God Is Never Helpless!

     People, especially other mothers, often question me on how I handle having a daughter in Peru. They always say they can’t imagine that. In reality, it doesn’t seem like twenty-one months. Thanks to Skype, it hasn’t been as bad as I thought it would be. As weird as it seems, almost every village has internet somewhere in the village. That is amazing! Even some of the most remote places in the world has the internet. The internet has really brought the world together; and it has kept me connected to my daughter. There were only a few situations that raised my concern. One thing that always concerns me is when she was driving in a terrible bus, up a one lane mountain road, with no room to pass or turn around. If it is met with another bus, they play chicken until one of them would back up down a one way road. The other times of concern have to do with certain phone calls I get. Most of the time, her phone calls are a blessing of comfort and encouragement. However, there are times that the phone calls are piercing to my heart. I remember the phone call at 6:00 A.M. when she was crying because she was so sick. What could I do for my daughter in a remote village in the Andes Mountains of Peru when I am in Tahlequah, Oklahoma? There wasn’t even a doctor in the village. Also, I remember one of her first trips when the bus almost left her at one of their stops. She had to run after her bus! I remember when she called crying because she was so homesick! The first Thanksgiving she was gone, she called early in the morning crying because she wasn't going to be here on Thanksgiving and they didn’t even celebrate Thanksgiving in Antigua! I remember the phone calls of tears sharing how heartbroken she was when a co-missionary would leave at the end of their term. A few days ago, I was speaking with her when all of a sudden she starts talking to her roommate, and says, “Did you feel that? I think it is an earthquake!” Are you kidding me? Was I going to hear my daughter get sucked into a crack in the ground? Lol The last one of these phone calls was a few nights ago when she called to say the plane that was going to bring her to Birmingham, Alabama for her friend’s wedding had left the night before she got to the airport. There was nothing they would do, she was going to eat the ticket or buy a new one for $1400. Each of these calls were terrible for me. I so wanted to be there to help her, to hold her, to encourage her, to comfort her, to fix her problem; but she was too far away, she was where I could not be. Even if I ran jumped on the next flight, got a taxi to the bus stop, took a bus (if I was lucky only one) to the village she called from, it would take me at best three days! So, in reality I was helpless! I wasn't present with my daughter to comfort her.
     Our Heavenly Father never feels this particular pain because God is never helpless and He is always with His children. We cannot go any place He is not there, we cannot experience any situation He cannot control, and there is nothing we can do that would cause Him to forsake us! When you call upon Him, He can help you, comfort your, and encourage you! All you have to do is remember you are never alone.

Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of Your sight?
 If I climb to the sky, You’re there!
If I go underground, You’re there!
If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon,
You’d find me in a minute—You’re already there waiting.
Then I said to myself, “Oh, He even sees me in the dark!
At night I’m immersed in the light!” It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to You;
night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to You.
Psalms 139: 7-12

What Will Be Your Reward

     This week the most ironic thing happened, I was moved to tears from an email I received about a war hero. I am not an anti-war person, but war stories are like hunting stories, they are a little too . . . manly. They usually do not pull the girlie heartstrings. Now don’t get me wrong, I appreciate our soldiers and I honor them for their sacrifice. But the email I received pulled my heart strings.

Here's what this soldier wrote…

   "You are a 19 year old kid. You are critically wounded and dying in the jungle somewhere in the Central Highland of Viet Nam. It is 1967. Your unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense from 100 yards away, that your commanding officer has ordered the MediEvac helicopters to stop coming in. You are lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns and you know you’re not getting out. Your family is half way around the world, 12,000 miles away, and you’ll never see them again. As the world starts to fade in and out, you know this is the day. Then – over the machine gun noise – you faintly hear that sound of a helicopter. You look up to see a Huey coming in. But . . . it doesn’t seem real because there's no MediEvac marking are on it. Captain Ed Freeman is coming in for you. He’s not MediEvac so it’s not his job, but he heard the radio call and decided he’s flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire anyway. Even after the MediEvacs were ordered not to come, he’s coming anyway! And he drops it in and sits there in the machine gun fire as they load 3 of you at time on board. Then he flies you up and out through the gunfire to the doctors and nurses and safety. And, he kept coming back!! 13 more times!! Until all of the wounded were out. No one knew until the mission was over that the captain had been hit 4 times in the legs and left arm. He took 29 of you and your buddies out that day. Some would not have made it without the Captain and his Huey."
     Wow! What a sacrificial hero. The whole time I was reading it, I thought it was going to take a turn to a spiritual comparison, but since it didn’t; I will. We were like those critically wounded dying on ground in the jungle of this world. Our enemy, Satan, was constantly shooting deadly fire at us like a machine gun. There was nothing and nobody able to save us! Then Jesus Christ came in to save us, though it cost Him wounds physically through beatings and crucifixion. For all those that turn to Him as their Savior and Lord, He carries out the wounded, heals them and guides them throughout their life.
     Now for the rest of the story. In 1981, President George W. Bush gave his first presidential medal of honor to Captain Ed Freeman. Medals of Honor are only given by the president and are the highest honor a military person can receive. Though he was retired, from the day he received his medal to the day he died (which was August 2008), wherever he went he was to be saluted by any enlisted personnel or officer of rank. After he received his medal, President Bush gave him his first salute as a Medal of Honor Recipient.
     I cannot imagine what it must have felt like to receive such an honor from the most powerful person in our country. It makes me think about standing in front of the Creator of our universe, the greatest power over all. It will be at that time that we will receive our rewards for our service to God. How amazing will it be to receive a reward when we have already been given salvation! On top of that, can you imagine Jesus saying, “Well done my good and faithful servant!” Captain Freeman did not believe he deserved such recognition as the Medal of Honor, and neither did the other living 50 recipients at that time. Neither do I feel worthy of any special recognition from my Heavenly Father.

               His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful!"
                                                                   Matthew 25:21a

How Did You Do?

     Well, last week I wrote on complaining and I stated that I was going to 'fast' from complaining for a week. I guess this is my report card. Thanks to my improvement from thinking about it every day, I would give myself a ‘C’; which means without the extra attention, I would be flunking. So, until I can get an ‘A’, I will keep retesting. It was an amazing little assignment that was very revealing. I never really saw my 'complaining' as complaining. I know that many things about my personality and my skills can make me come across as complaining, and I used that as my excuse. Let me explain a little more. My main spiritual gift is exhortation. Exhortation is helping people to spiritually grow; that means I give advice a lot! (I am envisioning some of you saying right now, “that’s an understatement” but I am not listening to you! lol) My background in HR, Change Management, and Training has taught me to look for what is wrong and find a way to fix it. Now I am a Wellness Coach and again, I give a lot of encouraging advice. Lastly, my dominate personality trait is an external feeler. This means I process externally by talking about how I feel. Now I have a new awareness of how these things can come across as complaining; even to me. The first morning after my commitment, the first words out of my mouth was, “why do we leave the dishes in the sink when the dishwasher is empty?” It was at that moment, I knew it was going to be a long week.
     There are many strongholds in our life that we are not going to be able to clean up in one week. I know we wish we could, but that is like expecting all of our extra pounds to fall off in one week. But quitting after one week is giving up and accepting the sin or flaw in our life.
How did you do on your complaining? Your struggle may not be complaining, it may be something else. Are you willing to work longer than a week? Are you ready to keep retesting until you get an ‘A’?

Watch your words and hold your tongue; you'll save yourself a lot of grief.

Proverbs 21:23

What is in Your Junk Drawer?

