Mountains Moving

Sometimes God graciously gives us a glimpse of mountains He's moving.

Today I had lunch with a dear friend of mine who I hadn't seen in a while. As we enjoyed catching up with each other, she shared with me the incredible story of a mountain that God is moving in her life. After many years of praying and yearning for a dream to come true, she had pretty much accepted that it wasn't meant to be. She'd stopped praying about it. But not too long ago, most unexpectedly, God began showing her that the dream she'd long held was on track to becoming true.

I rejoiced with her in God's faithfulness in responding to her heart's desires, and will rejoice with her when this dream finally comes to fruition. She has always been a great example to me of someone whose faith is so deeply rooted in God. I am excited that she has yet another testimony of God's provision to add to her already rich life. I know that she gives Him the glory for the events taking place.

I felt so blessed and encouraged to hear her story today. I enjoy reading stories in the Bible of God's provision and deliverance for His people in times of struggle and heartache. But sometimes I just need to hear modern-day stories--and better yet, stories of people I actually know--to remind me of God's faithfulness and love for me.

I am not sure whether God is going to move the mountain in my life, or choose to move me instead, but today was a great reminder that He is at work, even when I can't see the evidence right off the bat.

Moving a Mountain

Good devotional about God moving mountains...

Attractive Words

Yesterday while filling up my gas tank I noticed an attractive man at the gas pump on the other side of mine. A couple of minutes later, his friend emerged from the convenience store and walked over to the man. I heard the man say something to his friend that I found to be a big turn-off. Nothing obscene, just a word that I find to be highly tacky to use. At that point, this man was no longer attractive to me.

Later I thought about how the words I say can either be attractive or a turn-off to other people. I have been blessed (or cursed, depending on your perspective) with a quick wit, and enjoy using it to make others laugh. But sometimes that wit comes at the expense of someone else. I can inadvertently hurt someone's feelings if I'm not careful.

Not only do I need to watch what I say, but I also need to be wise about the conversations I listen to. Even if I'm not actively participating, if I hang around with people who use foul language, or tell lewd jokes, or gossip, I'm still affected by it--and others who see me in those conversations are affected as well.

I'm reminded of the warnings that Paul gave to the church at Ephesus regarding speech:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Eph. 4:29)

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. (Eph. 5:3-4, emphasis mine)

Our words can draw people to Christ, or they can turn them off. I often forget how powerful an influence my words can be, for good or for bad. I want the world to know that I'm a disciple of Christ, by my words as well as by my actions.

Of course, I cannot have a pure tongue on my own. It is only through the Holy Spirit at work in me that any part of me can be pure and holy. Some days I remember to pray that I'll watch what I say, and other days I forget. Hopefully this is something that will become a permanent daily prayer request. I definitely need to be reminded that words carry weight far greater than I think.

What Relationships Teach Us

This afternoon as I headed home from a brief road trip, I caught the last few minutes of today's "Focus on the Family" radio broadcast. Today's show featured Gary Thomas, author of several books, most notably one that I've been wanting to read for a while now, Sacred Marriage.

Gary was discussing how marriage was not designed by God to completely meet our needs, nor was it intended to make us happy. Rather, marriage was designed to reflect God's glory, to make us holy.

I think this can apply to all relationships ordained by God. Certainly no one--no boyfriend or girlfriend, no spouse, no parent, no child, no friend, no employer or employee--can meet all of our needs. No one can fulfill us. The sooner we realize that, the better all of these relationships will be.

When you're in love, there are days that are magical. Days where our beloved seems to anticipate our every need and meet them in ways beyond our wildest dreams. Days when they lovingly surprise us with little gifts or thoughtful words or some act of service. On those days, we feel like we can do anything, with the love and support of our beloved behind us.

But there are also days where things aren't quite as magical. Days where our honey forgets to do something they promised to do. Days where one of us is giving more than the other, and resentment starts to rear its ugly head. Days where they let us down, or we let them down, or both. On those days, when we've "lost that loving feeling", it's easy to feel like a failure. Unfortunately, this is where many people call it quits in their relationship.

