The Joy of Writing

1 Peter, Week 7

2012-02-23T04:00:00.000-06:00

This week's lesson in Sue Edwards’ 1 Peter: Finding Encouragement in Troubling Times is based in 1 Peter 3:13-4:6.

I must admit, the first two questions frustrated me when I began the lesson. But, by the end of the lesson, I came full circle to a completely different understanding of them. First, allow me to share the verses those questions were based on.

Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, 1 Peter 3:13-14

The questions on these two verses seemed almost idyllic, indicating that our good behavior would automatically make everyone around us respond well. My cynicism arose immediately, leading me to comment in my notes that there are plenty who would harm us for doing good and living a Christ-centered life. That's why we need to focus on the reality that our blessing is not based on the response of people in this world, but on a reward they could never understand.

I continued moving through the passage and the study, and as I did, my perspective was challenged greatly.

In all honesty, this perspective challenge is not a new one to me. It's simply one I'd obviously forgotten. It is the challenge to view whatever I receive from the hand of God as good. And it is the further challenge to understand that everything I encounter in life is received from the hand of God.

Our lesson closed with the story of Blandina, a second century martyr who had been tortured and abused in many ways that should have been lethal before she was finally killed by sword. In the midst of such horrid torture, she stated, “I am a Christian and nothing wicked happens to us.”

How could someone whose body had been broken over and over again in ways that would normally kill a person possibly say that nothing wicked ever happens to Christians? By believing firmly that her entire life was lived in the hands of God, and everything from God is good. Even if it means pain here in this earthly life.

Now, apply that to the rest of the passage. The focus of this week's passage is the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we are living focused on the goodness of Christ, constantly ready to share the hope that lies within us because of Him (1 Peter 3:15), what a testimony we have! What a power we possess to make Him known in this dark world! This world doesn't want to know how we live a perfect, isolated, untroubled life. This world sees our inescapable troubles. They see their own inescapable troubles. They don't want to see us pretend those troubles don't exist. They want to see how we deal with them. They want to know how we could possibly see everything – even the troubles – as goodness from the hand of God. They want to know how they can live through those troubles with peace. They hunger for hope. And they can only see it if it is existing in us no matter what our troubles.

So, yes, the first couple of verses of this week's passage might seem a bit idyllic at first because reality is that we will face harm if we prove zealous for what is good. But, if instead of perceiving it as harm we perceive it as confirmation that the gospel is alive and well in us, then what hope we share with the world around us! Oh, may we be able to say with Blandina that “nothing wicked happens to us!”

This study was sent to me by Kregel Publications in exchange for my participation in this graduated blog tour. I am not required to respond positively to the study.

You Can Rest

2012-02-22T12:05:00.000-06:00

(“Rest” by Dowhere, from the album Altar of Love.)

Do you remember the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal? The story is found in 1 Kings 18. Israel had been in a drought for three years, but God told Elijah that He was ready to send rain again. Before the rains arrived, though, a showdown took place between Elijah and 450 prophets of the false god Baal. Elijah challenged the prophets to build an altar to Baal while he built one to God. Both “teams” were to pray for fire to come down and consume the offering place on each altar. The prophets begged Baal for hours, calling out, cutting themselves, and doing anything they could think of to get Baal's attention. Elijah, meanwhile, mocked them.

It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.” Isaiah 18:27

When the time came for the evening sacrifice, it was Elijah's turn. After dousing his altar and sacrifice with a lot of water, he prayed one simple prayer. God's response was immediate and thorough. Fire poured down from heaven, not only consuming the offering, but the altar and the water as well.

Fast forward a little bit with me to Luke.

Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out. But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger. They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He got up and rebuked the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm. And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?” Luke 8:22-25

So, what do these two passages have in common? Sleep. It's a funny connection, I know, but bear with me a bit.

Years ago, I heard a pastor speaking to a group of children about talking to God. He told them almost exactly what Elijah told the prophets of Baal. He told those children they needed to be as loud as possible so God would hear them. After all, He might be asleep. I cannot tell you how my heart broke that night. I was so crushed I could hardly breathe. I wanted to scream that the God that they were crying out to is nothing like Baal. No, He is the God of this passage in Luke.

Now, on the surface we might react to such a statement by saying that Jesus really was asleep, and the disciples really did have to yell to wake Him up to save Him.

But, did they really?

I would say no.

You see, Jesus was never unaware of the situation. He was never far. He never abandoned them. Yes, He allowed them to sail into the storm. And yes, He fell asleep. But, think about this sleep? Do you really think it was all about His need for rest?

Again, I would say no.

I think His sleep was much more precious than a simple need for rest.

First of all, it was an example. Jesus' trust in the Father was perfect. He could sleep in peace, knowing that God's will was going to be accomplished. God the Father, the Creator of everything in existence, was not about to let something He created – the storm – thwart His perfect plan for salvation. Jesus didn't need to know how they were going to make it through that storm. He just knew that they would. And that was enough for perfect peace.

Secondly, I think Jesus' sleep was intended to show the disciples the character of God Himself. Jesus, in all His humanity, did need sleep. What if He had fought that? What if He had indicated to His followers that He in His physical form was their only hope? What if He had exemplified to us that rest was impossible to find? But, He didn't! He lived as a human being, but a human who was fully reliant on God. Why? Because God never sleeps. He is never away. He is never indisposed. He is always perfectly present. And Jesus knew His disciples needed to know that. He knew that they needed to trust in Him, Jesus Christ, as their perfect salvation, but He also knew they needed to trust in Him, God the Father, as the omnipotent, omniscient orchestrator of all life. They needed to know the Father that Jesus fully submitted Himself to.

So, in His physical body He slept.

Do you know what the most beautiful part of this is? We get to sleep, too! We get to rest! We get to follow Jesus' example! Oh, my precious friend, heed His teaching. Know that God is orchestrating every moment of your life, even the storms. And rest.

“All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:27-28

Out with the Old

2012-02-20T04:14:00.000-06:00

A few months ago, I received a new iron to try for review purposes. I was really excited about this new iron. The one I'd been using was, well, not great. I think it absorbed water because I was constantly refilling it. Or maybe the leaking was the problem. It always seemed to be dripping on whatever I was trying to press. The new iron was advertised as being “drip-free.” I was delighted!

Sure enough, it didn't leak. It was wonderful as far as the steam feature was concerned.

But, I think that was the only wonderful thing about it. The settings were poorly labeled. The water tank was encased in an opaque blue that made it practically impossible to see the water level. Whenever I was ready to fill it, I had to stand with the light just right to check the level, pull it back down to put a little more water in it, and then hold it back up to the light just so in order to make sure I still wasn't overfilling it.

It also turned itself off after only a few minutes of no use. An auto-off feature is great, but when I'm sitting down to sew, I need more than five to seven minutes of give time before an iron turns itself off! And, there was no way to just turn the thing back on. It had to be unplugged and then plugged back in before it would come back on. It wasn't long at all before I was ready to go back to my “wonderful” old iron, leaks and all.

I went to get my old iron back out, only to realize with dismay that it was gone. We had filled a box of giveaway items. I had put the iron in that box temporarily just to get it out of the way, intending to pull it back out before we gave the rest of the items away. But, I forgot, and the iron was gone. I was stuck with the new iron.

Honestly, an iron is not that big of a deal. It's an inconvenience to deal with a frustrating iron, but not the end of the world. But, how often do we dispose of much more important things in our rush to find the new and better?

