friends and loving me.
My imperfections and neediness do not stop God from loving me, either. The Bible tells me He loves me with an everlasting love and that He will never take that love away from me.
In human relationships, each person is imperfect. In human relationships each person brings strengths and weaknesses to the relationship. This is acceptable in human relationships because we add value to each other. As we share our strengths to offset the other person’s weaknesses, the relationship grows and we are better people because of the relationship. However…
In a relationship with God we bring all the imperfections and He brings all the purity.
In a relationship with God we bring all the weakness and He brings all the strength.
In a relationship with God we add no value to Who He is and He adds all the value of Who He is to us.
In a relationship with God we are the ones who grow and become better people and God remains as He is because we can not add anything to Who He is.
When I consider my a relationship with God, all I can offer Him are my imperfections and my weaknesses. Yet, God still loves me despite my inability to add anything to Who He is. I admit that I do not understand how God wants to be in a relationship with me but I believe by faith that He wants to be in relationship with me. I have human relationships where it seems like I give so little and receive so much.
I have been on a journey for the last couple of years. Over this time period there have been a couple of people who have traveled with me from the very beginning. Others were there for certain periods of time based on what God knew I needed at that time. Some of these people were existing friends and some of them are new friends that God provided for me along the way. Each of these women have added everything to my life. They have given to me their strength and their wisdom and their knowledge and their love and their support. I feel that all I have given are my imperfections, my weaknesses, and my troubles. Even so, they are still my friends. I know that I have standing invitations from each one of them to call upon them any time day or night if I need them. My seeming lack of contribution to the relationships because of my neediness has not stopped them from being my friends and loving me.
My imperfections and neediness do not stop God from loving me, either. The Bible tells me He loves me with an everlasting love and that He will never take that love away from me.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Pain versus Suffering
Some friends and I were mutually encouraging each other this week. We are struggling with being full-time students and bemoaning the woes of reading textbooks, conducting online research, creating PowerPoint presentations, and writing papers. All of these friends are also a spouse, a parent, an employee, and serve in ministry at their church or in some other volunteer capacity in their communities. As we encouraged each other I thought of an idea I read in a book years ago.
The idea presented by the author was one of pain versus suffering. Pain is a fact of life. Regardless of how hard we try we cannot avoid the pain that is a part of life. Life just hurts sometimes. But suffering is something different. Suffering is what happens when we try to wrestle life to the ground and make it behave on our own terms. Suffering occurs when we do not let go of a pain and move on. I’ve been challenged today to look at areas in which I think I might be suffering and determine whether or not I am trying to make life behave on my terms.
What about you? Is what you are experiencing pain? Or is it suffering? Are you giving certain feelings and emotions power over you to such a degree that they keep you in a continual state of suffering? Maybe you are like my friends and I who are so frustrated with doing homework as we work on our college degrees that the thought of writing one more paper is enough to push us over the edge. Maybe you are a stay-at-home mom or dad and the thought of changing one more diaper, cleaning up one more spill, or dealing with the chaos makes you want to scream. Maybe you are an empty nester and this season of life with adult children leaves you with a feeling of melancholy you cannot seem to shake. Or maybe you are in a work environment where expectations are unrealistic and mercy is non-existent. You go home every night so stressed out and exhausted you do not have any energy to give to the rest of life. Maybe you are just trying to survive the current economic crisis. Have you lost a loved one through death or a divorce and the grief feels like a wrecking ball has made a home in your heart even though the event occurred some time ago?
It is possible to take steps to minimize and even eliminate our suffering. The first step is to determine how much of our suffering is caused by trying to hold onto things we cannot control. Take the time to experience whatever is going on. Do not deny it or ignore it. Let your emotions have their say and do not fight back against something that cannot change. Recognize the situation for what it is. But don’t stay sitting in your emotions. Move onto the second step: accept it. To accept it means you no longer fight against the situation or you make a choice to change. Change yourself or, if possible, change the circumstance. Even if you cannot change the circumstance you can change your attitude about it. The final step is to get over it. Let go of the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that keep you in a state of suffering and move on. If you do this, you will put yourself in a place to receive healing and recovery. The pain may still exist to one degree or another but the suffering no longer affects your viewpoint about life.
Experience it. Accept it. Get over it. This is a process and will take time so be patient with yourself. Believe that you can minimize your suffering and experience joy in life. Pain versus suffering…the choice truly is yours.
