September 27, 2024

                                       Help Others

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

– 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Compassion. Kindness. Prayers.

We will go through hard times. It might be a hurricane that takes away our material possessions. It might be power outages and damage to our home. It could be a broken heart caused by the death of a loved one or a marriage that falls apart. It might be an illness or accident that sends your life down a path you never chose.

Why? That’s the question we all ask. We know that God turns all things to good if we give it to Him. (Romans 8:28) But what does “good” look like? 

Sometimes it’s strength to get through whatever we’re facing. Sometimes it’s peace in the middle of whatever happens. And sometimes good looks like walking beside people who are going through what we survived.

There’s a certain kind of compassion that comes when you’ve been there. It’s not about empty words – however well meaning – or platitudes. It comes from the heart of someone who has made the journey.

God uses people like you and me. Someone from church called me after I was diagnosed with cancer. She had no idea I had cancer. She called about something else. We had a beautiful conversation about God’s faithfulness. She’d walked the road I was on. She understood.

As Christians we are part of a fellowship, a family, that helps others. We have our church family, of course, but we also have others to help. We are called to serve. That’s what Jesus told us to do.

Sometimes that looks like taking a meal to someone who is sick. It might be mowing someone’s yard or changing a light bulb. It could be providing transportation to a doctor’s appointment or including someone who is alone in your holiday celebrations.

And sometimes it’s simply showing up and walking beside someone who is in the midst of hard. Compassion. Kindness. Prayers. We hurt so that one day we might be able to help someone else going through what we once faced.

September 1, 2023

 

Call Out to God

 

We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.

– 2 Chronicles 20:12c

 

I love this passage of Scripture. God’s people were about to face a mighty army that they couldn’t possibly defeat. Jehoshaphat was terrified. He took his fears and his petitions before the LORD, the Mighty One who could help.

 

How many times do we run to God with our petitions and our fears, our needs and our wants? It’s when we have used all our resources that we plead to God Almighty for help.

 

How do you stand against the enemy? It could be sickness, a job loss, betrayal. It might be depression, caregiving, financial uncertainty. The enemy takes on many, many cloaks with one end in mind – to derail God’s people from our purpose.

 

But we are not without help. We have a God who loves us more than we can ever comprehend. He stands ready to help but we must ask for that help.

 

This is what God told King Jehoshaphat: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. (2 Chronicles 20:15b)

 

We don’t have to battle the enemy alone! God doesn’t expect us to. God knows what we need and he’s right there beside us, in the battle, strengthening us and giving us the courage and wisdom we need to accomplish His purposes.

 

Does that mean that God always answers us in the way we would choose? Not at all. Sometimes the answer He gives will break our hearts. But we can trust that God loves us more than we can humanly comprehend. God sees the big picture and knows how it’s all going to turn out. For our good and His Glory.

 

Don’t ever be afraid or panic when the enemy seems to be closing in. Call on the power and wisdom of the One who created the universe. Cling tightly to His promises and He will cling tightly to you.

September 1, 2021

 

What’s Your Excuse?

 

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. – Proverbs 14:12

 

It’s been a sad week. A sad mon Ph really. So many people I know have loved ones fighting for their lives. Others are deep in grief for someone gone too soon. The reason? Covid. That’s the simple answer. The rest of the answer is way more complicated.

 

Every person that I know who is sick or dead refused to get the vaccination. Every single one. They had a choice and they said no. Those who are alive are fighting to regain strength and abilities lost during the long hospital stay. They will never be fully okay. Others are dead. Gone. Leaving behind husbands and wives and children.

 

I struggle to understand their refusal. I listen to the excuses from those who have yet to be diagnosed and I am astounded at their answers. The shot implants a chip. It hasn’t been fully approved. It decreases your immune system and you have health issues. It makes you spread the virus. Covid isn’t real, just manufactured by the government. I was in the military and had to take vaccines so now I refuse to take any vaccine. Need I go on?

 

Most of us have always taken vaccines. They were required before we started school. We take the flu vaccine and the shingles vaccine. It’s part of life that helps keep us healthy. But suddenly we’re finding some who are adamant that they have a “right” to not take a vaccine. They have a “right” to infect whoever they want, to get sick and overwhelm the hospitals and to leave their families grief-stricken.

 

Your “freedom” to choose comes with consequences that go far beyond your choice. It means people who need surgery can’t get it because there are no hospital beds. It means someone who has a heart attack or accident could be sent hundreds of miles away to a hospital with a vacant bed. It means that healthcare workers are overwhelmed and exhausted with no end in sight. It means all of us are back to wearing masks because you refused to do your part.

 

I struggle not to become hard-hearted toward those who are so busy being right until it happens to them. Then it’s too late. Then, if they live, they know that Covid is real. Then, if they die, they leave family and friends behind. Surely a vaccine was better than a coffin.

