Category Archives: Devotions

April 28, 2011 · 5:16 am

Honor


Earlier this week, I heard a heartbreaking story of innocence lost…and a young lady who lived in silence and shame for several months before taking the first halting, brave steps into the light to share her secret.

The rebuilding and healing has begun. It is my prayer that from this day forward, she will choose to see herself in light of Scripture, through the very eyes of Christ, the Healer; the Repairer of the broken; the One who gives beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for the spirit of despair.

The One who bore her shame so that she would never have to.

We were never created to wear shame. We have been fashioned in the image of our Creator.

As Beth Moore has said, “Shame is Satan’s calling card.” In the original language, the word for shame means: “disgrace, dishonor, to disfigure.”

If you are a Christ follower, Jesus bore your shame on the cross (Hebrews 12:2). You are never to wear it.

Jesus will NEVER shame you.

If I could sit down and talk to this young lady, I would take her hands, look her in the eye and say,

“Dear One,

You are precious and honored in the eyes of your God. He loves you. He has crowned you with glory and honor  and clothed you with strength and dignity. You are the apple of His eye. He speaks tenderly to you and is close to you when your heart is breaking. He will save you when you are crushed in spirit. He looks at you through eyes of mercy and forgiveness, through eyes of everlasting love and kindness. He delights in  your beauty. He will redeem your life from the pit and crown you with love and compassion. He is doing a NEW thing; He is making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. He will bless you with peace. You are beautiful to Him and He sees no flaw in you.”  

This is the heart of God for His own.

I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. —Psalm 34:4-5

(Scripture references: Is. 43:4; Ps. 8:5; Prov. 31:25; Deut. 32:10; Hosea 2:14; Ps. 34:18; Ps. 25:6-7 (Living Bible version); Ps. 45:11; Ps. 103:4; Is. 43:19; Ps. 29:11; Song of Songs 4:7).

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April 26, 2011 · 9:33 am

God Came Near


A couple of weeks ago, my friend Denise and I went to see Kathy Troccoli.

While there, we bought one of the Bible studies she co-authored with Dee Brestin, Living In Love With Jesus. I started doing it last week and there was one portion of it that left me stunned with awe and wonder.

Kathy and Dee are big believers in using art to bring passages from Scripture alive to their readers. At one point, they were discussing the apostle John’s breathless, drenched-in-wonder  recitation in I John 1:1: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have looked at, and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.” 

In other words, John was recounting his time with Jesus. He saw Him. He heard His voice. He touched Him.

Kathy and Dee then show Caravaggio’s painting entitled “Doubting Thomas”

I was just stunned as I observed that painting. The disciples were touching God in human form!

Why is this so amazing?

Think back to Exodus 19  when God summoned Moses to the top of Mt. Sinai so he could receive the Law. Before Moses could ascend the mountain, these were his instructions:

“Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day, the Lord will come down on Mt. Sinai in the sight of all the people. Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go up to the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death…only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain.” –Exodus 18: 10-13.

And what happened when God Himself descended onto the top of Mt. Sinai?

“On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a think cloud over the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mt. Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder…when the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.’ Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.’ The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.”—Exodus 19:16-19; 20:18-21.

This is the very same God who came near to us in the Person of Jesus!

God…in all His holiness, glory, honor, purity, and majesty…became one of us and allowed frail man the privilege of seeing, hearing, touching Him!

*He washed their feet.

*He allowed John to lean against His chest during the Last Supper…imagine hearing the very heartbeat of God.

*His arms hugged children.

*His prepared breakfast for His disciples on the beach after His resurrection.

*He touched the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf.

*He invited Thomas to reach out and touch the wounds on His side.

*His very Spirit now resides within the heart of every believer, closer than skin, closer than our very breath.

God came near…and graced man with the beauty and gift of His very Presence.

God came near…and He invites us to come close, to enjoy intimacy with Him.

God came near…and joy reigns.

Celebrate that today.