The idea presented by the author was one of pain versus suffering. Pain is a fact of life. Regardless of how hard we try we cannot avoid the pain that is a part of life. Life just hurts sometimes. But suffering is something different. Suffering is what happens when we try to wrestle life to the ground and make it behave on our own terms. Suffering occurs when we do not let go of a pain and move on. I’ve been challenged today to look at areas in which I think I might be suffering and determine whether or not I am trying to make life behave on my terms.
What about you? Is what you are experiencing pain? Or is it suffering? Are you giving certain feelings and emotions power over you to such a degree that they keep you in a continual state of suffering? Maybe you are like my friends and I who are so frustrated with doing homework as we work on our college degrees that the thought of writing one more paper is enough to push us over the edge. Maybe you are a stay-at-home mom or dad and the thought of changing one more diaper, cleaning up one more spill, or dealing with the chaos makes you want to scream. Maybe you are an empty nester and this season of life with adult children leaves you with a feeling of melancholy you cannot seem to shake. Or maybe you are in a work environment where expectations are unrealistic and mercy is non-existent. You go home every night so stressed out and exhausted you do not have any energy to give to the rest of life. Maybe you are just trying to survive the current economic crisis. Have you lost a loved one through death or a divorce and the grief feels like a wrecking ball has made a home in your heart even though the event occurred some time ago?
It is possible to take steps to minimize and even eliminate our suffering. The first step is to determine how much of our suffering is caused by trying to hold onto things we cannot control. Take the time to experience whatever is going on. Do not deny it or ignore it. Let your emotions have their say and do not fight back against something that cannot change. Recognize the situation for what it is. But don’t stay sitting in your emotions. Move onto the second step: accept it. To accept it means you no longer fight against the situation or you make a choice to change. Change yourself or, if possible, change the circumstance. Even if you cannot change the circumstance you can change your attitude about it. The final step is to get over it. Let go of the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that keep you in a state of suffering and move on. If you do this, you will put yourself in a place to receive healing and recovery. The pain may still exist to one degree or another but the suffering no longer affects your viewpoint about life.
Experience it. Accept it. Get over it. This is a process and will take time so be patient with yourself. Believe that you can minimize your suffering and experience joy in life. Pain versus suffering…the choice truly is yours.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Beauty
I continue my quest to become not just the person God wants me to be but the woman God wants me to be. It is a God-directed quest and I confess I never would have had the courage or strength to travel the road of femininity without God’s constant prodding. I have been wounded as a result of being female and somewhere along the way learned to close my heart and mind to the reality that I am a woman. Many things have changed about me over the last several months. The changes have occurred on the inside and the outside.
As I learn to become more comfortable with the fact that God created me to be a woman, I realize that God has given each woman her own unique beauty. And one woman's beauty has nothing to do with another woman's beauty. My beauty...and your beauty...stands on its own. And one woman's beauty does not take away from another woman's beauty. Did you get that? Another woman’s beauty does not take away from your beauty.
Our beauty as individual women is enough because God gave it to us. And because God gave our beauty to us, no one can take it away unless we let them. Recognize your incredible, God-given beauty and do not let anyone...even yourself...take it away from you.
Recommended Reading
Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul by John and Stasi Eldredge.
As I learn to become more comfortable with the fact that God created me to be a woman, I realize that God has given each woman her own unique beauty. And one woman's beauty has nothing to do with another woman's beauty. My beauty...and your beauty...stands on its own. And one woman's beauty does not take away from another woman's beauty. Did you get that? Another woman’s beauty does not take away from your beauty.
Our beauty as individual women is enough because God gave it to us. And because God gave our beauty to us, no one can take it away unless we let them. Recognize your incredible, God-given beauty and do not let anyone...even yourself...take it away from you.
Recommended Reading
Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul by John and Stasi Eldredge.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Hope and Disappointment
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for…” Hebrews 11:1
Several friends and I are daring to believe God to change us and some of our circumstances. For various reasons, we are afraid we will not make it this time and either stay in patterns and habits that do not get us where we want to be or we will fail and be worse off than when we started. None of us wants to contemplate the cost of perceived failure.
