Northwestlife

Not Perfect, But Well

2012-01-27T12:23:00.000-08:00

“What is it that keeps us from starting down the road to wholeness? It is not that God turns our contrite hearts away. It’s just that we do not always allow ourselves to go to such depth and vulnerability. Instead, we claw and grasp and reach and strain to stay afloat by our own efforts. All the while Jesus wants us to face the end of ourselves so He can fully begin.” ~{w}hole

{wholeness: soul wellness}

There is no perfect life, no perfect marriage, family, or any earthly thing. This, I know.

And yet, there is a place inside of me that still wishes I can be – that today will be the day that every hair falls in place, every flaw melts away, every second is filled with sweetness.
My humanity holds onto the idea that in order to have a full life, it must always go perfectly well. The truth is, it never always will.
I have come to believe that God is gracious to allow us the lesson early, even in the small things that hurt so big – the playground words that have never left us, the way our nose was oversized and other kids noticed…how our parents didn’t have much money and how that made us learn about struggle before we really understood it. Because it is in our perception of perfection, oftentimes, that we miss the richness of reality.
Our life won’t be perfect.
But it can be well.
A life that is always safe, always predictable, always able to be controlled by our wants and our will speaks to our fleshly desire for perfection.
But a life that knows true and lasting peace, joy, a thriving relationship with Jesus, a passion for the Gospel, and core fulfillment speaks to our soul’s need to be whole.
While the world around us may change, soul wellness is about the permanency of God.

Loving the messy church, despite its flaws…remembering that our religion is something different than our God.
Enjoying a deep, thriving relationship with God whereby we feel a palpable sense of His presence on our daily journey.
Caring about people we have never met, simply because the Gospel has infected us and we can’t live apart from its Cause.
Having peace — an inexplicably settled spirit and eternal perspective — even when the world does not play nice.
Living with joy that comes from a deep, organic place and lasts longer than brief, happy moments.
Experiencing fulfillment of the lasting kind that helps us live out our passion and purpose.

A perfect life says…I want to impress other people.
A whole life says…I don’t need others to say I’m worthy.
A perfect life says…things can’t ever go wrong.
A whole life says…when things go wrong, my soul can still be well.
My friends, until the day we finally see Jesus and become whole in the most completed sense…may we come to the end of ourselves so He can fully begin.

Lisa Whittle

Wisdom From The Psalm

2012-01-23T08:35:00.000-08:00

Psalm 10:4
The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. A successful corporate leader once said, "It's not that I don't believe in God, it's just that I don't have time for Him. If I did all the things that God wanted me to do, I'd never have time left for business." What a telling statement! Being a Christian means so much more than just believing in the existence of Christ. Many people believe in Christ, but they consciously remove Him from their hearts and minds. They don't have time for Him. What a tragedy! Too many people see life in Christ as slavery rather than freedom. They feel oppressed by the only true liberator that exists.

To understand Christ, we must spend time with Him. If we reject Him without even getting to know Him, we rob ourselves of any chance at redemption and salvation. As Christian people, we need to keep God close by us. We need to read His Word, dwell upon Him in our hearts, and speak of Him wherever and whenever possible. Keep the Lord close by you, and will never feel alone.

Prayer: Be with me, O my Lord. Plant Yourself firmly in my thoughts, and never let me turn from You. Amen.

The Happiest Way to Spend a Day

2012-01-23T08:17:00.000-08:00

I kept putting one foot in front of the other, but my thoughts? His words had stopped them in their tracks.Just moments before, I had rushed out the door, this package all wrapped up and in my arms. It was a Bible. And this, a walk from my door to the Post Office, was the first leg of its journey around the world to the Philippines. This Bible will be my little friend Zenia’s first, and she is very excited. I walk along, hoping, praying, that she will always love to read about Jesus. I smile at the thought of my friends, these people a whole world away yet so close to my heart.

I’d have to hurry on my mission, since it was nearly time to do something to turn food into lunch. Crossing the block early, I noticed a man in his front yard doing something with a shovel and a wheelbarrow. I didn’t know him. I started to call out a greeting. His stopped me, spun me.

