Persevering in Prayer – Matthew 15:21-28

My thesaurus and dictionary are real tools for me.  This topic of persevering moved me to look at some definitions.  To persevere is to pursue, continue, endure, resolute, determination, remain.   In other words, don’t give up after a few encounters in prayer.   Prayer is a lot of things, but often we don’t attach the word “work” to it.  Our minds can be preoccupied, wander, and if we’re real honest, at night we can fall asleep in the middle of it.

Here’s another woman who isn’t named, but her faith is honored before a group of men who felt Jesus needn’t give her the time of day.  After all she was a woman and a Gentile.   So she definitely wasn’t one of the crowd. 

These were Jesus’ disciples for goodness sake, and you’d have thought that some of His attitudes and behavior would be rubbing off by now.   But in this scenario, they found this woman a real live bother to them.

She obviously had known they were all in town and went after Jesus to try and get a moment with him.  After all, her daughter was suffering terribly from demon-possession.  This is her precious bone-of-her-bone and flesh-of-her-flesh.  Her love was passionate for her daughter and no doubt stressed about her condition.

With all this effort to try and get a moment with the Savior, she finally cuts through the disciples and their discouraging comments and blurts out her request, only to receive no verbal response from Jesus.

Have you and I been there?  You bet we have.  We read His word, seek Him, pour out our hearts to Him, and yet sometimes we’re met with silence.   We’ve talked to the Lord about our concerns and then can feel they never got above the ceiling of the room we were in.  Or, we’ve been praying about an issue for months or years, and nothing has “seemingly” changed.

I’ve learned in my journey that God is working all the time, but much of His work is what I’d call underground and timely.  Sometimes the change that takes place is the change “in us.”  

Perhaps like you, I’ve found that Jesus wasn’t always a quick responder with words.  He thought before He spoke.   Sometimes “the lack of words” can serve a very real purpose as well as speak volumes too.  Whenever He did speak, it had purpose to it.

There seemed to be some kind of pause in the scene, because the disciples moved in to urge Him to send her away.    And after all, she was a Gentile woman whom the Jews weren’t to be speaking to anyway.

Wonderfully funny how God breaks through all the social and cultural barriers.  This would be another encounter in the disciples’ “school of learning” and for us too.

The first recorded words out of His lips to this woman seemed to indicate;  “Aren’t you aware that according to custom a Jew isn’t even to speak to a Gentile?”

This mother-in-anguish pushes past all that cultural information.  I thought it odd that she never addresses the cultural facts Jesus puts before her.   She by-passes all of that incidental and kneels down before Him.   She gets personal and worshipful. 

She’s now demonstrating in the tone of her words and her physical position that she realizes who He is, the Lord, and is bowing in reverence.   Can’t we almost hear the tone of voice she uses in her soft, but urgent cry, “Lord, help me!”  

This woman, for goodness sake, knows she’s a woman and she could care less that she stands out in this crowd.   Her daughter’s need is critical and this “Mama ain’t happy” and is in dire stress about it.   If you’re a mother with a sick child, you know your antennas are out and up and no sleep is coming to your eyes until help is on the way.

She called Him Lord.  She knew who He was and believed He and only He was her source of help in her daughter’s severe condition.  This mama was bothering them with her persistent begging.  Odd, don’t you think that these were the men who were “learning about Jesus’ mission” and “learning to be like Him.”    They certainly failed in this object lesson.

Let’s learn from them.  Jesus is kind and full of compassion.   They lacked both, along with insensitivity.  After all she must have been repeating herself and at least some of her need as she tagged along the guys.  

They had people to see, places to go.   These men were involved in the “school of spiritual training” and they couldn’t be bothered with the “practical needs of life, could they.”  After all, this was God in the flesh and there were important things to teach His men.

They met with resistance on her part.  She had become now an inconvenience to them.  Have you and I been there at all?   Odd how it seems to happen, we’re busy, preoccupied with important things and our little one, or a neighbor or friend comes over or calls with a need or hurt.  

Our thoughts can go crazy on this one:  this isn’t a convenient time.   Needs seldom occur between the hours of 8am to 5pm, when it’s more convenient to help.  I think God is about to teach his guys about the day-to-day “divine appointments” that are before us and we’re unable to see them because they’re either so practical we miss them, or we’re so preoccupied to see them with our earthly vision.

I was at the optometrist’s office getting my first pair of glasses when I noticed a sweet little sign on the wall.  It was a picture of a little boy with a BIG pair of glasses.  The caption read…. “Dear God, I can see you much better with my new glasses.”   This has always stuck with me.

Don’t you wonder sometimes that Jesus may seem silent at first, so we’ll quiet down and lean in closer to listen?  Another thought toward this idea is that in His quietness, He’s adjusting the “lens of our heart” so we see the opportunities “in those interruptions”….better yet, “divine appointments” in our days.

Let’s go back to the silence again because I feel it has great significance.  The men were probably quite vocal about this “female interruption,” and Jesus may have waited until they were quiet…to continue his interaction with the woman.  We’re not told for sure.

Now, back to the scene.   She’s now down on her knees, reverently addressing Him as Lord, please help me.   She’s not demanding, but agonizingly pleading.

After the silence, Jesus reminds her of His mission to the Israelites first. 

Can we hear him quietly saying, “You know, I’ve really come to the Jews first, as their Messiah.  Then they were to take the message of salvation to the rest of the world.  

Doesn’t it look like He is testing her faith and all the while wanting to use this “opportunity” to show His guys that their faith and her faith always draws out His heart for all people who are earnestly seeking Him as their Messiah.   His mission was to all people, not just the Jews.  And here was going to be a real live illustration.

I didn’t see it at first, his comment is like a “brick wall,” and I think He was testing her to see how she’d handle this information.   He was just being truthful about His mission. 

She hurdles this wall beautifully and persistently……”Lord, please help me.”   She recognized He was ‘her Messiah’ and source of help in this demon-possession of her daughter.

He used a term “dog” indicating what the Jews’ attitude was toward Gentiles.  They were considered like dogs to receive God’s blessing.   He was contrasting what Jews thought about Gentiles receiving God’s blessings.

Another hurdle to leap over for this persistent Mom!   It was as if she was saying, “Lord, I know they refer to us Gentiles as dogs, but I’m not here to debate that.  I’m willing to be called a dog, as long as you’ll respond to me, my Master.”

Here was the diamond in the story.   She reverenced Jesus as “her Lord and Messiah,” whether a female Gentile or not…she wanted His help, His blessing, His care for her daughter.   She knew who He was and wasn’t going to leave Him alone until He attended to her.

Here was “faith in action”….persistent faith.  God saw this mom’s heart of great faith and honored her faith.  Her daughter was healed that very hour.  God responded according to His will and purpose in her life and the life of her daughter. 

Let’s not ask and expect that God will do what we ask, when we ask and the manner in which we think His response should come.   He has plans and ways that are higher and serve greater purposes; so let’s allow Him to work His will and plan in:  His way – His time – His method and for His glory and purposes. 

Our need is to be persistent until we may hear His no or in our seeking, He may change our requests.

We need to rest and trust in His wisdom in how, when and how He responds will always be for our good, and His glory.

It is fair to say, that most of my days are “very ordinary”, and I can assume that that is true for most of us as we journey through our daily lives living with it’s routines and responsibilities. It would be rare, very rare indeed if we were to receive a phone call from the local newspaper or TV channel to inform us that they would like to interview us about some dramatic highlight that had occurred within the walls of our home that day that they had heard about. We just live out our “very ordinary” days in sequence, don’t we?

My mind and heart often gravitate toward a truth that I very much appreciate which is that, “God who works in the ordinary, will at times make the ordinary to become the “extraordinary” to fulfill His purpose in our life as well as in the lives of others”.

The neighborhood we currently live in has a transcendent beauty with an ever-changing panorama to accompany the seasons. When we purchased the home, which had been sorely neglected for several years, it was in desperate need of a complete overhaul both inside and out. And so, we began the work.

I tackled most of the landscape work outside, and as a result of that, I have gotten to know most of the people who live around us. Almost every inch of the yard needed to be tackled, and I often pondered, “Why Lord”? But as time went along, as I dug, chopped, weeded, mowed, people would stop amidst my moans and groans to view the progress and to see how I was doing. I came to realize that as neighbors walked their dogs, or came by as they were out for a daily jog, my visibility and availability became a purposeful plan that the Lord laid before me to be a cheerful witness for Him.

As time unfolded, late one afternoon, the doorbell rang, and it was one of those neighbors who would periodically stop by to talk as I worked. There she stood, both arms full, clutching a dish of lasagna she had just prepared and brought to me for dinner. What a delightful surprise.

Delightful on two counts. One I didn’t have to prepare it, and two, lasagna is one of my favorites. If you know anything about lasagna, you know this, the smell of garlic effuses from the dish. Mumm! What an aroma when you’re hungry.

Of course, I invited her inside for a little chat and she followed me into the kitchen where I placed her thoughtful delivery on the counter top for our dinner that night. This was a woman that whenever I had visited with, conversation was never difficult. She is one of those persons who knows both how to listen, and how to keep conversation interesting and alive.

It wasn’t long however before she said she needed to get back to her home so that she could finish preparing dinner for her family. So off she sauntered to the front door, and parting with a big hug, off she went.

So, what is it that is so special about all of this? Yes, the dinner she brought to us was both thoughtful and kind, but there was something else that occurred as a result of her visit that left a lasting impression. What was it?

When I came inside and closed the door after I bid her farewell, there was a distinct and fragrant aroma in our house. The smell of the garlic in the lasagna? No! Rather, it was the lingering scent of the cologne she was wearing. A beautiful aromatic perfume permeating the air. It wasn’t just at the entrance way, but in the living room, and all the way through to the kitchen remaining in the atmosphere for more than an hour.