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April 25, 2011 · 6:23 am

Because He Lives…


I have always loved Easter.

However, this year, the holiday was infused with special meaning for me. I spent all of last week with Jesus, as I immersed myself in the details of His last week on earth before He went to the cross. I felt like an eyewitness, experiencing the highs and lows with my Savior..and often being moved to tears by His beautiful spirit, breathtaking love, immense strength, and tender heart.

I saw and felt Him everywhere and His peace covered me like a blanket. Fear melted in light of the glory of the magnificent Cross. There truly is nothing to be afraid of. On that Cross, Jesus took care of my most pressing need…forgiveness of my sin. There is NOTHING He cannot handle.

As Romans 8:32 states, “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?”

**********

Last Thursday night, we attended the communion service at church.

Our pastor reminded us that the Last Supper was a time of intimacy between Jesus and His disciples. This, too, was a time of intimacy…when Jesus called us to draw near and go deeper, to meditate on all that He had done for us…to celebrate that because of the Cross, we have instant and miraculous access into His very heart, both now and for all eternity.

I saw Him in so many faces that night:

*a breast cancer survivor who boldly shared that she would choose to go through that journey again because it brought her to Jesus…and His love is better than life itself (Psalm 63:3)

*our pastor, whose beloved wife has long battled illness, admitted that it’s been a long time since he has felt like singing. Yet, sing he did, clear and strong…because Jesus always gives us a new song (Psalm 40:3)

*a friend who is waiting for the results of a biopsy, yet is filled with peace…because Jesus IS Peace. (Ephesians 2:14).

*a dad who is grieving the loss of a son much too soon…but who rests in the fact that God is a good God and chooses to trust what he cannot understand. (Psalm 34:8 )

That is the power of Jesus on display. Not only does He save us…but He continually gives us the power to live victoriously and joyfully in the midst of a fallen world.

Watching Jesus put a broken life back together and love someone to wholeness is a beautiful wonder.

He has done it for me and I will be forever grateful.

**********

On Saturday, our family watched “The Passion of the Christ.” There is one particular scene in that movie that always brings me to tears because it is so deeply moving. As Jesus is carrying His cross, He drops to His knees to fully embrace it. One of the criminals who will be crucified with Jesus rages at him: “Why do you embrace your cross, you fool?”

To the world, this looks like utter foolishness, perhaps the actions of a madman. Yet the world does not have eyes to see the beauty of redemption, particularly one that by necessity was so bloody and gruesome.

scene from "The Passion of the Christ"

Jesus fully embraced His cross…so that He could joyfully embrace all who would come to Him.

He knew that His redeemed bride was on the other side of that Cross.

Likewise, when we choose to embrace the personal crosses we carry, we will find that we are actually embracing Jesus Himself…which results in a time of unparalleled intimacy and transformation. That is when we discover that He truly is all that we need.

**********

On Easter morning, I awoke at 4:30 to get ready for the sunrise service. I could see the clouds moving across the moon and the fog was thick. It has snowed the day before and the ground was still covered. It definitely looked more like a winter scene than Easter morning.

However, the sun did rise over the mountains as we all gathered at the church property to sing and celebrate our risen Savior. The skies cleared, revealing a brilliant blue. Even the snow reminded me that my sins, once scarlet, have now been washed white as snow by the precious blood of Jesus.

Easter truly is the most joyous of days because…”we are the celebrants out dancing in a wild rain of grace.”–Ann Voskamp.

Dance…and celebrate for the rest of your days…because HE IS RISEN!!!

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April 15, 2011 · 3:19 pm

The Finish Line


My son’s first track meet of the season was  earlier this week.

There were five schools competing and the excitement was high.

Doug and I both ran track in high school and we couldn’t help trading memories from—gulp—nearly thirty years ago when we were the fresh faced eager athletes.

But that’s a subject for another post…

We cheered for everybody. Josh and his team did very well.

However, I tended to cheer loudest for the kids who came in last…not because of their placement, but because of their grit.

