The "detour of adversity"

I have discovered that I learn much and grow spiritually during difficult times of life. Trials, rather than times of ease, give me a more honest assessment of myself and of my life. When things are going smoothly, I can wrongly think I am “spiritual” and that I am living a Godly life. However, during challenges, my true nature surfaces, and I see how far I have to go and how much work needs to be done in my life so I can live reflecting His character.

In my perspective, this relates to gardening. Gardening is hard work. Gardens don’t just happen. The ground becomes hard and has to be worked often. It takes plowing and tilling the ground, weeding, and much other preparation so that the ground will be softened and useful for planting and growing.

The trials of life help to soften the hard ground of my heart. Sometimes it is my own trials, and sometimes it is hearing about what others are dealing with that God uses to bring my heart into a deeper place of humility and dependence on Him.

I recently received a Christmas letter from a distant relative I have not seen since childhood. When she was very young, she was diagnosed with diabetes and had to begin to give herself shots when she was in grade school. In early adulthood, she lost her sight, becoming totally blind. There have been numerous challenges in her life as a result of this disease, but through them I have only heard her speak of the glorious things God has done.

Her letter this year brought some amazing insights that I would like to share with you. She began with her reasons for celebrating this year…because of Jesus and his sacrifice for us. As she talked about the challenges her family has faced this year, she shared each blessing that resulted.

She wrote, “And as for me this year, I couldn’t ask for more! However, it certainly began with a challenge when I lost my second leg. It was a long, hard pull to get back up on my feet; however, with physical therapy and a good prostheticist I made it! That was hard work through the spring, and as a result, I have cut my case load back to a hand full. I am working far less and enjoying it more and am still having time for other important things like people! I have asked the Lord for a long time to please deliver me from the tyranny of the urgent and to release me to attend to the significant in my life. It has really amazed me to watch how He has brought the answer to that prayer to me!

…The Thanksgiving holiday brought an interruption I wasn’t counting on. It was a slight heart attack that left me with very little heart damage, but obviously compromised my pair of struggling kidneys! That will probably turn into another challenge after the first of the year, but my dad always said, ‘What is life without a challenge?’ Sometimes the challenges in our lives have a tendency to define us, but I think that it is how we approach them and move through them that really defines our life and certainly defines our relationship with God! I feel the same way about adversity. Beth Moore in her teaching on Esther said that if we put all of our trust in the Lord, He can turn a detour of adversity in our life into a highway of destiny. That’s powerful!”

Powerful. What is powerful? It is the confident attitude of trust that no matter what comes our way, God continually loves us, and He can use the situation for our good and to fulfill His plans…His destiny…for our lives. It is focusing on God and giving thanks, even in the most overwhelming and challenging of situations.

I considered going through breast cancer as a challenge. In early January, 2008, I was diagnosed with cancer and was pronounced cancer free 18 months later. Only a year and a half. It brought a few permanent changes to my life, of which I have been able to adjust. Yet, this precious lady has learned, through an entire lifetime of over half a century, that God uses what looks, on the outside, like impossible circumstances to bring about answers to our prayers. Yes, that is powerful!

Perhaps this will humble you as it has humbled me. As I face the New Year, my desire is to walk in more humility and with a softened heart that is always full of gratitude and trust, no matter what the circumstances. I pray that you will be challenged to walk a deeper walk with Him this year also. May God change our perspectives to see as He sees, and may we receive all that comes our way as an opportunity for God to be glorified and to show us His great love and His continual faithfulness.

Demonstrating Love

How can we demonstrate love?

There are many ways to show love, but all true love must come from the heart. Love does not originate in the emotions as it is not a “feeling.” Love is a decision. Love is a choice that reflects the heart of the one giving the love. It has no bearing on whether the one receiving the love has deserved or earned it. True love cannot be hidden. It must be demonstrated in our words and our actions.

LOVE is the greatest force there is; Love is the demonstration of God’s power. Nothing can change lives, heal bodies, repair relationships, bring reconciliation or bring peace and joy like love.

Love must have an object. We are each born with a need to love and be loved. Many of us know what it is like to have someone say they love us when they really mean they enjoy how we make them feel or what we do for them. Their love is self-focused and is most often associated with what they take or receive from us. Some people love the world. Some love chocolate. Some love animals. Some love to shop. Some love certain foods. Some love power and position. But the love I am talking about is not simply human desires, lusts or wants, for those cannot bring life, lasting satisfaction and peaceful contentment.

God’s kind of love is “other focused,” focused on the object, directed toward the other person. And His love is demonstrated in His giving.

In the scriptures God has much to say about giving. God gives His children abundant life (John 10:10), spiritual gifts (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 27-31; Ephesians 4:6, 11-12), eternal destiny, purpose and calling (2 Timothy 1:9), and has given us heavenly position (1 Peter 2:9-10) with authority (Matthew 16:19), and revelation, insight and knowledge of Him (Ephesians 1:17-28; 1 Peter 1:13). He also promises to give us what we need – food, drink and clothing (Matthew 6:25-33). However, above all these “things” God has given to us, it was all made possible because He gave HIMSELF to us. And He tells us that if we first seek Him, above all else, then He will give us all that we need (Matthew 6:33).

That is what we celebrate at Christmas…God gave Himself to mankind and gave Himself in a way that we could understand who He is. "God so loved the world…” (John 3:16). His giving was out of His amazing love for us. That love was demonstrated as “He gave His only Son…” Through Jesus, God met us in our humanity and brought understanding and revelation of Himself and of the Kingdom of heaven and eternity to frail, limited, mortal human beings.

It was not only in His death that He gave Himself to us, but also in His life. He came to earth in the form of man – as a tiny, helpless baby. He identified with mankind and with the issues of life we face. He laid aside His divinity and took on limited humanity in order to demonstrate the reality of eternity to us. He lived a perfect and holy life. He lived totally dependent on and in obedience to God, His Heavenly Father. He suffered persecution, abandonment and even death on a cross…because He loved us unconditionally. He demonstrated that love by giving Himself completely.

What an example for us to follow. It is often easier to buy a gift than to give time and energy to building relationship. However, relationship is what Christianity is all about. And nothing is more satisfying than Godly relationships – in marriage, in the family, and in close friendships.

Christianity is about personal relationship, first with God, and then with those we love. Out of love, we then reach out to others, even to those we do not love. We give ourselves in order to make HIM known to those around us. We give ourselves in order to demonstrate the amazing love God has given to us. Jesus came to make God known to us. He gave Himself to us. Giving ourselves is the most valuable gift we can give to others. Christ demonstrated that principle.

One of my daughters recently encountered a homeless woman. Her heart welled up with compassion and s he bought the lady some things that were needed. As our daughter shared with me, she got down to the real issue that was on her heart. She said it was sad to her that his woman did not have a home, a coat for the cold weather, food or other necessities. But she said the saddest thing was that the lady was alone. My daughter said if she lost everything…her job, income and her home… she has close family and many wonderful friends who would reach out to her. She realized that she would not end up on the streets because of her relationships. Her family and friends - all those who love her - would invite her in and take care of her. She was sad that this lady apparently did not have relationships like that with people who care and take care of her. Relationships have eternal value as well as being the most valuable thing in our lives on this earth.

It is time to make sure we are not driven, at Christmas or any other time of the year, by the “spirit of the age.” That spirit often urges us to spend money we do not have, to give gifts that people do not need, and to give out of obligation or fear that they will give to us and we will have nothing to give back. Instead we are to be directed by the Holy Spirit. We are to give out of obedience, and with a heart filled with love and gratitude for the gift of Life Christ gave to us. We have freely received, so we should freely give to others (Matthew 10:8).

May this Christmas we give the gift of relationship, with love and with a kind word of encouragement. Or if it is “things” we give, may we give to those who are in great need and have nothing…those who cannot give back to us. As with Jesus who paid a debt that we owed and could not pay, may we also give to those who cannot repay us. May we be people who reach out indiscriminately and sacrificially in love to demonstrate God’s unconditional love to all those He brings into our lives.

