If you're reading this, you're at least interested in what it means to fast and what the benefits might actually be.  In the Jewish culture, fasting was a part of their tradition and actually rules of Jewish law that were expected to be followed.  Just like so many other rules and laws, Jesus came to fulfill all of them.  We are free in Jesus and not under rules or law.  However, there are so many benefits that God set up for the Jewish people before Jesus made his appearance as a man that we can glean from today, and I personally have found fasting to be one of them. 

In all of my 53 years on earth, I was never once encouraged to fast.  I wasn't familiar with it other than reading it in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, but I just assumed it didn't apply to me since I had never learned about it in any of my Bible classes or sermons that were preached.  Not once.  In 2021 that changed.  An entire church had committed to do this together as they prayed specifically for things in their community, their families and individually.  I found this inspiring and intriguing as, again, I'd never even considered doing this.

Fasting is an immediate way to point yourself to Jesus.  We all know the pang of hunger in some form or fashion.  The idea of fasting is to push through that pang and look to Jesus, asking Him to fill you instead of rushing to the fridge, pantry or nearest drive-thru.  It's definitely not what we're used to here in America.  

If you've made it this far, you may be truly considering it.  I'm so so impressed with you! Fasting is an individual decision. However, you must commit to it BEFORE you start, or you will be tempted to change it and rationalize that change as you move forward.  Here is what I have done for the last 3 years, and it is what I will do for 21 days starting January 1 of 2025:

Week 1 

4 glasses of juice per day.  I'm not a juice-girl, so this was already a challenge for me. I bought quite a few small bottles in the produce section at the grocery store the first year and narrowed it to what I can actually get down.  Some people also substitute one or two of these glasses per day with broth.  That was a line too far in the sand for me. I also drink water all day long.

Read one chapter of the book of John each day. Get to know Jesus by his own words and actions as an adult man. Learn how he interacted with his disciples, his enemies and how he treated those around him. His goal was (and is) to lead us to the Father.  Read in His own words how He does that. There are 21 chapters. Kinda perfect.

Watch at least one episode of The Chosen.  Start from the beginning.  It's on Amazon Prime, but it also has its own app which is FREE to download and watch on any of your devices.  Watch it alone the first time if you have not yet started.  It's so very personal, and you don't want to miss even a moment of each episode, so don't have your phone nearby. Unplug from everything and everyone for that hour each day and soak in the visual images and audio elements of what Jesus could have been like in real flesh. 

Pray.  Pray specifically for what God has in store for you over the next few days, weeks, months, year.  Watch.  Listen.

Week 2

4 glasses of juice per day + a dinner meal of strictly vegetables.  Get creative.  You can start chewing this week, ha! Water all day long.

Keep reading one chapter of John.

Keep watching at least one episode of The Chosen. (When you get to Season 2, Episode 1, go back and read John 1:1-18 again.  You will be moved to tears at how personal Jesus is for you. I can't wait to hear about this from everyone!)

Pray.  Pray specifically for what God has in store for you over the next few days, weeks, months, year.  Watch.  Listen.

Week 3

4 glasses of juice per day, a dinner meal of strictly vegetables, a protein drink at lunchtime. Water all day long. 

Keep reading one chapter of John.

Keep watching at least one episode of The Chosen.  

Pray.  Pray specifically for what God has in store for you over the next few days, weeks, months, year.  Watch.  Listen.

This is my personal journey. Choose one that is right for you.

One note I'd like to address: Biblical fasting is restricted to food.  Others may "fast" from social media, hobbies, alcohol, etc. God set up fasting to include food. If you'd like to "abstain" from those other things, that sounds fantastic, but it's not a fast.  Fasting is difficult at best and causes some days of physical suffering, but you will be SHOCKED at how God will pull you along.  Some days, and this may sound crazy, you might not even feel hungry, and you will have to remember to go drink that glass of juice. 

Days 2 and 5 are usually the hardest for me at first.  It's like my body is saying, "ok, i know you probably forgot yesterday, but let's get back to this eating thing..." You'll have a couple of days when you don't think you can do it.  YOU CAN WITH GOD! Cry out to Him.  Once completed, you will have accomplished something you may have never thought you could.  Your body will feel great, your soul will feel refreshed, and your relationship with Jesus will become closer than you ever expected. 

ALSO, please comment on this blog each day or any day you feel encouraged or discouraged.  Let's share together what verse hit you directly or how God revealed something to you.  Some days will be harder while some days will be easier.  Let's encourage each other.  This is your personal fasting group!  Welcome!

Get ready to fall in Love with Jesus in 21 days! 

My parents’ generation knows exactly where they were when they heard the news that President Kennedy was shot. My generation also has a worldview-altering moment: when we heard terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Center.

I had just taken Reed, age 6, to school that morning and stopped on the way to pick up fresh flowers for a friend’s birthday. I walked him to his Kindergarten class, set the flowers on my friend’s desk, said my hey’s and good morning’s to teachers and other parents and started my drive back home. Jase was home with Cole, age 3, who had shown signs of the chicken pox the night before. I would have normally gone to my job at The Woman's Clinic that day but, after seeing the spots on Cole that Monday night, called my boss and told him I would be staying home with my little boy who would surely be sick the next day. A normal morning with normal errands and normal challenges.

My mom called me while I was in the car. I couldn’t believe what she was telling me. I turned into my driveway and ran into the house to see if I could find out more about the horrific plane accident on the news. As Jase and I watched the next few minutes unfold, we had two different reactions: I started crying and Jase became visibly angry. He left the house for Duck Commander (still located at his parents’ house) because he couldn’t bare to watch after the first tower fell. I sat on the end of my coffee table and watched Shepherd Smith for hours. Cole, who was earlier vaccinated for chicken pox, fortunately never showed any signs of feeling bad. He played and napped normally while the world seemed like it was collapsing.

I don’t remember picking up Reed that day from school. I don’t remember cooking dinner or putting the boys to bed that night. I just remember my shock, sadness and eventual anger.

Exactly two years later, 9/11/03, I was at my prenatal appointment, pregnant with a baby girl who we knew would be born with physical challenges, the extent we were unsure. I was having my own physical challenges, severe enough that my doctor wanted to admit me ASAP and deliver the baby. It’s a somber day of remembrance. It still felt like yesterday. I worked with most of these healthcare workers for years, including my doctor. We all stole as many moments as we could to catch glimpses on the waiting room TV’s during those horrific hours, days and weeks after 9/11, all while doing our jobs, all while grieving for our fellow Americans, all while trying to figure out what the future of America even looked like for us and our children.

I begged my doctor, if at all possible, to let me wait until the next day to deliver Mia. Please don’t let her have a 9/11 birthday. She already has such obstacles to overcome. I won that battle with the compromise of being watched closely in an effort to wait just a few more hours before giving birth. At that time to me, 9/11 meant death, grief, sadness, a heaviness, an anger I couldn’t even fathom moving on from, even two years later. But the next day, 9/12/03, was coming. Hope was on its way. The sun was destined to rise again. That next day brought to me and Jase a new life, beauty, sweetness, unity and tears of joy. It also brought new challenges and fears, ones we would face together. Hope!

Make no mistake: 9/11 happened because evil exists. It’s not a gray area. Evil doesn’t have good days or moments of kindness. Evil IS “businesslike”. Its business is to steal, kill and destroy in whatever way it deems necessary!

Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy (9/11); I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (9/12) .” (My additions in parenthesis)

We remember and pray for the families of the 2,977 innocent people who were murdered 20 years ago by evildoers. Most of us saw those murders in real time, and we will NEVER forget it.

When we wake tomorrow, we will mourn. We are all 9/11 families because it effected all of us in some way. But 9/12 is coming. Sunday we celebrate new life because we have hope. We celebrate Jesus, who MAKES life. With Jesus, life doesn’t end with the last heartbeat! Life is forever. Jesus is forever. Jesus is our hope.

Don’t let the business of evil cause you to live in fear. With Jesus, we are conquerors!

Where were you on 9/11?
More importantly, where will you be on 9/12?

Today has been a glorious day for my family! After worshipping together this morning and before we ate our meal, we gathered together around WAY too much food and prayed.  Alan stated that, while we celebrate our risen Savior every day, we acknowledge today that millions of people are also celebrating Him! For 24 hours all around the entire world, there will be people praising our risen Lord out loud and on purpose.  What a day this is!  

After being lied about, arrested, abandoned, tortured and murdered, Jesus then appeared first to a woman.  The Creator of the universe, the one who walked on water, transported his disciples across the sea in an instant, raised Lazarus from a 4-day-old grave, the instigator of time, space and dimensions could have easily appeared to the chief priests, Pharisees and rulers with a resounding, “Look at me! I’m alive! I told you so!”

But instead, he quietly spoke to Mary Magdalene, who was crying at the site of that empty tomb.  See, she thought someone had stolen the body of her friend, and she so wanted to honor it with her spices and ointments.

John 20:11ff  “but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’

“’They have taken my Lord away, and I don’t know where they have put him.’ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

“’Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?'

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ’Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’  Jesus said to her, 'Mary.'

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic ‘Rabboni!’”

John says she went back to the disciples and said, “I have seen the Lord!”

Jesus appeared to his disciples that night.  With the disciples still frightened for their lives, they were hiding in a room in the city with the doors locked.  Jesus came and stood among them.  Again, instigator of time, space and dimensions.  He said, “Peace be with you.”

Can you imagine?  I’m sure the reason Jesus said that is because they were all petrified with fear.  He then immediately charged them with a task: “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

I think a similar phrase would be, “Pull up your big boy pants.  You have work to do.”

Jesus appeared to his disciples twelve times in the forty days after his resurrection.  He ate fish with them and fed them spiritually.  For all the doubts each of them had before, they would all die a martyr’s death (except for John) because of their belief in Him.  They went from running away from Jesus that Thursday night to running to the entire world telling them about Him.  They spend the rest of their lives trying to convince all people to turn their lives over to Jesus. 

These simple blog posts have had one purpose: to turn your attention and efforts into getting to know Jesus a bit more.  Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.” He doesn’t change with the culture.  He doesn’t change because the rulers and authorities disagree with Him.  He doesn’t change. Period.

If you want to know who Jesus is right now, read the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  They show his words, his humor, his compassion, his mercy, his kindness.  They also show his boldness for Truth.  Overall, they show his love. 

The cross and the empty tomb both give us hope. 

Cross: we can have all of our sins removed.  No more guilt.  No more shame.

Empty Tomb: we can live forever, celebrating together, with our Savior.

Don’t miss Jesus.  He is everything!

In the dark hours of early Friday morning, with no one to accompany him or represent him legally, Jesus is not taken to a jail cell, which is the normal procedure when someone is arrested.  He is taken into the palace of the former high priest, Annas, Caiaphas’ father-in-law.  It is also still during the night, which is of significance because it is against the laws of the Jewish nation to try anyone during the nighttime hours.  This did not stop Annas, Caiaphas, or any of the chief priests.  Actually, this was the plan ever since Judas suggested it. 

Most of the thousands of people were still sleeping when this siege occurred, and those who were beginning to wake in the early morning hours before dawn had no idea that this illegal interrogation was happening inside the inner sanctum of the palace, the home of Annas.

The first blow came hard to Jesus.  With his hands bound, he could not defend himself.  The questions came one after another.  Jesus was mostly silent, and when he did answer, he did so with questions for them.  Up to this point, the most egregious offense was Jesus disrupting the flow of money in the temple on Monday, thus slowing the income of those of rank.  Was this enough to satisfy this scene, especially taking place in secret in the dead of night.  How will they explain this to the people in the morning and still keep their respect? They needed more.

Jesus doesn’t speak.

The guards continue beating him.

Even though the laws required that Jesus be tried in the most public place, the temple courts, Jesus was moved for his trial before the Sanhedrin.  This is still not a legal move on the part of the high priest, but time is a major factor.  People have begun to stir and news of Jesus being arrested has started to weave its way through the streets.  A few have even made their way into the courtyard to catch a glimpse of this most unusual scene.  Lies and false witnesses are brought forth to testify against Jesus. 

Matthew 26:63b-64a “The high priest then said to him, ‘I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.’

‘Yes, it is as you say.’ Jesus replied.” 

Those words alone were enough to try him with just cause.

Matthew 26:64b-67 “’But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.’ Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?’

‘He is worthy of death,’ they answered.

Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, ‘Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?’”

They continued beating him for several more hours.

It is daylight now, and the high priest now brings the vote to the floor of the Sanhedrin.  He is convicted.  Now to get the Romans on board.  It will be up to them to do the actual crucifying. The responsibility of the chief priests is only to try and convict.  It is up to Rome to kill.  The Jews don’t dirty their hands or their consciences with the act of murder. Caiaphas must convince Pilate that Jesus is worthy of this punishment.  But he also knows Jesus has broken no Roman laws.  He will have to be sly in his proposal.

Jesus is marched through the streets to Pilate’s palace.  The Jews dare not enter because it is the Passover, and they will become “unclean” if they enter a Gentile’s home. So Pilate must come out to them.  Already, Pilate is annoyed.

Just as Caiaphas predicts, Pilate asks what offense Jesus has broken against Rome.

John 18 records: “If he were not a criminal, would we have handed him over to you?” Caiaphas replies.

Sly.

Pilate then says, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” the chief priests say.

Upon more questioning, Pilate discovers Jesus is from Galilee.  He is not even under Pilate’s jurisdiction.  Perfect!  He sends him to Herod.  Let him deal with this!

Jesus makes another trek through the city streets to the much larger and lavish palace.  Its grounds are extensive with pools, fountains, statues, trees and beautiful flowers.  They lead Jesus up the steps.  They NEED to hand him off quickly!

But Herod is only intrigued by this Jesus.  He’s heard of the Nazarene who does miracles and even tries to have Jesus perform one in front of him.  When Jesus does not comply, Herod, seeing absolutely no reason to execute another man who has claimed to be holy (he is still haunted by the execution of John the Baptist) sends him back to Pilate.  He wants nothing to do with this whole charade!

It is still morning.  Jesus is dragged back to Pilate.  Pilate wants Jesus to defend himself.  It shouldn’t be that hard.  He hasn’t really done anything.  Pilate asks him if he is a king among the Jews.  Jesus answers that his kingdom is not of this world.  Pilate is amused!  “So you ARE king of the Jews!”

Seeing and stating to the chief priests and rulers that he and Herod see no reason to kill this man, he will order him to be punished and released.  Jesus is then stripped, forced to kneel down and tied to a scourging pole.  Two Roman soldiers, trained in this very act of torture, take turns in scourging Jesus with leather strips tied to wooden handles.  Each strip of leather has small bits of bone and metal pieces of sharp objects.  The purpose is to inflict the skin and drag it away from the body.  When the skin is gone, these objects go deeper into the tendrils and muscles and pull them apart. 

Jesus is being tortured.

In the midst of this, a homemade crown was placed on Jesus’ head, made from a vine of thorns.  It was pushed deep into his skull.

After this round of torture, Pilate again tried to release Jesus.  But the chief priests and officials yelled, “Crucify! Crucify!”

Pilate then remembered a loop-hole that was not used very often, and since he was not a Jew, he had almost forgotten completely about it!  Because it was the Passover, he was allowed to set one prisoner free as a gift to them for their silly little Passover tradition.  He will just offer a choice to the people.  Surely this will be just a formality; Jesus will be released; And he can go back to his regular duties.  To Pilate’s dismay, when he offers them a choice between the murderer, Barabbas, and Jesus, they oddly chose Barabbas.

John 19:12ff, “From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting…”Crucify him! Take him away! Crucify him!”

While this trial began under the cover of night and behind closed doors, it ended in the middle of public view, where all could see, hear and participate.  By this time, the people who were amazed by Jesus were either scared or caught up in a mob mentality.  There was no one there to defend Jesus. 

Jesus was led away to be crucified.

It is mid-morning now, and the entire city is awake and bustling.  Thousands of people have heard by now.  Those who were there either wanted to see the show put on by the Roman soldiers and feed their curiosity about these horrendous criminals or felt some way pulled to see the kind-hearted man who only seemed to make people around him happier, except the rulers, of course.  What did they miss about this man from Galilee? 

Jesus carried the crossbeam of the cross through the city streets outside the city walls and up the hill to Golgotha, which could be seen from the city, being beaten the entire way.  Upon reaching the hill, the Roman soldiers stretched Jesus’ arms out across the beam and drove large nails through his hands and feet.  They lift him to be seen by everyone. It was 9am.

His clothes were divided among the soldiers, and a sign that Pilate wrote was placed above the cross reading,  “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

It is Passover.  Most of the people are celebrating just a few feet away in the temple courts.  They have forgotten about Jesus.  Obviously, he isn’t who he claimed to be or he would have struck down the guards when they tried to arrest him.  Whoever that man is hanging on the cross up there is an imposter in their eyes.  Aren’t they glad they didn’t fall for that! He could have really messed up their Passover traditions and celebrations. 

What strikes me as most ironic is that while so many of the Jewish people were using this Passover time to pray to their Father to end their suffering, sweetly and innocently thanking Him for all of their blessings of children, food and family, begging Him to send them the Messiah they have been longing for their entire life and for generations before them, He was right there within their view. Even in their ignorance, His love for them was overwhelming his emotions.  He cried out to the Father, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

At Noon, darkness falls across the entire land.