As I was pondering that, the Lord brought to my mind, the Scripture:

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 “For we are to God, the fragrance of Christ.”

The presence of my neighbor lingered long after she had gone from our house – because it was what she had “adorned herself” with earlier in the day that was still oozing from the pores of her body, and left its imprint in our home.

Yes, Lord, I see!  That’s what our Savior longs for our life as we interact and rub shoulders in the lives of others.  Wherever we are, whatever we do, we are to bring the “fragrance of the love of Christ.”

I laugh when I think of consuming garlic.  You never need to announce to another that you’ve eaten garlic, because it just emits from your pores.   So, in a Spiritual sense, we don’t need to announce to others that we’ve had our “quiet time” or that we read the Bible that day hoping they see the evidence of Christ in our lives.  We don’t need to announce how many Bible studies we’ve been involved in, or how much we’re “doing for our Lord.”

Through the presence and residence of the Holy Spirit within every believer, there should be an “aroma of the character of Christ” radiating from our life.   There ought to be something about us that attracts people to the character of Jesus Christ within us.

It calls for “contagious Christian living!” 

Acts 4:13 “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”

We don’t give another person a cold or the flu by just “talking about it;” we must “have the cold or flu” within us in order to infect and affect someone else.  In other words, we must be CONTAGIOUS ourselves.

In reality, if we say we are followers of Jesus Christ, there should be something about Him that exudes from the pores of our lives!   So that when others spend time with us, they’ll be affected in some tiny way by the love of God.

God can take how we live and treat others and make an impression upon the life, heart and soul of another.  That makes the ordinary extraordinary.

A WONDERFUL LIFE GOAL FOR EACH OF US…………………………….

       After people spend time with us, what do they think of Jesus?

I know I’ve shared this goal in other stories, but it bears repeating.  What do people think after:  listening to us talk about others, working alongside us, seeing how we respond to criticism or negative circumstances, observing our work ethic, and evaluating our integrity and authenticity.  We are always making an impression!   What is it?  What fragrance of Christ and His character and love do we leave?

This spiritual aroma, which results from our encounter with Christ, blesses the heart of God.   The Father loves to see the life of His Son being “expressed” in and through our daily living.

May the Lord help each of us to leave a lasting and loving fragrance of Jesus Christ, so that our lips and lifestyle permeates into every relationship, for His glory.

A Forgiven Heart – Luke 7:36-50

“I experience a sense of hopelessness when I am intensely aware of my depravity.  Even despair.  Darkness threatens to overcome me.  I also know what it is to be forgiven by God and others.  To experience the freedom of being released from my sin.  To feel the exhilaration that comes from being loved completely and accepted for who I am.”

Quote from opening paragraph of this chapter, Women of the New Testament,” Pg. 21 (Phyllis J. Le Peau)

The sinful woman isn’t named!  What a gracious way of the Savior saying, “You’re forgiven, and I’ve got you covered…by my blood shed for you at the cross.”  With God’s forgiveness, there’s no need to rehearse the past.   And aren’t we all thankful for that.

At first I never thought about it, but you know we can all fill in the blanks with “our names” can’t we.   Regardless of what we’ve done, thought, said or imagined, apart from Jesus Christ, we are that sinful woman.  This goes for men too if you happen to be a man and picking up this writing.  Aren’t we all grateful for the forgiveness we have in our Savior? 

Forgiveness….there’s nothing greater than hearing those words, whether it’s from Scripture reminding us that we’re forgiven, or from a friend or family member sharing with us that we are forgiven.  It cleanses the air in which we live with others…..freeing ourselves to be real and transparent.

It’s absolutely incredible that a Holy God would take our place at the cross and die for what we should die for, just so we could be brought into a relationship of closeness that our Creator wanted for us all along.

When I even consider the sins I’ve been forgiven for, it brings perspective on the sins of others.   As the saying goes, those who live in glass houses should never throw stones. 

This event took place at a “dinner party” if you will, at the home of Simon, a Pharisee.  He was considered to be respectable, upstanding, and knowledgeable and perhaps felt honored that Jesus would attend this get-together with like-minded people.

The dinner party was in full operation when a “sinful woman,” who was not invited to the gathering, appeared on the scene.  She wasn’t obnoxious or trying to call attention to herself.  Actually her appearance was not even evident, at first.   She was on a “mission of appreciation” to the Lord.  

Sometimes in our culture, we’ll bring a little gift to give our host or hostess who’s invited us to their home.   This woman showed up with not only a heart of love, but with an expensive gift of perfume.  Her intention wasn’t to wear the fragrance, but instead was pouring it out in worship and adoration to Jesus, the One who had previously forgiven her.

The social custom on the day was to wash the feet of your guests with water, anoint their head with oil and offer them a kiss of greeting.  Sandals and dusty ground would bring about dirty feet, and so it was a kind gesture to your guests to have their feet cleansed a bit when they appeared at your home.  Mr. Upstanding-Pharisee Simon neglected all three. 

In Jesus’ day it was customary to recline while eating.  Dinner guests would lie on couches with their heads near the table, propping themselves up on one elbow and stretching their feet out behind them.   I personally think that’s a little uncomfortable, but they were certainly use to it. 

This (formerly) immoral woman appeared at the gathering rather unnoticed at first.  Because of their positioning at the table, they may have been occupied in conversation without notice of her entry.  But perhaps her tears and the fragrance of the perfume were now filling the atmosphere.

I don’t know about you, but if that had been my background, I wouldn’t have chosen the all-male dinner party to make a public appearance.  It was an invitation for humiliation to say the least.

She appeared at the feet of Jesus and cared for him in such a worshipful way; the very thing Simon should have had attended to. 

Her reputation followed her to this gathering though.  She was disrespected, considered as a low-life woman and to be shunned and avoided.  According to others, her life didn’t gain approval of the crowds.  No doubt her presence caused a stir to say the least.  

Simon, at this point was definitely doubting any credentials of Jesus’ being a profit, after all, if He was, He would have known the “shady and immoral background” of this woman. 

We need to be a little careful in pointing our index finger in a “shame on you” fashion toward Simon.   Can’t each of us be just like him at a moment’s notice?  You know, camping on the sins and shortcomings of others, without taking the slightest notice of log of sins in our own lives.

Jesus doesn’t convey to Simon that he can read his thoughts, He just begins to tell a story about two people in financial debt to a money lender.  One owed a lot of money and the other, not as much, and how both their debts had been cancelled due to the kindness of the lender.   

Wouldn’t we just love for the bank who holds our house mortgage to swing into this kind of action toward us!

This was quiz time for Mr. Simon.  Which debtor felt the greatest appreciation to the lender?   Simon got it right….the one who owed the most.   Hearing Simon’s “right answer,” Jesus leaps into current social dilemma pointing out that this woman honored Him in all the right ways:  washing his feet, anointing his head with oil and kissing his feet.

Simon should have been embarrassed at his lack of attention to this social courtesy.  For this woman to “show up” where she wasn’t invited, and then to extend the loving hospitality of greeting that Simon should have extended to Jesus…this was incredible.

If I was this woman, with her background, this gathering would be the last place I’d make a social appearance.   But her “self-invited” presence had nothing to do with the focus on her.  The focus of her presence was Jesus.   She was so over-whelmed with gratefulness to Him for His forgiveness and cleansing of her life.  The slate of her sinful past was washed clean!   The tears were tears of joyful worship, appreciation and devotion to Him for his extravagant love shown to her.

Simon’s viewpoint saw nothing in this woman but disgust.  The “lens of his heart” was full of condemnation towards her.   She was a sinner…no bones about that.   But what the lens of his heart “didn’t see” was “his own sin.”   He considered himself a tidied -up Pharisee, a respectable and upstanding citizen, thank you very much.  

He was unable to see the obvious…that he was a sinner too in need of forgiveness.   The forgiveness his dinner guest was willing to extend to him, if he was willing.

This “newly forgiven woman’s repentance” turned her world upside down.  Jesus, even though He knew her condition of sin, couldn’t wait for her to turn to Him.   He had compassion on her because Jesus knew what sin did to her.  He knows what it does to us too.  It keeps us far from God and afraid to approach Him.    

We can rejoice because he knows each of us….and our capacity for sin.  His heart and arms were open to her and to us, as we come to a merciful Lord and Savior.   I love it that He doesn’t ask us to “clean up our act first,” but come “as we are,” regardless of the dirtiness of our lives, and He’ll work in us to bring change. 

The truth is that Jesus is more willing to receive us….than sometimes we are to come to Him.  Is that incredible or what!   Oh to be more like Him….accepting people “as they are, not as we’d wish them to be.”

Jesus, in his poignant way, tells another one of his stories-to-make-a-point to the guests, with emphasis on Simon about “indebtedness.” This woman’s extravagant demonstration of love was because she recognized the severity of her sin.   Simon was actually blind to his real condition.

The point of this story is that to the extent we’ve been forgiven and “realization of it,” that is the extent to which we’ll love Him and yearn to be devoted to Him.

So, I guess that it’s okay to once in a7while have a glance at our past to appreciate the extent of His forgiveness for us personally, and then move forward to greater love for our Savior.

Poor Simon…he was so self-righteous in his attitude, he never saw his need.

I’m learning from this scenario that it’s best if I never compare myself with anyone but Jesus.   For if I do, I may be tempted to think I’m not as bad as another. 

The problem with that, is that Jesus died not only for what I have done, but my “potential for sin as well.” 

 What a wonderful Savior we have!

Consider the following when seen through the eyes of a toddler:

1.       If I like it, it’s mine
2.       If it’s in my hand, it’s mine
3.       If I can take it from you, it’s mine
4.       If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine
5.       If it’s mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way
6.       If I’m doing or building something, all the pieces are mine
7.       If it looks just like mine, it’s mine
8.       If I saw it first, it’s mine
9.      If you are playing with something and you put it down, it’s    

automatically mine

1. If it’s broken, it’s yours

A child will always add a half to their age, because they want to be older.  An adult, however, will be QUIET about their age.  If they DO announce the number, it’s their current one with no “halves” mentioned.

