Life Off Line: 5 Ways to be sure to pray

Today you can find me over at The MOM Initiative posting about Parenting out of the Pit of Addiction.

Today is also the official merger day of Scripture Dig and Do Not Depart. I'm excited to be "going along" as part of the Do Not Depart contributor team. Right now our Bible study together is called Run to Him and is based on various Psalms. This week we read Psalm 4, and 2 phrases got my attention in my real Life Off Line: 

• "Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!" v. 1
• "the Lord hears when I call to him." v. 3

The "when I call" repetition grabbed me, because it's so easy to be so caught up with so many things that I just fail to call. .... Kid appointments. Work demands. Laundry loads. Physical weakness. People pressure. Legitimate needs. I can get caught up in all the "doing" and in attempting to work out my own answers that I leave out "when I call."  

5 Ways to be sure I call:

1. Get up a little earlier or stay up a little later
2. Find a place to be alone (when all else fails, the bathroom ...)
3. Sit still and think about God (the car works!)
4. Open my Bible and pray back His words
5. Use a simple prayer journal to keep me focused

Next week I'll wrap up the Life Off Line focus, but I will never cease to need to stop and call on the Lord. He will hear and answer ... when I call. 

Other topics you might want to read from our Life Off Line series:

• Friendship
• Marriage: How to Have a Real Fight
• Real Hospitality
• God's Word
• Real Truth, Real Women
• 7 Real Habits for Happy Marriage
• Real Encouragement
• Snowman Craft
• Marriage: How do you do w/mess? 
• Are you resting?

Is there room on your road today?

This girl has got a lot of miles to run today! Trip downtown to women's shelter, errands for sleepover of teen girls at my house tonight, the opposite direction for a music lesson, and time at the funeral of a friend's father. I have my "road" mapped out, and I don't have a lot of room today for the unexpected.

visualbiblealive.com

On Resurrection Sunday two travelers who had followed Jesus were walking on the road to Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. Talking about the unbelievable events they had witnessed, they grieved as they walked. When a stranger approached them, they didn't recognize him, and they expressed unmet hopes. (The whole story is here.)  The stranger was the risen Christ, and since Cleopas and his unnamed companion were "foolish ones and slow of heart to believe" (v.25) He explained everything to them, starting with Moses and the Prophets. I WISH I KNEW WHAT HE SHARED!!!! :)  They still didn't get it. 

When they got to Emmaus, Cleopas and his friend convinced Jesus to stay for dinner; when the Savior blessed the bread and served them ... "their eyes were opened, and they recognized him" (v.31).  Then He vanished.  And though it was night and they had come a long way, they went the seven miles back to Jerusalem to report all that had happened to the others in the group. I bet they were glad that they made room for the unexpected Stranger that day on the Emmaus Road. 

Lord, 
help me not to be in such a hurry, with tunnel vision on my agenda, that I miss YOU coming to open my eyes and enlighten my heart along the way. 

Whatever my road, I will prepare room for You.

Marriage Mondays: Bearing Your Cross

Somewhere between being sixteen and the first year of having a "real job," most women in my country are faced with the fact that life is a lot of work. We realize that life is not at all like Pride and Prejudice. How we come to terms with that reality goes a long way in deciding what life will be like. Will we smile at the future and face our days with hope? Or will we growl at each new challenge and grow old with a furrowed brow? Life is work, and it's part of the cross we bear if we are women who follow Christ.

For some wives, marriage is a cross they bear. How we come to terms with the work marriage takes goes a long way in deciding what our life will be like.

If you look at the Christmas story as all of Jesus' life, you'll find a cross bearer, and it wasn't Jesus. Like a lot of us, Simon of Cyrene was minding his own business and probably excited about his prospects, as he was "coming in from the country" into the big city of Jerusalem at the time of the Passover and Sabbath. He wasn't expecting to have to carry a cross.

As Immanuel, God with us, was led away through the streets, the soldiers seized Simon and  "placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus" (The whole story is here from Luke 23:26-32). Suddenly carrying the heavy load of a cross, the symbol of judgment, country Simon found himself thrust in line with the bruised Jesus, 2 criminals, and a riotous crowd of angry people pressing in at him. Did he feel like it was unfair? A shock? No one told him a trip to the big city might include this.

None of us enters marriage or making a home expecting to be seized by life's hardest circumstances and made to carry a cross. It seems unfair, a shock ... no one tells you that a trip through marriage might include this. But Simon wasn't carrying his own cross; he was carrying Jesus' cross. Our Immanuel, who became flesh to be the Savior of the world, asks us to do the same.  Carry HIS cross, daily, even in marriage and home making. 

"... The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.” And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it." (Luke 9:22-24)

Are you dragging around your own cross, or are you carrying His?  By now we all know that we aren't starring in a modern version of Pride and Prejudice, and we're making the decision of whether or not we'll deny ourselves TODAY and take up HIS cross and follow HIM. It's the way to save our marriages and our homes and our selves. 

Let's make room for Jesus this Christmas by setting aside our own hang ups that we're so used to  dragging around. That means we don't just keep talking and whining about our problems, never seeking the help, wisdom, and control of the Son of Man. It means we see our work as a way to serve Jesus and give glory to Him. If we get rid of the cross we heave up on ourselves each day, we'll have room for His. 

Come. Sit. Make Room.

