Whenever our two grandsons come out to the farm, it’s like a whirlwind sets in.  You know the kind.  It’s like one of those old westerns where you’re out on the prairie and the train is being robbed, the cowboys are in fast pursuit and a horrific rain storm settles in.  Everything happens at once.  That’s how it is when the boys (9 and 5) arrive.

If they’re outside playing, you often hear these words, “Nanny, need a little help here.”  It was one of the first sentences that our oldest grandson ever spoke … need a little help here.

The Farmer and I head out to tie a shoe, bandage a scraped knee, or reach a ball stuck in a tree branch. It would never dawn on me not to respond to those words … need a little help here.

But as I’m watching society, I’m realizing that the more technology there is, the more ways there are to respond to the needs of others.

On any given day, I will receive many emails, text messages, messenger messages, and phone calls. People ask for prayer, questions about upcoming services or conferences, ideas, convictions, or news.  But mostly, people ask me for help.

On any given day, I will be up to my eyeballs in work for my two ministries.  It’s not easy to get to everyone.  But it’s necessary.  Why?  Scripture tells us:

Hebrews 13:16  (NIV) And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrificesGod is pleased.

Philippians 2:4  (ESV) Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Luke 6:38  (NIV) Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” 

God wants us to be helpful, encouraging and supportive of those around us.  That’s how we invest in them and how He reaches them … through us.

What about those people who did not respond to me?  What about those who did and were brisk and cold?  Or those who were disrespectful and curt?

That is a good lesson for me!  To see what that feels like reminds me that I do not want to treat others like that.  I will respond with:  love, compassion, in quick turn around, and if I can … I will help.  If not, I’ll pray and try to direct towards help.

How are you responding when you hear the words, “Need a little help here”?  Are you quick to help, or are you only looking at your own interests?

Let’s begin this week with a new strategy.  One that says, I’ll answer the call, I’ll respond to the message, I’ll be a helper.  For Christ’s sake.

Matthew 14:  22-33

The sickness I have carried for over 3 weeks, along with a busy preaching and teaching schedule had left me exhausted.

I woke up this morning to winter winds howling and snowdrifts blowing outside my window.  Things settled in around me and I began to feel a little dismal.  Something about not leaving the house for the past weeks was starting to get me a bit stir crazy.

As I scooped up my books and my Bible to head into my office, I looked at my watch  and thought … oh, good, it’s only a quarter to nine.  I’ll get quite a bit of work done before the calls start pouring in and the emails and text messages need my attention.

I opened my Bible to God’s Word, and the scripture that jumped out at me this morning was the story of Jesus walking on the water.

Jesus sent the disciples ahead of Him, out to the lake, while He went off to pray.  The gospel of Mark says that Jesus was about 3 miles off shore, when He saw them between 3-6 a.m.  A big storm was making its way across the water and frightening the men in the boat.

Just then, they looked out and saw someone walking on the water.  Can you imagine the wind whipping at your face, the rain pelting down hard around you. They wondered if it was a ghost that they saw.

But Jesus tells them to not be afraid because it’s Him out water-walking.

When Peter asked if it was really Jesus out walking on the water, Jesus calls out to Peter and says, “Come out to me.”

Peter put his foot over the side of the boat, the winds whipping and blowing all around him, and he began to make his way out to the middle of the lake to the Savior.

But something happens!  Peter looks back down at his own feet, his eyes are off of the Savior and onto himself.   His fear of the waves and wind take over, his disbelief that he can even walk on water overwhelms him.  His eyes are fixed upon himself.

Scripture says that Peter begins to sink.  How wonderful that as he is heading down, down, down, he thinks to say, “Save me!” Not after he is drowning, but while he is sinking.  Peter acknowledges that he can’t … but Jesus can.  Overwhelmed and drowning, Peter was wise enough to cry out “Save me,” to the only One who really could help him, lead him, guide him and save him.  Jesus.

As I look up from my Bible, I notice that it is still a quarter to nine.  Oh, that’s nice I think.  I have a lot of time before people start calling me.

I continued to read through scripture, realizing that Peter’s problem and my problem were one in the same. Each morning I awake to a huge list of tasks.  Creating, developing, leading, praying, learning, growing, stretching … I work, and then I work some more.

Ministry is an overwhelming job in life.  It’s a mind-stretching, faith-building journey, one that I am still growing into.  Frequently, my fear begins when the day begins. How will I do it?  How can I walk in faith?  How will I get to Jesus?  Will I be smart enough to be humble and admit … I can’t, but He can?

The fear of winds blowing and waves pulling me under are ever frequent.  No, they are constant.  But when I reach out to the Savior who is saying, “Come on, Kathy, walk with Me,” I feel a comfort and begin to realize that I am not alone.