We’re never too old to grow up – to become “mature!”

Webster defines maturity:  grown up, experienced, prepared, developed, cultivated, ripened … kind of sounds like a tomato that’s been on the vine awhile, doesn’t it?

In the broadest sense, it’s a fruitfulness that God Himself longs to develop in His children.  It’s a process of caring, pruning and lovingly working in all of the circumstances of our lives.  The good, bad, ugly, and the unexpected … what’s been fair and unfair. 

Our walk of life on earth with the One who died for us, prepares us for life with Him eternally.  We need to choose this option.  God is not only preparing a place for us, but He’s preparing us for that place.

God invites all people to a relationship with Jesus.  But it’s an invitation with an RSVP.  A relationship with Jesus Christ begins a process of turning away from a selfish, childish life and turning to His leadership and a new life.

A baby grows physically by taking in nutrients.  This begins with milk, progressing to pureed or “baby food.”  But this is only meant for a short time.  Soon, teeth appear for more than a cute smile, but for chewing real food.  Our new life with Christ follows a similar process spiritually. 

As adults, we are blessed with a tremendous array of foods!  There’s pasta, produce, chocolate, meat, fish, chocolate.  Then there’s one food that I find difficult to get down because I think it resembles a huddle of trees in the forest – broccoli!

Like many of you, I enjoy and take great delight in some foods, but others are rather “hard to swallow.”  In spite our dislikes, we plan and prepare nutritious things to eat for our families so they’ll grow strong healthy bodies and grow up.

Because I hate broccoli, I have had to make some attitude changes.  I “choose to eat it” because it’s good for me.”  Though I’m happy to share some with you too!  Mom’s favorite line at the table: “Eat up, it’s GOOD FOR YOU!”  (Even if it’s broccoli?!!).  Of course, I’d rather have chocolate, but too much chocolate isn’t good for me.  Sometimes I’d like to begin with dessert, but that’s not the best choice either.

I’ve been addressing some childish attitudes – beliefs or mindsets that produce unhappiness.  Life isn’t always fair and unfulfilled expectations can be hard to swallow.  Life isn’t as carefree as we’d like, and there are seasons when we’re sad.  Life has some real pits to it.

Ever been in a situation where you have really been hurting, and you look around and see others hurting too?  It doesn’t take away your pain, but you know you’re not the only one that’s feeling that way.

God shows us all through his “saints on display in the Bible” that they weren’t walking alone.  He was IN their experiences and WITH THEM.  He uses their life-stories to touch and encourage us.

In 2004 I was a student in the “Character 101 class.”  It began with my mom’s cancer diagnosis.  A few months later, my dad had a stroke that paralyzed half of his body and much of his mouth and jaw.  For two weeks I was with him 10 hours a day attending to him and icing his mouth every 30 minutes.

Three days before he died, my mom was told her cancer had returned and she needed surgery.  I attended to them both on and off in separate locations.  I planned his funeral and handled most all of their affairs by myself.

I can’t begin to tell you how powerfully personal God’s presence and peace settled me and comforted me.  He brought strangers into my life that reached out to me in my pain.

My Heavenly Daddy reminded me, “I’m here.  I know.  I understand.”  In those moments we have something that an unbeliever doesn’t have.  We have Some One who can cuddle and hold us deep within, when our emotional seams unravel.

Have you noticed that life happens — while we’re making other plans?

When things don’t go our way, our hearts can get cool toward God.  We fail to see Him at work in our lives … in the little things.  In reality, if God seems distant, it is not Him who has moved away … we have.

It is no accident that our difficulties, disappointments, tragedies and pain can bring our hearts back to Him.   Our pride and self-sufficiency rob us of seeing God in our circumstances.  Our hearts deceive us into thinking “I can do this ALL BY MYSELF!”  That has a CHILDISH RING to it!

When life does not follow our plan, we seek those who have walked through this before, and want to hear their loving counsel as they tell of God’s provision of unimaginable peace and inner strength.

While still here on earth, God often needs to activate a few “ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENTS.”  Our lives are HIS GIFT TO US … but how we live them is OUR GIFT to HIM.

Each day we’re writing the chapters and verses.  Most of us will never have a book written about us, but people are reading us just the same.  Our lives speak volumes; and since God is the author, we need to be active participants in the story, which speaks of His encouragement and draws attention to HIS love, care, faithfulness and wonderful provision amidst it all.

God wants to write His story through each of our lives.  If we give Him complete “editorial control,” He’ll write an epic.

When a collection of CIRCUMSTANCES comes our way; and it’s not packaged as we would choose, we wonder: “God, are you aware of this?  Has this taken you by surprise?”  This is when our Character 101 class is in session.

This is when our “talk” about trusting the Lord begins to become our “walk.”  If our beliefs are socks simply to keep our feet warm, we need to put on shoes and get going!  Because WHAT WE DO … DETERMINES WHAT WE BELIEVE, no matter what we say with our lips. 

MATURE BELIEFS are based on our relationship to God – through His Word and His character.  These beliefs are not based on how we feel, what we have seen or read on social media or what others do to us.

Years ago, someone’s behavior and words “swept me off my emotional feet.”  My thoughts and feelings went into overdrive, and my response ranged from devastated, shocked, overwhelmed, saddened … and more.  Thankfully God had been at work in me long before this took place, to get me ready.  It wasn’t done by a stranger, but a friend.

Remember the pop quizzes we had in school.  In this Character 101 Class – this was mine, and had one simple question: “How are you going to handle this?”

At first, I bawled like a child … and that was okay with my Daddy!  But after the tears, I had a GROWN-UP DECISION TO MAKE.   How would God want me to handle this!

My response needed to indicate my complete dependency on God, because I also knew that this was given to me for His CONSTRUCTIVE PURPOSES in my life and character?  Of course, this person was responsible to God for their behavior, but then, so was I.

I’m learning through my years of walking with Jesus that He is far more concerned with MY CHARACTER … THAN MY COMFORT.

The evil one longs to take all the unfairness, stresses and pain and use it for DESTRUCTIVE purposes in our lives.  And he provokes us to think: “God doesn’t care and this incident has slipped past Him.”

But our loving God allows and uses all the unfairness, disappointments and pain we encounter in a CONSTRUCTIVE way … as we allow Him.  What the Devil doesn’t seem to get is that we belong to and serve a LOVING Father.

As His kids, the MATURE perspective we need to maintain is that our loving Father can and will use all the disappointments, stresses, and heartache like a Divine Potter.  Thus, we are Squeezed, Shaped, Turned, and Molded into something useful.   When this process is complete, we realize a more wonderful CLOSENESS of INTIMACY with Him.

Though Satan tries to discourage us through our own thoughts or those of others – into thinking that God has abandoned us.  Here is where we need to keep real close to Him.  Our relationship with God, perhaps still developing, should remind us that nothing can touch us – not even separate us from God’s love and purpose for each one of us.

In the Bible, David knew that God’s work is perfect because of his personal relationship with Him.  David knew that God does no wrong, and that He’s faithful (regardless of what we’re going through).

Our disappointments or unmet expectations are way markers on our journey to maturity with Jesus.

In our Christian life, we eventually all encounter the decision: “Am I going to let God be God?”  I look back and smile that whenever I encountered problem and difficulties, I simply resorted to take control of the situation, and tried to push God out of the driver’s seat of my life.

Since God is concerned with character, we are given open-book tests.  Our responses to how we handle THE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO WRONG, determine whether we advance … or repeat that lesson.

Thus, when a situation stirs us to lash back, get even, or murmur: “you’re going to pay for this.”  If instead we respond like Jesus, WE KNOW WE’RE GROWING … and ready for harder challenges.

The trials and pressures we face may make us feel like a rubber band for a while.  But our Daddy is in “sovereign control – fully in charge” of the TRIAL, but also its TEMPERATURE and DURATION.

While studying and reflecting on “character,” and allowing the various life experiences to “marinate in my mind;” there’s a personal story I hadn’t planned to share, but which parallels the Biblical story of Hannah’s sorrow and her joy!

This is part of my story.  The name has been changed and the ending is different, but the same wonderful God who works all things together for His good plan and purpose is still involved.

I remember when I first realized that Jesus is God … with skin on, and how responding to Him makes you a chosen person, and given a PURPOSE as found in Jeremiah 29:11.

“I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to PROSPER you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

God’s purpose is to demonstrate, or put on display, something very special in and through EACH OF US.

God never lumps us all together, but speaks to us individually.  We are not just a crowd, but individuals – dearly loved by Him.  The truly strange thing is that His love is NOT conditional.  It does not depend on our performance, accomplishments, title, or address.  You are loved – just for “being you.”

This photo spoke tenderly to me.  It’s a photo of a lovely friend just a few days after she was born.  There were two ways this touched my heart.  

This young mother exudes gladness and joy as she embraces her newborn daughter with all her hopes and anticipation of how her life would unfold.  She had no idea of the plans God had for this child.   But God did!  And oh, the joy God had when He designed each of us and caused you and I to enter this world as He gave us our first breath.

This little baby is now a beautiful woman who has become a doctor.  God has used this woman in many wonderful ways in the country of Afghanistan. 

God is also using her as she communicates her “experiential journey” in her walk with God through her writings to encourage others.  In this photo she appears like most other newborn babies, but here’s where it leans in so beautifully in the arena of “maturity.”  

God’s longing is that as we mature in our walk of faith, we begin to take on the features and characteristics of our Savior.  God’s goal is that we “resemble Jesus” in our everyday lives, so others are drawn to Him.

I know this “baby” as an adult, and it’s ever-so-clear when I see her and then look at this photo, I see the “strong resemblance of her mother in her.”  That’s “exactly what God is looking for in each of His children is the resemblance of Christ in our lives.”