There were two kids in particular who really touched my heart. Rather than looking like runners, they resembled weightlifters or shotputters. By the time they crossed the finish line, the cheers for the top three had mostly faded, and attention was focused on another event that was starting at the other end of the track.

One of them crossed the finish line one full track length behind the winner. His face was marked with a grimace of pain…but he finished with determination shining in his eyes.

He didn’t give up. His focus was clearly on finishing well. And he did.

I want to keep my eyes on the finish line of this life.

With all my heart, I want to hear my Savior say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”  (Matthew 25:21).

I want to  be faithful.

I don’t want to get sidetracked by how others are running their race.

I don’t want to give in to exhaustion or be overwhelmed by the pain.

I don’t want to pay much attention to either the cheers or the jeers of others.

I want to finish strong.

Jesus tells me exactly how to do that:

*Be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9)

*Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

*Stand firm. Let nothing move you. (I Corinthians 15:58)

*Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances. (I Thessalonians. 5:16-18)

*Celebrate God all day, everyday. Revel in Him! (Philippians 4:4)

*Fight the good fight. Finish the race. Keep the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7).

*Be of good cheer. Be confident, certain, undaunted. (John 16:33).

*Count it all joy (James 1:2)

Run YOUR race that you may lay hold of the prize and make it yours.  (I Corinthians 9:24). 




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April 11, 2011 · 10:39 am

Glimpses of Grace


This weekend, I was given eyes to see and experience so much beauty and wonder all around me:

*the miracle and promise of new life:

Our nephew's son at 9 weeks old

*having the opportunity to attend a Kathy Troccoli conference on Saturday with my friend Denise. Kathy’s subject was “Hope’s Alive” and there was one thing in particular she said that I have not been able to forget: “The resurrection says that the worst thing is NOT the last thing.” Amen and hallelujah!

*hearing birds singing and seeing the sun shining on the water of the lake, reminding me that the long winter is over and spring—and the promise of new beginnings—has arrived.

*catching a glimpse of  little white dogs with bright pink tails walking along Main Street with their owners 🙂

*the welcome sight of our pastor’s wife in church on Sunday after a long absence. This dear lady has taught me so much about the reality of God’s matchless grace being able to powerfully sustain someone who has been dealing with heartbreaking health issues for several years. She is a radiant believer who chooses to cling to the truth of God’s Word rather than be mastered by her perplexing  and often painful circumstances. Though small and fragile in stature, she is one mighty woman of God.

*listening to our pastor’s earnest plea for anyone who does not personally know Jesus to meet him at the front of the sanctuary so that they can be introduced to the God-Man, the One who paid a debt that He did not owe so that they can be free. It never fails to bring tears to my eyes to see a pastor standing at the altar, holding out the opportunity for anyone to enter into eternal life; representing our Creator God Himself, who tells us: “All day long, I hold out My hands…” (Isaiah 65:2). He is always waiting…and calling…and wooing hearts to come home to Him.

*a sweet little boy who has Down’s Syndrome arriving late to the service with his grandfather. On the way to his seat, he spotted our associate pastor sitting at the end of a pew. A joyous smile broke across his face and he ran up to young Pastor Steve and flung his small arms around his neck in total delight. Pastor Steve gleefully returned both the hug and the grin.  I saw the heart of God in that moment.

*having the opportunity to go on a date with my husband. It was raining as we left the movie theater and I decided not to rush to the car to avoid the raindrops. Instead, I allowed myself to feel what it’s like to walk in the rain. It was nice. 🙂

“Each day offers us the gift of being a special occasion…it is blessed to receive with grace and a grateful heart.”—Sarah Ban Breathnach

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April 7, 2011 · 5:27 am

Perspective


My dear friend Harumi is from Japan. I met her thirteen years ago at our church in Rhode Island and I have always been inspired by her faith.

As soon as I heard about the earthquake/tsunami last month, I immediately contacted her to inquire about her family. Thankfully, all were safe and sound.