During Jesus' time on earth, He often visited the home of friends in the town of Bethany. It's I want to say that Martha gets a bad rap, that she's misunderstood ... probably because I'm such a Martha. Jesus spent time in "her house," so it's not hard to see why the girl was busy. If I would've been living in 1st century Bethany, I'm sure Martha and I would've shared pins on Pinterest and helped each other with monthly freezer meals and door decor. After all, Jesus was a frequent visitor, and a homemaker's got to be prepared!


But still, Jesus said Martha's younger sister Mary chose, "the good portion, which will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:38-42).  Then, as now, there was always tasks to finish, shopping to do, recipes to perfect, and guests to serve, but Mary sat down at the feet of Jesus and listened to Him. 

• Mary's heart was captivated by Jesus. 
• Martha was "distracted with much serving;" her heart was captivated by busyness. 

It's not easy to Prepare Him Room at one of the busiest times of year. If we try, the Enemy whispers to us about all that's to be done, all we didn't do, all the other things that wait to be attended to. But making room for Jesus is the "good portion, which will not be taken away" from us. 

As a help for you this weekend, while you're fighting the urgent, juggling the demands, and deciding what to prioritize, I want to give you a beautiful reminder of the invitation Jesus gives us every day. Even at Christmas. Especially at Christmas. 

Come. Sit. Make room. 

If you receive this post via email, be sure to click the post title and come to the main blog where you can see the illustration. I invite you to print it out, hang it in plain sight, and be reminded to make room. Maybe a friend in your life would be encouraged to receive a copy, along with "permission" to come, sit, and make room for Immanuel. And if you like it, share it on Pinterest. ;) I'm pretty sure Martha won't. 

Come Sit Make Room ~ Christmas Inspiration

Blind man, bold faith

Yesterday I found myself looking at a big problem and unable to see the solution. In fact, the whole picture looked rather bleak. I saw no solution, and I felt tempted to cover my head with my comforter and have a good cry ... but the dog wouldn't get off the blanket. :)

Timaeus' son Bartimaeus faced an obstacle he couldn't see through either; he was literally physically blind. To meet his needs, he positioned himself near Jericho, on the road pilgrims took to Jerusalem. Sitting there, he was likely to receive pity from those feeling waves of generosity, but their alms couldn't heal his blindness.

While at his station one day, he heard the sound of a crowd passing by and was alert to the possibilities. He hadn't crawled under a blanket in self pity; he was waiting expectantly ... for more than a few coins. When he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was the reason for the ruckus, he boldly cried out for mercy from "Jesus, Son of David." Bartimaeus may've been in the dark visually, but his heart clearly recognized the Messiah. 

Like people on the front row usually do, they tried to silence the rowdy guy in the back, but Bartimaeus cried out "all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'" (Lk 18:39). 

Jesus stopped to see the blind man and asked what he wanted. Bartimaeus didn't wasted his chance asking for alms. He asked the Messiah to restore his sight, and Jesus healed him. Like others who set aside pride or influence or expectations or insecurities, the reason for the Blind Man's healing was an issue of the heart: "Your faith has made you well" (Lk. 18:42). 

We could understand if Bartimaeus sat in the dirt and cried or covered himself up hopelessly, but to make room for Jesus, he got rid of self pity and reached out with bold faith. 

When the Son of David said the sightless man was made well, He was really saying the man's faith saved him physically and spiritually. It's not surprising, then, that the newly sighted man's response was to follow Jesus and glorify God, evidence of a disciple's heart. Near Jericho that day, the Jerusalem bound crowd saw and heard what happened to the blind man with the bold faith, and "all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God" (Lk. 18:43).

Sometimes we can't see an answer to life's problems. There are circumstances that leave us feeling blind, tempting us to just sit down in the dirt and feel sorry for ourselves ...  even at Christmas time. There won't be room for Jesus, if we just sit on our trouble, even while the Savior is within faith's reach.

I let the dog stay on the blanket yesterday. I did not cover up or have a good cry ... this time. ;)

If a blind man can make room for Jesus by pushing out a legitimate moment of self pity & replacing it with bold faith, so can I!  You?

Are you desperate enough?

To be desperate means you feel urgency with little to no hope. When was the last time you felt desperate? 

visualbiblealive.com

When God's only Son Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James and John, "a great crowd met him," (Lk. 9:37), but in the mass of people a desperate man found a way to be heard and "cried out, 'Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child'" (v. 38). Desperation pushed past the crowd right to Jesus. 


The man's only son was being constantly plagued by a demon, causing the boy to be gripped with convulsing, screaming, and foaming at that mouth. The desperate dad said of his son that the demon "shatters him, and will hardly leave him" (v.39).  The father knew the cause of the pain, and he could see the impact, but he was powerless to change it. Life often includes struggles we feel, with causes we know, but are powerless to change. 


Before he became desperate enough to cry out to Jesus, the man had appealed to the disciples, and they failed to heal the boy. It's in our nature to turn to our earthly options to try and solve our problems, but when we get desperate enough, we cry out to Jesus.

The suffering son was brought to Jesus who, "healed the boy, and gave him back to his father" (v.42). The watching crowd couldn't help but be amazed "at the majesty of God" (v.43). 

Christmas time is notorious for stirring up suffering, disappointment, and even depression, hidden behind tinsel and living Christmas trees and martini glasses. Norman Rockwell and Hallmark Channel and songs about coming home for Christmas distract us, but the window panes of real life are not only frosted; they're dirty.

As our disappointments take hold, may we make room in the crowd of "holiday stuff" to cry out to Jesus for healing and help and hope.  Making room for Jesus reveals the majesty of God!