 

Lord, please, open their eyes before it’s too late. Please soften my heart to those who are creating such sadness.

July 9, 2019

Hope

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13

One friend spends her days in physical agony as she awaits surgery. Another desperately tries to balance a job, an elderly mother and grandchildren. Still another friend watches her barely adult children make mistake after mistake, breaking her heart again and again.

Hope. This little thing we cling to when the way is uncertain and we can’t see the light for all the darkness. It’s the miracle that keeps us taking yet another step forward rather than giving in to despair.

I won’t throw out platitudes. Words can’t ease pain, whether that pain is physical or emotional. Sometimes onlookers make situations worse by trying to help. Some journeys are just hard. That’s a fact.

Here’s what I have learned: God is there. In the darkest night, God is there. When there is no hope left in your heart, God is there. When you don’t see a way, God is there. Miracles happen every day. Some are small steps forward. Some are amazing things you couldn’t ever have predicted. God is the source of them all.

I don’t know what you are facing today. I don’t know your struggle. But I do know the light remains. Keep hoping. Keep believing. And don’t ever give up. God is faithful. Always and forever. Trust Him. He won’t let you down.

January 6, 2018

Draw Others to Christ

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. – Philippians 1:20

Paul didn’t write these words from inside a cushy house. He wasn’t being waited on by servants or enjoying luxuries without end. Paul was sitting in a jail, uncertain when his life might end.

There’s something about facing death that puts everything into perspective. Suddenly, it’s not about us. Our faith either makes us strong enough to endure whatever comes or is so shallow that the doubts turn us angry and bitter.

Have you ever witnessed someone flattened by sudden illness? It becomes a true test of faith, doesn’t it? It’s just so easy to sing Jesus’ praises while life is going good. We are happy and content and our faith is strong and sure.

Then something awful happens. The test results show cancer. The shallow breathing reveals a devastating heart condition. The slurred speech and clumsiness signal a life-changing stroke.

It is in those darkest moments when our true faith emerges. Circumstances either cast us adrift, causing us to flounder and forget our anchor, or they draw us toward the only One who can strengthen us and carry us through the journey.

Have you ever watched someone slammed with the unexpected death of a loved one? They either turn angry and bitter, blaming God for their loss, or they lean into the comfort only He can provide. One path brings life while the other path leads to destruction.

Our testimonies don’t really lie in the good days of life. Sure, people are watching and we are witnessing whether we are aware of it or not. People see our faith, how we live and behave in the every day ordinariness, and they see us as either people of God or hypocrites masquerading as Christians.

But it is in the valley, in those places of deep darkness, that people really come to understand who Jesus really is. It is when we cling to the cross that they understand God isn’t merely about the good times.

Life really isn’t about how many times we attend worship services, though that matters. It isn’t about how often we check that Christian box or whether we volunteer and tithe. It’s about what we show people when darkness threatens the light of Christ in our own lives.

We never know how we’ll react in devastating circumstances until it happens to us. We don’t really understand the strength Christ offers until His strength is all we have to get us through another day.

Paul was facing the worst of circumstances and what he wanted above all else was that his life exalt Christ. He wanted others to know Jesus through his words and actions, no matter the circumstances.

What about you? What do you want people to remember about you when your life comes to an end? Do you think they’ll remark about how stylishly you dressed or how much stuff you owned? Or will they see you as someone who loved Jesus and lived for Him in all you said and did?

We only have one life to live before we head home for eternity with Jesus. No matter your circumstances, let your life draw others to Him.

January 5, 2018

Spend Time Wisely

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. – Psalm 90:12

We think we’ve got all the time in the world, don’t we? That little cliché rests deep in our hearts. We’re certain we can procrastinate, put off, wait another day for whatever it is we know we should do.

Then one day, sometimes without warning, everything changes. Sudden death, illness, divorce, job loss. The list could go on and on. But there is one thing they all have in common: You and the life you imagined have changed forever.

Have you ever known someone who retired and then, within just a few months, was dead? All their life they’d dreamed about retirement. They were going to sleep late, lounge in the recliner, watch endless TV. It was going to be the perfect life. They just never expected death to come so quickly.

Or what about the man who worked hard year after year so that one day he could retire and travel tirelessly with his wife? It was going to be the perfect life. Except that in his relentless pursuit of the future, he put off medical checkups in the present. By the time the doctor found the cancer, it has spread. Stage IV, they called it. He won’t live long enough to take all those trips he postponed.

We tell ourselves we’ll play with our kids or grandkids “one day.” We promise to call, to write, to visit “one day.” We’re going to volunteer at the food pantry “one day.” We’re going to read the Bible all the way through “one day.” Do you see a pattern here?