Earlier this week, she forwarded me the online diary of a faithful Japanese pastor who lived and led his congregation in the town of Fukushima, which is also the home of the troubled Fukushima  nuclear power plant.

He wrote that “…all the residents were forced to evacuate and my church members had to get on a bus without any belongings (and were) sent to schools and gyms separately…I heard that there were not enough blankets for everyone and some couldn’t sleep all night because it was cold in the shelter. In some shelters, no water or food were distributed all day.”

Imagine having to leave your home for an unknown destination in the middle of a catastrophe with only the clothes on your back.

He continues, “…my biggest prayer request is that there would be no more radiation leaks. The worst possible scenario would be that people would never be able to go back to their town and homes, and that the church would be closed down…I have no idea for how long church members have to wander being unable to go home…I feel depressed just to think about it. However, I do believe and confess that almighty God and the Lord of history who reigns  over everything including nature WILL open a new page of mission and lead us on.”

Now imagine the possibility that you could never return to your home. Everything has been left behind, never to be seen again.

I love the honesty of this pastor. He doesn’t try to paint this in a positive light. It hurts and he is depressed at the new reality that he and his congregation are dealing with.

YET…after acknowledging the pain, he calls to mind the only source of his hope and help: Almighty God who is in control of all…even this.

God is always ready to “open a new page”…even in the most devastating of seasons. He is the Author of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) and He is writing a story with your life. As Beth Moore states in her study on Esther: “When we trust our lives to the hand and pen of an unseen but ever-present God, He will write our lives into His Story and every last one of them will turn out to be a great read. With a grand ending. And not just in spite of those catastrophes. Often because of them. Don’t just wait and see. Live and see.”–p.14

Eventually, the pastor and some members of his congregation were able to travel to another shelter 10 hours away from their homes.

He writes, “…Our nomad life has started. When I asked people whether they had any laundry, their reply was that there were no clothes to wash. All they have is what they’re wearing.”

What if all you had was what you were wearing?

“Nothing is clear to us. Will we be able to go back home?  If so, how long will it take? Will we ever be able to worship in our church again or will the town simply be abandoned? Like the Israelites in the desert, all we can do is follow God as He leads us with pillars of fire and clouds.”

He then quotes Psalm 121:

I life up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of Heaven and Earth

He will not let your foot slip—He who watches over you will not slumber

Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep

The LORD watches over you—the LORD is your shade at your right hand

The sun will not harm you by day nor the moon by night

The LORD will keep you from all harm—He will watch over your life

The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

“The most miraculous thing to me is that I never get asked questions like, ‘Why did God allow this?’ or ‘I can’t believe in God; there is no God.’ From the 160 (church) members I have been in touch with, all I hear are words like, ‘God is great. I want to trust Him as I walk with Him from now on.’ I marvel at the strength of their faith in the Lord. Yesterday, three of those who were with us prayed to receive Jesus. Hallelujah!”

The pastor and members from the congregation then drove through a blizzard further south to church facilities: “The facilities here are blanketed with snow. In extremely cold weather, church members welcomed us with hot udon and soba. I ate a rice ball, trying not to cry. ‘Lord, make our hearts as white as the snow that surrounds us.'”

“Are we going to be a diaspora people? Are we going to lead a stable life? What is obvious is that God is shaking everything through these extraordinary events. Some people are receiving the Lord Jesus without question. Others are repenting saying their belief in God was dormant. They say that what sustains us as human beings is actually very little. We don’t really need any material possessions. The Lord challenges each one, shaking them from the bottom of their souls. Is this a beginning of an Exodus into a new frontier that the Lord is opening for us?”

“People around me say they left home thinking they would only be gone an hour or two. They literally have nothing with them…Our group of 50 is kept well by kind donations. Many of us are tired…Yesterday I felt numb. My heart ached. Two or three layers of loss suddenly engulfed me. My home was gone, so was my church. I was driven from my town. My ministry is gone. I can’t see what is going to happen next. I am trying to grasp the whole thing but find myself unable to.”