But the purpose of relationships is not to make us feel good all the time. No matter how solid and Christ-centered the relationship is, there will come a day when things are not going well. We're all sinners, none of us are perfect--so why would we expect a relationship made up of two imperfect people to be perfect?

In my relationship with God, there are days where everything's clicking and it feels like He's anticipating my every need and desire and rushing to meet them before I can scarcely think of them. And those are indeed wonderful days.

But if I'm really honest with myself, there are days where I feel let down by God. Certainly He does not "let us down"--His every action is for our ultimate good and for His ultimate glory--but sometimes it feels like He's disappointed us.

Of course, looking at things from His perspective, He is the one who's really getting a raw deal in this relationship. I don't always trust Him completely. I sometimes question His love and motives. I don't always do what He wants me to do. I let Him down time after time. I am lured by other gods--material things, wealth, TV--to worship them rather than appreciate and respect Who I already have.

How thankful I am for what God has taught me through all kinds of relationships, and more importantly, through my relationship with Him. I believe that the more that I lean on Him to meet my needs, the better my other relationships will be. I am so unworthy of being in any kind of relationship with Him--and yet He pursues me anyway. What an amazing thought!

Road Trip

As a single woman, you'd think that I had plenty of time to spend alone with God. And I do. But I admit that I'm easily distracted when I'm at home alone. Often, instead of taking advantage of that alone time to study or pray, I find myself caught up in doing laundry or emptying the dishwasher or mowing the grass, or yielding to the temptation to watch TV instead.

That's why I enjoy days where I hit the road and get some quiet time in the car. Today is one of those days. I'll be heading northward to Cullman to speak at a lunch meeting. I'm sure part of my drive up will involve me rehearsing my speech, but I'm looking forward to having a few hours of solitude (with no household chores) where I can talk to God and listen to Him. I often find myself connecting more with Him in my car, perhaps because I'm not distracted by the lure of other activities.

I hope that, whether in the car or at your home or office or somewhere in between, you find time to connect with God in a powerful way today!

Knowing My Limits

Observation: Flipping a mattress is most definitely a two-person job.

I know this because I just spent a good five minutes huffing and puffing and shoving my mattress around. I just bought a new comforter set, and figured that while I was putting on the new bedskirt, I might as well turn the mattress. It's a good thing I've been working out my arms lately, as they certainly got a chance to flex their muscles. Thankfully I came through the exercise unscathed.

Call it pride, or stubbornness, or both, but sometimes I take on too much. Like carrying groceries from my car into the house. There have been times when I've attempted to carry six or seven bags (heavy bags, at that) all at once into the house, at great risk of having my arms ripped out of their sockets. So far I've managed to escape extreme injury, but there have been a time or two that I've dropped the bags I was trying to carry. Even though it takes a few minutes longer, in the end it's so much easier if I just take a couple of bags at a time and make a few trips to the car.

As I get older, I learn to know what my physical limits are. I can't do everything I want to do. Sometimes I'm limited by physical strength and energy; sometimes it's a limitation on time, or finances, or know-how. I've improved over the years in knowing how to manage my time and finances better, but obviously there are still some areas (like strength, for instance) where I tend to push myself more than I should.

When it comes to praying, sometimes I weigh my limitations, keep to myself what I think I can "handle", and give God the rest. That is not a good approach. The truth is, I can't do anything on my own. Without God's guidance and strength, I am completely limited. I may think I'm handling things on my own just fine, but I'm a fool to think that way.

Ironically, when I admit my utter and total weakness before God, that's when He unleashes His power at work in me. Realizing that I am nothing apart from Him allows God's Spirit to work in me to accomplish things beyond my wildest dreams.

Today's mattress flipping exercise notwithstanding, I am trying to accept my physical limitations and ask for help when I need it. I am also learning more and more to present all of my needs--physical, relational, financial, spiritual--to God. Apart from Him, I can do nothing, but with Him--all things are possible.