None of us are promised anything beyond this moment. Yet we live our lives as though we’ve got forever to get around to doing what we’d always intended to do. Why is that?

We are a people who like to procrastinate. We settle down into our comfortable lives of today and dream about a tomorrow that may never come. We put off living until it’s too late. Then we look back and wonder what took us so long to realize what really mattered.

People matter. Giving matters. Helping others without expectation of anything in return matters. Sitting there watching mindless television doesn’t really matter. Playing video games doesn’t really matter.

We’ve got our lives so messed up sometimes. We neglect what energizes us – time with God, sleep, giving back – and focus on what drains us – gossip, drinking, gadgets.

It’s not that zoning out in front of the TV is all bad. Nor is playing video games or any number of other escapist activities. It’s when those things consume us to the point that we neglect what matters most that we need to step back and remember how fleeting life really can be.

Each of us has the same number of hours each day. How are you spending yours? Are you moving forward, giving back, spending quality time with those you love? Or are you turned within, just trying to get through the days while you wait for a perfect tomorrow?

Don’t wait. Take that trip. Play with your kids. Serve others for Christ. We don’t know how long our journey home will take so make every day count.

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.

November 18, 2018

Jesus Heals

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.

– Matthew 9:35

Jesus heals. Jesus always heals. Sometimes He heals by restoring a person’s health on this earth. Sometimes He heals by taking a person home.

But the hardest part isn’t always the healing, however it comes. Perhaps the hardest part is in the not knowing. It’s those moments when the doctors don’t quite know what’s wrong. The pain, the illness, is real. But there’s a limit to what doctors know.

Jesus doesn’t have those limits. So we pray for answers. We pay for healing. We pray for relief from what we do not know. Answers. Yes, we want answers. But, mostly, we just want it all to go away.

I spent much of this afternoon in a doctor’s office waiting for answers that never came. It was just another trip to see another doctor on a never-ending journey for relief. The illness comes on at odd moments. Each time is a little worse than before. The fever, well, it’s not normal. The muscle aches, the chills. Nothing is normal.

It’s not the flu. It’s not strep. That gets ruled out every time. We know what it’s not. We just don’t know what it is. Jesus knows.

My friend was willing to suffer at home in silence. He’s tired of the journey, tired of not knowing, tired of needle pricks and tests that rule out things but never seem to find the answer. One more step forward into the unknown.

Jesus heals. Jesus beckons us onward, drawing us closer to Him. When no one has the answers, who do we turn to? Jesus. We cry out in pain. We cry out for answers. We cry out for healing.

Several years ago a friend was in a horrific accident that almost cost her a leg. As the doctors struggled to find the bleed and save her life and her leg, we could only pray to the One who already knew the answers. Doctors are limited but Jesus isn’t. Only her scars tell the story of that awful night and the miracle of healing.

We are blessed to have access to such wonderful medical care. We are blessed to have caring people in our lives. We are blessed to have a Savior who heals both the seen and the unseen. Because sometimes what troubles us the most is the sickness that lies deep inside in that dark place only Jesus sees.

What hurts you today? Is it a physical illness that will soon be a part of your past? Is it an ongoing disease that lingers, stealing your strength and your future? Is it a hurt that won’t heal? Maybe it’s an unknown that weighs on you as the days continue onward with no answers?

Jesus heals. It doesn’t matter what you’re facing. He’s there. When you need answers, turn to Jesus. When you’re hurting, turn to Jesus. When you’re afraid, trust in Jesus. He never, ever leaves you alone.

Answers for my friend may come. I certainly pray that they do. But whatever happens, I know that Jesus is on this journey with him. Jesus has all the answers. And Jesus always heals.

September 30, 2018

How Far Will You Go?

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. – John 6:66

How devoted are you to Jesus? How much do you love Him? How far will you go when He calls you to a path not of your liking? What will you do, how much will you sacrifice, to fulfill His calling on your life?

It’s easy to follow Jesus when the path is sure and the work light and easy. It’s a good life, we tell ourselves. God is good, we share boldly.

And then, one day, it’s not. Your best friend gets a cancer diagnosis and, after surgery and treatments and hours of prayer, dies. Your husband spends years building a career that provides a good life for your family until, one day, his company goes under and you’re left with a meager bank account and no prospects for a new job.

Should I go on? There’s the child you’ve asked God to protect and guide since before he was born. He’s addicted to drugs. Maybe you thought you’d found the perfect church only to hear another church member gossiping and spreading ugly untruths about you. Maybe you’re infertile, or alone, or your husband is having an affair.

Do you still follow Jesus throughout it all? Do you still love Him and trust Him? Do you still believe He wants what is best for you?

Life rarely turns out the way we’d imagined. Our plans, well, they rarely direct our lives. God has a way of showing up and turning our world upset down. Sometimes it hurts. Always it ends up growing us and molding us into the people He wants us to be.