Maybe it's a possession like a home or a car. Maybe it's a job. It could be a relationship. It might even be a church family.

We get focused on what is wrong with our current situation, and we desire something different. When something new and exciting flashes in front of us, we jump for it. And in the process, we often lose something that has been good all along.

There are times when God moves us. He asks us to leave behind the stable and familiar and step out into the unknown. But, there are other times when we are just too anxious to ditch something faithful in favor of something new and exciting.

How do we know the difference? How do we make wise decisions? There is only one way. We must keep our eyes off of the circumstances and on God Himself. He alone can tell us when it's time to take a leap into the unknown and when it's time to stick with the familiar, no matter how frustrating it may be.

What are you tempted to leave behind today? Take your eyes off the old and the new and focus instead on the Lord Himself.

What Do You Discuss?

2012-02-17T04:00:00.000-06:00

I love spiritual discussions. Not debates. Not bickerings. Not conversations, heated or calm, where two or more people present their own opinions and walk away clinging even more strongly to those opinions with no real change. No, the discussions I love are real discussions. The ones that result in learning and growth.

So what, you may ask, defines a “real” discussion? I think a passage in Hebrews answers that question perfectly.

Therefore, leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. Hebrews 6:1-2

In the closing verses of Hebrews 5, the author is mourning the fact that the believers had not matured and were still requiring milk instead of solid spiritual food. Chapter six begins with an admonishment to move forward and stop haggling over foundational things, pressing on to the meaty truths of growth in Christ.

So often as we sit around in our Sunday school classes, Bible studies, accountability groups, friendly gatherings, and even in our homes, we fall into the same trap. We center our discussions on the elementary things. We discuss why we do or do not feel like we have faith. We debate sin, our own or that of others. We talk about what we should and shouldn't eat, drink, or do as Christians.

What if we were to spend our effort going deeper? What if we were to challenge one another? Whet one another's appetite for the Word of God? Spur one another to action and growth? What if our discussions were to truly change our lives and the lives of those around us?

Those are the discussions I love. One of my favorite things about being both a mother and a teacher is hearing good, solid questions asked. Questions that lead to more questions. Questions that lead believers to dig deeper into the Bible for answers. Questions whose answers give true life-changing results. Every day my husband and I linger around the dinner table so that we can hear what our children have read in their devotional times. They have the chance to share what stood out to them, and we ask them questions related to what they share. We interact. We discuss. Sometimes it's a short discussion that really doesn't have any immediate results. But, other times, the discussion is deep, and we can almost see the growth happening before our eyes. Yes, all of those are the discussions I love because even if they don't show immediate results, they are still pointing my family in a direction of growth.

If we are lacking in those real discussions with fellow believers, we might want to stop and check ourselves. When we immerse ourselves in Scripture, God's Word cannot help but make itself a part of our daily conversation. But, we can still keep our interaction limited to just spiritual milk. We can go through daily life with nothing of substance to offer, receiving nothing of substance from others. May we be bold enough to take our conversation deeper! May we be confident enough to encourage others to partake of the meat of God's Word also. May we hunger for our conversation to be so dynamic that we and others grow every time we discuss spiritual things. And then may we rejoice to see our lives and the lives of those around us change as we all grow closer to our Savior!

Straight to the Heart of Acts by Phil Moore

2012-02-16T04:00:00.000-06:00

I’m rather excited about this week’s book review book. British author and pastor Phil Moore is in the process of creating a series entitled Straight to the Heart that works through the Bible book by book. Each book includes 60 three to five page entries focused on specific passages throughout the focal book of the Bible. I had the opportunity to review Straight to the Heart of Acts.

(My husband reviewed Straight to the Heart of Genesis. You can read his thoughts by clicking here to visit his blog.)

Straight to the Heart of Acts is labeled as a devotional book, but I see it as going just a bit deeper. A devotional tends to share thoughts based on a passage of Scripture. Moore’s approach goes beyond that, falling somewhere between devotional and academic. He evaluates the historical and cultural context and almost provides a light Bible study lesson on each passage. Were I to need to fit this series into a category, I would describe Moore’s approach as being a devotional commentary.

As for content, I find Straight to the Heart of Acts to be very solid Biblically. It does not automatically follow that I agree with Moore’s every deduction and conclusion. In fact, I can definitively say that he and I would not see eye to eye in every case. But, Moore does not draw his conclusions out of thin air. He has solid Scriptural reasons for his understanding and interpretation of Scripture. For this reason, I feel that I can disagree with him while still confidently reading and recommending his book and the series as a whole. My one statement accompanying the recommendation would be to encourage each reader to go back and search Scripture personally, not simply accepting an idea because Moore – or any other author or preacher (my own husband included!) – states it to be true.

I look forward to, over the course of time, adding books from the Straight to the Heart Series to our library for both personal consumption and sharing with others.

This book was sent to me by Kregel Publications in exchange for my honest review.

Heroes

2012-02-15T09:38:00.001-06:00

Mankind loves heroes. It only takes a look through history to see that it's true.

We have our heroes in Scripture. We crave the miracles of God, but somehow the ones we love the most are those that come from God's hand through His servants. Even knowing that the power is God's, those servants become our heroes because they are like us – ordinary people who simply allowed themselves to be used by God.

Other peoples and religions have their heroes, too, and often the attitude is the same for them as it is for us. I used to love reading Greek mythology as a child. Although it was utterly depressing to think that real people were caught up in the worship of these selfish, immoral concepts of gods, the stories themselves were fascinating. But, just like with our heroes of the Bible, it seemed that the favorite heroes of the Greeks were not the gods themselves, but those who were considered to be half mortal. The ones who had some of the power of the gods but some of the limitations of humans. It was as if those heroes could more closely identify with the people for whom their heroic acts were performed.

The ancient stories have evolved into our more modern heroes. We have our own mythology, seen in our comics, television shows, and movies. Once again, the favorites seem to be the ones who can most closely identify with our own human struggles. The Jedi who, except for their ability to be trained in the use of the Force, are still susceptible to the same struggles ordinary people (and aliens) face. The human heroes like Indiana Jones whose personal knowledge and wit, combined with a little extra brawn and some cockiness thrown in for good measure, make them better than ten ordinary men. Or the Doctor, the longest-running character in our television mythology. Though not human, he has no personal magical powers beyond his ability to regenerate himself when faced with death. He travels through time and space with just a living spaceship called the TARDIS, a sonic screwdriver that can perform all sorts of amazing tasks, an understanding of the universe gained from his travels and long life, a genius mind that can pull it all together, and one or more companions to aid and accompany him. His ability to cheat death makes him seem invincible, but the knowledge that he is still mortal reminds us that he understands our fears of defeat. And his emotions, especially his love and the pain of loss, show us that his struggles are similar to our own.

Then we have our real-life heroes. Our sports heroes who we so want to be perfect. Our political heroes who we are convinced will swoop in and make everything right if given the chance. Our benevolent heroes who give their all to save the hungry, thirsty, ill, and orphaned.

But, there's still something wrong with all of these heroes. We hunger for them to identify with us as typical humans. We hunger for them to be limited and yet to overcome those limitations. And yet, we struggle because we know that at some point they will fail. Maybe it isn't complete failure, but at some point failure will come. The victory will be somehow incomplete. An innocent person will die. A painful and haunting sacrifice will have to be made in the process of securing victory.