“We had a worship service yesterday, the first in two weeks….I cried…it seems that if you have to cry, you should do it without embarrassment. I will cry 50 years worth or a lifetime worth of tears.”

He closes his journal by quoting Isaiah 42:3: A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out and a final prayer: “May the Great Shepherd embrace this flock and carry them on His wings.”

THIS is what real faith in Jesus Christ looks like.

It is messy.

It is real.

It blazes with triumphant joy, even in the darkness.

It simply refuses to let go of the Savior who never lets go of us… regardless of circumstances.

This is not pie-in-the-sky, wishful thinking. This is not ‘religion’. This is a living, vibrant, passionate relationship with God- in- the- flesh, JESUS.

It is because of the risen Christ that we can look straight into the face of unimaginable disaster and heartache on this fallen planet… and through tears and questions and pain…STAND.

This is life reduced to its barest essence.

True life has nothing to do with our possessions…or how much money we have in the bank…or our job…or our looks…or our awards.

True life is found only in Jesus Christ…the Creator and Sustainer of all. (Colossians 1:15-17).

We can lose every single thing we have on this earth and still possess the same radiant, gritty, enduring faith as this dear pastor… because we can never lose Jesus! (Hebrews 13:5). This broken world is not our home. When we  leave this earth, we don’t take any of our possessions with us. The best this world has to offer are mere trinkets in light of our glorious eternity in Heaven.

HE is our Treasure.

And as this pastor and his congregation so beautifully prove: HE. IS. ENOUGH.



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April 5, 2011 · 4:26 am

Mercy


The other day I was talking to someone I have known for a few years.

She ended up telling me something from her past that was so terrible I could not wrap my mind around it. My heart ached and later, when I was alone, the tears spilled. I simply could not comprehend the pain of what had happened to her.

We have spent a lot of time together and I knew a great deal of her story…but not this.

I heard Jesus speak to my heart at that moment (not in audible voice but to my spirit), “Susan, you don’t know…even when you think you do.”

I had no words…because it was true.

There have been so many times I have made assumptions without knowing the whole story.

None of us truly know what others have lived through.

Behind every face that we encounter throughout the day there is a story…a story that contains laughter, heartache, dreams, longings and fears.

There is also pain that no one may ever see.

I don’t want to add to that pain by treating someone as if I know their whole story…because I don’t.

All Jesus asks of me is to do what He would do:  pour out mercy.

His mercy is seen time after time in the Bible as: abundant, exceeding, great, and boundless. It is kind, good, and faithful. (Psalm 86:5; Psalm 108:4). .

I am called simply to love. Without judgment. Without prejudice. With preconception.

I am called to think on “the best and not the worst, the beautiful, not the ugly, things to praise, not things to curse” (Philippians 4:8).

I need to be merciful because I need so much mercy every single day.

My goal is to always keep my eyes on Jesus, to allow Him to pour out His love through me, to love as He loves.

There is a snapshot from Jesus’ life in Scripture that always captivates me. In Matthew 9, we find Jesus thoroughly immersed in ministry…healing the sick, causing the blind to see and the paralyzed to walk, raising the dead, having dinner with Matthew’s friends. The crowds surrounding Him were huge. Verse 36 tells us that “when He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

In the original language that word for compassion means: inward affection, tender mercy, a heart in which mercy resides.

May I have the same heart as my Savior.

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. –Luke 6:36

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April 1, 2011 · 8:25 am

Pure Faith


I am reading a very thought-provoking book by Mark Buchanan called “Spiritual Rhythm: Being With Jesus Every Season of Your Soul.”

He compares spiritual changes to the seasons in the year, helping the reader to know what to expect from each season and thereby prosper spiritually.

I began reading about the winter season first because in many ways, it has been winter in my life for two years.

I am not complaining. As hard as it has been, I am grateful for it.

It is during the winter seasons in life that we have absolutely no idea what God is doing; when He seems very far away; and disappointments are frequent and sometimes heartbreaking.