A compass goal for my life is this: “After people spend time with me, (working, speaking, living my life) what do they think of Jesus Christ?”

So, you see, this photo is a vivid reminder that God is working in every crevice of my life and yours, working as a Divine Potter, shaping us into the likeness of the character of His Son.   Each of our lives “influence others” toward Jesus, or away from Him.

We understand from that verse in Jeremiah 29:11 that God says: “I love you because I designed you and gave you your first breath and each breath thereafter.”

In my story, the Lord gave my husband and me a gift much more valuable than a few biological children.  Instead, He has given us more children than we ever thought possible.

For years, I wondered if God truly loved me, because we had not been blessed with a child.  The Bible tells us that children are a gift from the Lord … others have these gifts!  Why don’t we?

From God’s perspective, my experience is somewhat like what happened to Hannah.  God needed me to have a change in attitude. 

Since we are created as individuals, God has an individual plan for each of us.  It can never be compared to someone else.  Just as Hannah looked at Peninnah’s life, I looked at others with a child.

God kindly, gently and consistently began to “operate on my eyes.”  I though my WOMB was the problem.  The GREAT PHYSICIAN knew better, because He had other plans.

Our life and home are filled with guests who come and stay with us throughout the year.  One day after yet another group of guests had left … I finally began to see … something.  It was as if the BANDAGES FELL OFF … and I began to see things from HIS PERSPECTIVE on why we did not have children.

God quietly spoke to my heart:

          “You love having people in your home, don’t you?  Had you

          ever thought that each person that comes into your life or

          your door is a CHILD, sent by ME for you to love?”

So … how do we get God’s perspective on our situations?  Of course, God is committed to providing that for us, but we need to ALLOW HIM to do that … without taking control!  This is a learned discipline and takes time.

My expectations were continually frustrated since God did not provide what I wanted in the packaging I had anticipated.  For years I didn’t RECOGNIZE His gifts due to my pre-conceived definition.  I wanted one that weighed 6 lbs. 8 oz.

Once I began to really see His gifts, my life has NEVER been the same.  Now I SEE that EVERYONE IS A CHILD.  We’re just different heights and sizes. 

In the Bible, God said “yes” to Hannah’s prayer for a child, and after she weaned him, she gave her child back to God, and she was filled with joy.

In my situation, God had said “no,” but continues to bring people to me, whom I nurture and give -back to Him … and I am filled with joy.

God has opened my eyes to see the inner child in all of us.  He has given me a task of caring for and loving these taller ones He brings into my life.  Of course, I am only a means of transferring His love to other.

How can we tell others He’s wonderful and good and can be trusted if we’ve not EXPERIENCED HIM FIRST HAND?  Our commitment to give control of our life to God, requires a “letting go.”  Once He is “holding the ropes” of our lives, we realize that He is in charge, AND we are NO LONGER IN CONTROL.

Gradually, through circumstances and personal experience, we begin to mature – becoming contagious and convincing to others of the power of God – for we know Him personally.  Yes, there may even be joy in our tears, we realize that He is WONDERFUL!

Studying and learning about Him is great, but our real growth begins when He begins to stretch our character by gently pushing us out of our cushy and feathered “comfort zones.”  It is then we begin to EXPERIENCE GOD HIMSELF AND WHO HE IS AND LONGS TO BE in our “daily living.”

We have seen photos of a huge eagle’s nest high in the tree or in the crag of a cliff.  Most of these nests are out of reach, and few of us have seen the construction. 

The nest begins with thorns, broken branches, sharp rocks and other items that seem entirely unsuitable for the project.  Soon the nest is lined with a thick padding of fur and feathers, making it soft and comfortable for the eggs and soon the chicks.

However, as the eaglets mature and reach flying age, they become comfortable and enjoy their free meals, which makes them reluctant to leave.

That’s when the mother eagle begins “stirring up the nest.”  With her strong talons she begins pulling up the thick carpet of fur and feathers, bringing the sharp rocks and branches to the surface.  As their environment becomes more uncomfortable, the eaglets get restless in their discomfort.

Not long after, through some serious prompting and urging the now growing eagles are encouraged to leave their once-comfortable abode and move on to behave like the eagles they are meant to be.

When giving control of our lives to God, we also need to understand that His parenting skills are perfect.  As we learn to trust God, we understand that in those situations where we, like the eaglets, are

uncomfortable, it is because we are reaching the end of one level of our maturity.  It is at these stages God is actually EXPRESSING HIS LOVE TO US.

Yet, we need to ensure our “compass attitude” holds us close to Him since He is so aware of the “temperature” of each of our hearts’ emotion.

There is no verse that promises a trouble-free life.  God does want us to know that our every “hurt and pain” concerns Him.  He invites us to cast all of our cares and pains on Him,

                                    BECAUSE

                                          HE

                                                CARES

                                                        FOR

                                                              US.

Mark 6: 14-29

This woman’s character isn’t one we’d like to emulate, believe me.   But on a bad day, maybe even a menopause or PMS day (any males reading this should bypass this paragraph), we can become “Herodias”….bitter and not in a good frame of mind.   I know this is stretching it…but bitterness can crop up from nowhere and grow in our hearts when we least expect it.

If you have a difficult time remembering “who” she is….this thought might help.   She was King Herod’s brother’s (Philip’s) wife.  So when you hear Herod’s name….just as “ias.” 

Notice, she had been married to Philip, Herod’s brother.  Events happened that we needn’t bother with, but the results were that Herod married his former sister-in-law.  Not good.   John (the one that leaped in Elizabeth’s womb) had been saying to Herod that it wasn’t lawful for him to have his brother’s wife.

John was acting as Herod’s Christian counselor, but he took no notice of the exhortation.   The Scriptures take no time in introducing this woman and she’s not painted in a good light.  Mark 6:19 begins her introduction.   “So Herodias nursed a “grudge” against John and wanted to kill him.

My goodness, there’s no room for imagination here.   Needless-to-say she didn’t have a teachable attitude when hearing about it from John’s counsel.  He began growing on her black list right away.    John was right and she was wrong, but admitting that would not be her style.

Before we begin to think of all the possibilities of not liking her, we sure can learn something from her.   As we’ve eluded to before, the Bible doesn’t paint people “perfect” but it does paint them with great “accuracy.” 

We’ve learned that she was bitter, and we’ll come to all that; but have you and I ever been bitter when someone has confronted us about a bad attitude or unhealthy or ungodly behavior?  

Another way of saying that might be, do you and I have a tendency to get in a “huff inwardly or outwardly” if we’re corrected?   Ouch…let’s not cast stones in an aquarium we’ve swum around from time to time.

Sometimes God has used another person to quietly correct me…how about you?

Let’s move forward to some of the words that describe bitter.  I don’t even like how the word sounds, how about you?

Bitter:  sour, sharp, harsh, severe, tart, caustic, sarcastic, biting

Aren’t these words distasteful!   I’d never want to be categorized with any of them, and yet my countenance and attitude has raised its ugly head from time to time.  I can identify with these every so often in my life, can anyone join me on this one?

Sometimes this inner attitude seeps out of our pores without our permission.  Our heart attitudes pour right out of our lips and behavior and, it isn’t a pretty picture.

For those of us privileged to have proceeded through menopause or PMS, we “know” there are those moments, hours or days where we’d like to even get away from ourselves and can’t.   I hope you’re having a chuckle at this moment.  But honestly, where do you go to get away from yourself?  Now I’m hysterical with laughter.  Let me pause to compose myself.

This attitude that can “spring into behavior at a moment’s notice” isn’t godly or attractive.  So please don’t interpret the above paragraph to say that Herodias’ life-style or behavior is anything but right.

She hates John’s exposure of her sin, takes it personally (and she should) and determines that at the right time and in the right setting, she’s going for John’s jugular.

Scriptures tells us Herod was curious and somewhat fearful of John because he knew he was a righteous man.  He even enjoyed listening to him and somewhat enamored with John.  That is when he wasn’t being corrected by him.  He knew that John’s counsel was right, but he was king and perhaps felt “above being counseled.”  Accountability didn’t seem to be in his vocabulary.

There’s no mention in Scripture that Herodias ever appreciated John and his “let’s get our hearts right with God” approach.   She could have taken his counsel to heart.  Obviously her conscience troubled her, but ignored the warning signs. 

She obviously knew “about” God, but she never “reverenced Him.”  She had no commitment to her marriage.  She lacked any respect for John, God’s man of the hour.   Instead she became furious because John’s counsel “exposed her heart and behavior.”  

The soil of her heart was ripe for the seed of bitterness to take root and grow.  No doubt the more she thought of him or saw him or even heard her Herod talk about John, it just added fuel to her inner furnace.

She knew she was guilty, then became resentful and no doubt bad-mouthed him whenever she had opportunity.   We never read of any conversation between Herod and Herodias talking about “repenting.”

Preaching of God’s word does that sometimes, doesn’t it?  Pastors have the responsibility to “comfort the afflicted” and at the same time “afflict the comfortable.”

Our world is filled with Herods and Herodiases.   Even when we’re being kind and thoughtful and honoring in our behavior to others, people may not like us because our behavior exposes theirs.   

The important thing is that we don’t behave in ways that “deserve their accusations.”   Haven’t you found that our approach and love of the other person should greatly affect how I approach another? 

Even a wise approach can help another be willing to listen and heed good counsel.   You know what I mean.   If you don’t perhaps we could have coffee and talk about it over a cinnamon roll.

But if I’m unhealthy, I want my doctor to be honest, or I won’t get better.

Herodias didn’t “want to repent/change.”   Her defensiveness exposed her heart.  This attitude within her heart was fueled by her nursing anger toward John. I’m sure she re-lived his counsel and became “historical in her recollection of his rebuke.”