~ Are you desperate enough to make room to cry out to Jesus? (Luke 9:37-43)

3 things Mary gave up

Jeff and I meet with a small group of young married couples. We love them. Our two teenagers love having them in our home, and we're at the fun stage when several are starting to announce that they're pregnant. When they first share that they're expecting, it's so exciting and new. They've imagined it and hoped for it and prayed for it and dreamed about it. We're thrilled to share the journey of growing into parenthood with them. 

visualbiblealive.com

Mary had to let go of her dreams before her betrothal even grew into marriage.

To make room for Jesus, she had to accept some losses. Since she was in a legally binding agreement to become Joseph's wife, only divorce could break the bond. Her plans and expectations, and those of her girlfriends and family members, dissolved in the sudden, hardly believable story that she would be visited by God Himself and implanted with a baby who would be great, God's Son who would reign eternally. 



The angel Gabriel was so tender as he explained that the young Mary of Nazareth had found grace/favor with God and was chosen to bear the baby generations of women craved - the Messiah.  (Read her story here.) As a virgin, the honor came with the heavy certainty of shame and disgrace and misunderstanding. But Mary believed Gabriel (Luke 1:45).  To make room for Jesus Mary had to clear all of her own plans and preparations out of the way. 

• She gave up her own plans for how her marriage and family would happen, and instead she accepted God's better plan.  She valued God's plans over her own dreams.
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• She gave us her preparations for what her engagement and wedding would look, trusting God to do what had never been done and make it best. She had the wisdom to go to Elizabeth as her godly mentor for support and guidance.
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• She gave up her pride, trusting God to care for her as His servant. Her earthly reputation was exchanged for heavenly reasons. 

visualbiblealive.com

It was so much to ask a young girl to move in her own life and heart in order to make room, but she was making room for the Son of God, and she was glad to prepare the way for Him in her heart. She treasured all that happened and considered it carefully. It prepared her for the hard road ahead on the very pregnant road to Bethlehem, all the way to the base of the cross where she saw her Son make room for the world. 

~ What are you dreaming about for your future? Are you willing to let go of your plans or preparations to make room for Jesus?

~ If you knew letting God steer your life would bring Him glory, would you feel more willing to let Him do things that are hardly believable, unusual, or even misunderstood?

To make sure you don't miss any of those who Prepared Him Room, subscribe to emails here  and get all of the Advent season posts.

Covenant #7 - Into heaven itself

I've wondered if readers ever catch the word "Covenant" in a blog title and hit "delete" because it seems to "Old Testament-ish" and "theological." I know you don't have time to waste, and I know you're probably like me in that you want to know what difference something makes to your life. That's not a bad thing.

This week's study focused on Hebrews 7-10 and how Jesus has acted as our high priest in the New Covenant that is better than the Old one, enacted in heavenly places instead of earthly ones, and done once for all instead of needing to be done over and over. It's heavy in "what difference does it make," but let me tell you one difference it's making to me ... today.


This past week has been a quiet one for me. My old voice ghost has haunted me, and I've been wrestling with the Lord over it. Doesn't He know how hard this is? Doesn't He understand how frustrating this is? Can't He relate to being weak and wanting to break free of its confines? You don't have to have a voice to whine.


I know from Hebrews 4 that my "high priest" DOES sympathize with my human feelings, because as part of the Covenant relationship we share, He became what I am ... flesh. Before I took on His identity, He took on mine. He agreed to make my hardships His own, while I was glad to make His glories mine. Our adversity? My voice struggle? He gets it.


But is He doing anything about it? When we're crying out (me silently, you aloud) or waiting for His provision, is He acting? God may be silent, but He is not still.


Our high priest, unlike earthly ones who enter rooms made by men and keep going back over and over, acted on my behalf and then sat down. He didn't sit down as if no longer involved, but because He finished making the one-time sacrifice; then He sat down with the right to represent us before His Father.

"For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, not to appear in the presence of God for us ..." Heb. 9:24. 

This week Jeff talked to my mom (& dr & kids & friends) on my behalf. Ministry partner & friend Karen called about event details for me. Friend Tara called the doctor for me. The kids answered the phone for me. Sometimes I need someone to "be the voice" for me. We ALL need someone to "be the voice" in heaven for us, and our Great High Priest is doing that.


He made a one-time sacrifice that brought us into a relationship with Him, then He sat down beside His Father in heaven, and He's appearing there for us now.


Maybe it IS theological with ancient roots, but it gives me peace for where I am today.  Just think ... Jesus entered heaven itself as our priest, offered Himself as the sacrifice, and is there right now FOR US.  That should leave us all speechless.

Let's take a minute to stop and say thank you for that kind of relationship - a Covenant relationship!

Simple treatment = Come to Me

The week started out so well, but now it's just a blur of blowing noses and consuming cough drops. A sick husband, sick son, and sick self have made for a "survival mode" kind of week, with prayers that the one healthy family member can dodge the viral bullet. In between nose sprays and cough suppressants, my heart has been burdened over other things, things that last longer than a 10 day virus. While I laid in bed today being as productive as I could from a mound of pillows and tissues, I was refreshed by the scene of Autumn leaves blowing outside my window. The Lord called me remember:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matt. 11:28-29

Why is it so hard to "Come to Me" when we're running on empty?