At the ninth hour, Jesus said, “It is finished.” He breathed his last breath.

Few people were there.  Jesus’ mother Mary, Mary Magdalene and John.  The temple was full of families dancing and praising, and the chief priests and teachers of the law were making their rounds with their noses in the air.  They were back in power again with no cause for alarm. 

Then the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  That must have been a sight to those in charge.  The people no longer needed the high priest to defend the them inside the Holy of Holy’s.  At that moment, God the Father was approachable by anyone and everyone who sought Him. 

Jesus’ body was taken down and placed in a tomb just a few feet away.  Joseph of Arimethea asked if he could place Jesus inside the tomb he owned, which was close by and surrounded by a beautiful garden.  It was large and expensive.  It was his honor.  Mary Magdalene watched on.  The stone was rolled against the entrance. 

It was done.

Jesus was the pure, unblemished lamb whose blood was poured out for my sins.  No longer were those perfect little lambs needed for our salvation.  Jesus paid it all.

We all think we know what we would do when push comes to shove.  But so did the apostles.  And they all deserted Jesus in his hour of need. 

Thursday of Holy Week is a day of preparation for the Passover.  Since the tradition calls for purity, the Jewish women are busy with their assigned chores of cleaning everything and everyone from top to bottom in their households before presenting themselves, their sacrificial lamb and unleavened breads for the Passover meal the following day.  The men are finding and securing that lamb.  It is a task that is most important in this tradition.  The lamb must be one year old, must be male and must have no imperfections whatsoever.  Most of the Jewish families at this point in the week were no longer distracted by tensions in the temple or anything else for that matter.  They were focused and on task.

Jesus’ disciples were also busy securing a room in town, but their dinner would be tonight, not tomorrow night, for Jesus knew this would be their last night together.

The room is reserved, dinner menu has been ordered and prepared and the apostles and Jesus have just arrived. They filter into this room, chatting and taking off their sandals as is the custom in most indoor spaces.  Jesus chose his dining spot, and the apostles gathered around the low table and began to sit on the pillows that were awaiting them.  Once the meal was being served, Jesus got up from his place, removed his outer garment, filled a basin with water and started washing the feet of his closest friends.  Remember that they have not only walked from Bethany, about two miles away, but when they arrived in the city, some of them were going from merchant to merchant making the preparations for the meal tonight. With the combination of their open sandals and the dirt-filled paths of the city streets, their feet were dusty and quite smelly.  The common practice of washing guests’ feet would fall to the servants of households.  If there were no servants in the household, the members of the family and even guests would be responsible for cleaning their own feet before entering the home, especially at dinner time.

Since this group of misfits did not have the money to keep a servant in tow these last few years, they were responsible for keeping their own feet clean.  They didn’t anticipate having someone there to wash their feet, and they never in their wildest dreams expected that someone to be Jesus.  Jesus not only tenderly washed their feet, but he also took the time and attention to dry them with the towel that he had wrapped around his waist. I imagine that, while Jesus was bent over in front of them, the apostles were looking at each other, wide-eyed and maybe even shrugging their shoulders with the body language that indicated they didn’t know what to do but no one dared to open their mouth in question.  Except Peter, of course.

John 13:6-10 “‘No, said Peter, ‘you shall never wash my feet.’

Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.’

‘Then, Lord,’ Simon Peter replied, ‘not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!’

Jesus answered, ‘A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.’” Meaning Judas Iscariot.

Jesus then returns to his place at the table and goes on to explain to them that he has just set an example for what he wants them to do for others. “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” John 13:14

Jesus had so much more to tell his closest friends that night. There was an overwhelming need for him to relay his insights, his desires for them to continue to seek the Father, to comfort them in what was about to happen but to also encourage them to stay the course.  He wanted to get on with this because he knew time was of the essence.  However, the tension of sitting next to the one who had already betrayed him to the chief priests and rulers was interfering in his quest for teaching the rest of these chosen few.  He felt the need to clear the room of this traitor first.

“Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, ‘I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me’; His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, ‘Ask him which one he means.’

Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, ‘Lord, who is it?’ Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon.

As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered him. ‘What you are about to do, do quickly,’” John 13:21-27

Judas took the bread and left quickly. Since the rest of the disciples did not hear John’s question to Jesus nor Jesus’ answer since they were sitting right next to each other, the disciples assumed Judas left to buy something that was needed for tomorrow’s Passover Feast.

When Judas left, it was already night.

Jesus takes those next few hours to continue with his teachings and instructions to the apostles.  He also told them that on this very night, they will all fall away from him, meaning they will all flee from his side. None of them could believe what they were hearing from the one they loved so dearly.  In their minds, nothing could make them leave the side of the amazing Christ!  They’ve watched him straighten crippled legs, restore a blind man’s sight, raise a dead little girl from her bed and even bring their friend, Lazarus, back to life after four days in a tomb! Nothing could tear them from his side. Nothing! They believe with all their heart that he is the Messiah.

Peter seems to be the most offended by this outrageous claim and steps up verbally with an emphatic, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.”

Jesus looks at his friends with sadness in his eyes but an overflowing love and compassion in his heart and says to Peter, “This very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” Jesus had already forgiven each one of these men before they even had a chance to do him wrong.

I can only imagine this scenario as if it were with my own children.  In my heart, I know that there is nothing they can ever do to me or against me that I won’t forgive them.  Disappointment, anger, even disgust are all likely upon a betrayal, but not a lack of forgiveness.  I see Jesus’ compassion for these men.  I see the hurt he must have felt knowing they would all desert him in a few hours’ time.  I deduce he even felt sorry for the feelings of guilt they would experience because of their actions.  And yet, he still loved them and treated them as loyal friends.

The weight of what he was about to experience felt daunting and heavy on Jesus.  He did what we do when we feel this way, or at least what we should do.  After dinner, he went to a familiar, secluded place where he could be alone with the Father.  He laid all of his thoughts and feelings and requests before Him.  He prayed with earnestness.  He begged and pleaded with his Father to find another way for the sins of the world to be erased.  He didn’t want to go through it. He felt such distress and anxiety over his impending suffering, that even his sweat turned into blood.  When he realized the answer he sought was not coming to fruition, he said to his loving Father, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

My family was able to visit the garden of Gethsemane in the summer of 2018. We walked the beautiful pathways lined with flowering bushes and trees.  The colors, smells and beauty of this garden were breathtaking. We also saw just how close it was to the side gate of the temple.  When Jesus finished praying and was standing with his disciples, he could see the torches coming through that gate, appearing one by one as the parade of Jewish leaders and soldiers made their way toward him.  It’s so close that he could make out some of the faces, even in the darkness of night. I remember being emotionally overwhelmed in this little garden.  This was where the tide turned for Jesus. This was where Jesus could have changed the course of the next few hours.  This was it.  His last chance to flee and come up with another plan! But he didn’t.

Jesus stood still.  He just stood still and watched them come.

The group was led by none other than Judas, who walked straight to Jesus, kissed him and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” This was the signal for the soldiers to know which man to arrest.

Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for.” Matthew 26:50

Friend?!

I’m fairly confident that’s not the noun I would have used.

All four gospels then expound on Jesus being seized, arrested, bound and taken to Caiaphas and his cohorts.  But not before Peter pulled his sword and cut off one of the solder’s ears! Peter was making good on his claim that he would not leave Jesus’ side.  In fact, he was going to battle right then and there for Jesus!

But Jesus rebuked Peter and calmly placed his hand on the soldier’s face and restored his ear.  I’ve always wondered how this soldier could then carry on his duties without doubting their validity.  No doubt he had heard about Jesus’ miracles and most likely had even heard him teaching in the temple courts, but now he was a recipient of what otherwise would have been a major disfigurement, life-long disability and possibly death if the bleeding could not have been stopped.  But in a matter of seconds, it was like it never happened. Jesus showed him kindness when he could have easily ignored him.

Jesus was lead out of the garden, down the hill and right back into that side gate of the temple where a long night was just beginning.  It was after midnight, and all but Peter and John had already deserted him, fleeing for safety from their own possible arrests, and even those two kept at a distance. 

Jesus had been deserted.

Just as Jesus predicted, Peter shrunk back into the shadows not once, not twice but three times over the next few hours, denying that he even knew Jesus, afraid for his life.  The third time his voice rose and even cursed in reply,

“I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed…and he went outside and wept bitterly.”

It was now officially Friday morning.

We've all been hurt by people we trusted. We have spent time with them and invested some of our most sacred secrets. We trusted them because they showed us reasons why they claimed to love us.  And maybe they did love us, but their own selfish reasons of jealousy or disappointment interfered.  We know what betrayal feels like because we're human.  Maybe we have even been a betrayer.   

Jesus and his disciples spend this Wednesday back in Bethany with their friends. Yesterday was a long and trying day and night. Maybe Jesus was thinking more of his disciples’ weariness than his own. Maybe he just needed some down time. For whatever reason, the gospels show only two accounts of what happened that day.

The first was when Jesus, the disciples, and other friends were having dinner at the home of a man named Simon. Like so many other times that are recorded, they were reclining around the table, leaning on pillows and rugs, eating and enjoying each other’s company. If we know anything about Jesus at this point, we can assume he was also using opportunities in conversation to prepare them for what was about to happen to him and to them. During one of these conversations, one of the women there went to Jesus with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume. She opened it and slowly began pouring it on Jesus’ head.

Now this same thing happened just a few days ago at Lazarus’ home where Mary did a similar thing. Both of these acts of honor offended the apostles. These men had been with Jesus for almost three years, living on next to nothing, not knowing where their next meal would come from, going for days without a bath, and God only knows the last time they had a fresh tunic! Why in the world would these women waste so much money, months and months of earnings, to have this spilled all over Jesus, his clothes and the floor?!

Judas Iscariot verbally snapped at Jesus the first time in disgust at this wastefulness, but it seems that this evening, all of the disciples were appalled.

Matthew 26:8-9, “When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. ‘Why this waste?’ they asked. ‘This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.’” Jesus’ answer was shown with patience. He explained to them that, while they will always have the poor, they will not always have him. Then he said this, “When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial,” verse 11.

Is it just me, or do the women spending time with Jesus that week understand more of what is about to happen than his own apostles? They believe he is going to die. Why else would both of them risk that high-dollar luxury item? It’s probably the only thing of luxury they owned. Maybe it was like your one Coach bag that you only pull out for special occasions.  Or maybe you have your own expensive bottle of perfume that you dare use only a drop of on those rare date nights with your husband. Maybe it's that leather jacket you bought on your trip to Italy and keep in the back of your closet. You'd never dream of wearing it if there's even the slightest chance of rain for fear of ruining it with just one drop of water (okay, maybe that's just me!). Whatever your most expensive, prized luxury piece is—what possible reason could make you rip it open, spill it or destroy it, never to get it back, and be completely honored to do so?

These women knew in the depths of their hearts that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God! They loved him so deeply. They believed when he said he was going to die that it would be so.

Being women and caretakers of their households, they understood the traditions involved in preparing loved ones’ bodies for burial. Since embalming was not available then, all they could do for a corpse was to pour herbs and oil on it and wrap it tightly so that when the odor did start to escape, it would be somewhat less repulsive. The more you prepared the body, the better it was for its family members.

The faith of these women that week was shown in giving Jesus everything they had and expecting nothing in return. They were also prepared to give him more. They did not understand the resurrection yet. They definitely didn’t understand the suffering that was about to happen, but they did understand that God the Father delivered on his promise all those years ago. They knew he sent them the Messiah, the Son of Man, the Savior of the world, and they were actually in his presence! They had fallen deeply in love with the King of kings and desired that his body be respected and honored after his death.

But for Judas, this was the moment he decided all this was futile. How stupid can these women be! So much money down the drain, and for what? If Jesus really was the Christ, he wouldn’t let the rulers kill him. He would just call the angels to rescue him. And if he wasn’t the Christ, none of it matters anyway!

After dinner that evening, Judas snuck out of the house and started making his way back to the city. Would the guards even let him in the palace? He had to get to Caiaphas. He knew they’d been looking to arrest Jesus, and Judas knew he could be the ticket they needed, if only they’re willing to pay for it. And he thinks they will. He holds the winning lottery ticket on this one.

Along the way, he mutters to himself how ridiculous the last two years of his life had been. He’s done living in squalor. He starts making his way on the main road, passing Jewish families bedding their children down for the night. Many small fires are burning to keep people warm in the cool night air. The Passover is right around the corner, and Judas has never seen so many people packed in together! Some of them even recognize him as being with Jesus and wave in friendliness. Others come up to him and ask where Jesus is. He brushes them off and keeps moving toward the palace.

He’s dusty, perturbed, and smells a little rank since he didn’t take time to bathe after dinner. Would the guards even let him in? When he reached the doors and told them his plan, they lead the way. Caiaphas and the chief priests are gathered together in the assembly discussing possible scenarios to arrest Jesus when in walks one of Jesus’ own chosen few. At first they turn their noses up and step back from this filthy, lesser Jew. How did he get in here?!  When Judas starts speaking, they begin to walk slowly toward him.  Could this be possible?  This is the perfect answer to their dilemma. Sending their own spies yesterday to try to trick Jesus didn't work at all.  But having a spy within Jesus' own inner circle?! What a pleasant surprise that must have been. Not only did this Judas tell them he would gladly give Jesus over to them, he would do it for only 30 pieces of silver. They would have most likely paid much much more. But to Judas, 30 pieces was more than he had seen in years! They agreed immediately and paid him right there on the spot.

"So they counted out for him thirty silver coins.  From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over." Mark 26:15b-16.

At last, they have a solid plan! 

Judas had to walk back to Bethany hiding that bag of coins. He walked passed the sleeping Jewish children, the smoky smells of freshly prepared breads and foods and the kind, smiling faces who wished him well. If they only knew.

With the wafting smell of perfume still lingering in the air, Judas quietly laid his head on his pillow, not very far from the One he had just betrayed.

We’ve all had long days.  You know, the ones where the demands on your time and attention start from the moment you wake up and there’s no relief for even one second until the end of the day and sometimes long after the day has officially ended.  I certainly have known those recently while caring for my daughter, Mia, in the days following her latest surgery.  Even when the only energy I had came from the two and a half hours of interrupted sleep in the hospital, I somehow found no fatigue when it came to caring for her needs.  Trying to manage her pain, nausea, uncomfortableness from swelling, IV medications, and even breathing constriction, should be exhausting, but I found that I had more than enough strength to get me through those first few days.  God gave me exactly what I thought I needed and even more than I ever imagined in order to stay alert and on task for my daughter.  And if given the choice, I would do it again, because the positive result far outweighs the grind. This day during Holy Week was far more demanding on Jesus, to put it mildly.

Tuesday starts early for Jesus and his apostles.  After another night of comfort at their friends’, Martha, Mary and Lazarus, house and a good breakfast, they make their way into the city.  The tension has been building over the last two days, tension between Jesus and the chief priests, rulers and Pharisees.  Jesus knows today will be a long day of teaching those who want to learn more about him and this Kingdom he speaks of.  He also knows it will be a day full of animosity and utter hatred from those who would like nothing more than to see him gone, for good.  Yet his love is for his people, all people.  And there they were, already waiting in eagerness for him that day, both groups: those who were falling in love with him and those who already hated him.

No sooner did Jesus start teaching than the chief priests, teachers of the law and the elders called his validity into question.  “By what authority are you doing these things?” “Who gave you the authority to do this?” Jesus answered them by saying, “If you answer one question, then I will tell you. ‘Was John’s baptism from heaven or from men?’” Mark 11:27-34.  The Bible doesn’t tell us what these powerful men truly thought the answer was.  It only tells us (in multiple accounts) that they discussed what they should say in order to not turn the people against them.  So they answered, “We don’t know.”  Therefore, Jesus said, “then I’m not going to tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”  Basically, if you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you!  Isn’t that something we say (or at least think) when someone asks us an obvious question?  Like a husband asking his wife “What do you want for your birthday this year?” Are you kidding me? Did the 16 texts with attached links to the silver necklace and brown leather boots not give you any clues?!  Well, if you don’t know the answer, I’m not gonna tell you!  Ha!

Jesus became more and more bold throughout the day by teaching more parables for the people to hear and for the rulers to show offense. Mark 12:12, “Then they looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.”

One group down, two to go.

Jesus kept teaching to the growing crowds.

Next came the Pharisees and Herodians to try to trip him up.  If they can get him to insult a Roman ruler in front of all the people, that will be enough to get the Roman soldiers to stand by them when they arrest him. That could be the backup they need to ensure their safety while also removing Jesus from the people.  So they ask him if the Jewish people should pay taxes to Caesar. Everyone present knows that the Jewish people are being highly overtaxed by Rome.  If Jesus says out loud that this earthly government should not be respected or obeyed (something that the Jews would love to hear), then they’ve got him!

Looking at a coin with Caesar’s picture on it, Jesus says, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

Mark says in verse 17b, “And they were amazed at him.”

Two down, one to go.