Giving Thanks

For much of my life, I took it for granted that in America there is a holiday set aside to “give thanks” for the many blessings in our lives. This celebration began in our nation almost 400 years ago and was intended to be a day focused on God, to thank Him for the gifts of His provision of health, food and the other basics of life.

As we celebrated Thanksgiving this week, I realize that even though we have one wonderful day set aside specifically to “give thanks,” the attitude of thanksgiving should permeate every part of our lives.

Last year, when I walked through the diagnosis of cancer, and the surgeries and treatment that brought me to total healing, I found that it was very easy to be grateful for the simple things of life… including simply waking up to another day. The gift of life is often overlooked as we focus on the situations that come our way. However, as I watched God use even the difficult days to build my character, I found a new love for the truth that I can give thanks IN every situation (1 Thessalonians 5:16).

C. S. Lewis once wrote, “We ought to give thanks for all fortune: If it is ‘good’ because it is good, if ‘bad’ because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.’” We, like those men and women of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11 (especially verses 13-16), may not receive all the promises of God in this world, but see them with our spiritual eyes and embrace them by faith, knowing that this world is not our true home. We desire a better – a heavenly – country, and every event of this life prepares us for that which is ahead in eternity. This is the training ground.

As we look forward to a new year, may we ask the Lord to use this Thanksgiving and Christmas season to open our eyes in a greater way to see that “eternal country” - the Kingdom of God at work in and around us. And may He use us to bring about that truth to those around us who do not know Him, His Kingdom, or His great love for them. Truly, Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is at hand.” It is near us and is in us who believe. As we pray “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done…” may we have faith to know that God is doing just that as He uses each day and each situation to reveal Himself to us. For that, we can give thanks always.

Preparation. An interesting word that involves effort.

When Charlie and I felt we were to have a garden, we didn’t just walk out to the pasture and say, “This is it. This is the garden…” and walk away. We began to make plans. We asked questions. How big did we want the garden to be? What would we plant? How should we prepare the ground? What time of the year should we work the ground? When should we purchase the plants or would we start them from seeds? When would it be ready?

We are told to count the cost. That means to consider what it will take to do the work. Many people plan and even begin a good work, but not as many finish.

Preparation begins with making a decision – and a commitment – as to what you are going to do. You can have all the good intentions in the world, but if you stop with the concept and never actually prepare or do the work, you will never reach the goal.

After your make your decision, then you must ask questions, think through the process, re-think the process…and then begin to work. You may even have to spend some time studying what it is that you need to do...especially if what you are doing is something you have never done before. You must do the work and, in the right order. Reaching the goal and getting the desired results involves endurance, perseverance and following through with the plan.

For example, when I think about celebrating Thanksgiving (which is next Thursday), Charlie and I sit down and make a plan. We invite people to come for our celebration. (This year, we are spending Thanksgiving with our children and grandchildren and a few additional friends and family.) Then, when I know who is coming and how many people to plan for, I begin to ask questions: What will we have to eat? Will I need an extra table or two? How will we seat everyone? How will we serve the food?

I make a list of things we are going to eat and collect my recipes. I go to the store and purchase the food. I write out a timetable for when to prepare the food… what has to be served hot and what needs to be cold. I plan the table settings and decorations.

It normally takes much more time to prepare for the event as it takes for the actual event itself. For example, it takes hours just to make my cornbread dressing and stuff and bake the turkey, and the meal is usually eaten in less than an hour.

As I consider my spiritual life, the question is, “What am I doing to prepare for the future?”

In the last book of the Bible, called Revelation, toward the end (19:7), it says, “…The bride has made herself ready.” When John, the disciple of Jesus who recorded God’s word in Revelation, speaks about the Bride, He is referring to the Church. The Church is every Christian who has given their heart to Christ. The Church is the Bride, who will spend eternity in heaven with her Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. That is why we as Christians are so passionate about Jesus Christ… because He is our heavenly bridegroom.

History began with a wedding, as God created the first man and woman and gave them to each other. And history will end with a wedding, when Jesus Christ has the wedding feast with His Bride, the Church…all Christians. We will then live eternally together, in unity and harmony as one Body, one Church, one Bride, with shared passion…for God, in a heavenly marriage to Him.

So, what are you doing to prepare yourself to be that heavenly Bride?

This preparation involves a deep work in the heart. This preparation is not about what we DO as much as WHO WE ARE. What is our character like? Are we loving, gentle and joyful people? Are we becoming holy? Are we passionately obeying the Word of God and spending time with Him now while we are on earth? Are we truly those “called out ones” who are separated from the things of the world? Or are we too busy loving the things of the world to have time to prepare our hearts? If we are becoming the prepared Bride in our hearts and attitudes, then our actions will line up with our character.

Before Charlie and I were married, he asked “the question”: “Will you marry me?” After I said I would, he asked my parents if he could have their permission to marry me. They said “yes.” Then the preparations began. We set the date for our wedding, five months away. My mother and I began working on the other details…a place for the wedding, who to invite, ordering invitations, asking those who would be attendants, purchasing the wedding dress and the bridesmaid’s dress, picking music, ordering flowers, finding a place for the reception, ordering the food…and all of the other details.

And then the day came; I was ready for the wedding. Everything was in place. Everything went according to our plan. It was a nice wedding. At the end of the ceremony, we were husband and wife.

Can you imagine my NOT being ready? Can you see me walking down the aisle with my hair messed up, in my jogging clothes? Or can you imagine that I would be somewhere else, going to a movie or a party, and be late for my wedding? No! My entire life for those five months was focused on being ready for the day of my wedding. And I can assure you, I was ready early!

However, several weeks later, I realized I didn’t know Charlie very well, and I was not sure I had done the right thing by marrying him. I had been ready for the wedding – the ceremony. But I was not prepared for the MARRIAGE. I had done all the outer preparations...the dress, the flowers, the things people could see. But my heart was not prepared.

Charlie and I met in October of our senior years in college. We got engaged in December – only two short months later. He graduated from college in early January and went to military training. Between the day he graduated and the day of our wedding, we only saw each other 5 times and the last time, I was walking down the aisle. After the wedding, I realized that I didn’t know him and I was not sure I liked him – at least enough to spend the rest of my life with him. He was nice as a person, ambitious and very responsible. But, I was not ready for the responsibility of being a wife, much less of later becoming a mother.

In our spiritual lives we like the idea of “going to heaven.” Many have this idea of being a cupid and sitting on a cloud for the rest of their lives. I don’t find that in the scriptures. But whatever your view of heaven, the question is are you ready for the marriage? Are you preparing? Are you getting to know Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom, through reading His love letters written to you in the Bible? He will not marry a stranger. Are you spending time talking with Him? Most of us have no problems talking AT God, and giving Him the list of what we need or want. But, He wants us to sit and listen to Him, also.

One day as I was walking in our back pasture, I said, “Lord, what is on your heart today?” He answered with, “Thank you, my child!” I asked what He meant. He replied, “Most people want me to know what is on their heart, but rarely do my children stop and ask what is on my heart.” That made me very sad, as I realized that I was one who rarely had stopped to think of what God thought or what He wanted. I had been more concerned with myself than with Him, His Kingdom and His people. God is always thinking of us, what is best for us, and how He can pour out His love on us.

Our heart preparation involves becoming like Him and partnering with His Holy Spirit to be cleansed of our selfishness and self-focus.

Again, I ask…”What are you doing to prepare for the marriage? What kind of time are you investing in building your relationship with your loving Bridegroom? Do you have eyes for another (like the world?) Or are you focused on building your love and passion for the one who loves you with an everlasting love, even to the point of giving His life for you? Have you given your life to Him? Are you giving your life for Him?"

It is time for the Bride to prepare. It is time for us to be watchful. We don’t know when that day will come, but we are told to be ready. That readiness is a matter of our hearts belonging totally to Him. It is a matter of expectancy and anticipation. It is an matter of desire. It is a matter of working at the preparations so when the day comes, we will be ready.

Now is the day of preparation – not tomorrow. Now is the moment to decide what is important. Now is the time to change. Don’t delay. Prepare now.

