August 29, 2024

           Change Begins with You

Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save,

Nor his ear too dull to hear.

But your iniquities have separated you from your God;

Your sins have hidden his face from you,

so that he will not hear.

For your hands are stained with blood,

your fingers with guilt.

Your lips have spoken falsely,

and your tongue mutters wicked things.

– Isaiah 59:1-3

We pray for our nation to turn back to Him. We pray that God will remember us and once again bless our land. We pray that He will deliver us from the evil forces that threaten our values. We expect God to save us from ourselves.

We are quick to point out the sins of others. We are certain that our sins, few that they might be, are not keeping our nation from prosperity and God’s favor. Our ways are good. Our walk is certain. Except it isn’t.

We have failed to provide for the least among us. We demand anyone in need jump through hoops we’ve created so that they may prove themselves worthy. We hold close to our money and possessions. We’ve worked hard to provide for ourselves and our families and we are certain that anyone in need must be lazy or on drugs.

We have judged what is not ours to judge. We have turned away from the needy, the poor, the abused. We have failed to care for the elderly, the widow and the orphan. We have demanded blessings for ourselves without thought or care for anyone else.

We live in a self-indulgent society with little care for anyone else. Money has become our god. It’s second only to the god of ourselves. We wonder where God is in our nation. We fail to see the stain on our own hands even as we point our fingers to those we see as godless.

What can we do to turn our nation back to the God we proclaim? Change begins with each individual. It’s not a sweeping national election or even a local food bank or church. Change begins when each person who proclaims Christ as Lord and Savior actually begins to live as Jesus lived.

Do you want our nation to change? Then do your part. Be kind. Show compassion. Give where you can without judgment or reservation. Be humble. Put others before yourself. Love your enemies. Pray fervently and never fail to listen to the Holy Spirit as He directs you.

God can heal our land. But first let’s show Him that we are willing to serve His people and not our own agendas.

June 28, 2023

 

God is Faithful

 

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. – Hebrews 11:1

 

I struggle to see. Some days are worse than others but every day is frustrating. It was not what I expected in this season of life.

 

Isn’t that how it often is in our faith journey? Just as we enter a season of strong faith, we find ourselves rocked by yet another challenge. We do believe; Lord help our unbelief! (Mark 9:24)

 

Gratitude fills my heart. It could be so much worse. I know that. I am blessed that I can see some. I can still read, which is huge for me. And I am so, so grateful for a doctor willing to send me to a specialist who diagnosed my eye disease. I could easily have gone blind without that diagnosis.

 

Still, sometimes as I list my blessings, my heart wants to delve into self-pity. Isn’t it enough that I already deal with the side-effects of chemo? Must I add yet another issue? Then I look around and remind myself once again that I am truly blessed.

 

I know that God is in this place. I count blessing after blessing, the most important one being that He never, ever left me. When my world fell apart, He was there. When I was being blamed for sins that weren’t mine, He was there. When I was afraid of the future, He was right there.

 

We lose sight of that sometimes. We forget that God holds us tightly throughout our journey. He knows exactly what we need, and who we need, before we even realize it. God takes care of His own.

 

Several years ago we had some sweet friends going through a terrible trial. He was a pastor who’d lost his church. It got ugly as the pastor stood firm in his faith. During that season of renewal, God provided jobs and strength. Now this same pastor serves a church that adores he and his family. God has blessed them more than they could ever imagine.

 

What I remember most about his season of grief, is his attitude. He told me that God held him in the palm of His hand and there was no better, no safer, place to be. (Isaiah 49:46) He was so right.

 

I don’t know what you’re going through right now but know that God is there with you. Have faith that He sees you and has good things planned for you. (Jeremiah 29:11) Hold tight to your hope because He is faithful. Always. Forever. Faithful.

February 15, 2020

Seek God

When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims. – Isaiah 1:15

They demand the prayers of many as they circle the wagons of righteousness. They are defending against evil or so they loudly proclaim. For it is in their next breath that they clutch tightly to what they “own” and the lifestyle that brings them comfort and security.

They wonder why God hasn’t changed their circumstances. They plead with God to protect them from the evil of Washington politicos who disagree with their version of faith. They cling to lies that will protect themselves rather than seek God’s true will.

God’s will is never comfortable. He doesn’t call us to the easy or to the view of many. God calls us to the light. His light. We are to be beacons in the darkness. Instead, we seek darkness and call it light.

Learn to do good.

Seek justice.

Help the oppressed.

Defend the cause of orphans.

Fight for the rights of widows. – Isaiah 1:17

We make excuses. They need to work. They should make better choices. We aren’t responsible for children who belong to others. If someone is in jail, they deserve to be there. We don’t have time to volunteer. We couldn’t possibly mentor a fatherless teen. It’s not our fault they’re having a hard time.