     I would bet that we all have one thing in common: a junk drawer! To be honest, I have several junk drawers. Usually, our junk drawer is so cluttered with all kinds of things; many of which are very unusual items. I am not too willing to let people see the unorganized mess in my junk drawers. I don’t even know myself what all I will find in my junk! Today, we had several people in our home that I hadn't met before. I walked out of the room for a few minutes and when I came back into the living room, all the junk from my living room junk drawer was on top of the side table! Dwayne was looking for a pair of scissors and unloaded the drawer on top of the table and left it there. Now, we all know this is a thing that only a man would do! lol  My first reaction was one of panic. However, right behind the panic was the logic which said, “Everyone has a junk drawer, and everyone has junk! I will survive this humiliation!"
     I wish I had a junk drawer in my heart. A drawer I could just open and clean out! I could go through the things that are stored in it and throw away the junk. Though there is no junk drawer in our heart that we can pull out and clean, our heart needs to be and can be cleaned out and God will be glad to do it for us! All we have to do is dump all the things out on the table and let Him start directing us. He will tell us the things that are good to remember and keep, and those that must be discarded.
     What is in your heart’s junk drawer? Do you even know? I understand that it is our tendency to hide our junk and keep it a secret, but that mentality will only get us all messed up. Have you come to realize that you cannot clean your own drawer? Are you willing to dump the contents of your junk drawer on the table for God to start cleaning? God can bring healing to hurts, order to chaos, and purpose to what many would call junk!      

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10 (Amplified)

Does the Barn Need Painting?

     Dwayne and I have had a joke for over twenty years. It goes like this, “if the barn needs painting; paint it!” You might not get it at first. It refers to make-up! Trust me; it was a lot funnier twenty years ago, when I really did not need to paint 'the barn'. It was only to give the barn a little glow: to accentuate it’s good features! Well, after twenty plus years, the barn NEEDS painting. It is hard for me to stand before the early morning mirror and take in the shape the barn is in! I have an age spot on the side of my jawbone in the shape of a heart. Isn’t that sweet? Then I have roseshia. This gives my chin and my nose a beautiful red color. In fact, if I get hot or my paint wears off, my loving family has a nickname for me: Rudolf! Also, the barn has some cracking going on. I have little cracks around my mouth, eyes, and forehead. Okay, I have gullies on my forehead, not cracks! Lastly, I think my eye lids have lost weight without enough exercise because they are saggy! Wish I could move some of my stomach fat to my eye lids! To top it all off, those pimples that visit young girls, that never visited me, finally found my address! So, you will rarely catch me running to the store without my make-up. If you do, you will notice the glow of the nose first! I have to realize that my face is changing! I need to remember what my face is like today, so I can buy the right make-up that primes over those new challenges. It is not the same face as it was twenty or thirty years ago. The barn with paint may look pretty, but it really just covers up the real barn!
     Many people use church as their make-up. They get all cleaned up to go to church and look good. They would never let their real life, their real trials, and their real heart show to those around them. It is a place they can feel good about themselves. The teaching they hear, doesn’t penetrate too deeply; that may bring attention to themselves and they may be found out. Church is something they use to cover up flaws, not something that heals and changes the flaws. These people start to believe they are what they portray to be at church. They forget who they really are; a sinner, messed up, and in need of a Savior . . . just like the rest of us!
      Do you remember who you really are? Do you use church to cover up or help heal the real you? Does the teaching you hear penetrate into your soul? Do you allow it to change even the smallest flaw? Though we usually do not like facing reality, we need to stand before the Lord completely open and vulnerable, so He can heal and change what He sees fit! When we lose our perspective of who we are without Jesus, we can become self righteous. When that happens, our relationship with Jesus is hindered and we lose our teachable spirit. At that point, our spiritual growth comes to a standstill. Who wants to their relationship with Jesus to be in a standstill? Wouldn’t you much rather it be moving forward;  then remember who you are in the mirror!?

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-
he will be blessed in what he does.

James1:22-25

Want to Quit Trying?

      Perseverance means a persistent determination. Perseverance is the course I am currently enrolled in. As I have told you before, over the last three years, I have developed discipline in my workout routine. I was very consistent to work out 5-6 times a week. I was proud of the discipline I had developed but I was ashamed of my discipline spiritually. That is one of the reasons I started writing the devotions. I am using you to achieve more spiritual discipline within me. Since I have stated spending an average of two hours a night to writing, I have started wavering in my physical discipline. When I had to take a six week break due to doctor’s orders to not sweat, I have struggled to find the way to be disciplined in both my physical and spiritual life.
     I have two choices. Quit and stop trying, or keep working on the scheduling issues. One will bring certainty of failure and one will ultimately bring success. These same two choices apply to our spiritual perseverance. Many times we get frustrated with things in life and Satan starts whispering in our ear that this Christian scene just doesn’t work for us! Or we can get frustrated with our lack of spiritual knowledge, or our small amount of faith, or our inability to pray eloquently. We can either doom ourselves to failure by not trying any more or we can keep working at it. We have to keep trying until we go home! We didn’t learn how to cook the first time we tried (I have burned many a meal)(dwayne: I never saw them!), we didn’t know how to drive without months of practice, we didn’t learn a sport the first time we participated; and so we need to accept the fact that all things we are going to do well in is going to take perseverance and practice.
     What are you struggling with? Do you have to learn perseverance? Do you really want to quit? You have to ask God to empower you to persevere. You will succeed if you don’t quit!

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

Hebrews 10:36

Thank God For Broken Elevators

     Monday morning when I arrived at work, the elevator was broken. I anticipated the elevator to be down for a few hours but it is going to take a month to get the part needed. I work on the fourth floor. I am glad to get the extra exercise and maybe by the time it gets repaired, I will be in the habit of taking the stairs and will keep up the habit. I have always taken them between the third and fourth floors but I usually have a heavy bag that keeps me from taking them the entire way. Many of the employees do not like the forced exercise. As the wellness director, I am always talking about taking the stairs if they can't find time to exercise. They all say, "I know, I should", but they continue to hit the elevator button, even for one floor. Well, for one month there is no option. They will take the stairs! Hopefully, we will all see the results when the month is complete.
     How many times as Christians do we say, “I know I need to. . . I should . . ." but we don't do it until God pushes the pressure button in our life and gives us no choice. I have said, "I know I need to get better at praying more", but I don't. Then one of my children gets sick, or I have a conflict with someone and all of a sudden my prayer life increases. This is why God doesn't let us live on the mountain top continuously! It is the hard times that remind us of our need for God. It keeps us from thinking we got everything under control. This is why we can thank God for the trials, and broken elevators: it gets us doing the things we should have been doing all along.
What should you be doing that you're not? Wouldn't it be easier to do it before the trial hits? What would your spiritual condition be without the trials in your life? The spiritual growth we get from trials is why we can thank God for the 'broken elevators' in our life.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

1 Peter 1:6

Are You Wasting Your Time?

     Every Monday morning the employee’s where I work meet 10 minutes before work and have devotion. Three people read a devotion from a book. There is never any elaboration on what was read, just reading. I think it is great that the heart of the people is to focus on God. For some, it is the only time all week they will hear God’s Word. The problem is that after hearing someone read three devotions, one being pretty long, it becomes mundane. I know if you asked me what the devotions were about, I cannot remember what any of them were about. Though I think this is an awesome thing to do in a workplace, I wonder if it would be better to have a single devotion and discuss it. I think it is a waste of time if we are not remembering what we're reading. It becomes just for show or maybe for a temporary fix. Church attendance is a lot like that as well. Some go to a Bible study or a church service to hear a sermon, and on their way home they can’t  remember what the lesson or sermon was about. What then is the purpose?
     We should be actively involved and actively listen; not just hear the words. We need to take notes or find one thing to take from the study and live it out. At least write down one thing you want to put into practice each time. If you are hearing the word, but it's not changing your life, why are you spending the time doing it!
How much time do you spend in Bible study and not remember any of it? What was the topic of the last sermon you heard? What are the top three things you are applying to your life that you learned from studying God’s Word? Commit today to be an active learner and an active doer!

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go inone ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! 