Liberty...don't take it for granted

LIBERTY. What an amazing word. What an amazing concept. What a costly reality.

Yesterday was Veteran's Day...the day when our nation honors those who have served throughout the years in the United States military. How appropriate, but especially this year after the horror at Fort Hood only a week ago. We do not expect our soldiers to face opposition from one who has taken the oath to defend our nation and to defend freedom around the world.

Charlie and I had the privilege of attending a Veteran's Day ceremony yesterday at our granddaughter's school. She wanted her grandpa to come to the program and to wear his "military outfit!" She had never seen him in his uniform.

It was a special day and the program was very good. The students from each grade sang songs about our nation, and the veterans who attended were introduced and honored.

We were a military family for 26 years. Charlie was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force on a Saturday in May, 1967, and we were married the next day. (He never forgot our anniversary!)

Nations have a military for different reasons. In America, first is for self-defense. Other nations build a military force to conquer other nations and build empires. I am thankful that as we study the history of America, that has never been our purpose. When American soldiers have fought on foreign soil, it has been for the purpose of liberty. We have not fought to conquer and control other nations, but so that nations would have the same freedoms and self-rule that our nation enjoys.

A military uniform can look impressive. The decorations and honors are worn with the rank the military member has been awarded. However, as in many things in life, it is not just the outside that is important. I am married to a man whose heart is drawn toward peace and liberty. He is not a violent man, but a man of love and compassion.

I remember a conversation I had many years ago with a friend who was a U.S. Air Force pilot. He flew an F-4 fighter jet. He commented that his strongest motive for serving in the military was that he is a lover of PEACE. I asked how he could be in the military, fly a fighter, and believe so strongly in peace. He responded with, "You don't want someone in the military that does not believe in peace. It is those who want peace that fight for freedom."

Over the years I have thought back to that conversation. We have seen terrorists who kill innocent civilians with surprise bombings. We have seen oppression and violation of human rights around the world. But we have the privilege of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," and desire that for all men, women and children in the world.

This day I am thankful for the freedoms I have. I do not take them for granted. I have read that those who have not fought for their freedoms tend to treat them lightly. I will not treat those freedoms as anything but privileges that bring forth gratitude. And I am thankful for those who gave their lives for me to have those freedoms. May we seek to use our freedoms responsibly... for the good of our nation, our communities, and our world...and not for selfish endeavors and purposes. In this way, we honor those who died so that we could live in a free nation.

We who are Christians, have other freedoms that many do not experience. Those freedoms are far beyond this world and cannot be controlled by situations or people of this world. God has given us inner freedom from fear, worry and anxiety, from sin and other inner bondages in our hearts. Jesus Christ died to set us free and deliver us from the oppression of the evil in the world. We even look forward to life after this world, because we know we will spend eternity with a God of love, purpose, forgiveness and wholeness. And our days on this earth are lived with divine purpose and destiny, as we serve Him and share His love with those who do not yet know Him.

Even those Christians who live in nations where there is outward oppression and persecution, have inner peace and freedom in their hearts. I remember the testimony of a prisoner of war from the Vietnam era who spent nearly seven years in a dirty cell with rats and bugs. He shared that as he looked through the bars on his cell door at the guard on the outside, and as he lived those years of being tortured, near starvation, and violently interrogated, he still knew who was "the real prisoner." It was the guard, living in his own prison of inner violence, anger and hatred. This man, though living as a prisoner, had the inner freedom that comes with the gift of salvation and all Christ died on the cross to give us. He spent much of his time in that cell praying for his fellow prisoners, but also praying for those captors whose hearts were emprisoned.

A price paid was for our liberty. Veterans have died for our nation's freedom. Jesus Christ gave His life for our inner freedom. May we truly celebrate the gifts we have every day and may we lift our voices and use that freedom to share with others and to cry out to God on their behalf.

The Bigger Picture

Have you ever wondered what your purpose in life is? Oh, I know if we have a job, we know we must work at it. If we have a family, we must be and do certain things. But, the question still comes deep in our being..."Why Me?...Who am I and what am I called to do on this earth?" I have asked this question for many years. Now I teach what I know...but the question continues.

This question continues because our lives are lived out in seasons. About the time I find out who I am in God, my season changes and I go again to Him with more questions, seeking more answers. I personally think He intended it to be this way.

My purpose in life is ever-increasing. Destiny is not stagnant, but is continually being built and magnified. The truth is that God gives more to those who seek Him and do His will (Matthew 25:29). That is a principle, not a one-time action.

I used to say, "God if you had just made me an oboe player, then I would know what I am to do every day...practice. I would know my purpose." That sounds like it would be so easy. But, I also realize that if I had all the answers for my life, I would pursue them in my own strength and with my own human reasoning - doing things my way. That would not accomplish God's good purposes for my life. We are to seek Him first because intimate relationship with God is the most important issue of life. Then everything else we do is to be an overflow out of that relationship. (Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33.)

Our divine purpose is to seek relationship with Christ with our entire hearts. He is coming for a pure Bride who is passionately in love with Him alone. Everything else in life is insignificant in comparison. Many things in our lives are worthless and have nothing to do with eternal value. As Paul said, "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord..." (Philippians 3:8). Those things of the world that we adore and "just have to have" will someday rot. May they not be stumbling blocks in our hearts to keep us from the intimacy with the God who loves us so.

Last night I returned from an international conference with thousands of women and men attending from 103 nations - including many friends from our beloved Japan. I can't describe to you all God did and said. The conference was a precious picture of heaven and the true Bride of Christ, with nations, tribes, tongues from around the world. People of different cultures and colors all worshipped God together, seeking Him for their lives, but even more so for their nations and for how He wants to use them to bring others to a passionate loving relationship with Him. Today I am spending time thinking back over all that happened and am trying to process the volumes of what God spoke in the past few days.

For me to walk in what God has for me, I need a strategic view of His work. It is so easy to lose sight of the value of our individual lives for the Kingdom of God. When I hear testimony of what God is doing around the world, there is a keen realization that I am part of something so big - so much larger than my little life and work. When I get a glimpse of the "hugeness" of God's work and God's plan, it intensifies my commitment to do my part in my small corner of the world. When we each do our part, then it helps to accomplish His purposes world-wide. Understanding what God is doing around the world helps clarify my purpose, and calls me to move forward in greater boldness and courage.

Think of a large machine. (The Body of Christ is not a machine but a living organism. Do not consider this an accurate comparison, but only a picture intended to help you see yourself and your part differently.) Imagine what happens when one small gear in that machine breaks or freezes. What happens if one little washer or bolt is broken? An entire assembly line can come to a stand still. A valuable project can stop. An airplane can be grounded. Peoples' lives can be put on hold because no advance or progress can be made until the part is replaced or repaired. For example, Charlie and I once had a wheel bearing go out in our 1967 Mustang. That is a relatively small part in the wheel, not in the motor. However, that small broken bearing not only kept the car from being driveable, much damage could have been done to the rest of the wheel.

What we do for the Lord may seem small to us, but that does not mean it is not important. It is not the size of our work in the Body of Christ that is important. What matters is that we are each "well-oiled" (as in flowing in the Holy Spirit) and that we are doing our part effectively and with integrity.

Just to give you a small bit of the testimony at the conference that touched my heart....One afternoon I attended a meeting where a young woman gave testimony to what is going on in her nation. We were told of only a few of the many injustices happening to women in her nation. Many are beaten, jailed, killed - through hanging, beheading or forms of torture, or thrown out on the streets to die over such issues as wearing makeup or nail polish, allowing their hair or face to be seen in public, having friends not acceptable to their parents, having a boyfriend who is not chosen by their father, and many other situations.

It is so easy to respond to information like this by simply saying, "Boy am I grateful that I don't live there!" But for the grace of God, you and I could be those women. So the question is, "Why, God, did you put me in a free nation and what is my responsibility to those around the world who are living without the freedoms You gave to me?" I do not want to live without compassion for those around the world who are hurting...and there are so many who are in pain of some kind.