Disappointment is an interesting emotion. To be disappointed means to be “defeated in expectation or hope” (merriam-webster.com). We hope for something or expect something and if we do not get it we feel disappointed. We feel defeated. String together enough defeated expectations and hopes and we start to give up or give in. We stop hoping and expecting and believing for something to happen. Eventually, we give up and settle for whatever state we are in adopting an “I don’t care” attitude.
Disappointments are a part of life. There is no avoiding them. Disappointments, like failures, do not have to be defeating and they are not the end of the world even though they may feel like it.
I have already had a significant disappointment today. But it’s okay. I decided that I will let God be the God of my disappointments. I will turn my disappointments over to Him and dare to keep believing. I will make whatever adjustments I need to make because those who put their hope in God will never be disappointed (Psalm 25:3).
What about you? What are you doing with your disappointments? Do not run from them or ignore them. Take them to a God Who loves you more than you can imagine. He is a God Who wants only the best for you. Put your hope in Him and you will not be disappointed.
Recommendation: Go to biblegateway.net and do a search on the word “hope.” Read the passages from the Bible that have the word “hope” or a variation of “hope” in them. Be encouraged and learn to put your hope in God and trust Him with your disappointments.
Several friends and I are daring to believe God to change us and some of our circumstances. For various reasons, we are afraid we will not make it this time and either stay in patterns and habits that do not get us where we want to be or we will fail and be worse off than when we started. None of us wants to contemplate the cost of perceived failure.
Disappointment is an interesting emotion. To be disappointed means to be “defeated in expectation or hope” (merriam-webster.com). We hope for something or expect something and if we do not get it we feel disappointed. We feel defeated. String together enough defeated expectations and hopes and we start to give up or give in. We stop hoping and expecting and believing for something to happen. Eventually, we give up and settle for whatever state we are in adopting an “I don’t care” attitude.
Disappointments are a part of life. There is no avoiding them. Disappointments, like failures, do not have to be defeating and they are not the end of the world even though they may feel like it.
I have already had a significant disappointment today. But it’s okay. I decided that I will let God be the God of my disappointments. I will turn my disappointments over to Him and dare to keep believing. I will make whatever adjustments I need to make because those who put their hope in God will never be disappointed (Psalm 25:3).
What about you? What are you doing with your disappointments? Do not run from them or ignore them. Take them to a God Who loves you more than you can imagine. He is a God Who wants only the best for you. Put your hope in Him and you will not be disappointed.
Recommendation: Go to biblegateway.net and do a search on the word “hope.” Read the passages from the Bible that have the word “hope” or a variation of “hope” in them. Be encouraged and learn to put your hope in God and trust Him with your disappointments.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
The Concert
A friend of mine sent this to me by e-mail and I thought I would pass it along. Even though there is no evidence that this event happened with Paderewski, the great pianist, the principle in the story is still good enough to pass along for inspiration.
The Concert
Author Unknown
When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that her child was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. To her horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.'
At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, ‘Don't quit . . keep playing.’ Then, leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato.
Together, the old master and the young novice transformed what could have been a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was so mesmerized that they couldn't recall what else the great master played. Only the classic, 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.'
Perhaps that's the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't always graceful flowing music. However, with the hand of the Master, our life's work can truly be beautiful.
The next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully...you may hear the voice of The Master whispering in your ear, ‘Don't quit. Keep playing.’
May you feel His arms around you and know that His hands are there, helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces. Remember, God doesn't seem to call the equipped, rather, He equips the ‘called.’
Life is more accurately measured by the lives you touch than by the things you acquire.
The Concert
Author Unknown
When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that her child was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. To her horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.'
At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, ‘Don't quit . . keep playing.’ Then, leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato.
Together, the old master and the young novice transformed what could have been a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was so mesmerized that they couldn't recall what else the great master played. Only the classic, 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.'
Perhaps that's the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't always graceful flowing music. However, with the hand of the Master, our life's work can truly be beautiful.
The next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully...you may hear the voice of The Master whispering in your ear, ‘Don't quit. Keep playing.’
May you feel His arms around you and know that His hands are there, helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces. Remember, God doesn't seem to call the equipped, rather, He equips the ‘called.’
