Category: May2020

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Healing Hearts

I intentionally stay away from the news but this story has captivated the country. As I sat here praying for George Floyd’s family I was also praying for those who took his life and for those who are exploiting this terrible situation.

Satan’s works are obvious – hatred, bigotry, death and destruction. Jesus’ works are equally as evident – love, peace, justice and healing.

Jesus said: “A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest.” John 10:10 CEV

A family lost their son and brother through an unconscionable act of hatred. We should be supporting them with our love and prayers. We should move forward with a determination to eradicate racial bias and hatred wherever we find it . The words of Jesus are never more true than at a moment like this:

“Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.” John 13:34-35 MSG

Love in action is offering a helping hand, a shoulder to cry on, and a heart of compassion.

Those who are rioting and looting are not part of the solution. They are destroying the property of innocent people and spreading hatred. Their actions are doing nothing to help, they are only causing more pain.

We are needed to do the work of Jesus – healing the broken hearted.

“Someone handed Him the book of the early preacher Isaiah. He opened it and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me. He has put His hand on Me to preach the Good News to poor people. He has sent Me to heal those with a sad heart. He has sent Me to tell those who are being held that they can go free. He has sent Me to make the blind to see and to free those who are held because of trouble. 19 He sent Me to tell of the time when men can receive favor with the Lord.” Luke 4:17-19 NLV

Join with me in praying for the Floyd family and all who have been touched by this tragedy.

“Father, in the name of Jesus, the name that brings healing and comfort, I pray for the George Floyd family. Let them experience an outpouring of Your love like they have never known. May they be wrapped in Your comfort and experience Your peace that goes beyond all natural pain and sorrow. We also pray that those responsible for this horrible act of hatred, let them repent for what they’ve done and may they find forgiveness in Your love. May those who are doing all manner of evil and exploiting this situation be stopped in Jesus name. Expose those who are initiating and instigating these acts of hatred. May they experience Your justice for their acts. And now Father, show each of us what we can do to bring Your love and healing to all we meet. Amen and Amen!”

I would like to encourage you to reach out to those who have hurting hearts today. It may be someone in your family, your neighborhood or your workplace. They may not be effected by the events of George Floyd’s death but they are hurting all the same. As followers of Christ, we can reach them with the love and compassion that He showed while on earth.

May we be used to help heal the broken hearted!

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Talking to the Kids

With all of our children living away from us, we enjoy having them call and hearing what’s going on in their lives. It’s better than FB because we get to hear their voices and its personal, just us and them. Some of those conversations are just about day to day life while others ask for advice. The “how do I do…” or “do you we think we should…” are very special. It means they think we have the knowledge and/or ability to give them direction; they want our input.

Our kids are also very good to call for no special reason. They just want to say “I love you” and see how we are doing.

Very special indeed.

And then there are the times that the grandkids call – oh my! They want our help or our knowledge on a particular subject. Just doesn’t get much better than that!

“Grandchildren are the pride and joy of old age, and children take great pride in their parents.” Proverbs 17:6 ERV

Our heavenly Father loves to hear from us too. He knows us, He knows our heart. He knows our strengths and weaknesses and wants to be there for us through each and every situation. He also likes to hear us say “No special reason for this chat Father, I just want to say I love you”.

His love is unconditional!

“The Lord is kind and merciful.  He is patient and full of love. 9 He does not always criticize.
 He does not stay angry with us forever. 10 We sinned against him, but he didn’t give us the punishment we deserved. 11 His love for his followers is as high above us as heaven is above the earth. 12 And he has taken our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west.
13 The Lord is as kind to his followers  as a father is to his children.” Psalm 103:8-13 ERV

Let’s spend time with the Father today – He really likes to talk to His kids.

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Moving Forward

As you probably know by now I like to reminisce. However, I’m not in this alone, am I? That’s why we take pictures or keep a journal. We want to remember special events – weddings, births, graduations, a new car, school or home. The memories remind us of blessings and give us hope for the future.

A couple of days ago I had someone ask me when we moved to this house. Without thinking I quickly replied May 29, 2014. She was surprised but that day holds in my memory because we had prayed and waited for eight years to move from Montana to Arizona. With each month and year that passed the longing to move home grew greater. I won’t forget that day.

We said good bye to friends and started out on our journey. We didn’t get far the first day but we started. It was good to stop and rest – good dinner and a good bed. Moving to a new state, a new home or a new job is much like our walk with Christ.

We aren’t abandoning the old, we’re taking the knowledge and strength that we gained from the past with us as we walk new ground. It’s in these “alone” times when we are without the familiar that we deepen in our relationship with the Father and listen more intently for the voice of the Holy Spirit as He gives us direction.

Forward progress doesn’t always come in great distances covered but more often comes from moment by moment, hour by hour, mile by mile forward movement in developing who we are in Christ. It’s important to stop and rest – to come aside to be refreshed and then to pick up and begin again, faithfully following and moving forward in what the Lord has called us to do.

We were excited about the move to Arizona and we’re glad we came. We were joined on our journey by our son and his girlfriend. They helped with the driving and the unpacking at our new home. We so appreciated that. It’s good to have help with difficult challenges. God has promised to never abandon us or leave us alone. Help is always there when we need it!