James 1:22

What Do We Have to Complain About

How ridiculously easy it is to get caught up in our own lives. When life becomes all about me, it is seems I complain about everything that doesn’t please me: the checking account balance, the amount of the taxes owed on April 15th, the crazy schedule, the friend who I haven’t heard from, my job, the politicians in Washington, the house projects that never seem to get done, the weather which is too cold and rainy, the bugs for starting to appear, the slow driver in front of me, the rude person who rang me out at the store, the advice my husband wants to give me, the lack of appreciation I feel, and the list goes on and on. One thing that will get me complaining is to tell me I am a complainer! I will stand on that soap box for a good length of time! lol I was already going to write on a complaining spirit today when I read a friend’s blog. Brittne has a special friend she acquired in Peru, his name is Parker. He worked in the poverty stricken areas in Lima.  Parker accepted an opportunity to transfer 9 months of his service in Peru, to Haiti. He left for Haiti on April 15th. Haiti was a place that tore at our heartstrings when we watched its devastation on our televisions for days in a row after the earthquake. However, now that the coverage has faded, so has our attention! After all, they must be getting things back to order by now, right? That statement could not be further from the truth. I would like to share with you most of his first report after being in Haiti three days.

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1. Being in Haiti overwhelms the soul. I have to type these words to allow some of my emotions to escape.
2. I will only be able to get on the internet once every couple weeks, due to the absolute non-existence of electricity here in Port-au-Prince. Everything, absolutely everything is run of off gasoline or propane generators. You should see this place at night; the devastation completely vanishes into the darkness.
3. This 21st century kid has been in Haiti for three days, and has bore witness to desolation and chaos that most of the world will never see, except maybe through a television screen.
4. After taking a shower in Haiti one remains clean for approximately seven minutes, and when I take showers my skin loses a shade of gray.
5. Some of the bricks that before the earthquake made up a wall right close to where I am housed are now utilized as a weight set that I made from rope and conveyor belt racks. This works very well, and I have come to find out that I receive the same amount of exertion without all of the monthly fees.
6. On the plane from Miami to Port-au-Prince the woman sitting next to me informed me that the mosquitoes would be waiting for me. This is random fact number one. Random fact number two is that she was infallibly correct.
Everything that I have ever complained about regarding my education, country, hygiene, health, wealth, circumstances, surroundings, is forever invalid and obsolete. It just no longer carries any weight. Zilch. One is drastically changed (slapped in the face) when everything he believed to be normal and superfluous is seen as lucrative luxury. There is a vivid reason that God allowed me to spend a lot of time as a child in a camper in West Texas. It’s the closest thing I have to compare my current living situation, without the air conditioner, with the 110 degree heat.
If my mind possessed every word in the English language, I could not describe to you in an adequate manner the way Haiti makes a person feel. The tragedy and hopelessness of this failed country are beyond anything that anyone could learn at any school, at any education level. This feeling can only be felt when one has a 3D experience. When the land cries out amid abating screams, sobbing until implosion, slowly fading into the abyss, vomiting up destruction, chaos, filth, rubble, smoke, broken promises, warped dependence, violence, fueled by a certain type of chasm between friends and foe that can only be created by the fleeting opportunity to survive, one has to search/yearn/pray for a new tomorrow. Jimmy (23) and Patrick (25) are two of these people who do not care in the least bit what you think. This duo formerly was known as a trio, routinely organizing Bible studies in the neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince, but the third musketeer, a young man by the name of Alex, was in a house church in the capital when the first earthquake hit, and the house and everyone in the service were leveled. The fact that Alex was one of the three hundred thousand who perished in the earthquake motivated the other two to convert their home into an orphanage and named it Alex’s House, inviting every street kid they meet to live with them, attending classes held in the different bedrooms by different friends of theirs. This is uplifting, heartwarming, motivating, awe-inspiring, gleeful, humbling, soul-touching, priority-shifting, stuff. Think about it. Really. Ponder over this life that these people lead. Born into a country dominated into submission by a government whose only role is to lobby other countries for money/booty/loot/provisions, only to overtly steal all of said “AID” to gluttonously fuel their own corrupt campaigns and complacent existences, raised in an environment that pulsates pity. This little blip of Haitian “wisdom” is found on a billboard right outside of the Port-au-Prince airport. It states that “Haiti extends her arms and cries ‘have pity.’” This is a country beat-down, beleaguered by its seemingly endless plight towards nowhere.
Hugo Chavez’ gift to Haiti, a power plant to support all of Port-au-Prince, has ceased to function. It was less than a year old. Streets with streetlamps that in the past radiated beauty now lie in darkness and deceit, covered in rubble and fiery trash. And Jesus patiently bides his time, waiting to be glorified. Arise Haiti, arise. Reject that which comes from the Evil One. Arise!

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If you are like me you are sitting there numb. Totally and completely humbled! Is life really all about me? Should my selfcenteredness and my list of complaints really matter? If my eyes could just learn to see the world the way God sees it, maybe ‘I’ could fade to the background. I have decided that I am going to fast this week. I would be glad to have others commit alongside me to this endeavor. Oh, but maybe I should tell you that I am not fasting food. Oh, now you’re willing to consider! lol  I am going to fast complaining. For one week, I am not going to complain. Each time I want too, I am going to think about Parker in Haiti and ask myself, “What do I have to complain about, really?” Want to join me?

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

James 3:16

Can You Be Trusted?

I hate the feeling of being mad at someone! I try hard not to let anger grow in me but sometimes frustrations can grow into strong feelings of emotion; usually with the face of anger. In my life, those I get the angriest at are those I am the closest too. I wish that wasn’t the case but regrettably it is. Now that my children are grown and out of the house, the only one left behind is Dwayne. Isn’t he lucky? The only thing I hate more than being angry is finding out that the real problem all along; was me!

We spend a good deal of our time learning to trust God? We study diligently all the reasons we can trust God and should trust Him. We learn about the damage we can cause our self if we don’t trust Him. Trust is the cornerstone to our faith. According to the dictionary, trust is having a complete confidence in a person or plan etc. It is a certainty based on past experience, reliance, a confidence, or a commitment. As we learn to trust God, we can easily expect that trust to deliver an easy life for us! We often look at the situations in our life and evaluate if God has broken our trust? Many walk away from God when they think that God did not come through for them: after all, they trusted Him. I think the society we live in that continues to parade before us the fall, the discrepancies, and the sins of those we once trusted; only adds to our self seeking attitude that God has to continually earn our respect. However, so many times when I questioned God on why He allowed something in my life which I did not want nor did I like; I have found out the real issue was not if I could trust God but if God could trust me! Did I walk in the manner I committed? Did I love Him the way I declared? Did I rely totally on Him or did I run to other things to satisfy my wanting heart? Did I stay focused on Him and keep Him a priority in my life like I said I would when I asked Him to become Lord of my life? The real problem was not God, it never has been; it has always been me!
Today’s question isn’t about why you should trust God; He has already given you more reasons than you really need. He has proven that He is trustworthy. The question is can God trust you? Have you proven your trustworthiness? Can God rely on you? Can He have confidence in you? Can He believe what you say? I realize that God doesn't need me for anything. In reality, He only needs to trust Himself because He is the only one that will never fail; never fall short. However, it is still good to focus in spirit on our trustworthiness. Can He trust me to follow through with the things that He ask me to do? Even if I mess up along the way, can He trust me to finish the race? It reminds me of the famous question posed by President Kennedy, “Ask not what your country can do for you; but ask what you can do for our country!” Maybe we should apply that here and say, “Ask not what actions God does to show you that you can trust Him, but ask what actions you do that shows Him, He can trust you?

Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about; See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong--then guide me on the road to eternal life.

Psalm 139: 23-24

Do I Disgust God?

