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May 31st, 2010
Have you thanked a service man or woman today?
Gettysburg Address
Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate — we cannot consecrate — we cannot hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
Abraham Lincoln
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May 28th, 2010
Just recently, my friends and I were hanging out in the studio – we do that quite often – just sitting around chatting. The fact that we record these conversations doesn’t stop us from having a really good time. We open the Word of God and share our hearts – we talk and laugh, even cry sometimes.
For me, the best thing about these times together is that we are learning and gleaning from each other. The encouragement and sharing of our lives and what God is teaching us seems to stay with me throughout the week and I often revisit the the things we’ve talked about. This week one of the things we discussed was how God has gifted believers individually and how using those gifts benefit the entire body. It’s all about ‘doing life together’, as my friend Beth likes to say.
It reminded me of some words of encouragement I received from my daughter many years ago when my father was suffering from emphysema and cancer. I began traveling back and forth from Ohio to Michigan to visit him at least once a month and made the trip with my then four-year-old daughter.
At that time my parents lived in a basement apartment in my brother’s home so whenever we came to visit there was a lot of family around. We’d always lived far from family and I hadn’t realized how that had affected my children until traveling home on one of those trips.
Leaving was always hard, not knowing how my dad would be doing, or the next time I would see him again – if I would see him again. One trip was especially hard for me and I was crying before we even left the driveway. My sweet, tender-hearted daughter reached over to pat me on my shoulder and comfort me. “It’ll be alright, Mommy,” she said. “We all tousins here.”
In our brief time at my parents, she realized what having an extended family meant – love, comfort, sharing laughter or tears. In the family of God, we’ve been given this gift of one another.
Who are you sharing life with?
All for Him,
Missy
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May 27th, 2010
I am a picture taker.
Granted, not a very good one. But I like pulling out the camera and snapping photos whenever the occasion calls for it. Which often means it’s a time when it’s just my husband and me, and we have to take the picture ourselves. So we smush our faces together, hold out the camera, and click.
  
Needless to say, this results in a lot of pictures.
  
Actually, a ton of pictures, because I insist on taking them until I get one I like.
My husband’s patience runs thin, so we wind up with a few shots like this.
   
Now, because he knows that me asking for a picture means asking for a hundred pictures, he groans and grumbles as I get the camera out. And I have to remind him that I want these moments remembered. I want to be able to look back and think about where we were and what we were doing and have that memory captured forever. Apparently, he has a better memory than me because he doesn’t think all these pictures are necessary. But I don’t want to forget. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ll be taking pictures my whole life. When we’re old and gray and living in a nursing home, I hope I have a camera cause you can bet your life that if I’m still with it, I’ll be chasing him down with my walker trying to smush our faces together for pictures. Hopefully I’ll be with it enough to be chasing down the right man!
I’ve been hearing the word “remember” quite a bit lately in regards to remembering what the Lord has done. In Deuteronomy, Moses is constantly telling the children of Israel to remember. Remember that they were slaves and God freed them, remember that they faced the Red Sea and God separated it, remember that they were hungry and God provided manna. They constantly questioned Moses, and more importantly, they constantly questioned God. How easily they had forgotten His provision and His protection. Each time they were faced with a new challenge or a scary circumstance, they assumed that God would fail them, when He had already proven Himself to be faithful.
In Exodus 17, after God had helped the Israelites defeat another nation in battle, He told Moses to write it down so it would be remembered. In Matthew 16, the disciples got worried that they had forgotten food, and Jesus asked them how they had so quickly forgotten how He fed the thousands with a couple fish and loaves of bread.
It seems that when something happens in my life I immediately start to worry. I worry, I fret, and I fail to trust. I fail to remember the countless times when I saw Him work, when I saw Him use the worst things in my life for good, when I saw Him come through when I felt there was no hope.
I don’t want to forget the things He’s done for me. I don’t want to forget His faithfulness or His unfailing love. I want to look back on the mental snapshots of those moments in my life and remember that He is still the same God and His promises haven’t changed.
Emily
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May 26th, 2010
Yeah, I Can Relate.
I can relate to Paul, whose fire became laced with holiness as he received salvation, whose heart and limbs are governed by his love for the Church because of her Master. It swells, it hurts, it empowers, it burns.
(Acts 9, Philippians 4)
I can relate to David, who is passionate in everything, whose Everything is God, and whose God is more passionate still. His passion is his hope, his weakness, his romance, his means.
(Psalm 143, 2 Samuel 7)
I can relate to Noah, whose inadequacy was chosen among many to be a vehicle for the Lord’s glory and grace. Just because.
(Hebrews 11:7, Genesis 7)
I can relate to Sarah, whose heart could not believe that the Lord is truly gracious and faithful to His promises. I can relate to Abraham, who received His grace anyway.
(Hebrews 11:11, Genesis 15)
I can relate to the beggar, who was blessed with the health he dared not request, whose weakness silently beckoned for an undeserved yet graciously received power. He received health so that he may offer worship- and he did.
(Acts 3)
I can relate to the paralytic, who had what he deserved and received what he did not.
(Matthew 9:2)
I can relate to the Prophets, whose tongues could not rest under the weight of Truth, who were set apart as they bore the brunt of misplaced fear, and were therefore unrecognizably tender– bruised for His glory, their purpose.
(Jeremiah 20:8-11)
I can relate to Solomon, whose heart craved wisdom, and whose ever-present ignorance brought humility and hope as it beckoned for Something Holy.
(Ecclesiastes 7:16)
I can relate to Naomi, who received the loyalty and dedication she could never earn. I can relate to Ruth, who, despite the danger and vulnerability involved, does not know how not to offer it.
(Ruth 1:16-18)
I can relate to Jesus, who conquered death and inherited the Kingdom of the Lord.
(Luke 23:42-43, John 3:16)
Em
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May 25th, 2010
I had another blog prepared to submit for this week but for whatever reason Monday morning came, I still had yet to submit my blog, and Tuesday was fast approaching! As I thought over the past week and asked myself why I wouldn’t have submitted my “Confessions” sooner I found myself thinking about what the past few days had been filled with.
This past week I have had so many conversations with various individuals regarding their commitment to reading the Bible on a daily basis. After yet another conversation Monday (yes, that would be the day before Tuesday – as in “yesterday” as you are reading this!) morning about the benefit of reading thru God’s word, it suddenly occurred to me what I really needed to be writing about:
How’s your daily Bible reading going? Are you making it a priority in your life?