Memorial Day

Whether you're at work today or have today off, whether you slept in late or got up early, whether you spend the day shopping or working in your yard or fishing in the Gulf, remember that you can do these things because of the courageous men and women who have given their lives in military service for the sake of our freedom.

More importantly, remember that it is God who gives us the ultimate freedom of living a redeemed life. No matter who's in authority in our nation, it is God who is in control. Let's not take any of these freedoms for granted.

Enjoy your day!

Release

Fully trusting God is not merely entrusting our lives to Him. It is also entrusting to Him the lives of those we love. As we trust Him to lead us, we must also trust that He is leading the lives of all whose hearts are committed to Him.

I'll admit that that is a difficult thing to do. People we love, and who love us, will let us down at times. They will do things and say things that we don't want them to do or say. Sometimes that will be the result of sinful behavior on their part, but other times it is God leading them in a way that we don't understand. If He is calling them to take an action (or, in some cases, to wait) that we don't agree with, we have to trust that His reasons are far beyond our comprehension.

Suppose that someone we love criticizes something that we do. It's easy to get our nose out of joint and think that they are mean and insensitive and trying to hurt us. But perhaps the truth is that God laid that thought on their heart to share with us with the intention of exposing some fault in our own lives and trying to help us become more like Him.

We need to be willing to release the people that God has placed in our lives to His care and to His plans for their lives. It's difficult to release our own desires and expectations for how we want them to act or to respond to our needs and wishes. Maybe we want them to stay in our lives when God is calling them to move on. We can't always understand the whys of what God does, but learning to let go of our will for others' lives and accept His is an important step in acknowleging God's sovreignty over everything.

As much as we love someone, God loves them infinitely greater than we ever can. He knows far better than we do what's best for them. And His ways will always be the best.

Cutting the Card

Several years ago, probably when I got my first job out of college, I acquired a credit card. Through the years I've used infrequently, and haven't carried debt on it. I can think of maybe one or two times when I haven't paid off the balance in one month, but in two--and I am very thankful that I never fell prey to the temptation to accumulate credit card debt. I'm proud to be considered a "deadbeat" by the credit card industry. (In their terms, a deadbeat is someone who actually pays their balance on time, thus denying them the benefit of making a profit on interest.)

I can't remember the last time I used my credit card. When making purchases I either use cash, checks or my check card. My credit card is just taking up space in my wallet.

I'm contemplating closing the account and cutting the little piece of plastic up. After all, it's been ages since I've even taken it from the sleeve in my wallet, let alone actually used it. So what am I waiting for?

There's a part of me that sees this credit card as a security blanket. Never mind that I have a savings account and, if some dire emergency arose, I could dip into my mutual fund account. Nowadays, pretty much every merchant that accepts credit cards also accepts check cards. So there goes the excuse of needing a credit card just in case...

Of course, it boils down to trust. Where am I placing my security, truly? Is it in a company eager to let me run up huge bills and charge exorbitant interest? Or is it in God, my true Provider?

I'm not saying that it's sinful to have a credit card. But I do think that God is teaching me a lot right now about depending on Him to supply all my needs, including financial. Perhaps it's time I cut up my shiny little security blanket and put my trust fully in Him to provide. I need to believe that when the Bible says that "My God shall supply all your needs", it's really true.

I'm curious, have any of you made "the cut"? Has that deepened your trust in God to meet your needs, even in times of emergency?

Teachable Moment #3: Stormy Weather

As my co-workers and I were heading toward the exit of our office building tonight, one of my co-workers wondered aloud if the cloudy skies heralded rain. Nah, I said. It won't rain. We've had enough teases with clouds over the past few weeks; I know better than to hope for rain. Even though I'd prayed for rain hours earlier.

We stepped outside the front doors, and lo and behold, it was raining! Not just sprinkles, not just a light mist, not even just a thirty second shower. This was a sure enough, bona fide rainstorm. I was so happy to be so wrong. I gladly walked to my car (couldn't run in heels) in the pouring rain.