When I was young (up to 17 years old!), I would get spankings. I hated them! Not for the pain it brought my behind, but for the disappointment or anger I had brought to my parents. I do not remember anything about the pain, but I do remember the long walks to the bedroom. As soon as I was told that I was going to receive a spanking, I would start crying. Nothing is worse than to know the people you love most are mad and disappointed in you. I wanted their approval; not their disapproval. Mental health experts believe we all want and need our parent’s approval, or their blessing, especially the father's.  I believe that is a desire that God creates within all of us. Yet, many may live their whole life trying to get it!  I have also seen many people who were effected negatively when they did not receive it. They live life in a very destructive manner to them self and to those they come in contact with. It is easy to hold on to it; I have found myself longing for my father’s approval and he has been deceased for six years!
I spend a lot of time talking to you about God’s love and God’s grace. My focus on these qualities of God isn’t meant to take away from our need to eliminate sin from our life. I just believe that there is plenty of teaching out there that hammers sin; I just try and teach what God offers after we fail. One piece of wisdom my many years of life have taught me is that there is nothing my children can do to make me not love them. However, that does not mean I want them to behave contrary to the way they were taught. I do not want them making stupid choices that bring bad consequences on them. I want them to have joy, happiness, peace, and prosperity. Bad choices would rob them of those things. Plus, it would bring dishonor on them, our family, and worse, upon God!
As children of God, it should work the same way. God, as our Father, wants the best for us. His ways are in place to give us joy, happiness, peace, and prosperity. When we sin, the consequences of sin rob us of those things. Our choice to sin brings dishonor on us, the family of God, and worse, on God Himself. Though He will always love us, Scripture tells us that there are some things that we do that He hates! Things that disgust Him! Things that are an abomination to Him! Things that are vile and makes Him sick! Things that most likely, we all of done!

There are six things the Lord hates; indeed, seven are an abomination to Him:

1. A proud look (the spirit that makes one overestimates himself and underestimates others) (arrogant)

2. A lying tongue (lie= a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth, to tell an untruth)

3. And hands that shed innocent blood (murder the innocent)

4. A heart that manufactures wicked thought and plans (devises wicked schemes)

5. Feet that are swift in running to evil (run a wicked track)  ( evil=morally wrong in principle or action)

6. A false witness who breathes out lies (even under oath) (deliberately says untruth against someone)

7. And He who sows discord among his brethren (stirs up dissension) (troublemaker ) (conflicts among peoples opinion, behavior, or characters among people expected to cooperate)

Proverbs 6:16 (the Amplified)

pink/dictionary    yellow/other translations of Bible

I have done most of the list, if not all! The realization that I have been an abomination to God, disgusts me! However, it makes me unbelievably grateful for two things. One, the sacrifice of Jesus! So when God sees me, He sees the blood of Jesus and not the abdominal thing I have done. Two, that God gives me unconditional love!
What about you?  How do you feel about disgusting God? Though Jesus paid the penalty for all of our sins, and though God will always love us, may we strive to deal with the sins in our life so as to please God!  I want to bring Him honor, not dishonor! I want to bring Him joy, not disgust!  Those are the things I want to do, however, I do not always achieve them! God knows we will make mistakes, but His love and forgiveness are always available to us! The problem is that we sometimes act like children who can do whatever we want because we know we will still be loved and forgiven.  If we do that, we mock God's  goodness.  May we embrace His love and His forgiveness, and strive to live a life that glorifies Him.  It is our gift of thanksgiving to Him for the love and forgiveness He gives us!

The Rest of the Story!

Yesterday, I told you about my trip in the rain and how God gave me four lessons that day. Thanks to my notes I found in my little green binder, I can finish the lesson today. I have always remembered the rear view mirror lesson but thanks to the notes, I remember them all now! See the importance of little treasures! I said yesterday how the rain was pouring down and I could only see inches in front of my bumper. We are not trained to drive that way, so I would keep trying to look in the distance and it was always so frustrating to not see anything. That would cause me to focus back only on the inches I could see to get some relief. Though I could not see in the distance, I could see the lights coming towards me. They were the only thing that gave me any indication as to where I was going and the path I was on. This trip was usually an hour away from Tulsa and since I did not have a clue as to where I was exactly, due to the rain, time was the only gage I had as to how long this time of endurance was going to last. Anticipation for the end and relief from the stress grew when an hour hit and I was still not there. Each minute that passed only increased my anxiety. It wasn’t until almost two hours of driving that I was able to put the car in park, turn of the ignition and take a deep breath of relief. By the time I completed my assignment for my mother, the rain had stopped. The drive back was a breeze! No stress; I could see clearly; the sky was beautiful; and the hour trip back home flew by!
Like we discussed yesterday, times of questioning, trials, and testing can hinder our view of where we are going. Though the things ahead of us will one day be in the rear view, we have to deal with them until they are. It is during these times that we need to focus on the immediate. Do not try and look too far down the road; it will only bring confusion and frustration. Concentrate on today! Getting through each day; one day at a time! When we have these times of uncertainty of where our path is taking us, we need to look only at the Light to show us the path of our journey. The Light of this world, Jesus, is bright enough to illumine your path. Just look for the Light! Lastly, we like to be the ones that determine how long our storm is to last. When our allowable time is up, we start looking at our calendars and our frustrations increase. We start whining to God, complaining and asking Him when He is going to calm the storm! Then all of a sudden, the storm is gone and life is stress free, beautiful, and breezes by! At least until the next storm!
Do you find it difficult to focus on today when you are in a storm? Do you want to always look ahead and know where you are going? Are you following the Light and letting Him show you the path? Do you have a habit of telling God when your storm should be over? How well do you wait? I love the words to a popular Christian song, “I will praise You in the storm!” I wonder how much less the frustrations of the storms would be and how much faster it would pass, if we praised Jesus in the midst of our storm!

By your words I can see where I'm going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.

Psalm 119:105

Song by Casting Crown: I Will Praise You In The Storm (click on title)

It Will Be Clear

     “Why, can’t I?” “Don’t you love me?” Have you ever said those words to your parents? I have to admit, I did not always understand what their problem was. Why did I have to eat what was on my plate? Why can’t I drink all the pop I wanted? Why did I have to clean my room? Why did my dad tell the ice cream man to stop asking out his ten year old daughter? Why wouldn’t they let me have a 12th grade boyfriend when I was in the 8th grade? Why did I have a curfew? The older I got, the more I started asking those questions to God instead of my parents. Why is money so tight…we are trying to tithe? Why can’t I get pregnant? Why did you let me lose my job? Why doesn’t our house sell…we are doing what you called us to do? Why are you calling us to the ministry? Why are you moving us to Montana? Why are there no women’s retreat’s in Montana? Why are my children acting badly…I taught them about you? Why are Dwayne and I arguing when we both want to please you? Why can’t I find a job? Why do I have this job? Why am I so sick? Why did my loved one die? Why doesn’t that person love me? Why am I losing my friend? Ever ask God any of those questions?
     One time when I was whining to God and asking a lot of questions, He taught me a lesson I have never forgotten. I was driving to a town around an hour from Tulsa for my mother. I was driving in the pouring rain. The kind of rain you debate whether you should pull over and stop the madness of driving because you can’t see but an inch in front of the car. During that drive, God taught me several things about how driving in a rain storm is like enduring trials and times of questioning. While I was driving, I could not see an inch in front of my car. At times, it was very scary. However, when I looked into the rear view mirror, I could see clearly all the things that were behind me. The storm was blowing in my direction and hitting my windshield which only blurred my vision. However, the storm wasn’t blowing against the rear window, so it did not hinder the view. When we are enduring a time of testing, we will not always see clearly the things that are before us. However, one day the things before us will be behind us. When we look backwards we can see more clearly why things happened and how God used it all to fit together for our good.
     Do you ask God why a lot? Are you enduring some trials which distort your view of what is ahead of you? You just want to see some purpose for your trial! You can trust that whatever you can’t see in front of you will one day be in your review mirror and you will then be able to see how God guided you through the storm and how He used it to teach you and grow your faith. Hold on through the storm and keep reminding yourself that this will be in the rear view one day! It will all be behind you! You will be able see things more clearly!

Jesus answered, "You do not understand now what I am doing, but it will be clear enough to you later.” 
John 13: 7

What Will They Remember?