I cannot do life by myself.  I cannot face these tasks alone.  I cannot make life altering decisions without sinking … but Jesus can help me.  Jesus will help me.

The computer is dinging now with emails as I look at my watch.  Hmmm … it’s still a quarter to nine.  And now I realize … time has stopped for that watch.  Nothing has changed.  Nothing is different.

And suddenly it all makes sense to me.  What God is speaking to my heart this morning is so very clear.  Unless I make the effort to change that battery in the clock, it remains stalled out … it will not move or change.

Unless I make the effort to go meet Jesus on the water, as Peter did, I will remain stalled out. If I allow my fears of failure or trouble overwhelm me, I will not move or change.  I will remain seated in the boat of my life and unable to walk on the Lake of my own life. Or worse yet … I might get up, put my foot over the side, and keep focused on myself.  Until I feel the waves crashing over me and become cognizant that I’m drowning.

The phone is ringing now, the emails are surfacing, and the text messages are many, but I remain quiet in the boat of my thoughts.

The wind is whipping outside, the waves of life feel enormous around me.  And yet I hear a still, quiet voice whispering in my heart … “Come to me, Kathy.  Rely on me.  I am your strength.  I am your energy.  I am your wisdom.  I am your guidance.  Come on, Kathy.  Walk out and meet me on the water.”

To all of us today, and throughout this next year who feel overwhelmed and drowning: let’s get out of our boats.  Let’s have faith in the One who says, “Peace be still,” to the wind and the waves.  Let’s meet Him in the middle of our Lake of Life.  Let’s believe that He has the power and IS the power to see us through.  Let’s let the clock tick on and believe in the One who has control over it all.

Many years ago, my best friend from New York called me sobbing.  She was at work when she learned the sad news that her father had passed.  Her world revolved around the kind man, and it was a horrible tragedy.

She was at her desk and completely undone.  I asked her calmly to hand the phone to her co-worker.  From there, I orchestrated steps to get someone to drive her car and take her home.

I took steps to arrange flowers for the family, a plane ticket to get to her home, a ride for me from the airport and for us to the funeral.  I met with the family and helped with some funeral details. I cooked and cleaned and picked out her clothes for the funeral.    But mostly, I held my friend while she cried.  I wiped the tears while she wept.  I listened while she remembered.

A week went by and I had to head home to my own family and job.  I knew in my heart that God had used me to bring comfort.

But something happened.  About three weeks later I received a phone call from the same friend.  “You never helped me or did a thing when my dad died!” she exclaimed.  I was in utter shock.  What?  Huh?   But, I was there, took off from my job, bought a ticket, held your hand, and on and on my thoughts raced.  This was the aftermath of grief.

I began to understand something about comfort at a deeper level that day.  The tragedy occurs, the comfort is needed.  God sends you and me into the situation to deliver that comfort.  But it’s always during the space between tragedy and shock.

My friend remembered the tragedy, but in the moments and hours of shock, she did not remember anything else.  Her mind was blurry.  She knew I was with her, but it never dawned on her that anything else was done except showing up. She couldn’t remember what took place, only that she lost her daddy.

What happens in that space between?  God calls us, God allows us, God uses us.  We head in to the moments of pain and we live in them with the one who needs God’s comfort most.  What we do in those moments is important to God, and detrimental to that person’s stability, courage and faith.

But the key is this:  we don’t get the glory.  God gets the glory.

We don’t need the kudos, the attention, the crowd clapping; we just need to know these are the moments when we are the hands and feet of Jesus.  It’s not about who we are, but about Whose we are.  We are being used.

Our hearts must be focused on the need of others and not on ourselves.

In Matthew 26, Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He knows the tragedy is coming, but in those moments, He needs His friends’ comfort.  But they cannot give it.  They are tired from discipling, they are weary and worn.

“Wake up!  Just stay awake for a little while. Be with me.  Comfort me.”  Jesus says.

They cannot comfort.  They don’t understand what’s going to happen.

In the moments between tragedy and shock, just before reality settles in, God gives generous doses of comfort.  In the moments of comfort, God delivers courage.  It comes from the places of His heart.  It’s in His Word, His nature, His people, and His Spirit.  We just need to look and we will see it.

Recently, my good friend’s husband died.  It was a tragedy and a shock.  In those moments in the dark corridors of tragedy and shock, she pulled me in close and hugged me at the funeral.  She whispered, “Thanks for being here with me.  Thank you for your comfort, because it’s giving me strength.”  She got it.  She understood that in the moments of grief and pain, God’s comfort was delivering courage.