Life is more accurately measured by the lives you touch than by the things you acquire.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Ride the Wave
Yesterday, I sent a friend of mine an e-mail asking for prayer support regarding an emotional thing. I felt the emotional dissonance the minute I woke up and it caught me by surprise. I immediately prayed and continued to do what needed to be done. I got up and spent time with the Lord then got ready for work. I left the house but confess I cried most of the way to work. I admit that I do not know the source of this emotional turmoil so all I could do was ask God to help me pull it together so I could get through the workday. I assured Him that if the emotions still needed to express themselves then I would let them, BUT…I needed to get through the workday first.
My friend replied back later in the morning (my day starts much earlier than hers) and told me that she had prayed that God would give me His peace in understanding this emotional thing and that He would give me peace as I “ride the wave.” She encouraged me by telling me that God was riding the wave with me.
“Ride the wave” brought an analogy to mind that this same friend offered to me a couple of years ago in the height of the most severe emotional pain I have ever felt. She told me that I would get through it and provided a word picture. She knows about my love of sports and extreme sports and I don’t know if that’s why she used this analogy or if God just gave it to her because He knew I would respond to it but the analogy went like this…
My friend told me that what I was experiencing was like riding a surfboard. The waves come and you go for a ride. Sometimes the waves are too rough or too big and they knock you off the board. My friend said that the waves I was experiencing were rough and big. She said I needed to keep getting back on the board and trying it again. The more I tried the better I would be become at identifying and managing my emotions. She was right. The difference between where I was at two years ago and where I am today is like the difference between surfing ankle snappers (that’s a small wave) to catching a big mama (that’s a big wave) off the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii! Despite the emotional surfing skills I have acquired over the last two years, there are times when the rough and big waves will come and I must ride them out trusting that God is with me.
How do we ride out an emotional wave? Confess Scriptures from the Bible and anything that has a positive, faith-filled message. I say Scriptures out loud that describe peace and strength and power and victory. My friend and I have selected Philippians 4:13 to help us this year: “I can do all things through Jesus who gives me strength.” I speak words of encouragement to myself and just like a fin on a surfboard slices through the water and helps keep the surfer afloat and traveling in the direction s/he wants to go, the words I speak slice through the emotional wave going on in my soul. The Word of God keeps me afloat and moving in the direction I need to go. It takes practice and it takes time but eventually the emotional wave will have minimal impact and you will learn how to ride it. But every now and then an emotional wave will hit without warning and it’s great to have the Word of God and a friend help you get back on the board.
Surf’s up! Grab your board and let’s go surfing!
My friend replied back later in the morning (my day starts much earlier than hers) and told me that she had prayed that God would give me His peace in understanding this emotional thing and that He would give me peace as I “ride the wave.” She encouraged me by telling me that God was riding the wave with me.
“Ride the wave” brought an analogy to mind that this same friend offered to me a couple of years ago in the height of the most severe emotional pain I have ever felt. She told me that I would get through it and provided a word picture. She knows about my love of sports and extreme sports and I don’t know if that’s why she used this analogy or if God just gave it to her because He knew I would respond to it but the analogy went like this…
My friend told me that what I was experiencing was like riding a surfboard. The waves come and you go for a ride. Sometimes the waves are too rough or too big and they knock you off the board. My friend said that the waves I was experiencing were rough and big. She said I needed to keep getting back on the board and trying it again. The more I tried the better I would be become at identifying and managing my emotions. She was right. The difference between where I was at two years ago and where I am today is like the difference between surfing ankle snappers (that’s a small wave) to catching a big mama (that’s a big wave) off the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii! Despite the emotional surfing skills I have acquired over the last two years, there are times when the rough and big waves will come and I must ride them out trusting that God is with me.
How do we ride out an emotional wave? Confess Scriptures from the Bible and anything that has a positive, faith-filled message. I say Scriptures out loud that describe peace and strength and power and victory. My friend and I have selected Philippians 4:13 to help us this year: “I can do all things through Jesus who gives me strength.” I speak words of encouragement to myself and just like a fin on a surfboard slices through the water and helps keep the surfer afloat and traveling in the direction s/he wants to go, the words I speak slice through the emotional wave going on in my soul. The Word of God keeps me afloat and moving in the direction I need to go. It takes practice and it takes time but eventually the emotional wave will have minimal impact and you will learn how to ride it. But every now and then an emotional wave will hit without warning and it’s great to have the Word of God and a friend help you get back on the board.