Call it a commitment, call it discipline, call it a “walnut”, call it growth, call it a “checkmark” – call it what you will but this is what I know – no matter why you start reading God’s word the benefit will far outweigh the reason you intended!
How do I know this? Because I have seen it happen in my own life.
I am one who started reading the One Year Bible because an accountability partner said (maybe “demanded” would be a better word) I needed to. One of the questions we answer each week is “Have you spent time in prayer and reading God’s word?” A decade ago each week my answer was “I really want to but..” The time came when I ran out of excuses for why I wasn’t answering that question with a simple yes.
Yup, I started my daily Bible reading plan for all the wrong reasons. I started so I could get an accountability partner off my back! I started so I could checkmark that task first thing in the morning and move on to the “important” (oh my) stuff of the day.
Honestly, I really didn’t start because of a passionate love for the word of God and a deep desire to understand it more.
I didn’t even start because I wanted a deeper relationship with Him.
I didn’t start because I wanted to start, I started because someone else knew it was in my best interest and basically forced me to do it.
Does that bother you?
I have a question for you…as you read this, are you still wearing a diaper?
Hmmmm…if not I’m gonna guess you’re a lot like me! Somewhere along the line you had to trust that somebody else knew it would be good for you to start doing something you weren’t really sure was necessary, weren’t really even sure you were interested in doing. At the time you probably didn’t really think there was time for it in the midst of your daily busy-ness!
And I’m also going to guess that at first it made no sense to you, and you might have even “missed” a few times.
But my guess is that today you are very glad you didn’t give up. And, quite possibly, you and those you love may have even benefited from that commitment, that discipline, that growth. And now that you’ve begun you cannot imagine ever stopping. Perhaps the only reason you really stuck with it at first was to receive the satisfaction of a “checkmark” – or perhaps a sticker?
But the bottom (no pun intended) line is you began to “train” in this area, and the outcome was growth that allows you to function much better in the world today!
You may not like my analogy – I mean, how can anybody be so crass as to compare potty training with reading the Bible?
But consider this.those who are not “trained” tend to carry a lot of stink around with them.
Whether it’s in their diapers or in their hearts.
Hebrews 12:11 says “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who follow it.”
Did you catch that? “.a harvest of righteousness (virtue, morality, decency, honesty) and PEACE” (oh I like that word!) “for those who follow it” – it’s an ongoing journey. If we “follow” (go after, pursue, chase) discipline there will be a harvest! A harvest of good stuff – God stuff! Any farmer will tell you that if you want a harvest you have to plant seeds. God’s word is the BEST seed you will ever plant in your head, your heart and your life!
Question…have you read your Bible today? Any plans to do that before your head hits the pillow tonight?
I am so glad you follow this website, delighted that you take time to read my blog, but honestly, if you are reading this and have not yet been in God’s word today…you need to take a serious look at your priorities. Ask a friend to hold you accountable in this area – it will change your life!
Until next time.
Beth
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May 24th, 2010
Lately it seems as if I have had so many encounters with people who have genuinely exhibited the fruit of the Holy Spirit of God. I don’t know if some of them are believers; in fact, some of them I don’t even know. What I do know is how their actions have impacted me, and how compelled I have been to lovingly express that-even if we don’t know each other. As I have been thinking through these many experiences of blessings, I thought-hey, why not share the goodness of these people with you! I truly believe that actions can be contagious-good begets good; bad begets bad. So, let’s share the GOOD actions of others and catch some ‘good behavior’ fever! What you are about to read I have already written and delivered. I invite you to get to know my ‘new friends’ through this blog-sharing of my correspondences.
Dear Jason,
Last week I needed to pick up my son, Darian from Hiland to get to an orthodontist appointment. I wasn’t prepared for the constant line of student traffic leaving the school as I was also attempting to leave. I put on my signal to pull out of my place in the ‘pick up’ line and waited.and waited.as the students kept buzzing past me, bumper to bumper, and NOT so slowly! It looked as if we would just need to wait until all of the cars had pulled out. Looking out, my side mirror revealed a blue pickup apparently stopping to let me in. I was grateful! After getting into the line of cars exiting the lot, I then joined the waiting long line in the left turn lane attempting to turn onto SR 39. (The right turn lane moved along very quickly!) I told Darian we were going to be late. As we continued to wait, I suddenly noticed a blue pickup out on SR 39. The young man had stopped and was waving all of us ‘left turners’ out onto the road in front of him. I told Darian how nice it was of that driver to do that. Darian said, “He’s in my study hall.” Then I said that I believed that truck was the same one that allowed me into the oncoming student traffic in the school parking lot. Darian told me who you are, and I told him that I think you intentionally allowed us parents to enter the line of traffic, then you made a quick right turn onto SR 39; turned around; came back out onto 39 to then stop and allow us ‘left turners’ a chance to get out onto that busy road.
Jason, your actions truly brightened our day and spurred me on to do kind things – I let several drivers out onto the road as I headed on through Berlin. I told Darian, “When you grow up, I want you to be just like Jason!”
Okay, even if you didn’t do any of this ‘on purpose’, you blessed us and gave Darian and me great stuff to chat about. (I often tell him to look for ways to be kind.) Thanks for your great example of kindness to us and to many others!
Most sincerely,
Mrs. Pacula
Galatians 5:22,23 says, “The Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. There is no law that says these things are wrong.” (NCV)
As I continue to grow, I want to be more like Jason.
Thanks for reading,
Libby
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May 21st, 2010
In the book, The Cay, by Theodore Taylor, eleven-year-old Philippe finds himself ship-wrecked, blinded, and alone with Timothy, a tall, ugly, black man whom he doesn’t much care for. His mother, an intense racist, taught her son well. As the two begin their journey together it is evident that the young fellow has a healthy amount of fear and disdain for the old, black man who would become his teacher, mentor and provider for a time.
The two land on a small, remote island in the Caribbean and as the days turn into weeks young Philippe begins to trust and depend on Timothy for all his needs. Timothy prepares Philippe as much as possible showing him how to survive by teaching him how to keep a fire going, how to fish, and how to signal for help in case, he, Timothy would happen to die and leave young Philippe alone on the secluded island.
One day Philippe asks Timothy a question, “Timothy, are you still black?” Blinded, he couldn’t see color or race anymore, and the love he experienced by his former perceived foe had broken all barriers of hate and discrimination which had once ruled the young lad’s heart.