Although the rain stopped before I got home, it picked up again not long after I was inside, with at least a couple of spells of rain, thunder and all. Predictably, my dog was stuck to my side during the rainstorms like white on rice. She's scared of the rain, so whenever she hears it she's either cowering under the bed or playing the role of my shadow. It's a wonder I haven't tripped over her and broken my neck yet.

When she's not afraid, my dog still likes being by my side, but she also has times where she'd prefer being left alone. But when something scares her--then she doesn't want to leave my side. She feels safe with me. Of course, I know that a thunderstorm is not going to harm her, but she doesn't understand that. It does no good for me to lecture her about how silly she is to hide from the rain. So I do what any good mom does when her baby's frightened--I speak soothing words and hold her. I let her follow me all over the house. I don't force her to go outside and confront her fears.

How thankful I am that God likewise shows compassion and care when I'm frightened. When fear and worry haunt me, I want to cozy up to God. I feel safe and secure there. Although I often don't understand the storms of life that I go through, God does. He doesn't expect me to understand, and doesn't lecture me about my shortsightedness or misperceptions.

Sometimes God stills the storms in our lives. Other times He allows them to go on, even though we don't understand why. But He is always there with us. Sometimes His presence is more felt when we are in those storms. Maybe that's why He allows those storms--to draw us closer to Him. At any rate, I am grateful for the reminder that I don't go through stormy weather alone.

Teachable Moment #2: Choosing Wisely

I went to lunch with one of my co-workers today. A couple of years ago, I made a commitment to change my eating habits and to adopt a healthier lifestyle. That means being more choosy about where and what I eat. Today we decided that Ruby Tuesday's would be a relatively healthy place to chow down.

After surveying the menu and passing over the most tempting but no doubt fattening selections, I decided to order a veggie burger. Sounds healthy, right? For good measure, I even substituted broccoli on the side in place of french fries.

When I got back to the office, I decided to do some online investigating into the RT menu. I was appalled to discover that my so-called "healthy" choice weighed in a whopping 943 calories!! The burger was huge and I only ate half, but still, it was shocking to see how many calories I'd consumed thinking that I was eating healthy! Needless to say, the RT veggie burger is officially off my list of healthy meal choices!

So, where's the teachable moment in all this, you wonder? I had good intentions. I wanted to order the "right" thing. I wanted to live healthy. And I chose something that sounded healthy. But I chose poorly. Just because something is labled as "veggie" or "healthy" or "lite" does not make it so.

Likewise, something that is labeled "Christian" is not necessarily so. Part of being a disciple is actively pursuing the truth. Satan himself is described as being a liar, deceitful, deceptive. So much of what Satan uses to tempt us is not something that is in direct opposition to God, but rather something that is counterfeit. It may look and sound "Christian", but it could be far from it.

I've heard that when bankers and tellers are trained to look for counterfeit bills, they don't study counterfeits. They study authentic currency--the look, the feel, the weight and dimensions of it. By studying the legitimate bills so carefully, they can more readily spot a fake.

By spending time studying God's Word, we will have a deeper knowledge of His truth, and will be able to more easily recognize the lies and deception that Satan brings against us.

Scripture Checks

This "news" story was hilarious to me because I just ordered Scripture checks! Watch out for revival, Montgomery!

Cleveland-area revival attributed to woman's Scripture checks

CLEVELAND — A city-wide upswing in salvations and spiritual awareness is being credited to housewife Sandy Donadio's Scripture checkbook.

Donadio ordered a box of flowery Scripture checks in May and soon began using checks that read, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart," and "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Within days, the city broke into revival.

"She left a trail of new converts behind her, at the 99 Cent store, Kroger, the auto shop, the dry cleaner," says one pastor whose congregation has grown by 30 percent. "I heard stories of grown men dropping to their knees right in public after receiving Donadio's payment. Thank God she ordered those checks."