“Hi Neighbor! Are ya liven’ that dream today?”
There I was, in the middle of a day that seemed so… ordinary. Wonderful, yes, but what did making pizza and paying payroll taxes and walking to the Post Office have to do with living a dream?
And I knew it then, all over again: There’s no such thing as an ordinary day. No, not when Extraordinary God has life-dreams for me.
Dare I say it? Dare I answer him with, “Yes!”? My thoughts chased each other. What is God’s dream for me, anyway? Am I really doing anything to reach it? Today? How am I spending this piece of forever?
And then He reminded me, “Just because My plans for you are to give you hope and a future (Jer. 29:11) doesn’t mean that all those plans are far off in the future. I have a design for your every day. Walk with Me today, and you won’t want to leave Me tomorrow. Let Me fill your days, and you’ll naturally fulfill My dreams.”
Yes. My answer is “Yes!” I called it out to both of them, the stranger and the Lord.
Yes, because today I can serve up the Word, send a smile through the phone line, squeeze a shoulder, say a prayer. The wonder! I can take steps that leave tracks on the other side of the planet. Yes, the miracle of Grace, how He moves in us to accomplish His own plans, how He dreams big dreams for each of us, how He fills our days, our hearts, with Himself.
If Christ is my core, every chore is a glorious project. If He is making my plans, seemingly mundane things can leave eternal marks. I can live His dream today by letting Him live His life in me.
Yes. It’s the happiest way to spend a day—swapping dreams and living His together.
By Shaya Kyle, www.thekylefamily.com

Personal Response to Our Role

2012-01-19T08:03:00.001-08:00

by Charles R. Swindoll

Read Matthew 5:13--16

Since God has called us to be His salt-and-light servants in a bland, dark society, it will be necessary for us to commit ourselves to the task before us. Remember, salt must not lose its taste, and light must not be hidden. In order to keep us on target, let me suggest three statements that declare and describe how to fulfill this role.

1. "I am different."

Probably the greatest tragedy of Christianity through its changing and checkered history has been our tendency to become like the world rather than completely different from it. The prevailing culture has sucked us in like a huge vacuum cleaner, and we have done an amazing job of conforming.

But servants are to be different. As one man put it, "as different as chalk is from cheese." As different as salt is from decayed meat . . . as light is from the depths of Carlsbad Caverns. No veneer, remember. We are authentically different.

2. "I am responsible."

If I read Jesus's words correctly, I see more than being salt and light. I am responsible for my salt not losing its bite and my light not becoming obscure or hidden. Every once in a while it is helpful to ask some very hard questions of myself. True servants do more than talk. We refuse to become the "rabbit-hole Christians" John Stott speaks of, popping out of our holes and racing from our insulated caves to all-Christian gatherings only to rush back again. For salt to be tasted and for light to be seen, we must make contact. We are personally responsible.

3. "I am influential."

Let's not kid ourselves. The very fact that we belong to Christ---that we don't adopt the system, that we march to a different drumbeat---gives us an influence in this society of ours. Maybe the quaint old "keeper of the spring" was not seen very much, but his role meant survival to that village in the Alps. We are influencing others even when we aren't trying to act "religious" or preach from a soapbox.

Wisdom From The Psalms

2012-01-17T07:56:00.000-08:00

Psalm 8:3,4
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
A devout man refused to enter into a church because he said that he was not worthy to read on holy ground. Whenever he saw a cross, he burst into tears and turned his eyes away. He humbled himself whenever he could, and he lamented that he would never be good enough to hope for salvation.
One day, a traveling minister entered the hometown of the man. He saw the devout man sitting on the stones outside the church building, and so he stopped to talk. When he found out the man'' thoughts, he told him, "God is not looking for worthy men, but willing children. He doesn't want to be surrounded by people trying to impress Him with how much they can love Him. He merely wants people who will receive the great love He has to give. You are wise in saying you will never be worthy, but do not be foolish in not realizing that you are loved. Come, and receive the gift of the Lord. He set the earth and skies in motion, the birds in the air, the fish in the sea, the creatures on the earth; a nd He did it all for you, my friend."
Prayer: Though I do not deserve Your great love, Father God, I thank You that You give it so freely. Embrace me as a child, cradle me in Your strong and tender arms, and help me remember that I am Yours. Amen.