A while later in the story a hurricane arrives on the little island and the old man took a beating protecting his young friend and in the end he dies. He literally laid down his life for his friend.
When I was a young girl, in the fifth grade, my teacher read this story to our classroom. I felt something deeply within about this story, but I forgot the title, the author’s name and couldn’t find my former teacher to ask her about it. Over the years I would continue to be reminded of this story, there was something about the story that had captured a part of my memory and so in the era of Facebook I asked around to see if anyone knew of such a book and described it as best I could. Sure enough, a friend figured it out and told me which one she thought it might be. I requested it at the library, the audio version; because I wanted to hear it being read to me to see if I remembered anything. Ah, I sure did! Waves of nostalgia swept over me as I listened with bated breath to hear all the way to the ending because there was so little that I had remembered; even the outcome had slipped my memory. I was not disappointed. It was as riveting as I remembered it to be when I was a little girl sitting in that fifth grade classroom.
Today, I think I understand why this book had such an impact on my memory. It is simply because in so many ways it parallels what the Christian experiences each day; knowing that our friend laid down His life for us, just as Timothy did for his young friend. The forgiveness, the grace, the love, the caring, the benevolence, and the longsuffering all came together and in the end Philippe no longer thought Timothy as a black man, but as a friend. And in the end Timothy gladly lay down his life for Philippe because he loved him so.
This story reminded me of the verse: Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:13. It has prompted much thought and questioning as I think of this story and the story of the One who died for me. I will leave you to figure out what the questions are that you may wish to ask yourself. It is very personal once you do start to think about it.
Because of Him
Lue
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May 20th, 2010
I had a blog.
Okay, arguably, it wasn’t my best blog. But it was a blog, and I had it. And now I don’t. I somehow deleted it and now I am stuck writing one all over again.
And there’s nothing more terrifying then that blank page, that blinking cursor.
Blink. Blink. Blink.
What to write? Where to start? How do I even begin?
That’s the scary part. That first step. Venturing out. Turning that white page into something with words.
I have never been good at the new, or the unknown, or the challenging. When I was in junior high I was in a writing club. We had competitions, and I managed to place at districts and qualify for state at regionals. But going to state meant that I would have to go to Dennison University and spend a night in a dorm room with girls I didn’t know. By myself. No one else from my team had made it. So, despite multiple conversations with my coach, English teacher, and parents encouraging me, I refused to go.
In high school, I was in show choir. But only for my freshman year. My sophomore year my older brother, who had been in it with me the year before, decided to go to a small Christian school. I was left alone, and decided I couldn’t do it by myself. I dropped the class.
Even when I went to college I decided to go with two of my friends and had to room with one of them.
Anything new was too much for me to handle. And there was no way I was doing anything like that on my own.
In Matthew, after Jesus had risen, He met with His disciples and asked them to do a very scary thing. Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you.” I can’t help but wonder what they thought about those words. Go to the people of all nations? They didn’t even know all the nations out there. And they were supposed to spread the gospel to all of them? Who knew what kind of people were out there, if they would have a way to even communicate with them. Let alone the fear they must have felt knowing they were going to have to tell people about a Man they’d never heard of, that He performed miracles and rose from the dead, not knowing how they would respond. They already knew the type of persecution they could face, and the fact that they would be risking their lives by speaking His name.
And Jesus could have left them with that. He could have just left them with His final instructions. He could have said whatever He wanted, He was God after all.
But you see, He’s a good God.
He didn’t just end it there. He gave them a promise. The rest of verse 20 says, “I will be with you always, even to the end of the earth.”
Whatever scary thing He was asking them to do, He wasn’t asking them to do alone. He was asking them to do with Him.
Just like He’s asking me. The new, the scary, the unknown. I don’t have to do it alone. I just have to do it and know that He’s with me.
Emily
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May 19th, 2010
Every Sunday morning my husband stands behind a pulpit and preaches to an incredible congregation of people. Being a pastor’s wife is wonderful, crazy, challenging, joy-filled, heartbreaking, and fulfilling. (In other words, it can have it’s ups and downs!) Seriously, it is an amazing privilege along with an awesome (in the Webster’s sense of “awe inspiring”) responsibility.
I had the thought the other day, that it’s a good thing I like my husband’s preaching style – 30 years is a long time if you have to sit under someone’s teaching and preaching you don’t like or is boring! Ned is none of that, In fact, I thoroughly enjoy even the messages I’ve heard before (and there have been a few of them over the years). It’s true that some messages are base hits while others are whacked right out of the ball park – but I always love being there and watching his ‘time at bat’. I know this is exactly what God made him to do.
One of his recent messages has been rattling around in my brain for the last several weeks. I’ll admit that I can’t remember the whole message – I can only remember two of his three point outline, – but those two thoughts just won’t leave me.
The first is You are uniquely gifted. Doesn’t that encourage you today? God has given you gifts and they are unique to you. My friend Jocelyn was sharing the topic of one of her speaking outlines and said this very thing. If we aren’t using our gifts, there is a hole in the body of Christ because no one else has your unique gift!
Ned’s second point was You are strategically placed. God gave you these gifts, and then He put you where you could use them! Oh, I know it’s sometimes hard to see through the fog of our circumstances, but hang in there because God will shine through that and it will all become clear exactly how and where He wants you to use those gifts.
Rom 12:6-8 (NLT) says, In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
Maybe you are thinking ‘That’s all well and good for other people, not for me.’ You don’t see yourself as a leader or teacher. You can’t sing or preach. Look at the verse in Romans again. Your gifting goes so much farther than that! It’s more than a list of things that you can do – it’s who you are, who God made you to be! You can dig deeper into spiritual gifts here, but don’t get trapped into thinking inside a box. Lay it out before God and ask Him to reveal your gifting – He certainly doesn’t want you to be unaware of what those gifts might be – He wants you to use your gift!
Look around. See what moves your heart to compassion or compulsion to serve others, to serve God. God placed you exactly where you are for His purposes and He’s equipped you for the task He wants you to accomplish.
You go, girl!
All for Him,
Missy
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May 18th, 2010
This lover of peace (and quiet) is approaching the time of year when peace and quiet is hard to come by at our house. The end of yet another school year is almost upon us, and that means the noise and activity levels are going to be on the rise very soon – and I’m looking forward to it!