A Bank of America bank teller says she dedicated her life to Christ after Donadio wrote a check for deposit. That check read, "I'll be like a tree planted by the water."

"I realized my need for a savior right then," says the teller. "My mom's been dunning me for years to go to church, but I had no desire until I read the special message in the corner of that check."

Donadio says she's so impressed with the unexpected results that she's ordering an extra box and plans to go on a shopping spree, "to fan the flames of revival in Cleveland."

A Time to Mourn

One of the many things that God has so graciously taught me through various times of heartache is that when we encounter loss, it's important to take the time to mourn. Whether it is a physical loss through death, or the loss of a friendship or relationship, or the loss of a job, or the loss of good health, going through a grieving process is not a luxury. It's not trivial.

Ultimately, loss of any kind (as I see it) boils down to the loss of a dream. And dreams are painful things to let go. I've had difficulty letting go of dreams, even though in my heart I knew that God had something better in store for me. The good news is, God does not expect us to give up our dreams without feeling a sense of loss. And He does not begrudge us mourning that loss.

Indeed, as Solomon so wisely expressed it in Ecclesiastes 3, there is a time for everything, including a time to mourn. When Jesus encountered Mary and Martha after Lazarus died, and He saw the sorrow they were experiencing, did He chastise them for mourning for Lazarus--(after all, Lazarus was better off in Heaven than on Earth, right)? No, instead, Jesus joined His friends in their grief.

Certainly, there is a healthy way to mourn and a non-healthy way to mourn. Right now, I'm focusing on mourning in a healthy, God-glorifying way (and yes, God can even be glorified through our grief). I am not ashamed to cry. I don't put time limits on myself, don't tell myself I should be over this loss by now. Only God knows how long the mourning process should last, and I trust Him to lead me through it. The road is still painful at times, but I know that I'm not alone.

Teachable Moment #1: Above and Beyond

This morning I read in John 2 the account of Jesus' first miracle, turning water into wine. The event took place at a wedding celebration in Cana.

As a little background, weddings were a big deal back in the day. There wasn't a 15-minute ceremony followed by a two-hour reception. Wedding celebrations went on for days, maybe weeks in some cases. And that meant that the groom was responsible for providing enough food and drink to last his guests throughout the entire celebration. To run out of either was a huge social faux pas.

So it was quite the embarrassing predicament at this wedding when the wine ran out. We're not sure how many people knew about it; obviously Mary knew, as she was the one who approached Jesus with the dilemma.

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. (John 2:6-11)

What stood out to me in studying this this morning was the banquet master's reaction. He reasoned that, going against conventional practice, the bridegroom had set aside the best wine for later in the banquet, rather than at the very beginning.

I realized that not only had Jesus met the bridegroom's needs--by supplying more wine--but that He had gone beyond those needs, providing the very best, even better than what was expected. Certainly Jesus could have gotten by with providing the same quality of wine that the groom had been serving all along. But He showed His glory by providing the best.

There were other times that Jesus' miracles went above and beyond. In Mark 2, for instance, when the crippled man was lowered through the roof on a mat in order to reach Jesus' healing touch, Jesus first declared the man healed of his sins before healing him physically. This was not what the man had asked for, but Jesus knew that his soul was in worse condition than his body.

When we look to Jesus as our Provider, often we are willing to settle for a simple meeting of our needs. How much more He is willing to lavish on us!

My challenge for me and for you is to take the time today to notice how Christ provides for us in ways that are beyond our expectations, both big and small.

Teachable Moments Week

I'm one of those nerds who actually enjoyed school, especially college. Granted, I didn't enjoy taking tests or studying, but I did enjoy learning new subjects (except for math). Today, my love of learning continues. I like watching the History Channel and Discovery Channel. I enjoy visiting museums and historical homes and landmarks. I like playing along at home to "Jeopardy!".