Discover the Book

2012-01-15T11:58:00.000-08:00

Discover the Book

When You Feel Like It Doesn’t Matter

2012-01-15T11:10:00.001-08:00

The easiest way to get you to stop pursing your passion, your ministry, is to convince you that it doesn’t really matter. The voice might sound something like. . .
“I’m sure someone else has already thought of it and would do it better.”
“That’s your dream? It’s not big enough.”

“Everyone else is so successful. Why would your voice, your art matter?”

“It’ll sound ridiculous.”
“What if all the good dreams are taken?”
“What if God’s Kingdom isn’t big enough for your dream plus her’s’?”
Strange and almost comical questions to some, but in your head it seems so real.
Lies can seem like the truth at times. Sometimes you have a tendency to think where one succeeds there’s suddenly less room for you and your future.
And really, quite the opposite is true.
Through Paul, God asks you to “Be honest in your estimate of yourself, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you.”
You assume this means to work harder on being humble. That maybe God is trying to point out the pride-log in your eye. But what if God has given you great faith, a large amount that has been pressed down and is overflowing? Yet, you are not honest with yourself and estimate yourself not good enough, strange, or not yet ready.
“Just as your bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are all part of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.

God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So. . .if God has given you the gift to teach, speak out. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job teaching. If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously.
Then. . . Don’t just pretend that you love others. Really love them. . . Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.
Be glad for all God is planning for you.” {Romans 12:3-12}
And know that you and your art, your business, your writing, your ministry. . . it does matter and it is very important. . . to all of us and the Kingdom.
by Stephanie Bryant,

The Blessing of Affliction

2012-01-14T11:18:00.000-08:00

Testing the Promises of God  Few things in life hurt as much as problems with those who are close to us in life.
  Most people invest most heavily in their family and friends; thus our wife, husband, children, and close friends become the precious treasures of life.
  So what happens when we lose them?
  What happens when a child is swept away lamentably, a marriage ends horribly, a wife is taken tragically, a husband is gone unexpectedly, or friends are ripped from us unknowingly?
  Those are times of deepest woes.
  Those are the afflictions that we can say overwhelm us like a flood.
  Those are the sorrows that can make our world crash down all around us.
  Those are the problems that can plague us so that we feel like we cannot make it through another wave of trouble.
  Today one of the classic passages on being completely overwhelmed with grief, sorrow and pain is 1st Samuel 30:1-6. This is the essence of God’s recovery program for those who are hurting!
  1 Samuel 30:6 “Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”
The key is the last phrase. This idea of “strengthened”. The question we need to ask is how did David do that? What is the key when we are struggling?
  Ever feel drowned by sorrow? Ever feel overwhelmed by grief? Then reach out and grab the Lord by faith like you would do if it was the horn of the altar, like it is the feet of the only One who can save your beloved child, or like it was the wall that alone can stand between you and your enemies, or like the only weapon you have to stay alive when attacked. That is the way the man after God’s heart did it – and that is how we should respond!

Wisdom of the Psalm

2012-01-14T11:14:00.000-08:00

Psalm 6:2
Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak; O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed.
The closer we get to God, the more glaring are our faults. The brighter the light of perfection that we subject ourselves to, the more flaws are revealed. The better we understand the awesome magnificence of God, the more we expose our own imperfection. As the great men and women of the Bible came to realize, the stronger we become in the faith, the more wretched we sometimes fee.

This, however, is no cause for despair. Our Lord wants nothing more than for us to come to depend on Him. We can only truly become dependent as we acknowledge our inadequacies. As the Apostle Paul found out, true strength comes from admitting our weakness, and total healing comes by realizing that without God we are sickly and terminally diseased by sin. Cry out for the mercy of God and He will strengthen you; ask for His healing and you will be made whole.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I try to be perfect and find that I am hopelessly deficient. Nothing I can do will bring me the perfection You intend for me. Fill me with Your Spirit and do for me all that I cannot do for myself. Amen.

The Keeper of the Spring

2012-01-14T10:08:00.001-08:00

by Charles R. Swindoll

Read Matthew 5:13–14

The late Peter Marshall, an eloquent speaker and for several years the chaplain of the United States Senate, used to love to tell the story of "The Keeper of the Spring,"¹ a quiet forest dweller who lived high above an Austrian village along the eastern slopes of the Alps.