Our firstborn is finishing up her first year of teaching and coaching. She will maintain an apartment in the area that she teaches in but is looking forward to spending some time at home, and we are looking forward to having her spend time at home again. As I look back on the past decade I have to smile when I see just how far Leah – and her mama – have come! Galatians 6:9 was a much prayed verse as we walked thru those adolescent years together. Our relationship today is a testimony to God’s faithfulness.
Our second-born graduated from college this past weekend and has moved all the treasures that were packed into her dorm room back home. She will be living under our roof again for the next few months as she transitions to the world of work and coaching. I’m hoping both jobs keep Krista busy enough that she doesn’t have the energy to practice her area of expertise on her mama – she is a physical fitness and sports enthusiast who will be working as a personal trainer, specializing in “speed and agility”. (Ummm, yeah, ok)
Third, and middle, child Emily will have a summer filled with soccer and basketball, and she’d like to find a part-time job too – I’m not sure when she will find time for a job but hubby and I are never ones to discourage a willingness to work! Now that she has her drivers license (what a winter to learn to drive in Ohio snow!) all of this activity will be much easier on my schedule, although we do miss our talk time as I drove her here and there over the years.
Fourth and youngest daughter, Megan, is enjoying every single day that is left of 6th grade. When I mention Jr. High she makes me stop! She’s just not sure she is going to like this transition, especially the lack of recess a couple of times a day! Summer will be a busy time of basketball, soccer, and fun with friends. Oh to be 12 again…on second thought, nah, I’ll stay where I am at!
And then there’s the fifth and final child, the lone boy in our line-up of children. He and his dad have a summer of golf planned – that is, amidst the “character building” that Clay has come to call the projects that father and son tackle. Cutting and stacking wood, washing and cleaning vehicles, sweeping out the garage, the list is never ending. I love seeing my two guys working together to get the job done, then loading up their clubs and finding time for play – together!
Yes, this peace lover is about to head straight into a season of hustle and bustle. I’m sure glad peace isn’t just about the noise level. There is such a sweet peace that comes from a family working and growing together, but the best peace of all is the peace that comes from trusting God in the tough times (which all families have) and knowing, if we don’t grow weary in well-doing, at the proper time, in due season, a harvest will come -
if we don’t give up. (Galatians 6:9)
There were times over the past decade or so that giving up seemed like the easiest solution. There were times when I wasn’t sure that I was strong enough, wise enough, or brave enough to walk the path that stretched out before us. Honestly, there are still times I look to God and say “are You sure…?” (and yes, He always is!)
The past decade has been filled with lessons in almost every area of our lives.
The past decade has been filled with many fertilizer moments.
I am here to tell you, the fruit that results from those fertilizer moments is the sweetest thing ever!
I’m not naïve enough to think “we’ve arrived” and no more lessons, problems, or fertilizer lies ahead.
I am simply looking forward to the season that is coming. I’m looking forward to the noise that will ensue. I’m looking forward to the hustle and bustle of having all my chicks back in the nest for a time – all the “fruits” back in the basket so to speak!
Our goal for the summer is simple, in fact the words are right inside our front door for all to see: Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much
I’m looking forward to fulfilling that goal!
Until next time…
Beth
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May 17th, 2010
My friend called me the other day while she was driving to the east coast. I was not able to take her phone call and had to be content with just listening to the message that she left for me. I was SO glad I did not take the call; SO glad I had that precious message to hear and then to save. I wish you all could hear it. Let me tell you a bit about my friend. Crystal is several years younger than I am, and we really haven’t known each other for very long. I’m quite sure we are now life-long friends. In fact, I hope her heavenly home is right next to mine when we reach that final destination. Crystal is quite the newborn in her Christ-following faith, and she has the lungs of a newborn as well! She can really praise God with gusto! Before I go any further, I think I will listen to her message again and type it out for you. (See if you can ‘hear’ her praise and joy as she speaks this message to me with such a tear-filled tremble in her voice.)
“I just hit the halfway point. We knew this was going to be emotional. I’m driving through West Virginia, through the hills, listening to my Christian music, just bawling my eyes out; looking at this world, and just looking at what God has created. And, wow, if the next half of this drive is like this, then these next three weeks are just going to be absolutely mind-blowing. I am so overwhelmed right now, I just wept. I know God is going to get me there safely, because I know that these tears are just part of Him. And I just had to share it with you, and I hope you are getting all of this because-I know, I am just rambling-I wanted to tell you that I’m doing great; just rockin’ out, bawling my eyes out, and enjoying looking at His world! Love you, Good-bye!”
I only wish this typing could adequately translate Crystal’s message from my phone to your ears! It can’t!
Now, let me continue with my ‘Crystal’ story. Crystal grew up in a very questionable environment-plenty of dysfunction; various forms of abuse and neglect. She, like so many others, was a ‘victim’. Then she, the ‘victim’, became the ‘perpetrator’ as she skillfully learned how to victimize and manipulate other people-pretty much as a means of survival. Her behavior was less than lovely. She began to deal with very debilitating health issues. She was not known for having good character, especially in the areas of trustworthiness and honesty. As the story often goes, things went from bad to worse. (I look forward to the day when Crystal tells her story in its entirety!) Then, through a series of God-moments, Crystal met Jesus. No, I think Crystal collided with Jesus! I think He stood in her way; she ran into Him; He caught her, and hasn’t let her go! As bold as she was in her ‘sin-life’, Crystal is just as bold in her ‘Jesus-life’. Oh, she’ll be the first to tell you that she is so far from where she desires to be; she messes up. She is like a child as she continues to learn and to grow, and I am SO proud of her. Crystal is pursuing reconciliation with ALL of the people to whom she became estranged over the years. She is pursuing right relationships, and she is bringing God into each one of them. She still has issues from her past that are being revealed to her. She is working through being both a ‘victim’ and a ‘perpetrator’. She is learning much about needing to forgive others and needing to be forgiven by others. She is definitely a work in process, and she readily and humbly admits that. When I received her message on my phone, I was filled with the joy that a mother feels when she knows that she knows that she knows her child is going to be just fine! Crystal’s faith is contagious, and I’m blessed to be a part of her faith journey-even when that journey feels like a rickety roller coaster! (Yes, just like a child, I can get exasperated with her!)
But on this current journey of hers, Crystal didn’t need me to travel with her, and she certainly wasn’t alone. God was traveling through the hills of West Virginia that day, and He was on His way to the east coast! I’m looking forward to being encouraged and inspired by more of her God-moments.