Really? It is our responsibility to do good where we can. God hasn’t called us to qualify who deserves our help. God doesn’t need us to judge and determine who is worthy. Asssll the financial gifts God has given to us are to be used to help others.

It’s not that God doesn’t want good things for us. He gives us blessings again and again. But God expects us to hold those things loosely. God expects us to show mercy and compassion to everyone.

What are you praying for today? Are you asking God to do your will or are you asking Him to open your heart to His will? God hears the prayers of those who truly seek Him. Are you?

January 1, 2019

A New Day

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” – Isaiah 43:19

“But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.”

– Isaiah 52:12

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! – 2 Corinthians 5:17

What are your New Year’s resolutions? Did you giddily toast to your dreams? Are you determined to live differently this year? Did you make plans for good things?

Why do you think this year will be different than last year? Are you different? Are you more determined? Has life rocked you to the core and changed your direction?

We like to think of the first day of a new year as a new beginning. In many ways, it is. But it is only a new beginning if we are willing to make real changes in how we live our lives. Dreams are great but they don’t do anything unless we are willing to take action.

Sometimes we get so mired in the past that we lose our hope for today. We get so overwhelmed with where we are that we can’t seem to make ourselves take small steps toward who we want to be.

Our goals were so attainable in the giddiness of the New Year’s Eve celebration. We felt strong enough to conquer anything. And, maybe, for a day or two we bask in the glow of change.

The reality isn’t always so easy. There’s no way to lose weight without changing our eating habits and adding physical activity to our lives. No amount of dreaming or fad diet challenges will cause us to lose weight. We’ve got to actually step up and change.

The same is true with seeking a new job, changing relationships, living more determinedly for Christ. Jobs don’t happen without applications and networking. Relationships don’t change without time and effort. Living for Christ doesn’t happen without spending more time with Him and actually stepping up to serve.

Do you see the pattern? Are you willing to do the work necessary to live differently in 2019?

Don’t let the past overwhelm you. And don’t get caught up with how large that mountain looks. Every goal is reached by taking one step and then another. You don’t have to do it all at once. You simply must take one step toward it today.

Can you do that? Do you trust God enough to follow the dreams He’s planted deep inside of you? Can you move forward even when you quake in fear? Are you willing to follow the light?

God never leaves us alone. He never lets us to wander without reason. Seek His wisdom and move forward into the New Year. God has called you to great things but it’s up to you to take that first step.

December 31, 2018

Leave Regrets Behind

“Forget the former things; do not swell on the past.” – Isaiah 43:18

We like to overthink the past, don’t we? We live with regrets of what we might have done differently or how someone wronged us or betrayed us or how we missed an opportunity that will never come again.

Not one moment of reviewing the past can change anything in the present. All it does is keep us from living in the present and heading toward the future.

There’s one of those Facebook sayings that I love. It goes something like this: Don’t look back. You aren’t headed that way.

How true is that? Constantly looking back keeps us from enjoying today. It roots us in bitterness. It reminds us of what will never be.

Certainly, there are lessons to be learned from mistakes and betrayals. We live today as a result of where we’ve been. We grow stronger, wiser, more compassionate as we live through tough experiences. We understand the depth of what others are willing to do to get their own way and destroy who you are.

We also learn to be strong and to hold tightly to those who remain steadfast in their love and friendship. This world is full of really good people. In our hurt and disappointment, we forget that sometimes.

One of those who disappoint us the most is ourselves. We think of all those things we could have done differently. We lament those things that we meant to do and never did. We beat ourselves up for choices that turned out to be wrong.

There’s no need to condemn yourself for that extra 20 pounds you haven’t yet lost. There’s no need to be critical of yourself for not going after that promotion or for choosing to be a couch potato rather than follow God’s clear path. All regret does is keep you mired in the quicksand of failure. That’s never been God’s plan for you.

King David knew a lot about regret. He’d lusted after a married woman, took her for himself, then had her husband killed when he learned she was pregnant with his child. He paid a high price for that. David and Bathsheba’s child died.

But David learned and moved on. After the Prophet Nathan rebuked the king, David repented. This is the man who had a heart for God. David wanted to do good. He just lost his way and satisfied himself with what wasn’t his. But David learned from the mistake and God gave him another child, Solomon, with Bathsheba.

What have you learned in 2018? Do you have regrets? Take their lessons and leave them behind. Do you have great joy? Learn to multiply that joy and find satisfaction living in the light of Christ.

December 9, 2018

Fear

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

– Isaiah 41:10

The Bible says “Do not fear” 365 times. That’s what the scholars tell us though I’ve never counted for myself. God knew we would need reassurance on a daily basis.