• Shouldn't I go to the pharmacy (again)? 
• Shouldn't I Google my symptoms? 
• Shouldn't I use more hand sanitizer?
• Shouldn't I spray the house with Lysol (again)?
• Shouldn't I do something to hurry my recovery?

Maybe when I'm weary and burdened, I should just "Come to Me." After all, He is gentle and humble, and I'd love to get some rest ... physically and inwardly.

I've been reading dosages and directions, including things like "May cause dizziness" and "Take with food" and "May cause liver damage."  It can be overwhelming to try and make sure I don't end up taking a "Got the Crummies Cocktail!"  But Jesus gives a simple, straightforward promise of "If you do this thing, you'll get that."

Now this doesn't mean I can wipe my nose with the Matthew 11 page out of my Bible or that I should pour out the medicine God has provided, but it does mean I can experience rest and even peace in the midst of this temporary misery. And as I think ahead to the next 4 days, with lots of ministry scheduled throughout (appreciate your prayers), I can release my worries about how Plan B will work out (What IS Plan B?!?!?) and let HIM give me rest. He'll probably even provide a Plan B.

If tired and heavy hearted people come to Him, He will give them rest in every way. 

I'm going to take that advice with a large glass of water, reread those directions, and go to bed.

Blessings to you, friends,

Marriage Mondays: Elaine's Story

A week ago I witnessed a wedding. When the bride and groom repeated the words "in sickness and in health," the smiling face of a faithful wife came to my mind's eye. She shared her story with me over a cup of coffee; I was so encouraged and inspired by the way she currently faces the challenges of being a Marriage Survivor.



After 18 years of marriage, Elaine found herself abandoned and left alone with 3 children. She pressed on through a decade as a single mom. Hugh was abandoned and left with 3 children of his own. They were both lonely, and Elaine felt as if she had few options to meet her needs. Despite spiritual differences, Elaine and Hugh married. She is honest and open about the challenges and consequences of marriage, when one of you is a follower of God and one of you is not. I've always respected how honoring and loving Elaine has been in her conversation and decisions, while married to a man who doesn't know Christ as his Savior. She has been a living example of 1 Peter 3:1 ~

"Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives..."

Elaine has been Hugh's wife for 20 years, giving the testimony that, 

"You just have to know the vows you made weren't only to that man. You made your vows to God."  

Sometimes our vows are not easy to live out. It's in "sickness" when we show that love is an ACTION, a CHOICE, not simply a feeling.  For most of their married lives, Elaine's sweetheart was an Economics Professor, teaching graduate university students. He was the Chief Financial Officer for a large government agency in the South, testifying for Congress during the summers. He often traveled to speak and lecture regarding his field of expertise. In his free time Hugh was a master gardener, lovingly tending their yard full of manicured plants. All that has faded into their past.


Now in their early 70's, Elaine and Hugh face a new challenge. It's not uncommon for Elaine to be awakened at night, finding her husband wandering in the house. Dressed in layers of clothing, including t-shirts and suit pieces, packing pens and tools in his pockets, he'll be giving a lecture fit for a university or seminar or Congressional audience. Elaine helps put his briefcase away, assure him he's done well, removes some of the layers, empties the pens, and helps him back to bed. Most of the "Hugh" she's known has been lost to the attacks of Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD). The disease is progressive, and Hugh will degenerate rapidly. He has moments of clarity, and for those, Elaine is grateful.


Elaine is finding new ways to communicate with Hugh and meet his needs. Like she may have for her children long ago, she makes picture cards of dishes to place on cabinets and make them easy to find. She plans a notebook of pictures of food, so as the disease progresses she can "love, honor, and cherish" in new ways. "In sickness and in health" is not easy when we live it out. 

When I asked Elaine how I could pray for her, she asks for 1 Peter 3 kinds of things ...

• Most of all, pray for moments of clarity, so Hugh will still have an opportunity to understand Christ's love for him and respond with a desire for salvation.
• Patience to provide for his care and not become angry.
• Health of her own, so she can care for the man she promised to care for. 
• A sense of humor, because, with God's help, we can enjoy our mate in every season.
• Their future, whatever that may look like. 

So did you mean it? When you promised to "love, honor, and cherish" in "sickness and in health"?

We can not know our future, but we can remember the vows we made and re-commit to being a "Marriage Survivor" no matter what the future holds. Elaine IS surviving the challenges of marriage today, and she's doing it by the grace and strength and peace of God in her life. She's a woman who stays near to God's Word, often on her knees, and close to the Body of Christ. I want to "survive" like that!

To enter this week's giveaway of another beautiful donated set of jewelry made by Antoinette, leave a comment sharing something about Elaine's example that encourages you. Today's gift reminds me of trusting, peaceful, faithful Elaine; pearls are shaped when a grain of sand is irritated, and something precious comes from something hard. Thank you to Antoinette for sharing these lovely gifts! I'll share the winner on Wednesday.

Marriage Mondays: Julie's Story

Last week I had the privilege of sharing my beautiful friend Antoinette's story as the first of the October Marriage Survivor stories. I heard from so many who shared what an inspiration it was. That's what I was praying for you! Today I want to share another Marriage Survivor story. You'll hear a similar thread as the one woven through Antoinette's story. For two to become one, it truly takes a miracle. Read on and be encouraged that God can make miracles happen!

Be sure to read how to enter this week's jewelry giveaway, donated by Antoinette. See the picture below. I'll reveal the winner on Wednesday!

