Lessons Learned in the Garden of Life

Where to Turn in Crisis

2011-11-18T13:27:00.000-08:00

In the past few days I have spent much time communicating with friends who are in crisis situations; one with her child, one facing the possibility of cancer, and another who is dealing with the diagnosis of a disease that the doctor’s say has no cure but which may have devastating implications on her future quality of life.

In every case, I have gone to the Lord in prayer. I have called upon His Name, reminded Him of His word, and trusted in His character. I have been overwhelmed with the privilege of knowing God personally and sensing His presence. I have been filled with peace, and know that He is faithful. I delight in knowing His power and His love is being poured out toward these precious sisters who know Him and have served Him with their whole hearts.

I wonder how people face situations like these if they do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and do not experience the power of His love. How do people deal with fear without knowing the one who conquerors fear? How do they face the unknown of the future without knowing the infinite God. What do they trust if not the secure promise that He has a good plan for their life?

What about you? Where do you go for help? Do you personally know the God who made you for relationship with Him? Where do you turn for answers? Have you experienced the love of the eternal Father and the comfort of His Holy Spirit?

Where do you turn if you DO know God? Do you still trust in things of the world or in human reasoning? Do you have a heart that instantly turns to Him, in the good times as well as in the challenging times? Are you experiencing all of God that you can? Are you living in His Presence moment by moment?

He makes the difference, not only in crisis situations, but in the big and small events of everyday life. He wants to be involved in every detail of your life.

I have talked in this blog about the lessons I learn though daily life. I have learned that we can only live one day at a time. We face each situation as they come along. We do not know the future for our personal lives, our family and friends, or our nation. We cannot control the future.

When crisis comes, we are faced with our own humanity, limitations and inability. But if that is all we understand, we can become hopeless. No human has the answers to life. No human has the power of life. Hope comes when we turn to God who is the giver of Life.

God reveals cures to mankind. God has given us some answers…but only those answers that He chooses to give to us. And if you read that and become angry, wanting to blame God for withholding information and revelation, then I challenge you to consider that He is God; we are not.

The nature of humanity is that when we have power or knowledge, we often take the credit, not giving the glory to God. But He is the source of all good things (James 1:17). In our humanity, we even can take things that He gives us for good, and use them for our own purposes and for destruction. God is wise in what He reveals and in what He withholds. He is also wise in when He gives and withholds. And all He does is for our good.

Where do you turn when hard times come? There is One who is always there. You may ask, “If God is there, loving me, why did this happen?” I cannot give you the answer to that question. But, I do know God and His faithfulness.

This is not simply "optomistic thinking." My confidence in Him comes from knowing Him personally for many years, and seeing Him work in my life in ways that are unmistakenly supernatural and from a loving Father.

We live in a fallen and less than perfect world. At the beginning of time, mankind chose to lean upon his own understanding rather than to trust God. That has been the nature of man, ever since. Much of what we have to deal with in life is a result of that fallen condition. But, out of His love, God has made a way for us to turn to Him, put our trust in Him, and experience His presence and guidance, no matter what our circumstances.

We each have a choice and a free will. Choose this day for yourself whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15). Choose this day, whom you will trust. You can turn to God or not.

He is there waiting for you to come. He is there, with forgivenes, love, healing, peace, understanding, and comfort. He knows everything about you, and He is FOR you, NOT AGAINST you. He is pursuing you with His love and presence.

Being "In Season"

2011-07-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

Recently I removed all of the dead vines from the sugar pea crop we planted in early spring. They are dried up and no longer producing fruit. Why? Because they are out of season. The weather and atmosphere is no longer conducive to their bearing fruit. In years past, we have had sugar peas through June. However, this year, with temperatures of 90-100 degrees beginning in May, the plants could not hold up under the heat.

Have you ever felt that your life was out of season? Have you felt like you missed God’s timing? I have.

There have been times in my life when I would not let go of something…a relationship, a ministry, a position, title, work. All of those things were “in season” at one time. They were gifts or callings God had put in my life. They were blessed by Him and were part of His will.

But there came a day when He said to let go. It was God’s best at one time, but then was time to move on to move forward into the new season. That is often because our assignment in that place or in that role has been completed.

He uses each season to prepare us for what is ahead. He uses each gift for a purpose. He knows the timing of our lives and of His will and His plan. And if we remain beyond His call, the fruit of our lives can begin to grow sour, rot or shrivel up and die. And often when this happens, we wonder what went wrong.

Why does this happen? Why does the fruit not remain? Why does our work lose the freshness it once had? If the work is God’s call AND God’s timing, it will remain fresh. But if it is seasonal and has accomplished its purpose, then God wants us to move forward to the next work He has prepared for us.

We have a tendency to cling to what we know. We are either comfortable, or we are afraid of the unknown.

He constantly is changing us and our circumstances so that we can grow and mature. However, He, Himself, never changes. He does not have to grow. He “is.” And He is perfect. We are the ones in the process of “becoming.” God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8). But earthly life is constantly changing. Those things that do not change and grow are mostly dead. He is wanting to teach, stretch us, grow us into maturity and into more abundant life (John 10:10). He knows what it will take to prepare us for eternity. And staying where we are, doing the same thing, the same way, and becoming complacent and safe is rarely God's plan. There are times when He keeps us in a place in order to build endurance and perseverance.

I must add here that if we give up on something before God says to, then we can abort the work and it never comes to fruition. There is a great danger in starting a good work God has ordained and then stopping along the way. Please know that just because something becomes difficult, challenging, or uncomfortable does not mean that God wants it to end. That may be the very situation or condition that will bring about growth and fruitfulness. Finishing strong is important and critical to doing God’s will.

The question is not how long do we stay with something. But the entire point is that God directs our lives and the timing of our lives as well. We do not. We are not all-knowing; God omniscient and knows all things. We do not have the master plan; He is the master planning and the one who created the plan for our lives. We do not have the answers; He does. We do not see the future; He IS the future because He is eternal and not limited by time or space.

If we seek to direct our lives according to our own desires and plans, we will easily become “out of season” and the works of our lives will dry up.

Seek God. Seek His plan alone. Diligently desire the timing of His will as well. His plans for you are for good and not for evil. They are for a future and a hope Jeremiah 29:11). Surrender to His love and goodness, and allow Him to direct your life. Then you will be instant in season and constantly bearing good fruit.

Rooted in Culture

2011-06-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

Different areas of the country have different kinds of soil. Some have sandy soil, others have rich black dirt. And the composition and texture of the soil impacts what plants will grow, as well as the quality of the fruit produced.

The soil in our area of Texas is hard clay. It must be worked extensively before anything will grow. First we must break up the ground and then add compost, fertilizer, and sometimes sand or potting soil in order for anything to take root.

Each of our individual lives and perspectives have different kinds of soil also. We are rooted in the soil of culture.

Culture, as defined by Webster (Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, 1967, G. & C. Merriam Co, pg. 202), is: the act of developing the intellectual and moral faculties especially by education; a particular state of advancement in civilization; the characteristic features of such a state or stage; behavior typical of a group or class.

Many people influence our mental, emotional, physical and spiritual education and training, and thus play a major part in the building of our personal culture which includes our morals, concepts and perspectives, our character, and our behavior.

Culture reflects the traditions and priorities of those who taught and trained us. Our character is either a reflection of those teachings and influences, or rebellion against those who tried to mold our ideas and behavior, or a combination of the two. As we grow up, we decide what values we will retain and what we will reject.

We most often associate "culture" with race or nations. But culture can be much broader. Within America, the north and the south have different cultural values. Even political parties have their own culture. Each family has its own culture which includes family traditions, values, and rules considered to be acceptable and proper conduct. The familiar family atmosphere is often our accepted “norm.”

When we experience situations that contrast or divert from our own cultural ideas and perspectives, we can either become defensive, wanting to justify why our values are right and acceptable, or we can open our minds to the fact that not everyone is just like us, and not every person believes what we believe or acts as we act.

There are unlimited kinds and numbers of categories of cultures: racial culture, national culture, gender culture, class culture, drug culture, professional culture, gang culture, church culture, sports culture, generational culture. Each culture has its own system of operation, language, set of rules and expectations, dress code, standards, prejudices, along with many other aspects, often unspoken but that are more obvious with close observation and participation.

Each culture has its boundaries, and sometimes it barriers. If you don’t know the language, the obvious spoken statements as well as the underlying and hidden meanings, you experience alienation from the cultural group. Cultures develop their own methods of communication, such as sign languages, facial and body expressions, acronyms. And each culture has a list of things, whether acknowledged or not, that are acceptable or unacceptable ways of operation.

I am learning many lessons from the study of culture. Most of all, I do not want to be blinded by my own concepts and ideas. Secondly, I desire that the ideas of each person I meet become tools that lead to relationship and deeper understanding rather than those differences being barriers or divisions.

I am a Christian. And recently I have become keenly aware of religious culture. Most religions, including Christianity, have sets of rules and expectations. Many of those traditions and expectations are not God’s making, but man’s ideas and traditions.

Our cultural perspective and ideas can become barriers to understanding other people, other generations, other nations and races. Rigid thinking and belief that our way is the best or the only way, excludes most of the world. We can easily be blinded to our own narrow-mindedness, which results in comparrison and becomes judgment or criticism. Comparison brings further alienation and division. That is the root of denominations.

These barriers rob us of unity and understanding of the truth that there is ONE BODY of Christ. We are not a pile of body parts, but are linked together. Yet, we often detach ourselves from others with whom God has called us to be unified. This is addressed extensively in 1 Corinthians 12, as we are told that not all parts of the Body are the same. No one part can determine that the other parts are not valuable or necessary. It is God, our Creator, who designed each of us and calls us to a working unity as ONE body.

"See to it that no one takes you captive through philisophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ" (Colossians 2:8).

When Charlie and I travel to other countries, we pray that we will not teach anything cultural, but that God will give us His truth that is for ALL people. His truths and principles apply to every person that He has created, no matter where they live or what their cultural perspectives.

I am not advocating "universalism." I am not saying that any idea is valid if the person is sincere. God makes it very clear that He alone is the standard of truth, because He IS The Way, The Truth and The Life.

What I AM saying is that man's ideas are not the standard; God's are. If WE try to determine how people should believe, think, act or respond, we will never agree. The key to life is seeing from God’s perspective rather than our individual, earthly and limited perspective.