As I write this, a dear friend is fighting for her life. You know how it sometimes goes. A minor procedure leads to major surgery. All is good until, well, it isn’t. She was rushed back to the hospital and all we can do is wait and pray.

Fear dwells deep inside and mostly it is covered in faith. God is good, no matter the outcome of whatever is going on. We forget that sometimes. We’re quick to sound loud praises when the answer is what we want. We aren’t so quick to praise God when we’re afraid of what His answer might be.

But God is still good even when He says no. God is good when it hurts and seems unfair. God is good all the time. I am holding on to that right now.

I know about those terrifying ambulance rides. I understand the urgency in the emergency room, the frantic pace as doctors rush to figure it all out and save a life. I’ve kept vigil through the night, watching monitors, and praying for a healing that doesn’t always come.

And still there is hope. Because God is the Great Physician anything is possible. We don’t have to be afraid. He’s in control. Whatever happens, He’s with us.

There have been so many times I have sat silently alone, leaning on God for strength, comfort and peace. He never left me alone. He was there when the clock moved slowly through the night. He was there when the fatigue was so great I wasn’t sure I could make it through another moment. But I did – because God carried me when I couldn’t take another step.

My friends are there right now. My heart aches for them. I know they are surrounded by family and pastors. I know they rest in God’s embrace, she for healing and he for strength. I understand the fear even as you cling to hope in the storm.

So, I pray. Again and again I pray. Because while Satan is the author of fear, God is the author of peace and strength, of healing and hope.

The sweet truth is that my friend faces a win-win situation. If God chooses to heal her on this earth, she’ll have years more with her husband, children, friends. We’ll all be blessed by her presence with us.

If God chooses to heal her by calling her home, then she’ll wake up with Jesus. Can you even imagine the joy in that? We’ll be devastated, of course, but it won’t be goodbye forever. I am so thankful and grateful for that.

Fear wars with hope. God knew it would be that way. So He told us not to be afraid because He is with us. Hope. Yes. Let us cling to that.

December 5, 2018

Quiet Your Heart

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. – Isaiah 9:2

He was angry. He was upset with the media and the Democrats. He wasn’t too happy with folks in his own political party either. He ranted about opinions and stupidity and how upset his Mama got when she watched the news.

I tried to turn the conversation to a different topic. He kept bringing it back. It’s as though he just needed to be angry at something. I wasn’t sure it was really about what others were doing or not doing. It was just a way to avoid dealing with his own unhappiness.

I recognized his pain. He’s buried too many people who were far too young to die. How do you explain the death of two young children and their mom in a freak traffic accident? How do you understand the death of a spouse with no warning, no symptoms, no indication that she would never wake up?

We can’t get angry with God. Oh, we might somewhere deep inside. It just seems so unfair even though we know life is often unfair. But we cling desperately to the hope that one day we’ll see them all again. We don’t want to do anything to change that. So, no, we don’t want to be angry with God. We’re secretly afraid He might turn us away and then where would we be?

And we don’t want to wear our sorrow outside for all to see. Shouldn’t we be over it by now? Shouldn’t we have moved on, come to terms with what happened, adjusted somehow? Except those reactions are a fantasy conjured up by someone who couldn’t face the reality of loss.

The truth is life hurts. The pain is unbearable sometimes. The loss that surrounds us reminds us again and again that we aren’t in control. We can’t fix the broken. We can’t heal the sick. We can’t change the circumstances of today.

So we get angry at the world. We focus on something else. We lash out in an effort to somehow feel better inside. It doesn’t work. The anger doesn’t erase our unhappiness.

Our world is covered in darkness. Unhappiness is the new normal. We are never satisfied, never content, never joyful. We point fingers, spew angry words, blame everyone but ourselves. We are searching for what we already have but we can’t seem to find our way. Because we’re looking in the wrong direction.

I’m not talking about those who don’t know Jesus. Sure. There are plenty of those and we must try and reach them all. But the saddest people are those who do know our Savior and still find themselves consumed with anger.

Why? Because we’re so focused on the circumstances of today that we’ve lost the light. We are surrounded by darkness and we can’t seem to find our way out. We’re trying to save ourselves when that’s never going to be possible. We are floundering in the boat while Jesus says again and again, “Peace! Be still!” (Mark 4:39)

Give your anger to Him. Give Jesus your despair. Give Him your hurt. Stop trying to wrestle alone with what you cannot understand. Give it all to Jesus. Let Him fill you up with His peace.

We were never made for this world. Look toward the light. Jesus will guide you. Quiet your heart and focus on Him. It might not change your circumstances but it will still your anguish. It will remove your anger. Jesus will fill you up with hope and endurance and strength for the journey.

Take a deep breath. Be still.

September 12, 2018

God Sustains Us

Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

– Isaiah 46:4

Some seasons are just hard. Some days seem to never end. Some times life seems so meaningless. Some hours we struggle to breath. And then it gets better.

