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 13, 2011 · 3:52 pm

Rapping At The Post Office


As Forrest Gump famously said, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”

This afternoon, I found that to be true.

Earlier today, I ran into the post office, trying to dodge the raindrops and protect the package I had to mail. A young man came in right after me and we got in line behind the person who was already at the counter. He was a tall African American with an enormous diamond earring in his left ear and rings on almost every finger.

He was earnestly explaining to the postmaster that he was a rap singer and had just made a CD. His plan was to send the CD  to various record companies in hopes that he would be discovered and make it big. But first, he had to send the CD to his own address with the dated postmark for copyright protection.

As the transaction was being processed, the guy behind me said, “Hey man, why don’t you sing us one of your songs?”

To my surprise, the rapper agreed and began to perform!

Right there, in the lobby of a post office on a rainy day, three of us were treated to an impromptu concert as this gentleman rapped his heart out. The tiny size of his audience clearly didn’t matter. He performed  like  he was playing Radio City Music hall and put his whole heart into it.

It was the last thing I expected to encounter when I left home to run some errands!

Our small northern New England town is home to a little over 6200 people.  The nearest big  city is over two hours away. It is 97.91% white and the median age is 42 years. The largest population consists of people between the ages of 45-64.

Not exactly a rapper’s paradise. 🙂

We all showed our appreciation for his music and as I stepped up to the window to mail my package, the  customer behind me  said, “We’ve all got a song inside us…and everybody has a dream.”

I thought that was beautifully said…and very true.

Everyone you see has a dream.

Do you know the dreams of those closest to you?  If not, I would encourage you to find out. Their answers may surprise you.

As far as your own dreams, are you pursuing them with passion?

Do you treat obstacles as road blocks….or as stepping stones?

Are you also pursuing your dream in an unlikely place?  If so, you don’t have to be defined by your surroundings and circumstances.

Just as this rapper did this afternoon…when the opportunity arises (no matter how small)…seize the day! 🙂 

“Dreams are like the paints of a great artist. Your dreams are your paints; the world is your canvas. Believing is the brush that converts your dreams into a masterpiece of reality.” –Unknown

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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 9, 2011 · 4:27 am

Weekend Moment: I Married A Rock Star?!


A little over a year after I married Doug, we moved to the beautiful town of New Canaan, CT.

Doug was working at Bloomingdale’s in Manhattan, so we lived one hour outside of the city by train.

It is such a quaint, lovely place.

New Canaan is town of incredible wealth. Many celebrities own homes there. If you call for a taxi, a Mercedes pulls up at your door. The student parking lot at the high school is filled with BMWs, Porsches, and Jaguars.

We did not want to flaunt our wealth, so we decided to live modestly:

KIDDING!!!

The above photo is actually of the Waveny House, which used to be a private home and was bought by the town in 1967.

In reality, we were actually poor as church mice according to New Canaan standards. We lived in a two bedroom apartment within a mile of the train station and Main Street, but we loved it.

Each Saturday morning while I slept in, Doug walked into town to get me a fat-free raspberry muffin at our favorite bakery.

One morning, he was just approaching the bakery when a Jaguar pulled into a parking space next to the sidewalk. A woman immediately jumped out of the car and literally ran up to him.

The first words out of her mouth were, “I LOVE your work!”

Doug was understandably confused that she was familiar with his work as a marketing manager at Bloomingdale’s By Mail.

Undaunted by his silence and the quizzical look on his face, she continued gushing.

“I have ALL your records! I just love your music!”

As the other passengers alighted from the car, she gestured excitedly toward Doug, saying, “It’s ELTON JOHN!”

As I said, New Canaan is home to wealthy celebrities, so it is plausible that one could see someone of Elton John’s stature strolling down Main Street…but not that day, much to the woman’s disappointment.

Frankly, I do not see the resemblance:

You be the judge.

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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 6, 2011 · 5:38 am

Scattered Pictures…


“…scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind…”  —from The Way We Were

I have been blessed with so many special people in my life. Here are just a few:

This is my mom, Mabel:

She is a wonderful mother. She always told my brother and me that we could tell her anything. She warned us that she might cry (and she did!) but she was true to her word. What an incredible gift to bestow upon your children…we knew that our voices would be heard.