God tells us to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2), and reminds us that it is in knowing that truth that we are set free (John 8:32.) This is His instruction which enables us to see people with His heart.

Only as our minds yield to God’s ways, His Word, His truth, and His perspective can we begin to see beyond ourselves. As we come close to Him and experience the truth of His Word, we are humbled, and the pride of clinging to our own views is laid down at His feet. He fills us with His Spirit, His understanding, His love for others, and His wisdom. With His enablement, our hearts become unified with other believers around the world, believers from every tribe, every nation and every language. We become vessels of hope and of shared passion.

As we become deeply rooted in His Kingdom culture and perspective, we begin to bear good fruit. His Kingdom is the only culture that allows us to grow in Godliness.

Be alert and watch. Understand that Kingdom culture rooted in love is different from religious culture that is rooted in legalism and law.

I encourage you to look closely at the soil of your life. Ask the Father to show you any ideas or perspectives that you think are normal, but that are not in alignment with His Word of Truth. He will be faithful. When He shows you, as you submit those those thoughts and ideas to Him, He will transform your mind. He instructs us to bring…”every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 10:5). He wants to be soil of our lives. He desires to be intimately involved in our thought life, our attitudes and our actions. He wants to purify our character and all that flows from our heart and mind. He has the power to mold us to be more like Him and make us to be a partaker of His nature and character.

As our roots grow deep in the soil of His presence, He will break up the hard, prideful ground of our minds and hearts. He will nourish us with His Holy Spirit and Truth. We will produce Godly fruit in multiplied measure and abundance. His presence is the soil that produces spiritual life, not only in the future and in heaven, but now and on this earth.

What must I do to have eternal life?

2011-05-12T09:43:00.000-07:00

You may be familiar with a story in the New Testament (Luke 18:18-27) about a very wealthy man who came to Jesus. He was called a “ruler.” He was a magistrate or a person with authority and influence, besides his wealth.

This man asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what shaIl I do to inherit eternal life?”

People all over the world are asking this question. They are getting different answers. Some are told to literally kill those who do not believe as they believe. Others kill with their judgments or accusations, their words, justifying themselves and comparing themselves to others. Some are working hard, doing good humanitarian works, trying to earn God’s favor. Many believe if they just live as a “good person,” God will reward them at the end of their life.

However it is imperative that we know what God says about eternal life and how we can obtain it. He alone knows the answer and He reveals the Truth.

First of all, Jesus questioned the young man who called Him “good.” The young man approached Jesus as a “teacher.” And Jesus was pointing the young man to God, who alone is good.

Jesus knew that this young man was relying on good works to bring him close to God. Jesus confirms what is in the man’s heart as he reminds the young man of the commandments. And the man affirms that he has kept the commandments since he was young.

Yet, we do not know why the young man was asking Jesus this question. Was he wanting affirmation that in keeping the commandments, he would find eternal Life?

Jesus had just told a story (Luke 18:10-14) of a man who kept the law, but who walked in pride. This man was a Pharisee, a religious man who studied the law, and taught law to others. The Pharisee stood in the temple praying “with himself,” thanking God that he was not like other men. He reminded God of all the good things he did: fasting twice a week and giving tithes. But Jesus contrasts the Pharisee to a sinner who was standing far off, not willing to lift his head toward heaven, and crying out for mercy. This man admitted to God that he was a sinner and needed God and God’s mercy. Jesus finished the story by commending the sinner who humbled himself and turned to God, rather than the man who walked in pride.

It is at the end of this story that the young man brings his question to Jesus. Perhaps his heart was touched, as he knew he had followed the law. I have often wondered if this young man, even after all the good things he had done, knew he was missing something. Did he sense that he did not have eternal life even though he followed the commandments? Jesus' teaching constantly pointed to His being the only way to eternal life with God (John 14:6).

Jesus told the rich man that he lacked one thing.

Do you look at those who have much more of the world's treasures and believe they have everything? Do you believe that earthly treasures are proof of favor with God? Do you ever feel that if you had MORE money, more things, more earthly possessions, life would be better or easier? Yet Jesus constantly looks at the heart, and sees what is lacking. The treasures of the world are not the answer to life. In fact, in James 1:9-10, we see that God does not look at earthly riches the same way we do. He is not impressed with ease and comfort, and He, Himself, lived without a place to lay his head. He knows what has lasting value and what does not. He provides what is truly needed for us to have LIFE.

Jesus told the man to sell all he had, all his earthy treasures, give it to the poor, and to come and follow Jesus. That is the thing the man lacked, and that would give him treasures in heaven.

I have heard it explained that this story teaches us not to love the things of the world. The rich man refused to let go of his earthly riches to gain eternal riches. His love for money and things was a substitute for a relationship with God.

God has called us to lay down everything, and surrender to Him. We are told many times and many ways, that if we love the world, we do not love the Father (1 John 2:15-1-7). The things of the world as passing away, but knowing God and having relationship with Him has eternal impact. It will never die.

Yet, we often settle for those things of the world that we think have value. God says, we cannot serve God and mammon – earthly riches (Matthew 6:24). We have to choose. God will not allow us to have a divided heart. We must forsake, lay down, all things to serve Him. Or we will forsake Him to love and serve earthly things.

God wants us to surrender all things to Him. That is not just a one time event, but is constant, as we our love for God increases and we are detached from the world. Asone of my favorite songs says, "And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace" (Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus by Helen Lemmel).

However, there is more to this story. The young man became sorrowful at what Jesus said. He was very rich.

Jesus saw his sorrow and told us that it is very difficult, in fact impossible, for rich men to forsake the world to enter heaven. Why did Jesus tell the young man to forsake the world if He knew it was impossible?

In the next few verses, we hear the rest of the story. Those hearing asked “Who then can be saved?”

Jesus answered, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

God knows that we cannot surrender in our own strength. We cannot lay everything down. We can want to surrender. We can try. But the nature of man is to cling to things he can see, to reason how to provide for himself, to do things our own way.

God is telling us that eternal life is not something we can accomplish. It is impossible for man. Even surrendering to His will is not something we, alone, can do.

How then can we have eternal life? It comes ONLY through trusting the God. It is possible for Him.

When we face situations that we know are impossible for us, we have a choice. We can either keep on striving to do things our way and try to control the situation or do what we think is best; we can become sorrowful and walk away, becoming hopeless and defeated; or, we can turn to God, and trust Him.

We have no indication that the young ruler turned to God. He faced the impossible, but we are not told the outcome. Perhaps it is not for us to know, but only to use as a sign post to examine our own lives.

What do you have in your hands? Are you holding on to something? Is it good works, knowledge and obeying the law like the Pharisee? Is it power, influence and wealth like the rich ruler? Is it your failures and your sin, like the poor sinner?

Out of His amazing love for us, God is constantly pursuing us no matter who we are, man or woman, rich or poor, black, brown or white, old or young. He wants every one of us to have relationship with Him forever, beginning now. The goal of His life and death was to provide a way for us to be with Him, for us to be forgiven, for us to have eternal Life. He alone has made the provision.

Whatever you are holding tightly in your hands, the answer is to turn to God and trust Him. He will do what is needed. Do not let your ability separate you from God. Do not let your inability separate you from God. Do not allow possibilities or impossibilities to keep you from God. Turn to Him and trust Him in all things. There is nothing He cannot do. Your faith in Him and His power is the link, the connection. Our work is to trust in Him alone, and receive all He has done for us. That is the way to eternal life.

Can ALL THINGS be used for good?

2011-05-05T14:12:00.000-07:00

Last month I wrote about using what we have for God's purposes. Sometimes we have more than we think. Often we are the last to recognize and have confidence in our areas of giftedness, especially when it comes to our spiritual gifts. We are aware of our learned ability…to write, play an instrument, study and learn a certain subject such as a language. But spiritual gifts must be revealed and discerned by the Spirit of God. That is not always as easy for us to comprehend.

However, my thoughts today focus on those things we "have" that are not polished, educated, perfected, or when they are obviously not an asset to our lives and to the Kingdom. What if my life seems overloaded with something that is normally used for destruction, to damage lives?

Today when I look at my heart, I see only things I wish were not there. I see attitudes and feelings that I deem unusable or destructive. The strongest thing in my life right now is anger. I have been walking through a situation that I have no control over. The only thing I can control is my response to the situation, and recently I have not done a good job of that. The situation is wrong according to God’s Word and is hurting people I love. I have spent years dealing with the wrongness of this situation, praying for those involved, and seeking God’s help in allowing me to resond with forgiveness, power and love that only comes from His Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5).

The situation has become gradually worse and more painful, until a few months ago, there was a revelation that the depths of depravity were far worse than I had expected. Since that day, I have walked in sadness, sorrow and grief. But my sadness and sorrow have turned to anger.

So, when we face a situation like this, is it possible that even a heart full of anger can be useful? Of course it is. People use anger every day. They use it to destroy reputations, relationships, character, hopes,dreams, confidence, and even lives in some cases.

But I am not talking about destructive “use” of what is in our hands. One reason I am angry is because the situation has had such a destructive impact on lives. I don't want to do the same thing. Is it possible for this strong anger to be used for God’s purposes?

I believe it is possible. I am aware that the possibility of my anger being turned into something productive for the Kingdom of God is totally out of my ability. However, Jesus said that what is impossible for man IS possible for God (Mark 10:27). I am trusting Him to show me, to lead me, to guide me.

In Romans 8:28, God says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” ALL things? What about my anger? Does He really mean ALL things?

If you back up to verse 27, you read, “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” That tells me that no matter what my thoughts are or what is going on in my life, God Himself knows what is on my mind and He is praying for me, praying God’s will into my life. How amazing is that?

These scriptures are for me because I love God. I have answered His call to give my life to Him, so my desire is for His purposes and His will to be done. He is interceding for "the saints." Saints are not perfect people, but are those who love Him and seek His will in their lives.

Verse 29 shows us part of God’s purpose for His intercession “For who He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…”

God knew you and me before we were created inside of our mothers (Psalm 139:13-16). And His planned purpose for mankind, from the very beginning of time (Genesis 1:26), was and still is that we will be conformed to His image. God’s plan is for us to be like Him, to have His character and nature of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control (Galatians 5:22). He desires that so much, that He has promised that if we love Him, then He will use every situation, every possible thing that comes into our lives, for the purpose of making us more like Him.