I look around and see so much suffering and heartache. As I write this, coastal areas in South Carolina and North Carolina are evacuating. A catastrophic hurricane is headed toward those beautiful states. I know what’s coming. I’ve been where they are. High winds. Flooding. Buildings destroyed. Roads wiped away. And power out for a long time. I pray for those in harms way. And I pray for those first responders who are already there and the ones who will soon be heading into the aftermath.

We are blessed that way. Those who go toward disaster are amazing people. In my own community, there are groups specially trained in disaster relief. They can cook for the masses. They can cut up downed trees. They can rip out wet carpet and wipe down mold from walls. They can rebuild. And they can give hugs, offer prayers, and wipe tears. They go where they’re needed.

I watch a sweet friend struggle through the days that follow sudden death. Her husband was too young to die. He was supposed to be okay. He’s supposed to be at home with her and their kids. I know. He’s in heaven and having a joyous time. But she’s here and it hurts. The emptiness never really goes away. And none of us can really help her. We can love her. We can send cards and offer hugs. But we can’t erase the pain that rests in her broken heart.

And yet her faith is amazing. She clings tightly to Jesus, showing all of us what it means to let Him carry you when you are too overwhelmed to take another step. She continues to reach out to others. She gives of herself to ministries they supported. She is an example of goodness. We are blessed to be part of her journey.

It’s just so easy to focus on the bad. It’s easy to forget that while there are some awful things happening right now, there are also some pretty amazing things happening too. And while there are some pretty awful people around, there are some pretty amazing people around too.

Focus on what’s good and right. That’s what the Bible tells us. We have a choice to think about good things or to think about the bad. Choose the good and watch how it multiplies.

A friend asked me yesterday if I was worried about something I face. Honestly? No. Do you know why? Because Jesus was right when He said that no amount of worrying can or will add another day to my life. I’m not in control. God is. Whatever is going to happen, will happen. Worrying won’t change it. But worrying would steal the peace I have today.

I have always loved this verse from Isaiah. When times get tough and I’m not sure I can face the days ahead, I remember that God made me. I belong to Him. And He will help me and sustain me. He will carry me when I am too weak to take another step. And He will love me no matter what.

That’s the hope I cling to when I am overwhelmed. I pray it’s the hope the folks evacuating from the hurricane will cling to as well. No amount of worrying will change what’s to come. We can only pray for strength to handle the aftermath. And we can look around and find joy in the helping hands God sends to carry us when times are tough.

July 31, 2018

What Do You Fear?

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

– Isaiah 41:10

What are you afraid of? Oh, come on. Everyone is afraid of something. It might be a snake or a spider. It could be having one of your children or your spouse get hurt. It could be financial loss or a fire. It could be needles or hospitals or driving on the interstate.

Fears don’t have to be rational. Indeed, most aren’t. But they are real. Their impact on our lives is real. That pounding heart inside of you is real.

Last year a sweet friend was rushed to a hospital almost three hours from home. She was fighting serious health issues and struggling to carry her baby to term. Did I mention she is terrified of needles?

I was appalled at the attitude of some of the healthcare workers. They had no sympathy. None. Did she absolutely have to have blood drawn and IV lines? Yes. But a little kindness and compassion would have gone a long way toward keeping her calm and keeping her blood pressure down. Thankfully, a nurse suggested a PICC line and that solved the issue.

I don’t have a fear of needles but I am terrified of snakes. Her fear of needles would be like someone holding a snake and coming toward me. It wouldn’t matter if it was a moccasin or a rat snake. I would be terrified.

Some fears we have from childhood on throughout life. Some fears we get over as we age. Other fears come later in life. And some fears we’re able to work through and reach the other side.

A sweet friend lost her teenage daughter in a car wreck. Her daughter was a passenger in another vehicle. Now, just imagine how hard it was for her to let her younger daughters ride in any vehicle but her own. Imagine how hard it was to teach them to drive, to hand over the car keys, to let them leave her side. Her fear, grounded in a very sad truth, was still fear that could have destroyed so much if she had let it.

Sometimes we have to meet our fears head on. We can’t be the people
God called us to be unless we do. Are you afraid of failure? Are you afraid of success? Are you afraid of change? They can all be stumbling blocks to the best that God has planned for us.

I love this verse from Isaiah. I use it whenever I am afraid, frustrated, uncertain. It reminds me that God is with me always. He never leaves me to face my fears alone. He doesn’t leave you either.

Life is full of fear and uncertainty. It doesn’t matter who you are or how in control you think you are. The one thing we can count on is God. Just like the Mom or Dad who runs to their child when he cries out in the middle of the night, God runs toward us. He pulls us close. He reassures us of His Presence. He calms us in the storm of fear. When fear tightens its clammy hands on you, cry out to God. He’s got you.