Then it was the Sadducees’ turn.  These were the elite of the educated.  If they can’t trip him up, the rulers’ options are slim to none. They asked him about marriage after death, that if a woman is married more than once on this earth, being widowed seven times, who will be her husband at the resurrection.  That’s it? Good grief.  After educating them on the resurrection and the true power of God, Jesus tells them, “He is not a God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!” Mark 12:27

One of the teachers of the law overheard this last exchange and noted Jesus’ “good answer”. He had one last question for Jesus.  Now, keep in mind that in the Jewish laws, there were hundreds and hundreds of commands, all of which the Jewish people were expected to keep.  This teacher of the law knows all of these laws.  It’s his area of expertise.  He is there to teach them to the people as well as condemn them for breaking them. He, however, has the luxury of not being held to the same standards that he holds over the more lowly in stature.  He asks Jesus, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

Jesus stuns everyone there, including this teacher of the law, when he says, “The most important one is this: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second one is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”

Love – there is no law against love.

This was a brand new command, one that was not written in their books.

For the rest of the day, Jesus told parable after parable after parable.  And for the rest of the day, the vitriol against Jesus grew stronger among the leaders where the tension could be visibly seen like a storm cloud hovering slightly over their shoulders.  At one point, Jesus had enough.  He is done outplaying them in their little games.  He goes directly for them.  In Matthew 23 he starts and doesn’t let up until he has said his piece! He looks directly at the people but points to the rulers and says, “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” He goes from talking about them to talking directly to them. He says, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!” seven times! He then adds, “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?” Whoa, Jesus! What happened to love?  Sometimes, love has to be tough.  This was his last day of teaching.  If they haven’t gotten it by now, Jesus knows that arguing with them will no longer do any good. He ends the day by looking at all the people there in the courts and saying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing…You will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” Matthew 23:37-39 When Jesus and his apostles wearily retreated from the temple courts that day, they chose to spend the night on the Mount of Olives. It was much closer than returning to Bethany, and Jesus was spent.  However, that night, Jesus went on for several more hours teaching his disciples.  Matthew’s account shows that Jesus took this time with his closest followers, his apostles, and spoke to them about his upcoming death and how his dying meant living forever for those who believe in him.  He also told them about their own deaths because of their faith in Him. He warned them about people who will come after him and claim to be the Christ. He taught them about how serving those in prison, feeding the hungry and caring for the sick were the same as caring for him.  He was teaching them about sacrifice, humility, boldness and courage—all of which they were going to need when he was gone.  He also told them about this new being called the Comforter or the Holy Spirit, who would come to them in his physical absence.

This conversation went long into the night and into the early hours of Wednesday morning.  Jesus finished by telling them in Matthew 26:2  “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

At the same time he was saying this to his disciples…

“Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. ‘But not during the Feast’, they said, ‘or there may be a riot among the people.” Matthew 26:3-5

The plot actually thickens. But Jesus is the chef.  Our God was in control then and now.  Nothing was done about him or to him that was not in his plan for our inheritance. He was never taken off-guard. He was never outsmarted.  He was, is and will always be God over everything.

There are so many good nuggets about this day in Jerusalem and on that mountain that are recorded in all four of the gospels.  Each have differing accounts, some adding more teaching than others, and each also have identical accounts of some of the same teachings. I highly encourage you to read them.

Sometimes things aren't exactly as they appear to be.  This picture of me and Jase looks like that our son, Cole, caught us in a moment where we weren't very happy with each other when in fact he told us to look away from the sun while he checked the lighting on his camera.  We appear to be angry when actually, it was quite the opposite.  It was our 30th Anniversary, and we were taking pictures in celebration. Similar could be said for what happened in the temple courts on Monday. Jesus had an explosion of anger in front of thousands of people and the ruling authority for everyone to see...or did he?  Let's dig a little deeper. 

Yesterday, Palm Sunday as it is now known, Jesus made a very public entrance into the temple courts.  It is the beginning of Passover Week or Holy Week.  Thousands and thousands of people are making that very same journey. Those who have arrived early were able to secure rooms at the inns or in private residences. Others who could not afford those nice accommodations were able to choose more prime spots to set up their tents or wagons for safety reasons as well as comfort.  Under trees or next to hillsides would mean privacy as well. As the week went on, choices became fewer, leaving only the open roads or winding outdoor corridors where innocent and faithful families would be easy prey for thieves and criminals.  Yes, it was best to get there early if you could.

On that Sunday, there were already a vast amount of people who had arrived early. They had heard of this Jesus and hoped he would be coming to Passover.  If he really is the Messiah, he would have to come, right? Maybe he will come early and set up a place to do his miracles.  The people were waiting for him.  So when he topped the hillside and made his way down into the Kidron Valley on the donkey, surrounded by his disciples, he was spotted.  The people flocked to him and shouted “Hosanna!” He did come! Luke 19:37b, “…the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen.”  

Worship has always been a very important part of my life.  With my musical background, I appreciate what it takes to write or perform a worship song that inspires and moves people to want a closer relationship with God.  Musically speaking, it’s so much more difficult than most people assume.  The big pieces that build over a few minutes with multiple instruments and the beautiful voices rising are some of my most favorite.  But I also really love simple, a cappella harmonies.  Sometimes, just a few voices singing together somehow seem to come more directly from the heart with no prompting at all.  They just flow out in certain times of spiritual highs or lows, in moments of overwhelming gratitude or even uncertainty.  That’s what I envision happened at this moment that Luke recorded.  All of the memories of the miracles, wonders, incredible moments of relationship, laughter, teasing, love and acceptance all collided on Jesus and his dearest friends at the same time. The disciples watched the results of their three years of learning and teaching come together as the people began to praise their Savior.  Worship was the only natural reaction.  They sang and worshipped together as they made their way toward the city.  Then in verse 41, “As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it”.  So much emotion.  His heart was full and breaking at the same time.  As a fellow human, we can definitely relate.

The Pharisees took notice. How will they rid themselves of this Jesus without causing a riot with the people. They clearly adore him. To cause a scene would be to jeopardize their place in society, not to mention they would be putting their own lives in danger.  There are undoubtedly tens, possibly hundreds of thousands of people who could overtake their small faction of power quite easily. 

Jesus had made his presence known on that Sunday. Those who weren’t there to witness it would quickly learn of the news. That was enough for one day.  He wouldn’t give the rulers a reason to arrest him, not just yet. Tomorrow will be a little more aggressive.

On Monday Jesus traveled from Bethany (less than 2 miles from the city) back into the courts of Jerusalem.  A familiar scene was beginning to take place as he looked around and saw the merchants once again taking advantage of the situation. The sacrifice of these doves are supposed to be an outpouring from the heart, the meaning of atonement for sins committed throughout the year.  The merchants know the significance of this pure white bird and what it means to the Jewish faith.  They also know they can get a high price for them for this very reason.  But Jesus saw this happening yesterday, too, didn’t he? It’s not like he didn’t know what they were doing.  He chose this moment to cause a bit more of a disturbance.  By releasing the doves and overturning the tables and benches once again, he drew negative attention from the Pharisees who were watching it all unfold from their own perches.

Mark 11:15-18, “On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there.  He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.  And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’ The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.”

This is what the rulers were looking for—a reason to arrest him!  But they still have the same problem.  What Jesus did was to validate the Jewish people who were being overcharged for these items.  If the Pharisees arrest him now in front of all of these people, they would be the bad guys.  They couldn’t risk their reputation nor their safety. 

What we see in Jesus’ character is not an emotional outburst.  What we see in Jesus is very calculating. He knows exactly what is going to happen.  Out of all of the hundreds of thousands of people there, he is the ONLY one who knows exactly what is going to happen!  He has the people on his side.  They adore him.  He is not only healing their physical ailments, he is now saving them from being taken advantage of by these crooks.  They love him!

And word is traveling quickly through the city streets of his actions. 

Caiaphas, the High Priest, is growing more angry with every minute that passes.  If they were going to kill him, it had to be done before the Passover feast.  That left them only 4 days.

When evening came, Jesus and his apostles went back to Bethany to spend the night. I can just imagine what those conversations were like between them as they were walking back.  How did Jesus explain his actions?  Did he even try to expound what his motivation was?  Would they even understand?  So much of what he had told them thus far was still a mystery to their human brain. Oh, so much more to do. 

Tomorrow he will draw even more crowds.

(Please know that my purpose in writing is not for you to take my words for fact about Jesus but to prompt you to read more from him and about him in the gospels of the Bible.)

One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do as a parent is wave goodbye to my child as she’s being wheeled away to surgery, thus leaving her completely in the hands of someone else, even though I’m confident her surgeons and medical staff want the best for her.  I have to willfully walk away from that corridor, and my heart breaks every time.  I cannot even fathom how our Father made the choice to not intervene during his son’s suffering and death at the hands of people who hated him. I also cannot fathom that son, Jesus, choosing to willfully walk toward Jerusalem, toward his suffering, toward his enemies, toward his death.

We know in our heads that Jesus is God. Our brains understand, as much as possible, that Jesus is holy and that he never sinned.  We know that he created us and everything around us (John 1:3).  We know that he has always been.  “Before Abraham was, I am!” John 8:58.  But what do our hearts see about Jesus?

Our hearts should see a man who seeks comfort from his friends and family before facing a challenge.  The night before voluntarily entering Jerusalem to begin a week filled with some of the most dark, brutal, horrendous, calculating agony that a human body could possibly endure, Jesus and his apostles sat at a kitchen table in a familiar home and ate a meal prepared by one of his best friends.  Mary, Martha and Lazarus gave Jesus comfort that night even without knowing the extent of what the immediate future held for him.  John 12:2 says that they were “reclining at the table”. They were enjoying each other’s company, even though the inevitable was close at hand. There’s just something about a good meal with good friends that can bring you comfort.  That’s just what Jesus, the human, was doing. He was being comforted and even honored by his friends.

The next day he willfully walked away from the comfort of his friends’ home, got on a donkey and rode toward his physical demise. Because the news of his miracles had reached all the people in the land, and because the entire Jewish population (and even some Gentiles) had come to Jerusalem for Passover Week, God chose this exact time for Jesus to make this most public and triumphal entry.  Throngs of people laid a path of palm branches in his honor as he entered the city.  Why do you think it is called the “Triumphal Entry”? I mean, Jesus was about to be killed, wasn’t he?  I believe it is because of this verse in John 12:19, “So the Pharisees said to one another, ‘See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” Triumph! At this point in time, Jesus had won the minds AND hearts of the Jewish people! They believed in Him! So what did that mean for those who held the powerful positions in the political world? If Jesus truly was the Messiah, the Savior, that meant they had been left out of the plan.  Jesus had not included in his ministry the elite and most godly of the land but instead chose lowly men and even women to share his life and to invest the words of the Father. These people held no position in society, had no standing in the community.  Actually, some were the exact opposite. Mary Magdalene was a former prostitute. Peter, Andrew, James and John caught fish for a living, so they stunk on a regular basis (I know this smell first-hand thanks to my husband!)  Matthew was a sell-out to his own people by being a tax collector for the Romans and thus stealing from the Jews.  These low-lives could not possibly be the inner circle of the Most High God! But they were.  And the powers-at-be could not reconcile that. Therefore, they became so filled with hatred that Jesus, with his crew of riff-raffs, had become the true Prince of the people.  It had to be stopped.

But Jesus didn’t stop by just entering the city. He went into the temple and started teaching to all of the people who would come to listen. Luke says in chapter 20:1 that “he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel”. Talk about bold!  He didn’t stay on the outskirts or even in the neighborhoods close by. He rolled right up there into the most sacred and public place and started preaching. That “Palm Sunday” marked Jesus’ outward rebellion and disrespect for man-made power and self-given authority. For the next few days, he spoke about God’s love (the gospel), about his own impending death for all the people, about choosing to give God not just your money but your heart as well, and he also told the people to beware of the “teachers of the law”. (We’ll look deeper into these teachings later this week.)

Jesus was so convincing that even some of the rulers started to believe in Him. John 12:42-43 says, “Yet, at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.”  Wow, sound familiar? The year on the calendar may have changed, but the desire for political power is still the same.

My challenge for you and for me is to start this week with the desire to open our hearts as wide as possible to see who Jesus is.  Read the book of John. Pray each day that God will reveal Himself to you more and more so that you can take as much of Him into your heart as humanly possible.  He became human for this exact reason.  He became flesh like us, walked the earth, made friendships, celebrated weddings, enjoyed eating fish and home cooked meals, cried with his best friends, all the while pointing them to the Father.  Walk with me as we look into what each day of Passover Week looked like for Jesus. I’ll leave you with this verse in John 12:27-28a, Jesus said, “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”

Jesus was “troubled” at what was about to happen to him, but he still willfully walked toward salvation for you and for me.  Without that voluntary journey, you and I would have no hope. Thank you Jesus for your “Triumphal Entry”!

Have a wonderful week getting to know your Savior.  He will change your life!

 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.”  John 11:25 (NIV)

There are very few people on this earth that I have wished I could have met face to face and shook their hand.  I first realized this when Cary Grant died in 1986.  I was fifteen years old and had grown up watching his movies, secretly wishing I was Doris Day in “That Touch of Mink”. He was definitely my first crush.  It then dawned on me that death was an instant separation, temporary for some and permanent for others, depending on whether or not you have become a child of God.  I don’t know where Cary Grant stood with the Almighty, and I wouldn’t try to assume.  To my fifteen-year-old brain, all I knew is that it was an end of an era.  He was greatly valued by me and by many for his talent on the big screen.

When George H. W. Bush passed from this earth last week, Jase contemplated waking me up in the middle of the night when he received the alert on his phone.  He knows how much I admire this man.  The 1992 Presidential election was the first time I was old enough to vote for President.  Before President Bush’s re-election campaign, Jase and I were newly married and watched both the start and the end of the Gulf War in a span of just a few days.  I remember standing in front of the TV and looking back at Jase sitting on our second-hand sofa in our apartment and saying,”Oh, he’s definitely going to win re-election now!”  Over the next few weeks and months, his approval rating soared to 93%! I voted for him.  He lost.

When a younger George W. Bush took office, I learned even more about this amazing family and their dedication and service to their country, their family and to God.  When I read the book titled “41: A Portrait of My Father”,  I was a goner.  I was convinced that the patriarch of this family was the real deal. George W. wrote this book about his own father. Through first-hand stories of life at home with a dad who put his family before his work or his earthly success, President George W. Bush conveyed how purposefully his father was in showing each of his family members that they are valuable and that they were made for a purpose.

The pomp and circumstance surrounding every second of the six days following his death was a performance to the likes that no one has ever seen before.  The precision of every detail was carried out with such care, such respect, such honor.  The value of the life of President Bush was mirrored by the value bestowed upon his memorial.

As I traveled with Mia to her doctor’s appointment in Dallas and back home on Wednesday, I listened intently to the entire day’s ceremonial events as they unfolded, every last sound of the marching footsteps, the bugals playing, the sniffles and laughter in the audience, the speeches made from his long-time friends and even his son.  When I got home, I found the entire funeral day was being replayed on C-SPAN, and I watched in silence into the night.  I guess I’m a geek like that. I just needed to see it. See the faces. See the devotion. 

This man touched many more people’s lives in a personal way due to the value he put on them than I had ever known.  At his State funeral, President Bush said about his own father, “He cared more about character than pedigree.”  His life validated that statement to no end.  But even in 2011, when President Bush was approached by his staff to start finalizing his funeral arrangements, he looked up and said, “Do you think anyone will come?”  Whether spoken in jest or not, it showed an underlying human doubt in his own mind of Do I matter?  Don’t we all wonder that?  Will anyone come?  Did I make a difference in anyone’s life?

Our country showed the Bush family to the fullest effects possible that we valued President George H. W. Bush’s life.  He was, in my humble opinion, the greatest man to hold the office of the presidency of the United States of America.  The beauty and dignity of the ceremonial events and speeches surrounding this past week can easily validate that opinion.

So what about the rest of us?  Upon what and whom do we place value? Chances are  no one reading this blog will ever be put in that position of becoming leader of the free world and will, therefore, never receive such an overwhelming send-off from this life.  However, each of us are valuable.  The only difference may be that while so many struggle to find purpose to their lives, George H. W. Bush, started his life by serving others and, therefore, finding his.

Through service you find purpose.  Through purpose you find your value. 

The leaves on a painting of a tree hanging in our entry-way at Laminin are now being filled with the names of each and every woman who has worked for our company since its inception.  Some have succeeded in kicking their drug habit and finding purpose to their lives while others are still struggling and doubting that they have true value.  Whatever stage of life they are in, they are valuable to the current success of this company, valuable to me personally and most of all, valuable to the Creator who knitted them together with every sense of precision to minute detail to make her exactly who she needs to be to serve Him and others, find purpose and feel valued.

Do you know your true purpose?  Serve God.  In that, you will find value. 

I regret not ever having met President George Herbert Walker Bush face to face here on earth.  But I am confident I will get to hug him one day.  Maybe I’ll even meet Cary Grant, too.  Well, a girl can dream, right?

Have a valuable week!

 (Jase, Shaskya, Mia, Karina, me)

As I’m writing this blog, I’m trying to contain my laughter as I listen to Jase explain the deep theology of one of our favorite movies: Nacho Libre.  He is talking to our house guests about one of the few things he thinks we have in common, that is, our love for fresh corn tortillas. 