[callout]There lies the answer of the place in between.  In the comfort … we deliver God’s courage.  In the space … we deliver His strength. [/callout]

That’s our purpose when tragedy strikes.  No fan-fare.  No attention-seeking.  No self-centeredness.  Just the hands and feet of Christ.  That’s where God’s work is done … in the space between.

The Farmer is kind and gentle.  He’s not boastful and he’s pretty good at being humble.  So when he gives feedback, it doesn’t sting.

I tried on a fabulous jacket that I loved and my sweet husband said, ” Mam, I don’t think it looks good.”  I said, “Huh?  What are you saying to me?”

He answered, “I’m not sure.  Either it’s the color or it’s the cut.  The other one you tried on looked better.  This, well … uh, it’s not so good.”

And then I saw it.  I really saw it.  I went to the large mirror at the back of the store and saw what Dean saw.  It didn’t look so great.  Bunched up in the back, too short in the sleeves and really made me look like I had jumped from upstairs to get into it.  But the funny thing was all along, I thought it felt good … I felt happy so it must look good.

Today, this same scenario makes me think of my everyday life and what God’s been talking to me about.  The older I get, the more experience I have had with the talents, gifts, and jobs I carry out in life.

Lately, wherever I go, people seem to overlook my years of hard work and trying to be humble, I avoid stating (although I really want to), “But I’ve been a Director of Worship & Creative Arts for 35 years, ” or “Wait!  I’ve been a professional musician for 35+ years, wrote 5 books, have had my own bands, sung commercials for 8 years on radio, started my own business, blah … blah … blah.

You see if you’re reading this, you don’t want to be impressed by my resume.  You want to be impressed by my kindness, my gentleness, my Christ-likeness.

But this week (and last) I was pushed by people challenging my knowledge, my skill-set and abilities.  I reached in the back of my mind for my manual of all I’ve done, when suddenly it dawned on me.  The Apostle Paul, one of the most respected apostles in scripture (who taught, preached, healed, wrote 13 New Testament books blah, blah, blah) didn’t start off his letter to the Romans with:

“Let me prove my value.  Here’s all I’ve done.  Doesn’t it look good on me?”

Nope.  He said these words, “This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.”  He could have said, “I, the Apostle Paul …” But instead, he put the truth first.  As a Christ-follower he was an incredible man, but he wore his humility beautifully. Like a perfect fitted suit coat.  First comes the “slave of Christ …” and then he moves on to calling himself an apostle.

The couple of people last week who wanted to boast and brag and let me know that they were sure I didn’t know anything, well, I just gently reminded myself of Paul.  No proving.  No bragging.  No remembering.  No comparison.  And definitely no competition.  Let the others wear their coats and as the Farmer said, not look so good.

You see, I want to wear my jacket of humility right there for everyone to see.  Like Paul.  Like Farmer Dean.  Like Jesus Christ.

What’s humility look like on you?

Pellentesque consectetur massa nec nulla fermentum, at tincidunt elit volutpat. Duis vulputate placerat tortor, sit amet eleifend mauris tincidunt sit amet. Aliquam a maximus ligula. Phasellus nec sapien sed tellus tempor eleifend id a erat. Donec convallis bibendum posuere. Quisque mollis imperdiet malesuada. Suspendisse eget dictum massa.

Phasellus ac posuere nibh, in finibus nulla. In diam arcu, luctus sit amet condimentum sit amet, tristique et leo. Sed tincidunt justo a porttitor tristique. Nulla eu metus tincidunt, ornare magna ullamcorper, semper lacus. Quisque vitae porttitor odio, id tincidunt tellus. Fusce a suscipit eros. Proin sit amet risus fermentum, lobortis quam sed, consequat velit. Quisque sit amet ultricies lorem. Phasellus scelerisque ipsum eget ipsum posuere suscipit. Proin id molestie mauris, a venenatis ipsum. Quisque efficitur, nibh a dapibus mollis, metus tortor fermentum ante, non pellentesque mi magna non leo. Integer quis sem hendrerit, euismod dolor id, dapibus nulla. Maecenas non ultrices lorem. Pellentesque lobortis, diam eget feugiat lacinia, ante augue ullamcorper tortor, vel ornare sapien lacus pharetra quam.

Pellentesque consectetur massa nec nulla fermentum, at tincidunt elit volutpat. Duis vulputate placerat tortor, sit amet eleifend mauris tincidunt sit amet. Aliquam a maximus ligula. Phasellus nec sapien sed tellus tempor eleifend id a erat. Donec convallis bibendum posuere. Quisque mollis imperdiet malesuada. Suspendisse eget dictum massa.