This past week I have not looked much like Jesus. My anger has been polluted. Some of it is about Him. Much of it is over injustice, wrongness, deception, rejection, lies, and peoples’ unwillingness to do what is right. But some of my anger is about me, about what I want and what I feel. And as a Christian, when I am angry, I then often feel guilty, telling myself that I should not have any negative feelings toward another person.

I know that He has forgiven me. But I want more than forgiveness. I want change. Just as coal, under pressure, can be turned into a diamond, or a grain of sand in an oyster, can become a pearl, I want to see those things in my heart be turned to something valuable. I am putting God to the test; I am holding Him to His word, believing and asking Him to show me how He can use even my anger, my sorrow, and even a wrong situation, for my good and for the good of those I love. I am trusting that as He intercedes for me according to His will, that He will use ALL these THINGS, including my emotions, wrong thoughts, lack of understanding, guilt, hopelessness and even my anger, for my good and use it to conform me to His image.

Another way this can be used for good is for me to pray, pray, pray. I pray for myself, with confession and repentance, and acknowledgement of God's desire and ability to "cleanse me of all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). I pray for all those involved in the situation, including those causing the problems. I pray for people I don't know, across our nation and the world, who are walking through similar situations. I especially pray for those walking through these kinds of difficult situations who do not know Jesus, and are trying to find peace without Him.

I want to know how God sees my heart and what He thinks about my feelings. I want Him to use this to teach me more about Him. I want this situation and my reaction to it to be redeemed and somehow turned to good. I want to defeat the enemy with my prayers and with my coming through this situation in victorious thinking and acting. Through all of this I pray for God to bring me into closer relationship with Him. Only a personal and powerful God can preform such a miracle.

An encounter with Mary, the mother of Jesus

2011-04-21T18:39:00.001-07:00

I was young, with my whole life before me. I had many questions: How can one person be significant to God? What is His purpose and will for my life? How can I know what that purpose is? I know it sounds strange for a girl to have these kinds of thoughts. In Jewish families, the sons were considered to have the greater purpose, and the daughters were to grow up to be good, healthy wives and have sons. Eve, was the mother of our race; Sarah had purpose in the son of her old age; Rachael and Hannah grieved until they had sons. It’s not that I minded the idea of having children. But was there more to life?

I was a very ordinary girl in most ways. Yet, I spent much of my time thinking. My mother said I was a daydreamer, but I didn’t mind. Many times I felt that my pondering was a kind of prayer…though not the sort of prayers we were taught to say in Jewish homes. I wondered if God ever heard my thoughts and questions.

My name, Mary, means “myrrh,” which was incense used in the worship of God. Because of my name, I believed my life was to be spent worshipping God. But myrrh was also used to prepare a person for burial, and I wondered how that fit into who God created me to be.

The plan for my life was set before me. I was young and betrothed. Joseph was a good man. My father had chosen well, and I was not displeased. Joseph was gentle; a man of God – but, just how much a man of God I had not yet seen. He was talented, a craftsman, who knew wood and could use his hands. He would provide well for our family. My family had never been rich, but we had what we needed. I would soon be Joseph’s wife, and live a good life, and hopefully give him sons.

Then, one day…one day God… Have you ever had a day when God entered your life, and you were never the same again? That day my life was changed forever. It’s as if I had entered into another world or kingdom. I met God’s will face to face. I responded, and my life was never really mine again. It was guided by a different power. It’s hard to explain, unless you’ve experienced it.

It was an ordinary day. People were going about their lives as every other day. I don’t even remember what I was doing…but all of a sudden, right before me stood a being like I had never seen before. An angel. I was so afraid, I couldn’t move. He called me by name. He said the Lord was with me and that I was blessed among women. I didn’t understand. He must have seen my fear, for he told me not to be afraid; that I had found favor with God. Was this real? God’s favor was expected to rest on those who were mighty, rich, or even wise. But on me?

He told me I would conceive a son and would call him Jesus and he would be great and rule on the throne of David. He said the Holy Spirit would overshadow me, and the One to be born would be called the Son of God.

“How can this be? What does this mean? Nevertheless, let it be unto me, your hand-maiden, as you have said.”

I later thought: I stood face to face with an angel. He was talking about the God who created the universe, had set fire to a bush without consuming it, had delivered a whole nation out of bondage and had parted the sea so they could cross over on dry ground, and who made the sun to stand still. And what do I ask… “How can this be?” Of all the questions I could have asked! But he didn’t get upset with me; he simply said, “With God all things are possible.”

God of the impossible. What a mystery, yet a reality. God overshadowed me with His Spirit. It was as though I myself was in a womb of His presence. My life had entered the realm of the impossible, and I surrendered.

He would have to do the impossible…with my family. My mother had prayed all my life, like the other Jewish mothers, that her virgin daughter would be the mother of the coming Messiah. Would she believe it? And her friends? It is one thing to believe God’s word. It is another thing to believe it for yourself.

The impossible…Joseph.

New life was growing within me. What a miracle. I immediately went to stay with my relative, Elisabeth. She understood the impossible, being full of child in her old age. She said she believed God could do anything. And she understood who my child was to be. I was able to talk freely with her. We sought for wisdom together before I returned to my family.

Then, there was a quiet marriage to Joseph. With God nothing is impossible. Truly, he
proved that just with Joseph. My condition was punishable by stoning. But Joseph, too, had an encounter with God, and he knew this was God’s child. His love for God and for me became sacrificial.

He was a simple man, and felt the weight of responsibility for both me and this child. If he ever heard rumors, gossip, or accusations he never let on. I sometimes believed God chose me because He wanted Joseph as His son’s earthly father.

Herod called for a census, so we had to travel to Bethlehem. We were almost there and my time was near. There were no rooms in the town, and it was time. We were finally directed to a stable. There came the pain and the travail. I was away from home and family, with only Joseph, me, and the animals. And then the birth of a perfectly formed baby. He looked so human… He acted so human… He cried so human. Yet there lay the very presence of God. In this child was the hope of the world. Who would think that the burden of an entire world would rest on these tiny shoulders? The weight of government would be upon them.

Shepherds came, praising God and telling stories of seeing thousands of angels. Wise men came who had followed a star, traveling a great distance to bring lavish gifts for the child.

On the 30th day of his life, when we took Jesus to the temple for purification, an old man named Simeon took the baby in his arms, looked into heaven, and said that his life had now been fulfilled. He said, “I can go in peace… I have seen the salvation of the Lord and the Light to the Gentiles, and the Glory of Israel.”

A Light to the Gentiles, and the Glory of Israel? The Glory of Israel had dwelt in the temple, but had departed from Israel because of our nation’s sin. Now this child was being called the GLORY OF ISRAEL. I knew He was God’s child, but there was so much I didn’t understand.

Simeon looked at me and said, “This child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, for a sign which will be spoken against. Yes, a sword will constantly pierce even your own soul also, so the secret thoughts and purposes of many hearts may be revealed.”

A sword…pierce my soul? What could he mean? A sign spoken against? Wasn’t this child to be a king? The Savior of the world? We had such joyful anticipation of a glorious future with the coming of the Messiah. Yet these words reminded me of the prophet Isaiah of long ago. Was it like so many other things about God… perhaps not according to man’s thoughts or ways? I wanted to ask again… “How can this be?” But I knew it would be as God intended, and according to the impossible.

I have often thought back and pondered these things… the angel Gabriel, Elisabeth and her son John, Jesus’ birth…the stable. The stable…kings were born in palaces. Stables were for lambs. I thought about the star, the shepherds, the wise men and their gifts, Simeon. Then in a dream, Joseph was told that we were to go to Egypt…a place that was bondage to our ancestors became a place of protection for us and the child.

Joseph and I both felt responsibility for training this child. We followed Jewish traditions in our home and Joseph spent much time teaching Jesus the law. I remember the time when he was twelve and got lost in Jerusalem. We were there to celebrate Passover. On the way home, we realized Jesus wasn’t with us or with our relatives. We returned to Jerusalem and it took us three days to find him. By then I was near panic. We had lost God’s Son. When we found him, I was so relieved. But I WAS his mother, and I scolded him. He looked at me with a look of wisdom beyond his years and said “Mother, didn’t YOU know I must be about my Father’s business?” I felt pain inside, that sword piercing my soul. I wondered how much he understood of His mission.

As I watched him grow, I knew in my heart that the day would come when he would leave. That’s true about every child. If you’ve ever had to let go of your child, I promise you, you have never been closer to God than when you gave that child up. He understands.

In Jesus there was submission to us as his parents, but it came with an inner submission to God. HE was always obedient, but I knew he was obeying a higher voice.

Many times the 700-year-old words of the prophet Isaiah stirred in my heart. I could easily grasp the words that God would give a sign and a virgin would give birth to a son. I knew its reality; I was part of the fulfillment of that prophesy of Almighty God. But there were other words that were more difficult, even painful, to try to understand concerning the Son of God.

One day, Jesus heard his cousin John was nearby, preaching, and He left home and went to find John. I thought back to my visit with Elisabeth, so many years ago before when neither of our sons were yet born. Her child, John, had leaped within her, and she called me the mother of her Lord. I knew Jesus had to focus on doing the Father’s will. He had a unique purpose. But little did I know what the next three and an half years would hold.

I heard of many miracles he performed. I saw some of the, like when he turned water into wine at the wedding of a friend in Cana, a few miles northeast of Nazareth. Yet, in our town, He could do only a few miracles. The people had seen him grow up in our house, and they did not believe who He really was. Their human reasoning kept their hearts from seeing and understanding; Jesus called it unbelief. It is possible to focus on what we can see with our physical eyes, or what our own mind thinks is right, and miss the Truth.

Jesus was a controversial man which of itself was not unusual in our days. But He was different. He didn’t claim to be a prophet who knew God. He claimed to be the Son of God. I knew who He was and where He came from, and yet at times I didn’t understand. The religious leaders were the ones persecuting him, and they had taught that a Messiah would come.

Only three years after he began preaching and working miracles, He was arrested.

I wondered if God had forgotten what He said about a King and Savior? Yet words of the prophet Isaiah came back to me, “He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief…Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter…He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken… …He poured out His soul unto death… And He bore the sin of many…

Surely God didn’t mean my son would be “slaughtered and stricken”? I had seen many times that God’s ways are not our ways, but I couldn’t imagine God allowing this to His Son.