It all came to a head at Herod’s birthday party.  Philip and Herodias had a daughter from their marriage.   She must have been attractive and knew the right moves to entertain Herod and his guests.    Even his attitude towards Herodias’ daughter wasn’t like what it should have been as a perhaps “step dad”….as no doubt her dancing was provocative to say the least.

It must have stirred him in some ways because Herod asked the girl. “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.  And if that wasn’t inviting enough, he laced it with “And he promised her with an oath, whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”    Now that must have been some dance, if you ask me.  The Scriptures don’t seem to flatter or doctor up the truth…it just tells it.

I know my personality is going to leak out here … but I’ve attempted many a nice meal for my husband.  You know candles, tablecloth, music and his favorite meal.   But in all the years we’ve been married, he’s never responded like Herod.   You know, whatever you’d like, it’s yours response. 

Reading between the lines, the daughter sought counsel from her mother, Herodias.  They had something up their sleeves, you can bank on that.   Herodias caused her daughter to sin, so she lacked no restraint in this attitude.  Her scheming was brazen, rebellious and hateful. 

The daughter was even instructed by her mother as to how to carry out their bitter plan.  “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”   We can see that this bitterness was well incubated and ripe for the request.

Herodias wanted John and his testimony out of her life, and this was the moment she was waiting for.  Her bitterness and hatred were lethal weapons.  John was imprisoned for his stand for righteousness and now he was about to “go home to heaven”….but not without losing his head first to an embittered, ugly-hearted woman.  He may have been imprisoned, but his heart was free!

When we think about it, Herodias’ heart was imprisoned by her bitterness and it had eaten away at her.    It had taken “her” captive and the environment became murderous and ugly at that birthday party.

Even Herod became distressed by the situation, but his behavior was far from kingly, and his pride was so great that because of his oath, status and dinner guests, he didn’t refuse her.   Talk about being a man of your word….in the worst possible way.

Bitterness can color any heart and take people by storm.  Everyone in this picture and at that party was touched by this murderous and bitter attitude.   It poisoned her, Herod, her family, the guests and caused horrible distress and sadness for the disciples that came for his body, not to mention the agony of Jesus.

There’s nothing happy about this ending.  From letting this situation marinate in my own heart, I don’t ever want bitterness to ever root in me, for it’s an ugly and active attitude that can kill motivation, encouragement, and shatter relationships and the reputation of another.

Lord God, thank you for your mercy and instruction.  We want our lives to ooze with the “fragrance of your grace.”

It’s true……….we never know what a day may bring.  This day began very early in the morning.  My husband had a flight around 8:00 a.m. this particular day, so we were up early and on the road to the airport by 6:00 a.m.   Thirty minutes later my husband exited the car, grabbed his luggage, kissed me goodbye and headed inside the airport.   I got into the car to drive home; but noticed there were a lot of traffic parked not only by the curb, which is where I was parked, but there was a line-up of cars next to me.

After a moment or two the car parallel next to me pulled away.  Yes, I thought, this is now clear for me to pull away from the curb and begin the drive home.  Even though the space was clear, my foot was firmly on the brake, as I wanted to double check that the area where I would be pulling out was clear.   Once that was established, I placed my foot on the accelerator and off I went.

I’m pausing for a moment because I’m finding recapping this event somewhat difficult.

That all changed in a matter of seconds.  The next thing I remember was a huge noise, sudden darkness, a blast of what felt like an object pole-vaulting me forward, and an explosion in front of me.   “Stunned” became reality, followed by shock, blurred vision and nausea.  It took a second to realize that I was in a car accident and I had plowed into something extremely hard.  A CEMENT GUARD WALL is what they call it.

Thinking smoke was filtering in the air, I realized I needed to exit the car.  I later found out it was the particles from the airbag that was filling the car.   I was amazed that the car door was partially opened, due to the impact into the wall.   How thankful I was that it was open enough that I could sort of crawl out the bottom half of the door, as the upper half was consumed with the air bag.

Our little Papillion dog was in the seat next to me, and had been thrown into the glove compartment area and only suffered a slight cut on her head.  I didn’t realize that until later — but she was alive.   I placed the leash around her neck, grabbed my purse and picked up my dog and crawled out of the car.

“I’ll (Jesus) be whatever you need Me to be as you carry out my assignment.”  Experiencing God,” by Henry Blackaby

My first need of reliance was to exit the car!  Gosh those airbags take up a lot of space when they “explode in front of your body!”   The first order of business was to hold onto my little dog and purse and cross three lanes of airport traffic.

I felt very nauseated and my vision was blurred, but I knew I had to get into the airport and tell someone I needed help.  There were three traffic lanes of oncoming traffic approaching next to where the car was demolished.   The urgency for help was increasing, so I raised my arm and began waving at the cars so they would see me and stop to allow me to cross.

As I look back, I wouldn’t have attempted that feat in a thousand years!  But I had to get inside the airport.   I called out to the first man I saw and exclaimed that I had been in an accident, was sick and couldn’t see straight; and that I needed to lie down “right away.”

I could vaguely see seats ahead and I moved in that direction still cradling our little dog.  I needed help and quick.  I phoned my husband, who was well past “security” and in the lounge area to board his upcoming flight.   No answer, of course, as he would have his phoned turned off.  I sent a text and began phoning two other people.  It was only 6:40 a.m. so most people would have had their cell phones turned off.

Just before the pain struck, my cell phone rang and it was my husband asking, “Are you all right and where are you?”   “I’m at the airport – I haven’t gone anywhere.”   Gone anywhere?  Yet I seemed to  have made a terrific impact on a cement guard wall.  It’s a good thing the guard rail was just above the cement wall, otherwise I’d have gone ‘down’ to another level of the airport – and, I would not be writing this story.

At this point, I could not function.  I laid down on the seat with my coat under my head, and our little dog curled up on my tummy.  My blurred vision cleared, but pain was beginning to settle in my back and neck.   At this point all I could do was very quietly say, “Jesus, help me.”   

Within what seemed like just a couple minutes, the area around me was flooded with “visitors.”   Peter was escorted back through Security to come to the area where I was horizontally located.  There were four policemen, six paramedics, a fire truck, emergency squad and a tow truck.  Goodness, a person has to go through quite an ordeal to locate a “personal crowd.”

I say that with humor now, but it wasn’t funny at the time.   The paramedic was telling me that I needed to be taken to the hospital; but I told him that I wasn’t going anywhere until my little pooch (Puppet) was taken care of.   The wonderful paramedic not only read the situation medically, but emotionally.  

He leaned over me and said that, “We’re not taking you anywhere until your little Puppet has been taken care of.”   Aww, how tenderly his words were spoken, and I felt some relief in my heart and mind.

Peter took the dog and gave her to our friend (who had arrived at the airport lounge) along with the keys to the house, and asked that they take her to our home and lock up the house.   

As pain emerged and I was only too relieved to proceed to a hospital.   But first the policeman wanted to do an interview!   He was asking me about the details of what had just happened.   I don’t mind being questioned, but certainly would have preferred a relaxed atmosphere and more convenient timeline. 

There was nothing my husband could do, as he was already checked in and waiting to board an aircraft.  He walked alongside me as they transported me into the ambulance; and I assured him that he could do nothing to help me, but to go ahead on his trip.

That’s all my recollection; and now I’m in a new and scary environment, an “emergency vehicle.”  If you’ve been in one, you probably know how scary and yet safe it can feel; because you know the paramedics know how to care for you.

Well, my “personal paramedic” was sent by the Lord!  He was probing gently all over my body for symptoms of perhaps a broken neck, etc.  After he ascertained that he thought my neck would recover, he leaned over me and asked me this question.   “Dianne, are you a Christian?”  “Yes I am” was my response.  He then said, “I am too, and honey we’re going to take real good care of you!”   I almost cried at his tender and compassionate response.  

I knew then, that God indeed, was present and caring for me in such kind and wonderful ways.

“The Lord will allow you to face situations where you have absolutely no choice but to rely upon Him.”   Wisdom From Above, by Charles Stanley

In my right mind, I’d never would have attempted to cross three lanes of oncoming cars, much less with blurred vision  — but what’s a woman to do to get help.  No one appeared physically at the car to help me.  But there was One who was there all the time and proved Himself “faithful” in incredible ways.

To breathe in some fresh air on this accident, I’d like to leave the “cement situation” behind me, and invite you to the many “attentive ways” my Savior supported me in the trauma of the event.

First of all, in normal settings, my husband would not be allowed out of the waiting lounge to revisit the check-in area of the airport.   He had gone through Security and that pretty well sealed him in position for boarding his flight.  

The airport staff made an “exception” and had him escorted to my “horizontal location.”  It’s at this point that I realized God made sure I could see my husband before heading toward the hospital.  That would have given him a sense of peace as well as myself.

But here’s an incredible thing God did for me:  I wasn’t fearful of being left alone, but encouraged my husband to continue on with his needed travel plans.  Are you kidding?   As I review it again, that wasn’t a “normal response” of a wife who was in my condition at the moment.   It was as if God “took over” my responses and gave me PEACE…..and “INCREDIBLE PEACE.”

A few days before my husband’s trip away and this crash landing at the wall, I kept sharing with the Lord that I had no projects at home to do, the housework was caught up (that seldom happens), no laundry or painting plans.  What was I going to do for seven days?   Just as I was being examined in the emergency squad, a humorous thought came my way.  It was as though the Lord said, “I have an idea what you’ll do … REST.”   I actually smiled on that one.  Laughter wasn’t in the cards at that moment.

Here’s another incredible thing God did for me:   I wasn’t one bit afraid!   I was hurting, to be sure, but I had “no stress.”  I’m amazed I’m even writing this down, but it’s true.   I was now alone, husband returns to the waiting lounge, a friend was escorting my dog home and I was by myself in an emergency squad heading for a destination for which I had no idea of how long I’d be there, or would anyone come to be with me.