     Muskogee has always been famous for the song “Okie from Muskogee”. However, this week, we have  become famous because of a tragedy. The shooting of gang members at our local mall has been a feature story of the major news programs. I do not know anybody who lives around here that has not been at that mall. It is a weird feeling to me to wonder how many times I have walked by a gang member with a gun in his pocket and did not have a clue. None of us know when our last day of life will be. I do not want to live my life focused on dying; but I do want to be prepared when God calls me home.
     As we think about our death, I think it is important to ask ourselves the question, “If I died tomorrow, what will my loved ones remember about me?” I have experience in cleaning out the homes of several parents. Each time, I saw and read things about my loved ones that I didn’t know before. It makes me wonder what my children will learn from me when they go digging through my stuff one day, deciding what they will keep and what things they will discard. I want my children to find little treasures; notes or items that will let them know how much I love them and how much God has done for me and our family. I want them to have a deep sense of who they are and where they came from. I did not have a deep sense of that in my life and I think it drives me to want to give that to them. Recently, I found a small binder that I used many years ago. I stored in it my prayer journal and my notes from a yearly retreat I attended. They were called, ‘Great Hills Retreat’. Thousands of women would attend in large civic centers. We would have a main speaker but then we would pick four seminars to attend. I had a system for picking my seminars. I would pick one that dealt with me personally, one that dealt with my relationship with God, one about my role as a mother, and one as my role as a wife. As I looked over my notes, it amazed me how much these retreats set a foundation in my life and ministry. I was very sad when the retreats ended. However, having it written down was a great reminder to me of things I had forgotten. I am now more dedicated than ever to log my life and spiritual journey with God. Having hundreds of these devotions should give my children and grandchildren a great avenue to knowing me and God in a real way.
     What will your loved ones learn about you? What will they remember? What treasures are you preparing for them? How are they going to know the journey you have lived as you walked with God? My encouragement to you is to start now! Start writing! If you have trouble thinking of what to write, buy heritage books and start answering the questions. However you do it, just do it!

Let this be recorded for the generation yet unborn, that a people yet to be created shall praise the Lord.

Psalm 102: 18

Take Your Medicine!

     As a parent of adult children, my mind is full of many memories. I remember the hard days, the lazy days, and the sick days. I remember the days my children did nothing but fight and argue; though I wish those memories would fade away! I remember the days my children had hurting hearts; like when they had to say goodbye to their friends when we were moving or when they stopped going out with their special friend. I have enough memories to fill pages and pages in the scrapbook of my mind. However, if you asked me what my favorite memories are; they are the memories of laughter. I love to see or hear my children laugh. I mean the deep belly laugh or the kind where your stomach muscles ache! I think that is the reason we are a teasing family; we like to create laughter. I must confess, I have given our family many things to laugh about!
     Most of us have heard the saying "Laughter is the best Medicine", and now there is research which shows the physiological effects of laughter on our bodies:
• Laughter appears to reduce levels of certain stress hormones, and growth hormone.
• Laughter boosts the Immune System.
• Blood Pressure is lowered, and there is an increase in vascular blood flow, and an increase in oxygenation of the blood which further assists healing.
• Laughter may lead to hicupping and coughing, which will clear the respiratory tract by dislodging mucus plugs.
• Laughter also gives your diaphragm and abdominal, respiratory and facial, leg and back muscles a workout. So basically laughter is an all body workout. You can have fun, keep fit, and stay healthy in one easy step! Just Laugh!
• Some believe that laughter may help prevent some life-threatening diseases such as heart disease. Anger and fear are two common emotions which are frequently responsible for the cause of heart attacks.
• Laughter offers a brief respite from arthritis stress and provides both tension and pain relief. It has also shown to have positive effects for healing.
     I believe that God loves to see his children laugh! I believe it brings Him joy. I think it is sad that many times Christians are solemn, serious, and gloom. We are the children of the God of the Universe. He loves us and knows us personally and has given us eternal life with him. We only have to live in this pitiful world for a short time and then we will experience true happiness and joy in the presence of Jesus for eternity! Shouldn’t we be the happy ones? Shouldn’t we be the ones who display true joy to the world? I remember once going to an outdoor wedding in Montana. The reception guests were unintentionally split. The church friends were on one side and the party people were on the other side. If someone would have walked in and had to pick out the drunks, they would have picked us church people! We were happy and having fun and not one of us had a drink! That is the happiness the world should see. Laughter and happiness is one trait that I pray my children and grandchildren will always possess. As I was pondering the devotion for today and seeking what to write, I really wanted to write about Bryce (my son) and Kristen (my daughter-in-law) going to the doctor for the first time today. They had their first ultrasound and YES, I have a picture of the first stage of life for my grandchild! If it is a boy, its name will be Asher. Bryce picked that name for his son when he was 14 years old, for reasons only he and God knows. However, I really felt God wanted me to write on happiness and laughter. Ironically, when I went to read the scriptures on happiness for the devotion, the first one I read was about Leah saying, I am happy, for women will call me blessed; and she named him Asher (happy)! Gen. 30:31  God never ceases to amaze me!
     May we all live as if our name means happy! May we all enjoy much laughter in our life! If you found out today that you inherited $100,000, how ecstatic would you be? Haven’t you inherited so much more from our Heavenly Father? Are you showing the world that being a follower of Jesus makes your heart happy?

A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing,

 but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

Proverb 17:22

Just a little medicine for your heart: Chonda Pierce: Honeymoon Package

When Will I Learn?

     Have you ever wondered why you did something you swore you would never do again? We do something that brings misery to our life, we swear we will never get in that spot again, and before we think about it, we do it again! When I write stories to you, I share it all. I tell you what I do, what I learn, and what I will do to make sure I never get into the same situation again. I can think of two big events I shared with you in the last four months and made some commitments. Well, today is confession day! I have broken both commitments. First, the other day I jumped on my treadmill and ran without my emergency cord hooked on. I didn’t fall, but I did give myself a good lecture. Then yesterday, I pushed it even more. Though I did not go near the well house garden that took 12 weeks of my normal life, I did pull weeds in the garden around my house. I have never had a reaction to anything in this garden before, so I assumed it would still be a safe zone for me. Where I messed up was I did not wear gloves or long sleeves. Both were things I committed to doing. I just fell back into old habits without even thinking about it. When I was done, I came in and changed clothes. Then I remembered that I was supposed to shower immediately after being in the garden per doctor’s orders. So, I showered. I started having a slight fear wondering if I was going to break out. What if I am wrong? What if I am allergic to something else and not just Virginia Creeper. Later we went over to my mothers to play our weekly card game. As we are playing cards my mother noticed my arm and said, “Tonya, look at your arm? Did you wear gloves?” I looked at my arm and sure enough, I had red splotches on my arm. At close evaluation, I believe it is the scraps and scratches I got from working around thorns. However, as soon as I was aware that there was a possibility that I could be having a reaction, I began to notice every itch of my body. Do you realize how much your body itches when you are unaware of it? I took a break and came over to my house and found my old medicine and started lathering up my body with my medicated lotion. For the rest of the evening I itched and worried. Today, I haven’t itched until I started writing this devotion! Last time, I broke out, it started on Monday after I worked in the garden on Saturday. That would mean tomorrow is the real test. I better lather up again tonight! Lol
     I cannot blame anyone if I break out again but myself. If you get online Tuesday and I haven’t posted a devotion, I will probably be at the hospital! As frustrating as it is for me right now physically, the same thing can happen to us spiritually. First, Satan knows our habits and tries hard to pull us back to unhealthy behavior. Then he sits the stage just right to have us fall over and over. Our words of commitment mean nothing to him until we show by our action that we are done with old behaviors. If we bite his bait and do the things we said we wouldn’t, he will then start laying on the fear. We have to deal with the fear of consequences and the fear of looking like a complete fool for not learning our lesson. Seventy-five percent of what we worry about never happens! Those are pretty good odds in our favor. So, why do we let Satan chase us with a bucket of snakes (devotion Bucket of Fear)!
     I am thankful that God is bigger than my stupid mistakes. God has patience with us that we can’t even imagine. His mercy and His grace is never ending and new every day! Hallelujah! What things have you done lately that you swore you would never do again? Are you living in fear of the consequences? Are you afraid to talk to God about it because you deserve to be punished for not learning your lesson? Don’t let Satan chase you. God is full of grace and He isn’t going to turn His back on you! He knows everything and He knows how many times you will fail before you succeed. So, to Him, each time we fail is just one step closer to when we will finally get it!