Phasellus ac posuere nibh, in finibus nulla. In diam arcu, luctus sit amet condimentum sit amet, tristique et leo. Sed tincidunt justo a porttitor tristique. Nulla eu metus tincidunt, ornare magna ullamcorper, semper lacus. Quisque vitae porttitor odio, id tincidunt tellus. Fusce a suscipit eros. Proin sit amet risus fermentum, lobortis quam sed, consequat velit. Quisque sit amet ultricies lorem. Phasellus scelerisque ipsum eget ipsum posuere suscipit. Proin id molestie mauris, a venenatis ipsum. Quisque efficitur, nibh a dapibus mollis, metus tortor fermentum ante, non pellentesque mi magna non leo. Integer quis sem hendrerit, euismod dolor id, dapibus nulla. Maecenas non ultrices lorem. Pellentesque lobortis, diam eget feugiat lacinia, ante augue ullamcorper tortor, vel ornare sapien lacus pharetra quam.

[callout]Have you ever wondered if people really take time to focus on the real Christmas story, and what Christmas is truly about? Join Dr. Cox, a zany psychiatrist who has taken a break from her practice to direct the local community Christmas play, and the Samuelson family, who will try to help her, as they explore the true meaning of Christmas.[/callout]

[headline h=”3″]Listen now. . .[/headline]
[headline h=”5″]Part III[/headline]

[hr]

[headline h=”5″]Part II[/headline]

[hr]

[headline h=”5″]Part I[/headline]

[hr]

[hr]

[headline h=”2″]CAST[/headline]

Narrator, Jessica, Angel-Kathy Weckwerth

Dr. Cox, Scripture Narrator, Shepherd-Traci Cox

Sandy Samuelson, Jessica, Shepherd, Mary- Diane Bakker

Brent Samuelson, InnsKeeper, Scripture Narrator, Shepherd, Joseph—Tyler Bakker

Brad Samuelson, Child Narrator-James Bakker

Garth Hjelte-Justin

[callout]Have you ever wondered if people really take time to focus on the real Christmas story, and what Christmas is truly about? Join Dr. Cox, a zany psychiatrist who has taken a break from her practice to direct the local community Christmas play, and the Samuelson family, who will try to help her, as they explore the true meaning of Christmas.[/callout]

[headline h=”3″]Listen now, as the set is being built for the community drama. . .[/headline]

[headline h=”5″]Part II[/headline]

[hr]

[headline h=”5″]Part I[/headline]

[hr]

[headline h=”2″]CAST[/headline]

Narrator, Jessica, Angel-Kathy Weckwerth

Dr. Cox, Scripture Narrator, Shepherd-Traci Cox

Sandy Samuelson, Jessica, Shepherd, Mary- Diane Bakker

Brent Samuelson, InnsKeeper, Scripture Narrator, Shepherd, Joseph—Tyler Bakker

Brad Samuelson, Child Narrator-James Bakker

Garth Hjelte-Justin

[callout]Have you ever wondered if people really take time to focus on the real Christmas story, and what Christmas is truly about? Join Dr. Cox, a zany psychiatrist who has taken a break from her practice to direct the local community Christmas play, and the Samuelson family, who will try to help her, as they explore the true meaning of Christmas.[/callout]

[headline h=”3″]Listen now, as the story unfolds. . .[/headline]

[headline h=”5″]Part I[/headline]

[hr]

[headline h=”2″]CAST[/headline]

Narrator, Jessica, Angel-Kathy Weckwerth

Dr. Cox, Scripture Narrator, Shepherd-Traci Cox

Sandy Samuelson, Jessica, Shepherd, Mary- Diane Bakker

Brent Samuelson, InnsKeeper, Scripture Narrator, Shepherd, Joseph—Tyler Bakker

Brad Samuelson, Child Narrator-James Bakker

Garth Hjelte-Justin

It seems like every time I have to go into the doctor’s for my annual exam, I’m scared, and consequently it seems to make my blood pressure high.  Should I be concerned and what can I do to lower my blood pressure? 

You are describing what is commonly known as “white coat hypertension”. When I first became a physician, doctors believed that this was nothing to worry about, and the high blood pressure resulted due to an individual’s anxiety about going to see the doctor.

New studies with home blood pressure monitoring, have shown that this higher blood pressure is present ANY TIME a person is anxious, stressed, excited, or even just very busy.

The blood pressure readings that are considered normal are now under 130 for the systolic (top number in the reading) and under 85 for the diastolic (lower number in the reading).  Medical experts now know that even moderate (10 point or more) elevations above these cutoff numbers can raise the risk of stroke or heart disease.

I now tell my patients that “white coat hypertension” is TRUE hypertension, and we need to have the discussion on starting medication to manage this.

Yours in health and in Him,

Dr  Deb