No matter where you are on your journey, God is right there with you and for you.
Thanks for reading,
Libby
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May 14th, 2010
Brokenness
One morning before a doctor’s appointment that I was sure would reveal bronchitis, I was determined despite my shortness of breath and fatigue to straighten up my basement. In my cleaning, I found a container of pottery shards, thinking that I could get them ready to pass out for our Ash Wednesday service as I introduced the theme of brokenness, my planned sermons of the upcoming season.
Little did I know that God was preparing me for an intense season of His personal tutoring in brokenness for my entire Lenten journey. As I proceeded with treatment for bronchitis, my symptoms did not go away, in fact they became more acute until I was admitted to the hospital with the rather scary diagnosis of Pulmonary Embolisms and Deep Vein Thrombosis. As well as facing my own mortality (the embolisms – or mini blood clots passing through my heart to my lungs – had likely been going on for about six weeks prior). My extreme weakness and inability to even care for myself those first few weeks of recovery took me to a place of personal brokenness that I had never experienced before.
On the surface, a broken spirit appears to be a bad thing. However, with God there is power in His humility. The power of His humility is the power of God in our hearts molding us and shaping us into His likeness. Psalm 51:17 says ‘The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”
Before God we cannot be proud, or arrogant, or puffed up. Before God we cannot be selfish. Before God we cannot be rude. Before God, all of who we are is exposed. Before God, we will fall down. However, when we fall down before God He will most surely pick us up.
God has a reason for wanting us to be humble and contrite. For when we are humble and contrite we are then able to listen to God’s wisdom and truth. When we are able to listen to God in our humility we are then able to become more like the person of love, caring, understanding and compassion He wants us to be.
The doctrine of living a broken life before the Lord is a vital dimension of being a follower of Christ. Brokenness is an attitude of the heart that is completely submitted before the Lord. No stubbornness, resistance or self-will is within the heart of a person that is completely broken before the Lord. Brokenness is painful, costly and difficult. It is no surprise that most of us resist being broken. The only motive that can compel us to die to self is the cross of Jesus Christ (Phil. 2:5-8).
But the truth is, we are all broken in some way. But whether we are broken in body, or in mind, or perhaps in spirit, we can take heart, because even in our brokenness, we are blessed. In fact, our brokenness may be the very thing that allows God to become real in our lives.
“God will never plant the seed of His life upon the soil of a hard, unbroken spirit. He will only plant that seed where the conviction of His Spirit has brought brokenness, where the soil has been watered with the tears of repentance as well as the tears of joy.” Alan Redpath
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May 13th, 2010
I so am not in the mood to write.
I am scrounging every corner of my brain for something funny, or deep, or well, pretty much anything at this point. Thinking about every thing that happened to me in the past week or so and trying to draw some spiritual insight from it.
And I got nothing.
What comes to mind instead is that I’m really hungry. Pizza sounds good. Pretty much anything I don’t have to cook would be nice. Going home and letting my parents feed me sounds pretty divine (which hopefully they’ll do when I visit this upcoming weekend *hint hint*) I kind of have a headache and am considering if I should take something or just ride it out. Wondering who might win American Idol and how Lost (best show ever by the way!) is going to end. You know. Pondering the really, really important stuff.
I usually approach these blogs with a plan. I know where I’m going, how I’m going to end it, and pretty much the gist in the middle. But this one.this one so far has been completely random without a clue of what it’s even about.
And I don’t like it. I like my neat, well planned out blogs. I like knowing where I’m going. I like seeing the picture on the box and watching the puzzle pieces fit snugly together to match. This unknown thing just is not nearly as comfortable. The wondering if it will all come together, the how and the when, is pretty much torture. I like knowing all the minute details.
And so it is with life. I just want to know. I have an idea of what my life’s going to look like in the next several years. Or at least, what I would like it to look like. And I want to know that A will lead to B which will lead to C and eventually get me to Z. I don’t want any curveballs, I want something nice and predictable. I want to know everything that’s going to happen. And if I never got to that fork in the yellow wood that would be great, because I’m not sure I want to take the road less traveled.
Basically, if God could give me the story of my life written down with a hardback cover that would pretty much be amazing.
You see, I have this plan. This plan that I hold so tightly to, depend on, and worry and fret that it might not come to be. But He is continually showing me that He is unpredictable. Sometimes M comes before G and sometimes there is no W. And there is no way for me to know how it’s all gonna end up. But He knows, and that needs to be enough.
It’s not about the knowing, it’s about the living and walking with Him every day. Taking it one step at a time as He leads. Typing one word at a time as He moves my fingers.
Because what He comes up with is far better than anything I can do on my own.
Emily
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May 12th, 2010
Sometimes good advice can come wrapped in humor. I had to laugh when I found these helpful signs.
Not to be irreverent, but sometimes when I read the Scriptures I see God’s sense of humor. Here are just a few of my recent observations as I’ve read God’s Word.
A few years before Nike, David said to his son Solomon:
‘Be strong and of good courage, and do it.‘ (1 Chron. 28:20
Prov. 31:1 – it was King Lemuel’s mother (read that a mother-in-law!) who laid out what the perfect wife would look like.
And my favorite – are you struggling with teenagers and fashion fads?
Read Isaiah 3:18-24 and take heart:
In that day the Lord will take away the finery:
the jingling anklets, the scarves, and the crescents;
the pendants, the bracelets and the veils;
the headdresses, the leg ornaments, and the headbands;
the perfume boxes,
the charms and the rings:
the nose jewels.
… he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast. Proverbs 15:15
So – laugh a little!
All for Him,
Missy
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May 11th, 2010
I have the privilege of attending a weekly Marketplace Ministry round table discussion with the Circle of Friends Board of Directors. The discussion is facilitated by the COF Director of Pastoral Ministries, Bruce Hamsher. Each week Bruce gives us a word to ponder and examine in regards to character development in our lives. It is one hour of our week which helps to maintain the other 167 hours; one hour each week to give us tools to help us stay focused and well-balanced in our homes, our workplaces, and in ministry.
Up to now the words we have looked at were “dependability” “generosity” “motive” and “patience”. All of these words have to do with developing positive character traits in the area of “self-government”. This week’s word was “pressure”.