    What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary.

        Romans 7:15-16

Too Hurried to Notice?

     Today, my personal story is not as easy to share as the majority of

others I have told. Probably because only a few,  if any, of you will be able to relate. Well, unless you are Jessica Simpson. Twenty years ago, Dwayne was a salesman. A guy that he worked with was very heavy and was going on Weight Watchers and Dwayne said he would support him and eat healthy with him. I wanted to be the good, supportive, little wife, so, I went and bought Dwayne all the healthy food he would need to assist him on his new commitment. Day one: Dwayne comes home for lunch prepared by his loving wife. I served him a plate with crackers, canned chicken, some raw vegetables, and cottage cheese: perfectly arranged to be aesthetically tempting to the palate. Within minutes, he said something about the tuna he was eating. I had never bought canned chicken before, so I started to explain to him that it was chicken; how it actually comes in a can, like tuna, but is chicken. He accepted this new information for a couple of bites and then declared, “it’s tuna!”  Now, I had already explained to him the facts and I was starting to get frustrated. He was getting upset because he ‘knew’ what he was eating. In those young married days, we could have some of the stupidest arguments and fights and whether something was chicken or tuna was right up there at the top of the list! Back and forth we went: “it’s tuna”, “no it’s chicken”, “no, it’s tuna”, “it’s chicken”!  Finally, I had to stop the madness. I went and dug the empty can of chicken out of the trash, held it up to his face, pointed to the words, and proclaimed with victory . . . “See, it says right here on the can, Chicken of the Sea!”  As soon as the words came out of my mouth, reality told me I was going to live with this mistake for the rest of my life. I really did know that Chicken of the Sea was tuna!  However, when I went to the store I was trying to hurry.  I had two preschoolers distracting me with their normal shopping behavior and when I got to the canned meat section, I grabbed 10 cans Starkist tuna, then looked for the canned chicken. My eyes then landed on the word ‘chicken’, and the I grabbed those 10 cans of chicken; alias Chicken of the Sea!  The rest of the story, as they say, is history!

     One of my greatest flaws is I make stupid mistakes when I am in a hurry or preoccupied. It is as if I'm blinded to anything other than what I think I see. When this happens to me spiritually, it can start to affect my joy and sometimes can be very costly. When we get busy and preoccupied as Christians, we do not take the time to practice discernment. Without discernment we can end up having things in our life which cause us to become spiritually unhealthy. As young adults who are learning to apply Christian values to life, not only is life busy with activities, babies, toddlers, and family, but you haven’t fully developed your skills of discernment yet. Only time and experience can help us with discernment. Discernment is one of my spiritual gifts and yet, it has matured over the years with trials and errors. Discernment is the trait of judging wisely and objectively, it is the perception of that which is obscure, and the mental ability to understand and discriminate between relations.
     How can we perceive the obscure, discriminate the relations between things, and judge objectively, if we don’t slow down and take our focus off the distractions of life? I believe this is why we need the council of other Christians. I need someone who loves me and who is committed to the same Christian principles that I am, to help me see and understand when I cannot. We need spiritually older Christians to help us see the obscure things in life. However, in today's’ times there is a prevalent philosophy that everyone should mind their own business and should deal with their lives on their own. I understand the truth that many Christians have practiced judgment without love and humility and abused their responsibility. However, mentoring, practiced in a Godly manner, is beneficial and needed to encourage, support, and strengthen our fellow Christians.
     How is your discernment? Are you paying attention to life or are you running from it living in a whirlwind? Are you open to someone to help you see the obscure; like chicken of the sea is really tuna? Give someone your love and trust. Give them permission to point out things in your life that could be hurtful to you. Ask them to help you develop discernment and be open to hearing what you might not want to hear. You will be a better person for it!  My prayer for you is the same as Paul wrote to the Ephesians.

I couldn’t stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed; I’d think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank, I ask-ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is He is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life He has for His followers, oh, the utter extravagance of His work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!

Ephesians 1:16-19 (The Message)

Does Anyone Care?

     Do you ever feel like you don’t make a difference? Do you ever feel like people you love don’t value you, the things you do for them, or your own feelings? If you are a mother, I am sure you have felt that way. One Mother’s Day, I was really feeling like I give and give and nobody cares, nobody gives back anything. I asked for three things for Mother’s day. A clean house, a home cooked meal, and for them to clean out my car. I got a quick job house cleaning, plans to go out and eat, and a certificate for a car detailing. Today, I would gladly accept these gifts and be appreciative. However, twelve years ago, I was a mother of a twelve and thirteen year old and a wife of a busy pastor, it did not go over very well. I needed to be valued. I needed to have someone sacrifice for me! I needed them to have a servant’s heart and really clean my house, spend the time to cook a special meal, and give the effort to clean my car. I did not receive these gifts with the same heart I would today!
     I felt unappreciated and I let those feeling mess up my thinking. I wish I could tell you this was the only time I have let my feelings dominate my heart but I can’t unless I lie to you. I want to serve the Lord with every assignment He gives me, no matter how little it may seem, or how many people can see and acknowledge my service, or how long I have to do it! That is really my heart but I have to keep my feelings in check and keep them from ruling my heart.
     A few weeks ago, you watched a video on baggage, today we are going to watch another skit, performed by Nicole Johnson. Click here to watch video: Invisible Woman. What are you willing to build for God?  What is your cathedral?

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Colossians 3:23-24

Honor or Wither

     If you read these devotions back in November, you know that my mother cleaned out some of my old flower beds for my birthday. This gift was very costly to me: I helped her clean out the beds and had an allergic reaction to some dead, hidden Virginia Creeper. I was miserable for six weeks. Then, I had six weeks of getting over the drugs I had to take for the reaction. I am finally totally recovered and feeling good. Since I sacrificed a lot for these flowers, I have eagerly waited for the fruition of the flower garden. I wanted it to flourish and be breathtaking! My mother had planted all of my favorite flowers in this garden. I have three hydrangea bushes, a snow ball bush, my family Irish’s, poppies, and ninety tulips. After a long, hard winter we evaluated the plants and we were very happy to declare that each was alive and growing. The tulips came up slowly, and the bulbs stayed tightly closed, then finally, Monday afternoon the bulbs started to open up. I couldn’t wait to see all of my tulips blooming! When I left for work on Tuesday, it looked as if I would have fully bloomed tulips waiting for me when I returned from work. When I got home that evening, I looked to see my flowers. The flowers I had so anticipated seeing in full bloom were all lying on the ground. I was in shock! What happened to my tulips!
     Yesterday was the unannounced day the yard care men came to spray the yard. They did not spray the flower beds directly. However, it was one of our normal Oklahoma Spring days with winds that could blow you over. In retrospect, nobody should be spraying yards in these kinds of winds unless they were willing for that wind to carry their poisons and attack whatever life may end up in its path! After hoping that a good day of sunshine would rejuvenate my tulips, I now have a pitcher full of beautiful yellow tulips; still not in full bloom though. Hopefully, they will still bloom out! I will enjoy them one way or another. I quess I will have to practice endurance as I wait another year to see my new tulips. lol
     Have you had times in your spiritual walk that you worked hard removing the weeds in your life and you cultivated the soil of your heart with God’s grace and love? Have you planted God’s word in your life, and followed His leading? Have you then anticipated seeing the results start to bloom as you live out your Christian journey? Have you had the winds of this world blow its poisons on you and have your spirit wither just like my tulips? Right when things start to look like a beautiful garden, Satan attacks and does His best to have you wither away! We must stand strong against the winds. We must do whatever we can to keep the world's poison from getting close to us. If our goal is to bring honor to God, then we need to protect our self from the things that do not bring honor to Him. Do we participate in things that dishonor God? Are we spending too much time with people who do not honor God? Are we going places that do not honor God; places where sin and evil prevail? Do we listen to conversations that do not honor God and could cause hurt and damage? Do we entertain our self by watching things that do not honor God and honors sin! When we become lax with our presence, we endure the poisonous winds of this world. Those poisons can make the heart that is dedicated to honoring God start to wither.
     Do you want to honor God? Have you cultivated your spiritual garden? Are you ready to see God’s plantings start to bloom in your life? What poisonous winds are you allowing to blow on your heart? You will never be able to stop the poisonous winds but you don’t have to take your heart into the midst of them. Protect your heart! Honor God!