She is also a prayer warrior. One of the greatest gifts she gave me was to begin praying for my future spouse when I was still a little girl. Once I got to know Doug and he told me his story, we could both see God’s hand upon his life, guarding and guiding him…in response to the  faithful prayers of a woman he had never met from a small Pennsylvania town.

I am giving my two children this same priceless gift.

These are my dad’s last remaining siblings: my Aunt Dot (who you read about here) and my Uncle Duane:

Uncle Duane is an WWII Army veteran who enjoyed a long and distinguished career as an accountant in downtown Pittsburgh. He owned a beach house in Myrtle Beach, SC, which provided our family and friends with years of fun in the sun. He is one of the most selfless, kind, giving people I have ever known and has been the greatest cheerleader of his nieces and nephews.

Aunt Dot is a delightful enigma. On one hand, she is a very classy, refined lady. And on the other, she will do such things as spontaneously hop on the backseat of my cousin Kenny’s motorcycle for a quick spin around the block—when she was 80; tear up the dance floor at family weddings; and cheer passionately for her beloved Steelers. She also makes no secret of her love for bald men, jeeps, and the super- tight pants of pro football players.  🙂

This is my Aunt Evelyn:

To this day, she remains the most beautiful person I have ever seen in real life.

I struggled terribly with the “ugly duckling” image when I was young. I adored Aunt Evelyn. Not only was she  funny and kind to me but she was so glamorous. All I wanted was to wake up one day and look just like her. Since that obviously wasn’t going to happen, I tried to imitate her as much as I could.  I especially loved the scents she chose and prevailed upon my parents to buy them for me. How my mom must have smiled when I went off to school in a cloud of either Angel Fire or Celadon, feeling oh-so-sophisticated. 🙂

Here is a photo of my friend Tracy on her wedding day in 1989. Tracy was the subject of my first post:

That’s me on the right and our friend Amy on the left. Tracy and I were best friends since we were five years old. We spent countless hours together. She was an only child and I didn’t have a sister, so we decided that we would be sisters to each other. It was only natural that I would be her maid of honor when she got married. She would only live seven more months after this day, which was a gloriously joyous one for her. I am so happy that she got to know what it was like to be a bride. I still miss her to this day.

Below is a photo of my family and my second parents…Carolyn and Dale:

I have literally known them all my life. They lived next door to us and their kids, Rob and Linda, are my oldest friends. Most of my childhood memories involve them one way or another. Our families were there for each other through the good times, as well as the heartbreaks. We even took vacations together. We were truly family.

In August of 2008, we had gone back to PA for a hometown visit.  This photo marked the last time my family and I saw Carolyn. She died  suddenly eight months  later. I miss hearing her cheerful, “Hi Suz!” when she would call to update me on what was going on in the neighborhood or with my former high school classmates.  Dale was one of my dad’s best friends and he posesses a quiet and dry sense of humor.  My life is richer because this special family has been such a big part of it.

“Friends are relatives you make for yourself.”–Deschamps

And lastly, but certainly not least, this is my brother Jeff (with a 6 year old Josh):

Jeff is four years younger than me and for most of the time when we were growing up, we really didn’t have too much in common. Fortunately, that changed when we became adults. However, Doug and I moved away after we got married, so we only saw each other sporadically. It wasn’t until he decided to move to Florida with us after our dad died that we truly became friends.

I absolutely adore him. As anyone who knows him will attest, he is one of the funniest people ever. He can make me smile on even my roughest day.  He and I amuse ourselves endlessly by quoting obscure lines from movies we have seen ages ago. He loves to sing “Cause I’m A Blond” to me every time I say something a little ditzy (which, unfortunately is often!). He is a wonderful uncle to my kids and a fiercely loyal friend. We have been there for each other through thick and thin. I am doubly blessed to have a brother who is also one of my very best friends.