Pressure often has a negative connotation, “he’s under pressure” “the pressure was on” “they turned up the pressure”. Yet pressure is such a positive word in so many aspects, how do you get a wound to stop bleeding – by applying pressure. Think of the word “blood pressure”, high blood pressure is dangerous, but low blood pressure leaves us feeling lethargic – and NO blood pressure means we’ve died! Pressure on a gas pedal is what keeps the vehicle moving in the right direction – and pressure on the brake is necessary to keep the same vehicle from going out of control. The key is to keep the pressure balanced, controlled, and in perspective.
Some kind of pressure is needed to get most jobs done right. At home, at work, and on the playing field.
This morning as I was reviewing the word “pressure” I thought of a tire (going round and round and round – sound like anybody’s life? =). A tire is a tire, no matter if it’s on the shelf, on a vehicle, or in the garbage dump, it is and always will be a tire, but it doesn’t serve its purpose unless the air pressure that is necessary on the inside makes it able to withstand the pressure that will be forced on it from the outside. It is designed to withstand that external pressure IF the internal pressure is balanced properly and it is being used on the vehicle it is intended for.
All the different sizes and tread types are used for different purposes – car tires, tractor tires, truck tires, bicycle tires – yet in every type of tire if the internal pressure is too little, OR if the internal or external pressure is too great, they will not be efficient or effective in doing what they are designed to do! In fact if the pressure is too low they go flat, too high and they can explode! Even if the pressure is perfect for the size and purpose of the tire, putting a bicycle tire on a tractor trailer just isn’t going to get the job done! It is important to check the owner’s manual to fill it with the correct air pressure and to make sure it is being used as intended.
Yes, pressure is indeed a good thing, but it is pressure under control, pressure that is balanced, that makes the tire ready and able to do the job that it was designed to do.
Have you taken time to check the air in your tire? Have you checked to make sure your internal pressure is at the level it needs to be?
Michael W. Smith wrote a wonderful song about the “air” that needs to fill us. I doubt very much that a tire inspired his words but think on them a bit:
“This is the air I breathe
This is the air I breathe
Your holy presence living in me
This is my daily bread
This is my daily bread
Your very word spoken to me
And I – I’m desperate for you
And I – I’m lost without you
I’m desperate for you.”
Yup, I am a lost, desperately flat tire, without His Holy Presence filling me from the inside so I can do what I was designed to do on the outside. Without His air filling me each day I may appear to be functional, a nice round tire so to speak, but when outside pressure comes I am lost, done in. It is my daily bread, my daily opportunity, my daily privilege, to breathe in His Holy Spirit which gives me the balance I need to handle the pressures that will come against me each day.
It also occurred to me that tires need to be looked at from time to time to make sure they are wearing well and have the right air pressure; to make sure they haven’t picked up a nail along the way – hmmmm – that sound a little like accountability!
It is to my benefit to have friends in my life that can see when a nail has embedded itself in my tread. Accountability can be a warning light in the areas of our lives that are out of balance; accountability can alert us to the areas where a tiny little leak can do a whole lot of damage. Life is filled with pressure, both good and bad. A key to handling the pressure is to maintain balance internally in order to stay balanced externally.
God has designed us for a purpose. He has given us the very air that needs to fill us, to keep us balanced and able to handle the pressures of life. It should come as no surprise to find that this balanced pressure needs to be maintained in our lives – physically, emotionally, and spiritually – in order for us to navigate the path that He has allowed us to travel. He’s given us the Bible to guide us as to the care and maintenance we will need.
Maintenance is required – just check the Owner’s Manual!
Until next time…
Beth
(for more information about Marketplace Ministry contact bruce@circleoffriends.fm)
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May 10th, 2010
I’m writing this as I just got home from, of all things-dancing! I am completely exhausted, but wide awake. Dancing really kicks in the adrenaline and energizes the body! (Since I am so NOT a morning person, I’m thinking I should dance as soon as the alarm sounds!) Even though I have cooled down, my clothes are quite damp with perspiration. Okay, maybe I am giving too much information, but I totally enjoyed this experience, and I earned every drop of sweat! Our daughter, Jessica had begun attending these dances (which are held in various locations once per month) with her friends, and she is absolutely enthralled with the whole concept.
For some reason, she thought her mom and dad might be as well. And she was right! This dance experience is known as ‘contra dancing’. I guess I would describe it as ‘glorified square dancing with some waltzing and minuet-ing thrown in as well’-quite the description. Mike, Katrina, and I decided to meet Jessica at the Grange hall in Wooster to give this whole thing a try. A group of her friends, whom we had yet to meet face to face, were also going to be there. They were driving two hours to get to dance!
Jessica had shown us pictures of this friendly group as they had danced together in the past months, and we were quite eager to actually meet them. I was also quite nervous as I listened to her ‘brief’ us on what to expect. Such as-you constantly change partners; you need to look your partner right in the eyes; everything happens so quickly; and EVERYONE SWEATS! She also shared how she was nervous and reluctant at first, but the experience becomes so exhilarating. Jessica tried contra dancing because this particular group of friends had been involved with it for some time, and they encouraged her to join them. Her trust in their character, and their caring for her, enabled her to go in spite of her nerves. Now it was my turn to be in her previous position. My trust in her character, and her caring for Mike, Katrina, and me, completely enabled us to want to take this risk.
We arrived to a roomful of strangers and no Jessica or her friends. We immediately made our way to chairs against the FARTHEST wall and sat down. Not for long though. People came over to introduce themselves and to welcome us. They certainly did not push us at all, but we felt so encouraged by them to just join in. We grabbed our partners and began the learning process. From the moment we began, we hardly sat down (except for a much needed refreshment break in the middle of the evening). Each person there, both novice and experienced, exhibited such a sense of ‘community’. Those who were more experienced willingly partnered with those of us who were clueless. The two teachers were so kind, gracious, and patient; always encouraging. Everyone then became a ‘teacher’ of everyone else. We all helped each other to ‘get it’. We talked with one another, coached one another, and yes, looked each other right in the eyes-especially during the swings. (This helps you to not get dizzy!) I didn’t even notice when Jessica and her friends arrived. I was now completely into this dancing! But what a joy to see her and to meet all of them. What a joy to be able to have this experience with them-truly one of the finest multi-generational bonding opportunities.