Okay, okay, let me catch you up.  A few weeks ago, one of the leaders of our local church called and asked me if a young girl from Nicaragua could stay with us for a while before she goes to college in Minnesota.  He further explained to me that Karina was 18 years old and had been offered a full scholarship to college in the USA.  Of course she was thrilled.  However, because of the violence that is happening right now in Nicaragua (that none of the news organizations is even covering), the US Embassy had to evacuate and close down for an indefinite period of time.  And since she and her sister have no parents (their father left them when they were very small, their mother died when Karina was one-year-old, and their grandmother who raised them passed away in 2016), Karina boarded a bus alone to Costa Rica in order to go to the US Embassy in San Jose so that she could get her American student visa.  She traveled for eight hours with a small suitcase, expecting to stay with an extended family member for only a few days.  After a week, she received her student visa, boarded the bus back to her hometown, only to be halted at the border of her own country.  The Nicaragua border was closed.  The country is closed.  Karina immediately called her sister and her church leader, who has been a mentor to Karina her whole life.  He told her, “Karina, do not try to get home.  You are too young to die.”

Saddened, scared, alone and with the few items she had with her, she returned to her extended family member in Costa Rica, but her visitor’s visa was about to expire in that country, and she did not know what to do.  She was suddenly without a home.

Meanwhile, a few countries to the south, another young girl in Ecuador has applied and been accepted into the American exchange student program to spend a year in the grand ole’ town of West Monroe, Louisiana.  Shaskya and her family had been planning and preparing for months for her to have an exciting, educational, challenging and possibly life-changing adventure in the United States of America.  However, the local host family that had decided to accept her into their home was hit with an unexpected medical challenge and decided they just could not carry through with this decision. The local program coordinator, through a mutual friend, contacted me and asked if we would take this student into our home. She explained that she was all ready to come and was even enrolled in the same school that Mia would be starting this Fall.  Oh, and we had 48 hours to make a decision.

Jase wasn’t home when this message came to me, and he wasn’t expected to be home until the next morning.  So, I told myself, “I’ll think and pray about it tonight, and if I wake up tomorrow and feel like this is a good idea for our family, I’ll talk to Jase.”

I approach Jase about it first thing the next morning.  He listened as I read the message from the local coordinator.  I said to him, “I’ve been trying to think of a reason for us NOT to do this.”

Jase said, “Did you come up with one?”

“Nope”

“I can’t think of one either. Okay, let’s do it.” 

(Karina joined us at the airport when we welcomed Shaskya to our country.)

In just the last few days, our home has radically changed because of these two young girls.  The walls in the bedrooms have been repainted from tan to white with lots of pretty pink accents to welcome our new student.  I’ve made multiple trips to the grocery store—more than usual (the only people who can eat more than teenage boys are teenage girls!).  I’ve cooked beans and rice for them, and they’ve cooked beans and rice for us.  We’ve laughed at all of our different accents (Jase trying to say “Nicaragua” in a Spanish accent is something I definitely need to video!).  We’ve shopped for laundry softener, deodorant, toothpaste (twice) and even foot powder.  The combination of three cultures in the same household has been quite the adventure.  Karina said that our home was the United Nations of our neighborhood.  Ha!  I am dreading the day when we put her on the plane to Minnesota as we have all fallen in love with her.  She has no parents, no caregivers at all, and her sister is stuck in a country whose people are experiencing the most horrific violence, suffering and death all around them on a daily basis.  This is a serious tragedy that is practically being ignored by the rest of the world.  It’s a tragedy that is effecting real people, good people, every moment of every day.  Karina’s friends cannot attend school.  Some cannot go to work to provide for their families.  Even her church leader witnessed killings just a few meters from his home. 

I asked Karina if she was able to keep in touch with her sister and her mentor (I am withholding his name as it could endanger his life).  She said she was able to talk with them and that her sister has had an array of emotions about missing Karina.  She was first angry, then saddened and now has accepted this fact of life.  Karina told her, “Sister, it is okay.  I will see you in four years.” 

Let that sink in a bit.

She also told me that she was not posting any pictures on social media of her life here because she felt it would be insensitive to the people back home.  Her heart hurts for them.  She said to me, “Here, I do not worry if I am going to eat or if I am going to die.  I just cannot post about my wonderful life for them to see when they are suffering. I can offer them my prayers only.”

Oh, if we could think of others before ourselves the way this sweet girl does.

Please pray for Karina and Shaskya as they are both in a strange new country.  Although they have very different circumstances, God brought them into our home in the middle of the swamps of Louisiana for a purpose unknown to us at the moment.  We already love them, and we pray daily that we will be able to give them everything they need to carry the name of Jesus Christ to wherever their lives lead them—from Minnesota to Ecuador to the far reaches of the world, even back to Nicaragua one day. 

Minnesota is quite far from Louisiana, but thank goodness for airplanes.  Jase has already told Karina that he will fly her here to be with us on Christmases and during the summers.  Isn’t that where college kids go during breaks?  Home. 

Lord, bless these girls.  They have already blessed us so. 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning…The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  John 1:1-2,14 (NIV)

(The Sea of Galilee - where Jesus walked on top of the water and where Peter's lack of faith caused him to sink)

I said I would write a blog about our experience in Israel, and it’s taken me a few weeks to even start this article.  To say I was overwhelmed would be an understatement.  I knew the list of places we would most likely visit, and I was prepared to soak up as much of those experiences as possible.  I wasn’t prepared, however, for the beauty of the land, the modernization and westernization of the economy, the commitment to thousands of years of tradition and the extremely close proximity to danger in which Jews and Christians live and work every single day. 

During my time there, I posted a few pictures and tried to express just a small portion of what we were experiencing each day.  There was one day, however, that I decided to leave out a very poignant and emotional stop on our tour.  Bethlehem.  And not for the reasons you may suspect.  I posted pictures of our tour through the Shepherds Cave and of the chapel erected and dedicated to that spot.  I collect nativities from all around the world and totally enjoy seeing how different cultures create the same scene of a stable, Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and the animals.  Depending on the country and culture, they can look extremely different.  What better place to get a nativity than in Bethlehem!  I couldn’t wait to pick one out.  Again, what I thought I was prepared for was far from reality.

When we arrived at the Bethlehem border, our bus stopped, and we had to pass up our visa’s showing that we were American tourists.  Our Israeli tour guide was not allowed to cross the border because Bethlehem is under Palestinian control, and Israelis are not allowed inside.  A Palestinian Christian tour guide took over for the day. Once inside, we stopped at a Baptist church.  This was on Saturday morning, so no services were being held, but we were told someone would meet us inside.  We all filed in and sat down in the pews.  The pastor welcomed us and began telling us his life’s story: He was born into a Muslim family, the youngest of ten children.  As a young boy, he found an Old Testament and began reading it in secret.  He was fascinated with the stories and began to determine that they were all pointing to someone.  So, he made it his mission to find a New Testament.  He continued reading and came to the realization that Jesus Christ was the Messiah.  He gave his life to Jesus and was so excited about this newfound gift that he ran and told his mother.  She told him he must keep it secret as not to jeopardize the lives of their family.  He agreed.  But after a few days, he said he just couldn’t keep this Good News inside, so he started telling his older brothers and sisters about this Jesus.  Over the next 27 years, he converted his entire family.  He told us that it took his oldest brother the longest, but that he just wouldn’t give up on him.  After this brother became a Christian, he became just as outspoken as his younger brother, so much so that one day he was assaulted and attacked by Muslims, beaten and stabbed to death.  Sometime later, this very pastor was exiting his vehicle in front of his home when he was shot four times in the chest.  His family rushed him to the hospital where they were told by the doctors that he would die.  “But”, the pastor said, “God told me I would live.”  After he recovered, he resumed preaching and telling his community about Jesus and his Gospel. 

Shortly thereafter, during his sermons on Sunday evenings, Muslims with loud speakers on the outside of their pickup trucks would drive in front of his church building and broadcast their call to prayer so loudly that his congregation could not hear him talk inside the building.  It was a great deterrent to his members and to him.  He was extremely saddened and prayed to God about what he should do.  He told us, “God said to me, ‘Get bigger speakers’.” So he did.  He put speakers on the outside of his church building and broadcast his sermon up to 1.2 kilometers away!  Talk about boldness!  The next morning he started getting phone calls from the people living within the neighborhood of his church. They were thanking him for his message.  Wow!  He said his congregation started increasing in number, and now they have around 300 members.  His church building has been bombed fourteen times.  He ultimately decided to stop replacing the windows and just bricked over them.  But he never stopped preaching.  His grown son was severely beaten and thrown into a dumpster to die, but someone heard him and rescued him.  Neither one has ever stopped preaching.  In a country with only 1% Christians, this man and his family are making a difference for the Kingdom of God.  And they are not afraid to do it.  They are living one day at a time in service to their King, Jesus the Messiah. 

Just a couple more things he told us that helped us to understand this culture: Bethlehem has a 30% unemployment rate.  This congregation’s unemployment rate is 65%.  This is due to the sheer fact that they are professed Christians.  Because of their poverty, not many people have cars, so this church runs a bus ministry.  However, due to so much unrest in the city, sometimes the buses cannot get into certain neighborhoods to pick up their members, so many people go for long periods of time without the support and encouragement from their fellow Christians.  Much of this church’s financial ministry goes to putting food on the table of their own members. 

(Our tour group listening to the story of this man's life.)

During the first few minutes of his talk, I became very emotional.  I felt much admiration for this man.  He has suffered so much pain and loss, yet he was not being quiet about his love for his Savior.  He could not keep it inside him.  He refuses to do so knowing that the next moment may very well be his last.  By the end of his talk, I felt convicted but energized at the same time.  This man’s actions and love for his fellow citizens made me question my own life.  How can I be afraid of anything?!  I live in a country where I have never been physically attacked for my faith in Jesus Christ.  My children have not been beaten because they love Jesus.  My husband can go to work; we can eat at restaurants; we can travel freely through our city, state and country with no fear of being persecuted because we are Christians.  Yet, how much do I speak of my Savior?  How many people do I tell on a daily basis about the gift of Christ?  Not enough.  Sure, I may get a few hateful comments on my Twitter or Instagram.  But when I compare that to this man’s life, I have no excuse.  None!

Please remember this pastor, his family and his congregation.  I was told I could include his name in my posts, but I am just too afraid for him, obviously more afraid for him than he is for himself.  I shouldn’t be afraid to tell anyone about my faith.  I’m NOT afraid to tell anyone about my faith.  I am a child of God.  I am a daughter of the King of Kings.  He is my Lord!  Not because of anything I did.  I am not worthy.  I am nothing.  He is everything. 

John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, put it like this in John 3:30, “He must become more; I must become less.” 

Referring to the title scripture above, Jesus is God.  He was with God the Father from the very beginning.  He became flesh and lived among humans.  He ate like us, slept like us, made friends and relationships like us, laughed and cried like us.  Yet, he never sinned.  He wasn’t just “a good man”.  He was THE MAN.  He was God.  He IS GOD!  He chose to walk that dark and bloody path being beaten and spit on and tortured.  He could have called all of his angels, the angels that have worshipped him throughout all time.  Don’t you think they were waiting, anticipating, hoping for that precise moment when they would be let loose to come to his rescue?  To release their Master from his anguish?  To slaughter all those who were causing him to suffer?  But Jesus never called them.  He went through all that pain for me.  For you.  For the entire world.  But that isn’t the end to that story.  Praise God that the Father raised Him from the dead!  The tomb was found empty!  He lives today!  And the best part of this story is that He will take me up to heaven to live forever with him! 

So much of the culture in Israel does not acknowledge this.  They worship their Father in Heaven.  It’s wonderful to watch their dedication to tradition and commitment to their customs and to their families.  But make no mistake about the Messiah.  He’s real.  He came.  He lived.  He died.  He was buried for 3 days.  And he rose from the dead and lives now!  God delivered his people through his son Jesus.  There is no reason to wait anymore! 

John 14:5-7, “Thomas asked, … so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you really know me, then you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

I also was not prepared for the longing and love I feel for Israel’s people to come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  

(Walking beside the Sea of Galilee - where Jesus sat down and taught his disciples in Matthew 5-7)

Do you know Jesus?  The book of John is a good place to start getting to know him.  He longs for you to know Him.  His arms are open for you. 

Please don’t wait.  The next moment may be your last.

(Jase and I have decided to financially help this pastor and the Christian people of Bethlehem.  If you feel led to join us, please go to www.onekingdom.org. Click "Donate".  Choose "Other" from the dropdown menu and write "Bethlehem Baptist Church" to specify.  They will make sure your donation gets to this church.  Thank you!) 

How are you with change?  I have to admit that I am not good.  At all.  I like things laid out in front of me with no surprises.  I prefer a plan over "winging-it".  I am loyal, sometimes to a fault.  (Have you read the third chapter in my book “Blessed Blessed…Blessed”?  I even stuck with a doctor whose actions ravaged my body so badly that my reproductive system was almost completely destroyed.)  It takes a lot for me to change anything.  Then Duck Dynasty came along.  Ha!  You talk about every day being completely different!  I had to give up that control, and that was extremely difficult for me to do.  I had some pretty emotional days early on, but prayer and really listening to what God’s plans for me were  (not always my plans, right?) started to give me a peace in that insane new world that was hitting us all directly in the face.  After 5 years of filming, I began to become in sync with it.  However, I still held onto the facts that we were still all attending the same church, we were still living in the same house, and my kids were still going to the same school.

Well, one of those has now changed. 

Mia will be a freshman in high school this next year, and we have decided to move her to the large public school in West Monroe.  We decided this in February, so she tried out for cheerleader and made it.  While she is excited about the new physical challenges this will provide for her skill level, I am looking forward to her expanding her talent in music since West Monroe High School has one of the finest (if not the finest) choral programs in the state of Louisiana.  So what's my problem?  While all this seems to be new and promising, I continue to struggle as a mom with making this decision. 

You see, I didn’t just grow up at her former private Christian school, I found out when I was thirty years old that it was started in my very own living room when I was only three.  My parents, along with 4 other couples, invested $2,000 each to start the school in 1974.  My mom and dad, 26 and 29 years of age respectively, didn’t have this money, so they took out a loan.  My mom had a degree in choral music yet donated her time teaching for ten years until the principal there insisted she start taking home some sort of a paycheck (a few hundred dollars a month) until she retired years later.  These sacrifices made me even more thankful for the years my children and I spent at Ouachita Christian School.

 (My parents and I in front of the school flag, the school they helped to found)

As many of you have heard before, when Jase and I were dating, we made a deal.  He could duck hunt every single day of duck season every single year of his life with no complaints from me as long as he agreed to put our future children through my alma mater.  We both upheld our ends of the bargain, and Reed and Cole graduated from there.  I assumed Mia would do exactly the same.  Until she came downstairs one night with four pages of pros and cons of both schools.  “Just think about it,” she said, as she handed them to me, smiled and walked away.

Needless to say, I was a bit stunned.  Since Jase graduated from her new school, he had no hesitation.  But I did. 

What is this public school idea thing?

Why on earth would you be thinking this way?

Don’t you know OCS is MY school?

Then we read the pages.  They were thoughtful, mature, informative, funny (of course) and spiritual. 

Who is this kid of mine who isn’t scared of change?  Not only not scared of change, invites it in!

Switching from a Class 1A school (the only school my children and I have ever known) to a Class 5A school when you’re 14 years old is a bold move!  Where does she get this tenacity?  I’m still grasping the answer to this question.

What concerns me the most is her spiritual life.  I want her to be safe, secure, loved and accepted.  I want people to pour Jesus into her at every turn in her life, every day in her life!  So I pray.  I pray, I pray and then I pray some more.  I came to the understanding that I was holding her back from opportunities she really wanted to experience.  I had to remove myself from this equation.  Is this the best decision?  I have no idea.  But I feel a peace about it.  A peace that only comes from the Holy Spirit living within me.  And He gives me little nuggets of that peace along the way.

Like today, thirty-nine cheerleaders, their sponsors and cheer coach filled up a charter bus to head off to cheer camp at Ole Miss.  We loaded up their luggage, took pictures, hugged and they all found their seats.  As I walked by the door of the bus to get in my own car, I hear one of the dads say, “Ok, girls, let’s pray.” 

My heart leapt.

As he was leaving, I thanked him for leading them in prayer and mentioned that this was one of the things I thought I had to leave behind at our old school.  His response was, “West Monroe don’t play.  We’re all about prayer here, and our principal has made that clear.”

That was a huge nugget for me!  I drove home with tears in my eyes. 

I understand that Christians are everywhere, that there are moms and dads in every city in our nation that are trying to instill Christian values in their children at home while also sending them into the world where they are told every day that God isn’t real.  We need to understand that while our great nation was founded on Christian fundamentals, Americans are living right dab in the middle of a mission field no matter where we live.  Show love.  Show kindness.  Show Jesus.  What will happen if you take a risk and pray with your child’s team? Sadly, our great country has told us we aren't allowed to do this.  But, if you do, you may find out that there are more of us out there than you previously thought. Praise God!

