Life Off Line: Are you resting?

In my Saturday closet cleaning, I discovered some long forgotten items. My 2 teenage "fashion consultants" encouraged me to get rid of more than a few items. I've threatened them not to send me in to "What Not to Wear." I firmly believe that most things WILL COME BACK IN STYLE. ;)

I also discovered some lost opportunities. Among other things, I found a FREE MOVIE TICKET that runs out TOMORROW. I'm not good at relaxing. I'm good at working. I usually stuff those "fun things" away for another day, a day when I'll have nothing to do. I'm afraid that day doesn't come very often, does it. But in Life Off Line, it's important to take real time off to relax and rest.

Jesus set a pattern for us when He took time away to rest. Following the feeding of the 5,000, people did not stop looking for Him, asking for Him, or wanting Him to "fix" things. Maybe this is one of the many reasons He understands women! :) But He still rested.

"After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. "John 6:1-3

• Sometimes the most godly way I can use a day is to rest.  
• Real life isn't very sweet without rest.
• My busy mind/body/spirit fail to remember who is God unless I stop and sit down. 

So I don't know if the movie ticket is going to be used now or if it will just be a reminder of what I miss when I stuff the priority of rest to dark and forgotten places. After all, the Muppet Movie was showing, and I could've used a good laugh more than a few times since I got that ticket! ;)  Instead, I've taken a step to plan a few nights away at a quiet place offered by friends, and I think I'll go up there on that mountain and sit down. 


What do you do that helps you to find real rest? 

Today's Life Off Line Challenge: 
- Sit down.  :) 
- Take a deep breath.
- Pick up a pen (or however you plan) & mark off a "piece of a day" to rest. Keep it sacred, because it is.

Marriage Mondays: How do you do w/mess?

What makes you hard to live with? Are you afraid to go there? Even more afraid to ask someone else? It's not easy to face our "ugly spots;" we tend to want to cover up or stuff them. Real love doesn't back away from a mess.

Photo credit Flickr ~ Grace and Lily

I've been stuffing for the last six years.  In my closet. It's one of the ways I get a lot done. :) It's part of the "messy" in my Life Off Line. I just "stuff it" in there to deal with later. You can imagine where that got me! And can I say here that I fully intended to take a picture and show you, but it didn't happen, because ...

My Jeff really loves me, and he knew I needed help with my mess. He took his Saturday afternoon to tackle my mess. First he told me to keep in mind that anything to follow wasn't personal, a reflection on my worth as a person (he had a trash bag in hand), or his love for me. :) You may remember that when he helped with my pantry, I didn't respond with total grace. :/  So while I grabbed a Diet Dr. Pepper, he started emptying my vault. My first thought:  "Wow! I can pack a lot of stuff in a closet!"

It's hard enough to call a mess what it is, whether it's a closet, a habit, or a circumstance we've made, but it's harder to tackle  the mountain alone. Don't get me wrong; I'm not a candidate for "Hoarders," but that might only be because Jeff doesn't back off from a mess. A working friend is a blessing, and in marriage a spouse that will get dirty and make our mess their own is truly a gift. It's a timeless truth that, "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor" (Eccl. 4:9). 

• Knowing we have to tackle a mess alone often keeps us from tackling it at all. 
• Our husbands are blessed when we allow them the privilege of meeting a need, lifting our load, and being our knight in shining closet organization. 
• They are helped when we come alongside them to help tackle their mountains with an attitude of humility and love, instead of criticism or belittling. 
• They don't want to see us standing in front of them with a trash bag in hand and a glimmer in our eye!

My closet wasn't my only mess, but it was a big one. I'll bet you have a mess somewhere. It may not be the shape of a closet. It may be habit-shaped or attitude-shaped or heart-shaped; whatever the shape of your mess or your husband's, real love won't back away. 

Today's Life Off Line Challenge:
- Ask God to show you an area in your life that needs to be addressed, instead of overlooked.
- Ask your husband if there's anything in his life that would be a relief to have help to take care of ... and then change your schedule to be his helper.

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)

Do you have room?

I want to tell you this is the only messy spot in my house ... but it's not. And it's our guest room.