We began dancing at about 7:20 in the evening, and finished just after 10:30. Was I ready to be done? As the song says, “I could have danced all night.” None of us were strangers any longer. We were true helpers to one another, pulling for each other, wanting each person to succeed, and then cheering for one another constantly. It was absolutely exhilarating to watch us go from a motley mix to a unified team. We weren’t perfect, but we all were beautiful. It was an evening filled with joy and laughter. It was an evening that included time to just talk with others and begin to get to know them on a deeper level.
I’m hooked. I don’t know if it is because of the dancing itself, or the sense of community that comes with it. I’m sure it’s both. I honestly felt like this was a glimpse into heaven with such sweet fellowship with these people, especially with my family and my daughter’s friends. I will tell you that I was experiencing 1 Thessalonians 5:11-”Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up; just as in fact you are doing.” I will also tell you this-I should have discovered this long ago. As an insulin dependent diabetic, my blood sugar levels were in such danger of plummeting due to the intense exercise I was getting. I actually ate plenty WITHOUT taking any extra insulin during the evening, and my blood sugar levels remained excellent. I was pumped!
It was an evening I will never forget and certainly hope to repeat many more times. As I sit and type and continue to cool down, I must admit that I am thinking I won’t be able to move in the morning!
Thanks for reading,
Libby
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May 7th, 2010
A number of years ago I found a little quote that simply says; Listen to the passion of your soul, set the wings of your spirit free; let not a single song go unsung, by Sylvana Rossetti. This little quote had found its way to my cubicle at work for awhile and also has been saved in my “Inspiration Folder” on my laptop. It has been one of those quotes that has meant something to me but I didn’t know how deeply, or “why” until recently.
After attending the COF conference in Wooster, OH this year I decided that I was going to go to the Meet Me at the Well bible study at New Grounds Café. I’ve been dealing with anxiety for a few years and the thought of going to a bible study nearly crippled me but there had been “something” stirring in my heart for about 8 months and after hearing Jocelyn Hamsher and Virelle Kidder at the conference something sparked within me. I finally knew what this stirring was; it is a deep longing to get real with God, to really live, and to move forward in my life, to have a real relationship with Him.
This post is not about anxiety or how I’ve been dealing with it, but more about what I’ve found out about the stirring in my heart. Virelle, in her book, Meet me at the Well, brought out a verse that completely resonated with my soul. Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. Mark 6:31
When I read that simple little verse it was like something reverberated through my heart and mind. It was like coming home. It wasn’t a suggestion; it was a statement, a request, an invitation from Jesus. He was telling me how much he wanted to commune with me. The thought washed over me like a warm bath on a cold winter’s eve.
Since then I’ve been reflecting upon my children and how I LOVE when my daughter comes home or calls me to share something that happened in her life or my son takes the time to sit in the living room with me or hang out in the kitchen with me while I’m cooking. It is more their sharing with me than my sharing with them that makes my heart full. But it also warms my heart when they ask me for advice or when they are in need of confirmation in various situations.
If my mother’s heart is full when my children tell me of their day, or other life issues then how much more is God’s heart filled up when I come to Him and tell Him about my day, my concerns and needs? Hmmm, what a picture, don’t you think? Just as I long to lighten my children’s loads by listening to them or to give them a wise word or a word of empathy when they are having a “life moment” how much more does God want to lighten my load, to give me wise words, and comfort me? How His heart must break over me when I ignore Him and run to my friends for all my needs of comfort, advice or wisdom.
This brings me back to the quote I’ve saved for so many years. I don’t know if the lady who has given us the quote was a Christian, but I believe she must have been. She understood something deep to be able to give us such a quote. I’ve learned to listen to the passion of my soul and go to Jesus daily for my comfort and my needs. I’m learning to set the wings to my soul free and bask in the glory of knowing the One I serve. I’ve purposed to allow Him to be Lord of my life and to move forward and not look back like I’ve done for so long.
I am still working on not letting a “single song go unsung”. There are some passions/desires stirring in my heart and as my walk deepens with my God, I am hoping He will allow some of those “songs” to be realized. But I’m learning to say, “Thy will be done” and to rest quietly as He guides me through each day. (By the way, I can’t sing worth a hoot, so you won’t be finding me on the top of the music charts anytime soon, I’m speaking figuratively about the songs, as you’ve probably guessed by now.)
Rested and Revived,
Lue Shetler
PS…If you would ever want to chat about anything please leave a comment here or you can reach me at sage_solstice@yahoo.com or if you have a FaceBook account you can “friend” me there under Lue Shetler. I would love to get to know you better.
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May 6th, 2010
Last fall I shared the story of how I won an electric guitar off of a radio station. My husband was ecstatic, as he is the one who actually knows how to play guitar (although I am learning now!). At the time, we were “between” churches and finding a place to settle, and unsure if where we wound up would present an opportunity for him to even use it in worship.
But God knew.
Beginning in April we started attending a small church where Eric has begun lead worship on a volunteer basis. The pastor was all about him breaking out the electric guitar when appropriate, and so this past Sunday there was a song where he switched from his acoustic to the electric one God had provided to us free of charge.
After the service an older woman came up to tell Eric how much she appreciated him being there and leading the music. She told him, “I liked how you changed from your acoustic guitar to the other one. You know, it’s like my sewing; I have to use one machine for one thing and another for a different thing.”
He was so blessed by her encouragement and the knowledge that someone from a different generation recognized that the use of different types of instruments can be used to enhance worship and not to distract from it.
And isn’t that just what we are in God’s hands? His instruments? His sewing machines? We are the tools He uses to accomplish whatever it is that He needs to accomplish, one person for one purpose, and another person for another purpose.
I look at so many other people, how God uses them, how they impact others around them for His glory. Their gifts, their abilities, far surpass mine. There are times I feel like I am completely and totally ineffective and inadequate when it comes to serving God.
But big or small, I have my place in all of this. He’s not just made me for fun, He’s made me with a purpose. I’m a piece of it all. And when He uses someone in one way, He’ll use me in an entirely different way that He’s designed me for.
Even if I’m not sure whether I’m a guitar or a sewing machine.
Emily
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May 5th, 2010
Lately I have found that there is so much truth in most of the common clichés. All my life, I have heard that “God provides,” and “college will change your life.” But this week, I am absolutely amazed at how these two truths have worked together for God’s glory and my own blessing.
Just last week, I finished all my college courses, took all my final exams, submitted all my final papers, moved out of the dorm, and arrived back at home. My first year at Butler was finally behind me, and it all happened so fast! It was a great year for me, as I got to grow so much spiritually and academically. But as quickly as it began, I found myself sitting on my bedroom floor, back at home, taking a deep breath and thinking to myself, “What am I supposed to do now?”