 (She's already making new, sweet friendships)

Change takes risk.  My parents risked a debt to make a huge decision they believed would advance their children’s spiritual lives.  Jase and I are taking a risk and leaving that secure safe space for the very same reason--for the benefit of our child.  Spiritual growth looks different at different times in our lives.  Loyalty is admirable, but so is risk.  Only God knows the outcome, but I trust that He is making our “rough places smooth”.  If this decision brings our family closer to Him, it’s no doubt the right decision.

And don’t fret, my OCS peeps.  I’ll still be there with Mrs. LinDee for the Grandparents’ Day production!  You have been and will always be my home.

“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’”  Matthew 19:14

“Oh to be a kid again!”  How many times have you said that?  Or heard it?  Would you like to go back to your childhood and relive all those years over again?  I had a great childhood with a wonderful school and awesome church family.  I used to answer that question with, “Yeah, I’d do it again.”  But now that I’m older, I think, “Nah, I’m too tired to start over!”  I’d rather enjoy being with and watching children play and laugh and answer their silly questions. 

Jase and I had the privilege of hosting the Daraja children’s choir of Africa this weekend at our property with a few members of our church family. They ate hot dogs and played on an inflatable water slide, the first they’ve ever seen, and they roasted marshmallows and made s’mores, which they loved!  They laughed and squealed most of the afternoon, and all us adults couldn’t have enjoyed it any more than we did.  Oh, to be a kid again. 

(When was the last time you ate a s'more?!)

Two precious little girls along with the tour leaders spent a few nights in our home.  Rosemary and Joy are ten years old with two completely different personalities, but when it was time to eat or go to bed, these girls prayed with fervor.  Their words showed us and our God how much they believe that He is real.  They also never left the table without singing us a “Thank You” song.  Every. Single. Time.  Oh, to be a kid again.

(Joy and Rosemary)

These kids are from Uganda and travel all over the United States for six months performing in churches and schools.  They leave the security of their home and family and travel thousands of miles to a country they’ve only heard about.  They are homesick at times.  Some have gotten physically sick.  Little Joy had a tooth pulled the day before they arrived in West Monroe, and she is still suffering from the pain of her body trying to heal.  Even through the pain, she never complained.  When I would ask her how she was feeling, her usual response would be (in her thick African accent),”somewhat better”.  My heart would ache for her.  Please pray for Joy.  Her name describes her very well.

(Sweet, precious Joy--please remember to pray for her.)

We sent them off this morning to start their next adventure in another town on their tour bus.  They hugged me so tight I told them I was glad my bones were strong so they couldn’t squeeze my insides out.  They laughed and squeezed even tighter.  Oh, to be a kid again.

When Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 18:3 that unless we change and become like children, we will never enter the kingdom of heaven, I can’t help but relate that to these sweet little souls from east Africa.  They trust their tour leaders, Clinton and Shelby, completely.  Rosemary and Joy and all of the Daraja children call us Mama Missy and Papa Jase.  They trust that we will feed them, provide them a comfortable bed to sleep in and a safe home to shelter them while they visit us.  They wake with smiles and warm hugs and await their instructions on what the day holds for them.  Shouldn’t we trust our Father in the exact same way?  He takes care of our every need.  When will we learn to stop struggling so hard and let Him take care of us?  One night before bed while we surrounded our kitchen island, spunky little Rosemary shared her favorite scripture with us.  It is Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.”  She said, “This scripture tells me that when I am hungry or tired that I should not fear because God will take care of me.”  It is also one of Mia’s favorite verses.  Oh, to be a kid again. 

If you are facing something today or this week, and you just don’t know what the answer is, try thinking like a child.  They look FIRST to their caregiver for the answer.  God, our Father, is waiting for us to ask. 

Have an adventurous week!

If you’d like to host the Daraja children’s choir in your church, school or town event, please visit www.darajachoir.org.

“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.”  Luke 17:15-16

When asked to name someone who you would consider to be a grateful person, does an answer come easily to you?  I met someone this past weekend that quickly fits that category. His name is Bob Tebow, and he is Tim Tebow’s dad.  Jase and I were privileged enough to be partnered up with him and a few of his buddies for a round of golf.  We’ve been part of the annual weekend that benefits the Tim Tebow Foundation for a few years and understand that this day is not limited to just playing golf.  Since the foundation largely benefits sick and dying children, the walkways on each hole are lined with these children and their families along with supporters who pay a fee to watch the celebrities play golf.  All the money raised goes to support these children.  At each hole, Mr. Bob would walk up to the crowd and say in a loud voice, “Thank you for supporting the foundation today!” or “We appreciate all you do in helping us!” and “So glad you came out today!”  He would walk up to each child, wrap his arms around them and hug them, kiss them multiple times like they were his own grandchildren and say, “I love you so much,” and “Do you know how special you are?”  He did this for hours.  He also greeted and thanked all the volunteers stationed at each hole who facilitated the games and concessions.  They would ask him, “How are you today, Mr. Bob?”  He would say, “Doing great!  Wish I could say the same for my golf game,” all while grinning and hugging them.  Jase and I also met the families, greeted the volunteers, hugged the children, took plenty of pictures and signed autographs.  But the main difference I want to convey to you is that this was much harder to do for Mr. Bob.  See, the night before at the celebrity dinner, Tim shared with us that his dad was diagnosed this past year with Parkinson’s Disease.  Simple tasks have become more difficult for him, and he has become markedly weaker.  Bending down to hug and look directly into the eyes of a child in a wheelchair was obviously important to him, but I realized what a task this must have been to a weakening body.  Yet, this man went all day encouraging other people in their illnesses and weaknesses and never complained once about his own.  In fact, he did the exact opposite. 

(This sweetie couldn't hold her eyes open any longer as her condition has taken a toll on her body.)

(Kids and their families look forward to this event every year and love to get high fives from their favorite celebrities!)

 (Timmy's W15H kids are the special guests of this annual event.)

The weekend before, I attended the Hillsong church in Manhattan.  (Yes, the worship was amazing!)  The pastor’s lesson was about gratefulness.  Maybe that’s why it’s been on my heart these past few days.  His points have stuck with me since.  He said there are three enemies of gratefulness:

• The enemy of entitlement – He said, “When your level of gratefulness is high, your sense of entitlement (or expectations) is low. When your sense of entitlement is high, your gratefulness is low.”  What does your set of scales tell you?
• The enemy of complaining – When we are complaining about our current situation, it is merely impossible to be grateful for it. How are we supposed to be grateful for disappointments?  When you trust that God knows exactly what He’s doing in your life, it becomes easier.  Start with Romans 5:3-4, “…we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope”.
• The enemy of comparing – It is extremely difficult to be thankful when you’re silently comparing your body, your car, your closet, your house or your health with someone else’s. There will always be someone with “better” everything! When we focus on what we have and how we can use it for God, gratefulness will be the result.

Long before General Colin Powell was George W. Bush’s Secretary of State and while working in a much lower position of government, he drove himself to work each day and gave his keys to the valet. At the end of the work day, many people would be lined up in front of him to have their cars retrieved, but he was immediately approached by the valet for his ticket followed by the timely retrieval of his car.  After a few days of this same routine, he finally asked the valet why his car was being delivered before all the other people in the line.  The valet told him that the valets decided that whoever says, “thank you”, to them in the mornings when dropping off their car will be moved to the front of the line when retrieving their car in the afternoons.  Colin Powell’s car was being delivered first, not because of his status or power (which he had little of at that point in his life) but because of his kindness and gratefulness to those doing a very simple task.  Some would argue that a thank you isn’t warranted when you pay someone to do a job or when it is expected of that person to execute a task for you. 

I Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

People want to feel valued.  Sure, waiters and waitresses are being paid and tipped for their service, but when you say “thank you” to a person refilling your water glass or serving your food, you’re showing them gratitude.  Is it expected?  No.  But as a Christian, it can show him or her that you value them. 

How did you feel when you gave a birthday or Christmas gift to someone in your family and they never said thank you?  Were you expected to give the gift?  Most likely, yes.  But when that person opens it, throws the paper on the floor, sets the gift aside and moves to the next box, there is a lack of gratefulness clearly displayed for all to see.  Do you give gifts for the “thank you”?  Well, if you do, you will be disappointed far more times in your life than you can ever dream.  But it sure is nice to be appreciated, isn’t it?  Even if it’s expected of you.

Mr. Bob showed his heart of gratefulness on a consistent basis all through that day.  Even though we spent only a few hours with him, I got the feeling that I witnessed only a glimpse into a life that portrays gratefulness each and every day.  In between these moments of verbal gratefulness, he shared spiritual nuggets of wisdom with Jase and me, all while showing outward signs of weakness as he shook from his Parkinson’s.  His serving, humble, quiet demeanor was also filled with humor and confidence in his Savior.

Mr. Bob understands that even though his body is deteriorating and shaking from Parkinson’s Disease, he will use every moment he has left on this earth to do his part in strengthening the kingdom of God. 

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful…”  Romans 12:28

And for that alone, we should live a grateful life, just like Mr. Bob Tebow.

(Even after 18 holes of golf and a thousand hugs, Mr. Bob still took a smiling selfie with me.)

I have hair extensions.  Whew, I said it.  It’s a little scary for me to write this, because I’m admitting out loud to people whom I don’t know (and probably some that I do) that I just don’t feel good enough without them. Yikes, that is a scary statement.

I first tried a few pieces in November of 2011, a few weeks before we started filming for Duck Dynasty, thinking maybe they would help my own hair grow longer and look better on TV.  Then during the first few days of filming, one of the producers asked me if I would be open to getting a full set at their expense.  Of course, I agreed.  Even now, after we are finished with the show, I get them at my own expense.  Why?  Because I absolutely love having long hair.  I feel more like Missy with long hair.  I had long hair as a child, through middle school and high school and all the way up until I had my first baby.  Then those hormones started to change things. 

When I was pregnant with Mia, things took a huge turn.  After she was born, my hair started falling out in huge amounts and very quickly.  By the time of her first surgery at 3 months old, I felt like I looked completely different.  Maybe it was the stress of having a special needs baby who demanded my time, attention and emotional stability every minute of every day.  My daughter being born with an open cavity as a mouth and nose meant that I had to make sure she kept breathing when she was awake and asleep, eating without choking 8 times a day, not gagging on her own spit-up in between and traveling to/from doctors to learn about her condition and how to care for her, all while recovering from my own Cesarean surgery and trying myself to heal.  It’s a wonder I had any hair left at all. 

(the day we brought Mia home from the hospital)   

(the day before her first surgery - 3 months later)

The bigger problem was, even after 8 years of our new normal, my hair had never recovered.  This made me feel inadequate.  It made me feel unpretty.  Why, you ask?  I asked myself the same question for all those years.  I knew in my heart that I was enough, that God made me to be enough.  But when I looked in the mirror or ran a brush through my hair, my head would tell me “you should do something about this”.  So, when a producer from Hollywood offered to pay for them, I quickly agreed.  What did I have to lose?  She obviously saw what I had been seeing for a long time, but that didn’t hurt my feelings.  It actually validated them: I can be prettier with more hair.

Is it wrong to want to feel pretty?  I’ve struggled with that question, too.  Shouldn’t I be getting my self-worth from my Creator?  Yes.  Shouldn’t He fill my every desire and need?  Yes.  So why do I want hair?  I kept referring back to how the Bible says that “if a woman has long hair, it is to her glory.” I Corinthians 11:15 (NIV).  I didn’t feel like I had that glory.

This past summer I was sitting in the Fox and Friends hair and makeup chair before an on-air interview, and the sweet ladies there were complimenting me, telling me how pretty my eyes were and admiring my dress.  I’ve never taken compliments well (something that drives Jase crazy), and I started feeling very uncomfortable.  I thought, if you only knew what I really looked like under all this.  Then, one of them said, “You have really beautiful hair.”  And there it was.  Hanging out there for everyone in the room to pounce on.  So, I said kind of quietly, “Most of it’s bought.”

She quickly responded with, “That’s okay, Hon.  Everybody’s is.”

Ha! What? You mean, I’m not the only one?  I’m not even in the minority?  Nope, at least not in the celebrity world. 

As a Christian we know the Bible tells us to be truthful and honest.  That’s not just with words but also with our actions.  As women, we are bombarded with images of the perfect people.  Perfect bodies.  Perfect skin with no wrinkles.  Perfect teeth.  Perfect hair.  Have you ever wondered if those perfect bodies we see on social media every day aren’t all that real?  Of course you have.  We all have.  Fake breasts, false teeth, Botox-filled faces, butt-enhancing filters (I just learned about that one.  Why someone wants to fake a bigger backside is a mystery to me!) and hair extensions. 

I have hair extensions.  I could tell you that I have them because Jase likes me with them, but that would be false.  He couldn’t care less.  Even while typing this, I’m sitting on my couch in non-matching warm-ups, zero make-up and my hair in what’s left of a ponytail I went to sleep in last night.  I can assure you it’s not my best look, nowhere even close.  Jase just walked in from his morning duck hunt and said, “Hey, Cutie.”  And he’s serious.  He loves the way I look no matter how I look.  While I’ve come to appreciate that about him, I still hold onto my own validation. 

Please understand that I am looking neither for sympathy nor admiration by telling you this.  Here is what my purpose is: authenticity.  I have learned more about this subject over the past few years than I ever have before.  This new world of social media, selfies and filters have literally taken the word authenticity completely out of the equation.  What is real and what is fake?  Do we even know anymore?  Do our children and grandchildren know anymore?  Will the next generation EVER know?  My children and I have committed to letting social media take a back seat in our lives for 2018.  Cole said it so perfectly when he was home for Christmas.  He said, “Mom, after not checking Instagram for a while, I got back on it today, and the very first thing that popped up was someone I know bragging about things they’ve been doing.  And I said, ‘nope, I’m out.’  That’s what bothers me about it: you can be whoever you want to be on social media.  It doesn’t even have to be true.”

Do you remember the Seinfeld episode where George gets a toupee? He strutted around most of the episode making fun of bald people until finally Elaine had enough.  She questioned George’s behavior and reminded him that he was bald, too.  He said, “No, I WAS bald.  Now I have hair.”  She snatched it off his head, threw it out the window and a truck ran over it.  The audience erupted with cheers and laughter. Not because he lost the toupee but because Elaine quickly reminded him of the obvious.  George became arrogant because of a physical feature and had treated people without hair as suddenly less than him.  That’s a lesson for all of us.  Whether we improve ourselves with other products or we happen to be born with great physical features, the moment we make others feel less important is the moment we damage our own integrity.  Our true authenticity is revealed--the authenticity of our heart.

Today we are bombarded with Fake News from professional media outlets, but they didn’t start the trend.  Even our own government officials say whatever they want to in hopes we’ll believe it’s true.  But we can’t lay the blame on them either.  It may have well started within our own homes and on our own social media accounts.

Sooner or later, people will know whether we are authentic or not.  Why is this such a big deal?  Because God tells us that people “will know we are His disciples by our love for one another” (John 13:35 NIV), not by the beautiful pictures we post or the poignant words of wisdom we say on social media. 

How do we treat the people around us? 

Do we say the right thing to their face but do what serves us best when they aren’t looking? 

or

Do we show others that we value them, not by what they can add to our lives but by adding to theirs? 

If you value your own social status, number of followers and perfect photos, honesty and authenticity will matter very little to you.  However, if you value people and your relationships with them, you will be genuine and authentic, treating them with the same respect that you desire and expect from them.  Those are the actions that will make those relationships stronger and more meaningful.  When our lives on earth are done, I don’t think we’ll be reminiscing about all the admiration we received from our social media posts, blogs or YouTube videos.  We’ll be remembering all the relationships that enhanced our quality of life.  I don’t want people to just know about me.  I want them to know me.  The real me.  My life is beautiful and messy all at the same time.  To portray anything different would be fake.

Authentic: (from dictionary.com)

1. not false or copied; genuine; real:
2. having an origin supported by unquestionable evidence; authenticated; verified:
3. representing one’s true nature or beliefs; true to oneself or to the person identified:
4. entitled to acceptance or belief because of agreement with known facts or experience; reliable; trustworthy:

Read those again. This list of meanings brings a bit of sadness to my heart.  The value put on these words is disappearing.  I feel we’ve already lost so much of this in our culture, and we’re losing more every day.  What can we do to bring these back?  What can we do to turn this trend around?

My family has decided to claim the word “Authenticity” for 2018.  Would you like to join us?  It starts by admitting one of your flaws, no matter how substantial or silly it may seem.  Admit it to yourself first.  Then, if you have the guts, admit it to someone else.  Maybe even on social media. 

Who knows? We may even start a movement!  Fake News took over 2017. Let’s try to make 2018 the year of authenticity!

Do you have the guts?

I’ll start. 

I have hair extentions. They make me feel prettier.  I wasn’t born with great hair.  I’m afraid you’ll think I’m shallow after reading this.  I’m human.  I’m flawed.  I’m working on things.  Maybe one day I’ll feel comfortable enough to let them go.  But until then, this is me being authentic.

#Authentic18

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:51

“I’ll see you there.”  We say it often and never really think too much about it when making plans to meet a friend later for coffee or making sure our child knows we’re coming to their ballgame.  I’ve said it probably hundreds, maybe thousands, of times myself.  It’s just a quick way to confirm our presence at a future event.  A simple statement.