We always wanted to prepare a room ... for guests. Not for messes. :) But while there hasn't been a guest in there, it has gradually become the catch-all spot for things I didn't have time to put away, stuff I didn't want to make a decision about, items I couldn't bear to throw away, and clutter that needed somewhere to go when life was pressing with other things. Some of the things that prompted me to fill the room with stuff "other-than-guests" were good things like visiting family, making dinner, going to church, speaking at women's events, having my quiet time, writing, and serving.  Some other things seem pretty useless when I think about writing them down.


There IS room for a guest, but I need to move out all of the other stuff that has taken up the place where the guest should go. Until I clean it up, I'm not really free to welcome a guest. I can be disappointed that no one's coming to see us for the holidays, but where would they stay if they came?!?!? Truth is, I haven't prepared room for them. I let everything else take over. 


Tomorrow is December 1st. Many people have already started Advent reflections, where we read about the Christmas story daily, in preparation for celebrating Jesus coming to earth. We want to experience Him, but the truth is, we haven't prepared room for Him. We let everything else take over. 



I want to focus on Jesus in this Advent season, but I need to move some other stuff out of the way.  I need to make room for Jesus.  People have faced that challenge ever since a tired and scared young couple found shelter in a stable "because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2:7). No room.

There is room, but we have to move things out of the way.

Will you join me beginning tomorrow to look at a different person each day who encountered Jesus and had to decide if they would prepare Him room?  You might have to "move something out of the way" to take time to consider those who met the Son of God on earth, but if your life is anything like my guest room, you probably don't need most of the "life clutter" anyway.


There's a long list of things we want to do and things expected of us in the Christmas season. It's easy to pile things on our life and end up suffocating instead of celebrating.

Would you "Prepare Him Room" with me? 

If you want to be sure to get each of December's daily devos sign up for emails.

Voice Report & Thanks

I have felt very blessed to have others look outside of their own direct line of sight to "see me" in their 180. Thank you so much for the many prayers and words of encouragement you've sent. I want to give you an update on our trip to Vanderbilt's Voice Center yesterday. The halls and rooms there are lined with pictures of people like Reba McEntire and the Oakridge Boys, all famous patients who have had voice treatment there. There was much to be thankful for, not the least of which being that they didn't thread the foot long black cable through my nose and down my throat to see my vocal chords! Can I just say I was not looking forward to that again? ;)  And there were no needles involved. By now you know that medical things are not my "sweet spot." 

First of all, there was NO SCAR TISSUE.Woohoo! I've had 2 separate doctors, several years apart, show us pictures that revealed substantial scar tissue. The technology used yesterday was the most advanced thus far, but I don't want to be quick to chalk up the change to technology. I know many prayers have been offered for us, and I know God could've removed what has been confirmed by others more than once. The large scars we saw 2 weeks ago were gone yesterday!

After a thorough exam by 2 different doctors, they concluded that I suffered from some initial event/illness/occurrence while we were living in Asia that caused me to adapt the way I have produced voice. My vocal folds look very healthy (PTL!) but do not ever touch when I produce voice, and they should. That has created some other complications, and certain triggers have been bringing on these episodes of voicelessness off and on for the last 9 years. The doctors believe we can re-train my neurological pathways to produce my voice the way God intended, using vocal speech therapy and physical therapy. No surgery or medication needed. One of the doctors performed a short, but very painful procedure on part of my neck that seems to have helped already.  No pain ... no gain. :)


Isn't it amazing .... suffering a physical "trauma" in the past created other problems that, left undetected/ignored/untreated, caused greater pain and difficulty, even diverting attention from the real cause? Lots of spiritual application there ...

So I'll go back in about 3 months for a re-evaluation, but I'll begin a combo of physical and vocal therapy in my own homecity. I appreciate your prayers as I re-train this small, but critical part of my body and as God uses it, I have a feeling, to work on my character in the process. ;)  

Thanks so much for praying with us!

Other things I was thankful for: 

• great weather to travel after it rained buckets the day before
• no needles or long cables down my nose ;)
• access to excellent medical help - we are blessed
• texts from friends, letting me know they were praying for us
• sweet car conversation time with Jeff (and that he could go w/me)
• doctors who were so thorough, kind, and instilled confidence
• an awesome friend who brought dinner for the kids while we were gone!
• the opportunity to be with my Bible study group before we headed to N'ville
• a great night's rest after a full day

Be sure to check out yesterday's giveaway of Jill Savage's book:  Living With Less So Your Family Has More.