This young woman gave testimony to her own salvation. She told us about the cry in her heart from childhood for a real relationship with the true God, whom she did not know. She had to pray in a language she did not know; she had no idea what she was praying...and there was never any answer. She simply knew that the god she was praying to was not real and not personal, and she longed to know a real God.

Then she spoke about how her life was guided such that she came to know Jesus Christ who loved her and she shared how He has changed her entire life. She is not seeking "safety" for her life, but is driven by compassion for those who are lost. She is putting her life on the line to bring the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ to others from her nation. She knows the emptiness in their hearts and wants them to find God as she has. After her salvation, she made arrangements to return to her nation to share about Jesus and eternal life with her family. However, before she arrived home, her sisters and had each had dreams in which Jesus had revealed Himself to them, individually. They each recognized Him when they saw Him in their dreams and each one accepted Him into their lives. They realized He is the true living God. Her parents had become Christians also. She knows this is an answered prayer resulting from those who are dedicated to praying for the people of her nation.

(Preparing for the parade of flags of the nations.)

We heard from other speakers as well of many miracles God is doing and prayers that are being answered around the world. I encourage you to continue to pray for those nations God puts on your heart. He hears and is answering.

I left that meeting with deeper understanding of other religions and how to pray for people who are in darkness. I also have a greater love for people of other religions and nations and am ready to do battle on their behalf against the lies that are holding them back from knowing the truth and being set free.

We heard testimonies of children, teenagers, men and woman around the world whose lives are being changed and set free by those who are serving God wholeheartedly. I don't have time to share all I heard and experienced with you. But God is at work in amazing ways and He is using ordinary people who are following His voice.

Much of the impact of this past week on my life is to cause me to go deeper into the Lord, wanting to serve Him even more and with my whole heart. One of the sessions was a teaching on the first commandment and how it is time for us to put aside our lukewarm lives where we seek to love the things of the world and try to serve God at the same time. We were each created to do an eternal work for the Kingdom of God. But when we "love the world" and spend our time indulging the things of the world, our heart for God is polluted and compromised.

There is a wake-up call coming from the throne of God to His people to live the "GREAT commandment" to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30).

God wants all of you. He wants your whole heart. He wants you to set your affections on Him. He is asking you to seek and to do His will and not your own. His desire is for you to impact the world for His Kingdom. And above all, He wants your deepest passion to be intimacy with Him. He is calling us to be the prepared the Bride, ready for her Bridegroom.

As in Revelation 19:7, there is coming a time soon when the Bride (the true Church) has made herself ready for her Bridegroom (Jesus Christ) and He will come for her. This preparation is something He will do in us, but only with us doing our part of seeking and desiring Him above all else. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). This is His promise, with a condition. If we will not, He cannot!

I pray the Lord will give you a strategic picture of His Kingdom and His Kingdom work. May you know that what you do is impacting His Bride. And may you have a deep, deep hunger to know Him more and spend time hearing His heartbeat of love for you and for the world He died for.

You are of great value

This week I had the privilege of speaking several times to a group of about 120 precious ladies. They are from a nation that is not predominantly Christian (only about 2% Christian).

The message God gave me to share focused on their worth and value as women.

Many in the world have not heard the truth of God's word...that He created women, as well as men, in His image and that He loves us lavishly. For many American women, this is not news. We often take much for granted, and at the same time, we can assume others know and believe what we believe. But I encourage you to stop and think about other women around the world and pray for them, that they too will know the truth of their full God-given value.

God said, "Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every living creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." ( Genesis 1:26-28. Emphasis is mine.)

The only part of creation that was proclaimed "not good" (Genesis 2:18) was for man to be alone...only one. So God separated the one person into to "man" and "man with a womb," thus "woman" (Genesis 2:21-23). God gave both the man and woman the command to subdue (conquer) the earth. The woman was to be a "comparable" helper for him (Genesis 2:20), which means an equivalent helper.

God loves men and women equally. Women are not accidents. We were not created to be sex objects or posessions. We are more than our bodies. We have a soul, personality, emotions, dreams and hopes. Women are not inferior to men; neither are men inferior to women. We are each God's purposeful design. We were created with eternal destiny and calling.

As a child, I was told that I was supposed to be a boy. As a result, I lived many years trying to be like my brother. I hated wearing dresses, learned to climb fences and trees, and played football with the neighborhood kids. But when I became a Christian and began reading the Bible I soon discovered truths about God and about myself, that God intended for me to be a woman, that I was not a mistake or an accident, and that God loves me just as I am.

Unfortunately there are women who look at their circumstances and judge God and His love based on their experience. Our situations do not always speak truth to us. They more often validate what we have always believed, what we have been told, or what we have imagined in our minds. It is the truth of God's Word that can be relied on and trusted. God says when we know the truth, we are set free (John 8:32).

One of my favorite scriptures is Psalm 139:13-16: For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You , for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works. And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought inthe lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.

I was overwhelmed when I learned that God not only knew me before I was born, but before I was conceived inside my mother, He had a plan for my life. He had a purpose and will for each day. He created you and me individually, with worth, value, spiritual giftings, and with a divine calling on our lives. How amazing is that?

Jesus demonstrated the love of God for women as He violated the traditions of those day.

- He taught God's truths to women in a culture where that was not the tradition. Women were not considered worthy of being taught religious truths. Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, sat at the feet of Jesus and heard His word. When Martha became upset with her sister, Jesus not only did not send Mary back to the kitchen to help her sistier, He honored her. Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:38-42).

- Jesus spoke to a Samaritan prostitute about worshipping God. Men would not speak to women in public, much less "that kind" of woman (John 4:5-42). His disciples marveled that he talked with a woman (vs 27). Yet, she became an evangelist and (vs 39) many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all that I ever did."

- A woman who had been bleeding internally for 12 years touched Jesus (Luke 8:43-48). The Old Testiment law said a person was unclean if they had physical contact with someone who was bleeding. Yet, when this woman touched Jesus, she was healed, and then Jesus praised her for her faith. Daughter be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. God in peace.

Jesus shed His blood for the salvation of women as well as for men. He calls each of us to come to a personal relationship with Him...men and women. We each are held accountable for knowing Him, having wisdom, and walking in His truths. God says that He is not a respecter of persons. In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him (Acts 10:34-35). And in Christ, there is no male or female (Galatians 3:28).

For many people, this will shatter their ideas, traditions and cultural perspective. Some may even be offended. If you are one of those, then please study the Word of God. In Genesis, everything God made was declared as "good." Ladies, we are God's amazing work. He formed us in our mother's womb and wrote down every day of our life in His book (Psalm 139:13-16). He also says that He has plans for my life and yours, and that they are plans for good and to give us

a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

The truth that God loves women as much as He loves men, will not only set women free, but it will set men free. Men who believe women are inferior are living a lie and walking in pride. This will be a hindrance to their worship and to intimate relationship with God. As we, women of God, come to understand the truth of God's word, and stop seeing ourselves as "lesser than," then we will walk in the fullness of the inheritance and the authority God has given to us. That authority is over the enemy of our souls and the earth God created and gave to us as a gift.

This inferority is not just an issue between women and men. If you compare yourself to another woman and believe that you are not as valuable, then you have believed a lie. Often we compare ourselves to the pastor's wife, a leader in the church, the prettiest or skinniest lady we know, the smartest woman we know, our mother, our sister. We have an amazing ability to diminish God's handiwork - which we are. If God loves us, should we not love ourselves? Only then, when we see ourselves as God's precious creation, highly valued and loves, can we love others as God desires. Love your neighbor as you love yourself (Matthew 5:43).

There are many nations around the world whose cultures believe and teach that women are not "full citizens" with the rights and privileges and value afforded to men. The effect of that on women is shame, inferiority, purposelessness. Often, they have problems looking into my eyes because of the hurt and pain in their inner being. There are times when these women hear that they are loved by God and were created with value and purpose, and they often melt into tears and their souls are cleansed. Other times, when they hear that Jesus died for their salvation, it is too hard for them to believe. I continue to pray that faith will rise up in their hearts and lay hold of the truth.