Julie's Story

Julie and Patrick met at a graduation party when they were 18, and Patrick knew right away he would one day marry Julie. They became best friends who spent hours on the phone and hanging out. After 4 years as best friends, their relationship changed into more than friends as they were beginning college. It wasn’t long before they decided to pool their funds and move in together, with their parents’ blessing. 

It wasn’t long before the arguing began. As their careers grew, so did their conflict. Julie struggled with anxiety and confided in a co-worker. Her best friend Darci was patient to answer questions about her faith and how it was different than religious rituals Julie grew up with. Darci and her husband invited them to church, where Julie bought a Bible the first Sunday they attended. God was working on them to slowly transform them individually and as a couple.

Living outside of God’s plans, Julie describes their relationship as filled with “living in sin, drinking parties, and bad language.” Financially, they were spending recklessly. In their relationships, they were in conflict with their families and living with insecurity about infidelity.

In 1999 Patrick and Julie moved back to their hometown, bought a house together, and were engaged; they joined the church of Julie’s childhood and married a year later. Julie devoted herself to being a stay-at-home mom who went to things like Library Lapsit and Playdates. God sent 2 new “mommy friends,” Candace and Clarissa, who befriended Julie and shared the gospel with her. As Julie kept asking questions and seeking answers for a peaceful way of life, God drew her closer to Himself. Each year Julie went with her friend, Darci, to the Women’s Retreat at her church; at a retreat in 2003 Julie gave her life to Jesus.
 
After embracing her new faith, Julie was anxious for Patrick to join her, so she tried to “argue him” to Christ. He became frustrated and confided to a co-worker that he thought his wife was in a cult. On her first Mother’s Day as a believer in Jesus, Patrick asked Julie how she wanted to spend her day; she wanted him to go with her to church. Patrick cooperated … and said he would never be back. But they did go back, and Julie took the opportunity to sign up her husband for a Men’s Bible Study! A few months later, Patrick yielded his life and his family to the grace and leadership of Jesus Christ. 

Patrick and Julie have been drawn closer together through adversity. As they welcomed their daughter Natalie to the world amidst uncertainty, the two young believers asked for God’s help. Julie shares that it, “brought us to our knees and drew Patrick close to God. He clung to God’s word!”

Since God began to transform their lives, the Hobbs have changed their spending and gotten out of debt. They’ve learned to pray and study the Bible together and have made it a priority to attend marriage conferences together. Julie says that now, “We can now have conversations about our disagreements and not spout anger at each other.” Where once there was conflict and uncertainty, today there is confidence and peace. “God dramatically changed our lives!”

The Hobbs came to my hometown in 2007; they have four children born to them biologically and are in the adoption process. Though he works full-time in Telecommunications, Patrick is attending seminary, with the goal of serving as a pastor. Julie serves on my Women’s Ministry Team and is a light to all who know her. Having left behind the anxiety and trouble of life without Christ, today Patrick and Julie face life’s challenges and hardships by trusting in their personal Savior, the One who changed them individually and radically re-made their marriage. She reflects that, “Life has been full and beautiful since we found Jesus.” 

To enter today's giveaway for this beautiful set of earth toned beads, (Don't they just say "harvest time" to you?)  leave a comment here or on the CHP Facebook page, telling me one way God has changed your marriage.   It's a journey, isn't it?   So let's give Him credit and praise for helping us to "become" one. How have you changed?   I'll post the winner on Wednesday!

Combustible or Clinging?

Are you watching pictures of the wildfires in Texas? One government website warned, "high winds and dry conditions can set the stage for potentially severe fires, putting lives and property at risk." The region is experiencing extreme drought, making dry structures nearly combustible.


Have you ever felt so dry spiritually that you were nearly combustible? Living through a time of trial, under pressure from other people, circumstances may be ripe for a wildfire to tear through your life and leave charred remains. David was in the desert wilderness, being pursued by a one-time trusted person (Saul or David's own son Absalom) when he admitted to knowing what it feels like to be close to combustible.

"O God, you are my God; earnestly I see you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water" (Psalm 63:1). 

Texans and those who have come to their aid are fighting their parched problems with all they have to throw at it from the ground and from the air. David didn't just take the heat either; he threw the power of God back at it.

Because he knew God's steadfast love is "better than life:"

• he sought to know God ... in the midst of his drought
• he worshiped God for who He is ... not deterred by his problems
• he thought about God in dark desert moments  ... in bed, alone
• he meditated on God's truth in times of temptation ... in the "watches of the night"

We need to cling to something. If you feel like you're "clinging" by a thread to the life God wants for you, follow David's example in the parched land:  "My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me" (v.8). 


Like David, you'll find living water for your parched throat ... so you can praise God. You'll find a shady place of shelter ... under the shadow of God's "wings." When we're under attack, we can focus on God's steadfast love instead of the heat of life. Don't give in and combust, friend! Before we get to a dangerous place, let's let God satisfy our dry souls. 

Why combust when we can cling?

Take a step to satisfy your thirst today: 

• Take time to read Psalm 63 aloud.
• Make a list of the words David used to describe God in Psalm 63.
• Listen to praise music that will speak to your spirit.
• Carry a water bottle ... as a reminder that the answer to your thirst is right at hand.

Having a hard time trusting?

Yesterday I realized I'm having a hard time trusting. I had just dropped Jacob off at the pool ... on his own, and JoHanna was taking the car to drive herself to practice. In what feels like such a short time, my kids have become so independent. I'm trying to sound upbeat when they leave and say, "Have fun! Be careful" with a smile ... but inside I want to shout, "Come back!" A new season has arrived for me ...