Is Faith being in denial?

JoHanna's cross country season ended Saturday. Sunday was a blue sky sunshine day, so and Jeff went for a father/daughter trail run (no worries about me butting in ;) in the mountains. She came home with in injured ankle. After a visit to the sports clinic Monday night came home with a "boot," instructions to stay off of it for weeks, and a long face. With a chip in her ankle bone, the boot will give her the support she needs in her weakness.

People who don't believe in God often say that faith is a crutch. I don't agree; I think it's a boot.

Except for showering or sleeping, the boot will stay on all the time. I need for my faith to stay on all the time, INCLUDING the shower and the bed. Crises in life inflame our weakness, causing it to swell so we can't ignore it, making us so aware of our need for support, shouting out our need to strengthen the area under attack. I've been facing attack this week in the form of my re-occurring voice issue, "sprained" and swollen after an illness. My visit to my doctor wasn't encouraging yesterday, and I left with a heavy heart and lots of questions for the Lord. I need to wear the boot of faith.

Hebrews 11:1     "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." (NLT)   My thoughts:  That's being sure of our hope in things like healing eternally, God's presence in the pain, the voice of our Mediator Jesus, provision of what we need, and God's strength. That's putting my certainty in things I cannot see, but believe in because of Who God is.

Some may wonder (I know this, because I've been in the "some" this week ...) if having faith is just being in denial. Yes, I think it is. Denial that we wrestle only against flesh and blood (even our own), denial that Satan is destined to have victory over us, denial that God is somehow tired of really caring about our hurts, denial that maybe our future is the one without good intentions, and denial that He won't answer or act at all. In that case, I want to be in denial, and I want you to be too!

Faith is denying the power of darkness and believing in the power of God. 

Ephesians 2:8
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God."

God has already worked in my life through faith, though it may've started out feeling small. I am "O you of little faith," and it shows when I chip an ankle in life. He wants my faith to grow, and that means allowing me to experience events that put me in a boot. 

Luke 12:27-29    "Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried."

... nor be worried. 

So for today, I am resting my voice and praying in denial and in faith that the Lord will give me a window of vocal strength at the right times to share with the MOPS of CBB and then with the ladies of FBLC, with sweet times of listening to my family and using my few words wisely with my family in between. I would love for you to pray with me, because when you're "in the boot" it's awkward to "get around," and you appreciate the help. 


Are you in a boot of faith right now? In denial? I hope so. I would love to pray for you, too. Feel free to send me an email or leave a comment. Praying for OTHERS is so good when you're aware of your pain. Let me leave "us" with one of my favorite promises for those of us in the boot: 

Philippians 4:6-8
"do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

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: Connie's Story

It's been a privilege to share the stories of some of my friends during October's Marriage Mondays. Antoinette started us off and has been so sweet to provide a giveaway set of jewelry each week. This week's set is perfect for the end of October. Find out at the end of today's story how to enter to win.


Today's story is a story of survival, but it's a story of surviving the heartache of disappointment, of a friend who gave her heart to a man, but never married. Connie came into my life earlier this summer, and her simple words of wisdom, deep faith in God, and spirit of encouragement have blessed me over and over. One day as I was taking Connie on an errand after she had a stay in the hospital, we talked about our life journeys, and she shared with me her "Almost-Married Survival Story." I benefit today, along with others, because of how she survived the grief that sometimes comes with falling in love.

Connie was in her early twenties and living in a rural area when she fell in love with a young man named James. In the miraculous way that oneness happens, the two decided to get married and spend the rest of their lives together. With very little money between them, James told Connie she needed to be patient and wait while he earned a "nest egg" for their life together. I'm not surprised that my sweet friend was content to be patient, trusting that they had many years ahead.

It was on an afternoon that was probably a lot like today, sunny with blue skies, that her sweetheart James and a friend decided to go for a motorcycle ride together. Connie stayed behind to prepare supper, and James told her he would be back in a little while. When time passed and the day grew longer, state troopers arrived at the house and approached the door. With supper ready, Connie couldn't imagine why they were at her house.