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk and live in Your truth; direct and unite my heart (solely, reverently) to fear and honor Your name.

Psalm 86:11

Are You Growing?

     Around twenty two years ago, I started experiencing spiritual growth for the first time. Though I got saved when I was nine years old, I never really grew much. The only reason I started experiencing growth in my life when I did was because some changes had occurred. I had to commit to change my routine. I started attending two, great, weekly events our church sponsored for women. One was a time of fellowship, a workshop of some sort (like how to make a Thanksgiving meal), and a lesson taught by rotating teachers. The other was a Bible Study where you had to commit to 45 minutes of daily homework. These two events started changing me. When truth starts to get planted in the soul, Christ-like character begins to bloom. After a year, I took the course to get certified as a Precept teacher. I started teaching soon after and teaching definitely grows you to a different level. I started attending women and marriage retreats. I took a course on how to share my faith to be able to lead someone to the Lord. I took 50 hours of counseling training which our church sponsored. We attended every revival. We attended church every time we could hear our pastor preach. The more I put myself in the position to learn, the more I changed and grew. Everything I am spiritually and everything I teach as a teacher has its foundation in these years of growth for me. This period in my life lasted approximately four years. God continually grows me still; but there was something special about those foundational years of growth.
     Today, we have grown into a society where we want rewards without the sacrifice; without the hard effort. We want to lose weight but we don’t want to do what it takes to achieve it! We want to break our financial bondage but we don’t want to sacrifice the things we like or live on a budget to achieve it! We want to live a great retirement but we don’t want to plan. We want well behaved children but we don’t want to discipline. Most importantly, we want to grow in our knowledge of God and His ways but we don’t want to commit to a Bible study class or fellowship with other Christian women, or retreats, or daily time in the word. For years, I have wanted discipline in my life. I wanted it so bad!! However, no matter how much I yearned for it; it didn’t happen until I dedicated myself to action. We often have no problem quickly committing to activities for our children, or local charities, or sports teams, or social activities. Why is it so hard to commit to the things we need to grow in our faith?
Are you doing what it takes to grow spiritually? How many classes have you taken to learn and grow in God’s Word? Are you ready to start studying God’s Word? How many retreats have you attended? What kind of Biblical foundation do you have? Today you get an assignment! (Now, have a good attitude, I rarely give you work to do! Lol) I want you to get a blank piece of paper. I want you to look back over the last ten years of your life. What events or happenings occurred that helped you to grow in your faith? Put dates beside them. On your blank sheet of paper, evenly write out the last 10 years across the bottom of your paper, starting with the year 2000 on the left corner and ending with 2010 the right corner. Now write in your events in the year they occurred. On the left hand edge of your paper, evenly space out the numbers 1-10, place one towards the bottom of the page (not lower than your entries of events) and ten on the top. Now go back and put a dot above each year, by the number that describes your growth in the Lord. (Ten being the best and 1 being the worst) Connect the dots. What does your spiritual growth look like?
     Have you used your time wisely and reaped spiritual growth as a Christian? Or are you wasting the years: never changing, never growing? Are you happy with where you’re at in your walk? If not, what action are you going to dedicate yourself to in order to change? Wanting it is not enough; you have to take some action!

While we were children our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well trained who find themselves mature in your relationship with God. So, don’t sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet! 
Hebrews 12:10-12

Generation to Generation

     Almost twenty six years ago, a big yellow chicken appeared at the door of my home with a dozen pink and blue balloons! I sent him to my house to sing to my husband and tell him he is going to be a daddy! Sixteen months later, I found out I was pregnant again. He was in the woods, camping out during deer season, so I bought a stuffed, yellow chicken and took it to him. Well, he didn’t get the connection and I had to end up explaining it. We talked about this story on our way home from church Friday night. Dwayne was teasing me on the purpose of a yellow chicken. I explained that I didn’t send a yellow chicken, I sent a singing telegram that happened to be a chicken! He teased me all the way home. That conversation happened around 7:00 p.m. and two hours later, I had a big yellow chicken walk through my door. Immediately, I thought Dwayne was continuing his bantering with me over why I sent him a yellow chicken! However, I noticed pretty quickly Dwayne wasn't teasing me, so the yellow chicken could only mean one thing. The chicken was Bryce, and he was telling me HE is going to be a daddy! I am going to become a grandma!

     I know some of you are sitting back right now wondering how I am going to tie a scriptural lesson to a big yellow chicken. I have to admit, that is quite a stretch but all I can come up with for the chicken, is that sometimes God blesses us through the most unusual things! However, that is not my lesson for today! Becoming a grandparent has been a very humbling event. One that has left me in a very meditative state! I always knew this day would come but now that it has, my reaction surprises me! I anticipated pure excitement and craziness but in reality, I feel this deep, sober, sense of heritage. To watch as my son takes all he has learned from his raising and to pass it forward to a family of his own, leaves me speechless. All the hair pulling days of the teenage years are now worth it for this moment in time. There are many things I am looking forward to with my children, grandchildren, daughter-in law, husband, and special friend who will be the other grandmother. However, there are two main things I eagerly await. One is to see the face of my son when he experiences for the first time, the overwhelming love of a father. How at that moment, you understand unconditional love in its truest form. You now understand what your parents meant when they said they loved you more than you could possibly know! Also, you get a glimpse of how much your Heavenly Father loves you! It is an amazing moment when life changes forever! The second thing I am looking forward to is to teach my grandchildren about how God has blessed our family. I want to pass on to them their spiritual heritage. I know my grandparents laid the foundation for my love of Jesus and I am very thankful for the heritage they passed on to me.
The easiest way I see God, is in His role as a parent. As my Father, He loves us and wants the best for us. I am sure it brings Him joy as He watches us rejoice over His blessings. He must take delight in watching our faces! As our Heavenly Father, He wants us to pass on our spiritual heritage to the generations after us. All through scripture, and especially in the Old Testament, He tells us not to forget; to write it down and teach our children and our grandchildren the ways of God. For many years the Jewish people passed down the workings of God orally to their children. We have the benefit of having Scripture written, memorizing the entire Bible would have been a feat for me! However, we still need to teach our children and our grandchildren. They need to hear it from us. I still have memories of hearing my grandfather tell me stories; they are wonderful memories planted deep in my heart. Some people in our lives may not be our physical parents or grandparents, yet they play the role of a spiritual mentor in lives. They too pass on the goodness of the Lord to those who have no one to teach them.
     What role are you playing in your season of life? Are you the parent or the child? Are you the grandchild or the grandparent? Be thankful for those who laid your spiritual foundation, whether they were a parent, grandparent, or someone who played that role in your life. If you are older, think about who you are laying a foundation for? Who are you teaching about the ways of God and His many blessings? Teaching our children and our grandchildren is the only way that we will glorify His name from generation to generation!

Just make sure you stay alert. Keep close watch over yourselves. Don’t forget anything of what you’ve seen. Don’t let your heart wander off. Stay vigilant as long as you live. Teach what you’ve seen and heard to your children and grandchildren.