July 23, 2018

Are You A Hypocrite?

He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

‘These people honor me with their lips,

But their hearts are far from me.

They worship me in vain;

Their teachings are merely human rules.’

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” – Mark 7:6-8

It’s the hypocrisy that bothers me the most. It’s not about politics or whether someone is a Democrat or Republican. That’s irrelevant to someone whose citizenship is in heaven.

I have trouble understanding how someone can proclaim Jesus Christ with one breath and in another defend someone who publicly lies on an almost daily basis. How can he be from God when he ignores God’s laws? How can he serve a Risen Savior when he has yet to repent for past wrongs. Indeed, he doesn’t seem bothered by them at all.

Most of the time I remain silent. There is no discussion with those who strongly support our President. Their anger and belligerence astounds me. Whatever happened to honest debate? Whatever happened to civil discussions? Neither seem to exist anymore.

I have never liked Donald Trump. It’s not personal because I have never met the man. I just don’t care for high-profile playboys who flaunt their transgressions and condemn anyone who disagrees with them. I suppose that’s also why I don’t watch a lot of reality television.

I was amazed at how he played his role and ousted some good candidates on his road to the presidency. He is smart. He is also manipulative. It has served him well in the public arena.

What breaks my heart is how quickly Christians make excuses for him. We continue to bring up his opponent, though he became president long ago. His opponent is irrelevant when it comes to his behavior. We aren’t judged on the behavior of others but, rather, on our own behavior.

Are lies okay if you think he’s benefiting you in the area of business? Is deception okay if you think he’s making our country stronger in the military arena? Are degrading comments about women, bully tactics designed to keep opponents silent, and hateful commentary against anyone who isn’t “like” us okay? Apparently with some Christians it is.

We wonder why so many people are turning away from Jesus. We wonder why so many look down on Christians. We are so busy pointing fingers and defending someone whose actions we should condemn that we miss the point. We miss Jesus.

That’s what the world sees. They see a bunch of hypocrites where Jesus should be evident. Maybe we need to look deep inside. Maybe we need to make sure He’s really there.

July 21, 2018

What Will People Remember?

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” – the things God has prepared for those who love him. – 1 Corinthians 2:9

He loved Jesus. And that love permeated everything he did, whether at work, at church, at home. He gave generously of his time and money to those in need. He lived his faith.

And on Wednesday, God called him home.

No one expected it. How could someone so healthy get sick and die so quickly? How could someone the doctors expected to fully recover suddenly die? God’s ways are not our ways. The Bible tells us that and I believe it. But knowing and believing doesn’t make the path any easier.

The Bible also tells us that if we give bad things to God, He will turn them to good. So those of us who are hurting fully expect God to do something magnificent with this dear man’s death. We expect to see God glorified again and again and again.

There are many people who talk about faith. There are many who claim to love Jesus, who write checks, who offer prayers. But there are very few it seems who actually live their faith. He was someone who did.

People keep saying what he good man he was. They’re right about that. He was quick to share his faith in Jesus. He was the first to extend a helping hand, a second chance, a smile and a prayer at that moment for anyone in need. That’s part of the legacy he leaves behind.

He had built a good life with his wife and daughters. He worked hard. But he would be the first to tell you that wasn’t what was most important. He wasn’t raised in wealth. He’d made plenty of wrong choices along his path. And sometimes he’d struggled to pay bills, to find a decent job, to keep moving forward when life was determined to knock him back down.

He gave all the credit to Jesus. He told everyone how Jesus had saved him again and again. He was just so open and honest about his faith. He never tried to hide his struggles, to make his journey appear easy. It wasn’t. But it was that journey which made him solid, dependable, true to what he believed deep inside.

I can’t even imagine what greeted him when he arrived home. Jesus surely was there. His Daddy was probably right beside Jesus. And, then, the receiving line of welcome was likely massive. My parents would have been there. They adored this young man. We all did.

Now there is nothing left by memories and an emptiness that will never truly go away. His wife, whose own faith runs deep, will take one step and then another as she struggles into a future she didn’t plan. She expected they had years to share. Don’t we always think we’ve got all the time in the world to create memories?

His daughters will continue toward adulthood without the guiding influence of the man who loved them fully and completely. Hopefully the lessons they saw him live will be their rudder as they navigate a world without him. His family will do all they can. It will never be enough.

He died without regrets. His family knew how much he loved them. They also understood how deeply he loved Jesus. That’s what they will cling to in the dark days to come.

What will people remember about you when you’re gone? I promise it’s not going to be about what you own or how much money you acquired. They’ll remember how you lived your life and how you loved the people who surrounded you. Will it be a good memory? Will you leave a lasting legacy or will it slowly become dust as time passes? The choice is yours but don’t wait to long to make it. There are no guarantees that tomorrow will ever come.