Will you join me in praying for these women? If you have an opportunity, will you step out courageously and tell other women how valuable they are? Will you commit to speak words that affirm their eternal worth?

And if you are one of those who finds it difficult or even impossible to believe you are of great value to God, please know that I am praying for you. God loves you. That is reality and truth that can set you free and bring you into an eternal realtionship with the One who created you out of His heart of love.

A "good" Christian or a desperate Christian...?

There was a time in my life when I would have described myself as a "good Christian." I went to church regularly, sang in the choir, attended Bible Study. Almost every time the church doors were open, I was there, as were my children. I even became a Sunday School teacher...a true step up the ladder to success and value.

Unfortunately, church life became like a drug that put me on a high and made me feel good when I was doing good deeds. When I was not "working" I felt insignificant, empty and worthless. It was mostly all about me and I did those things that made me feel good. I wanted to be needed. I was working hard to be accepted, by God and by other Christians.

However, if there is such a thing as a "good" Christian, there must be such a thing as a "bad" Christian. And a "bad Christian" sounds like a dichotomy.

What does it mean to be a "good" Christian, anyway? To me it meant "the things I did." It had much to do with the value others placed on me, and their confidence that I could do a good job and the resulting praise. I had become a valuable member of the "religious organization." Of course I had become a Christian, but I defined being a Christian by service and mostly within the walls of the church.

By the way, if you want to read a stirring and potent book, go to Walmart and purchase the novel, So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore. I can pretty well promise you that the contrast presented of the institutional church and relationship with God, will be thought-provoking and I warn you that it may even be life-changing.

The longer I have been a Christian, I find my mind and my perspective being transformed (Romans 12:2). Rather than thinking about how I can be a "good" Christian or a good person, I seek to better know God, who alone is good (Matthew 19:17), and to serve Him obediently. But most of all, my focus in on character. In the hidden places of my life, I want truth, honesty, transparency, purity and passion for God. If those things are worked into my heart, I know that what comes out of my life will look more like Him.

And yet, what I find inside is mostly desperation. No matter how much I grow, I still fail. No matter how much I seek God, I still have large pockets of worldliness in my heart and I find too many times that I trust in my own human reasoning and judge issues or people according to Western cultural worldly standards. Worldly perspective still seeks to invade my thoughts, wanting to control my belief system.

It seems that the closer I come to the Lord, know His character and see Him as He truly is, the more I see myself for what I really am, and the more I need His amazing grace. I identify with the prophet Isaiah, "Woe is me, for I am undone. Because I am a (woman) of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts" (Isaiah 6:5).

A friend shared with me recently that our lives are always full of tension - not like tension headaches or strife in our relationships. But tension, defined be Webster as being stretched or strained as different degrees of tension in chords give different sounds; the greater the tension, the more acute the sound. It is like the tension on a piano string or a guitar string that when stretched has no slack in it. The picture I see is that of a rubber band that is not limp, but is stretched. My life feels stretched with that kind of tension. There is tension between my hunger and thirst for God and that which keeps pulling me back to the world's ways. There is tension between my wanting to be right and wanting to live by grace...wanting to do good works and at the same time live by grace through faith. There is tension between where I am spiritually and where I want to be...and thinking I should, at my more mature age, see significant progress in the perfection process.

My friend says the tension is a good thing, and a gift of God's grace. Without that tension, we would not be desperate for God. If we became all we wanted to be and all we believe God wanted us to be, we would most likely take control of our lives and slide rapidly back into independence, not relying on and seeking Him.

At the same time, we cannot make ourselves perfect. We can only help the process by relying totally on God and crying out with a heart of desire for His Kingdom to come into us and His will to be done in our lives.

And there is that question that comes back to me often, "Lord how can someone like me who is no further along in my spiritual walk, go to other nations and teach people about You? All I know is that I am in desperate need of You. I can do nothing apart from You, and You alone can bring about holiness and value in my life. Why did you choose me? Why didn't you choose someone who was more capable?" Ahhh....back to worldly thinking...that what I have or have not accomplished is more important and valuable to God than my heart for Him and my availability. Even my availability is completely dependent on Him, because without Him, I have nothing to say. I cannot teach; I have no anointing; I have nothing of eternal value to impart apart from Him and a divine move of His Spirit.

In the quiet after my question, the answer is there..."That IS the message, My child! Call the world, and especially my children, to live in desperate dependence on their Father and Creator."

What the church calls "original sin" is actually living independently of God, who created us to be dependent on and in relationship with Him. It was the first man and woman who decided they could know what is good and what is evil. They decided they didn't need to depend on God; they could know righteousness on their own. Another friend said, "We can be independently desperate or desperately dependent!" What does your heart want?

The older I get, the more the desperation grows inside of me. It is not about my being "good" or an accomplished church-goer, teacher, minister. It is not about my being known or seen by man. I simply want to be so focused on Him that His consuming presence draws me beyond the things of the world. When I depend on Him, the things of the world are tasteless and pale in comparison to His glory. Anything "good" in my life is only good because God put it there and purified it so that it would look like Him, and not like me or like the world.

Are you desperate? What are you desperate for? If you are desperate for more of God, you are in a good place. He says He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). If you are like me, it is my desperate need and love for Him that causes me to seek. May you grow today in your desperateness and may He deliver you from any drive to be a "good" Christian. May you rest in His hands and near His heart.

Bearing Fruit

[Speaking of "bearing," please bear with me as I work to try to find out what is causing the "wide screen" version of part of this blog. I knew I ate too much on the cruise, but I really didn't become that wide in only a week! So far I cannot figure out what happened, but I'm working at it.]

So on to Bearing Fruit...It is near the end of growing season for our garden, though we still have okra, tomatoes, lettuce, beans and half a dozen watermelons growing on the vine. I am starting the preparation for planting for a fall garden.

As I was picking tomatoes today, I began to think about how the plants grow fruit, but the fruit is really of no benefit to the plant. The plants don't eat their fruit. Yet that is their purpose - to bear fruit. If the fruit is not picked and does not become nourishment to someone, what good is it? It just rots on the vine. The purpose of fruit is not for being admired or to simply "look good." The fruit is intended to bring strength and nourishment to those who partake of it.

So, what about our lives? Why do we seek to bear Godly fruit? What purpose does that have? Godly fruit is not for building our pride or drawing admiration. It is not simply for display, to make us look good. Certainly, we do experience benefit from the spiritual fruit in our lives. Who wants to live without joy, peace and the other fruit of the Spirit? We, unlike our plants, do draw from the fruit and are blessed as our character (fruit) is more like the character of God.

Fruit comes on the vine because that is what our garden plants are created to do - bear fruit. If the plant does not bear fruit (John 15:1-6), then the plant is useless. This year and last, we planted squash which boomed profusely, but never bore fruit. The plants were pretty, but were useless because they were fruitless. We are told that we are the branches, attached to the vine. We were created to bear Godly fruit. That is our purpose.

However, consider that even our fruit is not only for the one who bears it. It is for others to draw from. It is to be given away. We must give away love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Galatians 5:22). If we keep the fruit to ourselves, then it does not accomplish its purpose.

We are called to be givers, not "keepers." First we receive. We receive new life - salvation and the Spirit of God that comes to live inside of us. We receive forgiveness. We receive His promises. We receive His blessings. We receive freedom as we come to know Truth. We receive far more than we can even list or imagine... many things that we see and understand, and many things that we don't see. We receive His protection and perhaps even angels are sent to surround us, but we don't often, if ever, see them. We are told that God does not withhold any good thing from us (Romans 8:32).

But the scriptures also tell us that what we freely receive, we are to freely give (Matthew 10:8). We don't receive from God so we can look good, but so that we can pass all He gives us on to other people and they, too, can partake of His goodness.