My grandpa, Pops, passed away from lymphoma two days before Thanksgiving.  By itself, that event brings enough sadness and grief for our family.  But five days prior to his death, my grandma, GG, fell at their home and fractured her pelvis.  She was taken to a hospital and then to an in-patient rehabilitation center.  As you can imagine, she was suffering from severe pain as well as the anxiety of leaving my grandpa at home while he was in his last days.  Their separation was agonizing to witness.  So my aunt, uncles and mom went to work in trying to figure out how the two of them could share Thanksgiving together, just one last time.  It was like an act of congress, but the doctors approved a 4-hour leave on Thanksgiving via ambulance to get my GG to my Pops back at their ranch in Texas for them to say their goodbyes.  Of course, our whole family made plans to be there!  When Pops heard of these grand plans, it became apparent that he had plans of his own.  He didn’t want his wife of 70 years, his sweetheart, the love of his life, to see him suffering.  He made that abundantly clear.  Each time he would wake up from a nap and in the morning over that last weekend, he would sigh in disappointment and say, “Oh, I thought…” or “Why is this taking so long?”  It wasn’t that he was in pain or that he didn’t know where he was.  His mind was as sharp as a tack!  He was ready to go home.  His real home.  He loved his Father and was completely sure of his future.  Yes, my 91-year-old grandpa has a future. 

On Monday evening, he asked my aunt Bonny all about the grandkids and great-grands, talking about Reed and Brighton and even expressing what a great thing Cole was doing studying in Argentina.  He heard my cousin Tori in the kitchen and sang, “Someone’s in the Kitchen with Dinah”—every word, every verse and on tune.  (We get our musical abilities in my family from Pops.) 

That night, we were told he had about a week left.  Bonny told Pops that GG was coming for Thanksgiving, hoping this would give him hope to be strong for a few more days. But those who know my Pops know that Tom Spoonts is a stubborn man.  The next morning, my mom and uncle had a difficult time getting him to wake up.  He didn’t seem conscious.  Bonny and Tori were with GG and FaceTimed my mom’s phone.  As soon as Pops heard GG’s voice, he opened his eyes—bright-eyed—but couldn’t speak.  GG, in her wisdom, selflessness and confidence in her Savior, told my Pops, “I love you so much, Tom.  It’s okay.  I’m going to be fine.  Go on.  I’ll see you there.” 

When the call ended, Pops took his three last breaths. 

This husband of 70+ years, dad of 5, grandpa of 12, great-grandpa of 25, elder in the church, business owner, retired traffic engineer for the city of Austin, World War II Navy Veteran, published author, missionary to St. Kitts and Kenya KNEW WITHOUT A DOUBT that his life was not over with those last breaths.  He passed that legacy of faithfulness to his children and the next generations. 

Two days later, we gathered around my beautiful GG at the rehab center for Thanksgiving.  We brought turkey, dressing and ham with all the traditional fixings including homemade rolls and lots of desserts.  We even smuggled in her puppy Buddy (although I'm pretty sure the entire staff knew but chose to look the other way).  We sang "God Is So Good" and meant every word.  We also went around the table and shared a memory or something we were thankful for about Pops' life.  We all stayed for hours.  The other patients even came out of their rooms and asked us to sing more.  It was a sweet and special day that none of us will ever forget.  

Pops' life was not always easy, full of disappointments and heartbreaks.  But he was also such a joyful man, dancing at Reed’s wedding last year, never missing a grandkid or great-grandkid’s graduation if he could possibly help it and always looking forward to that next anniversary or birthday that ended with a zero so he could throw himself another party. He also never liked to sit.  Just two weeks before his diagnosis, he was on a stepladder cutting down dead branches from trees on his Texas ranch.  He never let a family member's birthday or wedding anniversary go by without a gift, card or an email.  He cried with joy when his grandchildren from an estranged son re-entered our lives.  He never blamed, accused or even asked questions.  He was just thankful.  He also never let the National Anthem play without holding his hand over his heart and saluting the flag at the end.  Our country was more than precious to him.  He peeled thousands of potatoes in the galley on a Navy ship.  He became so good at it, his friends called him “Spud”.  He later became a medic and took care of the wounded and got them to safety.  Freedom had a different meaning to him than the NFL players who took a knee, and they should be glad they didn’t have to face my Pops about that. 

In his days as a traffic engineer for the City of Austin, he was an inventor of several traffic innovations, including the blue reflectors on the streets that mark the location of fire hydrants for the fire trucks, which are still in use all over the U.S. today.  When you have to wait for the pedestrian light to give you permission to cross the street in front of the Texas State Capitol Building, you can thank my Pops. (Just a couple of fun facts!)

While all these accomplishments are wonderful (and there are oh so many more!), he would say that nothing compares to gathering the family together for one of his parties, singing along to Uncle Tommy playing the guitar and laughing with his grands and great-grands, the Bible on his side table and the flag on his coffee table, with his sweetheart by his side.

(Celebrating 70 years together this past March)

One day we’ll get to do that again, Pops.

I’ll see you there.

Tom L. Spoonts

June 7, 1926-November 21, 2017

(Pops' new book arrived 4 days before he passed away.  This was one of the things he wanted to finish.  Good job, Pops!)

Do you want that same confidence that my Pops and GG have?  You can have it through the gospel of Jesus Christ.  God became man, died for all our sins, was buried, was raised from the dead and now sits at the right hand of God, giving us hope that we too will live forever with him.  Don’t go another day without Jesus as your Savior! Life doesn’t have to be over at our last breath.  That’s why the Gospel is Good News!!

Psalm 10 (NIV)

¹ Why, Lord, do you stand far off?
    Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

² In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
    who are caught in the schemes he devises.
³ He boasts about the cravings of his heart;
    he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.
⁴ In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
    in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
⁵ His ways are always prosperous;
    your laws are rejected by^[b] him;
    he sneers at all his enemies.
⁶ He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”
    He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”

⁷ His mouth is full of lies and threats;
    trouble and evil are under his tongue.
⁸ He lies in wait near the villages;
    from ambush he murders the innocent.
His eyes watch in secret for his victims;
⁹     like a lion in cover he lies in wait.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless;
    he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.
¹⁰ His victims are crushed, they collapse;
    they fall under his strength.
¹¹ He says to himself, “God will never notice;
    he covers his face and never sees.”

¹² Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
    Do not forget the helpless.
¹³ Why does the wicked man revile God?
    Why does he say to himself,
    “He won’t call me to account”?
¹⁴ But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
    you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
    you are the helper of the fatherless.
¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked man;
    call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
    that would not otherwise be found out.

¹⁶ The Lord is King for ever and ever;
    the nations will perish from his land.
¹⁷ You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;
    you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
¹⁸ defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
    so that mere earthly mortals
    will never again strike terror.

One week after the horrific attack in Las Vegas, we are still asking, “Why?”  We know the who, what, where, when and most of the how.  But we can’t seem to understand the why.

A few months ago, Cole drove from his college campus in California to Las Vegas to attend a John Mayer concert.  He looked forward to it for weeks, and had an amazing fun-filled experience.  Before he left, I told him to "be careful" as we moms always say before our children go on a trip.  I remember praying for his safety on the streets.  I never thought of asking God to protect him from an evil assassin.  Now we are encouraging each other to Pray for Vegas for that exact reason.

Yesterday, our Bible teacher read from the above scripture.  Honestly, I don’t remember having ever read it before.  But as our teacher was reading it out loud, I was taken aback at just how it seemed to acutely describe the who, what, where, when, how and yes, even the why.

David asks the why question in verse 13, but he actually answered it himself in verses 3-5: the evil man boasts about the cravings of his heart; his prideful wickedness prevents him from seeking God; and he rejects God’s laws.  Our laws are put in place to reflect a moral code.  But whose moral code are we reflecting?  Man’s or God’s?  For a moral code to exist, there must be a moral code giver.

Adolf Hitler ordered his soldiers to carry out acts that reflected his personal moral code.  He did not want to share his country, his continent, his earth with Jews.  Even though they were created by the same Creator who made him, Hitler thought them inferior.  We can all agree that his actions were outrageous and demanded consequences.  But why do we feel that way?  Because they offend our personal moral code?  Honestly, that’s an easy one, because in this instance, our personal moral code happens to line up with God’s.  Hitler’s did not.  Therefore, he murdered millions of innocent God-fearing people as he convinced his own subordinates that his moral code was superior to God’s. 

But what about the parts of our personal moral code that doesn’t line up with God’s?  I’m not talking about the obvious like murder. Or am I? I think the politically correct term is called “abortion”.  Even a few hundred years before gunpowder was even invented, God felt the need to engrave his moral code on a stone and give it to the Israelites.  Thou shalt not kill.  Webster’s Dictionary defines the word kill to mean: “to deprive of life :cause the death of”.  The United States of America made history in Roe vs. Wade when we forever changed our nation’s moral code. Killing is legal before a baby takes her first breath but not after.  Did her human DNA change? Did her human status change from inferior to equal because of oxygen? Sadly, for someone’s moral code, it did.  God did not make the distinction on those tablets.  Humans looking for justification to live a “happier” life here on earth are the ones who made that distinction.  See, our moral code defers from our Creator’s when we deduct that we know better than Him.  We put ourselves in the place of God.  It’s my life, right?  It’s my planet, right?  It’s my…you fill in the blank…right?  How do we justify removing God from our society and then being shocked when Godless acts occur?  Pray for our country.

The shooter in Las Vegas had his own moral code.  Why was his code different from God’s?  We may never know the circumstances of his life that brought him to make the decisions he did on October 1, 2017.  But David lists those reasons in verses 3-5 above: his pride, his wickedness, his rejection of God’s laws.  If we acknowledge there is wickedness in this world, we must acknowledge there is good.  God is Creator of good. 

James 1:17 says, ^“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

I’ve been challenged every day for this entire school year in the deep study of the book of Romans.  I encourage you to read Romans chapters 1 and 2.  Paul listed in much graphic detail the sins in which the Romans were committing.  Yes, these were sins because they went against God’s moral code. Some of the sins listed go against most humans’ moral code.  But you will see quickly that there are some sins that we have justified by laws and attitudes.  We, as Christians, are chastised for calling them out as sin because those who have chosen to live this way feel justified because their choices make them “happy”.  Paul not only condemns those who are doing them, but he also condemns those who approve of them. 

“…they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” Romans 1:32 (NIV)

We all live under God’s moral code.  Romans 2 deals with how we judge those who sin.  He says in verses 3-4, “do you think you will escape God’s judgment? ⁴ Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?” He wants our hearts.  He wants everyone’s hearts to turn to Him.  Kindness is what turns a heart, not our judgment.  Pray for The World.

Verse 11 states, “but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good”.  God is for us, not against us.  His laws are good. God is good.

Even in David’s desperate lament to God with pleas of punishment for the wicked, he finished his cry in verses 16-18 with praise and honor.  He trusted his Creator.  He understood that, as a created being, he did not understand why, but he did understand that his Maker knew all.  David trusted his Father.  Our Sovereign King.  Our Compassionate Savior. The Maker of Heaven and Earth.  When we don’t get the answers we want, do we blame God?  Where is he?  Did he forget about me?  I’ve been there.  I’ve asked those questions.  I came back to remembering that this life is not about me.  It’s not about my “happiness”.  It’s about glorifying my Father.  And my Father has always been with me.  Lord, I pray for my own heart.

I can’t begin to imagine the pain of the 58 victims’ families.  I pray that never happens to another person.  Chances are it will.  But Good will prevail.  We may not know how.  We may not know when, but it will prevail.  Because God is good.  

"Let me make an announcement here today. I, Missy Robertson, am a TRUE FEMINIST.  I am a woman in every sense of the word.  I am not ashamed of my body. I am not ashamed that it can make and carry babies.  I am not ashamed of being a mom.  I am not ashamed of being a help-mate to my husband.  I stand for WOMEN’S rights because there just so happens to be this thing called a WOMAN! And I’m not ashamed to say that I was created by God Almighty to be a woman!

When my family’s reality television show became successful, people started asking me all kinds of questions, everywhere I went.  The number one question I was asked during the first year was, “How did you get your children to be so respectful?” My initial response was, “They have no choice.  If they are disrespectful, there are consequences.”

Respect for others is learned at an early age.  If it isn’t, it is much harder to come by as an adult.  My parents used to tell me, “The teacher is always right.”  Even though they knew teachers do sometimes make mistakes, my parents’ point was this: “Your teacher is the boss at school, worthy of your respect.  You may not like him or her, but you will respect them.”  If I got in trouble at school, I got in trouble at home.  Same went with the principal, coach, preacher and police officer.  Respect.  Hear me when I say there are exceptions.  It is never right for an adult in any situation to abuse or harm a child.  Ever.  Respect for the position of authority is what I’m addressing here.  

Respect for the position of authority is what is failing in our country today.  Where there is no respect for authority, there is no respect for the rule of law.

When the culture demands to turn against God’s wisdom, we teach our children to respect the law but trust God as the ultimate authority and establisher of governments. Romans 13:1 says, “The authorities that exist have been established by God.”

The reality is that our great nation was founded on Christian principals. George Washington said, “It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.” Our constitution ensures that, when a person is accused of a crime, he or she is innocent until proven guilty. However, in this age of media overload where regurgitation of the same subject is broadcast 24/7, we are not allowed to form an opinion based on facts, but we are demanded to choose a side based on race, gender, sexual orientation or even gender confusion.  This becomes the issue rather than the accused person’s actions.  And if we demand the person be held accountable for these actions, we are then accused of bigotry and racism. My husband and I teach our children that perception is not reality, but rather reality is reality.  We teach them to respect reality. That reality is that we love God, we love all those He created, and we trust His standards. Romans 13:10 says, “Love is the fulfillment of the law.”

In a culture that says “you deserve everything”, we teach our children “it’s not about you”.  Respect reality!

As our culture changes, we see our laws change. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution ensures that (and I quote) “there is no prohibition on the free exercise of religion”.  Yet, when our culture demanded that prayer be removed from our children’s schools, that free exercise was stripped right out from under them.  God is pro-prayer.  To learn and understand the value of praying to our Father is education at its finest.  Noah Webster said, “Education without the Bible is useless.”  Respect reality.

Our culture convinced us that a life growing inside a woman’s belly is not yet human, yet DNA technology proved that an untruth.  We were told that they are not life until they are born, yet ultrasound technology reveals a beating heart by 8 weeks gestation. By 10 weeks, her fingers and toes are fully formed.  By 13 weeks, your baby has its own unique fingerprints, different from any other human.  These are just a few initial milestones that a mother celebrates as she awaits the arrival of her wanted child.  But what about the unwanted child?  That baby still achieves the very same milestones.  The only difference in the two babies is that one is wanted and the other is not.  In a culture that discards life for the sake of convenience, we tell OUR children that life is infinitely precious, for the reality is that we are all made in the image of the Almighty God.  Psalm 139: 13,15, “For you created me in my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.” Those who advocate Pro Choice have taken a gift from God, which is the freedom to choose, to justify the taking of the ultimate gift, which is life.  Despite this, God still offers grace and newness to those who have made wrong choices.  God is pro-choice, and He always chooses life.  Respect reality.

Our current law contradicts Jesus’ definition of marriage, which says in Matthew 19:4-5, “At the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, for THIS REASON a man will leave his father AND mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”  And yet, this same Jesus offers forgiveness and transformation to those who trust Him.  When society says you can bypass your genetic code and be whatever gender you want to be, we tell OUR children, “your gender is determined by DNA, and that DNA was given specifically to you by the Almighty Creator of the Universe!” God is pro sex.  He created it! Jesus defined it. And families are formed from it. Respect reality!

Our current culture has demanded the removal of all forms of Christian artifacts from government property.  One pundit said (and I quote), “I’m all about Jesus. I just don’t want him on public property.”  God is…    

GOD IS!

Whether you want Jesus in the public square or not, whether you want him in your child’s school or not, and whether you want him right here in the middle of the USA in Omaha, Nebraska or not, HE’S HERE!  Jesus says in John 8:58, “Before Abraham was born, I am!”

Paul warned Timothy almost two thousand years ago with these words, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.  Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”

So, what are we really teaching our children?  My husband and I teach our children that there is a God and you aren’t Him!  Respect reality!

We must ask ourselves, Are we going to let the culture change us, or are we going to change the culture?  Whatever happens around us, there is one thing that never changes.

Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” He is the Way, the Truth and the Life! We must teach our children to live by the Truth!  We must show our children that we will stand up for the Truth!  We must unite as moms to lead our children to the Truth!  That Truth is Jesus Christ!

If America is to ever return to her glory, we, as moms, must unite, stand up, take back our homes, love our husbands and protect our children!

America SHALL return to her glory when we, as moms, acknowledge the One, the only One, who is worthy.  The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!  That is the ULTIMATE reality.  Respect it!"

(speech delivered by Missy Robertson at Moms March USA 9/23/17)

“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.  Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  Hebrews 10:39-11:1

Our family’s trip to Maui last week was incredible.  The beauty of the island was all that I imagined and more.  One day when the boys were playing golf, the girls drove to another part of the island, and I know they probably got tired of me saying, “Oh that water is just gorgeous!” over and over again.  But I couldn’t help it.  It WAS gorgeous!  I could hardly take my eyes off of it.  Each day was filled with ridiculously beautiful views.  We even kayaked out to sea and snorkeled with huge sea turtles and beautiful exotic fish.  But nothing compared to our very first adventure at the beginning of the week.