We can never "cover all the bases" to avoid mishaps, pain, and problems. Jeff is in India ... I'm trusting he'll return safely. Both of the kids will be in high school next week ... I'm trusting they'll choose friends wisely and be safe in a crowded high school. Our oldest is driving off on her own, daily. Every time of life requires trust. How are you having to "trust" in your season? 


New seasons and unexpected events stretch our trust. "Princes" of the Old Testament are leaders of governments today. So many who put their faith and trust in human leaders are reeling with the recent plunge of the financial markets and the conflict in governments around the world. They're men just like us.


Ultimately we can only put our trust in God. Only He can carry that load.

Psalm 146 shares a key statement, a command, with all of the last Psalms in the book: 146-150. "Praise the Lord!" It comes from the Hebrew word "Hallelu - yah," with the "yah" referring to Jehovah, the one true God. After declaring the intention to praise the one true God as long as he lives, the Psalmist gives us a warning and then the reasons behind it.(Read the 10 verse Psalm 146 here.)

Warning: "Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish" (vv.3-4).

Reasons why God is worthy of trust:  He is creator, provider, liberator, and healer, the God who is perfect, just, compassionate, enduring, perfect, and holy. (vv.5-10)


"Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God" (v.5). He is our help and our hope. God is worthy of our trust.

• Unlike man ... There IS salvation in God.
• Unlike man ... His breath will never depart from Him.
• Unlike man ... He will never become dust.
• Unlike man ... His plans will never perish.

The one who deserves our trust deserves our praise. If you trust Him, praise Him!

Lord,
I'm feeling stretched by the way life is changing and the events of the week. I know You deserve to be trusted, and I want to put my confidence in You. Thank you for being my help and my hope, someone I can totally depend on. Whew! That feels better.

Insomnia, Dust, Old Clothes and Zumba

Have you ever done Zumba? This girl has no dancing aptitude, so when friends talk about going to Zumba, I fade into the shadows. Psalm writer David had his moment of public praise dancing, and not everyone received it well. His heart wasn't always full of praise.That's how he knows how to hit us right where we're livin' life, right in between insomnia, dust, old clothes, and Zumba. Find it in Psalm 30.


David really wanted to be the one to build God's temple, but God only let him prepare for it; David's son Solomon was tasked as the builder. Before David died, he penned Psalm 30 to be sung after his death, at the dedication of the temple. It's a song describing David's personal ups n' downs, challenging worshipers to follow him in praise. To do that, David gets raw and real with us.

God takes our pride and our problems and deals with our insomnia, dust, and worn out clothes, giving us ZUMBA instead!

David had cried to God for help after laying awake at night crying (v.5). He said, "Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning." If you've ever gone to bed weeping and crying out to God in prayer, you know the joy that can come with the morning.Only God can give that joy.


David struggled with his pride (v.6) but learned God was the source of all of his strength (v.7). God rebuked him for his arrogance (v.7), and David did what a person with a heart for God does ... he repented (v.8). He knew he lived in his changed state in order to praise God.



The dust of death and earth won't praise God, but the man who has experienced God will! (v.9) Though we may find ourselves for a time in the "sackcloth" (v.11) of grief, we aren't meant to stay there.

• Do you hear yourself complaining often? 
• Are you marked by negativity? 
• Would people say you're a "downer?" 

God isn't a God who leaves us weeping, in the dust, and dressed in the worn out clothing of mourning. David testifies here that God "loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness" (v.11). A pity party is not a place to stay.


Because of who God is and what He does, we can give thanks to Him "forever" (v.12). We're meant to get over the insomnia, dust, and sackcloth of mourning and let Him change our "mourning into dancing" (v.11). We have to praise Him and not be silent!

• Just like David, our past is filled with God's deliverance and favor.
• Just like David when he penned Psalm 30, our present is meant to be full of joy, never ceasing to plead for God's mercy (v.8).
• Just like David ... we're meant to outdo the dust and PRAISE HIM!

Do you need to get over your insomnia, shake off the dust, clothe yourself with gladness and praise Him? In case you need a visual, this is ZUMBA ... praise style. ;)
(You might want to turn up your computer and stand up ... and don't be surprised if someone else joins you from the shadows!) ....
(If you receive this via email, be sure to click on the post title to go the actual blog and see this video.)

What Psalm 39 looks like

A friend wrote to me about my post on Psalm 39. She said: "I'm so glad you wrote this blog, but what now?" Good question, and I won't leave you hanging, because God doesn't leave us hanging.


On a flight to Paraguay this summer, somewhere over the Amazon jungle, the pilot's voice came out of the night's darkness and made a loud announcement. Flight attendants moved quickly up the aisle. People tightened seat belts. I waited for the English translation. It never came. I wanted to scream, "Wait! I don't speak Portuguese!  What did he say? Don't you want me to know!?!?!!?" 


Apparently, the pilot only wanted the Brazilians to know, ;) but God wants us ALL to know the answer to "What now?" When we realize we're suffering and we need to cry out, He wants us to know what to do. He offers us answers, and He wants us to understand ... in every language, every circumstance, every season, every agony. He wants us to know.


I am digesting a Psalm that I think gives us the answer to "What now?"  It's Psalm 139, and I will share about it soon, but you can read ahead. God might just whisper to you in His own Spirit's still, small voice what it means without me ever racing down the blog aisle with the translation. :) I'll be studying and considering, and you do the same. He gives us answers.