The Jordan River in Israel is full of life. It flows from the northern part of the nation toward the South. Charlie and I visited Caesarea Philippi and saw one of the "mouths" of the Jordan River. Much of the water that flows in the Jordan comes from snow that melts on Mount Herman (Psalm 133:3). However, it eventually flows into the Dead Sea, which has no outlet. There is no life in the Dead Sea because the water flows into it but does not flow out of it.

If there is an area in your life where you feel that you have little, then take what you have and give it away. All we have is given to us from God. He alone sustains our lives. If you have a lack, maybe it is because God invested something in your life and you kept it for yourself. Try giving to others and becoming a River of Life, a conduit for God to use to pass His blessings on to others. If you need encouragement, then find some you can encourage. If you need a friend, then become a friend. If you need prayer, then begin by praying for others. If you need to receive love and acceptance, then reach out in love to others and give them unconditional acceptance. Do not become the Dead Sea, where all His blessings flow into your life and do not flow out.

May this week you be aware of the fruit in your life and give it to others who need it. When someone frustrates you, return patience. When someone yells or is brash, return gentleness. When you are with someone who is walking in strife and anxiety, speak words of peace and assurance. Don't keep the fruit to yourself, but reach out and let others partake of the Spirit and its benefits through you. The more you and I give away, the more God will pour of Himself into our lives.

Easily spotted

Charlie and I returned late last night from a week in Alaska. The weather was beautiful as was the scenery. There is something about being surrounded by nature that brings rest to my life. The sound of the water (we were on a cruise ship), the majestic mountains and glaciers, fish, animals and birds...all created by God...touch my heart in ways that the sights and sounds created by man do not. And I often see things in God's creation that speak to me about God in ways in which I can relate.

Mendenhall Glacier, near Juneau, Alaska

One day we took a jet boat down the Chilkat River through a Bald Eagle preserve.

It was one of the most memorable things I have done in many years. We saw several dozen eagles, their huge nests, and even saw some "trumpet swans." We were told that the beautiful trumpet swans are the largest migratory bird in North America.

Eagles are truly amazing creatures. Their wing span is 7'-8' wide. They can see for several miles and can focus on small details from that distance. And they are very regal looking birds...except when they walk, and then they resemble a chicken.

We were told that when eagles mate, they are together for life. The life span of a Bald Eagle is about 30 years. They lay 2-3 eggs at a time and 1-2 of those hatch. The mother and father take turns keeping the eggs warm until the babies are hatched.

See the young eagle on the left "fluffing" its wings. An adult eagle is on the right.

The young eagles are actually larger than the adults because their feathers are "fluffier." Their brown and black feathers blend in with the tree trunks and with their very large nests so they are not easily detected.

When an eagle becomes an adult, however, they grow new head and tail feathers which are white.

Because of the white feathers, the adult eagles can be much more easily seen. As we rode down the river, we could spot the white head or white tail of an eagle at a distance.

I wondered if this is a picture of God's intent for His children. As new young Christians, we need to be "hidden" while we are taught and discipled. That "hiddenness" often protects us. We are born as spiritual babies and have to grow. We learn as we watch and are guided by more spiritual believers. We mature as we read the Word of God, pray and spend time with the Lord, and as we walk in obedience to what we learn. We are kept "close to the nest" as we begin to understand how to live the Christian life. The age of a Christian is not representative of whether or not we are an "adult." I know some older people who are baby Christians, and youth who are spiritually mature. But as we mature, we look more and more like Jesus.

As adult Christians, we should be easily identified from far away (Matthew 5:14-16). Our fruit - our character - should be seen; we should stand out. The actions of our lives are to bring glory to our Father.

One of the most beautiful things about eagles is how they soar. They rise to a place far up in the sky and then seem to ride on the wind with their wings spread.

Years ago I was told that "walking in the Spirit" is as easy as breathing. That made me angry because I was working so hard to try to "walk in the Spirit." It was taking lots of "self effort." I was constantly "flapping my wings"...so to speak. I didn't seem to be getting off the ground and was stirring up lots of dust (you have to have imagination for this example!) But I have learned that soaring is the picture of walking in the Spirit. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the LORD of Hosts (Zechariah 4:6). It is His Spirit that, like the wind, allows us to fly and soar. It is not by our own self effort.

At the same time, it takes our cooperating with God. Our seeking Him and partnering with His plan allows us to climb to those heights where we are sustained and kept by His Spirit. The eagle has to spread His wings. If he only sits in the tree and never tries to fly, he will not soar. But eagles are created to soar, and Christians are intended to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25).

There have been times when it seemed that I was "spiritually" uncovered. I was not ministering. I felt like I was not moving forward in my relationship with the Lord, and sometimes I even felt like I was going backwards spiritually. All I had done and been as a Christian seemed to be gone. I felt useless, powerless and without strength.

It was during one of these times that a friend told me that there are times when eagles go alone to a high place and loose all of their feathers. They look like a plucked chicken...totally stripped. Then they wait...and their feathers begin to grow back. As the feathers grow back, the eagle becomes stronger and stronger, and when the feathers are all grown in, he can fly higher than ever before.

If you feel like you are in a "hidden" place, it may be because God is doing a work of maturity in your life. He may want you to simply be in His presence or be mentored by another Christian.

Or you may feel like you have been growing, but are in a time of being stripped. Again, God may be doing a deep work in you that will allow you to move forward with strength that you have never had before.

Trust God. Wait on Him. He has a perfect plan and a perfect timing of that plan. He has created you to soar like an eagle...with His Spirit lifting you up. He has created you to be His witness and reveal His glory. He knows what it will take. Be at peace. Keep your heart focused on Him rather than your circumstances, and know that HE is GOD and He will continue the good work in you because He has promised that He will complete it (Philippians 1:6).

On the other hand, if you are an adult Christian, don't hide your light. Don't be afraid to be identified as a Christian. It is not your perfection that God wants others to see. It is His character in you that will speak loudly of Him and His power and strength to those around you, especially when you are walking through challenging situations. It is in those times that you are weak that He is strongest. And remember God's promise...

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).

It amazes me that I actually missed writing last week. Thinking back to last year, when time moved oh so v e r y S L O W L Y, as I went through cancer treatment, it is amazing to be back to life that seems to >>>>>>zoom>>>>>> by. My daughters have assured me this is not due to "my age," but "the age," the times in which we live. I often wonder if there is also not a "spirit of busy-ness" that works to press us into a mode of constantly being on the go.

Last Sunday I prayed for a precious young Christian woman who said she realizes that she is not all she should be. This sister is amazing and has artistic and creative gifts and talents which she uses for the Lord...and yet, she had that sense of lack. (Have you noticed that our gifts and abilities do not always fulfill us?)

I have thought back to what she said, and even to my prayers for her, but I also considered how many times I have felt the same way. I can remember telling the Lord, "Don't You think that by know I should know this?" or "Shouldn't I have overcome this by now?" My inadequacies can loom huge before my eyes.

Yet, the Lord keeps coming to me and telling me to focus on Him rather than on myself. He knows my weaknesses; He knows I am human. And He continues to draw me near to Him. As I spend time in His presence, He convicts me of things I am doing wrong and He changes my heart to be more like His.

God was not interested in Adam preaching, teaching or ministering, but His desire for Adam was to BE in relationship with him. Adam's problems began when he trusted his own understanding, got his eyes on himself and what he could have and be, and acted independently of God. The result was that his relationship with God was severed.

In practical terms, how do we "keep our eyes on Jesus?" To me, that is done one thought at a time. That ties in with what I wrote last time about God's will being "this moment." When I recognize that my thoughts are on myself and my inadequacy, and I feel myself moving into something less than joy or peace, I turn my thoughts to God's truth... "But God YOU ARE the lover of my soul (John 3:16, Romans 5:8). You are my strength (Psalm 18:1-2). There is no condemnation for me" (Romans 8:1). My thoughts about myself and my weaknesses are replaced with words of truth about God and what He says. This is what God calls "renewing our minds" (Romans 12:2). When I begin having critical thoughts about someone else, I do the same thing. "God you love them. You did not send me to judge them (Matthew 7:1), but to love (John 13:34) and encourage them (Hebrews 3:13). I pray your blessings on them now and that your will be done in their lives." When I begin to worry about things going on in my life or in the world situations, I go back to His words and find comfort. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything...let your requests be known to God, and the peace of God, which passes understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ" (Philippians 4:6-7).