Here’s another incredible thing God provided for me:  The emergency room wasn’t busy!  I was taken to an empty area – you know, the ones with the baby blue curtain separating you from your hospital neighbor.   Within minutes I was surrounded by two nurses and a physician and my personal paramedic, Ray.  The nurse was on-the-spot with the needle for one arm in case I required blood.

Here’s another incredible thing God helped me with:  On my right was the paramedic and physician chatting about my “high blood pressure.”  Now here’s where it’s time to defend your medical rights.   I wasn’t comfortable hearing all about their concern about my high blood pressure; so I piped up and said:  “Hey, your blood pressure would be high too if you just slammed into a cement wall like I did.”   I began to laugh, and they did too.   “Just patch me up and get me out of here and my “white coat pressure” (our blood pressure usually rises upon seeing a doctor in a white coat) will reduce to a normal range.

Here’s another incredible way God showed up:  Within half an hour they housed my entire head in a cage.  They told me it would be uncomfortable, and they were right.   As they fitted this gear on me, the Lord seemed to calm my mind and heart to be “still” and you’ll be safe.   I wasn’t allowed to move, but I’d be safe.   Now the ceiling was my new “vista to view.”   However God provided a wonderful presence through the nurse, even though brief, as she needed to attend to a newcomer on the E.R. block.  I was now by myself, yet not alone.  God was with me.   Within just a few minutes, I heard the “familiar voice,” the voice of a friend.

This friend had been informed of where I was and she drove to the hospital to “be with me.”  She announced firmly that she would be there all the time so I wouldn’t be alone.  And, she would be driving me home when all the testing was complete and I could be discharged.  Another provision of the Lord Jesus.  He was there, but He wanted me to sense “Jesus with skin on” (through the presence of a friend) to further comfort me.  I was stunned and wanted to leap for joy when I heard my friend’s voice.   But due to my “caged prison,” there would be no physical leaping.

Here’s another incredible way God showed up:  My personal paramedic appeared at the hospital, no doubt, bringing in another patient.  But as I was now in a laid back position on the bed, I could see people coming and going.  “There’s Ray….my paramedic.”   I called out to him and he instantly came over to my temporary hotel accommodation, ha ha.   I was able to thank him and encourage him because of the way he had attended to me earlier that morning. 

Right then and there I had plans to write him a letter, to not only thank him, but to encourage him in how good he is at his job (actually his ministry to others).   Perhaps this was one of the purposes in all of the events…………..a paramedic needed encouragement.

Within two hours, testing was complete, no broken bones and within the next hour I would be released.

Here’s another incredible way God cared for me:  My friend drove me home and stayed with me the entire day and evening just to make sure I would be all right staying by myself.  The pain medicine would be a regular companion for a few weeks, no doubt; but she wasn’t going to leave me until I felt comfortable being alone. 

The following three evenings she came over to attend to me with hour long massages.  What a “gift she was.”  She even bought and brought home three meals…as I was too weak to prepare anything for myself.

Here’s other way God provided for me:  Two of my neighbors came over with food on various days.   Another neighbor brought flowers. 

Here are some musings God gave me about all that transpired throughout this ordeal.  I’ve journaled them so I can reflect on all that God provided, and how He proved Himself faithful through it all.

Mental gifts from my Lord…..through and because of the accident:

• I can attest that all this has given me a “deeper and more intimate” walk with Jesus
• There are purposes in our trials (and I’ve only seen just a few)
• Adjusting to God’s plan B…..develops my character
• Giving of ourselves in those moments of pain, we’ll have “keepsakes of Him to treasure”

A keepsake is something precious that serves as a reminder, a memorial or symbol of a treasure to our hearts.  I wanted to journal this event and rehearse over and over the “treasured keepsakes of Jesus and His marvelous care in all that transpired.”

Before I close off this personal story, I want to share the Scripture that I was memorizing just weeks before the incident at the airport.

Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped.”

That verse came to me soon after the accident reminding me of His constant care in and through everything, and I couldn’t be more GRATEFUL!!!!!   Every word of that verse was lived out that morning, and continues to remain as I heal.

 As people asked me about what happened that day, I wanted to be keenly aware that even if I shared the details, the most important details were “about God….and how He came near to attend me in every way.”

We will all have or will experience disappointments, pain, frustration, and various griefs woven throughout our life because we live in a sinful world.   It’s easy to camp on the negative as we tell our stories; but we need to be confident to share what “God does” for His people in the midst of our life experiences.   Why?   So others will want to trust in Him too – for their life journey.

BUT GOD…………..are crucial words in sharing our life’s experiences (good & bad), and what He does to accompany and care for us.

Our comments of testimony about what God does to help us should “highlight our experience.”  When we share how Jesus helps us, it tells others that He is worthy and worth trusting and walking with here on this earth,” and right on into eternity.

It has been three and a half months since this event……and as I continue to completely recover, I recall it all with a “grateful heart.”

How many times in life do we find ourselves in the “waiting room” awaiting God’s intervention in the practical events of life?   My guess would be “A LOT!”

I think life is “abundant in the pauses and holding patterns.”  From my simple walk of faith, I’ve found that it’s not really the answer to our prayers that’s critical, but the time “in between.”   You know, the time frame between your sharing your concerns with Him and the actual “answer” to prayer. 

For me, I’ve been discovering that the time in between is when He seems to establish His best work in our minds, hearts and souls.   We often refer to this arena of time as the “waiting time.” 

I don’t know of anyone who enjoys the luxury of waiting, whether it be in traffic, the grocery store, or at the doctor’s office.   I admit, I’m on board with all of you who claim this flawed character quality.  I can be as impatient at times for even a casserole that’s in the oven for 45 minutes, much less hours, days, weeks or years.

I’m also convinced that it’s in the “waiting period” that our spiritual eyes can be refocused and enhanced.  God yearns that we not only know a truth about Him, that He is omnipotent (all powerful), omnipresent (present everywhere), omniscient (knows everything about all things); but that He deeply wants us to “EXPERIENCE HIM” in and through each day of our waiting…..not just in waiting for the answer.

Faith and character are developed in this “waiting period.”  The situation is the womb; and it is in the “waiting womb” that our character, our faith, perseverance and our hope is developed.

No wonder God gave the birth of a baby about nine months to develop before entering the world.   We talk about the formative years, but for a baby to be born.. it’s formative months.  

Christian maturity isn’t an over-night transition.  He uses each of the issues in our life to build our faith and trust in Him, and it’s “in those times” that we’re stretched and tested, like gold being refined by fire.

God is always at work, but we may feel like much of His work is going on underground, out of our sight, but it is going on, and is real none-the-less. 

This recent scenario in my life which I will describe, I found very down-to-earth, yet it is both astounding and encouraging.  It all began unraveling without any effort on my part.

We have our home up for sale.  For those of you who have ever sold a house and waited for a buyer you can relate to that even though it’s a regular and routine occurrence for a realtor.  It can be emotional and stressful just waiting on the “right buyer.”

You probably know the ropes on this one.  You obtain a realtor, go through the motion of price and staging your home so it “doesn’t look lived in at all,” and then it’s advertised, and probably soon an “open house” will be scheduled.

In our case the open house would be held for those who actually make an appointment to see it; thus preventing all your neighbors from taking a lookie-look throughout your home without being invited.

We had one open house the weekend before and another one this day.  Times were set, just two hours for that “right buyer” to float by and say the words, “we love it….and make an acceptable offer.”

Minutes before I circled our home and turned on all the lights throughout the home.  The realtor arrived and off I went in the car to give those coming through our home the privacy they needed.

I’ve moved many times in our married life, so I knew that I didn’t need to go far, just far enough so people flocking through our home would not be aware that I was only two homes away, in my neighbor’s driveway, stalking the potential clients…..I mean getting a glimpse of who was coming and going and the length of time they spent in our home.

There were disappointments as one couple spent just 5 minutes and the other 10 minutes looking.  It’s not rocket science to realize this home didn’t appeal to what they were looking for. 

Two hours of “waiting” had passed.  But prior to my exiting our home I began to sing the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”  After parking myself comfortably in my neighbor’s driveway (yes, I had permission), my mind kept reviewing some truths about God and His ways in our lives.

He directs our steps and the steps of others.

He has a plan and purpose for this waiting time.

He knows already what He has in mind in meeting our need of the sale.

He has His own timeline in the answer, and a timeline for the waiting too.

He is at work in this situation to work things out for my good & His glory.

He knows what He is about….in all of this.

He wants me to just “trust Him” and “acknowledge Him” in all my ways.

All these truths were brought to my mind by His Holy Spirit.

Now I need to share that towards the end of the time line of the open house, I was discouraged that no one appeared to have any interest.  The home showed beautifully (the realtor stated), but buying a home needs to be a glove fit, doesn’t it?!

Before I proceed further, I want to share the encouragement God gave me the following day.  I’m a journaler, and that helps me keep “track” of God’s activity in my life.

“Every time of waiting is just your heavenly Father WORKING IN THE UNSEEN for your ultimate good.”  Romans 8:28

“God……acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him.”  Isaiah 64:4

“You may not perceive Him, and you may not be able to imagine how He is engineering your circumstances for your benefit.  Abandon yourself to His care!”

“This is the wisdom of the patient person:  He or she understands that God is ACTIVELY ORCHESTRATING THE DETAILS OF HIS OR HER SITUATION AND WILL INTERVENE AT JUST THE RIGHT MOMENT, even when THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF HIS ACTIVITY.   Hebrews 11:1

All of the above was taken from the book “Wisdom From Above” by Dr. Charles Stanley.  I just happened to be on that page for that date.

Now………..back to the car.   At the end of the time for the open house, I pulled into our driveway and entered our home.  Both the realtor and I were busy turning off all the lights.  Once the realtor left, I felt like I needed some fresh air…..and some fresh attitude.