After Reed told a friend of his that we were going on this trip, his friend told him about a remote waterfall that not even very many locals know about, but we would have to hike about half a mile to get to it.  When he showed us a picture, we all quickly agreed we wanted to see it.  Half a mile? Please! That’s nothing. We hiked The Narrows last year!

After driving about an hour to where Reed’s friend dropped the pin, we parked on the side of the road and found the river bed. It was dry. Hmm. Reed said this was it, so we all started walking.  Now, when I think of a river bed, I think of dry ground, maybe some rocks and moisture along the way.  Wrong.  Here is a picture of the river bed.  That’s Mia and Brighton on the far left of the picture. 

That’s what we had to “hike” for only half a mile.  Some of the boulders were taller than me, and there was absolutely no path. It was all boulders.  After almost a half an hour in, we finally came to water.  Very little water.  Now, I’m no genius, but if there is a waterfall, hundreds of feet high, only half a mile away, shouldn’t there be water?  Lots and lots of water?  We were all having our doubts, especially Reed.  It wasn’t just the lack of water that was questionable.  Jase and I are not spring chickens anymore, you know?  And on this hike, it showed.  We brought all the right gear including the correct shoes for this type of terrain.  It was our bodies that were giving out.  The longer we hiked, the more spread out we all became.  Reed was always in the front, usually followed directly behind by Mia, then Brighton, Cole and Sierra.  You guessed it:  Jase and then I brought up the rear.  Going in, Jase took a tumble.  His foot went one way, his knee and hip went another, and he went down.  He was sore, but he kept going. 

Little by little, we made our way.  After an hour and a half, just about the time I thought this was going to be a huge disappointment, that either the friend told us the wrong location or that the waterfall was dry due to the recent lack of rain, Jase called out (somehow he had gotten to the front with Mia), “I see it! It’s right around the corner!”  Brighton and I started jumping up and down.  Carefully, of course.  We made it!  I couldn’t get over those next few boulders quickly enough to see what we had worked so hard to get to.  And there it was.  Majestic.  Grandiose.  One of the most amazing things I’ve ever laid my eyes upon.  Rounding that canyon, there was no where to go.  The caves and walls completely encased us.  The canyon rose to at least 250 feet, and the water poured down into a large, chilling pool of iridescent green water.  I’ve seen pictures before, you know, of places like this on the internet and in magazines, but I’ve never seen something that magnificent up close and personal.  It was breathtaking.

No one moved for a few seconds, just taking it all in.  Then we started moving quickly towards it. We wanted to be a part of it!  Then all of the sudden, Jase turned around to the rest of us and motioned us to stop.  What?  What could possibly be wrong?  We gathered closer to hear him say, “There’s two people there, and they don’t have any clothes on.”

Say what?

Somehow, Mia had gotten in front of Jase and was the first to see it.  (Parents of the Year award right here, please.)  When I looked at her, her eyes were wide, and she was making a motion with her hand going back and forth across her throat as if to say, “abort! abort!”

When I looked again, I saw the girl and said to Jase, “I can see her.  She’s wearing a swimsuit,” to Jase’s reply, “HE’S not.”

One more glance told me more than I needed to know.  Ew, I can’t unsee that, you know.

Well, what do we do?  We gathered up and had a family meeting.  Do we go back?  Do we ask him to put his clothes on?  He definitely sees us, and he’s not making any moves toward his shorts! We’ve come all this way!  These were just some of the comments said in our discussion.  About the time we had decided we weren’t going back without getting to that waterfall with strict instructions for Mia to face the wall until we can get past them, he slowly put his swimsuit on. Whew! We weren’t planning on sharing this experience with anyone, especially naked anyones, but we weren’t going to let them spoil this experience. It was a bit awkward, so Jase broke the silence.

“Hey, man, sorry to crash your party.”

“No worries, dude, just trying to be one with the sacred land.”

Ooookay.

To our delight, they left rather quickly after that, and we had that “sacred land” all to ourselves. We dove right in, literally. It was very deep and very cold, but we all dove in and swam to, around, under and through the waterfall.  It was an amazing experience, and I’m so thrilled that we got to do it together as a family.  And I just kept thinking, “What a payoff!”  We ate the sandwiches we’d packed that morning and took lots and lots of pictures.  It was wonderful. Then we had to head back.

(Mia admiring the beauty)

Honestly, once we started back over those same boulders, carefully making each step, knowing how long we had to do this to get back to the car, I started to get weary. I thought the adrenaline rush from being at the waterfall would carry me through, but that only lasted so long.  I took a tumble myself after a rock moved under my feet and I lost my balance.  I scraped up my knee pretty badly and ended up with quite a few bruises.  Reed, who reminded me of the hare in the fable “The Tortoise and the Hare” would get way out in front and then sit on a boulder and wait for the rest of us. He did this two or three times until my fall.  He ran back to me and said, “Mom, how can I help you?”  I told him all I needed was for someone to go right in front of me and show me where to step.  That was it.  If I could see someone else make a safe step, I would know I could do it, too.  So that’s what Reed did.  He was patient and kept looking back at me to make sure I was staying out of trouble.  He did this all the way back until we got to the car.

(Heading back)

During that hike back, I started thinking about hope.  Reed had faith in his friend’s directions because his friend had been in that same spot before. I  had faith in Reed because he was so sure in his friend.  And I wanted it so badly.  I wanted to see that waterfall. So I followed. One slow step at a time. If I would have taken my eyes off that trail, or if I would have forgotten about that waterfall that I had just seen and been a part of, or if I would have let that one unexpected distraction sideline my perfect view of fulfilled hope, it would have been inevitable that I would have failed.  But if I could see Reed so sure of his steps up ahead and especially if I watched him take each step right before mine, I could do it.  No problem. 

The above verse tells us that if we don’t shrink back and believe, we will be saved.  That our faith comes from our assurance in something we can’t even see.  Right before that, the Hebrew writer says in verse 36,

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”

Persevere.  That’s definitely what I was doing.  Reed’s friend promised that waterfall was there.  I had faith, even though I hadn’t seen it. 

I don’t know about you, but I have never seen eternal life.  I’ve never seen heaven.  I’ve never seen a life without pain or disappointment.  But God promises us that it is there if we persevere, don’t shrink back, believe! We will be saved! 

What is difficult for you may be easier for someone else.  Ask them to help guide you.  Climbing through that rock bed was difficult for me, but it wasn’t even a challenge for Reed.  Without his help, it could have been disastrous for me. We were on that journey together, and we wanted to share in that momentous experience of joy and beauty together. 

It was definitely worth it.  However, about half-way back, while during one of our rests, I told the kids they better remember their dad and me against this backdrop because we will never be back here again! 

I won’t miss this life when I get to heaven, to the promise!  Will you?

Have a delightful week!

(Daraja African Children's Choir at our neighborhood 4th of July party, 2013)

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.” Psalm 33:12 (NIV) 

In May of 2013, at the height of Duck Dynasty, one of the executive producers of our show sent us an email with a youtube link with the caption, “How cool is this?” 

No one responded. 

You have to understand that we were receiving hundreds of emails, messages and requests every week asking for our attention, involvement, donations, etc., in some way or another.  We physically could not keep up with them.  There were kids dressed up as us on Halloween, churches putting on Duck Commander Days, communities raising money for all kinds of projects and schools having Duck Dynasty dress-up days.  There were literally thousands of requests for us to attend events, and folks all over the country were trying to let us know how much our family was impacting them personally.  It was exciting, humbling, surreal and, honestly, quite overwhelming.  With all the correspondence coming our way, I’m sure hundreds, if not thousands, were completely missed all together.  This one, particular email would have been one of those missed opportunities if that same producer would not have tried again.  A few weeks later he sent the same link encouraging us to take a look.  So I did.

A few seconds in, I jumped up, ran to where Jase was in the house and asked him to watch this with me.  He looked at me and said, “Well, it must be good if you have tears in your eyes.”  When we finished watching, we watched again.  And again.  Then he said, “We need to find these kids.”  Here is the link to the youtube video so you can see what drew us to them.  They are precious!!!  It’s only a little over a minute long, so I invite you to click the play button below.

Obviously, I went to work on finding these children!  My assistant and I dug into the video and emailed the creator, hoping and praying we hadn’t missed their visit to the United States.  To our delight, the director of 410 Bridge, Kurt Kandler, emailed me back and happily told me that the kids were still in the states!  He also said their schedule had been completely booked since making that video, but they had a day off on July 4^th.  Since it was a holiday and we weren’t filming, I jumped on that quickly and invited them to our neighborhood.  We celebrated with burgers, fireworks, music, dancing, and lots of hugs.  July 4^th meant absolutely nothing to them before that day. They had no understanding of our country’s independence and celebration of freedom. It now means the beginning of a meaningful relationship between our families, the children, our church, selfless volunteers and a wonderful organization.  410 Bridge helps enable African children and their families by teaching them new skills and partnering with local churches and their pastors to spread the simple story of Jesus and what he has done for all people on this earth.

In a few weeks, Mia, Cole and I will be heading to Africa to visit some of these sweet families and see first-hand how they live and am hoping to serve them in some way in order to help them better their lives.  I may even be able to meet my sponsored child that I started sponsoring that same week in 2013.  These children show so much joy when they are in America, but they also show us about their faith in Jesus.  Some of these children are orphans, but most of them have families that love them but have a very difficult time caring for them.  I am looking forward to seeing just exactly what a day in their life looks like and am hoping we can find ways to offer more of our help.  (I’ll write about our experience when we return.)

One of the reasons I love going on mission trips is because I become more and more aware of how people live around the world and how wonderful we have it in America.  It is so easy to become negative and selfish when we let ourselves become focused on ourselves.  The little things we get upset about on a daily basis become so minute and, honestly, embarrassing when you come face-to-face with children who have one daily dress and one Sunday dress, no shoes, wash their rags in a bucket outside, grow in their backyard the only food they will ever eat, walk two hours to school each day, sleep on dirt floors and take care of the aging members and toddlers of their family.  This is just a few examples of some of the tasks these kids, ages 8-14, face each and every day.  What have I complained about already today?

Perspective.

We, as Americans, have been given an incredible blessing to be able to live in the greatest nation on earth.  We are free to do so many things and encouraged to do so.  We are even free to never travel outside of our borders if we so choose.  But there are so many people out there that could use our help if we take that risk.  The main risk we will face when doing so is the risk of being uncomfortable for a few days. 

“…From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”  Luke 12:48

Your first thought may be, but I’m not rich. I can’t do much.

Do you know you can help a community in Uganda or Kenya through 410 Bridge with only $12.00 a month? This helps further the process of ensuring clean water for these families.

Sponsoring a child is $39.00 a month. This helps with school clothes, medical care and food for his/her entire family. 

You can learn more about it at www.410bridge.org

Why is our nation so great?  I believe because it was founded on God.  When the founders of our country decided to put “In God We Trust” on our money, it was designed to be a reminder to keep Him first in our daily life and to not let selfishness and money be our foundation.  Google some of the quotes that our forefathers recited about their faith in God.  Were they perfect? Far from it.  Thank God for his Son Jesus.  Our country is in danger of losing our Godly foundation.  We, as Christians, are battling it every single day.  We must never lose sight of “In God We Trust” or we may lose the blessing of a great nation that we receive directly from our God.  We help keep that focus when we look outside of ourselves and help those in need.  

God uses His people to be His hands and feet, and He blesses us when we take on that task. 

Since July 4, 2013, we have continued a close relationship with the African children of the Daraja Choir, their leaders and volunteers and have had them in our community and in our homes many times since then.  If it is such a beautiful thing to be able to love, hug and mentor a child from halfway around the world in our own homes and churches, how much more beautiful is it to be able to do the same in their own communities?  We may be asked to give more because we have more, but we will also be blessed more as well.  The smiles you’ll receive are blessing alone.

Please pray for a successful trip for me, my children and the group I’ll be traveling with.  I know I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again: take your kids on a mission trip.  Find a reputable organization or a church that is a veteran in the mission field.  It will change your perspective and set your children on a path of empathy, service and gratitude.

Have a joyful and free week,

              AND

may God continue to bless America!

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV)

If any of you have ever been a baseball fan or followed a team for very long, you know about the high level of superstition that is associated with each team. 

Years ago, long before Duck Dynasty, I was working in the office when Duck Commander was still located at Phil and Kay’s house.  One day when the phone rang, I answered and on the other end of the line was a young man asking if he could order a very specific Duck Commander baseball cap.  I apologized to him and told him that we no longer carried that hat but offered to sell him a different, very popular one.  He then began to become a bit frantic. He told me that he was a minor-league baseball player, has been a Duck Commander fan for many years and that he had a big problem.  He explained to me that for every game he had played, he kept the same Duck Commander baseball cap in the dugout.  He went onto explain that he recently was called up to the major leagues and that when he went to get his lucky Duck Commander cap, someone had stolen it!  This poor guy was not getting off the phone with me until I solved this very important problem!  So, I asked him to hold, and I buzzed Jase to get on the phone with him to see if he had any ideas.  Jase listened to this young man’s predicament and came up with a solution.  He told him that, seeing that it was one of Jase’s favorite hats, we actually had the exact hat he was looking for in our closet at our house and that he would agree to send it to him at no charge.  Jase also told him that if he became successful in the major leagues to remember us and invite us to a game sometime.

That young man was Adam Laroche, who was called up by the Atlanta Braves and who went onto become one of the top MLB players of our time.  Obviously, we went to quite a few of those games. Today he and his wife, Jen, are some of our very good friends.

(Jase and Adam speaking at a benefit in Adam's hometown)

Today, as I write this blog, Jase is on his way to Omaha to watch the LSU Tigers play in the championship games of the College World Series.  We have been fortunate to get to know some of the boys, the staff and Coach Paul Mainieri and his wife Karen.  If you’ve watched LSU at all the last two seasons, you’ll know about the Rally Possum and the Beach Ball superstitions.  Even Miss Karen, Coach Mainieri’s wife, gets into it.  When Jase and I were there a few weeks ago, I gave her an exclusive Laminin bracelet with purple beads and a gold bar as a gesture of thanks for always being so hospitable to us when we want to come watch a game.  Being the energetic, gracious, kind-hearted, easily-excitable, ray-of-sunshine person she is, she immediately put it on and oohed and aahed over it.  She looked at me and said, “I haven’t been able to figure out the right combination of jewelry this season.  Maybe this is it!”  She followed that by telling me the stats of the season, where they stood in the SEC standings and how some of the boys were doing.  I loved that!  She not only was there to show support for her husband and his job, but she showed that she is a true LSU fan, that she believed whole-heartedly in this team and was so excited to see how the season would unfold.  That definitely has to help her husband in, what I would assume, can be a highly stressful job.  And she was having fun doing it!

(Mrs Karen Mainieri in Omaha with her "good luck charms", as she calls them)

Isn’t it great to know that in Christ, we don’t have to find the perfect combination of outside forces?  There’s no stepping over the chalk line for fear of bad luck.  No using the wrong marker to fill out the line-up.  Not even finding the exact right cap to keep in the dugout.  For those of us who have put on Jesus as Lord, we have the added bonus of being marked with the Holy Spirit.  Acts 2:38 says, “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  His Spirit inhabits our body, He lives inside of us, and helps us navigate through this life. He knocks on our heart and reminds us of making right decisions that glorify the Son of God. 

Yes, superstitions are fun, but they won’t change your life.  The Holy Spirit, Jesus, God the Father.  They’re the only combination we need.

Oh, and by the way, LSU has lost only one game since Miss Karen put that bracelet on her wrist.  However, seeing our ace pitcher and his pitching coach put their arms around each other, bow their heads and pray for strength and guidance from their Creator before walking onto the mound has been the highlight of this LSU fan club. 

(Alex Lange and his pitching coach praying before the game)

The Tiger may be the seal of the LSU sports teams, but when Alex put on his Lord in baptism a few weeks ago, the Holy Spirit became the seal on this ace pitcher's heart.  

Have an UP-lifting week and Geaux Tigers!

“When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.” Proverbs 10:25 (NIV)

Living in Louisiana, I have witnessed firsthand, more times than I can count, what it is to be in the middle of a terrible thunderstorm.  Being so close to the Gulf of Mexico, storms can crop up at any time of year.  What was predicted to be small, miniscule rain showers can suddenly turn into deadly torrents with wind gusts that can knock down 100-year-old oak trees rooted into the depths of the earth!  As I type this now, we are experiencing this type of storm with lightning, thunder, wind gusts and a torrential downpour.  In fact, Mia just rounded the corner from the carport to the back porch where I’m sitting, soaking wet! 

“Where have you been?!” I shrieked with sudden worry, thinking that she had walked in this storm from one of her cousins’ houses. She jumped as I scared her, too!  (She wasn’t expecting me to be sitting outside during this storm.)

“I was wiping down the golf cart under the carport, and I just walked straight around here. It’s raining so hard, Mom!”