Staying the course is hard. It’s not like God gives us a map. We don’t get to preview the twists and turns before they happen. We don’t get to choose only good things.

I get it. I do. But here’s a hard truth:  It’s in the hard times, the hurtful moments, that we grow the most. It’s when we have nowhere else to turn that we finally cry out to the only One who can fill us with His peace, healing us from the inside out.

That’s when some people turn away. They want an easy button. They don’t want to walk through the pain. They don’t want to suffer. They don’t want to believe God knows best when He says no. They don’t want to trust when Jesus says wait.

It’s easy to turn to other things, isn’t it? Alcohol and pills dull the pain. Stuff, whether it’s the latest electronic gadget or a new outfit, makes us feel better. We can relax in front of the television, binging on escapism programming as we stuff unhealthy foods into our already overweight bodies. We don’t need Jesus. We can take care of ourselves. That’s what we tell ourselves anyway.

What about you? Can you stay the course, trusting Him, when the way is rocky and the final outcome uncertain? Can you believe in Him, in His goodness, in His love, when life hurts?

We don’t always get the answers we want in life. We don’t always understand why He allows us to hurt so deeply when we’ve tried so hard to follow Him? Through it all He changes us, molds us, until one day we look up and realize we’re really thankful we stayed the course and trusted Him through the hard times.

July 19, 2018

Focus on Jesus

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. – James 1:12

Some seasons of life are just hard. It might be a wayward child, a divorce, a job loss, an unexpected illness. It could be a wreck, a fire, a season of unexpected bills. It could be the death of someone you love. The storm crashes against us again and again and, some days, our faith seems so weak.

It’s not about whether you will face a storm. We all do. It’s about whether you have prepared your heart for its inevitability.

The Bible tells us to grow our roots deep in faith so that we can withstand life’s trials. Some take heed and do just that. Others merely skate along, with a naïve certainty that they can handle anything. They believe that really bad things only happen to others. They assume a strength that has never been tested.

Until it happens. Then you learn that waiting room chairs are hard and the hours endless while a loved one fights for her life in ICU. You learn the treasure of friends who just let you cry without trying to “fix” what only God can repair. You learn the difference between a necessity and a need. You learn the miracle of small steps forward, an extended hand, friends who show up and help without being asked.

And you learn empathy and grace. You learn that you can do everything right and still have your world fall apart without notice. You learn that nothing on this earth is certain and that our only true anchor is Christ.

You come to understand the camaraderie of strangers bound together by crisis. You learn medical terms and rehab techniques and how to find and accept specialized help. And you learn that pride has no place when you are in desperate need of a kind word or a flicker of hope.

There is no place as lonely as an ICU waiting room in the middle of the night. There is no place as lonely as the first moments, the first hours, in a house void of someone who will never come home again. There is no place as lonely as the days of transition between what was and what now is.

You learn the blessing of presence that some gift so generously. You learn the blessing of faith as long-ago memorized verses come to mind. You learn the truth that fertilized hope will carry you when the darkness threatens to overwhelm you.

You persevere, taking one step and then another, because you really have no choice. People say you are strong but the truth isn’t so pretty. There is nothing to do but go forward because life doesn’t pause for broken hearts, destroyed lives, shattered dreams.

You focus your eyes on Jesus, your anchor in what seems to be the never-ending storm. The world tells you to move on, to forget, to get over the past. Your heart wishes it was that easy. You take another step toward Jesus, toward His patience and compassion.

And one day your heart feels a little lighter. Your grief remains. What was will never be again. But you feel His Presence in a way you never felt before. You smile up at Jesus and take another step toward home.

July 18, 2018

Don’t Wait for Tomorrow

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

– James 4:13-15

He’s not the sort of man you expect to see rushed to ICU. He’s young, healthy, active. He’s a man of deep faith. A man with a wife and kids and a job. Someone who volunteers and repeatedly gives of himself to others.

An infection. That’s the diagnosis. The brain bleed stopped on its own. He should have a full recovery. It was a very scary night for his family. Things like this aren’t supposed to happen. But they do. Every single day, they do.

We make plans. We love to make plans. It might be something as simple as planning to go to work or to the store. Maybe you’re planning to watch television or mow the lawn. We’ve always got something planned. Until the unthinkable happens.

His wife noted that 24 hours before she never would have expected to be sitting in ICU, not knowing if her very sick husband would be okay. That’s the thing about life. Sometimes it hits you with a wave that will almost sink you, until you remember that Jesus controls the storm.

I mentioned this man’s deep faith. It’s a strength and a comfort. Because if his life had ended – and we praise God that it didn’t – we know goodbye would only have been temporary. It would hurt, especially for his family, but there would be some comfort in knowing where he was.