When I say "spend time with God" I am not saying that we have to go away for days or hours or even ritualistically have that "quiet time." Even "quiet time" can be unfruitful if it becomes a routine rather than a time of seeking relationships with Him and with an open heart. I personally have to have an appointed time each day. But different seasons of our lives direct our daily schedule. When I worked full time or had children at home, it was more difficult - and some days impossible to have that appointed time. So, at times I got up very early. Other times I stayed up later at night...when I had the energy. Other days, it was a 5-minute "mini vacation" when I went in the bathroom and locked the door and prayed with desperation. I discovered it is even okay to keep a Bible in the bathroom! Sometimes I woke up in the middle of the night and read the scriptures and talked to the Lord.

In all these times, I found that no matter when I went to Him, He was always there. Never did He chastize me for not coming more often, or at a regular time. He was never "too busy" to receive me and listen to what was on my heart. That is still true. Not once did God speak angrily to me last year because I was too sick to spend time seeking Him. He simply waited for me to come to Him, and as I would go as far as I could, He would alwasy meet me.

And when we take those times alone with Him, no matter how long they are, He has the ability to "slow us down," give us strength and fill us with Himself in a moment of time, and with a word of encouragement or direction. He can work even in the busy-ness of our lives...because He is not bound by time or the urgency of the moment. He can even STOP TIME if necessary. I think He did that...as He made the sun stand still (Joshua 10:13). Let Him stop your world; enter into eternity for a few moments and have your spirit refreshed.

In fact, when we do stop, even for a second and invite Him into our daily situations, He will enter into what we are doing and show Himself to be mighty. He will bring answers beyond our ability. In 1979, the Lord gave a word of direction to me and Charlie that was to guide our lives through that year and years go come: "Wisdom is mine in '79," Charlie was working in personnel and was assigning military people to jobs. I watched as He learned to pray for wisdom each time the phone rang. He would come home at the end of the day and tell me about the miracles God worked. He would look for a job for someone in the morning and nothing would be there. As he prayed, there were times when new jobs were "created" during the day. He would have husbands and wives who were both in the military and who wanted to be assigned together, but there was no opening for one of them. As he prayed, he would discover a way to move the couple together. One time a man called who was supposed to be reassigned, but his wife said she was not going to move. This man said that if he moved, his marriage would be over. Charlie prayed for wisdom, and as he went into the system he found that a job had just opened - one that was not available even an hour before - in the same city where that man lived. God is faithful and wants to be involved in the daily-ness of our lives.

Sometimes when we focus on ourselves rather than on Him, we forget that it is not what we "do" for God that is important, but that we BE with Him. I was reminded of a time many years ago when I was struggling with that question, "can a person fall from grace?" I searched the scriptures and prayed. Our pastor taught on it, but I have always felt that I had to know what the Word of God said, and not rely on what others told me. One day my younger daughter - only in kindergarten at the time - gave me the answer...in the profound words of wisdom of a child. "Mom, if you just love God and obey Him each day, maybe you don't have to worry about whether or not you can lose your salvation!"

I pray for you and me today...that we will simply love and obey God this day. We can trust Him for answers for the moment. What we "should be" or "should have done" is left in His hands as we focus our attention on Him and receive His amazing love for us. As His love washes over our souls and brings peace and refreshing, we cannot help but respond to His love with obedience.

Today.

TODAY. What does today hold for you? What are you called to do this day, this moment? The "present" moment - is a gift to you from God. What will you do with it?

God is eternal; He does not have a past or a future. He has no beginning or end. He calls Himself the "I AM" (Exodus 3:14, 6:2). His nature does not change (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17); He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8). He does not have mood swings. He can be trusted because all that God is does not change. He is neither confined nor defined by time. He sees our past and our future at one time. He loves us despite what we do or don't do. He sees what we are becoming and knows our hearts.

Time is God's creation (Genesis 1:14-19); we live in its seasons and constraints. Today is the will of God. God's will is not found in our yesterdays. If we spend our time looking back, we often live with regrets and condemnation. If we focus our attention on the future, we are prone to have fears of the unknown. A constant focus on yesterday or tomorrow will keep us from receiving what God wants to do in us and through us now.

This does not mean we should ignore things of the past that God brings up for conviction, forgiveness and healing. And we should set goals. But being good stewards of all God has given to us is done in the present moment.

TODAY is all we have. Actually, this moment is all we have. It is in this moment that we are able to live in God's will. If you walk in God's will this moment, you will be equipped for whatever comes tomorrow. If you are obedient now, you will not have regrets tomorrow. If you do not procrastinate with what God calls you to, tonight when you go to sleep, you will have fulfillment and satisfaction in that completed work. If you seek God now and pray, tomorrow will be filled with His fruit, answers and blessings.

Many Christians refer to the middle 1970's as a "renewal." And by God's amazing grace, Charlie and I were right smack in the middle of it - not by our own doing. God did some amazing things in our lives and in the lives of our friends. Many people were accepting the Lord. We experienced miracles daily. It was exciting as we learned about the power of God. His work was visible; it was evident. We were not waiting for it. It was there, happening all around us. We felt it. We saw it. We gave and heard testimony of His work constantly. We delighted in the amazing and power-filled presence of God.

I often hear people talk about revival, miracles and the presence of God in terms of the future. "It's coming. It's going to happen. God is going to work." And my question for you is, "Are you looking ahead or are you living in God's will now, in the present?" God's presence is HERE, now! His will is this moment.

Use this moment to inquire of God and seek Him. Right now, rejoice no matter what your situation looks like. Praise Him and trust Him Use this PRESENT... the gift of this moment... to focus on Him and give Him glory. As you do that, those moments will add up and you will find your life filled with His presence. You will find fulfillment and peace in living in the present moment.

Change...is inevitable

I met with a friend this week who had just "gotten organized" and she said she could not find anything. I had to laugh as I had just been to Walmart where they had recently remodeled and I could not find what I needed. Most of the store had been rearranged. I wanted to say, "Why don't you just leave things alone?" There are times when I resist change...and then I wonder why.

Change is important, but not just for change sake. Things that do not change, other than God, are mostly things that are dead. Life requires change, at least on this earth. We are told that God does not change (Hebrews 13:8), and that means that His character does not change. He is who He says He is and His promises are reliable. But, because He is already perfect, is not "created" and is not of this world, He does not need to change. Yet, even when Jesus walked on this earth, He was born as a baby and His body had to grow up and his mind grew as he learned. I cannot think of anything in this world that is alive, that does not either grow stronger or decay - both of which are a process.

When I think about the subtlety of my desire to keep things the way they are, it is usually self-focused. Sometimes, we resistance change because we are living happily and comfortably and don't want that to go away. We don't want the inconvenience of having to start over and learn new things. We want to superglue life to this moment and keep things as they are...happy, carefree, non-challenging, having enough, and with no problems. This is usually rooted in self-desire, and sometimes in fear of what change might bring. Then there are those times when things are not that good, but we cling to familiar patterns of life because to change means taking a risk. This is often rooted in fear of the unknown.

Often when we DO want things to change, again, it is for our own comfort. We vote for one political party, hoping they will fix things in the nation to make life better for us. If they don't, then we vote for the other party, expecting them to make the changes that will be to our benefit. These kinds of changes are more like pendulum swings. But neither people, governments or institutions can "fix" things for us. Even "the church" or the pastor cannot fix things and make our lives better. Even closer to home, our spouse, family or friends cannot make all things right for us.

So, as we are living beings, there must be change. And the greater issue is not just IF our lives are changing, but HOW our lives are changing and in what direction. If God is in control of our lives, we do not have to fear, no matter what the change looks like or how it comes. (I encourage you to read Christie's latest blog on Pop Rocks for Breakfast, "When Life Hands You Lemons," which gives great insight into dealing with change that is not what we would choose!)