The old gentle man had been hired many years earlier by a young town council to clear away the debris from the pools of water that fed the lovely spring flowing through their town. With faithful, silent regularity he patrolled the hills, removed the leaves and branches, and wiped away the silt from the fresh flow of water. By and by, the village became a popular attraction for vacationers. Graceful swans floated along the crystal clear spring, farmlands were naturally irrigated, and the view from restaurants was picturesque.

Years passed. One evening the town council met for its semiannual meeting. As they reviewed the budget, one man's eye caught the salary figure being paid the obscure keeper of the spring. Said the keeper of the purse, "Who is the old man? Why do we keep him on year after year? For all we know he is doing us no good. He isn't necessary any longer!" By a unanimous vote, they dispensed with the old man's services.
For several weeks nothing changed. By early autumn the trees began to shed their leaves. Small branches snapped off and fell into the pools, hindering the rushing flow of water. One afternoon someone noticed a slight yellowish-brown tint in the spring. A couple days later the water was much darker. Within another week, a slimy film covered sections of the water along the banks and a foul odor was detected. The millwheels moved slower, some finally ground to a halt. Swans left as did the tourists. Clammy fingers of disease and sickness reached deeply into the village.
Embarrassed, the council called a special meeting. Realizing their gross error in judgment, they hired back the old keeper of the spring . . . and within a few weeks, the river began to clear up.
Fanciful though it may be, the story carries with it a vivid, relevant analogy directly related to the times in which we live. What the keeper of the spring meant to the village, Christian servants mean to our world. The preserving, taste-giving bite of "salt" mixed with the illuminating, hope-giving ray of "light" may seem feeble and needless . . . but God help any society that attempts to exist without them! You see, the village without the keeper of the spring is a perfect representation of the world system without the salt and light of God's servants (Matthew 5:13--14).

Wisdom From The Psalm

2012-01-13T07:36:00.000-08:00

Psalm 6:1
O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
Child experts have discovered that one of the most traumatic experiences children face is to have their parents scold or punish them in front of their friends. The humiliation that accompanies the punishment can leave deep emotional scars. The actual punishment pales in comparison with the embarrassment the child suffers. Most children would rather face any penalty other than public chastisement.

Just as loving parents guard and protect their children's dignity, so our Lord protects the dignity of His children. To believe that God would punish us in such a way as to rob us of our self-esteem is ridiculous. God would never do such a thing. God does not deal with us in hot anger, for He loves us too much. He watches us closely, guiding us gently, and regarding us as valuable creations. We need never believe that God has punished us in order to humiliate us. His own Son was humbled by men and women, but the Lord of all life lifted Him up, and He will lift us up, also.

Prayer: Though I face trials and problems, I know that You are not to blame, Lord. You give so much, and You help me in times when I most need You. Have patience with me, God, and help me to grow. Amen

encouragement for today

2012-01-13T07:30:00.001-08:00

Exodus 33:19–23
When God reveals himself, the emphasis is on showing kindness and mercy, not judgment. His mercy was demonstrated to Moses here, as God found a means to reveal himself in a way that Moses could endure. Remember: When God reveals himself, it is in mercy and compassion. Satan will try to get you to think of God's judgment only. But the true God, Yahweh, comes to you in kindness.

Blessed

2012-01-12T07:35:00.000-08:00

by Charles R. Swindoll
Read Job 42:9--15

Did you read that too quickly? The end of verse 9? Mark it. "The LORD accepted." And then, "The LORD restored." End of verse 10, "The LORD increased." Beginning of verse 12, "The LORD blessed." Those are words of grace---statements of divine favor. Let them hit with full impact:

Accepted.
Restored.
Increased.
Blessed.

Because of the fallout of our cynical society, you and I are being programmed to rush by words of grace and blessing and to hurry on to words that are negative. They bring us down. Killings in the workplace. Mold in your house. Weather disasters. Fractured families. Forest fires. High rate of divorce. Economic woes. Acts of terrorism. The homeless. Fallen ministers. Broken hearts. Mistreatment of children. Spouse abuse. Chemical dependence. Deadbeat dads. Premature deaths. Fraudulent builders. Rising unemployment. Scandals among CEOs and famous athletes. On and on. That's what fills the evening news.