They delivered news she never dreamed of; James was involved in an accident and killed. He was never coming home for supper, and she was never going to marry the man she gave her heart to and waited for. She was heart broken. 


It's been about 40 years since the troopers arrived at the house with the awful news, and yet it was obvious that the memory and emotion are still fresh. When I asked how she managed to recover and go on, she said, "After James passed away I just decided I needed to take my love and give it to anyone or any little creature who needed tenderness and care in this ol' world, and that's what I've done."


And she has. A visit to her home includes meeting the dog she took in and the cat that her dog took in. ;)  Most of all, I've had the joy and "lesson" of watching Connie gently and tenderly reach out to hurting women at the Serenity Women's Shelter where we minister together. She finds the one who is fragile and needy and gently, tenderly, patiently extends her love and Christ's love. When sharing about a chance to pray with and for a broken young woman recently, Connie said, "She reminded me of a child that was starving .. it was for the faith and love of God." 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too." ~ 2 Cor. 1:3-5

She waited with anticipation for the oneness and joy of marriage, but it was all lost in a moment. Instead of staying in her place of greatest grief, Connie was inspired to use her deep well of love and compassion to care for those in need. She's an inspiration and a challenge to me.


Has your marriage or your singleness brought disappointment or deep grief? How have you/are you surviving it and responding to expose God's glory out of it?

To enter to win today's giveaway, share a disappointment you've experienced in your life's journey, large or small, and how God has used it for good. 

Go ahead ... permission to complain

It's been weeks since I first noticed a lingering "roar" in my right ear, left over after summer sickness. I've endured the distraction and inconvenience, and I've lost sleep laying awake to the sound of what reminds me of vacuuming ... If I could just make it to my doctor's appt with the ENT, I knew he would do something quick and painless and make it all the left over fluid go away.


He didn't make it go away. He broke the news that there isn't any left over fluid, but there's hearing loss in my ear and signs of a condition that is attacking my hearing. I left the office with an appt for an MRI, strict restrictions on my salt intake (Goodbye, french fries! I love you...), and prescriptions for things with ugly side effects. My happy expectation faded into surprise and discouragement, which bubbled over into tears after I handed the pharmacist the order. I sat down on a bench outside of Target, only to realize it was covered with rain ...  soaking the entire backside of my jeans.  (I think Satan added that part ...)

I cry to you, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."
Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me!    ~ Psalm 142: 5,6

I was feeling like I was "brought very low" by what is attacking me physically. Other things attack us emotionally, spiritually, even mentally. Psalm 142 tells us we can be "brought very low" when we're out of energy, confused, attacked, or just so alone. It also tells us God knows our way ... even the low way.

What do we do when we feel "brought low?" (vv. 1-2) Aside from sitting on a wet bench, you do what I did:

• cry out to our Refuge
• plead for mercy
• pour out your complaint
• tell Him your trouble

And what does He do when we come to Him with tears and fears and questions and ... okay, a little bit of an attitude? He "attends to" our cries, and we give thanks in return. Our right attitude will benefit the other children of God around us.  Oh, help me, Lord, to have a good attitude, so it's a benefit and not a burden to others! 

• Have you been surprised by a hardship?  He knows your way.
• Have you been brought low by an attack?  He is your portion.

You have permission to complain to your Refuge, sweet friend. Go ahead. He's listening, and there's room on the bench.

We're all asking

On this journey of life, I think we all need encouragement, don't we? We're really all asking the same question:  "Where does my help come from?"

I did the intro session for one of our women's study groups last night, and my own group starts today, along with my co-teacher Teresa. I'm so excited! In chatting last night after class, I agreed with one friend that it's so helpful to study together, to soak up encouragement and insights and accountability. I feel like I'm getting ready to drink in a big breath of fresh air. In last nights' group and today's group and then tomorrow when I share chapel with Serenity Shelter ladies, women everywhere are asking, "Where does my help come from?"

In a struggling marriage ... where do you get help? Suffering with a long illness ... where do you get help? Agonizing over a rebellious child ... how about some help? Tired of financial strain ... can I get some help here? Hurt from a relationship ... where do I get help? In bondage to an addiction ... who can help? Discouraged and heading to "depressed" ... is there help? Lonely and isolated ... where to turn for help?