Surf’s up! Grab your board and let’s go surfing!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Today Is My Birthday
Today is my birthday. This time last year it was my birthday, too! :-) In my birthday post last year I wrote how for the first time in my life I was experiencing God’s pleasure with me. I am certainly not perfect, nor will I ever be perfect, but that does not matter because I discovered God has never asked me to be perfect. And being perfect has nothing to do with God loving me and being pleased with me.
This year I believe God asked me how I felt about my birthday. Interestingly enough, the first thought I had was about the story of Job found in the Bible. Job cursed the day he was born. He was going through some significant pain, physically, mentally, and emotionally and, in his pain, he cursed the day he was born. He had some extremely violent feelings about how he wished that day had never existed (see Job Chapter 3 in the Old Testament). On the heels of remembering Job’s feelings about the day he was born, I told the Lord that I am grateful for the day I was born. To be able to say this is an honest-to-goodness miracle. For years that turned into decades of my life, I wished I had never been born. I experienced significant pain that I could not let go of. That pain made me miserable every day of my life. While I never cursed the day of my birth like Job did, I lived daily with the feeling of hating that day. But God feels much differently about the days that each of us were born.
The Psalmist tells us a truth about himself that is true for all humans: God is our creator and we are fearfully and wonderfully made. God’s works are wonderful and the implication is that we are wonderful (Psalm 139:14). God told Jeremiah the prophet that God knew him even before Jeremiah had been concieved (Jeremiah 1:5).
God knows me and He knows you. He knew us even before we were conceived, even before our parents met and knew each other. God has known from the beginning that He would create us and we are no accidents. Regardless of the circumstances of your conception, God created you. He planned for and waited for your birth day. And God rejoices in the day you were born. He does not regret it.
I am grateful that God has healed me and set me free from the pain that consumed me for far too long. I no longer hate the day I was born and I no longer want to end my life. God, in His infinite love and mercy and grace, continues to teach me how to see myself the way He sees me. And I am learning to reject thoughts about myself that do not agree with God's thoughts about me. I praise God that He is much more merciful than I am.
Today is my birthday. And I praise God for the life He has given me.
This year I believe God asked me how I felt about my birthday. Interestingly enough, the first thought I had was about the story of Job found in the Bible. Job cursed the day he was born. He was going through some significant pain, physically, mentally, and emotionally and, in his pain, he cursed the day he was born. He had some extremely violent feelings about how he wished that day had never existed (see Job Chapter 3 in the Old Testament). On the heels of remembering Job’s feelings about the day he was born, I told the Lord that I am grateful for the day I was born. To be able to say this is an honest-to-goodness miracle. For years that turned into decades of my life, I wished I had never been born. I experienced significant pain that I could not let go of. That pain made me miserable every day of my life. While I never cursed the day of my birth like Job did, I lived daily with the feeling of hating that day. But God feels much differently about the days that each of us were born.
The Psalmist tells us a truth about himself that is true for all humans: God is our creator and we are fearfully and wonderfully made. God’s works are wonderful and the implication is that we are wonderful (Psalm 139:14). God told Jeremiah the prophet that God knew him even before Jeremiah had been concieved (Jeremiah 1:5).
God knows me and He knows you. He knew us even before we were conceived, even before our parents met and knew each other. God has known from the beginning that He would create us and we are no accidents. Regardless of the circumstances of your conception, God created you. He planned for and waited for your birth day. And God rejoices in the day you were born. He does not regret it.
I am grateful that God has healed me and set me free from the pain that consumed me for far too long. I no longer hate the day I was born and I no longer want to end my life. God, in His infinite love and mercy and grace, continues to teach me how to see myself the way He sees me. And I am learning to reject thoughts about myself that do not agree with God's thoughts about me. I praise God that He is much more merciful than I am.
Today is my birthday. And I praise God for the life He has given me.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
My Sins or God’s Greatness?
What do you think about the most? The mistakes you have made and sins you have committed? About how you think you are bad and worthless and unlovable? Or do you think about God’s greatness? About His great love toward you, Jesus’ death on the cross to free you from sin and condemnation, the abundant life God has for you, and the love, peace, and joy that are prepared for you?
I spent just about all my life thinking about my sins and everything I had done wrong. It was not uncommon for me in my early forties to think about things I got in trouble for when I was four or five years old! I sat around and nursed all the memories of my mistakes and sins and continued to condemn myself for all of them. As a result, I could not let God penetrate my heart or my mind with His love. I wanted Him to and I know God wanted to but I built all these strongholds based on lies in my mind that made me believe I was not loveable. This self-created belief kept me from believing the truth that God loved me.