Sometimes people put off their faith decision. They think they’ve got time. We all think we’ve got time. We’ve got plenty of time to take that trip, make that call, play with the children. Until we don’t.

A sweet friend once said her cancer diagnosis was one of the greatest gifts God ever gave to her. The reason? It made her let go of all the superficial things she thought was important and focus on what truly was important. Her relationship with God grew strong and deep. It wasn’t about doing what was expected – church attendance and tithing – but about her heart and reaching the lost.

Are you lost? If today were your last day on earth, do you know where you’d go? Because one day when you aren’t really expecting it, you’ll take your last breath. It doesn’t matter if you’re 17 or 80. No one really expects to die until we do.

Don’t wait to know Jesus. He’s pretty awesome and He’s right there waiting to save your soul. All you have to do is ask.

April 2, 2018

Who Do You Turn To?

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. – Psalm 46:1

When something bad happens, who is the first one you turn to? When your world is shattered, who is the one who helps you pick up the pieces?

Friends and family can be wonderful in bad and uncertain times. But no one is better at handling trouble than God. He alone is equipped to guide us and rescue us from the evil that can sometimes surround us.

We have to ask for His help. Unlike many people in our lives, God doesn’t generally insert Himself into our troubles without an invitation. Instead, He waits patiently until we reach the point when we need Him so desperately that we cry out in pain and frustration. Then He’s right there.

Bad times generally turn people completely toward God or completely away from Him. We may pretend otherwise but our hearts tell a different story. There’s been many a person who went through the motions of church while harboring a deep anger at God for what He did or didn’t do for them or their loved one.

A dear friend became a widower long before he expected. In fact, he’d always believed he’d be the first to go home. He was years older than his wife. She was in good health and getting closer to retirement. They had plans for travel and spoiling the grandchildren and just growing old together.

ALS is an awful disease, robbing the body of its function while allowing the mind to see and know everything. His grief surrounds him even as he pushes forward. He has joined a new church, the one his son and grandchildren have long attended. He is a volunteer and attends almost every function at the church. He is learning and growing in Christ in a way he never expected. There’s nothing quite like death to make you realize skating through life with a lightweight faith just doesn’t work anymore.

Another friend has turned away from God. His splintered family has ripped his heart apart. Only God could possibly untangle the lies and change the circumstances of his situation. But God allowed it to happen and he is just too angry to cry out for help.

He has pulled away from church and faith. He numbs his sorrow drinking in clubs and filling his off hours with friends who do the same. His wife prays for him, for revival in his hardened heart. Will he ever turn back to the shallow faith he once claimed? Will he ever reach out to the only One who can heal and restore?

Life is full of hardship, of brokenness and lies. People we trusted will betray us in the worst ways. Illness comes even when you do everything right. Jobs are lost. Accidents happen. Life can sometimes be so hard.

God has all the answers. No. He won’t stop the bad from happening. This is a fallen world after all. But He does promise to be our refuge, our strength, our guiding light when trouble comes. We can count on His love when everyone around us seems distant and untrustworthy.

Which path do you choose? Do you choose to draw closer to God when trouble hits or do you choose to pull away?

February 6, 2018

Do What's Inconvenient

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2

It was an ordinary outpatient procedure, albeit in a different hospital than the one we were accustomed to. After all that had happened, this was just so very minor.

We had found our way to the right place. We’d done the paperwork (There is always paperwork!) and waited our turn. We followed a nurse down a long hallway, my parents and I. Mother was readied for the procedure and there we sat. And sat. And sat.

My Dad was never one to miss a meal so he headed across the street to a fast food restaurant, promising to bring something back for me. We were still sitting there when he returned. Mother got more aggravated with each passing moment. We’d been in that shabby room for hours.

Finally! A nurse came to collect her. And another nurse informed my Dad and I that we would need to move to the appropriate waiting room, some distance away. I gathered up all our things: Mother’s purse and mine, another bag with snacks, medicine and paperwork, two jackets, her walking stick, yet another bag with her clothes and my Diet Coke. I looked over at my Dad. He carried his Diet Coke in one hand and tightly clutched a bag carrying a second burger in the other hand. Away we went.

This was quite normal in my world, me laden down with everyone’s things. I sure wish I’d had a camera ready, though, to take a photo of the volunteer’s face when we finally entered the correct waiting room. Her eyes opened wide and her mouth fell open as I entered, balancing everything so I could hold the door open for my Dad.

I just shrugged. She shook her head. Welcome to my world.

The other day I drove my cousin to see her daughter who was in a hospital ICU some distance away. People told me I was kind. What a good thing, someone said. It was my turn to shake my head. Of course, I’d driven her. I didn’t need praise for doing it. She wasn’t able to drive herself and she needed to go.