I guess living in a place where storms are frequent, even though sometimes dangerous, I enjoy watching, feeling the wind and mist and hearing the sound of the rain.  Of course, I’m under the protection of my back porch, which has three solid walls and a secure roof.  I feel safe.  On the other hand, at the same time, my 19-year-old son, Cole, was driving home from Mississippi in the rain.  If you’re a parent, you understand the battle I’ve had the past few minutes between wanting to call him to make sure he’s okay and not wanting to call him for fear of distracting him while he’s driving.  Right?  I ended up calling!  He was only 20 minutes away and was fine, coming from the clear side of the storm.

We’ve all seen the news reports showing the aftermath of terrible storms.  The footage of people’s homes completely destroyed.  Possessions strewn down streets and over lawns.  Cars demolished and even overturned.  Yet, the human spirit perseveres.  They are heartbroken, saddened, weary.  But they find the inner strength to get back up and rebuild. 

Why does the Bible use the analogy of a storm so many times?  I believe it is because it is something that we have no control over.  Storms are scary! We don’t know when it’s coming, and we don’t know when it will end.  We just have to shelter in place, pray and trust that God will see us through it.  We have to literally wait it out.  Not all storms end without human tragedy.  The loss of life is the ultimate heartbreak. 

Storms can leave as quickly as they came.  It seems almost surreal the day after a storm when the sun is shining so brightly and the sky is so clear.  Did yesterday really happen?  Yes, it did.  When a big storm is predicted and approaching, weathercasters tell us to be prepared, take caution, stay home, etc.  It’s when we’re not prepared that the storms of this life will surprise us and rip us from our foundation.  The title scripture uses the storm analogy to say that the righteous will be able to endure.  The righteous will stand firm in their faith in the Savior.  The righteous understand that the calamities of this earthly life are just temporary, no matter how terrible they are.  We understand that this will pass.  And when that final day comes, it, too, will sneak up on us like a storm in the night.

Mark 13:32-33 says, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.”

Nature’s storms come in many different forms: rain, wind, ice and even dust (if you live in West Texas, you know what I mean.) Life’s storms also come in many different forms: sickness, financial failure, job loss, death of a loved one and even a terrible thunderstorm. 

Are you prepared?  If you are counted as righteous, you are.  Take heart!  When the sun shows its face the next day, so will the Son.

Have a sunny week!

(Last year's family beach vacation photo)

“For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish.” Hebrews 4:10-11 (NIV)

I start to write this blog as I sit on the balcony outside my bedroom, watching my sister-in-law, Lisa, gather up toys, towels, trash, beach bags and baby hats off the beach and carrying them up the walk toward our beach house.  Just a few years ago, we were in each other’s place as I was the one rounding up all my children’s “beach stuff” that they would leave behind on the beach.  Now she is doing the same for the next generation: her grandkids. 

Rest takes work.

(View after the nightly beach clean-up.) 

Miss Kay and her sister, Aunt Ann, will be driving up any minute from their annual run to the farmer’s market in town where they have stocked up on fresh fruits and vegetables and will be starting on tonight’s dinner of homemade chicken and dumplings, corn on the cob, black eyed peas and hot water cornbread (after bribing John Luke to carry up their bags from the car, no doubt). 

Rest takes work.

This is all expected on this single day during our annual Robertson beach vacation. This is Year 22. Reed had just had his first birthday when we started this tradition (we didn’t know it would turn into a tradition then), and we just celebrated his 22^nd birthday a couple of nights ago.  I still remember the first condo we stayed in, with three bedrooms and a loft that Miss Kay rented for us. There were 12 of us then, and we thought we were a big family. There are 40 of us now, with one on the way. We take up 18 bedrooms plus 4 hall bunks, and we all pitch in to make it happen.

Rest takes work.

How many of you can relate on how much work goes into planning and preparing for vacation? Lisa spends hours just trying to find a house every year that will accommodate our small army!  When my boys were little, I would start washing clothes and making a list of items to bring days before we left. Then it’s a run to Wal-Mart for sunscreen, snacks, medicine, etc. Suitcases were the least of what was packed.  There were the floaties, life jackets, baby hats, portable crib, stroller, formula, etc.  Oh yeah, then there were Jase’s and my stuff! Jase would end up calling me out each year because he could see that I was completely stressed by the time we got into the car! But by the time we pulled out onto the highway, I would feel the stress start to dissipate. 

Rest takes work.

This week we have a three-year-old, a two-year-old and two one-year-olds. It can be a little loud at times and a lot dirty, especially with 11 other kids fifteen and under running in and out of the house constantly.  Let’s just say you grow another layer on the bottom of your feet that exists completely of sand (and maybe a few smashed Cheerios). No matter how much you sweep or vacuum, you can never get completely rid of it.   

Rest takes work.

There isn’t a whole lot in the Bible that talks about the importance of rest except for one day a week, the Sabbath.  That stemmed from what would be considered the most famous passage about resting after work, “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. ³ Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”  - Genesis 2:2-3

Yesterday morning, all 40 of us gathered together with our coffee, Bible and Reed with his guitar.  We sang worship songs like, “What A Beautiful Name” and “Good Good Father” and listened as Jase lead our thoughts through scripture of how we need to look to Jesus for our ultimate healing. He read from Numbers 21:9 when Moses made a bronze snake and told the Israelites that anyone who was bitten by a snake would be healed when they looked at the sculpture.  Jesus referred to it again in John 3:14.  Was there power in the bronze snake? No. The power was their belief that God could heal them.  God heals us now through his son Jesus.  We were reminded as a family to keep looking to Jesus for our eternal healing. 

To hear from Miss Kay, Alan, Sadie and others who shared their hearts was both inspiring and comforting.  Knowing that, even with all our individual flaws and continual mess-ups, when we listen to each other’s hearts, we understand and are reminded that we are all trying to keep Jesus front and center.

It’s not easy getting 40 of us (and growing) together in the same week each year with all our kids, grandkids, gear, golf clubs, etc. to “rest”, and honestly, I’m not sure how long God will continue to grant this time to us, but I pray that He will. 

God encouraged His people to take one day out of the week to rest and focus on Him.  In today’s lifestyle, Sundays are quite full of work.  We usually find ourselves working 7 days a week.  That’s why our vacation is so important to us.  Even now, on vacation, I’m working on my blog and checking in all day long with my business back home.  I’m not sure we, as Americans, can really and truly separate rest from work.  But I believe we should try. 

Yesterday morning, it was refreshing to see everyone in our family focused on God and not on a smart phone, all at the same time.  We were focused on the scripture and listening to His word.  Even rounding everyone up to stop and focus took some effort.

Rest takes work.

But even God rested. 

Plan a week of rest and focus. You’ll be glad you did.

Have a wonderful week!

“What other people is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?”  Deuteronomy 4:7

Living on “Robertson Row”, as a few of my friends call our short cul-de-sac, is very different from any other place I’ve ever lived.  Out of eight homes on our little street, the four Robertson brothers live in four of them.  The other four are filled with either extended family or good friends.  It’s quite a little utopia, and we are very blessed.  Even while I’ve been trying to write this blog for the past hour, I’ve been delayed several times due to multiple slams of my kitchen door ushering the back and forth of little faces, requests for me to see the latest slime creation and the excited pleas to stop everything and look up dates for summer camp.

A few weeks ago we were eating dinner at our dining room table when our kitchen door flies open and Bailey Kay, Alan’s granddaughter, slams it shut and runs into our bathroom.  A few minutes later she came out of the bathroom and headed back out the kitchen door (followed by the familiar slam), all without ever saying a word.  After she was quickly outside and back on her bicycle, Jase said, “Nice to see ya again, B.K.”  We all chuckled.  That’s life on “Robertson Row”.  Bailey obviously felt quite comfortable, not only entering our home without knocking, but she felt the same level of comfort entering our bathroom--our “holy of holies”--our inner sanctum—our throne room.  And we were perfectly comfortable with her entering without first hearing a knock.  What makes her different from someone living around the corner that we don’t know?  She is family.  Family is welcome at any time, day or night.

When we pray to God, we have that same invitation.  We can approach God with any request at any time.  Did you know that this was not always so?  In the Old Testament, there were many rules and laws that surrounded approaching God in the inner most room inside the Temple.  Not just anyone could do it.  I would list the laws here, but it would take pages!  You can read them yourself in Exodus 35-40:33. You do need to know that there were many curtains that separated each section from the previous one, leading into the innermost sanctum where God would take the requests of the High Priest.  This was called the Most Holy Place or the Holy of Holies.

The Holy of Holies was the very interior room and was covered by a veil. No one was allowed to enter except the High Priest, and even he could only enter once a year to offer the blood of sacrifice and incense before God on behalf of the Israelite people. 

Many years later at the precise moment that Jesus took his last breath on that cross, the curtain into the Most Holy Place tore apart from top to bottom.  This signified that the old way to approach God was demolished and that Jesus was now our High Priest. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can walk straight into the arms of our Father.

Hebrews 4:14-16 explains, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess…Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

In John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The high priests of the past would have to wait to approach God for an entire year.  We can talk to God whenever we wish: in the car, beside our bed, on the phone with a friend, in our pew, even in our heads.  Paul tells us in I Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray continually”. 

God wants us to draw near to him.  He wants to have a relationship with each and every one of us.  He wants us as his children.  His family.  And just like B.K., we can enter the Throne Room without even knocking.

Have an inviting week!

^“13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”  James 5:13-16 (NIV)

It’s Spring in Louisiana! I love it! The azaleas, roses and oleanders are in full bloom in my yard, and I just potted hydrangeas, geraniums and daisies at the Laminin House.  There is just something about fresh flowers that can literally brighten my day.  If I could just figure out how to keep my favorite flowers, tulips, blooming all year long! Well, maybe that’s one reason why these fresh, soft, bright, living flowers become special to me—because they come out only once a year.  It’s something I look forward to after weeks of cold, dead, lifeless, bare branches and lawn.  But with these beautiful beginnings of new life also brings allergies.  Yes, we know them well.  The medical industry can’t wait for spring, right?  How many of us are taking a daily allergy pill as you’re reading this?  Spring is also a time when we feel the need to clean out.  Maybe it’s because we’ve found new energy or maybe it’s because the sunlight that was absent for so long is now shining brightly on all the dust and clutter we’ve been avoiding.  Whatever the reason, I know I feel so much better when I’ve cleaned out, thrown away, and organized my necessities. 

It usually starts with my purse.  Why does everything in my life seem to end up in there anyway?  And how has a man avoided carrying one all these centuries!?  During a women’s conference a few years ago, the speaker said, “Show me what’s in your purse, and you’ll reveal your life.”  Whoa. Deep. When I pick up my purse and feel the weight and think, “What in the world is in here?”, I know it’s time to clean out.  But how do I start? Ok, I’m about to be completely transparent here.  It’s scary, intimidating and you might not like me anymore.  However, I’m taking a chance on you and sharing my deepest, darkest, most personal parts of myself.  These are the contents of my purse…

Well, you’re still here, so that’s a good sign.  It’s kind of embarrassing!  And after I finish writing this, I’m going to sort, throw away, put away and organize before placing the necessities back in there.  I always feel so much better when I know where to find exactly what I need exactly when I need it, and it's not so heavy to carry around every day.

Isn’t that what we need to do in our lives?  Of course it is, but it’s a bit harder to do than cleaning out our purse.  The first step is to reveal it.  It may be embarrassing.  It may even be shameful.  Find someone you trust and take this first step.  What about the person you just thought about?  Is the devil trying to talk you out of it?  Don’t listen.  Take the chance on that person.  Chances are they have something they need to reveal as well.  Shining a light on the problem tells the devil that he will not win this battle, that you are ready to fight him and take him out.  You are ready to be healed!

These women right here are a few of my fellow soldiers.  They know me.  They support me, challenge me, cry with me and pray with me.  They get me.  They’ve seen my purse!

Confession is good for the soul.  The Bible tells me so.  Pray. Trust. Reveal.

Have a fresh and clean week!    

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen!”  Ephesians 3:20-21

It’s “Duck Dynasty: The Last Call” as A&E is titling this last and final season. Our first episode aired March 21, 2012, and our series finale will air this Wednesday, March 29, 2017. Five years!  Where has the time gone?  Surreal doesn’t even begin to describe the ride we’ve experienced. My head and heart are so full of hundreds of stories and emotions that I want to share with you, but summing up this chapter of our lives in one article is going to be extremely difficult. No one could have predicted or remotely expected the impact that a normal American family (well, somewhat normal) could have on literally millions of people.  Please understand that this is not a way to brag on our achievements.  Quite the contrary.  I am writing to show just what God has done through a bunch of people who found each other, committed to their spouses, fought through numerous hardships, disappointments and battles and continue to hold on tight to our hope in Jesus Christ. 

When the very first producers came to visit us at Phil and Kay’s house in the spring of 2011 to discuss the possibility of this show, most of us were very open to it.  However, Phil and Jase both had major reservations.  Jase spoke up, “I’m just not sure how this is going to work.  The reality television I know about thrives on drama, discord, fighting, lewd behavior and cursing. As Christians, we strive to live exactly the opposite.”  The producers told us that they had seen enough on our previous series, “Benelli Presents: Duck Commander” on The Outdoor Channel to take a chance on us.  After the producers left, we had a long family meeting discussing the pros and cons of this new venture.  How would this change our lives? What if it actually was successful (1% of pilots make for a successful first season of television)? How will this effect our children on a daily basis? Will we be able to stick together as a family? And most of all, how can we stay true to our Christian values? This was going to take much dedication from each and every one of us.  We decided to go for it.  Phil prayed after our decision and asked God for wisdom as we moved forward.  He also asked God to hold us accountable.  I’ll never forget him saying, “Father, if you see that we are not using this opportunity for your glory, take it away.” 

Wow, what a statement!

The above scripture is one I have been able to recite by heart for over 30 years. I actually learned it as a song in church youth group.  However, it has never meant more to me than over the last five years.  The most powerful way has been through my prayer life.  I used to talk to God about things I was only aware about.  That’s seems plausible, right?  How can you talk to someone about something you have no indication of?  Read that scripture again.  It’s not our power.  It’s His.  We can’t even imagine what God can do in our lives.  If we can’t imagine it, how can we even talk to Him about it?  My prayers changed from, “God, fix this or that” and “help me with this and that” to “use me however you can” and “God, I’m open to whatever opportunities you send me, just keep me on track to glorify you”.  God has no limits, so why was I limiting him?  Not anymore.  If God can do what he did with our crazy family, I can’t wait to see what he does next.  It’s actually quite exciting!

From morning talk shows, to hosting awards shows, to presenting an award live at the CMT’s, to making our very own platinum-selling Christmas album (eek!), to filming episodes in beautiful Hawaii and Scotland, to finishing runner-up on Dancing with the Stars, to writing books, to walking red carpets, to designing clothing lines to encourage modesty and class, to launching a jewelry business to help women coming out of addiction and sex trafficking, to starting charities to promote adoption and help children born with cleft lip and palate, to adding 5 new family members (2 by adoption and 3 by marriage) to appearing in almost 12 million homes in one given night, to speaking in front of hundreds of thousands of people in the hopes they will give their lives to Christ.  These are only a few of the things God has used for his glory through our family over the past 5 years.

No one could have predicted even one of these things.

But God knew all along.

Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

One last thing I want to say is “thank you”. 

Thank you to our fans for watching us each week.  Without you, there would be no Duck Dynasty. 

Thank you for supporting us when we speak up for Christian values.

Thank you for supporting the Mia Moo Fund and ultimately cleft children born in the US. 

Thank you for praying for our family.

On that initial day with the producers at Phil and Kay’s house, we gathered around Kay’s kitchen island with food covering every square inch, put our arms around each other and bowed our heads while Phil lead us in prayer. After the prayer, one of the producers asked, “Do you always do this, or is this special just for us?”. We laughed. Yes, we always do this. Yes, we always pray to our Almighty Creator before we eat. Yes, we eat together quite often. No, this is not a special occasion. He then said, “I think we might could use this in the episodes.”

The statement I most hear in my travels is, “Thank you for praying at the end of every episode.”  But, you see, the cameras had nothing to do with that part of the show.  We may have moved from the kitchen island to a set table with matching plates, matching cups (except Si’s) and tablecloths, but the fact that we pray before each and every meal is not staged, and no producer tells us what to say in those prayers.  Thank you to our amazing on-set crew for loving us for these past five years and showing us respect for our values.  We will truly miss you.

My last Thank You is to A&E. It was and continued to be their decision to show our family praying, and not just at mealtime but during weddings, when Mia was in the hospital and numerous other occasions. They took a big chance in today’s anti-Christian society to put that on national television and keep it there night after night, even after much controversy. You see, God used them for his glory also.  Again, “more than all we can ask or imagine.”

“What will you do next?” is a question I am hearing a lot lately.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Duck Dynasty: The Last Call may be what A&E is titling this end to an era,  but we know that our final calling comes from God Almighty. So, I shrug my shoulders and respond, “whatever God calls us to do.”

Have a limitless week!

Catch the final episode of Duck Dynasty on A&E Wednesday, March 29th, 8pm CST!

For more information regarding the Mia Moo Fund or Missy's jewelry line, please visit:

www.miamoo.org

www.laminindesigns.com