Just because I'm not in a classroom, that doesn't mean that I'm not learning. In fact, some of the most valuable lessons I've learned have not come from sitting in a lecture hall or studying at the library. I am more of a "hands-on" learner; I tend to absorb more when I experience it firsthand, rather than just hear or read about it.

As a disciple of Christ, I have the opportunity to learn from Him. That education is not limited to listening to a sermon or sitting through a Sunday school lesson. Indeed, God provides teachable moments all the time. He is always willing to bestow His wisdom on me, when I am willing to ask for and expect it.

Some days I am really aware of God turning occurrences into object lessons throughout my day. Other days, I coast through (or, in some cases, speed through) my day, totally oblivious to the lessons that God is trying to teach me. When I start my day focused on Him and asking Him to pour out His wisdom on me, I am much more likely to recognize those teachable moments.

I am trying an experiment this week. I am deeming this "Teachable Moments Week". All week long, I will make a concerted effort to open my eyes, ears and heart to the lessons that God is teaching me. There may be just one lesson that occurs throughout the entire week--or He may have a different lesson for me every day. I don't know what He plans to do. But I want to be aware of whatever it is He's trying to teach me.

I will do my best to share with you those teachable moments from this week. Feel free to share your own with me here.

Don't Give Up Doing Good

From time to time, God places a particular verse or passage of Scripture on my heart that He wants me to share. For the past couple of days, I've had Galatians 6:9 on my mind:

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

I knew a girl in our singles group several years ago who worked with our Inner City ministry. She said that this verse greatly encouraged her in times when she felt like she was making no progress with the children she'd been ministering to for months. In those weeks where it felt like she was getting nowhere, she needed this reminder to "keep on keeping on" when she was sorely tempted to throw in the towel.

Here are a few thoughts I've had this week regarding this particular verse:

"Let us not become weary in doing good": This week I was struck by the phrase "Let US" (emphasis mine)--I believe that it implies that Paul, too, was in danger of growing weary of doing the right thing. I suppose I've always considered the apostle Paul to be somewhat of an uber-Christian, unflinching in his Christian walk.

But the guy was human, and, like us, I'm sure that he experienced times of being sick and tired of not seeing fruit from his labors. After being stoned, left for dead, chased out of a city, shipwrecked, and imprisoned on multiple occasions (not to mention having to deal with various church feuds of one kind or another), I'm sure that he was tempted to give up at least once, perhaps multiple times. So it was good for me to realize that even "Super Christians" like Paul grow weary in their walk at times.

"for at the proper time": Timing, I've discovered, is key with God's work. I'll be the first to admit that I have struggled with patience (or a lack thereof), and I've had to learn that waiting on the proper time--i.e., God's time--brings about the best results.

We are such an instant-results oriented society. Sometimes even the microwave doesn't cook our food fast enough. I think it's become habit to immediately expect results from our good works or our prayers. Sometimes God DOES provide results or answers right away, but I think those are exceptions rather than the rule. There may be some results that we have to wait months or years before we can see them. And in some cases, we won't see the results until we're in Heaven.

"we will reap a harvest": One thing to keep in mind is that although we WILL reap a harvest, it may not be the harvest we expect. Sometimes the broken relationship we're praying about IS healed; sometimes the wayward child DOES return home; sometimes we DO get the raise and promotion at work.

But sometimes those things don't happen. We don't receive the harvest we are hoping for. The good news is that the harvest that God gives is inevitably far greater that what we could hope for. However, it may take months or years (or entering into Heaven) before we are able to understand that.

"if we do not give up": Here is the condition of God's promised harvest--we must not give up. Perseverance is one of the great virtues of our faith, lauded by Paul throughout his epistles. While we wait for the proper time for our harvest to come to fruition, we must continue to labor with the expectation of that harvest coming.

Perhaps you are experiencing a weariness in doing good right now. Maybe it's that relationship that you're ready to give up on. Or that boss who never seems to give you the recognition you feel you deserve. Or the people you minister to who, instead of being grateful for your ministry to them, only voice complaints. I hope that this reminds you that our good works do not go unseen. There IS a harvest to come. Let us perservere in doing good, and trust God to provide the fruit in His time.