The real question for me was why no one else had offered to drive her. I wasn’t the only one who could have done so. I wasn’t the only relative or friend or church member. There were plenty who could have helped. They chose not to.

We’re always ready to do our part so long as it doesn’t inconvenience us. We’re happy to help by writing a check or doing something fun. But, honestly, there’s nothing fun about a long drive and a day in the hospital.

The Bible has numerous accounts of Jesus being inconvenienced by others. He didn’t seem to mind. He never pushed his obligations off on someone else. He never dismissed someone in need with the obligatory “I’ll pray for you.” Jesus did what He could where He was. How can we do anything less?

I’m not saying we should all do everything someone else asks us to do. I’m not suggesting that we should attempt to meet every need in this fallen world around us. But neither is it okay to stay in our insulated little world and let someone else always step up to do what we can but won’t.

We are to carry each other’s burdens. Anybody can be there for the celebratory meal or the grand event. Be there during the tough times. Make the sacrifices. Roll your sleeves up and work. That’s when your true faith emerges. That’s when your blessings abound.

January 31, 2018

Care For Others

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. – James 1:27

They would come if it was necessary. One would have to take sick leave. The other would have to make it a long day because she couldn’t leave her dog. At least they offered. The third sibling didn’t even do that.

Their special needs sister was in ICU at a hospital more than 100 miles from their elderly parents. The flu had placed all the area hospitals at capacity. It was the closest available ICU bed to the facility where she lived.

This sister had lived at home until seizures destroyed her memory. It became impossible for her parents to care for her and they found a wonderful facility 32 miles from them. Her mom especially had devoted her life to this daughter’s care. This forced separation was tearing her apart.

This 86-year-old woman called me. Could I drive her to see her daughter? Absolutely. I never considered anything else. I was glad to do it.

Let me explain a little bit about my life. I am self-employed. If I don’t work, I don’t make money. There are no paid sick days or vacation days in my world. I also have a farm with animals that must be cared for whether it’s convenient or not. In fact, I called on a dear friend to stop by and check on the animals while I was gone that day.

I should also explain that this mom and her daughter are family. I know what it’s like to try and care for someone you love with no physical support from the people who should step up and help.

It isn’t always possible to hire someone. It isn’t always practical. And, frankly, it isn’t always what needs to be done. A loving family member can accomplish so much more.

At the hospital that first day, I was the one asking questions. I was the one helping the medical staff gently explain that this was not going to have a happy ending. While this illness might not kill her daughter, the mom needed to prepare herself because her daughter was nearing the end.

Maybe God planned it that way. I knew what to ask because there are lessons you learn as a caregiver that really can’t be forgotten. Experience can be a painful teacher. Preparation does help when the days near their end.

But there was another part of me that was angry at the other children for not being there for their mom. She shouldn’t have had to ask them to come. She shouldn’t have had to explain that she needed them.

I think of a sweet friend who used to travel to Arizona several times a year to give her brother and sister-in-law a break from caring for their elderly mother. Yes, they had sitters around the clock. But they rightly wouldn’t leave their mother without another family member there to supervise and monitor the situation. It makes a difference. It really does.

She gladly did it. She gave of herself, at great financial sacrifice, because it was the right thing to do. Was it easy? No. But she did it anyway.

Sometimes we are called to sacrifice of ourselves to provide care for those we love. We shouldn’t need to be asked. And we shouldn’t let someone else do it for us. It’s our responsibility, whether it’s convenient or not.

May 18, 2016

God Can Do Anything

40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

41 Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. -- Mark 1:40-42

Every day I ask God to heal a dear friend. She has ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is not a pretty disease and the outlook is grim.

But Jesus can heal anyone from anything. I reminded Him of that this morning. My friend is blessed in that she can still do much of what she wants to do. She must be on a breathing machine four hours each day and she has a feeding tube, but she can walk and do so many things.

What I miss, though, is talking to her. We text but it’s just not the same. She even has a voice program on her computer. But it’s not the same. Sometimes when I read her comments I can hear her voice in my mind. I miss it.

God can restore her voice. He can restore her health. He can. So I asked Him. I know. He usually doesn’t restore health in cases like this. But He can. He can.

I wonder how many times we fail to ask for what we really want in life because we’ve already determined that God will say no. But the answer will always be no if we don’t ask.

Prayer is such a powerful thing. God hears His children. The same Jesus who healed the leper can heal my friend. If He is willing.

Why do we limit God? Why do we ask for the small, the unimportant, the generic things rather than the specific big things that really matter? Maybe it’s because we’re afraid He’ll say no. Then what?

Maybe we somehow think if we don’t ask, it won’t hurt so badly if God doesn’t heal, doesn’t provide, doesn’t show up like we planned. It will.