Last year, as I went through treatment for cancer, my life changed in many ways. I will never be the same again. Physically, I am changed...including the loss of body parts and the exchange of my long wavy hair for this new VERY CURLY and thick lamb-like covering, which requires work and new creativity. But that is minuscule in the theme of life. The big changes occurred within me, as I faced challenge, came to deeper places of repentance and surrender, and grew in trust and faith in God. I grew in compassion for people and situations where before, I was totally ignorant and often insensitive. I discovered that when we face difficult circumstances, God will use them to change us to be more like Him and to give us His heart and His perspective. I have learned... no, I am in the process of learning...not to "shrink back" and not to fear even the worse of situations, because He has the ability to make even the most difficult of things become the best of things.

Since 1970, and that amazing night when I asked Jesus to come into my life and take over, I began a lifestyle of change. I became like the caterpillar, being transformed into a butterfly. This process of transformation, called "change" is between me and God. It stems from my relationship with Him and my desire to be more like Him and less like "me." There are days when I seem to take a step backwards, but because of God's amazing grace, most change is in the right direction. I find that those "backwards steps" are most often God showing me what is in my heart that needs to be dealt with. There are days when I think I have taken a giant step forward...until I look back and see the long process that has led up to that moment.

Today I pray that "change" will be a word that you embrace. If you have problems with the word "change," then ask the Lord for "transformation." We can change from being like a wolf and still not be a lamb, but we want divine transformation. We want to be "becoming" all he intends for us to be.

I also pray that you will have the discernment to embrace change that will deny your self-nature and make you more like Him. It takes wisdom to know the difference. But He has said that when we ask for wisdom, He will give it to us liberally (James 1:5).

A little hint...if something is pushing you and causing you to feel stressed, rushed, overwhelmed and to panic, that is not from God. If you feel condemned and worthless, that is not God. If you are being encouraged to compromise and to keep in your comfort zone, be careful and ask God for wisdom. It most likely is not His guidance.

God guides with conviction - which is not the same as condemnation. Conviction is filled with hope, because He shows us what needs to change and He gives us assurance that He will do the work in us by His Holy Spirit. God guides us with peace. He is not in a rush, as He controls eternity. He is patient and will never abandon His children nor leave us to do things in our own strength. He will not lead us to "self-help" determination, but will lead us to confession, surrender and reliance on Him. He is the only One who can change hearts.

May this day, and each coming day, be a valuable part of the process of transformation in our lives. May we give Him our old nature, our rights, our human desires and receive His nature, His leading, and His amazing and "exceedingly abundant" plan for our lives. This is His divine ex-CHANGE program!

Don't give up...

Yesterday morning I worked in the garden. I watered the plants, picked vegetables and pulled weeds, preparing a section of the garden for fall tomatoes which are to be planted soon. We have an abundant crop of okra. We also have about 10 watermelons and several cantaloupe growing, which is especially exciting for me as one of my favorite foods is watermelon.

I also picked cucumbers. This year, I planted lots of cucumber seeds and started plants early. None of those plants survived. I also bought some plants, but they were all eaten by grasshoppers. The plants that did survive and are growing and producing fruit, are plants that were given to Charlie by the owner of our local feed and seed store. The plants were wilted and looked almost dead, so they were set out to be thrown away. Charlie asked if he could have them. He brought them home, used some "root stimulator" and then planted them in the soil. After only a few days, they begin to revive and grow. Now they are bearing cucumbers that we are enjoying eating.

Those cucumbers reminded me of how often we judge situations or people by what we think we see or by how things look on the outside. They, like the cucumber plants, may look wilted or dead, so we give up on them, set them apart from the rest, ignore them and accept death. You may have experienced that yourself at sometime. We don't stop to consider their "roots." If the roots are still alive, then the plant can survive. We may forget about them because we do not see growth, and they die because they are not given the help or attention they need.

Often, growth comes to those who persevere and don't give up. If you see a person who is not growing spiritually or producing fruit in their lives (Galatians 5:22-23), consider stepping up to the challenge of encouraging that person. Encouragement is amazing "root stimulator." When someone is discouraged or has given up hope, often what they need is a person who will believe in them or believe God with them. Reminding someone of God's love for them and His faithfulness can help them to continue going forward. Sometimes perseverance means simply to "take the next step." Actually, we all persevere one step at a time. Encourage them to do what they can do, no matter how small it may seem at the time. Even the simple touches of love and caring can revive hope. Being a friend and giving a word of try and love at a desperate time of their lives can change the direction of their thoughts, emotions and eventually their actions (Galatians 6:9-10).

When things appear to be dead or dormant, examine them closely. This may apply to your spiritual life, visions, dreams or goals you have set. If you are not seeing growth or reaping a harvest from something you believed God called you to do, don't quickly discard it as something that was not for you, was not real, or that you simply missed. Don't give up. Examine the roots to see if they are of God and His will.

How do we do that? We go back to when that "seed" was planted in our lives. Consider where the idea came from. Was it from God, or was it just your good idea? Pray over it and ask the Lord to reconfirm if it was something He wanted for your life. He will answer that prayer and show you, because He wants you to do the things that are His good idea.

Even if a dream or vision has died, God is the God of resurrection. If something was birthed in Him, then I have doubts that it can actually die. If it was birthed in the Kingdom and heart of God, there is no death. We just can't see the life manifested here on earth if we are looking with our physical eyes or using human reasoning or perspective. His vision can see the roots and the life.

If your dreams, visions and goals are from God, use some spiritual "root stimulator" by reading the Word, seeking the Lord and by sharing with a friend you know will encourage you. Put yourself in a place where the Spirit of God is active and moving, and allow Him to revive your spirit. Do not give up on things God has given to you. If it is a work of your own making or reasoning, then it might be advantageous to let it die. But if the work, dream, relationship, vision, activity, ability is from God, He will resurrect it and help you to persevere and cultivate life.

Things are not always as they appear to be. Remember my story of the onions? God doesn't want us to settle for the "surface vision" and He will help us to grow in perseverance, patience and endurance. He wants us to be people who will not give up but who are courageous and will persevere in Life, no matter what the situations appear to be. God wants us to trust Him and grow deep in Him so we can have spiritual vision which involves walking in wisdom.

Charlie reminded me of when we owned an 18-acre piece of land west of Austin, Texas. Someone set our property on fire. They drove down the road, throwing out matchbooks that were lit, and setting fires for several miles outside of town. The firemen thought they had put the fire out on our property, but it was still kindling in the undergrowth and moved through our property burning grass, plants, a few trees and our barn. Shortly after the fire, we received a call from a local realtor saying he would be glad to "take the land off our hands." Charlie, being a man of wisdom and discernment, laughed, thanked the realtor for his "generosity," but said the land was not for sale. What actually happened was that the fire burned off the brush, sticky vines and weeds - those things that needed to be cleaned out. After the fire, for several weeks all we could see was ashes, and black ground, burned and charred. It looked terrible. However, after a few weeks, the grass and plants began to grow again. The fire had actually put nutrients into the land and the plants and grass grew back, thick and plush. It was beautiful. Other than the barn and two large trees, the fire did more improvement than it did damage.

Do not give up on those things that seem dormant, dying or even damaged beyond repair. Take time to look deeper. Examine the roots if possible. Stimulate the growth and then wait and see what happens. You may be surprised at the new life and the abundant harvest that comes.

I pray that this day each of us will see with God's vision - a vision of Life and possibilities. He sees potential in each of us - potential that He created in us. Even when we were "dead in our sins," God knew what amazing things we could do with His help. He knew what we could become, through the power of His Spirit. He knows there is no situation that He cannot use for our good (Romans 8:28) and His glory. He sees with eyes of wisdom and spiritual insight. I pray that He will give us the ability to see people and situations as He does, and that His Spirit will urge us not to give up. I pray we will have the courage and ability to walk in such a way that we bring hope, love and encouragement into even the most challenging of situations. Then as a result, may we see the fruit and experience the blessings He gives to those to persevere (2 Timothy 2:12).