We never hear: "Now, tomorrow night we'll report only good news." Instead, it's "Stay tuned if you think that report was bad; in a moment we'll have a full exposé."

I mean, even the weatherman predicts "partly cloudy." He never says, "Mainly sunny tomorrow." It's always a 20 percent chance of rain. He never says, "There's an 80 percent probability of sunshine." And furthermore, he's usually wrong (talk about job security). Enough of all that!

Who does God bless? Job! This is great news! You haven't forgotten that Job cursed the day he was born, have you? Or that he resented the fact he didn't die when he was placed on his mother's breast? He was also the one who said, "I am not at ease. I am not quiet." In other words, "I resent what has happened." That's the same Job who is wonderfully blessed at the end of the book. Why? Grace, grace, grace, grace, grace

Joy In The Morning

2012-01-11T07:38:00.000-08:00

Psalm 5:3
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. The sun had just begun to climb into the sky, and the dew shone brightly on the field below. Though not ordinarily a morning person, Ann always loved those special times when she rose in time to see the sunrise. On mornings like this, who could doubt that there is a God? Ann's heart filled with a joy beyond words, and nothing could remove that joy during the day. Taking a Bible, she went to a clearing to sit and to read and to pray.
God gives us special times in order that we might find joy and that we might find Him. He has created a glorious world, and He has freely given it to us. The early quiet of the day is a beautiful time to encounter the Lord. Give Him your early hours, and He will give you all the blessings you can hold.

Prayer: I raise my voice to You in the morning, Lord. Help me to appreciate Your new day, and use it to the fullest. Open my eyes to the splendor of all Your creation. Amen.

Choose God's Will

2012-01-11T07:26:00.001-08:00

by Charles R. Swindoll
Read Job 42:10--17

A major goal of wholesome, healthy Christians is the hope of reaching maturity before death overtakes us. I will tell you without hesitation that one of my major goals in life is to grow up as I grow older. A commendable etching on a gravestone would be: "Here lies a man who kept growing as he kept aging." Growing up and growing old need to walk hand in hand. Never doubt it: maturing is a slow, arduous process. Job accomplished it; he reached that goal. Small wonder we read that he died an old man and full of days. He lived the rest of his 140 years full of enthusiasm and passion. What an enviable way to finish life.

When trouble comes we have two options. We can view it as an intrusion, an outrage, or we can see it as an opportunity to respond in specific obedience to God's will---that rugged virtue James calls "endurance."

Endurance is not jaw-clenched resignation, nor is it passive acquiescence. It's "a long obedience in the same direction." It's staying on the path of obedience despite counter-indications. It's a dogged determination to pursue holiness when the conditions of holiness are not favorable. It's a choice in the midst of our suffering to do what God has asked us to do, whatever it is, and for as long as He asks us to do it. As Oswald Chambers wrote, "To choose suffering makes no sense at all; to choose God's will in the midst of our suffering makes all the sense in the world."

Where are you today? Where is your journey leading you? More important, which option have you chosen? Are you viewing your trial as an outrage or an opportunity? Try hard not to forget the lessons Job teaches us about ourselves. It will make an enormous difference. As you grow older, keep growing up. And, instead of simply reading about the life of Job, begin living that kind of life.

That makes all the sense in the world, doesn't it?

Clean Mouth by Berni Dymet

2011-12-26T12:34:00.000-08:00

Eph. 4:29 Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. One of the symptoms of the busy, I guess transactional world that we're living in is the way that we talk to one another.
Maybe you know that old schoolyard ditty "Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me"
But the reality is that what people say to one another - and how they say it - that can really hurt.
How many of us can point to something somebody said to us - maybe it was last week or maybe it was half a lifetime ago - something that truly hurt?
I never cease to be amazed at how we people talk to one another - almost like the other person doesn't matter.
We all do it - the words that come out of our mouth and the tone of our voice and the expression on our face - those are the things that truly tell people who we are.
What if we only ever said things with the purpose of building other people up? Encouraging them, supporting them - even when we have to talk about the difficult things?
What would life look like?

Wisdom from the Psalms

2011-12-24T12:04:00.000-08:00

Psalm 149:1
Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.