Then came the reality of seeing Him beaten, almost beyond recognition, carrying a cross, going to his death. I stood helplessly at the foot of the cross, watching His life drain out. My heart was breaking. He was beaten, bruised, a crown of thorns, and then the nailed Him to the cross. My soul was pierced as never before. Again the question came to my mind, “How can this be?” I kept thinking this was a bad dream… or that God would do the impossible and bring Him down off the cross. Where was the angel? Didn’t God have the power to deliver His own Son from death?

I stood with young John who was flooded with guilt, shame, and sorrow, for having deserted his closest friend. And here before us, Jesus was dying. John was wondering how he could live with such guilt and grief. Then, in the midst of agonizing death, yet so consistent with His character, Jesus reached beyond himself and focused his attention on us. It was as though he was experiencing our sorrow, our struggle and our pain. “Mother, behold thy son. Son, behold thy mother.” In those last few minutes of His life, with labored breath, His concern was for us.

We heard Him say, “It is finished.” And He died.

I find it difficult to describe the next few days. All seemed final, hopeless. Death is so strong. Yet somewhere within me, something was stirring. The God I knew…the God of the impossible…what would He do?

On the third day, my friend Mary went to the tomb, but the stone had been rolled away, and the tomb was empty. She came back saying she had seen Jesus and talked to Him. He was alive. I dared to hope. We had seen Jesus raise Lazarus and others from the dead. It was becoming more clear. He had told us that He was the LIFE. How can life die? Then He appeared to us. It was true. God of the impossible had raised Jesus from the dead. Death did not have the final word. Life could not be quenched. The Joy of God had passed through the poverty of a manger, persecution of the religious, the torment of the cross, and He came through in victory. Jesus was the Christ, the son of God; Savior and Lord. He was the Way, the Truth and the Life. He was the way to the presence of the Father. He was all He claimed to be.

I had the unique privilege of carrying Jesus Christ, the Son of God within me...
TWICE. Once, He was birthed OUT of me. Once, He was birthed INTO me, as I received His Holy Spirit. He would never leave me again. Now I was fulfilling God’s purpose for my life, empowered in a new way. I was Mary, one called to worship to God.

Father God had a unique purpose for my life. He has a unique purpose for yours. I was an ordinary, humble girl who believed God, and surrendered to His will. Is there anything keeping you from surrendering to His plan for you? Are you willing to believe God will do all that He has said He will do? Will you grasp hold of the God of the impossible?

You will have tribulation and will face times when it seems that the final word has been spoken and all seems hopeless. As I stood at the foot of the cross, my emotions could see no further than the pain and agony of the moment. But, God is a God of resurrection. Death does not have power over life. God brings life to that which is dead. If you are in a situation that seems impossible, reach out to God who is more powerful than death.

There are times when the pain of life and rejection seems to control our lives. And often it is religious people who do the hurting. Yet, I heard Jesus, as He was dying on the cross, ask His Father to forgive even those who sentenced Him to death, thinking they were serving God by crucifying Him. Even in His painful death, He had no anger, vengeance or bitterness, only forgiveness. Can we do less? He gives us the power to be like Him and to forgive.

Will you celebrate the resurrection life by reaching out to God this day? He is pursuing you with all of His heart. He died on the cross so you could have eternal relationship with Him. Will you yield to the overshadowing of His Holy Spirit in your life? Allow Him to be born into you, and then revealed to and through you. Allow the Creator, who lavishly loves you, to take control of your life. Let God do what is totally impossible for you to do. Believe that He will fulfill those things He has spoken and promised to you. Now is time.

(This is my perspective of Mary, mother of Jesus, based on Luke 1-2; Luke 3:21-23; Luke 22:54, Luke 23:16-46; Luke 23:52-Luke 24:12; John 2:1-11; John 19:1-John 20:31; Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 53; Genesis 4:1-2; Genesis 17, 21:1-8; Genesis 30:1-24; 1 Samuel 1:1-2:19 and other scriptures.)

The Miracle of Seed

2011-04-07T13:52:00.000-07:00

Farmers talk much about “seed.” Seed is reproductive material. In planting our garden, my husband talks about the benefits of having heirloom seeds or hybrid seeds.

Hybrid seeds have been artificially cross pollinated. One of the interesting considerations about hybrid plants is that their seeds cannot be used to plant next year’s garden. According to Wikipedia, hybrid seed “…from the first generation of hybrid plants, does not reliably produce true copies, therefore, new seed must be purchased for each planting.” Hybrid seeds are also called “cloned” seeds.

Heirloom seeds, however, do have the potential to reproduce true copies. Seed from the fruit of this year’s heirloom plants can be saved and planted next year. Future crops will produce plants that bear fruit or vegetables that are true copies of the original.

In the Bible, in the first book called “Genesis” (or “Beginning”), we are told how God created all that exists. I find it interesting that a number of times in the Bible, God’s Word is referred to as “seed.” And in the Beginning, we are told that creation came about as God spoke.

“Then God said, ‘Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with seed in them, on the earth’; and it was so…and God saw that it was good.” “Then God said [to the male and female He had made in His own image], ‘Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you;...” (Genesis 1:11, 12, 29).

Seed produces plant that bears fruit that contains seed, that produces plant that bears fruit that contains seed. There is a cycle to reproduction. It is always amazing to me when I cut a tomato, cucumber or other fruit or vegetable and realize that each small seed inside has the potential to produce an entire plant which, in turn, would bear much fruit. The multiplication process that God placed within creation makes me stop and think about the unlimited, creative and infinite mind of God that planned every detail with divine purpose.

God not only put that reproductive ability in fruit and vegetables. He also fashioned mankind with “seed” and the ability to reproduce. The Greek word for “seed” is “sperma.” The word “seed” also often refers to offspring, or our children.

Four weeks ago, our youngest daughter had a new baby, Emmy Elizabeth. I cannot look at our grandchildren without considering the miracle of reproduction divinely designed by God. And His plan includes even the smallest details.

Our younger daughter has red hair. Her first child, Cella, has red hair (See family photo below). Cella looks like her mother, but many of her features resemble her father. God uses details of our makeup to create the “seed” that comes forth from us. It is part of that cycle. Many people have told our older daughter that she looks like me, and as many others have said she looks like her father. And yet, even with the resemblances, each of our children and grandchildren are a one-of-a- kind combination of traits and abilities. Even though they may look like their parents and have similar abilities, there is not another person in the world like any of them. Each is precious and unique.

God chooses those characteristics He knows will work together to form the new child exactly as He wants them to be. It all works for His purposes. In Psalm 139, He reminds us that He was forming us inside of our mother’s womb.

Every person alive was created by God’s design and perfect plan. That includes you. The writer of the Psalm, under the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit, says, “I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:13-14). You were made by God’s design and there is not another person like you in the world.

With today’s technology, things are very different from when I gave birth to our children. I did not know if I was having a girl or boy until my baby was born. Modern machines even allow us to view the formation of the unborn baby. Long before little Emmy was born, a sonogram showed close up pictures of her body, her heartbeat, her kidneys and other organs, and her features – the perfect little nose, ears and rosebud mouth. The size of her bones could be measured and even her weight was determined. As I watched the sonogram, I saw Emmy yawn, and could see her put her tiny hand in her mouth.

Even though I had seen the sonogram, it was completely different to look at this brand new life only minutes after she was born. And now, only weeks later, we have seen her grow and change…far too fast for her Grammy.

This is our seed’s seed. This is our inheritance. Now she is a baby, but as she grows daily and develops, the prayers we have prayed for her for more than nine months will begin to take root. In fact, the prayers we have prayed for years over all of our grandchildren, which now include little Emmy, will bear fruit that will someday be evident in their lives.

Ever since God created the world his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made (Romans 1:20).

Seed. The miracle of reproduction. God must smile as we stand in awe and wonder, watching the process of life. All of these things are revelations of Him, His qualities, His nature, His attributes. Creation was intended to cause us to look to Him, understand His love, experience His Life and its eternal purposes. Our response to creation is to be humble worship, not of creation itself or of its processes, but of Him, the only God, our Creator.

What do you have?

2011-03-28T12:18:00.000-07:00

Last summer, the Lord began to work something into my spirit. He used a devotional which talked about a man named Shamgar. Shamgar’s story is found in the Old Testament portion of the Bible. Our friend wrote:

“’Shamgar . . struck down six hundred Philistines with an ox goad. He too saved Israel.’ (Judges 3:31 NIV). One man, unarmed, against six hundred Philistine warriors! He used what he had – an ox goad, a wooden stick tipped with bronze that a farmer used to prod his work animals. A common farm utensil, not much at all, except in the hands of a determined and courageous farmer, resulting in a rousing victory that stirred the heart of a nation against its enemy.

An unusual story? Yes, but not an uncommon one in the Bible, and in everyday life. It sounds familiar to me – like Moses and a shepherd’s staff, or Gideon and his trumpet, or Samson and a jawbone, or David and a slingshot, or a boy with a small lunch of bread and fish. God’s story is about using ordinary people in extraordinary ways when they are willing to use what they have for God’s purposes and glory.

You may not have what you want; you may not have everything you need; you may not have what others have; you do have something that God can use. ‘God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well...’ (Romans 12:6-8 NLT). Remember, the key to doing all you can do is using all that you have.”

This concept, of using what I have, was brought back to me last night when a friend reminded me of the New Testament scripture in Acts 3:1-9 when Peter and John were going to the temple and saw a man who had been lame from birth. Peter says, (vs 6, NKJV), “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” Peter had faith, authority, and firsthand knowledge and understanding of the healing power found in Jesus Christ. When Peter gave what he had, it changed the life of the lame man, who rose up and began walking, leaping and praising God, and became a testimony to others of the power and love of God.

My friend reminded me that I am to use what I have for God’s purposes. I cannot give what I do not have, but God wants me to share what He has given to me.

What do you have? Does it look ordinary or familiar like Shamgar’s farm tool? What is your special ability? The question is, “will you use what you have for God’s glory, even if looks like it is very small or not enough?”

You may think you have nothing of value. Please do not judge contrary to the Lord’s estimation. He is truth and He says He has given you gifts. He has given you faith. If your faith seems small, faith is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22), and it can grow as you seek Him and study His words. You can share what you do have with others, and as you do, it will grow and multiply.