May 4, 2018

Why Won’t God Answer?

Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

– Isaiah 59:1-2

“Why won’t God answer my prayers?” Her voice was quiet, the weight of sadness heavy on her shoulders. Unshed tears watered her eyes.

It does seem like God is ignoring us sometimes, doesn’t it? We pray and pray and pray and still it seems that God won’t respond. Nothing. No word. No sign. No indication that He’s even heard us.

We wait and wait and wait. The time of decision is at hand and still we wait. Where is God? You desperately want to do His will but how can you know what His will is if God won’t tell you?

There are many reasons why He doesn’t respond to our prayers. Maybe it’s because we have unconfessed sin in our hearts. God may be waiting for us to acknowledge our own inequities and change our behavior, our words, our hearts, before He acknowledges our prayers.

David asked God in Psalm 139 to search his heart and point out anything that might be wrong. We can do the same. Sometimes we harbor sin without really being aware of it. God will show us if we ask. The rest of it – confession and repentance – rests with us.

Other times God simply wants us to wait. His timing and ours rarely seem to be following the same clock. We get anxious, ready to move ahead. God wants us to feel His peace where we are. There is a lesson in the waiting. Look for it.

And sometimes God wants us to take a step forward in faith before He’ll clearly show us the way to go. This is a hard one. We want to know the path before we cut ties with the past. Where’s the trust in that? Is God nudging your heart in a certain direction? Pay attention to His still, quiet voice.

In the study Breathe, Priscilla Shirer talks about a season with small children and an overwhelming travel schedule for ministry. She and her husband prayed and prayed and they felt God calling them to step back and take a Sabbath. It took a while. They had commitments booked out for about two years. But they set a goal.

Here’s the thing: They didn’t know what that Sabbath would look like. They didn’t have a plan. But they trusted that God would take care of them and lead them where He wanted them to go.

They followed God first. Then the call came from Lifeway asking Priscilla to join their team as a speaker at large events. God wanted her to stay in ministry, just in a different way that was better suited to her young children and that particular season of her life.

When God seems distant ask yourself if you have really listened for His voice? Or have you been waiting for Him to answer the way you think He should? Sometimes we keep praying about something because we don’t like what God has told us. That’s not a comfortable thought, is it?

God always hears our prayers. God always answers our prayers. But we hear from Him in His timing, not ours. And we hear from Him what He thinks is best and not what we have asked Him to bless.

When you feel God’s silence, hit your knees and look inside. What are you missing that God wants you to see? Clean your heart and open it wide. Wait. God is right there.

March 31, 2018

Hope Is Coming

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. – Hebrews 6:19a

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. – Isaiah 53:3-4

Today is the day in between. We have suffered through Good Friday but we haven’t yet seen the miracle of the Resurrection. We our lost, alone, abandoned. Where is hope in the midst of our circumstances?

If you’ve never experienced deep betrayal, harsh words thrown at you, sudden illness, even death, then count yourself fortunate. Jesus warned us that in this world we would have trouble. We see it all around us. We ache from the pain that rips our hearts apart.

We forget that He also said, “I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) We are not lost or alone or abandoned. Hope is coming. Jesus is coming. We just have to get through today.

In the deep valley, it’s sometimes hard to see the sun coming up on the horizon. We look around and see only darkness. The path is rocky, the way unclear. We have been abandoned, rejected by those closest to us. Lies surround us and we wonder if the truth will ever raise its head. It will. Hope is coming.

He was despised by those who didn’t understand. Jesus was mocked and ridiculed. He came to save us all from our sins but we wanted no part of it, of Him. We wanted to live and be a part of this world. We were greedy, arrogant even, in our demands. Until the moment it was all gone. Why did we fight so hard for something we were never meant to have?

This world is not our home. We hear that and nod in agreement. We know what we’re supposed to say, what we’re supposed to believe. Yet we live as though this is all there is. We puff up in self-importance, refusing to acknowledge that it was never about us.

Hope is coming. He hung from a cross. He died so you and I wouldn’t have to spend eternity separated from God. All we have to do is believe, to put our trust, our hope, in Him. Why is it so hard to let go of the things of the world in order to embrace the inheritance that awaits us in heaven?

Maybe we don’t really believe. We know the answers but our hearts tell a different story. Our actions push aside what really matters. We live with our eyes on the prize before us rather than the home that awaits us.

Hope is coming. Jesus was arrested, ridiculed, rejected and abandoned. And yet He loved us enough to conquer death and offer us a way to salvation. Hope in the midst of darkness. Hope in the midst of pain. Hope in the midst of rejection.