Deuteronomy 4:9

Card Catalogue

     This was a great Easter! A day we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior. He lived a perfect life and yet died for all of us sinners paying the penalty for our sin. We know that His payment was enough because He conquered death by rising from the dead. If His payment had not been enough, He would still be in the grave and we would still be hopeless. I never tire of hearing about the love, grace, and forgiveness that Jesus gives me. However, I am always moved when I see it through a new set of eyes. Recently, a special friend sent the following story to me. It is called “The Room” and it was written by Brian Moore, a 17 year old. He wrote this essay for a class assignment; two months before he was killed by stepping on an electrical wire after crashing his car into a telephone pole.

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In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless in either direction, had very different headings.
As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read "Girls I have liked." I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.
A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I have betrayed." The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. "Books I Have Read," "Lies I Have Told," "Comfort I have Given," "Jokes I Have Laughed at."
Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things I've yelled at my brothers." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done in My Anger", "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents." I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived.
Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.
When I pulled out the file marked "TV Shows I have watched," I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of shows but more by the vast time I knew that file represented.
When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts," I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me.
One thought dominated my mind: No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!" In insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards...
But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it. Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.
And then I saw it. The title bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel With." The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.
And then the tears came. I began to weep ... Sobs so deep that they hurt. They started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him.
No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes.
Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.
Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card. "No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card from Him... His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, and so alive.
The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood. He gently took the card back He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished." I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.

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I found this story very mind provoking! What topics will be in my card catalogue? What will be on my cards? Amazingly, when Jesus writes His name over my sins listed on my cards, you can’t read the sins anymore! All you can see is the blood of Christ! Now, when God sees me, He only sees the blood of His Son! It would be wonderful if I never put another card in the drawers: but regrettably, I still am a sinner, though I try to keep them to a minimum. However, as a forgiven follower of Christ, Jesus promises that all the cards in my drawers have His name on them: all my cards from the past, from today, and from my future! What an awesome gift! You can have the same gift! You only have to accept it: Have You?

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

 John 3:16

May Truth Triumph!

     All week we have been speaking of how other countries celebrate Easter! Today, we are going to speak about a country that doesn’t celebrate Easter. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Do not assume this country has freedom because they are a democracy. Their crowded cities and their culture give them nothing but bondage. This country is India. There are many missionaries serving in this country undercover. This is a difficult place to minister and a ministry where your rewards come by making a difference in individual lives.

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A young lady who is serving like Brittne writes:
“My country is a mix of Hindu and Islamic beliefs. The people here do not celebrate Easter; in fact, most of them have never heard about Jesus or what He did. The people of my country represent one of the largest unreached people groups in the world. Pray that the message of Easter would be spread! I will celebrate by gathering with several women and their children on Saturday. My aim is to share with them the story of Jesus and His resurrection. On Sunday, I will join other believers for a sunrise service. I’ve been meditating on the sufferings of Christ. As I think about the cross He bore, I am rejoicing that I am seeing people from different tongues and tribes come to believe in Christ. I see the sovereign work of Dad (God, she can't write God in her email) throughout history as Christ died for us, and even today He is at work redeeming his children. “
Traditional Indian society is defined by relatively strict social hierarchy. The Indian caste system describes the social stratification and social restrictions in the Indian subcontinent, in which social classes are defined by thousands of endogamous hereditary groups. This system not only ranks people into a class but also a value of importance. Today there are an estimated 160 million people classified as “untouchables” in Bombay alone. The term “untouchables” means "ground", "suppressed", "crushed", or "broken to pieces" and expresses their "weakness, poverty and humiliation at the hands of the upper castes in the Indian society. An untouchable experiences violence, murder, rape and class related crimes to the scale of 110,000 registered cases a year, according to 2005 statistics.
Erich Bridges, SBC International Mission Board wrote in a recent article, “In traditional, middle-class Indian families, daughters are prostituting themselves on the side. Why? Because they want money! Values are being sacrificed for gain. And it started in the very foundations of Bombay. The city mixes New York’s money and manic energy, Los Angeles’ glitz and guns, Shanghai’s entrepreneurs and restless masses, Mexico City’s size and organized crime — with plenty of Calcutta’s poverty stirred in."
Mumbai’s nickname among Indians is “Maximum City” — maximum people, maximum wealth, maximum poverty, maximum traffic, maximum crime, maximum entertainment. Followers of Christ in the city add another: maximum darkness. Most of Mumbai’s millions “are so multi-generationally saturated in darkness and tradition that they don’t know how to look for light,” says a Christian worker. Hindus are the vast majority. But the city also is home to 2 million Muslims, as well as Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsees and members of every caste and virtually every people group in India. Professing Christians of all varieties, including the city’s centuries-old Roman Catholic community, comprise about 5 percent of the population. Evangelical believers, however, account for just 0.15 percent. “You see the church expanding only in the slums today, but not much among the well-educated people,” says Christian leader Ivan Raskino. “The sad thing is that Mumbai is expanding much more than the church.” Why? Rapid population growth among Hindus and Muslims, for one thing. Mumbai’s go-go pace, for another. Christians also labor under the weight of the city’s history.
If we (Christians) get our hearts right with God, if we draw close to each other, really humble ourselves and cry out to Him for the city, God will answer us. India’s national motto, which appears on every rupee coin and note is, “Truth alone triumphs.”
Let’s join hearts with those serving in India and pray for this dark land. May Truth triumph in Mumbai, while there is still time!

Watch this video on  India

 

In the body of Kenya

     Today we are going to look at Kenya, Africa. One of the blessings of Brittne being a missionary is that she knows other missionaries all over the world. Jeff is a journeyman who works in Kenya like Brittne does in Peru. He works with the college, street kids, and volunteers in many other places. He is the kind of person who helps where he sees he need. This is what he told me about Christians in Kenya:

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"The sincere believers in Kenya take Easter to be a wonderful time. The celebrations start on Palm Sunday when all over you will see people carrying palms as they walk to church. Palm trees grow all over Kenya so people just cut a branch and carry it to church. On Easter Sunday, many churches have sunrise services and then a long service (about three hours) with a lot of worship through music. Kenyans really know how to sing! There is a long message and some churches have a big dinner for the entire congregation.

I will be attending Ruaraka Baptist Church, the church right down the street from my house and will be worshiping in Swahili and then joining some great friends for an Easter lunch.
     God has been teaching me to evaluate my heart and focus. Easter is a wonderful time to take advantage of sharing the Gospel with Muslims, Hindus, and the many other lost people around me whom I encounter every day."

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     The difference I immediately saw between the Kenyan Christians and the American Christians is the difference in willingness to plan their Easter Day around the church and not plan the church around their Easter! I know I cannot speak for all Christians but in general, going to church on Easter Sunday is just part of the day, like hunting Easter Eggs. Even those that do not go to church any other time during the year will go to church on Easter Sunday. However, at noon, the wrists start coming up and the eyes start watching the clock. Can you imagine what would happen if your pastor decided to have a 3 hour service on Sunday? How many people would get up and leave? How many people would go to a sunrise service and then go to church for three hours and then eat together? I remember when we had sunrise services in Montana, the people who came to the sunrise service usually would not go to the church service! What has always been interesting to me is how we think we cannot go past an hour, or maybe an hour and a half; but we can sit through a 2 hour movie without thinking twice! We can attend a sporting event for hours and have a great time. But church? That is a different story!
     Sunday, as you go to church, go with a flexible schedule. Don't put dinner in the oven to come out exactly at the time you have estimated your arrival home; as long as your pastor isn't long winded of course! If the Holy Spirit moved upon a congregation 20 minutes pass the 'scheduled' time of ending during the closing prayer, I wonder how many would still be in their seats to reap the amazement? How many would have slipped out during the closing prayer to get home or to the restaurant on time? Change your perspective this Easter and plan Easter around God and church first! Then fill in the rest of your day with family and fun. Live out the day with no schedule of activities. Stay focused on Jesus. Let God move in you and enjoy the day of celebrating that Jesus is alive! Alive in this world! Alive in our church! Alive in our hearts!

As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side and they were alarmed. "Don't be alarmed," he said, "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.  He has risen!
Mark 16:5