There is something else you do have. You have a voice. If you know Jesus, you can use your voice to share Him with others, to pray, to encourage those who are discouraged. You can speak truth. You can help others turn their eyes from their situations to God by sharing of His character of love, forgiveness, and faithfulness and you can help bring them to a place of hope.

You also have 24 hours in a day. What do you do with your time? Are you spending it doing things that count for eternity? Are you using some of your time to serve others? Are you spending time praying and worshipping God with all of your heart? Are you spending time reading His Word, which brings strength and nourishment to our souls? Or are you investing your time in things that do not have eternal value but are worldly? We can use what we have for Him and His Kingdom.

The nation of Japan has been in my heart for years, but even more so for the past two weeks. I have a tremendous love for the people. Much of my time is spent on my knees praying for the people, for the lost, for the pain, fear, and grief of the people. I am also praying against potential nuclear devastation. I am asking God to work miracles in Japan.

Recently I heard someone say they would like to send money for relief for the Japanese, but added that they only had a little bit, as if their little would not be important to someone who has just lost everything.

God does not require us to give what we DO NOT have. But He does expect us to give what we DO have. He expects us to take whatever He has given to us, whether it seems great or small, and use it in obedience to His directions. When we do that, He is faithful to work in and through us to impact lives for eternity.

So, I ask you again. What do you have? Will you use it unselfishly for God’s glory, for His Kingdom and His purposes?

Take inventory of what you have. If you have things of the world in excess, repent if obtaining those things were your doing and not God’s. Then take what you have and commit it to God. He will show you what to do. And as you obey, you will be blessed beyond measure. The reward of walking in His will and being used by Him is, in itself, a blessing. He will use the ordinary to do the extraordinary is amazing. He will redeem what is needed. And He will use you to bring glory to Him. The fact that you and I, as mortal human beings, can bring glory to God is a miracle in itself.

My prayer for you, as it is for myself, is that we will use what we have and then be delighted at seeing God at work through us to provide for and impact the lives of those around us.

Deep-plowing the Ground

2011-03-08T14:59:00.000-08:00

Spring has arrived in Texas. As I look out my office window at the tree line in the back pasture, I see that there are places where the tiny green buds are appearing on the trees and the redbud trees are blooming. Our plum, peach and apricot trees are flowering, and the wild flowers are beginning to appear.

We have been working the ground in our garden, getting ready to plant. I have noticed that it is very difficult to work hard ground, and almost impossible for anything but weeds to grow there. It is even more difficult to work the ground when there are rocks in it.

That is where my life has been for the past few months. I have been in a season when I felt totally empty, but realized I was only empty of the good things of life like peace, joy, strength, motivation. Instead my heart was hardened with grief, fear, apathy, anger and other such things that were stealing my life. When those things grow inside of us, they are more like cancers as they don't stay the same size like rocks do. They grow and consume us and have a way of choking out the good things.

When Charlie and I moved to the country, one of the first things we had to purchase was a tractor. The man who delivered our Kabota tractor walked the pastures with Charlie. He told Charlie that he needed to plow the pastures, and asked if he had a plow. The previous owners left an old plow in the back pasture. Charlie showed it to the man. The man said that it would work, but not very well. It would only plow up the first few inches on the top of the ground, and do a surface work. He told Charlie that he needed a "deep plow." He said that a deep plow would dig deep into the ground and break up the hard places, and at the same time, it would bring any large rocks to the surface so they could be cleaned out. Then he said that this kind of plow was originally not called a "deep plow," but was called a "repentance plow!"

That is what I have needed for my spiritual life...a repentance plow. So last week I made an appointment with a counselor. I spent five hours with her, and at the end of the time, the ground of my heart had been plowed up and the hard places had been removed. She was able to help identify the roots...those things that were causing the anger, hurts and fears that were robbing my spiritual life.

Sometimes we can't see the roots because of our emotions. Our feelings can be fed by lies that we have believed. In the New Testament gospel of John, we are told that when we know the Truth, the Truth, God's truth, sets us free. When His truth is mixed with our faith it replaces the lies and we are set free. That is what I experienced last week. Freedom from the lies is amazing. When the lies are removed and the truth takes hold, joy and peace and motivation and purpose return to our lives.

First I had to take an honest look at my life and my heart. I had to admit that there were hard places. Denying it only makes the situation worse. I then had to tell God that I knew the fears and lies were there. I had to make make the decision not to live that way any more. I also needed help from someone who could see beyond what I could see and who was not bound by the same things that were holding on to me. She, under the guidance of God's Holy Spirit, was able to help lead me to freedom. Sometimes we cannot do the work alone. God has made us as one body, jointly fit together. He has made the Body of Christ such that we need each other; each part is important. We are not to walk alone, so it is okay to reach out for help.

The result has been freedom, healing, joy, peace and a restoration to the place of strength and confidence that is truly LIFE from God. I encourage you that if you have places of hardness in your heart, deal with them...God's way. Be honest with God, and then allow Him to dig deep into your life and reveal truth, pull out the hard places, and bring healing, cleansing and restoration.

Now I am ready for a season of fruitfulness!

Volunteers

2010-09-24T20:24:00.000-07:00

Our garden did not do very well this year. It was very hot too early and with little or no rain, the plants dried up. What didn’t dry up, the raccoons and rabbits ate. Guess they didn’t see the “animals keep out” sign I posted. They even ate the watermelons which made me very, very sad. Actually they only ate HALF of each watermelon, which made me mad. Even the okra didn’t produce this year and okra normally does great in hot weather.

However, we did have plants called “volunteers.” Some of the plants that grow the best are those that just seem to appear. I don’t know how they got planted in the garden…whether a bird dropped a seed, a seed from last year germinated, or one of those animals deposited the seeds. But, what I do know is that volunteers are a surprise to me when they come up. They are unexpected, but always delightful and appreciated.

I think that is true in my own spiritual life. There are those attributes that I constantly work on, and some that I seem to excel in NOT being able to grow…such as self control and patience. I work and work at growing in those areas, and the more I work at them, the more elusive they seem to get. But about the time I get discouraged, I find myself in a difficult situation and am surprised at the peace or the gentleness or the kindness that comes out of my life or out of my mouth. And when it does, I am very aware that it has little to do with me and everything to do with the One who works good things into my life…even and maybe especially…when I am not looking.

So I wonder why I strive at developing the fruit of patience and self control. Perhaps I should simply trust that the One who is completely patient and is almighty can do the impossible…which I cannot do. And believe that he wants to do the impossible in me! Maybe I will just rest in Him and let Him grow those amazing serendipities in my life. Then He gets all the credit and glory and I get peace and joy. Maybe I’ll try more trust this week and watch for the “volunteers” to grow.

The seed that brings multiplication

2010-09-04T21:07:00.000-07:00

My first garden was only a few plants in a small flower bed near the house. We planted beans and several tomato plants.

One day I was cutting one of our home-grown tomatoes for a salad for dinner. As I examined the inside of the tomato, I realized there were hundreds of seeds inside that one small tomato. Those seeds alone could result in hundreds of new plants, each bearing dozens of tomatoes, and each new tomato would contain hundreds of seeds. That one tomato had the potential of producing thousands of other tomatoes.

At the time, I was studying the first book of the Bible, Genesis, and the story of creation. Of course I had seen the inside of tomatoes all my life, but had never associated it with God's amazing design and provision for multiplication.

From Genesis 1, On the third day, God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth" and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:11-12).

God created the vegetables and the fruit to be full of seeds. Many times we eat those seeds. But when planting time comes, we plant seeds in the ground, and we watch the harvest come up. It is always exciting to see the new vegetables and fruit begin to form on the plants.

On the sixth day, God created living creatures. THEN God created man in His own image...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."

I am continually amazed that you and I, men and women, were created in the image and the likeness of the eternal God. I still do not completely understand all that entails. We have personality. We are triune beings, having body, soul and spirit. We have the freedom of choice. We are creative. And we have "seed" in us, so that we can multiply and be fruitful. Much of creation has the potential to multiply because God, the Creator, fashioned us with the ability to reproduce.

Gardens are all about multiplication, fruitfulness and reproduction. And because this blog is about the Garden of Life, I remind you that LIFE is about fruitfulness and reproduction.

This principle of multiplication is especially precious and meaningful to me at this season of life because I am going to be a grandmother again. Our family is growing and multiplying and we are very excited.

However, multiplication does not only refer to gardens and to having children. It also applies, and maybe even especially applies, to our spiritual lives.

We are told in the Bible that each person is given talents, gift, abilities. Those abilities are "seeds" God has placed in our lives for the purpose of multiplying His Kingdom.

Jesus told a parable about several servants who were given talents by their master. Some of the servants invested their talents. Because they were wise, they were rewarded by the master. However, one was afraid of the master, and as a result he hid his talent until the master returned, rather than using it in a way that would cause it to multiply. What he had was subsequently taken away from him and given to others who had used their talents wisely.

This parable refers to God as the master and to us as those who serve Him, and applies to the talents and gifts He has given to us. We are not to hide them, but to use them for His Kingdom and His glory.

What has God given to you? What is the seed in your life? You may not think your gifts or talents are worth much. But each of us has been given something by God and His gifts are ALWAYS valuable.

Seed must be released for it to grow. If you hold onto the seed for yourself and hid it from others, it will not reproduce. It will not touch the lives of those around you. But even the tinest seeds can grow into huge plants.

God uses the most comon and seemingly insignificant items for His purposes. Moses had a rod which God used to bring about miracles. Gideon had a trumpet God used to defeat the enemy. One small child had 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread which Jesus multiplied supernaturally to feed more than 5000 people. Peter had a small boat and a fishing net.

A woman in the Old testament (1 Samuel 17:8-16) had a very small amount of oil and flour which she was going to use to make the final meal for her and her son before they died during a famine. However, she made the loaf of bread and gave it to God's prophet, Elijah. Afterwards, her oil vessel was never empty and the flour did not dimish. She and her son ate many meals from it until the famine was over.

What they had was "seed." God multiplied the seed and caused it to grow and multiply.