And our heroes leave us longing.

But the truth still remains that we were created to need a hero. In the deepest core of our beings, we need a hero who will never fail but who can also identify with us, understand us, and truly be close to us. An intimate hero.

We need Jesus.

Some of us have not encountered this perfect Hero yet. We're still looking, searching, and craving. The truth is plain and simple. There is no solution to our longing beyond Jesus. He is the only perfect Hero. Those who have not claimed Jesus Christ as their Hero will find fulfillment for their longing in no other way.

But then there's the rest of us. We know Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We know He has won the victory. But, do we truly live as if He has won? Do we truly respond to Him as the perfect Hero that we were created to hunger for?

Sadly, I think not. We don't live like we trust Him. We don't rest in the knowledge that He is in control. We still fear. We even still look for other heroes, just to have some back-up. We might not admit it openly, but our actions so often betray our lack of trust. And so, we find ourselves nervous, anxious, and unfulfilled. We find ourselves joining the rest of the world, seeking the satisfaction of heroes on the silver screen, in sports, in politics, or in benevolence.

One by one our heroes fail us, all the while the one true Hero beckons. Will we heed His call? Will we truly trust? In Him alone do we have this perfect guarantee: our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will never fail us. Never.

1 Peter, Week 6

2012-02-14T11:08:00.001-06:00

There was so much in this week's lesson from Sue Edwards' 1 Peter: Finding Encouragement in Troubling Times. The passage was 1 Peter 3:8-12, and our discussion centered around the necessity of having a solid, unified community of believers. There were several points of discussion related to a unified church body, but my favorite point was the first one, based on the first phrase of the first verse in our focal passage.

To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 1 Peter 3:8 (emphasis mine)

Naturally, the instruction to be harmonious hearkens back to a musical foundation. Harmony occurs when different “voices,” whether human or instrumental, come together to create a sound that blends beautifully. The truest, most beautiful form of harmony is seen when all of the voices come together to produce a new sound that would be incomplete – and possibly not even pleasant – without the blending. Each individual sound is integral to the whole, and without one sound, something is missing. Yet, when all of the voices are combined together, it can sometimes seem impossible to distinguish one from the other because of the way they blend and rely upon each other.

If we are called to be harmonious as a church body, that is how we should appear to those who observe us. We should be integral to one another, blending in such a way as to fully rely on one another to produce what God expects of us.

Unfortunately, that is not how we as churches tend to exist. Instead, we show up in many other forms.

At worst, we are discordant. Each voice produces its own sound, and that sound clashes with the other sounds in our church family.
Most of our churches are not truly that discordant, however. The next level is independent, but not clashing. I can't help but think of the song “Baby, It's Cold Outside.” It's almost as if two songs are being sung to the same music. The voices are very individual, and identities are maintained. At certain points, the voices merge and sing together in a unified manner, but they don't have to have each other.
Other times, there might at least be true duets. Two people coming together to sing something that blends and flows. But, often our even duets can be sung alone if need be. As Doug and I were preparing for our wedding, a particular country duet was popular on the radio, and we wanted to include it in our wedding. The problem was that one of the artists also released a solo version of the song. That was the version that was available as a single, and it was actually rather hard to find the duet version without buying the whole album. The song wasn't the same as a solo, but it still worked. In our churches, we hang on to the flexibility to turn our duets into solos if need be, clinging to that individualism.
There are other times, though, when small harmonious groups are formed. Downhere is one of our current favorite Christian bands, and many of their songs simply cannot be sung properly with just one voice. They have to have the interplay between at least two voices. We do see that in churches. We have groups here and there, maybe of two or three, maybe of many more, that really have become intertwined. It might not be the whole congregation in unity, but there are at least smaller clumps of members who know they cannot function without one another.

As individuals, you and I cannot force others in our church family into harmony. But, there are a few things we can do. We can refuse to be discordant. We can also refuse to be satisfied with independent blending melodies. We can instead strive to need one another. Even if it just starts with one other person, we can determine that we cannot thrive as individuals. We can bond together with another in our church body form inseparable harmony. Others will begin to notice and hunger for what we have, and we can add them to the harmony. Before we know it, the orchestra will grow. It might not spread throughout the entire church. We do still exist in a sinful world, after all. But, that should not stop us from striving to live harmoniously, not just ceasing to clash with one another, but discovering we can't truly live the way we are called to without one another.

This study was sent to me by Kregel Publications in exchange for my participation in this graduated blog tour. I am not required to respond positively to the study.

Fingernails

2012-02-13T11:02:00.001-06:00

When I was little, I bit and pulled at my fingernails. They stayed far too short, and still I'd pick at them. I don't remember what it was that made me stop, but I do know that the change was sudden. I just decided I wasn't going to do it anymore. Almost immediately, my nails began to grow long and strong, and for the next twenty-five or so years, I thoroughly enjoyed long fingernails. I never had a manicure or anything like that, but I would shape the nails and paint them and do my best to take care of them.

Until about two months ago when I chopped them all off.

Now, it might not seem like a big deal to you that I chopped them off. After all, nails grow back, right? And, my nails grow very quickly. In order to keep them short, I can't go more than a couple of days without trimming them. So, at any point I could let them grow back. But, my determination was that I wouldn't have long nails anymore. Why? Because I wanted to learn to play the piano.

I've tried many times to learn to play. I know music pretty well. Not advanced theory, mind you. And, I used to know more theory than I do now. But, I'm competent with music theory, and I can't pick it back up easily. But implementation is a totally different story. My brain and my fingers communicate wonderfully about many things. But, playing an instrument is just not one of those things. It does not come naturally, and I have to work hard to make it work.

I'm sure I'll never be an accomplished pianist, but I really want to learn to be somewhat comfortable on the instrument. But, to do so I knew I had to cut off those fingernails. Sure enough, it make a huge difference in my ability to rest my fingers properly on the keys, and it even allowed me to play the exercises with more strength. It was going to be worth the loss of my fingernails, I was sure.

Then came an odd week. Many extra tasks were on the to-do list, and I was facing a schedule that would reduce the amount of time at home to complete those tasks. So, several less important routine things had to be set aside for the week, including piano.

Three weeks later, I looked down at my hands and noticed something. My fingernails were long again. It suddenly dawned on me that I had not even thought about them since that week I intentionally put aside piano. I had gotten back to normal on most things, but obviously not piano. And not keeping my nails short. In fact, it had been so easy to fall back to the old normal that I hadn't even noticed the piano was being neglected and my nails were growing long again. And I'm even sure that somewhere along the way I pulled out the nail clippers and file and shaped them without giving it a second thought!

Times come in our lives when we make firm decisions. We give up something. We change something. We determine to be different. To walk away from a bad habit. To establish new and constructive habits. To grow. To better ourselves. To draw closer to the Lord. But what happens when life gets in the way? What happens when we drift back and don't even realize it because the old is so familiar? What happens then?

There's only one thing to do. Start all over. This morning, I cut all my fingernails off again. Piano practice will probably not be on the agenda for a couple of days this week because of other things, but the nails had to go anyway. They had to be cut off to remind me of the commitment I'd made. It wasn't a short-term, shallow commitment. It was something I wanted to make permanent. It can't be permanent if I let my nails grow back every time I have to make a choice between piano and some of the more important things on my list. And, really, the issue goes much deeper than that. My dedication to keeping my commitment to learn basic piano is reflective of my commitment to stick to deeper, spiritual commitments as well.