Meeting My Needs

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm not a big fan of change, at least not when it's not by my own choosing. Last week I found out about another big change in my life, this time affecting my family. Over the past seven months, I've experienced more change than I wanted to, particularly dealing with losses of various kinds.

On the bright side, it has definitely been a learning experience of depending solely on God to meet my needs, whether they be material, relational or spiritual needs. God has used a couple of verses in particular to minister to me this week:

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. (Isaiah 43:2)

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

He's also used several messages, through my preacher, radio programs and articles, to bring me reassurance this week:

-Buddy delivered a great sermon about how God is with us in everything, and the difference that makes in our lives.

-I read a good article about how worry and anxiety cloud our thinking and steal our joy.

-Another good article was this one about prayer and thanksgiving.

-I've been greatly encouraged listening to Chip Ingram's current series on contentment.

Of course, God has also used my friends to encourage me this week as well. Sometimes I am overwhelmed with how God demonstrates His love for me by speaking to me through these various messages. Once again, I am reminded that although people may change, circumstances may change, I am loved and cherished by an unchanging God who is with me no matter what. What an incredible reminder!

What's on the Inside

I spent part of my evening at church helping to load a 40-foot container with medical supplies to be shipped in advance of a mission trip to Zimbabwe. There were palletfulls of boxes of supplies waiting to be loaded.

Before we could load them, however, we first had to open each box, look inside, then write the contents on the top of the box before retaping, weighing and stacking the boxes inside the container. Even though many of the boxes were already labeled, we still had to open them because in some cases, what was on the label was not the same as what was inside.

How often do I find myself labeling someone without bothering to investigate what they're really like on the inside? Even if they "wear" a label--like being the "tough guy" or the "snobby girl", for instance--I should not assume that that's what they're actually like.

I've put up fronts before. I've pretended to have it all together, or to act like I don't care, when I'm really hurting on the inside. Why should I assume that everyone else would be different?

I'm thankful that tonight's work provided me with a reminder to be slow to judge someone, and to take the time to truly get to know them. Who knows what treasures I may be missing out on if I don't take a look inside.

Good Article

Good article today on Crosswork about how worry and anxiety cause us to place our focus and dependence on ourselves rather than God.

A Chance to Die

I recently finished reading A Chance to Die, the biography of Amy Carmichael. Born in Ireland in 1867, Amy dedicated her life to serving the Lord as a missionary. At a young age she knew that, although she seemingly had opportunities to marry, she was called by God to serve Him as a single woman in the mission field. This dedication took her to Japan, China, Ceylon, and eventually to India, where she spent the bulk of her life building and leading the Dohnavur Fellowship, a refuge for orphans and children in danger.

As I read her biography, I found myself often amazed at the determination of this woman to follow God no matter what. Her unhesitating willingness to give up her desire for His, and her joy in suffering for the sake of Christ, are truly inspiring. I have to admit, I am not so sure that I would have the same steely determination that she had. And yet the God who enabled her to give up everything for Him is the same God who rules my life. His desire to work in my life is no less than His desire to work in Amy's.

The book includes many of Amy's poems and prayers. One that particularly struck me was written not long after she had lost several important people in her life, people whom she leaned on for spiritual and emotional strength.

"If the life of a man or woman on earth is to bear the fragrance of heaven the winds of God must blow on that life, winds not always balmy from the south, but fierce winds from the north that chill the very marrow. It seemed a howling gale that had been let loose on Amy that year.

How was she to go on? She was an orphan. Her own parents gone, her spiritual father and mother gone. She had not known life without such support. Nor has the child, when weaning time comes, known life without its unfailing source of nourishment. Like the weaned child, Amy knew that the lesson assigned now was to learn to do without. She wrote another prayer:

And shall I pray Thee change Thy will, my Father,
Until it be according to mine?
But no, Lord, no, that never shall be, rather
I pray Thee blend my human will with Thine.