Winter brings to mind cold, gray, bleak  days, doesn’t it?

Yet winter can also create much beauty: pristine snows blanketing everything in white, vivid blue skies, the shining sun causing the snow to sparkle like glittering diamonds.

In the same way, the spiritual starkness of winter reveals the blazing beauty of Christ like nothing else can.

Mark Buchanan perfectly describes what ‘winter’ faith looks like as he described the psalmist’s faith as recorded in Psalm 88: “In this man’s wintertime, he prays, though his capacity to believe is strained almost to extinction. He prays anyhow and in this way: according to what he knows of God, not what he sees of God…his praying is anchored  in God’s revelation of Himself in Scripture, not in the firsthand experience of God in daily life…He doesn’t pray because He can taste and see that the Lord is good. He prays in spite of that, contrary to the evidence at hand. What he tastes is bitterness; what he sees is darkness. Circumstances erode his faith rather than buttress it. So he pushes himself beyond circumstances. He resists the temptation to equate circumstances with God. He prays…because God’s Word says God’s good and he’s betting the whole farm on that being so. That’s biblical faith. ..Everything short of this is a faith based on  what I can, at least dimly, see. And to the extent that I can see it, it’s not yet pure faith. Winter grows pure faith…like no other season can. It combines the unique conditions that nurture the certainty of things hoped for and the assurance of things unseen. It is the season above all seasons where we walk by faith and not by sight. There is no better ground for growing an abiding faith that weathers the worst life can throw at you.”(pp. 46)

I love those words.  I have lived them…certainly not perfectly…but with an open heart and a willingness to endure because in the process of pushing myself beyond my circumstances, I have seen and experienced Jesus in a way I never have before. And that is worth anything I have to go through.

That is the gift of the winter season of the soul.

It is a gift that liberates one from living by circumstances, feelings, and assumptions …and frees one to live by the eternal truth of God’s unchanging Word.

How?

During the winter season,  Jesus invites us to cling to His living Word–which is how we cling to Him this side of eternity (John 1:1-3)– with all our strength…and then we are given the priceless opportunity to experience Him. Those verses are no longer just words on a page because Jesus has written them on our hearts forever. They become part of us…and in the process, our wounds are healed. That is a beautiful thing.

I want pure faith and He has given me the opportunity to possess it by living…dare I say thriving?!..through a winter season.

Pure faith produces a passion for Jesus as He truly is…not as we would like Him to be.

A.W. Tozer rightly stated, “Left to ourselves, we tend immediately to reduce God to manageable terms.”

During winter, that is impossible.

When the winter season comes, we are forced to deal with a Jesus who allows what we would have vetoed.

We ask ourselves, “Who is this?” (Matthew 8:27)

And Jesus asks us, “Am I enough for you?”

Of course, He IS enough. He is EVERYTHING. He is the Author of life. All things were made by Him and for Him. He sustains ALL things by His powerful word (Colossians 1:15-19).

“There is not a single square inch in the whole domain of human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry, ‘Mine!'”–Abraham Kuyper

But we tend to not acknowledge that.

So Jesus, in His perfect wisdom, allows a winter season to bring our wandering hearts back home to Him. Back to joy…to peace…to increased intimacy with Him…to a purpose greater than our ourselves, which is to glorify Him.

“When we take the hand of Christ in relationship, not only are we holding the hand of the Creator of the universe, we’re holding a hand scarred by nails. When we agree to follow Him, He demands a life of sacrifice and promises suffering along the way. Yet this is the path of abundance He promises. Abundance of sustaining grace, not necessarily an absence of pain. Abundance of joy, regardless of circumstances. Abundance of contentment, regardless of our financial state. Abundance of peace, even when we deserve guilt. Our lives can be defined by His love the way He intended, instead of being ruled by events beyond our control.”–Harry L. Kraus Jr.