What commitments have faded in your life? What do you need to reestablish? Don't give up just because you've been temporarily derailed. Get up now and determine to get back to it! You won't be sorry.

Time Flies

2012-02-10T04:05:00.000-06:00

It really is true: Time rushes by faster the older you get. And you don't have to be “old” to realize that fact!

I teach teenagers at church on Wednesday nights, and there is always something they “just can't wait” for. I remember being that way. I remember it seeming to take so very long for certain dates on the calendar to arrive, and I thought I was going to go insane with the waiting!

Now months seem to all to often fly past me in a whirl. The last few months of 2011 fall felt like a free-fall for me. I wanted to grab on to something, making it all slow down. But, I could only imagine the burn on my hands were I to actually reach out and try to grab hold. It was all just flying by too quickly. Fortunately, January slowed down a lot – enough for me to breathe. But, it seems that February is speeding right back up again.

It's so easy to be overwhelmed by the way life flows past us. Earlier this week I felt that pressure. That sense of being overwhelmed. But, then something in my brain clicked with realization.

If I belong to Christ, life will never pass me by too quickly.

God is outside of time. He created it, but He is never bound by it. Nothing moves too slowly or too quickly for Him. He never falls behind, runs late, or experiences any delay in the implementation of His plans. To Him, time is simply something He created for us, knowing that we needed the confines of it.

Can you grasp how liberating that is? Can you feel the peace that rains down with such a realization? So often I feel like I'm going to miss something incredibly important because I've run out of time. But, the God I serve holds every second in His hands. I don't have to hang on to time. I don't have to risk that rope burn of trying to reach out and slow it down. All I have to do is walk with Him!

Even in the midst of the many times I fail to walk in obedience, I am still His. I am covered by the blood of Christ. And because of that, I do not have to fear time passing me by. I can have peace even as the days, weeks, months, and yes, even years fly by. I do not have to live overwhelmed by them.

So, instead of feeling overwhelmed, I can face the increasing speed of February with peace, knowing that to God there is no such thing as too fast or too slow. Oh what joy!

1 Peter, Week 5

2012-02-09T15:30:00.001-06:00

This week's lesson in 1 Peter: Finding Encouragement in Troubling Times focuses on 1 Peter 3:1-7. If you take a moment to read these few verses, you will see that this is one of those passages that produces so much thought and discussion. And yet, I'm having trouble knowing exactly how to put my thoughts on this lesson into coherent form.

So, I'm going to divert a little bit.

The primary focus of the lesson is the “look” of a godly wife, whether her husband is a believer or not. In all situations, our godliness or lack thereof speaks volumes to our husbands, and to any other men in our lives. Do we walk in purity and reverence, or are we more concerned about maintaining our external appearance and our rights?

First, a side note thought. One thing that occurred to me while working through lesson five was this: Maintaining our external appearance does not always mean dressing to the nines and making sure our hair and face are perfect. In our society women are urged to fight for equality. Even those of us who recognize that God made men and women to have certain differences often find ourselves caught up in the pursuit of societal success based on equality. Physical appearances are important, true, but our society tends to rank success even higher than physical beauty. If you have both the pretty face and the societal success, then you've truly made it to the top of the ladder! So, the adornment that Peter refers to in 3:3 might not be able to be summed up for us just in how we look physically. It might have to be extended a bit to cover our societal appearance as a whole. How do we measure up to what our culture imagines a perfectly adorned woman to look? And what do we need to do to make sure we are more concerned about the beauty of 1 Peter 3 than the beauty perceived by our society?

And now, back to my primary thought.

As I moved through this lesson, I couldn't help but see specific and precious faces in my mind. These were the faces of Filipina ladies married to Muslim Jordanian men. Many of them had been Christians in name only before their marriages, ladies who were swept off their feet by the gifts, romance, and promises of these handsome Jordanian men. But, when they went from the girlfriend of a handsome Jordanian to the wife of a Muslim man, life changed dramatically and they suddenly needed something more to cling to. They began searching for that deeper and truer faith in Christ. The permissiveness of their husbands ranged greatly. Some were permitted to live as active Christians as long as they willingly raised their children as Muslims and did not stir up trouble in the extended family. They were able to fellowship with other Christians and carry on a relatively free life. Others, however, were highly limited. Some were not even permitted to leave their homes. Occasionally those wives were allowed to have approved female visitors, and often that was the only Christian fellowship – or even non-family fellowship – that existed for them.

I had the amazing privilege of joining my mother in ministry to a handful of these women, and what she taught them remains burned into my mind to this day. My mother is a strong-willed woman who does not back down from a challenge. Yet here she was teaching these precious women the truths of godly submission. She taught them what it meant to be truly submissive to their husbands without compromising their own faith in Christ. For the meeker ones who often confused submissiveness with being a doormat, this meant teaching them how to stand firm and strong while still being gentle. For the strong-willed ones who would verbally argue with and stand up to their husbands, this meant teaching them to hold their tongues and pray instead. The thought that their husbands might convert to Christianity in a nation where such conversions are technically illegal seemed such a far-fetched dream. But, their faithfulness was essential.

Those ladies could identify with Peter's initial audience more profoundly than any of us in the western world ever could imagine. They lived what many of the believing wives of Peter's day lived. If we could learn by choice to be the submissive and graceful wives that they were trying to be out of necessity, how amazing could our marriages be?

Why Do We Mourn?

2012-02-08T04:14:00.000-06:00

My husband and I have been in some form of ministry a good portion of our marriage. Throughout the years of ministry, it seems that the primary source of angst and consternation within the body of believers is related to money – specifically the lack thereof. But, why do we get upset about money? What about money in the church bothers you?

Obviously, we need money to operate our churches. There are power, water, and phone bills. There is maintenance. Literature is needed, and worn out property must be replaced. There is insurance, and most churches pay someone to keep the facilities clean. Then, there are those kitchen supplies, paper products, and cleaning supplies. And, of course, salaries. I would be lying if I said that Doug and I don't get nervous when there are money issues in whatever church we are serving at the time. It's one thing to say that God is the true source of our income when the paychecks are coming in regularly. But, when we hit those moments when we wonder how the paychecks are going to keep coming, that reliance on God is put to the test. I'll admit that we don't always respond with full-fledged faith. We're learning. We're growing. But, we still struggle.

As I began reading through the book of Joel a few months ago, one verse really jumped off the page at me and challenged my way of thinking regarding money and the church. Obviously, we want all of the things above to run smoothly. Obviously, I prefer the reliability of knowing the paycheck is coming in every month. But, when tithes and offerings begin to decline, is our threatened ability to heat and cool the building, keep the supplies stocked, pay the bills, and write those paychecks really what we need to mourn? Or is there something else?

Look at this verse from Joel with me and see what you think.

Gird yourselves with sackcloth and lament, O priests; wail, O ministers of the altar! Come, spend the night in sackcloth, O ministers of my God, for the grain offering and the drink offering are withheld from the house of your God. Joel 1:13

Destruction and devastation were striking God's chosen people. If you read even just the first few verses of Joel 1, you get the impression of the collapse that the economy was facing. There's a reason the offerings were not being brought into the house of God. How can what doesn't exist be brought in?

But, consider why the devastation is falling upon the land.