I exited my home and took our little dog for a walk around the block.  This walking routine only took about 15 minutes.  As a rounded the corner, I was now approaching the area of our home when I noticed two Chinese ladies standing by the “for sale sign,” pointing and chatting in their native Mandarin language.

As I approached, they noticed me and we just exchanged pleasantries of a smile and that was it.  As I stepped onto the driveway I heard a loud “hello!”   I turned to respond and in broken English, they asked me if the house was mine?   Yes, I live here. 

Then, the surprise came.  Can we come and look at it?   For just a moment, I thought, “My realtor usually does this, but here’s an opportunity, a live one, that is interested.”  

What’s a person to do in this situation?  Of course, open the door and have them come in.  It took less than a minute to present myself at the front door.  Entering, I ran to a few lights and turned them on and then welcomed them inside.  I pointed them to the master bedroom and I placed myself way ahead of them frantically turning on every light in sight.

As they paused in that room, I exited and flew around the main floor lighting again every lamp and wall switch I could find.  To make a long story short, they toured the place calmly and I opened cupboards and doors to show them some features of the home.   I wanted them to feel “at home” and see where all this would lead.

After the grand tour, she shared she wanted her husband to see it.  It took a couple of phrases for me to understand that he was just down the street and could appear in l5 minutes.  You see, they were visiting their daughter, who lives down the street.  How convenient would that be for Mom and Dad to live “just up the street” from family?!

Time passed and Mr. Husband appeared and the woman was showing him around the same route I took her and her daughter.  At the end of the show time, which was about 45 minutes, I encouraged her that if she was interested, she needed to phone our realtor.  She smiled and exited our home.

Again, I was in “lights-off” mode.  All the while amazed at what had just taken place.  It was as though God addressed every character quality that I rehearsed in the car.

He was showing me that He has “His plans and ways” of selling the home and He didn’t need the realtor to show the home.  He wanted to use “me” to just tour the place with this smiling stranger.

This may be the end of that event and the people may or may not ever contact our realtor and enter the home again.  But it showed me IN THE MIDST OF MY WAITING and even DISCOURGEMENT He wanted to make Himself known “to me….little ole me.” 

HE WANTED ME TO EXPERIENCE HIM in the midst of all that seemingly went wrong and not according to my hopes and expectations. 

GOD SHOWED UP…………..AND SHOWED OFF for me!!!!!

No answer, just that He wanted me to know He knew what I was thinking and feeling.  And even if nothing comes from all this, the experiencing Him “filled me with tremendous joy.”  Yes, joy in this tiny activity on my street and in my home.

And regarding His orchestrating our steps, if I had left for my walk one minute “earlier,” I would have never seen the women at the for sale sign. 

How’s that for “God’s timing and tender care” of such a practical need in life.    And if they return with interest and an offer, believe me, there will be a sequel to this story!

Dishonest to God Acts 4:32 – 5:11

I love the cartoon that shows a picture of an answering machine.  When the phone rings, the recorded message says, “I am listening to your voice.  If, when I hear you, I want to talk to you, I will pick up the telephone.  Otherwise, leave a message.”  The caption under the cartoon says, “Finally, an honest answering machine.”

Yes, we have those answering machines for a reason.  Those machines we hold dear in our home really are telling people that:   I’d enjoy talking with you, but at a more convenient time.  I’m either sleeping, eating, napping, working or talking with others, or maybe not talking with anyone, but at the moment I don’t feel like speaking with others.   So, hold tight, leave your message, and I will get back to you, if I really want to speak with you. 

I hope you’re laughing, as I was having a little fun about honesty.   But let’s be honest here: if you don’t have an answering machine, no worries, just don’t answer the phone.  If it’s important, people will phone back.

My study of this woman, Sapphira, is about dishonesty.  Here are some words to describe what it means to be “honest:”  scrupulous, straightforwardness, correct, trustworthy, exact, verifiable, candid, respectful, factual, plain, authentic, legitimate, truthful, character, just to name a few.   I found it interesting that the word “character” was listed. 

As I looked at this woman’s life, I was thinking about the level of honesty in churches, fellowships and even Christian organizations.  Oh my, wouldn’t we think that honesty would not be a problem in these arenas of living.   But these areas of relationships all involve people….and to be honest, we are all not “always honest,” let’s be honest.

Women in the New Testament were real women, with real issues and the Bible simply tells it like it was in each of these women’s’ lives.  And as I mentioned earlier, aren’t we glad He’s not writing about our lives!

What do you think when you hear the words “being honest with God.”   God’s word paints the accuracy in and of peoples’ lives, warts and all.

Why is it we’re sometimes afraid to be “honest with God?”   If anyone knows the naked truth about each of us, He does.   Our humanness enjoys “air-brushing our behavior, thoughts, and attitudes” wouldn’t you say?   We’d rather others, and even God sometimes, to see our best side.

How ridiculous that we think we can hide or cover over things.   The Scriptures are so right when our hearts are exposed for what they really are…..desperately wicked, and out to deceive us.  This inner “air-brushing” of our lives is sinful and this woman, Sapphira, lived to tell her lie and then she died!   Quite a “consequence.”

In these verses in Acts we hear about the generosity and “what’s mine, is thine” approach to their possessions.   Everyone was sharing whatever they had.   Each person owned possessions and could do with them whatever they chose.   When needs arose, a general outpouring of care was expressed to those in need.   It was as though they took to heart that they were only stewards of God’s provision, not owners.

My husband and I were really wanting to wear this one in our lives.   One day as my husband was out on the highway, a woman ran into the car he was driving.  The car was totalled.  

A few weeks later, I was on the freeway and experienced a group of cars in a four car pile-up.  I was in one of the cars in the middle of this accordion collision.   Our second car was totalled.   When I phoned my husband, I remember sharing with him that “God’s other car” had now been totalled.  My husband, knowing I was all right, just shaken up, chuckled with me.  

I can’t tell you the relief I felt inwardly just saying that it was God’s second car that had been totalled.  It took the “ownership” out of the stressful situation.   But, in all honesty, it was “His car” that we were driving around and were stewards of it.

How would it feel if everyone was honest, gently honest, but honest?  Freeing and refreshing are words that sure come to mind.   Why aren’t we always honest with others?   Could it be that we don’t want to hurt another’s feelings, so we are gentle with our words.  But if we were honest, perhaps being truthful wouldn’t always be embraced or appreciated.

Sometimes, the truth hurts, but I’d rather have a friend who loves me and is committed to me be truthful, wouldn’t you.   I know God always tells me the truth about myself.  Sometimes, when He does that with you, is it hard to take? 

Since we’re being honest here, I do.   But there’s something “freeing” when I admit the truth and see it for what it is and what, perhaps, some wrong thought pattern or attitude that is hurting me and hurting my relationship with another person.

God takes honesty very serious.  If we doubt that, take another look at the consequences of this poor woman, Sapphira.   Talk about “drop dead honesty” this is it.  She is compared with Barnabas, who had property, sold it and gave everything he wanted to give to the apostles to help others.  In this case, he wanted to give all the profit to help others.   None of the people in the church were forced to give a certain amount, each one decided what their donation would be to others who were in need. 

This couple, Mr. Ananias and his wife Sapphira were in what we’d call “cahoots” with each other.  They had also sold property and decided on the amount they’d admit to as their profits. 

Can’t we gather from their story, they wanted to “look better to the community” than they were willing to sacrifice.  Perhaps they heard about Barnabas, and wanted to get in on the ban wagon of generosity…..but without telling the whole truth about their “property profits.”  I mean, who’s going to know whether they told the truth about the amount or not.   Certainly no one there would be qualified to know the “real truth” about their financial 401K decision. 

As we discover, there was some One there who knew the truth about the situation!   God’s Holy Spirit knew, and He was the One to whom they risked their lives in not disclosing it to Him. 

If we were a news reporter on the scene of this incident between Peter challenging the “authenticity of this benevolent financial gift” with Ananaias and his wife Sapphira we’d be in shock, to say the least. 

God’s Spirit was mightily working in and through the apostle Peter.  For He was the One who informed Peter of the discrepancy of this man’s disclosure of funds; or “more honestly” his attitude in the lie.   No doubt, he wanted to look good and very benevolent.  He didn’t even have a chance to repent, he dropped dead on the spot.

Then, later, Sapphira approached the “bench of truth.”  She didn’t need to lie.  She could have thought about it and told exactly what they, as a couple had decided to do with the profits, give some and keep some.   They weren’t coerced in giving.  People were giving out of the generosity and authenticity of their hearts.    Here was the problem, this couples’ hearts weren’t all they were cracked up to be.   The “motive of their hearts” were to look good, regardless of the truth.

To bring a little “shoe leather living” upon this scenario, have you or I ever lied or implied that we were honest about something, when it wasn’t the full truth?   This woman didn’t leave the best “testimony” as soon as she was discovered, by the Holy Spirit through Peter, she dropped dead and was buried outside next to her husband.

Moral of this story….just be honest.   This couple wanted to look better in the eyes of others, but they lied not only to Peter, but to God.  He was “in on their conversation” and He is “in on our conversations too.”  

I think in all these lives, we can learn something.   In all honesty (good phrase here), don’t we want to look better to others…than perhaps we are.  I know for myself, I just adore it when someone is “transparent” with some of their struggles.  No one is perfect, but this couples’ consequence reminds me and brings me up short, that we needn’t expect perfection, but we are refreshed with others are “transparent.”   Doesn’t it make you warm up to another who just admits a struggle, pain or sin once in a while?  

For those of us who are married, we shouldn’t always be wanting to shift blame, but rather learn to accept our part of the problem.  I think it’s called “ownership,” instead of the blame game.  Each of us are responsible for our “own behavior.”

Scripture tells us that great fear came upon everyone.  Can’t we understand why!  Perhaps others were evaluating their own lives at this point and this event surely brought clarity to the table. 