I praise God for delivering me from my self-hatred and self-condemnation. I no longer sit around meditating on my faults, failures, shortcomings, and sins. I actively and consciously meditate on God’s greatness. Whenever my thoughts remind me of the past, I resist them and choose to think about what God says in His Word. God reveals to me in His Word that I am a new creature in Christ. He reveals to me that He has poured His love on me. He reveals to me that I have been adopted into His family and He loves me dearly. He reveals to me there is no condemnation for me because I have been set free from sin and condemnation. He reveals to me that because I have confessed my sins He forgives me. He tells me that my forgiven sins have been dropped into the sea of forgetfulness and He does not remember them. And whenever Satan or my own old thought habits try to tell me that I am no good and unlovable and not worthy of God’s love I choose to not believe them anymore. Instead I replace those old, defeating thoughts with life-giving thoughts from the Word and believe God’s truth about me.
I spent just about all my life thinking about my sins and everything I had done wrong. It was not uncommon for me in my early forties to think about things I got in trouble for when I was four or five years old! I sat around and nursed all the memories of my mistakes and sins and continued to condemn myself for all of them. As a result, I could not let God penetrate my heart or my mind with His love. I wanted Him to and I know God wanted to but I built all these strongholds based on lies in my mind that made me believe I was not loveable. This self-created belief kept me from believing the truth that God loved me.
I praise God for delivering me from my self-hatred and self-condemnation. I no longer sit around meditating on my faults, failures, shortcomings, and sins. I actively and consciously meditate on God’s greatness. Whenever my thoughts remind me of the past, I resist them and choose to think about what God says in His Word. God reveals to me in His Word that I am a new creature in Christ. He reveals to me that He has poured His love on me. He reveals to me that I have been adopted into His family and He loves me dearly. He reveals to me there is no condemnation for me because I have been set free from sin and condemnation. He reveals to me that because I have confessed my sins He forgives me. He tells me that my forgiven sins have been dropped into the sea of forgetfulness and He does not remember them. And whenever Satan or my own old thought habits try to tell me that I am no good and unlovable and not worthy of God’s love I choose to not believe them anymore. Instead I replace those old, defeating thoughts with life-giving thoughts from the Word and believe God’s truth about me.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Walk by Faith and Not by Sight
I’ve been in some emotional turmoil for a while experiencing doubt and fear despite trusting God and letting Him be the director of my life. I am obeying whatever He tells me to do, but I have been having a difficult time when looking to the future. To be honest, I am at a level of obedience for the first time in my life where every commitment and responsibility I have has been given to me by God. I am not executing any plan of my own and I am out of my comfort zone in every way. The only thing that seems constant in my life right now is feeding my fish every night!
God is running the show and I trust Him. But He isn’t sharing the entire plan with me. All I know is the activity of the moment. I do not know what all of my obedience will ultimately produce and, as a result, I have fallen into a questioning attitude.
Have you ever had a questioning attitude? A questioning attitude goes something like this:
Why am I doing this? I just don’t see what good it’s doing. What am I going do with this anyway? I just don’t see how I’m going to get through this. How will all this workout?
I got lost in this questioning attitude and began to experience discouragement and confusion. Whenever I experience these emotions, I know that I have to stop trying to figure things out and surrender it all back to God. As I laid it all at God’s feet this last weekend I realized that it’s okay that I do not see the plan. It is okay not to see because I choose to walk by faith not by sight. If I could see what was ahead…if I could see what this was going to do for me…if I could see how this will benefit me then I would not be walking by faith.
I felt God telling me that I could walk by faith or by the sight and the choice is all mine. Walking by sight would require me to put my plan in place and work with my limited ability and knowledge and understanding. Walking by faith requires me to obey the God Who knows everything and trust Him to know what is right for me even though I cannot see the end goal. The reason I can say “I don’t see…” is because I walk by faith and faith goes after something that cannot be seen.
When we walk by faith we cannot see what is ahead. More often than not, all we can see is the last thing God told us to do. As long as we are doing the last thing God told us to do we are being obedient and God always honors obedience. In God’s time, when He is ready and we are ready, He will reveal the next step of His plan for us. Until God reveals the next step, we must remember that we walk by faith and not by sight.