Where does my help come from?

Different events and circumstances on life's road remind us to ask this question, but we ask it over and over, in every season. Psalm 121 is one of the songs of "Ascents," a song to sing while journeying up to Jerusalem. It was a sacred pilgrimage, but we're all on a pilgrimage to our heavenly home where our Lord awaits us. This is a song we can all sing, a song we must all sing, for it answers the question we all want to know:  "Where does my help come from?"

Identify who the source of help is:    The creator God.  His power is unmatched, and nothing overrules Him; His authority is universal.

Describe this source of help:  

• He is my stability.
• He is not limited or weak like I am.
• He does not have an exhaustible capacity to care.
• His role is to be my keeper, refreshing and protecting me from stress.
• His role is to be my keeper, protecting me from the evil of man.
• His role is to be my keeper, watching me completely and constantly.

How long will He be my help?   From when I ask until forever.

The original word for "Keep" is "shamar," meaning to guard, watch over, attend to carefully, both corporately and individually. I love knowing I am guarded, watched, attended to, kept.  HE is my help, from the moment I ask until forever. That's a song worth singing on this journey of life. 



Are you feeling the need for help on your journey today? 
Are you asking the question we all share?
Sing out this Psalm, friend, and let God keep you from today until forever.

I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, he who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper;

the LORD is your shade on your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

The LORD will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time forth and forevermore.

~ Psalm 121 ~

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.

Real Life Birthday

Check out the Come Have a Peace Facebook page to find out the winner of yesterday's giveaway of Lisa Whelchel's book Friendship for Grownups.

Yesterday was my actual birthday, and in case you have images in your mind of me sitting in the sun, drinking an awesome cup of coffee in a hand thrown pottery mug while journaling, blogging, writing cards to friends, doodling in my devotional book, meeting a friend for lunch, and then enjoying a leisurely grilled dinner with my sweet husband .... let me dash that picture. :) I admit, that's sort of what I envisioned, but who was I kidding? Let's face it ... Most of life is NOT much like HGTV, Food Network, or Home Extreme Makeover; most of life is full of the "real."  In "real life" things happpen, birthday or not. The reality?

• The kids were late leaving for school; I had to fuss at them.
• I didn't really "feel" like praying for them, after fussing at them, before they left, but I did.
• I did 4 loads of laundry and only folded 2.
• Jeff is really sick with all kinds of symptoms, so he slept in the guest room last night.
• Jeff was dizzy, so I drove to the doctor and had to park in Kansas. (not really)
• I ate a Special K bar for breakfast on the way to the dr. 
• The lady at the desk acted like she didn't believe I was Jeff's wife. :/
• I took Jeff home and went to get all of his meds, etc.
• For my "birthday lunch" I drove thru at McDonald's and got a fish sandwich and a Diet Coke. :) (Don't feel sorry for me; I loved it.) 
• I ate while I pushed my cart around Target, waiting for our meds.
• I made dinner, but we all 4 ate at different times.

That's just "real life" birthday sometimes. As I celebrate God's gift of life, this day was full of "life" too. We'll celebrate when my man is better. In the mean time, the Lord gave me lots of blessings and encouragements and kindnesses from family and friends, and I even had a birthday song from 2 little boys in the church hallway. I felt very loved.

I love Psalm 119 because of all it says about God's word. I love acrostic poems, and this one has 22 stanzas for the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.With 176 verses it is the longest chapter in the Bible, including so many nuggets. 

• When sending our kids off to school ... "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word" (v.9)
• In facing temptations of my own ... "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you" (11). 
• On days like today ... "It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes" (v.71). 
• When I wonder what to do ... "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (v.105). 
• In what gives me joy ... "Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart" (111).
• For what I believe about God's Word ... "The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever" (v.160).
• When I feel stressed ... "Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble" (v.165).
• In thinking of tomorrow ... "Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts ... Let my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me" (vv.173,175).

Someday when many more birthdays have passed, I will say to the Lord, "Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning. I remember your name in the night, O LORD, and keep your law. This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts" (vv.54-56). 