There was a time in our lives when we moved to an expensive area of the nation and money was very tight. We barely had enough to pay our rent, our utilities and purchase what we needed. As we prayed and sought the Lord, He directed us to give away some of the finances we did have. We obeyed. Shortly after that I noticed that though the four of us were eating cereal every day, the box was not emptying. And we drank milk each day, but the milk carton was not emptying. We ate from the cereal box and drank from the gallon carton of milk every day for two weeks and neither ran out. One day, I was concerned because I had driven our car for more than one week and the gauge indicated that the gas tank was full. Charlie took the car to the gasoline station and tried to put more gas in the tank, and none would go in. The tank was full. God was supernaturally multiplying what we needed.

Ask the Lord to show you what you have that is seed. Maybe it is financial. Maybe your seed is a gift of finances you are to give to someone in great need. Your seed may be an experience you had in the past that will touch the life of someone else who needs compassion and understanding. It may be an area of brokenness in your life where God has healed you and brough victory. Now you can minister freedom and encouragement to others who are walking in a similar place of failure or defeat. Maybe your seed is a kind word or a smile. Maybe your seed is a prayer you pray for the sick. We each have a voice. We can use our voice to speak the Word of God into the lives of those who are discouraged, fearful or dying. We can tell others of His love. His Word brings life.

God's creation if full of potential. Do not ignore your seed, or hide it. Let God show you what He has given to you as a gift, that you are to give away, and invest in the lives of others. As you do, He will multiply it for His Kingdom.

Timing is important

2010-06-30T16:33:00.000-07:00

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven...there is a time there for every purpose and for every work (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 17b.)

Timing is critical in the issues of life. As we think of seasons, we often give our own predictions of when things can, will or should happen. However, only God knows the perfect timing for everything in life. There IS a time for every purpose and every work. And if we move on our own reasoning or feelings, we can miss God's best, because we are not moving in His divine order and purpose. His timing is always perfect and is a crucial element of walking in His plan for our lives.

While working in the garden a few weeks ago, I noticed that the sugar pea plants were dead, before producing peas. The weather man predicted that spring and early summer would be cool this year, so we went ahead and planted the sugar peas though it was late according to the recommended time for planting. The weather man was wrong and when 90-100 degree heat came early, the plants withered and dried up. Timing. It is important for life. We missed the best timing for the sugar peas.

Bearing good fruit involves timing. One of our peach trees was loaded with red peaches that looked ready to pick, but the peaches were still very hard. The ones we picked too soon were green and not very tasty. But, we waited too long to pick the last few and the birds and ants feasted on them. It takes the right timing.

Our apricots began to turn yellow, but were not ready to pick. Peaches and apricots that are not allowed to ripen on the vine, have little or no flavor. The first time I tasted apricots from our tree, I was amazed at how delicious they were. There is no comparison with the green ones we picked too early. The same is true of tomatoes. The ones we grow in our garden that ripen on the vines are full of flavor not found in those purchased at the store.

So, how do we know what is perfect timing? Farmers who produce fruit and vegetables for a living, study and learn from their years of experience. It takes knowledge and understanding.

In our spiritual lives, the way we know God's perfect timing is to listen to His Spirit. He knows the timing of all things. He is creator. He is all-knowing and knows all the details of every person and every situation of life. His plans are written down for each of our lives even before we were born (Psalm 139:16).

He is faithful to urge me forward or restrain me with His inner voice in my spirit. When I try to analyze situations with my mind, I easily get out of sync with God. My human reasoning does not know the perfect timing, but His Spirit does. My mind is often impatient and does not want to wait. Waiting takes patience, disciplne and trust. Rushing ahead comes from my emotions, fears or impulses fed by anxiety. Lagging behind comes from my fears and doubts. God's timing is intertwined with His peace. He leads me with His peace, not with stress, fear or anxiety. At times I simply want something to be over, or I want to "get on with life." When I resist those impulses and wait for His timing, there is wonderful peace and order.

I pray that you, too, will hear His voice and know His amazing timing for your life. He is faithful and leads us when we stop and ask.

Delayed...

2010-05-07T11:48:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

It has been several months since I posted anything. We certainly were not sitting around sipping tea and eating bon-bons. Actually, I am reminded of the scripture from Song of Solomon that talks about the "little foxes that spoil the vines." Charlie and I have walked through a season where it seemed that those "little foxes" have been trying to steal the peace and joy of our lives.

My experience, however, is that spiritual fruit can grow much stronger in times of adversity, rather than in easy, smooth times. With that, Charlie and I should have a major crop in our lives this year!

His mother went in the hospital shortly after the first of the year and alternated between the hospital, rehab, and then hospice care until the first week of March when, at the age of 87 years old, she went home to be with the Lord. We spent much time going back and forth to see her, and Charlie spent time taking care of her finances and other issues of life that she was no longer able to take care for.

One day while I was at a doctor's appointment and he was at the hospital visiting her, and then taking care of her administrative work, 4 men broke into our house around noon, ransacked it, and stole about 25-30 items, including our computers.

Our garden is finally planted for the season, and something is eating the plants. What can we do to fortify and protect plants so that they will grow strong and bear fruit?

In the natural, there are pesticides that can be put on the plants, but we do not want to use poisons that are destructive to our health when we eat the fruit and vegetables. We are searching for natural recipes to mix and pour on the plants which will keep the grasshoppers, crickets and other bugs from eating the plants (and maybe even the rabbits), but will not be poisonous, causing harm to those who eat the fruit.

In the spiritual realm, what will protect the fruit? Honestly, I believe that praise, forgiveness and thanksgiving are the most potent protection agents there are. As we have walked through this season, I find myself pressing into the Lord with worship and thanksgiving. He is still God.

When Charlie called me and told me that our home had been broken into, my heart quickly began to praise and thank the Lord that we did not walk in on those men while they were in our home. If Charlie had come home with them in the house, we agreed that he probably would have done something stupid...maybe a better word is UNWISE. Those men walked out of the house with one of his rifles in their hands. Had I come home with 4 lawless men in the house, I don't know what I would have done.

Every man is born with a sinful nature (Romans 3:23). Knowing that truth in our hearts, we cannot help but forgive others for their sin because God has forgiven us. And we will only be forgiven if we forgive others (Matthew 6:12, 14-15 Forgive us our sins AS WE forgive others.) We repeat that prayer often in church, but living it in our hearts helps us to guard our hearts from evil.

I have considered that those men breaking into our home might have been the only way they would get prayer for the salvation of their souls. There might not be another person in the world praying for them. We are praying for their salvation, and that their lives with change.

If we know in our hearts that God is sovereign and that He has promised to turn everything for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28), then when trials come, we call on Him to use those very situations for our good and for His glory. His promises are true and He cannot lie. He will do what He said.

So, Charlie and I wait for Him to redeem all things in our lives. That does not mean that I expect a return of money. MUCH MORE, I want prosperity of soul. My deepest desire is to serve Him with a pure heart and to glorify Him in my attitudes and heart desires.

Losing things in the natural has caused me to take spiritual inventory. What is important to me? Do I value things of the world, the material "stuff" I own? Is there anything I own that I would not be able to live without?

My answer is RELATIONSHIPS are the most valuable thing in my life. First, my relationship with God. He promises to never leave or abandon me. I can NEVER be separated from His love (Romans 8:38-39...For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God whichc is in Christ Jesus our Lord.) What a powerful promise. And the presence of God is LIFE! Nothing I own can compete with that. And because my relationship with Him is the most valuable thing in my life, I want to please Him in everything I say, think or do.

Then there is my relationship with my husband (of almost 43 years!), my children and grandchildren, family and friends. The only thing that can separate us is if you do not have eternal life which comes by faith in Jesus Christ. So, I spend much time praying for my friends and family who have not surrendered their life to Jesus Christ and are even now separated from His love. I pray their hearts will be filled with His love and His Spirit. I want to spend eternity with each of you, together enjoying and serving Him.

So, is there a place in your life where the enemy, the pests, the little foxes are trying to come against you and steal the fruit of your life...the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, goodness or faithfulness? With me, will your turn your heart toward the lover of your soul, and praise and thank Him for all He has done for us, for His promises, for His faithfulness, for His protection and provision and above all for His amazing love, grace and forgiveness? With praises lifted up, I suspect the enemy will not be able to hang around long.

The last, but very important thing, is that as I consider the temporal things of life, I realize that many people in the world live in places where they live in fear of lawlessness, where people steal, kill, abuse, rape, even own other people. I think of those who are helpless and who do not have protection from the law...women, children and those who are weak and frail. Many never dream of owning a house, much less having insurance or computers. Their concerns are basic - for their life, food, water, clothes, and perhaps a blanket to keep warm on cold nights.

I heard last week about even entire villages of people who are not considered to be
"people." They have no birth certificates, no record or knowledge of their birth date, cannot vote, do not have a voice, have no rights, no protection in their nation...and
are considered less valuable then even the animals in the nation. As we consider lives in America, let us not ignore or forget those millions of people in the world who are destitute, fearful and living without the basics of life.

I pray they will have spiritual life. Many of these people have come to know Jesus, and now, for the first time in their lives have an identity. They weep over the idea that God knew them before they were born, loved them, and had a purpose for their lives. WOW. May we boldly share others with in the world about that love and destiny.

Finishing Strong

2010-01-29T10:29:00.000-08:00

Recently I have been thinking about the “end of life.” That is because we have spent time with people who are very elderly and are having health problems. They are in nursing homes or the hospital, with professionals who are trying to help them have some quality life for their last days or months.

Often when we are young we don't take much time to stop and think about the last days of our lives. Yet, looking forward and setting goals is important at all ages of our lives, and we never know when the "end of life" will come.

Charlie and I have spent much time together making those plans. For example, when we had babies, we talked about what kind of life we wanted for them. One of our desires was for our daughters to go to college. So, as they grew up, we never said "if" you go to college; We always said, "when" you go. As my husband approached the last few years in the military, we spent time talking about what we wanted "retirement" to be like. We prayed, talked and planned about what was ahead and what we had to do to get there. And now as we are "senior citizens" we spend time talking about what we want for our last years and what we need to do to prepare ourselves for the future.

We do know that God directs our steps (Proverbs 20:24), and we always seek to yield to His plans. But He has said that He can do exceeding abundantly more than anything we can ask or think of (Ephesians 3:20). So, we make our plans, hold them lightly, and trust that His plans will be even better than what we can imagine.