Reach out. Don’t you see? There is light just over the horizon. Hang on. Hope is coming.

March 15, 2018

Exhaustion Surrounds Caregivers

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:29-31

Exhaustion ran so deep that I wasn’t sure I could make it through another day. I had to. There were no other options. When you are a caregiver, it sometimes feels as though the whole world rests on your weary shoulders. Well, actually, it does.

People are quick to tell you what you must do. They are quick to condemn and criticize. Just don’t ever ask them to do anything. Excuses tumble out of their mouths. The truth is they can’t be bothered to do what they should. Why should they? You are there to carry their load.

Have you ever tried to sleep in a hospital? Nurses and others are in and out all night. Your patient is awake more than not. Unfortunately, you aren’t headed home the next day for a needed nap. There’s too much to do and your priorities are with those you love.

People are quick to tell you to take time for yourself. When? You are always on call even if you aren’t present with the patient. When it really hit me that my Mother had died was the first time I reached to shove my phone in my pocket and realized I didn’t have to carry it with me to go downstairs and let the dogs out. I was no longer on call every moment of every day. I was no longer a caregiver.

My heart broke into a thousand pieces all over again. The grief runs deep. Medical professionals had warned me about what was to come. When your life for years is consumed with the needs of someone else – in my case two people – you don’t know what you’re supposed to do in the aftermath.

But this is about the journey because I know there are so many exhausted, hurting people doing the best they can to juggle an impossible situation.

Are you a critic? Then hush. If you can’t, or won’t, step up and actually provide help, then you’ve no right to be critical of anything someone else is doing. Have you considered the demands? Do you know what it’s like to juggle never-ending doctor appointments or home health visits? Have you ever struggled to get an elderly, sick person to eat what they should? Or to do or not do things based on their abilities rather than what they once could do?

If you want to help, then stop thinking that you should do and just do something. Offer to sit for a while so the caregiver can get to the grocery store. Bring a meal. Mow the lawn. Send cards of encouragement with personal messages written inside. Be the hands and feet of Jesus.

If you are the caregiver, know that Jesus takes every step with you. Get your strength from Him. Know that while you can’t possibly take another step on your own, you can do all things through Him who gives you strength. Fill your heart and your mind with His words. They will carry you in a way nothing else can.

Do I regret the hours and the days, the years of sacrifice? Not even a moment. I’d do it all again. I know I did all I could to honor my parents and tend to their needs. Every caregiver knows that. It’s what makes the exhausting days worthwhile, knowing that in the end you truly have done the right thing to honor God and those you love.

March 10, 2018

What Is Your Story?

O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. – Isaiah 25:1

We all have a story. Sometimes it’s as simple as growing up in church and realizing one day exactly who Jesus Christ is and what He has done for you. Or maybe your journey, your story, was filled with potholes and detours as He led you to your knees before His throne.

I listened recently to the testimony of a young girl who found Jesus when she was broken, depressed, alone. Outward appearances can be deceiving. She was also, in her words, a bully and truly mean person. She was dishonest and did things she came to regret.

God sent her to a new home, to reside with her Mother when all she’d ever known was her father’s house. He separated her from an older sister who was also her best friend. He moved her to a new town, a new school, a new way of life. God sent her to a place where she would hear His voice and allow Him to work miracles in her life and change her heart.

It wasn’t an easy journey for anyone. She rebelled as teenagers do. This woman-child who had once stole liquor from her father’s cabinet and treated “friends” like nothing, wasn’t going down easily. Her Mother, her stepfather, numerous people covered her in prayer. Church was an obligation. Youth group was required.

It changed her. She looked around and saw people who loved her no matter what. She wanted to be different. With God, with His Holy Spirit inside of her, she could be different. She’s in college now. There’s no evidence of where she was or how far she’d come. Except for that deep faith that remains strong no matter the storms life throws her way.

What is your story? Have you ever stopped to consider it? Maybe you should because it is in the midst of our stories that we find our strength. My story began outside as the sun blazed down on a broken life. Psalm 27:10 reminded me that even when my parents shoved me aside, God remained faithful. He gave a broken 15-year-old hope for another day. Did my circumstances change? No. But I changed and that made all the difference.

Maybe you’re afraid to examine your story. What does it reveal about you? Maybe you hear others talk about change and conviction and that is not part of who you are. It’s scary. It should be. Because knowing the correct answers to all the questions doesn’t mean you know Jesus.

It’s the same with church attendance and serving. You can do all the right things but if you’re heart isn’t changed, well, then maybe you’re holding out on God. It’s not easy to surrender your life to the One who created the universe. It’s not easy to admit you don’t have all the answers. It’s not easy to give up that control we cling to so tightly.

But that’s what true faith is all about. It’s putting Him before everything and everyone else. It’s realizing who we are in Christ and valuing that more than who we are in the world.