The kings had not been obedient to the commands of the Lord, thus leading their people astray.
The priests had not been faithful to the God they were supposed to be serving. They had not kept the temple pure, had not observed the sacrifices according to the law, had neither guided the kings nor admonished them, and had not guided the people toward lives of obedience.
The people had rejected God. They had not held the king or the priests accountable, nor had they remained determined to seek their God, the God who brought them out of slavery and bondage.

If anyone was mourning over what wasn't being brought into the temple, the mourning was because the fat, happy life the priesthood had lived was being threatened. But, according to Joel 1:13, that was not why they should have been mourning. The grain offerings were voluntary offerings showing devotion to God. These offerings, along with the drink offerings, accompanied other offerings of worship. In light of Old Testament law, when these offerings were absent, so was worship. The mourning should have been because the withholding of offerings showed that there was no true worship of God. No real obedience.

That's where our mourning should be as well. We must get to the root of the problems in our churches, whether they be money problems or anything else. Is there consistent and faithful obedience among the members of our body? Is there true worship in the hearts of our members? Most likely, unless the problems of the church are related to true persecution, the answer is no, and that is what we should mourn. And the mourning should bring about repentance. And the repentance should bring about change. And the change should bring about a renewed attitude of worship and obedience. And when worship and obedience are right, there should again be a reason for rejoicing.

And when the rejoicing returns, we must ensure that we are rejoicing not because any prosperity has been restored, but because the hearts of the people are turned once again to the worship and obedience of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Helpful Hints Tuesday: Blogging Through the Bible

2012-02-07T10:17:00.001-06:00

I’m a little behind on my 1 Peter Bible study this week, so I’m going to trade places with my study post and Thursday’s typical Helpful Hints post.

This week I want to send you to my husband’s blog. I absolutely love the way Doug works through Scripture. He is a history buff, so he knows a lot of the history and context for much of the narrative. And, he is one of the most observant people I know, so he picks up on much that I miss in Scripture.

Last month he decided to start a project of blogging through the entire Bible, chapter by chapter. So far it has been fantastic! (Yes, I will admit to being biased, but I also know good insight when I see it.)

I’m slow getting this shared with you – he posted Genesis 17 yesterday. So, here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to include the links for Genesis 1-17 here in this post. From there you have a few options. (Just click on the option to follow the link.)

And here are the Genesis 1-17 posts. Each title should link you back to that post.

Genesis 1, Genesis 2, Genesis 3, Genesis 4, Genesis 5, Genesis 6, Genesis 7, Genesis 8, Genesis 9, Genesis 10, Genesis 11, Genesis 12, Genesis 13, Genesis 14, Genesis 15, Genesis 16, Genesis 17

Where We Are

2012-02-06T04:00:00.000-06:00

Every morning, all three children read from their Bibles. Steven has a Bible story book to help him become familiar with the stories of the Bible, and the girls read the same “read through the Bible” passages that Doug and I read. The girls are asked to jot down their observations and how they think they should apply what they've read to their own spiritual growth. Then, most days as we are finishing our noon meal, we discuss the day's reading. Steven tells us about the Bible story he read, and then the rest of us discuss our reading, with him sitting there listening. Although a lot of our discussions are still over his head, he really does pay attention.

One day we were discussing Psalm 51. This particular Psalm was written by King David after his sin with Bathsheba. It was his song of repentance and plea for restoration. As we discussed Psalm and accompanying story, Steven piped up and informed us that David didn't really need to ask for forgiveness because God had already forgiven him.

Now, obviously, we had to correct some bad deductive reasoning on Steven's part. We discussed with him and the girls the need to always ask for forgiveness. It is a necessary step in acknowledging that we were wrong and God was (and always is) right. His forgiveness is always there. But, we must receive it and walk in it. So, we ask. And when we ask, He gives.

But, as we explained all of this to Steven, it occurred to me that he knew enough to make that statement. I thought of the brief mention of Apollos in Acts 18:24-27. Apollos showed up in Ephesus one day, passionately preaching about Jesus. The problem was that he didn't know about Jesus' death and resurrection. He only knew of the teachings of John the Baptist. So, Aquila and Priscilla, friends and coworkers of Paul, took Apollos under their wing and taught him a fuller and more accurate picture of the gospel. He excitedly took that new knowledge and continued preaching passionately.

A couple of things really impacted me through all of this. First of all, my five-year-old son was getting it. We so often relegate our children to the learning of simple truths. We stick them in children's church instead of taking them to “big church” with us. We dismiss them from the table when we are having conversations that we don't think they'll understand. We give them portions of Bible verses, simplified in all ways, to memorize instead of encouraging them to memorize the whole verse. In the process we entertain them and keep them happy, but what do we truly teach them? If we only teach them at their current level, when will their current level ever deepen?

We have to challenge our children. We must be willing to stretch their minds in every way, encouraging them to grow in ways they've never contemplated before. There is so much all three of my children don't understand. But, if I introduce those concepts to them now, then they will be mulling around in their minds. When the time comes for them to understand, the truths will already be familiar and the process will be natural. If I wait until I think they're ready to understand before I even begin introducing them to a concept, how much harder will it be for them to grasp the truth?

That's definitely a thought and a lesson for me as a parent (and for any of us who are parents, grandparents, or teachers of children). But, what about us? Is there something here for us as growing adults? I think so!

So often we hide behind what we don't know. We want to wait until we learn more. We are afraid to have a discussion about spiritual and Scriptural things because we might not know enough to keep up. We are afraid to teach because we might make a mistake. We are afraid to step out in obedience because we only know a portion of what we are supposed to do.

What if we were to be bold like Steven and Apollos? What if we were to take what we know, step out in it, and trust God to handle the rest? He will do it! First, if we're trusting Him, He'll keep us from causing harm with what we do not know. Secondly, He will make sure we learn as we go.

It’s Sunday!

2012-02-05T08:14:00.001-06:00

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

Immediate Change

2012-02-03T04:00:00.000-06:00

A week or so ago, my sweet son came in to ask if he could do something that he hadn't had a chance to do over the previous few days. I said yes. He walked out of the room cheering, “Finally!”

Now, keep in mind, my son is not deprived. It's not that he hadn't been able to do anything fun for days. In fact, it's not even that he'd asked all that many times to partake in this particular activity. But, for some reason he felt like he'd been deprived, and he just had to express it. I must confess, that response chafed me the wrong way, and I almost snapped. But, the Lord has been working on me over the years, teaching me to control my temper and respond in a teaching and training manner rather than an angry one. So, I called him back to me for a nice little...ahem...discussion.

Calmly but firmly, I reminded my son that he was not deprived. I also reminded him of all the things he'd gotten to do over the previous few days. Finally, I pointed out the need for an attitude adjustment. His attitude was becoming more and more ungrateful over time. He would get something he wanted, but then always want more. More time or an additional game on the Wii. More snack. More wrestling with Daddy. More snuggles with Mommy. More special things like trips out to eat. Nothing is inherently wrong with any of those, but my big boy was growing less satisfied with them. Why? Because he felt he was never getting enough. He always wanted more. So, what he was getting was leaving him empty. He was constantly irritable because he wasn't getting his way, and tears would flow much more frequently than laughter.

So, I pointed out something that he had not done lately. He had not said thank you. He had not been thankful for the things he was allowed to do, instead focusing on what he couldn't have. I told him he needed to change his attitude, or he would start finding a lot more restriction than permission.