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March 30, 2011 · 11:21 am

Closed Doors, Open Hearts


Yesterday, my husband and I found ourselves staring at yet another closed door in a season that has been full of them.

As followers of Christ, what do we do with those moments when He allows doors to close…and there is no sign that an open door is in the future anytime soon?

1) Allow yourself to feel the feelings that rise to the surface: disappointment, sadness, confusion, fear, even anger. Our feelings are powerful and it is pointless to deny them. So don’t try. Pour out your heart to your God who is always listening. (Psalm 62:8)

2) Remember that you don’t have allow your feelings to be in the driver’s seat. After acknowledging them, relegate them to the place they belong: in the background, not in the forefront.

It has taken me years to learn this. I used to live in a very reactive way; I allowed my feelings to dictate what my day would look like.

The result was a rollercoaster ride and that’s only fun for a few wild moments at an amusement park. It’s no way to live a life.

Then Jesus  taught me how to live by the truth of His Word…NOT by my circumstances, which could change on a dime.

It’s the difference between standing on solid rock and standing on quicksand.

I have become proactive in that I now prioritize His Word over my feelings.

For example, after getting that news yesterday, my feelings rose up and LOUDLY said, “I can’t do this anymore. It’s too hard. I’m exhausted. When will this end?”

And through the gift of  His Word, Jesus spoke truth and comfort to my heart:

“Susan, you have strength for all things through Me. I empower you. You are ready for anything and equal to anything through Me. I infuse inner strength into You…My grace is enough for you (sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble)…My strength and power are made perfect and show themselves most effective in your weakness…Remember, you are waiting for ME: not an event…expect Me. Hope in Me. Live close to Me and I will renew your strength so that you will run and not be weary…Your times are in MY hands… I am guiding you along these unfamiliar paths. I will  turn the darkness into light and I will make the rough places smooth. I will not forsake you…I will NEVER stop doing good to you.” (Philippians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Isaiah 40:31; Psalm 31:15; Isaiah 42:16; Jeremiah 32:40).

3) Preach the Gospel–the Good News– to yourself every single day..especially when dealing with disappointment.

Our pastor in Florida taught us this and it is the KEY to living a victorious, peaceful, and incredibly joyful life, even in the midst of pain.

As a result of the Fall, I am sinner, saved by grace alone. Jesus absorbed the righteous wrath of the Father against sin on my behalf so that I might be forgiven and free.

I don’t ever want to get over that!

As Pastor Tullian so rightly declares, “Once God rescues sinners, His plan isn’t to steer them beyond the gospel but to move them more deeply into it.”

One way to do this is to read books on the subject of Christ’s radical sacrifice on our behalf. One of my favorites is  A Violent Grace by Michael Card. I read it prior to Easter every year and every single time, I am driven to my knees in worship to my beautiful Savior. Just mediate on  the following statements from this slim volume for a little while as a way to put whatever your current situation may be into perspective:

He was born to die so I could be born to new life.

He suffered temptation so I could experience victory.

He was betrayed that I might know His faithfulness.

He was arrested and bound so I could be rescued from bondage.

He stood trial alone that I might have an advocate.

He was wounded so I could be healed.

He endured mockery so I could know dignity and joy.

He was condemned so the truth could set me free.

He was crowned with thorns so I might crown Him with praise.

He was nailed to the cross so I might escape judgment.

He was stretched out between thieves so I could know the reach of Love.

He suffered thirst so I can drink Living Water.

He said, “It is finished” so I could begin my walk of faith.

He was God’s Lamb slain so I could claim His sacrifice as my own.

He was forsaken by the Father so I would never be rejected.

He chose the shame of weakness so I could know the hope of glory.

He shed His blood so I could be white as snow.

His heart was pierced so mine could be made whole.

He died and was buried so the grave could not hold me.

He rose again so I might experience eternal life.

He is known by His scars so I will take up my cross and follow Him.   —-Michael Card

I can trust a Savior like this with every closed door.

He has already opened the most important door of all for me: the door into His glorious Presence for all eternity. (John 3:16; John 1:12).