Today's giveaway is a not valuable in many ways, but it's a love gift from me to you. Hand illustrated scripture cards with some of my favorite Psalm nuggets. To enter today's giveaway, leave a comment telling me about something from the book of Psalms that is a treasure to you.

Run to win. Endure to the end.

This morning my friend Jeri and I have the pleasure of doing chapel for our friends at Serenity Women's Shelter. We'll be talking about God wants us to run this race of faith to win and to endure the course to the end. The ladies we'll share with know what it means to struggle on life's path.

Last Friday night I went to watch Jeff run a 7 mile trail race through the mountains. In a race like that, you only see the runners at the beginning and at the finish. It was pea soup humid and hot as the 60+ runners gathered at the start and took off. (Here is where I have to admit that we got in the car, drove to town, and ate Chick-fil-A in the air conditioning. :) I took a large Diet Dr. Pepper back with me to sweat and wait for the finish!)

Supporters gathered at the finish line to wait for the runners coming in. Finally, someone shouted that they saw the first athlete. More followed in a stead trickle, every one running at a different pace and with a different story to tell. Almost all groaned about the final, steep ascent. Some were gasping, while others collapsed in the grass. Some were dirt covered, telling stories of their falls and triumphs to get back in the race. Several were bleeding and injured from trials on the trail. Some lagged behind, but they still came.

And on the sidelines ... we all cheered and clapped and whistled. Witnesses to the pain and the perseverance of the runners, we all shouted and stood in support of their race. 

What do you say when someone is gasping for breath, gutting it out through every painful step, straining to see the finish line, ready to give up? 

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith ..." (Heb. 12:1).

That cloud of witnesses is made up of the Old Testament heroes of the "faith chapter" in Hebrews 11. Their faithfulness stands as a witness to us as we run our race. When every step is agony and we "feel the burn," when we fall repeatedly and try to get up, when we look at the next "steep ascent" and think we can't do it ... God wants us to remember that we're in it to win it (1 Cor. 9:24-25), and He calls us to endure the trail.

• If you read this in the morning... please pray for us to communicate these truths clearly to our friends at Serenity. We are cheering them on in their race! 
• And if you read it after 11ish (EST) pray that the truths will linger in the hearts and minds of the ladies, to encourage them when the road looks long and they're tired. Pray that they persevere.

Is your race looking long and hard today? Have you fallen down?  Do you see a steep ascent before you? Don't give up, sweet friend. We're in it to win it, and the witnesses of our faith are cheering us on!

I want to "give" you this video. It's not a cross country race; it's a sprint, but God calls us to display the perseverance of a runner like this. Watch the first 2 minutes. (If you receive this by email, click on the post title to see the actual page with the video. I don't want you to miss it!)





Join me this weekend for the 2nd of our S.O.S. - Somalia on Saturdays project to make a difference in Jesus' name.

Standing in trouble

I hope you've been watching news this week. Words like navy seals, London riots, Afghanistan, Syrian unrest, stock market loss, political division, starving children, and polygamist abuses have peppered the daily reports. In my email this morning, I found a writer calling for civil disobedience in our nation's capital. Trouble.

Standing in trouble takes trusting in God.

As King of the nation of Israel, David knew the meaning of trouble and the nature of fickle affection. He even knew what it meant to be the cause of trouble, to have people vie for his royal role, to have some support and some hate, and he knew what it meant to watch others suffer. When he wrote the short royal Psalm 20, he gave the people a pattern for the attitude they should have toward their leader, and he wrote about the King himself. He was talking about God's chosen leader of Israel.


Does God still "choose" leaders for us today? Daniel 2:21 makes it clear that, "He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding ..."  God sets up the leaders in the world, allowing them to rule for a season. 

In verses 1-5 of Psalm 20 the attitude and response to the King is:

• that God would answer when the King prays in times of need
• that God's name would protect the King
• that he would experience help from the "sanctuary," where God's presence was most felt
• that the Lord would remember the offerings and gifts the King gives to God
• that God would fulfill his plans and desires that come from God
• that God would answer his prayers
• that the people would rejoice when the King is helped and identify themselves as God's people

David challenged the fickle Hebrews to respond to their King with prayer and hope, knowing they could do that, because they ultimately trusted in God. Standing in trouble takes trusting in God.