God is running the show and I trust Him. But He isn’t sharing the entire plan with me. All I know is the activity of the moment. I do not know what all of my obedience will ultimately produce and, as a result, I have fallen into a questioning attitude.
Have you ever had a questioning attitude? A questioning attitude goes something like this:
Why am I doing this? I just don’t see what good it’s doing. What am I going do with this anyway? I just don’t see how I’m going to get through this. How will all this workout?
I got lost in this questioning attitude and began to experience discouragement and confusion. Whenever I experience these emotions, I know that I have to stop trying to figure things out and surrender it all back to God. As I laid it all at God’s feet this last weekend I realized that it’s okay that I do not see the plan. It is okay not to see because I choose to walk by faith not by sight. If I could see what was ahead…if I could see what this was going to do for me…if I could see how this will benefit me then I would not be walking by faith.
I felt God telling me that I could walk by faith or by the sight and the choice is all mine. Walking by sight would require me to put my plan in place and work with my limited ability and knowledge and understanding. Walking by faith requires me to obey the God Who knows everything and trust Him to know what is right for me even though I cannot see the end goal. The reason I can say “I don’t see…” is because I walk by faith and faith goes after something that cannot be seen.
When we walk by faith we cannot see what is ahead. More often than not, all we can see is the last thing God told us to do. As long as we are doing the last thing God told us to do we are being obedient and God always honors obedience. In God’s time, when He is ready and we are ready, He will reveal the next step of His plan for us. Until God reveals the next step, we must remember that we walk by faith and not by sight.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
2009: The Year of Me!
I have been hesitant to create any new year's resolutions this year because I never follow through with them beyond February. Instead of defining and working on specific goals, I am looking to change attitudes and beliefs about myself this year. After listening to the testimonies of other people, I have finally come to believe that if I change attitudes and beliefs about myself then my behaviors will line up with my goals for my life. I know this may sound silly but I have decided that 2009 is the Year of Me!
I am going to do whatever it takes each day to continue to learn to love myself the way God loves me and to care for myself in a way that will be pleasing to Him. Each day I will do something for me regardless of how little, small, and insignificant it may seem. I truly believe that God wants me to be whole, healthy, and happy in spirit, soul, and body.
What will I do? I might read one page in a fun book (I bought a Smallville novel almost six months ago that is calling my name). I could spend five minutes working on a puzzle (I got 12 of them for Christmas). I can exercise (even if it is only 10 sit-ups and 10 push-ups). Oh, here’s a favorite, soaking in the hot tub. I could write in my journal, drink a cup of my favorite tea while faithdreaming, or eat one Oreo cookie. J Whatever it is, I will spend at least five minutes a day on myself.
We serve an awesome God who wants us to prosper and be in health even as our souls prosper. The interesting thing is that no one can take care of us except us. Let’s make the choice together to learn how to see ourselves the way God sees us, as His dearly loved children. Let’s learn together how to take care of ourselves in a way that increases our overall health…spirit, soul, and body. Let’s look forward to what God could accomplish in us as we learn to value ourselves the way He values us.
So what do you say? Could 2009 be the Year of You?
“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
I am going to do whatever it takes each day to continue to learn to love myself the way God loves me and to care for myself in a way that will be pleasing to Him. Each day I will do something for me regardless of how little, small, and insignificant it may seem. I truly believe that God wants me to be whole, healthy, and happy in spirit, soul, and body.
What will I do? I might read one page in a fun book (I bought a Smallville novel almost six months ago that is calling my name). I could spend five minutes working on a puzzle (I got 12 of them for Christmas). I can exercise (even if it is only 10 sit-ups and 10 push-ups). Oh, here’s a favorite, soaking in the hot tub. I could write in my journal, drink a cup of my favorite tea while faithdreaming, or eat one Oreo cookie. J Whatever it is, I will spend at least five minutes a day on myself.
We serve an awesome God who wants us to prosper and be in health even as our souls prosper. The interesting thing is that no one can take care of us except us. Let’s make the choice together to learn how to see ourselves the way God sees us, as His dearly loved children. Let’s learn together how to take care of ourselves in a way that increases our overall health…spirit, soul, and body. Let’s look forward to what God could accomplish in us as we learn to value ourselves the way He values us.
So what do you say? Could 2009 be the Year of You?
“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
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