Pete took his dinner from the oven and sat down at the table to eat. He hadn't decided whether or not to go to church. For some reason the spirit just didn't seem to be moving him. Maybe he was getting too old for Christmas. As he bowed his head to pray over his meal, he heard the voices of distant carolers singing familiar old Christmas songs. His head flooded with joyous memories of the days of Christmases past. The spirit so absent moments before surged through him. With a lightness of heart, Pete dug into his meal, eating quickly to insure that he wouldn't be late for the Christmas Eve service.

Prayer: Fill my heart with songs of praise and joy. Send the light of the world into my life, and shine forth through me so that others might see how wonderful You are. Amen.

Our Purpose

2011-12-19T08:34:00.000-08:00

By Chuck Swindoll

The primary purpose of our lives is to glorify God. That, in a nutshell, is the reason we have been left onthis planet. We haven’t long to live. In our brief span of sixty or seventy years, God graciously allows us breath in our lungs, a heart that beats over a hundred thousand times a day, and sufficient mental and physical strength to carry on. In the process of our earthly existence, His most primary purpose for our lives is not that we make a name for ourselves or accumulate a pile of dough or push people around like a hot shot. Pure and simple, it is to bring glory to His name. If in the process He permits us a measure of success or a few joys and benefits for our labor, no problem. But due to the brevity of life, we must keep first things first.”

Wow! What a clear view of life!

Low Self Esteem

2011-12-19T08:29:00.000-08:00

by Berni Dymet

Gal. 2:20 and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Last night, I spent a few hours with some students at a Bible College where I teach. We had a tutorial. Their assignment was to look at someone's life, someone who they knew who seemed to be having real problems - and just come and talk about those problems in the tutorial.
You know something - as each student spoke about a friend or a family member - it just came back to the same thing again and again.
Each of these people had a sense of worthlessness. Each one! I was blown away. You see we live in a society where the advertising industry conditions us to believe that we - you and I are at the centre of the universe! It's all about me!
Well - that's working incredibly well then, isn't it?!
You know how we know what we're really worth? You look at Jesus hanging on that cross. He died - for you and me. What does God think we're worth?
The life of His only Son. Jesus.

Forgiveness Is Not An Emotion

2011-12-17T19:53:00.000-08:00

from Corrie ten Boom in Tramp for the Lord

It was in a church in Munich that I saw him—a balding, heavyset man in a gray overcoat, a brown felt hat clutched between his hands. People were filing out of the basement room where I had just spoken, moving along the rows of wooden chairs to the door at the rear.
It was 1947 and I had come from Holland to defeated Germany with the message that God forgives.

It was the truth they needed most to hear in that bitter, bombed-out land, and I gave them my favorite mental picture. Maybe because the sea is never far from a Hollander’s mind, I liked to think that that’s where forgiven sins were thrown. ‘When we confess our sins,’ I said, ‘God casts them into the deepest ocean, gone forever. …’

The solemn faces stared back at me, not quite daring to believe. There were never questions after a talk in Germany in 1947. People stood up in silence, in silence collected their wraps, in silence left the room.

“And that’s when I saw him, working his way forward against the others. One moment I saw the overcoat and the brown hat; the next, a blue uniform and a visored cap with its skull and crossbones. It came back with a rush: the huge room with its harsh overhead lights; the pathetic pile of dresses and shoes in the center of the floor; the shame of walking naked past this man. I could see my sister’s frail form ahead of me, ribs sharp beneath the parchment skin. Betsie, how thin you were!

“Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out: ‘A fine message, Fräulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!’

And I, who had spoken so glibly of forgiveness, fumbled in my pocketbook rather than take that hand. He would not remember me, of course—how could he remember one prisoner among those thousands of women?

But I remembered him and the leather crop swinging from his belt. I was face-to-face with one of my captors and my blood seemed to freeze.

“ ‘You mentioned Ravensbruck in your talk,’ he was saying, ‘I was a guard there.’ No, he did not remember me.

‘But since that time,’ he went on, ‘I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fräulein,’ again the hand came out—’will you forgive me?’

And I stood there—I whose sins had again and again to be forgiven—and could not forgive. Betsie had died in that place—could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking?

It could not have been many seconds that he stood there—hand held out—but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.

For I had to do it—I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us.