I pray Thee hush the hurrying, eager longing,
I pray Thee soothe the pangs of keen desire--
See in my quiet places, wishes thronging--
Forbid them, Lord, purge, though it be with fire.

And work in me to will and do Thy pleasure
Let all within me, peaceful, reconciled,
Tarry content my Well-Beloved's leisure,
At last, at last, even as a weaned child."

(pg. 223)

Living for Self

The passage from Matthew that I posted this morning was one that came to mind during my morning quiet time. I've thought a lot lately about selfishness. As a single woman, it is quite easy to let my life revolve around myself. I don't have a husband or children to consider when planning my schedule or making out a budget. If I want to spend the night surfing TV channels or eat a bowl of popcorn for dinner, I can (and occasionally do).

But not having familial responsibilities does not give me a free ride to self-centeredness. Regardless of marital status, my thoughts and actions should be first and foremost kingdom driven. It's so easy to get bogged down in the minutiae of every day life and to let worry, doubt and fear creep in. It's much harder, in my opinion, to trust God and put Him first in my life. I am more successful in doing that in some areas than in others.

After pondering all this this morning, I couldn't help but laugh when I turned on the radio on my way to work today and Dr. Charles Stanley was quoting Matthew 6:33! I definitely think God was talking to me...

First Things First

Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. (Matthew 6:32b-33)

A Prayer for Our Nation

Today is the National Day of Prayer. The day was established in 1952 by a joint resolution of Congress and signed into law by President Harry S Truman. Today, millions of Americans will join together in prayer for our nation and its leaders.

Please take a few moments today, either alone or with a group, to pray. Here's a link if you aren't sure what specifically to pray for, and below is a prayer written by this year's National Day of Prayer Chairman, Charles Swindoll.

2007 Prayer for Our Nation
Written by Dr. Charles R. Swindoll

Almighty God, we pause to reflect on Your character as we seek wisdom for such a time as this.

In these unsafe days, You remain all-powerful and able to protect;

In these uncertain times, You remain all-knowing, leading us aright;

In the unprecedented events we're facing, You remain absolutely sovereign.

Our times are in Your hands. Therefore, our dependence on You, is total, not partial . . . our need for Your forgiveness is constant. . . our gratitude for Your grace is profound. . . our love for You is deep.

We ask that You guard and guide our President and all who serve the people of these United States. May uncompromising integrity mark their lives.

We also ask that You unite us as truly "one nation, under God." May genuine humility return to our ranks.

And may that blend of integrity and humility heal our land.

In our Lord's name we pray,
Amen.

Fresh Start

Last night, I intended to spend much of the evening reading and studying my Bible. Instead, I spent much of it surfing the Internet, catching up on news stories and other people's blogs. There's not anything wrong with that, but my time could definitely have been spent better.

I was beating myself up a bit this morning about not following through on what I intended to do last night, when these verses came to mind:

The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

How encouraging to be reminded that today is a fresh start. Just because I didn't do what I intended to do yesterday, that does not mean that today will be the same case. I don't know about you, but I often need that reminder, not only for times when I don't accomplish what I intend, but especially when I sin.

I doubt that any of us wake up each morning intending to fail or to sin. I usually pray during my commute to work, and a routine prayer is that I'd guard my words at work. I have every intention of speaking only words of joy and encouragement to my co-workers throughout the day. And yet it's probably safe to say that I have yet to make it through a single day without saying something sarcastic or complaining or engaging in gossip or saying something I just shouldn't say.

If I focus on how I screwed up at work, it would be very easy to convince myself that I'll never change, and why should I bother trying to watch what I say. But as Jeremiah said in Lamentations, the Lord's mercies are new every day. Indeed, every moment that we seek forgiveness, we are given a fresh start!

Do not be discouraged by what you did or didn't do yesterday. Rejoice and take heart in knowing that today is a fresh start for you!