Here’s the thing: God always shows up. He’s always with us. No matter what His answer, He is present with us. He does know best even if His answer breaks our heart. It’s breaking His heart even more.

It was never God’s plan for all these diseases to be part of our lives. He didn’t want this fallen world. That’s why He had a plan to save us, to send His Son to shed His blood to pay for all our sins. One day we’ll go home. But for now we face some heartbreaking things. Like ALS.

I know the odds aren’t great. I do. I lost the ability to live in a fantasy world a long, long time ago. But I also know that my God is great and mighty and He can do anything. If He is willing. So I won’t stop asking. Because, who knows, maybe one day He will be.

May 2, 2016

Safety Comes With Jesus

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

There’s a lot to fear in this world. I know. We’re not supposed to be afraid. It shows a lack of trust in God. Yet fear remains.

I think the reason we are told not to be afraid -- like 365 times -- is because God understood we would have a problem with fear. He wanted to reassure us that He is near and in control.

Fear can be about so many different things. Every day I pray for a baby I do not know, a tiny little guy fighting for his life in Boston. He’s only five months old and has already dealt with so many health issues. I can’t imagine the fear his parents feel, fear that they will lose him, fear that there won’t be enough money to sustain them as they stand vigil so far from home.

So I pray, as do countless others. Because I know that God is there with them. I know that God will carry them through this unknown journey.

An elderly couple in a neighboring county were recently targeted, assaulted, robbed. Finally, the men have been arrested. But where is our sense of security? When did things like that begin happening in rural areas where most everybody knows everybody else?

Maybe these things have always happened. It’s just that now, because of instant news access and social media, we just know so much more. Sometimes that it good. Sometimes it isn’t.

Another sweet couple struggled after both of them lost their jobs. They were within one payment of losing their home. Their kids were afraid, asking their parents where they would live. Finally, one of them got a job and their home was saved.

The fear remains deep inside. They’ve learned that you can do everything right -- no credit card bills, no debt beyond a mortgage, savings to last a few months -- and still have your financial world fall apart. They never expected both of them to be laid off at the same time. They never expected to have so much trouble getting another job. They know it could happen again.

And, yet, God is ever present. The couple with the baby? An anonymous donor paid the $25,000 cost to fly their son -- on life support at the time -- to the special hospital he needed for surgery.

A reason to smile, to hope, to believe, in the midst of a fallen world. God is with us. Yahweh. Lord. Savior. King. Jesus wins. We’re safe because we rest in His arms.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

God Hears Our Prayers

Devote yourselves to prayers, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.

-- Colossians 4:2-3

The other side of the valley is filled with brilliant light. When the darkness parts, the blessings seem so much deeper. Maybe because they touch our souls in a way that only God can.

A dear friend has spent much of this year in agony. She’s endured surgery and pain so intense she was almost afraid to move. More than two weeks ago she entered the hospital again, this time in ICU. She had a respirator and didn’t recognize anyone, including her beloved husband.

We were all scared. We want so desperately for her to live and to thrive, to leave the pain and sickness behind. We prayed for her. Again and again we stood over her and prayed. We prayed in church and we prayed at home. Whenever we thought of her, we prayed.

And, yet, we were willing to let her go home. She is a strong Christian who lives her faith. I smile as I remember her rush to purchase items for the Santa for Seniors program last year. She was happy to help. Silly though it seems, not too many Christians smile when they’re spending money for people they don’t know.

Somehow holding on to this vibrant woman seemed cruel. She deserves laughter like she gives to others. She deserves a full life free of pain. She deserves so much more than I. And yet she lay there fighting even as the fight seemed to leave her.

God heard our prayers. The respirator, which seemed like a permanent fixture, was successfully removed. And, now, three days later she is like her old self. She knows us all. She smiles. She is weak but she is alive and for that we are so very grateful. She is our miracle.

I look around me sometimes and I see so many sick and hurting people. One friend faces incurable cancer. Another is fighting lung cancer -- again. There are so many who are hurting and in need. And, yet, we see God’s hand, we see His Grace, everywhere.

This miracle is a reminder to us all that God is present even in the most dire circumstances. He holds us close and hears our prayers. And sometimes, yes sometimes, God gives us back what we thought we had lost. Praise be to God!

Thursday, October 4, 2012

God Strengthens And Sustains Us

“Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.”

When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”

-- Daniel 10:19

Some journeys in life are just hard. They are wrought with illness and fear and hospitals and uncertainty. What sustains us, who sustains us, is God and those who represent Him on this earth.

A dear woman lies in a hospital bed fighting for her life. She has suffered so much pain over the past months and it has all culminated in this moment of time. She can’t speak for the ventilator. We’re not sure how much she understands about what is going on.

Still, we visit and remind her of our love and concern. We urge her toward peace and rest, assuring her that God is with her and will strengthen her in this battle. We tell her again and again of the prayers so many have said for her and of the love God has for her.