For today, I want to share a visual with you of what Psalm 39 brought to my mind. It's out of my own devotional journal, and it's an illustration of how I think Psalm 39 applies for us today.  If it connects with you, please feel free to pass it on. The worse the news in our lives and in the world around us, the more it points us to God.

What are you waiting for?

The news this week is heavy. Words like "Somalia, debt crisis, Oslo, jury, Libya, and unemployment" have literally carried the weight of the world. Closer to home words like "school year, division, leaving, and frustration" carry the weight of our small world. Psalm 39 gives words to those who suffer when they get to the place where they need to cry out God. When you're there, the Psalmist David gives us words.

Suffering reminds us of how short earthly life is.

Associated Press Photo

After trying to guard his ways around oppressors so as not to sin, having his distress grow anyways, and then finally needing to let off some steam ...  "the sufferer" asks, "For what do I wait?"


When suffering takes us to the place where we long for an explanation and some relief, we may find ourselves just waiting ... waiting and not even sure what we're really waiting for. I imagine that today some people are waiting for food, justice, protection, peace, logic, cooperation, and unity. Ultimately, though, we are waiting on God to act.

David puts words in our mouth to find out what we're waiting for: "Make me know my end and what is the measure of my days, let me know how fleeting I am!" (v.4)

In other words, "I don't want to waste my life bogged down in turmoil and empty pursuits. Put this life into perspective for me."

• Sometimes suffering is due to my own foolishness. v.1,11
• Sometimes suffering is due to God's discipline. v.10-11
• Sometimes suffering is due to evil people. v.1,2
• Sometimes suffering is due to life in a fallen world. 4-6

When we need to cry out in our suffering, we need to cry out to God!  He hears the cry of the sufferer whether it comes from a famine in Somalia, a homeless family in the Midwest, a parent at the bedside of their sick child, or a young friend at a funeral. Suffering reminds us that life here is fleeting, and it invites us to call out to the Father of our heavenly home.

I am a sojourner here (v.12), a "guest," the Psalmist says. Heaven is my real home.

Even in the midst of suffering, this helps us know we can "smile again" (v.13). There is hope for deliverance in God.  There is hope for now in the midst of the suffering and hope for our future. If you're hearing the news and you're like me, then you might need some perspective. Suffering reminds us of how short earthly life is. Suffering here helps us look to the heavenly.

Is God using suffering in your life right now to turn you to the heavenly? 

Read Psalm 39 here. 

Shamed, dishonored, misunderstood?

Was there a time this past week when you felt shamed, dishonored, or misunderstood? I'm guessing we could start a club ... or I could share with you what the Lord showed me from Psalms 4 and 107.

Psalm 4 gives us the answer for what to do when we experience distress, and Psalm 107 gives us the answer for what to do next.  Psalm 4 was written by David, a man with first hand experience of what it means to feel the on-going sting of shame, the angst of dishonor, and the agony of being misunderstood. David "gets" how we feel, and he calls on God to answer him based on the fact that God has given him relief in his past distress. David gives us the "How to" of dealing with our distress in life.

• CALL ... on the Lord, because the past assures us we can expect He'll hear us now. 
• KNOW... God set the godly (Ps. 1 tells us who that is) apart for Himself.  That's the "hesed" word meaning He "set" special attention and affection on us.
• WAIT ... not our instinct when we feel undone, but we're not to sin in response to being wronged or frustrated. This is a hard one and one I have skipped too often. Instead of melting down, we're supposed to "ponder" God's character and His past proof of faithfulness; ponder "in your own hearts on your beds" .... "and be silent."  That last part is the kicker. If only I had obeyed this key step when I felt overwhelmed with distress ...
• WORSHIP... As we wait, we're still to offer "right" (from a pure heart) sacrifices, acknowledging who God is, focusing on how trustworthy He is. Notice we're taking the focus off of ourselves as we do this.
• TRUST ... Put our trust in the Lord, instead of reacting to distress we feel. 

If we call on God, know He has set His love on us, wait on Him to act for us, worship Him to keep our focus ... then we are actively putting our trust in Him. It gives us the amazing ability to do this:  "In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety" (v. 8).  For most women, THAT is a miracle! ;) God alone is our security in every way, and that truth gives us overwhelming peace.

Keeping my focus on how trustworthy God is helps me to overcome temptation. Based on the past, we can trust God with our present and our future. 

Once we trust God with our distresses and experience His steadfast/hesed love, Psalm 107 tells us what to do: "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so ..."

Has God redeemed you from distress?  SAY SO!  Praise Him and proclaim it to others who need to know the same truth. Do YOU need to hear a testimony of God's peace? Psalm 107 gives 4 testimonies of those who experienced God's love first hand.

• The wanderers who were hungry and thirsty (vv. 4-9)
• The darkness sitters who were in a prison (vv. 10-16)
• The fools who suffered due to their own folly (vv. 17-22)
• The sailors who caught in a literal storm of life (vv. 23-32)
• Which one sounds most like you?  Read the 4 testimonies here. 

The end of the 107th Psalm wraps up this pair of Psalms so well; remember the description of what it means to be "godly" from the gateway Psalm 1, and you'll know who the "wise" are:

"Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD" (Ps. 107:43).

Let's "attend to" these things:

If you're in distress and longing for peace ... 

Call ... Know ... Wait ... Worship ... Trust ... SAY SO!

This weekend, let's not substitute our own intervention for God's steadfast love, and as He answers our call, let's praise Him!