‘If you do not forgive men their trespasses,’ Jesus says, ‘neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.’

I knew it not only as a commandment of God, but as a daily experience. Since the end of the war I had had a home in Holland for victims of Nazi brutality. Those who were able to forgive their former enemies were able also to return to the outside world and rebuild their lives, no matter what the physical scars. Those who nursed their bitterness remained invalids. It was as simple and as horrible as that.

And still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is not an emotion—I knew that too.

Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.

‘… Help!’ I prayed silently. ‘I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.’

And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.

‘I forgive you, brother!’ I cried. ‘With all my heart!’

For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely, as I did then…

But even so, I realized it was not my love. I tried and did not have the power. It was the power of the Holy Spirit as recorded in Romans 5:5… “because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.”

Whispers

2011-12-17T19:46:00.000-08:00

Some describe it as a still small voice. Others ‘hear’ through the sage advice of brothers and sisters.

“If you do these things. . . then when you call, the Lord will answer, ‘Yes, I am here.’ he will quicklyreply.” {Isaiah 58:8-9}

Quickly reply? Refreshing. Like a conversation we’re used to.
What are ‘these’ things that have God rushing to our side, ready to answer our questions, guide our life, still our heart?
■Fast so that others may be free.
■Stop oppression.
■Treat others fairly.
■Share your food with those that are hungry.
■Welcome the poor into your home.
■Give clothes to those that need them.
■Do not hide from those that need your help. {Isaiah 58:6-7}
Then, He promises us that our Light will shine. {Doesn’t that sound wonderful?} Our light will be so bright, darkness will shrink back in horror and be overtaken by the life we’re living.
My pride bucks and I politely scream, “But what about me? The lists seems all about someone else. I want to know the good plans God has for me.”
And then God promises to ‘guide us continually, watering our lives when we are dry and keeping us healthy.” {Isaiah 58:10-11}
{I don’t know about you but I’m feeling dry. Dried up to help others. Tired and weary. It’s enough to handle what’s on my own plate. But He still promises to keep us healthy, both in body and perspective. To water our dry hearts so that we might flourish for Him when we’ve already given all we can.}
Through Holy Spirit power revelation and the beauty of sanctified growing pains, I hear God whispering to my always searching, whining, never content soul.
I’m looking for the still small voice, the laying out of next steps and great plans. But while I seek Him for my needs, I’ve missed the pie for the slice.
I’ve somehow forgotten why I lean in to hear His words; That His hot breath can warm my ears and make my eyes blurry with tingling love. I can be intertwined with His Spirit in mine. I can know, that I know that He loves me and I Him. I can ‘see’ Him all around in this bright light that He’s creating through me. I can experience Him through the eyes of another, the ones He asks me to serve. I can be with him, live with him, breathe Him in, remember the white-as-snow-pure love that He willingly clothed me in.
I remember His whispers are for Him and them, ‘to love God with all my heart and love others as I do myself.’ That is to follow. That is to listen. I must obey, then “my godliness will lead me forward and the glory of the Lord will protect me.” {Isaiah 58:8}
I, again, just want to be with Him.
I asked Him for guidance and direction. He whispers the secrets. As I lean in to hear His whisper from eternity, I bow to His throne and am closer to those who need His help and the plan He has for my life.
by Stephanie Bryant