Another lesson this couples’ story teaches me is that “each of our lives influence others!”   It also teaches me that our spiritual life and closeness with our Father will be greatly hampered through dishonesty.  We lose our sensitivity to Him, His guidance, His correction, His closeness and we lose our “effectiveness on others” too.   Our influence toward loving God is hampered.  We’re to live contagious lives and influence others toward a relationship with Christ.

Any dishonesty in us also affects how we deal with others, and affects how or if we trust others.  We can, through our dishonesty, mistrust others.  We just won’t grow in our walk with God and our relationship with others is hindered.

Satan loves to work “within the family of God…within His church.”  He enjoys if we self-destruct and bring others with us.  Satan works in deceptive ways, introducing thoughts in us to tear down others from within….where it’s least expected.   No wonder Jesus said that “You’ll know them by their love…..their love toward one another.”  

Oh to respond to our Lord when He points toward a destructive behavior, to admit it, own it (which is honest repentance), and ask for not only His mercy and forgiveness, which is ours through Christ.   Oh the joy of those whose sin is forgiven.

Like our parents would tell us:   Honesty is the best policy! And it’s God’s policy too!

WHAT IS YOUR PASSION? WHAT BREATHES AIR INTO THE LUNGS OF YOUR LIVING?

Perhaps it’s time to conclude the pages of “my” stories, or “my encounters with the Living God” as I refer to them.  My prayer and wish throughout the writings of these true events, is that your heart has been stirred, and your life activated to begin a journey with Jesus of your own.   Years ago I never realized that God designed people to know Him, enjoy Him, and walk through life here on earth “with Him.”   I used to feel He was an abstract unknown…..that it was a religion verses a “relationship.”

I’m passionate about this because it’s a daily delight to know that God is personal and wants to be in a “personal relationship with me,” and with each of us.  But Jesus will never push His way into a life, but waits for you and me to recognize we need Him.   He is Holy and we are not!   We need our sins and waywardness from Him to be dealt with. 

God dealt with it all right – He sent His Son to come and take our sins upon Himself, receive the anger and punishment of God by dying on a cross, and taking that punishment which we individually deserve.  He was buried and three days later rose from the dead, alive forevermore.  He was seen by over 500 people, and then several weeks later ascended into Heaven to be with God the Father.  

That is the “good news!”   Jesus came here to earth to show us what God the Father is like.   Jesus is God……with skin on.   He died the death our sins deserve, and offers us His righteousness (perfection) in its place.

Those are the facts, plain and simple.   Jesus is THE GIFT…..but like all gifts, He needs to be received.   Have you received Him?   Have you received the gift of eternal life?   Because no one can come to the Father except through Jesus.   He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

John 14:6

Not too long ago the thought came to me, “How will I wrap up these stories?”   I carefully used the term wrap up and not “the end,” because each day of living offers opportunities to see God at work in our lives.   But our individual “eye sight” cannot see properly, our vision has been blurred and blinded by that three letter word…..”sin.”   The thrill comes when we decide to respond to God’s promptings in our life and where He works in our circumstances to help us see that we are desperately lost and sold out to going against Him.   If we “admit that” and turn to Him requesting His presence and leadership in our lives, God “instantly” opens our eyes to see Him (with our heart & inner eyesight).

 One particular day last month Romans 14:12 appeared in my reading.

Romans 14:12   “So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.”

What a startling verse, regardless of whether you believe there is a God or not makes no difference to the truth of this Scripture.   One day we each will be asked by God:   What did you do with my Son, Jesus Christ?

There are only three possible answers: 

1.   Yes, I’ve invited Him to be my own personal Savior
2.   No, I decided that what He did on the cross means nothing to me
3.   No, I feel no need of Him, because I think I’m good enough already

Good enough?   We need to be “perfect” to live with our Creator, and anyone, who is in their right mind, must honestly admit they aren’t perfect. 

We can live each day going about our routines and responsibilities and never sense a deep purpose for living, may I call it “quality living.”   Oh we go through the motions, but without a real zeal for life here or the anticipation of how wonderful it could be to live with our Creator forever.   A forever, with purpose, pleasure, joys, fulfillment, and enthusiasm for living on a new earth, as it was planned in the beginning.  Heaven will not be boring, as some acclaim. 

My mind and heart began to really think about what it will be like for me to stand before Him and give an account of my life?   Jesus is my Savior, so I have no fear of punishment for my sins, because they’ve all been forgiven.  Jesus paid for all my sins (past, present and future).   So they won’t be in God’s ledger of my life, and I can only thank Jesus for that.

But He will review my life and how I lived it here on earth.  God has a plan, a purpose or “calling” for each of our lives; and all that began to marinate in my thinking after reading that verse.

Ephesians 1:18   “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you….”

Ephesians 2:10  For we are God’s handiwork (masterpiece), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 

Two thoughts arose in my mind.  What is my calling?   What has God asked me to do?

What a sobering thought, and yet it clarified something for me.   Like you, I want to receive a “well done” from Him and that comes by being faithful to what He has asked me to do.    It clarified it even more, because I will never be compared to anyone else.

So, my heart leapt into a prayer:  Father, help me RECOGNIZE what You may be asking me to do each day, and please give me the strength and enablement to do what You ask.   

He will not ask about things He didn’t ask me to do (like so many of my personal plans and ideas), so that narrows the evaluation down to a simple “Did I do each day what was asked of me?”   

Luke 16:10   “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much…..”

What is your calling? What has God asked you to do?

What is my calling?  What has God asked me to do?

Our “well done” is based on what He has asked us to do….be faithful in the little things…..the everyday, ordinary, insignificant things of life.

My stories are really His stories of how He came near to show me He is real and yearns to be involved in the details of my life……and in your life.

Each day is an opportunity for God to express Himself in and through each of us in such “insignificant, oatmeal-ordinary ways.”  God is so EXTRAORDINARY in both the large and the ordinary.  In the meaningful and in the “macaroni moments” of life.

If you don’t have Him in your life, why not stop right now and extend Him the invitation to come into your life, forgive you for all your sins, and begin a journey with Him that will take you places you never imagined with Him in your daily walk.  He has plans far greater than you could ever imagine.

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” 1 Corinthians 1:27

Jesus is EXTRAORDINARY amongst the ORDINARY !

And I love that about Him, don’t you?   We don’t have to do big things, just little things with a big heart for Him.   He’ll make the “mundane magnificent” and the “ordinary extraordinary!”

Oh that we would live our lives in such a way that would produce a “yearning for God” in the lives of others.

What foolish, seemingly insignificant things are you involved in for the Kingdom of God and His glory?

Even before the words are expressed on these pages, there has been a Gardener in my heart and soul that has stirred me to communicate and confess that the soil of my heart and soul has stagnated in places.  They aren’t areas of a large terrain, but some tiny opportunity spots that haven’t been exposed to the Son’s touch of refreshment and fertilizer.

Honesty prevailing here, I didn’t even recognize that the soil of my heart was becoming hidden and malnourished because I was afraid of pondering the landscape of grief.   The grief isn’t because of someone leaving this life, but rather a sense that my soil had shifted, and I felt that some of my roots seemed buried. 

This is difficult to write about because there is a stirring deep within me, but there is no outlet above ground.  It’s as though my passion is growing deep inside my heart, but there is nowhere for it to be expressed.  

Talking about these issues to a few close friends is not the answer, nor does it bring relief to talk with my husband.   In sharing this with the Lord, I know He understands and cares, and only the “nutrient of grace” He brings to me conveys peace, and the fact that His sovereignty rules over all.

Sovereignty:  supreme authority, control and power over all that has happened, is happening, and will happen in the future, in all times, and across all history; and to govern all that happens, and what has, is, or will happen always being in accordance to His divine will.   He has the right to achieve His purpose, and has the power to bring about circumstances that dictate whatever He wills to come to pass.  He has complete control of everything, and there is nothing that is done that is not done or allowed through His will. 

Proverbs 16:6 “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

Zechariah 4:6 “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:  Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”

Psalm 103:19, “The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.

Even as I view these verses in front of me, they remind me that I am not in charge of any “opportunities for ministry,” God is.   I’ve been introduced to a few relationships in this new country I’m living in.  The moment I sense oxygen reaching out from within me, I’m transplanted again, out of that situation and into my home garden.

Seeing a beautiful garden brings such joy and beauty to me.  Whenever I meet other women, it’s like I’m entering their world, their garden of beauty, and I want to be involved in the soil of their lives.  A few meaningful conversations take place and my heart begins to beat, wondering where this relationship might be headed.

When the gate at these gardens close and I’m back home again, I’m home with disappointment flooding my heart and mind.

Seeing my thoughts on paper help me to realize afresh, that I’m not the one responsible for my life, my opportunities, my purpose, my fulfillment.   I’m His………and God is the One in the driver’s seat.   I’m sure somewhere buried beneath all this is pride…..yes…..but I want my life to count for eternity, and I long to come alongside other women and share truths and experiences from my walk with Him.

Seasons change….and our “personal soil” of location changes too.  A timely text arrived on my phone just now.  It’s a blog from Ann Graham Lotz and I must quote it, as it was to me, a beautiful reminder from God on what He may be up to in my “current soil” of waiting.

The Silence of God

He who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.   Psalm 32:10, NKJV

“Is God silent in your life?  What prayers has He not answered for you?  

At a time of unanswered prayer in my life years ago, my mother taught me the verse to a hymn that I still quote when I am totally baffled by events that seem to careen out of the orbit of what I have asked:

Trust Him when dark doubts assail thee,

Trust Him when thy strength is small,

Trust Him when to simply trust Him,

Seems the hardest thing of all.

Is your focus on your immediate need blinding you to a greater purpose that God is working out?  Would you choose to be patient and simply trust Him?  Sometimes God does not answer our immediate prayer because He has something greater in store for us.”  Anne Graham Lotz