David knew leaders are not the source of help; help comes from God. As a warrior who had been in violent battles and seen strength clash with fear, David had learned where to place his trust. 


Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. (vv.7&8)


We might not be talking about chariots and horses in our day, but we have stock portfolios and governments and armies and salaries and jobs and relationships where we often put our trust. God can choose to use anyone or any event He chooses, but HE is the source of victory, the only One worthy of our trust. Standing in trouble takes trusting in God.


My Dad and I were talking the other day about how the world seems to be shaking with trouble in every place. It can be overwhelming. It's part of what motivated me to join with World Help in the Got Milk project to provide milk for children for a single year. We've raised $4,155 of the needed $7,200.  The news and images of trouble motivated me to pray about how I can help in Africa, and God gave me S.O.S. ~ Somalia on Saturdays. Maybe God wants to use us to answer some of the suffering ... in HIS name. My Dad said he felt compelled to turn off the news and just pray. It's a great place to start.



Standing in trouble takes trusting in God.

• Do you trust in God enough to pray for your leaders? 
• Are you feeling overwhelmed or shaken by trouble in the world or in your own life?  
• How has God been your help when you've trusted Him?

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.)

Marriage Mondays ~ She's about to blow!

Have you had the chance to see Old Faithful blow? This summer we visited and saw many of the geysers of Yellowstone National Park. It's rather eerie ... the steaming bubbling water in dark pools, the absence of life near the edges of the cauldrons, and the sudden spewing of the pressure filled spouts. Warning signs tell visitors of the extreme temperatures and unstable ground. People are cautioned not to step where heated liquid is building up and likely to explode. Stand near a geyser, and injury will occur. 



While marriage has lots of "wildflower meadow" moments, it also has its "spewing geyser" moments. The day we visited Old Faithful, the geysers weren't the only thing that needed to let off some steam. I needed a sign that said, "Keep your distance. She can blow at any moment!"  I wish I could say I responded with total grace, but I'll remember it as a "low moment." Two trying to live as "one" in a fallen world has potential hazards, and letting ourselves get to "geyser status" is dangerous for those nearest to us.


In the first verses of Psalm 56 David (who had multiple wives ... imagine THAT pressure!) expresses what I think is on the mind of many of us trying to live married life in the 21st century. My modern translation of his cry:  "GIVE ME A BREAK!"

Picture the pressure that builds from the oppression of man: 
 ¹ Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; ²my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly ... ⁵All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil. ⁶They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life. ⁷For their crime will they escape?

You may feel this way about relationships closest to you. You might feel this way about your neighbors or your co-workers. Your husband might feel this way about the people he contends with, for life in our world today is so much about contending and conflict. God forbid our husbands ever feel like they come home and contend with their partner, their wife. God forbid that we should be the reason our spouse throws up their hands and says, "Give me a break!"


There are moments, even days, when we may feel oppressed in life and even in marriage. We may feel afraid of what man can do to us or of what life can do to us. Oppressors may include:  people, finances, circumstances, or physical issues, to name a few. Oppression may be real, or it may be a misguided perspective of our own thoughts, making us feel oppressed. But the Psalmist who knew what it is to battle fear and to be chased down like a dog and relentlessly pursued in his own kingdom encourages us with truth to diffuse life's pressure:

• God is intimately aware of our feelings. There IS someone who understands. vv. 8-9
• God is for us, even when we feel like no one else is. vv. 8-9

⁸You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? ⁹Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me.

Our response, even if we're "about to blow," is to be faithful to God and worship Him for His care (v.12). We would avoid so much injury to those near us and in our marriages, if we would funnel the emotions and burdens and pressures we build up and heave it on God ... the One we can always TRUST.

Are you experiencing pressure beneath the surface that needs a place to vent? Call out to the Lord with these words from Psalm 56:

³When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. ⁴In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

Trusting is so much less dangerous than erupting.


Is your husband under a lot of pressure?  You can't call out to the Lord for him, but you can be a safe place of comfort, encouragement, care, and tenderness. Allow him the freedom to share what's oppressing him, and be a cooling salve to his life.

Are you about to blow? Go to the Lord with your pressure. There are loved ones nearby, and we don't want anyone to get hurt. Trusting is so much less dangerous than erupting.