The Most Searched For Answer

2011-12-12T09:10:00.000-08:00

by Lysa TerKeurst:
Growing up I had a plan for how I could make my life good.
Get a good education. A good job. A good husband. A few good kids. A good house. A good flowerbed out front. And a good mini-van parked in the driveway.
Then life would be… good.
Eventually, I had all that good stuff. I was thankful for it all. I loved my family to pieces. The mini-van wasn’t all I thought it would be, but I felt like an official mom driving it. So even that wound up being good.
But something inside me still felt hollow. A little off. A little lacking.
So, I reasoned I needed something else to do. Something where I could use my gifts and talents. And while these things were fun and satisfying on one level, they too fell short when it came to that deep place ringing with the echoes of empty.
Empty is a heavy load to bear. The mystery of wanting to be filled but not knowing how or what could fill the deep soul is a gnawing ache. A search that can seem both futile and shattering at times.
When you try and try, always feeling like the answer is just around the corner, and then it isn’t, it can split your heart wide open and leak dry all your reserves.
It can make you feel unsatisfied and frustrated with everything. Even those you love. Maybe especially those you love.
So you fake a smile and keep putting one foot in front of the other. But eventually you stop peeking around the next corner hoping the answer is there. History tells you it isn’t. And wrapped in that perception, is the noose that strangles out all hope.
Sadly, this is where many women live.
I know this place because I lived there. I struggled there.
And I guess I’m just wondering if you or someone you love might be there this Christmas season. It’s tough when everything around you screams “Merry” when you feel anything but.
It quite honestly stinks.
So, I’m not going to pretend you’ll suddenly feel super Merry after reading this post.
But what I can promise, is a string of words that explains a lot. An answer that is sure and solid and true and full of the breathless wonder of a hope rediscovered.
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved,” (Acts 4:13).
No good plan is the answer.
Even a good husband- good children- a good friend makes a very poor God.
No education or job or house can save you.
Salvation can’t be found in anyone or anything else.
There is no other.
Only Jesus.
And I’m not just talking about saying we’re a Christian. Following the rules and really following Jesus are two totally different things.
Going through the motions of religion won’t ever satisfy. It’s only when we bend down low, open our heart in complete surrender, and say, “Jesus, it’s you. Only you. There is no other. There is no other possession or person or position that can ever fill the deep soul place shaped only for you.”
This is my Christmas prayer this year. Though I’ve been saved for a long time, I want to recapture the essence of this “no other” reality.
And really live like this true.
Because it is. True.

Life Worth Living

2011-11-21T08:25:00.001-08:00

Is life worth living?” To scores of people life has ceased to be worth living. To all of you I have good news. God did not create you to be a defeated, discouraged, frustrated, wandering soul, seeking in vain for peace of heart and peace of mind. He has bigger plans for you. He has a larger orb and a greater life for you.
The answer to your problem, however great, is as near as your Bible, as simple as first-grade arithmetic, and as real as your heartbeat. Upon the authority of God’s Word, I tell you that Christ is the answer to every baffling perplexity which plagues mankind. In Him is found the cure for care, a balm for bereavement, a healing for our hurts, and a sufficiency for our insufficiency.

~Billy Graham~

Encouragement For Today

2011-11-11T15:18:00.000-08:00

As the pounding of the hailstones bruised the evergreen, releasing the fragrance, so the buffeting of life’s circumstances releases the fragrance of perseverance and victory in our lives, as we allow praise to ascend as our fragrant offering of faith.
By Shari Popejoy
“We are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” II Cor 2:15

How Are You, Really?

2011-11-07T08:16:00.001-08:00

She showed up at my front door. Unannounced with this in her hand:

“How are you really, Kristen?”
Now let me just say, normally I am ALL ABOUT THE CUPCAKE.

But something unusual happened: she waited for me to tell her. Really tell her.

And while the cupcake caught my interest, her words grabbed my heart.
I couldn’t remember the last time someone had added that word –the one that changed the trite question I hear every single day.
And so we stood at the door for a long time, me gripping sugar, tasting salt, pouring it out.
She waited for my words. The ones that I longed to say. And she just listened. Nodding her head, tilting it with empathy. And then she hugged me, told me she would pray.
I thanked her for the goodie, but mostly for asking and listening.
Sometimes we just need to be heard. I closed my front door, lighter with the burden I didn’t know I was bottling up, keeping in. I usually just nod my head with, “Yes, I’m good. Everything’s great.” I didn’t even know I was waiting on someone to really ask.
Today, you’re either in one place or the other: You sit reading these words and the salt pools and you are silently begging yes, please ask me. The burden is so heavy. Or you need to find the neighbor, friend, lonely mom after school, and ask, How are you, really?
Because I will tell you, I walked away from that experience, wondering how many women in my life are waiting on me to:

Ask (the question). Wait (for an answer). Listen (to her cares). Pray (for her).

With our rushing and racing, we miss this opportunity and fill the space with empty words and continue in a secluded pain that isn’t God’s ideal for the Body of Christ.
We are the body. You. Me. And we need to carry one another’s burdens.
So, tell me, how are you doing?
Really?
by Kristen Welch
photo: By Mr. T in DC