So, I will dry my tears.

I will move on from this closed door, knowing that no season lasts forever and that one day, the right door WILL open wide.

Until then, I will keep moving forward. I will trust Him with what I cannot understand. I will praise Him. I will celebrate His never-ending goodness to me.  I will thank Him for His many gifts. I will stay in His Word.

And I will hope.

“God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.”—Spurgeon


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March 25, 2011 · 8:38 am

A Sacred Vocation


Josh and Julia

“Co-laboring over the sculpting of souls is a sacred vocation, a humbling privilege.”–Ann Voskamp

I have become one of those moms.

The kind who finds herself staring longingly at babies and toddlers with a sweet rush of nostalgia…followed by an urge to admonish the mother to cherish this precious time because it ends all too soon, like sand rushing through an hourglass.

That is exactly what earnest older moms would tell me when Josh and Julia were little.

I would smile politely, not believing a word of it.

But, oh how true those well-meaning words were.

I did catch glimpses of it. I distinctly remember one afternoon pulling into the parking lot at McDonalds in our small Rhode Island town. Each Tuesday, my friends and I would take the kids to McDonald’s for craft time. The kids were taught fun crafts while the moms had the chance to enjoy some coffee and adult conversation. Then we would all walk across the parking lot to the bookstore at the mall for “Storytime with Miss Lisa.” One golden spring morning, I held their small hands as we walked into the restaurant, listening to their excited chatter  and thought to myself, “Treasure these days. They won’t come again.”

Now that my children are teenagers, it would be easy to romanticize those days of diapers,  long nights and early mornings, sippy cups, spilled milk, sticky hands, boo-boos, car seats, high chairs, and play dates. To some extent, time does blur those memories. However, I know several young women who are in that stage right now and I easily recognize the exhaustion, the tired smiles, the  seemingly never-ending attempt to juggle so many roles with some degree of success.

During Bible study this week at my church, several precious young moms honestly shared the common struggles of young motherhood…particularly in a culture that tends to downplay and even deride the choice of those who choose to stay at home to raise their children.

I will never forget going out to dinner one evening with one of my husband’s work colleagues and his wife. Neither of them had children and both were enjoying thriving careers. Once they discovered that I was a stay-at-home-mom, their interest in me visibly waned. The conversation turned at one point to previous jobs…but they never even asked me what my backround was. They simply saw me as a mom and that was all…they dismissed me.

It stung.

I wanted to defend my decision…to tell them that I possessed a masters degree, that I had lived 30 years before I had my first child…that I had had a life.

Yet…THIS was LIFE:

a full life:

a joy-filled life:

Julia, Uncle Jeff, Josh, Doug, me

Josh, Doug, Uncle Jeff, Julia, Grandma

It is a life filled with such precious moments that I would not change one second of it…even the most difficult. And it IS difficult…there is no denying that. It is the hardest, most demanding  job most of us will ever do.

I spoke with a young mom last night whose husband is involved in a thriving ministry. Almost daily, he receives voluminous letters and emails thanking him for the amazing ways he has impacted lives. This is good and right, as he has been given an incredible opportunity to pour out his many gifts for the sake of building others up in their faith.

However, no one sends her effusive emails thanking her for the many hours she spends driving, cooking, wiping runny noses, helping with homework, mediating sibling disputes, doing mountains of laundry, teaching, reading, giving baths…all the many roles involved in being a mom.

Yet…and most importantly…there is One who sees:

*the daily choice to die to self

*the opportunities to lovingly pour out all one has and is for the sake of another’s developing eternal soul

*the many joys along the way…as well as the many tears

And…

He applauds.

He esteems.

He rejoices.

He rewards.

He sees you today, young mom. Treasure these moments…because I promise you, when these  hard and joyous days are over and live on only in your memory, you will miss them. So, fully enter the moment, experience it all and give thanks for the gift of your children.

“Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven.”–Henry Ward Beecher

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