We pray over her and with her family. We pray together and alone. Because God hears us. We don’t know if her healing will take place on this earth or in heaven, but we know our God will one day grant her relief from the pain.

Another man stood stoically before his wife’s casket. She’d fought long and hard but breast cancer won the day. She won the battle, of course. She’s with Jesus right now. But her husband, her sons, the family and friends who cherished her so, are stunned that she has gone ahead and left this empty hole in their hearts.

So we gather around them. We give hugs and share memories. We provide strength in our presence and nourishment with our prayers. We are reminded again that the body of Christ lives within all believers and that we are part of the same family.

We don’t know what the future holds. We have no idea when illness can suddenly strike. When an accident can send our once good health into a tailspin. When our orderly world careens down an unwelcome path. But we do know who holds our hand on the journey. We feel His Presence. We see His goodness even in the darkest of nights.

Fear can grip the strongest among us. Yet our faith reminds us that we have no need to be afraid. He is with us, strengthening us, sustaining us, loving us, along every step we take.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Mind Your Own Business

Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. -- Romans 14:4

Sometimes you just have to laugh. Otherwise you’d be pulling your hair out or screaming in frustration. Some folks are just going to be who they are and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Everything has been going smoothly. We’re delivering food to a couple who is sick and in need of help. We’ve organized different things throughout this ministry. It’s all going well. I’m thankful. I’ve had my own medical issues this week and really haven’t felt like dealing with anyone else’s.

One woman has been a busy body. She’s determined to get involved in the care of someone else, not because she’s related or a close friend. And not because anyone has asked for her help. But because I guess none of us are doing things to her satisfaction.

Instead of calling the person who is organizing things, she has insisted on calling me. I guess she’s gotten a little upset because I haven’t been available. And the spouse of the woman who is sick is just not cooperating with her efforts to get his wife to church.

Which is ridiculous. Because this dear woman is too sick for anything, but especially a church filled with people and the germs they carry. Anyone familiar with her illness knows this. None of that stopped this woman from trying to force it to happen anyway. Just one more thing her poor husband had to deal with, which is something we’ve really tried to avoid.

We’d asked folks to only work through me or the person coordinating the efforts. We want to spare the family a lot of unnecessary phone calls and aggravation they really don’t need right now. But some folks can’t seem to stop themselves.

The reason I try to keep a sense of humor is because this person called me several weeks ago and I asked her if she’d like to be involved. Would she consider taking food, for example. Nope. Not her. She doesn’t want to be involved in ministry. She just wants to run the show and criticize those who are actively taking part.

It’s always easy to see a better way of doing things when you aren’t the one doing it. And it’s always easy to judge from the outside what’s going on that we can’t see or understand. It’s not so easy to be a worker bee when asked, and let God get all the glory for whatever help is given.

So if you’re not actively involved in a situation, keep your mouth shut. If you’re not willing to contribute, don’t criticize those who are. And if you’re not part of the family or a close friend, don’t tell them what needs to be done and how. It’s none of your business and, honestly, you don’t have a clue.

Friday, September 28, 2012

God Hears Our Deepest Cries

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. -- Romans 8:26

I’m really not good at being sick. I’m not good at being less than healthy. I’m not good with weakness in myself. And I’m not good at accepting help.

I know. Most people want help. Not me. I’m accustomed to doing things for myself. It’s that simple and that complicated. One minor surgery doesn’t change a lifetime of independence.

As I child, I longed to have that kind of care. Instead, I was a sickly burden whose parents fought over who “had” to take me to the doctor on that particular day. The adult me prefers to take care of myself.

So it is with great frustration that I’ve been kept even from talking to the doctor’s office. I keep telling myself they meant well but I can’t shake the notion that it’s all about control. Theirs not mine.

It’s sort of the way my life is right now. The harder I try to retake a piece of my life back from the world around me, the more difficult the task seems. I feel helpless and alone. I am so very grateful for a Holy Spirit that understands my pain, recognizing how hard it sometimes is to do the right thing.

Because in doing the right thing sometimes we lose part of ourselves that we never expected to lose. And we gain something else that we never expected either. Somehow it all needs to come together, to mesh into a life. Some days it doesn’t feel like that will ever happen. Some days it seems like I will never be me again.

So I cling to the promises from God, that I am not alone in this journey. And that while I don’t know where I’m headed, He does. When I get scared, He understands. When I don’t have words, the Holy Spirit provides them for me. When tears flow, He dries them for me.

One thing I learned to cling to along the path of life is a God who is always there. I am grateful for that. When I cry out in pain, He comforts me. When I need to be heard, He hears me. No matter what happens, He will carry me through it. Promises to hold on to, no matter what.