I am one of those people who learns from others…both how to do things and how not to do things. As I have watched others growing older, I have made lists of things I do not want to do or be:

- Repeat myself and my stories over and over.
- Ignore people because I am losing my hearing and it is too difficult to either ask them to repeat themselves or to watch their mouths and read their lips.
- Not be interested in others.
- Have little to talk about other than bodily functions.
- Have little interest except for what I eat.
- Not be interested in what is going on in the world.
- Be so self focused that I don’t show interest in and love for others – which can be a battle in life on matter what age we are.
- Use self-pity to manipulate others...or use anything to manipulate or control others.
- Have nothing to do but watch television.
- Leave my home and important information of my life in such disarray that when I die, my children have to clean out all the “stuff” I have accumulated.

My husband and I have even talked about ways we can help each other not to do those things that are on our lists. We are often heard saying things such as, "honey, I think we told them that story before." :-)

I have also made lists of things I do want to do or be when I am living my last days:

- Finish life strong, at least strong in spirit, even if not strong in body.
- Leave a legacy to my children and grandchildren of loving God, and loving family.
- Be involved in my children’s and grandchildren’s lives as much as possible every day I am alive.
- Be a prayer warrior until my last breath.
- Spend more time looking forward than backwards and not wishing life away because the world has changed.
- Have discernment and know what is going on in the world, as well as know the “signs of the times.”
- Continue to grow in wisdom.
- Life each day to the fullest - as much as I am able, using the resources that I have.
- Be a blessing to others no matter what my circumstances.

I began the list by saying I want to finish strong in life. It is easy to start strong…in projects and goals, in marriage, in commitment, in resolutions, in determinations. We all know, however, how difficult it is to continue in those things and especially to finish. How many of us have set New Year’s resolutions and not seen them last through January. But, there is great satisfaction in ending the year and finishing the goal set 12 months ago. It takes planning, patience and perseverance to finish strong.

This morning the Lord told me that TODAY is the first day – the beginning – of the rest of my life. Today I can be different. Today I can make choices that will impact how I run the rest of the race and finish life. Today I can decide to exercise, eat healthy, make better choices, love others, spend time with the Lord, grow in wisdom and knowledge, reach out to someone else in need, focus my attention on things that have value.

This day, NOW, is all I have. Yesterday is behind. Tomorrow is not yet here. I am not even assured of tomorrow. But what I do today will affect tomorrow. Each present moment is a gift from God. What will I do with it? That will be my gift back to Him.

An aspect of God’s character is that He saves the best for last (John 2:10). Our last days should be the most satisfying. But, a satisfying tomorrow will depend on the choices we make today. I am asking myself, "How will you cross the finish line? Are there choices you need to make today to change the direction of your life? Are you willing to pay the price now to make those changes? Or will you just sit and watch life go by the same as it was yesterday and the day before? Will you get to the end of life and have regrets or wish you had done things differently?"

My prayer is that each of us will do today what it takes to finish life strong. So, I will stop writing and go do those things that I need to do today…

The "detour of adversity"

2009-12-30T13:18:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-19T12:18:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-28T07:56:00.000-08:00

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.

2009-11-19T12:53:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-12T10:52:00.000-08:00

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

2009-10-26T11:01:00.001-07:00

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

2009-09-19T16:29:00.000-07:00

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...?

2009-09-10T09:56:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-29T19:43:00.000-07:00

[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

2009-08-24T19:32:00.000-07:00

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).

2009-08-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-08-01T10:25:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-07-17T07:03:00.000-07:00

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).

Nevertheless....

2009-07-09T12:10:00.000-07:00

There is a word God has been working into my heart. It is one of those words I have overlooked in the scriptures. The word is "nevertheless." I recently read an article that highlighted the word, and now as I meditate on it, I find it is motivating me to action. It is an exciting word as I consider what it means.

Noah Webster defines "nevertheless" as, not the less, notwithstanding, that is in opposition to anything, or without regarding it. It means to press ahead without regard to the circumstances, to proceed without being prevented. it is a transition word that indicates that the previous circumstances are negated through action.

In the scriptures we read, And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying" You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you," thinking, "David cannot come in here." Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion - that is, the City of David (2 Samuel 5:6-7).

Look at what this word links together. On the one side is the enemy telling King David that he cannot come to Zion, that he is so weak that even the blind and the lame are stronger. Nevertheless, David was not stopped by the intimidation of the enemy or the situation. He was not prevented from taking Jerusalem. On the otherside, he pressed ahead to victory and took the stronghold from the enemy.

What challenge are you facing? Has the enemy convinced you there is no solution to a problem in your life? Are you discouraged, intimidated, worried, anxious or fearful? Is there a situation you are weary of dealing with or battling? Do you believe you have come up against something you cannot conquer or penetrate?

For your situation, there is a nevertheless for you. There is a way for you to press ahead without being prevented.

I am reminded that buffalo turn into a storm and face it rather than turn away from it, and they begin to press into the wind. They go against the storm, and they actually get through the storm twice as fast that way, because they are moving in opposition to it.

Our human tendency is often to run from difficult situation, to stand still, to hide, or even go backwards to try to avoid challenges. We wring our hands, withdraw from God and from fellowship and let our circumstances weigh us down and steal our peace, joy and confidence. We don't ignore our deny our difficulties, but we get to the nevertheless because God's will is for us to have victory, even in the midst of our circumstances. He has called us to be over comers (Romans 8:37). He has made that possible because of His power that is in us (2 John 4:4).

God has no problems. He is almighty and all powerful, and His power lives in us through the person of the indwelling Holy Spirit. When we face a challenge, we go to Him and He always has a solution. He has to work every situation for our good (Romans 8:38), just because we are His children.

I encourage you to have hope and not give up. Turn into the storm and press ahead. Some of the greatest tools God has given us to help us get to the other side of our situation, are gratitude, praise and thanksgiving. Instead of seeing how big the storm is, look at God and rejoice in how BIG He is. He is God. His name is above all names. There is nothing bigger or more powerful. Put your faith in the Creator and not in the storm. That in itself will decrease the power of the situation in your life - as you recognize it for what it is and see God for Who He is. Trust God to bring you through the situation and then put action to your faith. Then your testimony will be, "I have faced a storm. Nevertheless...I am walking in victory."

2009-07-03T19:48:00.000-07:00

About two weeks ago, Charlie told me he thought it was time to pull all the onions in the garden. So, I went out to “pull them” and actually had to dig them up. I dug down several inches and found what I thought was a good number of onions which I brought in, cleaned and put in the refrigerator.

A few days later, Charlie began digging up the ground where the onions had been so we could plant something else. He dug 10-12 inches into the ground, and found 3-4 times as many onions as I found. I was surprised I had missed so many.

The Lord began reminding me how easy it is for us to settle for shallowness. Even in reading God’s Word, we can stop with what seems to be the obvious meaning. If we take the scripture at surface value, it can still be powerful and apply to our lives. However, as with the onions, there is a depth to the Word of God that only comes when we “dig deeper.” I am not talking about reading something into the Word that is not there, but am referring to deeper revelation and understanding of the character and ways of God that He wants to give to us.

Twenty years ago a friend prayed that I would have “holy curiosity” for the Word. That prayer has been answered in abundance in my life. I find myself asking questions like, “God, why did you put the scripture about the Word of God being a two-edged sword right in the middle of the scriptures on rest (Hebrews 4)? And what is important about a two-edged sword?" "Who were you talking to when you said, ‘You will do greater things that I do because I go to the Father. ‘ Does that include me? If so, show me what that means to my life and how I am to walk in it." "Why do you say in one place that women should not speak in church, when only a few chapters before you tell the women to cover their heads when they pray and prophesy in church?" "What was it about Jesus that people left absolutely everything and followed Him? What is it that we, much of the American Church, are missing that we have not ‘left all’ to totally surrender to Jesus?”

I also get focused on little words like “all.” I wonder what God means when He says we can be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19), or when He says “…having done all, to stand…" What is the “all” I am to do?

I am not talking about spending hours studying the Word, although I love to do that in those rare times when I can. I never had that much time when my children were at home or when I was working. But I did learn that there are ways to go deeper, even when busy. My favorite is to write a scripture on a 3 X 5 card (because I am not a high tech person who can put it on my phone and carry that with me - not that any of those kinds of things were available when I had children at home!) Then when I am driving, standing in line, eating lunch or just taking a quick break, I can pull out the card, read and even memorize that scripture and let it go over and over in my mind. That is meditating on the Word…sort of like a cow chewing its cud! It brings spiritual nourishment to our lives and deeper understanding.

So, I pray that the Lord will give you a holy curiosity, and that you will begin to "dig deeper" into the Word of God, and find the truths that are planted deep. You will be amazed at the revelation He will bring.

Working the garden...and the rewards

2009-06-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

It is only 10:30AM and I have just come into the house for the rest of the day…at least until evening when it cools back into the low 90’s. I have been outside for several hours working in the garden. I am tired, hot, sweating and dirty! But I have a sense of satisfaction because of the work I have done.

A garden has to be worked every day. I picked green beans on Monday and today many of the beans I picked, in only three days time have grown too big to eat. Once they begin growing, they really grow fast. In two pickings I have 5 pounds of beans. I also picked tomatoes, our first cucumber, and two okra pods - not quite enough for a meal yet. And you should see our watermelon plants. They are taking over the ground and are covered with blooms. We even have a “volunteer” watermelon plant…one we did not plant, but it just popped up among the pepper plants.

Some people have responded to the idea of having a garden with “that sounds fun.” When I hear that response, I figure that those people, like I was in years past, probably have no experience and are not informed about all that goes into growing a garden. It is not really “fun.” It is absolutely hard work and responsibility…but with great rewards. The ground has to be prepared, the seeds planted, daily watering, weeding. And then when the fruit or veggies begin to come in, you have to pick them regularly, along with continuing the other work, and then you have to do something with them. If you only pick them and don’t prepare them for eating, canning or freezing, they go to waste. So it is work from beginning to end.

Our spiritual lives are much like a garden. They have to be maintained daily - and often take work many times during the day. We must prepare the ground of our heart with much prayer and consistent relationship with God. We must plant the seed. The Word represents the “seeds” that go into our heart and take root. We must daily water the seed with faith, and by meditating on the Word so it will go deep in our hearts and we will gain understanding. Our hearts much be constantly weeded of sin through repentance, lest our sin overruns and chokes out the Godly fruit.