What I didn't expect was the immediate change in my son's life. He took my words to heart, chose to obey, and started saying thank you for everything. His attitude changed. His enjoyment changed. And, instead of never feeling as if he had enough, he began to find pleasure in the things he had been missing because of his grumpy attitude. The difference in his very young life was profound, immediate, and powerful.

What if we were to obey so immediately and instantaneously? What if we were to truly live out even the simplest instructions given to us by our perfect heavenly Father? In Matthew 18:3, Jesus told us that we must come as little children, and as I watch my own children, I increasingly see why. Simple, immediate obedience makes a profound, immediate change.

What has God put in front of you lately? What attitude adjustment? What action? What step of faith? If a five-year-old can profoundly change his attitude practically overnight by one simple act of obedience, what could happen in your life with one act of obedience? I challenge you to try it. And I guarantee you won't be disappointed with the results.

Then Sings My Soul: Book 3 by Robert J. Morgan

2012-02-02T03:55:00.000-06:00

Today’s review is of a book I almost didn’t request. I’m so glad that was an “almost.” Robert J. Morgan, pastor and hymn-lover, has written a series entitled Then Sings My Soul in which he shares a multitude of hymns and a one-page story related to each one. When I saw that Then Sings My Soul: Book 3 had been released, I honestly did not know if it was worth bothering to get. Morgan had already written the stories behind many of our favorite hymns, and we even own the special Christmas edition. But Morgan’s final contribution to this delightful series has a bit of a twist that makes it, in my opinion, the best book of the series.

Then Sings My Soul: Book 3 is made up of five sections, only one of which fits the template of the previous books in the series.

Part 1 takes readers through a whirlwind history of hymnody, beginning with Old Testament hymns and ending with a nod to current popular hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty and Stuart Townsend. Understanding our heritage as Christians is so much more important than we often realize, and the development of our music is an integral part of that history. Although this is just a brief overview, it still definitely provides much needed information and a good starting point for deeper learning.
Part 2 follows in the tradition of the Then Sings My Soul series, with over 50 hymns and their one-page stories.
Part 3 is a deeper look. In this section, Morgan tells longer stories, beginning with a much fuller story behind the song “It Is Well with My Soul.” Morgan also gives a brief biography of hymnist Isaac Watts, the man known as the Father of English Hymnody and shares several other hymn-related stories at a level deeper than just one page – or beyond what a tie to just one hymn – could tell.
The final section, part 4, is a beautiful addition to Then Sings My Soul: Book 3. It walks readers through the practice of worshiping through hymns, describing how hymns can impact our lives both privately and publicly.
Finally comes the Epilogue. Morgan closes book three, and the series, with the message of the gospel. No hymn is in the least useful without the gospel message behind it. I can imagine no more fitting end to the trilogy.

Yes, Then Sings My Soul: Book 3 is, by far, my favorite of the series. I highly recommend the entire series, but if you can only pick up one, this would be the one I would recommend buying.

This book was sent to me by Thomas Nelson’s Book Sneeze program in exchange for my honest review.

A Chuckle and a Cringe

2012-02-01T04:00:00.000-06:00

Some passages of Scripture make me chuckle. Then there are others that start off making me chuckle until I realize just how serious they are. Take these verses from 2 Timothy, for example.

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 2 Timothy 3:1-5

This passage combines such a wide range of behaviors and attitudes to describe the wickedness we must avoid. And, right in the middle of the list, we find the phrase “disobedient to parents.” Out of everything that could be said about such evil men, this one seems almost ludicrous. Until...

Until you stop to contemplate what disobedient children grow up to become. As children, they disobey and disrespect their parents and other adults. As adults, they refuse to submit to authority. How many ramifications exist in such defiance?

But, disobedience to parents isn't the only thing we might be inclined to chuckle at. We have become so lax, even as Christians, that it doesn't bother us if some of our brothers and sisters tend to be ungrateful about everything. We are only slightly concerned if any of them hold a grudge and refuse to be reconciled to someone. And, we all need to look out for our own well-being and make sure we have the things we need, but that doesn't make up lovers of self or money. Does it? We all need a break now and then, but surely that isn't replacing our love for God with a love for pleasure. I could go on...

The problem with going on is that I have already seen myself in this list, and I don't like the picture. These are the people we should avoid in these “last days” and “difficult times,” yet I fall into many of these traps. Why? Because as much as I hate to admit it, I don't always take the Bible seriously. Instead I chuckle when “disobedient to parents” is compared to people who are “brutal.”

When God calls us to holiness, the expectation is high. It is so high, in fact, that we cannot attain to it. We cannot avoid fitting into this list...unless we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, filling us with the power of God.

Oh, may we begin to truly take God's Word seriously! Oh, may we no longer be lax and laid back in our obedience to His Word! And oh, may we stand out and not be counted among those who should be avoided in these last days and difficult times.

1 Peter, Week 4

2012-01-31T14:54:00.001-06:00

Note: This post is fourth in a series of nine posts working through a nine-week Bible study. Week one can be found here. Lesson posts are posted every Tuesday.

This week's study from 1 Peter: Finding Encouragement in Troubling Times focused on living faithfully in a society hostile to Christianity. I have to say that, for me, the crux of the entire lesson came down to this verse:

...and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threat, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 1 Peter 2:23

The verse speaks of Jesus and what He endured when He went to the cross. He was without sin, yet He was condemned, beaten, and sent to die the death of the worst of criminals. How can I ever cry for justice for myself when the least of my sin is worthy of the death Jesus died? He took that death for me without even the slightest objection to the insults, accusations, or physical blows directed toward Him.

In the context of the lesson, Jesus' surrender of all deserved justice gives us a picture of how we should respond to the persecution of this world. This is not necessarily a step-by-step instruction guide showing every action we should take when we are persecuted. If it were, how could we explain how some are called to die for their faith while others are spared? How would we reconcile the actions of those who publicly preach in hostile environments with those who disciple in hiding? Instead, this is a call to follow Jesus' example. Jesus trusted. He trusted the Father to handle the details. He trusted the Father to handle the judgment. Jesus simply walked in perfect obedience, obedience that led Him to death on the cross. Philippians 2:5 calls us to have this same attitude, the attitude of humble obedience, even if it means death for ourselves as well.

In all honesty, I don't endure persecution like Peter's audience endured. Chances are, many of you do not either. The worst I experience is to “endure” the talk of several friends and family members who repeatedly poke fun at and insult my faith. They do me no harm, other than to sadden my heart. I am in no danger because of their words. So, lacking in direct persecution and danger to ourselves, how does the lesson of 1 Peter 2:23 shake out for us?

I see two things:

Trust. This isn't only about persecution. This is about every hard thing we do in life. This is about seeing a loved one walking a dangerous path, but knowing we can do nothing about it. This is about enduring a painful ordeal that seems to be never-ending. This is about aching for a hurting friend and wishing we could just fix it. We may not be living under hard-core persecution, but we are still in the battle against spiritual forces. And every pain we see requires an active response on our part: the response of trust. God is just. Will we trust Him to act justly in every painful situation we see or endure?
Preparation. For many Christians living in Europe in 1939, the level of persecution changed overnight. One day they were free to worship and live as they pleased, with the worst of their persecution being insults from unbelievers. The next day, a madman invaded their land and truly living out the fullness of their faith became instantly dangerous. It could happen here, too. Every ounce of our freedom could be gone in an instant. If we can trust God to be the perfect Judge over the insults today, then we will be better equipped to walk in that trust tomorrow when the true persecution comes.