I don’t have fifty pages of philosophy, theology, and biology to read every night. I don’t have to write an eight-page paper every week. No more projects. No more exams. No more phonetic transcriptions and physiology of speech. No more late night cramming and desperate midnight ‘coffee outings’ to keep myself awake. I hardly knew what to do with myself!
While I completely expected to sleep for a few weeks straight and enjoy the home-cooked meals and my empty calendar, I was actually consumed by a newfound need to stay busy. College had changed me. I was no longer content with doing ‘nothing.’ Instead, I was urgently compelled to do ‘something, anything’ to keep my mind stimulated and my spirit growing. So, what did I do? I began driving around town and collecting job applications from random locations. I prayed that God would provide a way for me to stay busy with tasks that help me to grow as His servant, and I prayed that I would be able to work at them in a way that pleases and glorifies Him like never before.
Now everybody says that He answers prayers.
But it’s true. God is faithful, and God is creative.
One day I received a call from a very friendly woman named Julie. She called to ask me if I was available during the summer to watch over her three children on any two days of the week. I was thrilled at the new opportunity that was given to me, and I accepted. We continued to talk, and I began to share my faith with her more openly than I ever have with a complete stranger. Despite my fears that I may lose the job opportunity for being too “religious,” it all just fell out of my mouth- how God is shaping my plans, how He is my sustenance, my desire, my Life.
And by the grace of God, she loved what she heard!
Then, one week later, I received another phone call from a woman named Jill. Jill also has three children, and she wanted to know if I was available three days a week to watch over them and help meet their needs. I told her I would absolutely love to, and soon after I was at her house for an interview. Inevitably, Jill asked me, “So- tell me about yourself!” Once again, I had neither the desire nor the capability to keep the name of God to myself. I told her that God had given me a newfound passion for children with learning disabilities and that, by His grace and for His glory, I was able to declare a major that will help me to serve them as a speech pathologist.
Little did I know, her son has a learning disability.
Little did I know, her best friend is a respected speech pathologist.
That, and she wants to give me the job.
Shortly after the Lord convicted me to be more open about my faith without fear of whom I might offend or repel, but with hope of whom I might encourage or attract to the Kingdom, the Lord provided. He supplied two separate job offers from two separate people with schedules that fit so perfectly together.
Accepting both of these offers would give me a full time job working forty hours each week. But the best part is, my employers and I both know that I am going forth with all my effort and passion as if working for the Lord, and not for men.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”
-Colossians 3:23
“But if I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name,” His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.”
-Jeremiah 20:9
Thanks for reading,
Emily Jones
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May 4th, 2010
This peace lover got a little reprieve from the Ohio weather last week, a few days in Florida with my sis, Julia. We had a perfect week to enjoy the springtime Florida temperatures and sunshine, and to try to be a help to our sis-in-law, Berdene, as she recuperated from surgery.
We asked Berdene to have a to-do list ready for us to accomplish, and thankfully she took time before her surgery to compile one. We had fun working together on wallpaper, cooking, and cleaning projects. We had fun being who we are when we are together, perhaps too much fun – laughing was still rather painful for Berdene, and Julia and I have way too much fun laughing together!
The word for the week was “breathe”. It’s what our sis-in-law needed to be reminded to do whenever she faced those difficult movements, like sitting, walking or standing! Breathe thru the pain – breathe in, breathe out, don’t hold your breath, don’t tense up, breathe.
I wonder if there might be a life-lesson in that!
To breathe, you have to take in and release. You can’t just take in, and you can’t just release. It is an intentional act, a deliberate act that we usually do without giving much thought to it; and, when we are in the midst of great pain, we sometimes have to be reminded to do it!
Breathing is easier when it doesn’t hurt.
Life is easier when it doesn’t hurt.
And yet it is usually during those times of hurting, of pain, that we gain a deeper appreciation of those very things that we take for granted.
Some other instructions sis-in-law was given from her doctor were “walk” and “rest”.
Breathe, walk, rest. Her week should have been a piece of cake.
It wasn’t.
It was hard, painful, lots of lessons are learned in the healing process. Lessons that you’re not sure you want to learn. Lessons that you didn’t even realize you needed to learn!
Yet they were lesson that were necessary to the healing process, beneficial lessons that aided the healing process:
Lesson 1 – Breathe – don’t forget to do what we are created to do in the midst of painful times. For a follower of Christ WORSHIP is the oxygen for our spiritual lives. Worship helps us to focus on that which is most important, our Creator, instead of our circumstances. It keeps our hearts strong and healthy, it draws life into our tired, weary, souls.
Lesson 2 – Walk – we must exercise our faith – faith is a muscle that needs to be used – it may hurt, we may not feel like doing it, but if we don’t walk our body will grow weak, our muscles will atrophy, and our health will suffer. The very act of walking releases endorphins that end up giving us more energy as well as fight against pain. Walking is the most basic form of exercise we have, whether by foot or by faith!
Lesson 3 – Rest – resting our physical bodies allows our muscles to recover, our brains to be refreshed, and our time spent in work to be more productive! The same is true with our spirit. Without rest, with constant “doing”, our emotions and spirits have no time to recover and be refreshed. There is a reason God said “Be still and know that I am God”, He does something so amazing in those quiet times of renewal.
Sis-in-law told us that our being there helped her week to pass quickly, even if recovery wasn’t exactly easy. Hmmmm, there might be a lesson in that too:
Lesson 4 – We really are better together! 1Thessalonians 5:11 says “encourage one another and build each other up”, there is something about relationships that makes tough times easier to get thru. Something about knowing that someone is there pulling for you that allows a deeper healing to come. God is FOR US, He created us for relationship; relationship with Him and with others! Whether we are strong and healthy, or sick and weary, we need to have people – friends who are for us – walking with us. Friends who can encourage us to breathe, to walk, and to rest.
And friends that can laugh with us. A joyful heart IS good medicine! Even when it hurts to laugh.
Until next time…
Beth
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May 3rd, 2010
This journey of faith is truly amazing.
There are moments when we stand on the precipice
of all that God has before us.
But some challenges can be daunting and we must gather all our courage…
And take a leap of faith.
Go on…Do it! God will always be there for us.
“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;”
2 Sam. 22:2
All for Him,
Missy
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