Having a Sabbath

Hi sweet readers. While my hubby and kids are doing a little backpacking for a few days, I've decided to take a few days of my own just to spend some time with the Lord, linger in His word, pray, journal, listen to Him, and be refreshed. This is a rare thing, and I really feel quite privileged and blessed to be able to do this. It's a gift. 


I'll be spending some time in the Psalms, in preparation for unfolding more of that with you here. I would love it if you would be reading there with me, too. I'm pushing aside things that might be a distraction, including blogging, so there is space and time and quiet to be with the Lord. 


I appreciate your prayers for me as I take these days and see what the Lord will say. Are you carving out any time to rest and be with the Lord this summer? You may not have the luxury of a few days, but how about a morning, an evening, or a Saturday? My Scripture Dig sister Teri Lynne had some great thoughts on Sabbath keeping last week. 

I'll be back (to blogging) sometime next week, Lord willing. :)

Only a Miracle

Today I'm participating with Hearts at Home in sharing about the miracles in our lives. "Hearts at Home seeks to encourage, equip, and educate every mom in every season of motherhood using Christian values to strengthen families." I know I need that encouragement, and many of my readers do, too. I hope the "miracle" I share today will encourage anyone, mom or not.



We had just been in the Asia for about 6 weeks, trying to find housing, learn how to shop, find our way, and get acclimated to our new home. To celebrate Christmas, we took our 6 yr old Jo and 4 yr old Jake to a mountain city, to a small missionary compound with cottages, cooler air, and a grassy field. It was the first time the kids enjoyed running and playing, since our arrival. As parents, it gave us the chance to relax and get much needed rest.

The brown slats were added after the accident.

While we rested a short distance from the field, our 2 children joined a bunch of MK's (missionary kids), on a large swing. It resembled recreational swings with two facing benches and a roof, where people sit across from each other and swing side to side. The group of bigger kids got the large swing, made of heavy wood and steel, moving very fast and high. Our little Jacob was afraid and wanted to get off, but he stood up before the swing could slow down. His small body slipped between the seat and the floor, and he fell through the space, landing onto the concrete slab beneath. The swing continued to move with speed and force over his body, until the swing stopped, and the heavy steel girders of the floor logged in Jacob's turned head, with the group of children still piled on.


When JoHanna appeared at the door, breathless, we knew a crisis was in motion. Arriving at the scene, lying on the ground beside our boy, we knew our lives could be about to change. We could become one of those heartbreaking missionary stories that we hear and grieve. As Jeff and the men worked feverishly to dislodge the swing from Jacob's skull, we could hear his cries. A woman whom I didn't know from another mission came and knelt beside me on the ground, calling out loud a commanding prayer of intercession for Jacob's life. When Jacob fell silent, Jeff shouted that the heavy floor of the swing had to move right then. It was not humanly possible.



With one divine movement, they heaved with all their might, and the Lord lifted the floor of the swing. A nearby doctor pulled Jacob's body from the concrete, and we began our race to the car, through the traffic, to a hospital, and through the long hours ahead. Prayers were sent from dear friends in the country and in the US, and our Jacob's life was spared. The attending doctor said that if his head had not miraculously turned, he would not have survived. It was as if a hand had turned his face in the split second before the swing sped back, pinning him down.


While lying beside our boy on a thin pad over metal coils in the dark, I could hear chanting mixed with the sounds of barking dogs, traffic, and wanderers through the open window.  I never felt so far from everything  familiar, so inadequate as a mother. But God made His presence as bright as the night was dark and as peace giving as the place was fearful. 

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,  if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 

Psalm 139:7-10

Easter is a reminder that Jesus holds the keys to death, and He has the right and power to hold back the tide of its grip when He chooses. Ultimately, His life insures that death can not overcome us. We were released from the hospital on Christmas Eve, to take our small boy with the heavily bandaged head "home" to a rented cottage in a foreign city.  Without any doubt, we knew our lives had, indeed, changed that day.  We had been part of a miracle, and our hearts were full of praise.

Tasty Tuesday ... Taste of the World?

This is a full week for us in so many ways ... full house, full thoughts, full hands, full car, full HEART! :) We are in the midst of our Global Missions Conference = JOY!  I'm not posting a recipe today. I'm off to introduce my international guest to TARGET ;) and my favorite 2nd hand shop. In the midst of our time with our global partners, yesterday our city experienced flooding that threw life into temporary commotion. CRAZY afternoon! Things were damaged, and God used the incredible storm to remind us, again, of Who is great and mighty. In the last few days, I've been reminded that these things are a "recipe" to keep me prayerful and peaceful:

Start with a good plan.
Tear it up.
Stir in unexpected events.
Sprinkle with lots of different people.
Toss in a couple of languages and lots of age groups, just to spice it up.
Work it out on a surface of things you don't understand.
Knead in your human limitations, and feel your physical weakness.
Let is rise during the night over open pages of God's Word, covered in a heavy cloth of prayer.
Turn up the heat.
Open the windows when it storms so you get the full effect of God's power.
Remind yourself that it's easy to think you have peace when times are easy.
Put a tight lid of joy over it, and take every thought captive if it starts to leak.

Pour in more than you think you can hold in your heart and hands, and let God expand you. As it bakes, it will overflow and turn into a heavenly shade of peace.  :)


Praying you are experiencing God's peace today!

I'm off!  Check out the new theme we're starting at Scripture Dig this week!