So, it comes down to entrusting myself to the perfect Judge. If I will do that, I will be able to face anything this pagan world has to throw at me.

It Shows

2012-01-30T04:00:00.000-06:00

Have you ever seen the change that comes over someone when they find the love they never expected?

It might be a child who has never been loved by a family. There's a hardness. A toughness. An “I can make it through life without anybody's help” attitude about her. Then, a family opens their arms, home, and hearts to her. There's a fight at first, because she just doesn't want to be hurt again. But, as their love persists through the fight, suddenly she realizes she really is home. And though it may take months or even years, the change finally comes. And when the change comes, it's an incredible and complete transformation.

Or it might be the man whose heart was broken in high school by the girl he just knew he would spend the rest of his life with. She walked away with someone else, and in that moment he became convinced he would never love again. In his eyes you can see the barrier. He is closed. He might have friends. He might even have other girlfriends. But, as soon as any of them get too close, he backs away and throws up the wall. He might wear a smile, but it only shows on his lips. There is nothing he truly enjoys. Even his favorite hobbies are only fun for a time, and then the emptiness returns. Everything others celebrate is just an opportunity for him to show his cynicism. Until that day when someone manages to break down his barriers. That day when someone loves him through it all and doesn't let go. And then it clicks. He can't help but love her back. And when he does, those barricaded eyes fling open. The cynicism disappears. And every celebration becomes filled with joy for the first time in years.

Have you seen it? I have. And it melts my heart. The transformation can make a person almost unrecognizable. You see them do things and hear them say things they never would have before. You see them celebrate when before they would have mocked. Even people on the fringe of their lives suddenly get to know them in ways they never would have before. It's a breathtakingly beautiful transformation.

But, there's only one kind of love that can do it. It's the love of God. There is no home that can truly transform a child unless it is a home that belongs to God. There is not a romantic relationship that can keep from breaking that heart again unless it is a relationship that is centered in submission to Christ. With Him, it's beautiful. Without Him, it's impossible.

The most beautiful thing about such stories is that it doesn't actually take a family's home or a romantic relationship to break down the hurt and bring in the freedom. No, all it takes is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He does use His people to accomplish the purpose, but it all comes back to Him. It all comes back to the love that He pours out through us.

Are you that unloved child? Do you have that broken heart? God might heal your hurts through His children, but don't look for it there. Look for it in Him directly. Open yourself up to His love. And let everyone around you rejoice as they see the transformation in your eyes.

It will be a beautiful sight.

A Heart Like Daniel’s

2012-01-27T04:00:00.000-06:00

I've been looking back through my journal lately, reminding myself of lessons learned in the past couple of months and trying to determine whether or not I have actually put those lessons into action. As I ponder through them, many of them will probably show up here, intermingled with the more recent thoughts from Scripture and life.

One that stands out to me today came from an October reading from Daniel.

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans—in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. Daniel 9:1-3

I have read this passage many times. I think I've just skimmed past it, though, because Daniel's apocalyptic visions are so hard to wrap my mind around. But this time something really stood out to me. Daniel had been taken from his home as a young man – possibly in his teens – when God's judgment fell on Jerusalem and Judah and the exile began. According to Jeremiah, the length of the exile was to be seventy years. Obviously, Daniel was observing that this time was coming to an end because his prayers began to center on the restoration of Jerusalem and her people.

It was this focus of prayer that really grabbed my attention and my heart this time around. Daniel was an old man by now, and he had been through quite a bit in his years. I'm sure there were many times of fear and uncertainty in his life as he went through this trial and that challenge, including being thrown into a den of starving lions. He had endured power changes and had managed to be elevated to high positions in almost every one. He had seen prosperity and success, but he had also seen without a doubt that he could have a good, solid, vibrant, growing relationship with the one true God even in the pagan land of Babylon. Even as he served closely under pagan kings, he could remain true to his faith. He saw his God meet every last one of his spiritual needs right where he was.

And yet, he prayed fervently that he and his people be restored to their home.

In our eyes, it seems insane for Daniel to not be fully satisfied where he is. In all his prosperity, both spiritual and political, he's not content? His life has not been full and good?

But the key here is that it wasn't about Daniel's life. It was about God's heart. As Daniel read the prophecies of Jeremiah, he knew that God's heart was intent on the restoration of His people to their home. His will for the future of His chosen people and the world as a whole revolved around the restoration of Jerusalem. Daniel saw God's heart. And, as he saw God's heart, he hungered, longed, and even passionately needed to be in the center of that will. Even if it meant surrendering all of the success he had seen throughout his life. Even if it meant a change. Even if it meant a return to a land he could hardly remember.

We have no record that Daniel actually did return to Jerusalem with the exiles. But, I don't think that was the point for Daniel. I think the point was that his focus was to be the same as God's, regardless of what happened to him personally. As I read of Daniel's heart, my heart longs to be the same way. I long for nothing to matter but God's will. I long for my heart to be so in line with God's that I don't care about my life. I am instead passionate about His plan. I want my heart to be so hungry for His will to be accomplished that it is an intense need of mine to be in the center of His will.

I want a heart like Daniel's.

Helpful Hints Thursday: Chick-fil-A

2012-01-26T04:19:00.000-06:00

Well, I had an awesome helpful hint in mind for you. But, I didn’t write it down. And, most of you know what that means. Yep – it never happened.

Oh well. So, as I sit here contemplating a new idea, my eyes just happen to land on the Chick-fil-A calendar on my wall. Voila! I think I’ll mention a little secret about Chick-fil-A coupons that you may or may not know.

The expiration date isn’t a big deal!

Yep, it’s true. I have a coupon holder full of last year’s calendar coupons, and more likely that not, Chick-fil-A will honor them.* So don’t throw those out of date coupons away!

*Ultimately it is the individual restaurant’s decision whether or not to take out of date coupons. So, there may be cases where the coupons are refused.

In Need of a Fire

2012-01-25T04:00:00.000-06:00

Yesterday morning I needed a fire. I didn't need it because it was cold outside. In fact, it wasn't really fire weather at all. I was comfortable in my short-sleeve pajamas as I curled up on the couch for my morning quiet time. I didn't want a warm beverage, and I quickly discarded the sweater I had pulled out just in case. But, somehow I just felt like I needed that fire.

It probably had something to do with the fact that Doug was gone. He left on Monday to head to a conference. I was supposed to go with him, but our plans changed at the last minute. Things had gone well in his absence, despite the change in plans, but there was a security missing with him gone. Of course, there was the fact that I just missed him. But, I also missed the warmth that naturally comes from having a kindred spirit physically there with me.

So, I built a fire. I added some kindling and another log to the wood that was left in the fireplace from a previous fire we had just let die out. For a while there wasn't much to the fire. The kindling and smallest log burned enough for me to enjoy a small fire during my quiet time, and then the bigger logs just smoldered as the morning wore on and I came and went while taking care of other tasks around the house. Then just before I sat down on the couch with my netbook to work on some writing, I stirred the fire and added a log. The fire began to blaze up from the hot bed of coals, and before long crackling, warm comfort was wafting from the fireplace. Even as the day grew warmer, I turned the heater way down and let the fire keep burning. It was beautiful.