And when our lives bear fruit, it is not just so we will look good. It is not for observing. Last year we had zucchini plants that were beautiful and which blossomed profusely. However, we got no fruit. The flowers did not turn into zucchinis. They were pretty…but were no good. We are not just meant to bloom, to look good or to smell good, but we are called to bear fruit (John 15: 1-2, 15).

And fruit is no good unless it is picked and eaten. Godly fruit in our lives is not just for us, but is for the purpose of ministering to those around us. When you look at the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), you see that it reveals the character of God. That is why it is “fruit of the Spirit” not fruit of human effort. John wrote that we cannot bear fruit apart from Him (John 15:4-5). It is not something we can do on our own. Fruit is a product of the work of the Holy Spirit within us, as we cooperate with and obey Him.

The lost in the world will not know there is a God by our going to church or being “religious.” They will know there is a God by our love for one another (John 13:35) and our love for them. When we reach out to them and show them that we care, that inclusive love will touch their hearts. When they see peace and joy in our lives, despite the economy and challenging circumstances, they will want to know how that can be. They will watch our lives, and will be drawn to come and eat of the fruit of our lives, which we are to give freely. Our lives are to point the world to Jesus and His character. That is true witnessing…living and demonstrating the character of Jesus to those around us.

Granted, just like gardening, taking care of our spiritual lives takes work, time, energy, dedication, perseverance, endurance. It takes surrender, yielding and obedience. But, most of all, when you have passion for Jesus and are in love with Him, the work seems like nothing at all. All effort becomes pure joy and delight. A sense of effort is overcome by the amazing privilege of deeper revelation and deeper intimacy with Him. That IS what heaven is all about! So, I pray that your spiritual garden is in good shape, is in the process, and that you are bearing much fruit and sharing it with others. That brings a smile to the face of our Lord. How great is that?

Another New Beginning

2009-06-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

For the past week, since I set up my blog, it has been “write…delete, write…delete, write…delete,” and it was getting frustrating. Yesterday I finally decided to post SOMETHING to break the cycle, but once I did and reread it, I went “blah!”

This morning while I was working in the garden, I asked the Lord what the deal was. Last year I would sit down to write and the words would flow out of me. This morning, He gave me direction which I will share with you in this, my second New Beginning.

Last year, as I was going through treatment for cancer, I was writing for my own benefit. The Lord said this is a new year, I am healed, and I no longer need to write for therapy. He reminded me that He has called me to disciple younger women…and a few spiritual sons. That is what this blog is about. So, if you want to read writing that is practical, Godly, and will help you in your everyday life, then perhaps this blog is for you.

I do NOT have all the answers to life. And I will do my best to back up what I say with scripture, because no one needs just another opinion. I will write mostly from my own experience because that is how I try and test the Word. I want to be a "doer of the Word!"

God sets down principles for wise living and whether you are single or married, those principles can help you to live a fulfilled life.

If you are not a Christian, you may still gain some insights from my writings. God’s principles are always truth and if you apply them, even as a non-Christian, they can open the door to better relationships.

A little background… I am a 62-year-old wife, mother and grandmother. (In the family picture below, I am the older woman on the left and my sweet baboo is the handsome dude with glasses!) I have been married to Charlie for 42 years, which is a true miracle of God’s grace. Number one lesson I learned… Marriage is HARD WORK, but is worth the investment!

I have two children. Both of my daughters are precious young women…and you can see their blogs below (Reflections of a Sheepish Lion and Pop Rocks for Breakfast). They are amazing women despite having me as a mother, as I made many, many mistakes and it seems that I was constantly asking them for forgiveness. You can see our wonderful grandchildren. I love being a Grammy and I enjoy watching their lives as they grow.

I was not raised in a Christian home and did not have a role model I wanted to follow in the area of marriage, parenting or relationships. I knew what kind of family I didn’t want, but had to search for what I did want. I found it. I have had some great teachers. Most of what I found was in the scriptures. I am grateful for the truths of God that make the difference in life.

Charlie and I were a career military family and moved 19 times in 26 years. My oldest daughter was in 9 schools in 12 years and our girls went to high school in Japan. We made many adjustments over the years. There were constant challenges, and many blessings. My husband is now retired from the military, and spends his time working on remodeling our home, rebuilding the barn, keeping me going, repairing tractors, planting a garden, mowing the pastures and ministering to numerous men and women both in our small town, in our church, and in several nations of the world.

That’s the basics, except to say that I am a very ordinary woman who has an extraordinary God. Because of His grace on my life, His Spirit in me, His Word to live by, and His constant presence and fellowship, my life is daily fulfilled and blessed. Even when hard times come, He turns them to good. He is faithful no matter what our life situations are.

So, that’s the new scoop…a blog where I share from my life and that will hopefully help you live a more blessed life, avoid some difficult issues and help you deal with challenges you face. That should be relevant in the present day society in which we live.

The other part of this blog is that if you have a particular situation that I can minister to, please let me know. I’m not “Dear Abby” nor do I want to be, but I can share from my experience – tried and tested. If you need prayer for a situation in your life, I am a prayer warrior, and will pray for you.

So (unless I haven’t heard right and have to have another New Beginning) next time…Lessons Learned!

Celebrating Father's Day

2009-06-21T18:57:00.000-07:00

I am so thankful there is a special day to honor fathers. I hope each of you were able to celebrate in some way, whether by talking to your father, writing him a note or card, or simply remembering good things he did or the positive influence he had on your life as you were growing up.

My father is not alive, but I have spent some time thinking about some of the memorable times I had with him. I was born 3 weeks late, to be born on my father’s birthday. We celebrated every year together , most often with a watermelon loaded with candles rather than a birthday cake. I still prefer watermelon to cake. My father was a very accomplished pianist, and I remember times when I would sit at the piano with him as he would teach me a piece of music and then we would play a duet together.

I became a Christian as an adult, and that is when I learned that I have another Father – a heavenly One. He is the One who created me in the first place out of His heart of love. He also has a unique and divine purpose for my life. My earthly parents had to take what they got, but my heavenly Father knew what I would be and loved me before He created me (Ephesians 1:4, Psalm 139, Jeremiah 1:4-5. Galatians 1:15).

Many of the things I have learned about my heavenly Father have come from watching my husband, Charlie, as he demonstrated the character of God the Father in his relationship with our daughters. It was through him that I came to understand the unconditional love and grace of God. I could write pages of things I have learned about my heavenly Father from observing my husband. Even now, as our children are grown, he prays daily for them and their families, and he goes out of his way to show love and care for them. He always expected the best from them, but was willing to do whatever it took to help them accomplish that “best.” Many of his strengths of character and integrity are now obvious in our daughters.

This morning in church, as we celebrated our earthly fathers and our Heavenly Father, I was aware that many of the men and women I knew were having a struggle celebrating. Some of them grew up without a father…either because their father died when they were young, or because he abandoned the family. Some of them had fathers who were gone more than they were home. Others had fathers who, when they were home, they did not show interest in or spend time with their children. We talked to a young woman yesterday who waited on us at dinner. When Charlie asked how she was going to celebrate Father's Day, she said her father was a mean and violent man. All of those things can leave pain, rejection, or a void in our lives, and can keep us from moving forward into all the blessings God wants to give to us. And sometimes we grow up believing the lie that our Heavenly Father is like our earthly father.

None of our earthly parents were perfect. Yet, even in the first few chapters of the Bible, we see that the first man and woman had a perfect Father – God, Himself, yet, they still made ungodly choices. This says to me that even if our parents had been perfect, we probably would not have been!

I have learned over the years that I cannot change my past and I cannot change other people. By God's grace and with His help, I can only change myself and my perspective. Also, it does me no good to try to blame the failures of others for MY wrong attitudes and actions.

I lived with bitterness far too long. When I forgave my earthly parents for their failures, then my Heavenly Father began the healing process in my heart. At first I had to make a concentrated effort to look for good memories. Then I found that I could look at even the bad memories and God would show me how He had turned even those things into strengths in my life. There is nothing He cannot redeem in our lives and use for our good and for His glory (Romans 8:28).

I hope you can celebrate having a Godly earthly father. But if you cannot, I pray you will take the time to spend part of Father’s Day (and every day) with your heavenly Father, who loves you beyond words. He alone can fill any voids left by imperfect parents. He will never reject you (Hebrews 13:5). He wants you to experience His love that heals all wounds. What we missed in relationship with our earthly fathers, we can have that and far more with our Heavenly Father who desires above all things to have fellowship with us. Just think, the God who created the universe loves you and wants to spend time with you - now and for eternity. How precious and amazing is that? I think I will stop writing and go spend time with Him…celebrating His love for me and for you!

A New Beginning...

2009-06-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

Just setting up this blog site represents a new beginning. I am trying to advance my knowledge of technology, though there is no way I can keep up with my children or grandchildren. For a Grammy who is computer-challenged, it can be intimidating to even begin to do something like this. My daughters say, "It's easy Mom. You can do it!" Well, I have discovered that anything can be easy IF you know how to do it. But when you do not know what you are doing, no matter how user-friendly the advertisments proclaim, new technological experiences can cause intimidation. However, I am determined to persevere and not allow a machine to get the best of me!

My “blog” is actually a continuation of a journal I have been writing for over 18 months. In January, 2008, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and with the encouragement of my daughters and Charlie, my husband, I began "journaling my journey." Recording what was happening in my life during cancer surgery and months of treatment, along with all God was teaching me during that time, became great therapy in my life. I didn’t think anyone would read the journal, but discovered, much to my surprise, that people actually did read it. Their responses of love, encouragement and prayers were precious gifts to me. Recently, the Lord began prompting me to continue writing, thus this blog.

As with my CaringBridge journal, I am writing primarily for myself, to record the things God is teaching me. There is so much I need to learn. And knowing God’s principles in my mind is not enough. I want to know them in my heart and then demonstrate His will in the actions and attitudes of my life.

I love the way technology allows us to "share life" in new ways. Perhaps that is why I have determined to persevere in this "new beginning." There are several blogs that I follow regularly and several that I read occasionally when I have an extra few minutes. I especially love reading blogs by several younger women who are sharing the process of life and wisdom with each other. Thank you to each of you who have encouraged me to take advantage of this medium of communication.

If you are interested in reading my CaringBridge journal or know someone who is walking through cancer diagnoses or treatment and who needs encouragement, you can go to CaringBridge.org and sign in on my website using suzannet. You will need to give your email address and set up your own password, but those who originated CaringBridge are very careful to protect names and information.