Good thing too…he knows too much! 🙂

“Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life.”–Albert Einstein

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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 4, 2011 · 5:28 am

The Jeff Bird


In 2005, I developed a severely herniated disc in my back that  eventually required surgery. Until the problem was properly diagnosed, I was in a lot of pain that necessitated much bed rest.

My family really should have given me a bell to ring when I needed something but since they didn’t, I had no choice but to shout loudly for someone, as our bedroom was at the far end of the house.

I seemed to call for my brother Jeff (who was living with us at the time) more than anyone else, as the kids were still quite young and Doug worked long hours.

So on any given day, the name “JEFF!” rang through the house several times.

(To his credit, he was unfailingly patient and good-natured…although there was that one time I woke up and he was standing over me with a pillow, saying “It’s for the best.”) 🙂

As you might imagine, the windows in Florida are not insulated, so sound carries easily. We were also blessed with a lot of cool days that year, so we were actually able to turn the air conditioning off and open the windows from time to time.

In the fall of that year, I had recovered from my surgery and not a moment too soon. Hurricane Wilma roared through south Florida as a Category 3, leaving a wide swath of destruction. Our neighborhood had no power for nine days.

Three days after the storm, a neighbor who owned a restaurant invited everyone to a cookout on the cul-de-sac around the corner from our house. The power was still out at the restaurant as well, so he decided to cook everything rather than having it spoil.

It was a delicious feast. Wilma had left cool breezes in her wake and we enjoyed spending time with our neighbors.

In the midst of talking and laughing, we suddenly heard it:

“JEFF!”

A moment passed, then there it was again:

“JEFF!”

We looked at each other in amazement, and followed the sound…to the garage of our neighbor who was providing the feast.

There, on a stand inside his open garage, was a parrot.

And he was yelling “JEFF!” over and over again, clear as a bell! And it sounded exactly like me!!!

We could not believe it…this bird had heard me yelling for Jeff all those times and was now repeating it!

Houses are very close together in south Florida and our neighbor’s home was diagonally behind ours, so the sound between houses carried easily. Our neighbor had also mentioned that his parrot liked to sit outside by the enclosed pool.

We have no doubt that our neighbor wondered why in the world his parrot was suddenly shouting the name Jeff…and we did not really want to enlighten him.

Parrots can live to up to 80 years old.

We left south Florida in 2007.

And that parrot still may be yelling for Jeff!

So, the moral of this story is be careful what you say. Your words may live on long after you’re gone. 🙂

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April 2, 2011 · 6:13 am

Weekend Moment:Disney Memories


Since my part of the country got over six inches of snow today, I decided to take a  trip down memory lane to a warmer and sunnier time: specifically to June 2004, when we took the kids to Disney for the first time. Josh was eight, Julia was seven and my mom and brother joined in the fun.

We provided the kids with autograph books, just as my parents had done for me back in the 70s, and they were immediately on the hunt. Goofy was spotted first:

Followed by Chip and Dale:

They were both excited to see Pluto:

Julia then ran into Captain Hook and Smee, the pirate. Captain Hook would have been terrifying to me as a seven year old, but Julia was unfazed. She marched right up to him, with autograph  book outstretched…and he stole it and wouldn’t give it back! She danced all around, trying to jump and grab it, but he held it just out of reach, laughing all the while. I would have cried for my mommy, but she needed no such help. She just giggled and kept saying, “Give it back, Captain Hook!” He finally relented, signed her book, and handed it back to her. As soon as it was back in her hands, she hightailed it out of there:

Smee followed her, clearly trying to make amends for Hook’s boorish behavior:

After giving her his autograph, he gave her a friendly nose squeeze before she went on her way:

After all that, some time with Grandma was in order:

Meanwhile, Josh decided to take a drive with Uncle Jeff:

While Julia met Brer Bear:

Then it was her turn to take a drive with Daddy:

She even had time to flash a quick smile for the camera:

After a fun-filled day at the park, we headed back to our hotel, which was based on all the old Disney movies:

And Julia needed some serious down time:

We were there for three days and it was absolutely wonderful. Disney truly is the happiest place on earth. 🙂

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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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