It's amazing what comfort something so simple can bring. To me yesterday morning that fire had nothing to do with being a source of heat. It had to do with being a source of presence. So often in Scripture, God's presence is equated with or represented by fire. I know God Himself wasn't in that fire, but as I watched those flames flicker as if alive, I felt His presence in a very real way. As I sat in front of the small flames and had my quiet time, I sensed my heart softening and preparing to hear from Him. As I saw the smoldering logs throughout the middle part of the morning, I sensed His presence glowing like a burning coal in my heart, creating a foundation to draw on throughout the day. As the fire burned bright and warm later in the morning, I felt Him surrounding me while I wrote and worked.

No, God was not in that fire. But, God's creation – including that fire – is intended to point us to Him. It was made for the explicit purpose of letting us know His love for us. His very presence is revealed all around us, whether it be in a fire, a new spring flower, or a child's laughter.

What do you need today? What part of God's creation is He using to draw you to Himself? It just might be time to build your own fire, and let His presence surround and consume you in the most beautiful of ways.

1 Peter Study, Week 3

2012-01-24T19:56:00.001-06:00

Obviously, I'm a little late posting my thoughts on 1 Peter: Finding Encouragement in Troubling Times this week. But, I can say that I'm very excited about sharing this week. There was so much more in this lesson than I could even begin to share in a blog post, but here are a few thoughts.

Before I even began the study itself, I got caught up in the beauty of the first two verses from this week's reading assignment.

And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5

What a rich passage! Christ Himself was rejected by men, but is choice and precious in God's sight. And so are we! We are the living stones who, because we have been associated with Christ, have been rejected by this world. But if we are in Christ, then we are intentionally chosen and exceedingly precious to Him. So, what do we do with that realization? That is exactly what lesson three explores.

Peter's primary ministry was to those of Jewish background. And, when he spoke of the “spiritual house,” “holy priesthood,” and “spiritual sacrifices” in verse five, his primary audience would have thought back to the magnificence of the temple. One of our discussion points was to contrast the idea of the temple to our nature as “living stones” of a “spiritual house” as presented in these verses.

The temple was incredibly precious to the Jews. To this day, the Jews mourn the loss of their temple, a loss that is now nearly 2000 years old. The temple was the focal point of their worship. Although they have synagogues and places to learn and grow in their faith, they no longer have that place of connection to God. It was there they could go to interact with the priests who would approach God on their behalf. They would journey long distances to find their way to that one place on the map. That place of connection with God.

So, what about us? We are the connection! We are a living, breathing temple that is not limited geographically to one spot on the map. Instead, this temple stretches around the world, available to every tongue and nation. And there is more. The Biblical temple was only truly accessible to the priests, and the rest of the people had to rely on the priests for communion with God. Now, as the living, breathing temple of God, we are all priests. Every last one of us.

But there still remains the question: what do we do with this knowledge.

When we look back at the priests of the Old Testament, we see that they offered sacrifices for the sanctification of the people and the praise of God. In the same way, we are called to fulfill our priestly duties. But obviously we don't have to kill animals and burn them on the altar. Instead, we offer ourselves. We give ourselves in full surrender to the work of Christ, offering praise to Him and serving one another. The danger is that, just as the priests fell into the habit of offering sacrifices physically, but without the heart behind it, so we can fall into the trap of going through the rituals without truly surrendering our hearts to Christ. It is so much easier to be a functional stone, holding our spot in the building, than it is to be an active part of a living organism. This spiritual house is not the type of building where we are laid and then do nothing more. It is a body. A living entity, built to accomplish God's work on this earth. We must never simply go through the rituals of sacrifice. We must truly live lives of sacrifice.

I have known all of these truths for so long, but it's so easy to walk through life and forget to live these truths. Being reminded that I am both precious and chosen as a part of this living building is a comfort and a challenge.

Next week we will discuss what Peter teaches us about living as that royal priesthood in the midst of a very secular world.

This study was sent to me by Kregel Publications in exchange for my participation in this graduated blog tour. I am not required to respond positively to the study.

Contagious Trust

2012-01-23T04:00:00.000-06:00

Just in case you missed it, last night was a stormy one for the south. In fact, I sat down to write this blog post in front of the TV just so we could keep up with the warnings. Just about the time I got everything ready to start typing, we were told to take cover. Not long after, Doug got a call from his father saying that our nice little town of 300 was mentioned on The Weather Channel. That's not exactly the way I like for us to be recognized.

As we gathered up the kids and took them to our safe spot, I discovered that my sweet little Steven had been to the bathroom four times over the course of about 45 minutes because he was nervous about the storms. But, as soon as we all snuggled down together and Doug kept assuring us that it looked like everything was going to be fine, Steven calmed down. The girls joked and laughed and played with each other, and Steven just rested. I stayed cheerful and joked with the kids, and the more we teased, the less tense he seemed.

Meanwhile, all around, the storm raged.

It was loud. The wind whistled all around us. Hail hammered against the roof. Rain pelted the house. But my anxious little boy was able to smile. Why? Because he knew that if Mommy was right there with him and smiling, he was okay.

To be honest, this hasn't always been his nature. In the past, even when I reassured him, he would stay tense and stressed. His little body would be tight and his heart would beat fast. Every muscle would be tense, and he'd cling to me. But last night was different. Last night I could still see that there was some worry in his eyes. But, he was more at peace. More trusting that I was telling him the truth.

So, what about me? Where did my peace come from?

You see, Steven comes by his stress honestly. His mommy has dealt with panic and anxiety for just about as long as she can remember. And, last night was the perfect opportunity to be anxious. Here I was with my three children, huddled down waiting for the storm rotation that was heading right for us. But, even though I felt shaky and uncertain, I still felt peace.

I'm learning, too. I'm learning to trust increasingly in my amazing Savior. And there is no better time to see that trust in action than in the middle of a storm. Because of my trust, my sweet son is learning to trust. Because of my trust, my precious girls could joke and laugh last night. And because of my trust, as soon as the danger past, all three of my children were able to go to bed in full trust that everything really was okay.

Contagious trust is a beautiful thing. It results in contagious peace. I know we can't always laugh and joke through our storms, but we can radiate trust and peace no matter what is raging around us. And, believe me, someone will “catch” it from us. Someone will grow in their own trust and peace because of us.

I pray that you are growing in trust. And I pray that your growth is contagious.

Thankful for…

2012-01-21T15:02:00.001-06:00

…the celebration of new life. This morning it was a baby shower and in just about an hour it will be a wedding. Precious times!

…peace in the midst of craziness. Only God can do that.

…answered prayers.

…only one child who is afraid during middle-of-the-night thunderstorms. The other two typically don’t even know a storm came through unless it was really loud. One big sister will wake up to li’l brother’s cries quicker than she’ll wake up to thunder. That’s precious to me.

…a husband who loves to do little things to make people laugh in stressful moments. But, he also knows how to not go too far and add to the stress instead of relaxing it. This afternoon he put on his UPS tie when he went for wedding pictures. The groom works for FedEx. (And yes, he hid the “real” tie – one that coordinates with the wedding colors – in his pocket to put on once the joke was made.)

…opportunities. The ones God opens up without any “help” from me are the best. The more I stay out of the way, the better they are!

…friendships.

…family time.

…hubby & me time.

…down moments in the midst of a busy day/weekend.