So let me ask you again: What’s your story? Think about it. Consider it. Pray to the only One who truly knows your heart. Because if you don’t have a story, maybe you should.

January 20, 2018

Embrace Our Differences

Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. – Isaiah 64:8

The tiny rockers were all lined up in a row. They were the perfect size for a toddler to scoot a diapered bottom into the seat and use chubby little legs to rock to and fro. They had never seen a rocker just their size.

Each rocker varied by color and design. One rocker was shades of blues and sported a sailboat. Another was deep red and had a tiny brown horse. There were white rockers with flowers and pink rockers with butterflies. Lots and lots of different combinations.

And then there was the green rocker. Not the pastel shade you might be thinking. It was vibrant. Acid green, I called it. I was amazed at the children who gravitated toward it. The color drew them.

The color repelled most of the parents. They were horrified that a bright green rocker might make its way into their sedate homes. They immediately encouraged their children to like the white one or the blue one, even the pink or red one. Just not the bright green rocker.

It was comical. It was sad. The children were barely walking and already their parents were pushing them to fit into a mold. I understand matching décor and color combinations – I’m an artist – but I also understand that God didn’t create us to be like everyone else. We are made in His image, not the image of those in the world.

We’re uncomfortable with that notion. We gravitate toward people who are like us. We want to surround ourselves with the predictable, the boring, the safe. We’re afraid if we try something new it might bring on disaster and – gulp – change. Most of us really don’t like change.

We also get caught up in the exterior and miss so much of what is on the interior. We judge someone with tattoos or someone overweight or someone who wears a suit every day. We label others and act accordingly. We give priority to those who have wealth and look down on those struggling to get by.

Somewhere along life’s path we’ve decided that it’s better to surround ourselves with people who are like us. We try to train our children up to follow that path. No, not the green rocker. You can choose any rocker you like, so long as it fits in with what we think you should have.

When Jesus chose the twelve disciples, He didn’t choose 12 men who were just alike. What does a fisherman have in common with a tax collector? So why do we think we must surround ourselves with people just like us? Why do we believe we must raise our children to fit an exterior mold we have created? God is the potter, not us.

We could learn so very much if we would just take time to look beyond the surface and really get to know someone. We could grow so much more in Christ if we allowed ourselves to love people who don’t always agree with us. We could become so much more like Jesus if we accepted people as they are rather than trying to remake them to be like us.

One fortunate child went home with that green rocker. His parents laughed as he tried to “help” his dad carry the purchase. What a happy little boy! His parents didn’t try to mold him to be like them. Instead, they were encouraging him to be who he is. There’s a lesson for all of us in that.

June 8. 2016

Give Fear To God

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

-- Isaiah 41:10

Fear. Have you ever felt it deep in your soul? Do you know what it’s like to lie awake at night, worried about things that might come? Have you sat alone in a hospital waiting room, terrified, begging God for help?

The Bible tells us 365 times not to fear. I’ve never counted the words myself but I trust all those who have. One verse for each day of the year. God knew we would have trouble with fear.

It is a sin. How many times have I told myself that? Fear reveals a lack of faith in God’s ability or willingness to handle a situation. Fear means we don’t trust Him to look after us. Fear means we’re worried about things we can’t control rather that trusting to Him whatever happens.

I wish I had a magic wand to make fear disappear. Wouldn’t we all like that? Because if you’ve lived long enough, you know that terrifying grip that can wreck your peace faster than anything.

I’ve learned a great deal about taking it to God. There’s no point in trying to hide it. He knows anyway. I share with Him my concerns and try to leave it at His throne. I say try because my gut instinct is to take it back. Again and again I battle. Again and again I war within myself.

The thing about fear is that it challenges us to live in the moment. I can’t predict what might happen tomorrow. I can’t. No amount of planning will prepare me for what can happen. Anyone who has ever sat in a hospital emergency room while doctors, nurses and techs worked to save a loved ones’ life knows that plans aren’t really dependable.

It’s not that we should just kick back and do nothing. It’s important to save and work hard and to prepare as best we can. But it’s also important not to worry about what tomorrow might bring. Chances are all those imagined scenarios will never come to pass. And if they do? Well, we couldn’t stop them anyway.

I’ve learned a lot about trusting God. Ironically, as my distrust for others has grown so has my trust in God. He’s the One I’ve learned to hold on to.

I’m still fearful sometimes. I cry out in hurt and anger and my mind races with things that might happen. But I’ve learned to run to Him and ask Him to calm the storm raging inside of me.

I could never have predicted some of the things that have happened in my life. I could never have imagined the depth of betrayal and the lies that Satan aimed my way. But I learned a lot too. God is faithful to hold me close and protect me from whatever life flings my way.