So today I leave you with this encouragement from God’s word:

“I don’t mean that I am exactly what God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal. But I continue trying to reach it and make it mine. That’s what Christ Jesus wants me to do. It is the reason he made me his. 13 Brothers and sisters, I know that I still have a long way to go. But there is one thing I do: I forget what is in the past and try as hard as I can to reach the goal before me. 14 I keep running hard toward the finish line to get the prize that is mine because God has called me through Christ Jesus to life up there in heaven. 15 All of us who have grown to be spiritually mature should think this way too. And if there is any of this that you don’t agree with, God will make it clear to you. 16 But we should continue following the truth we already have.” Philippians 3:12-16 ERV

Keep moving forward – reaching the finish line brings great joy!

Love to you all.

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Have Fun!

Have you ever been around a small child with the giggles? It’s infectious! Sometimes they giggle at the most inappropriate time but if you try to stop them, it doesn’t work. The giggles get louder and before long you are joining in.

They see life in a different light. Unencumbered by what’s right to society they find joy in the little things. I remember our oldest daughter began laughing uncontrollably after seeing my mother put a jello mold on a plate. The wiggling mass tickled her funny bone and before I knew it Mom and I were joining her in the laughter.

The joyful heart of a child. Their innocence allows them to be free and happy.

I’ve often pictured the scene in the Bible where the children came to Jesus. I’m sure He had been teaching the adults and everyone was listening intently. After all, this was the Teacher. But the kids could only sit still so long and then they had to run and play, they had to enjoy the beautiful day and the people around them.

Surely Jesus would want to join in their playtime.

“But let me run loose and free, celebrating God’s great work, Every bone in my body laughing, singing, “God, there’s no one like you. You put the down-and-out on their feet and protect the unprotected from bullies!” Psalm 35:9-10 MSG

The disciples must have been trying to keep some semblance of order and they scolded the children. However, Jesus welcomed them and told them to “Come”. He then used their carefree attitude and visible trust to teach the adults a lesson.

“But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” Matthew 19:14 ERV

Trusting, innocent, joyful and full of life is how God wants us to be. We all need to be more childlike! Trust the Father to take care of all our needs, free from prejudice and judgment, expend every once of energy living to the full and find the joy in being alive.

“I will sing for joy in God, explode in praise from deep in my soul! He dressed me up in a suit of salvation,  he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom who puts on a tuxedo and a bride a jeweled tiara.” Isaiah 61:10 MSG

Now – go have fun and enjoy the day! Jesus loves to hear us laugh.

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A New Way of Life – Patience

Some years back I was in the breakroom where I worked. A young man came in, retrieved his lunch from the fridge and put it in the microwave. As he stood there waiting the one minute, thirty seconds of cooking time he was tapping his fingers on the counter and muttering “hurry up already”. I found that very humorous; you see I’m from the age before microwaves, instant messaging and overnight shipping.

Yesterday I was taken back to that age, the age of slower living. I had packages to drop off at the local post office. When I arrived there was a line to the door. I knew from being there last week that only one clerk was working and the line spacing was every five feet. Had to have been at least ten people waiting and it would be at least thirty minutes. I left.

I also had business that needed the assistance of a personal banker at the local branch. I was met at the door and not allowed to enter the waiting area, although I had a mask on. Instead the bank employee retrieved an appointment page and gave me an appointment for Thursday at 11. I thanked the employee but to be perfectly honest I was miffed.

Life as usual has changed. I needed to be more patient. It wasn’t their fault; they were trying to abide by safety guidelines and I needed to understand that. Things are going to be this way for a while – it will be a slower pace, I need to be prepared to wait.

“A patient person is very smart. A quick-tempered person makes stupid mistakes. 30 Peace of mind makes the body healthy, but jealousy is like a cancer.” Proverbs 14:29-30 ERV

Once I got home I found I had to rearrange the rest of my week’s schedule because an appointment had to be rescheduled which caused me to make alternative arrangements with several other appointments. “Ok, Lord! I’m learning to be obedient to Your word. I won’t yell at the microwave and I won’t allow my words to be unkind. I will be patient.”

If you’ve had a day like this, I’m sorry. If you haven’t, you will. The staff and employees we are dealing with aren’t at fault. They need our understanding; they need our encouragement, a kind word and a smile. We are Jesus’ goodwill ambassadors!

“Be happy because of the hope you have. Be patient when you have troubles. Pray all the time.” Romans 12:12 ERV

My night ended with a smile. We received a Facetime call from our youngest daughter and her family. All three of our little grandchildren had “something to show you”. One is crawling, one had drawn a picture and one had a handful of markers and was telling us the colors. Mom and Dad were having family time and included Dave and I. The perfect ending to a long day.

Have a great day and remember to be patient!

“God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, 23 gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways.” Galatians 5:22-23 CEV

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The Welcome Mat Is Out!

Dave and I have been talking about our trip from Montana to Arizona six years ago. It had taken over seven years to sell our house up there and be able to move “home”. We love it here! There hasn’t been a day we have regretted this move. This morning I was sitting here thinking about that last day in Montana. The activity, the emotion, the joy. I found these words that I wrote then and they still ring true today. I hope you don’t mind me sharing them with you again.

As we got closer to the big move I found it harder and harder to sleep. We have mapped every fuel stop and made our hotel reservations. So much excitement and so much anticipation – years in the planning – were finally becoming a reality! I had lived this in my heart and now I got to see it with my eyes.

I had “Google Maps” and checked fuel prices. The hotel websites were helpful and it was easy to place the reservations on line. With all this technology I wondered how did Moses do it? He couldn’t call ahead and request a double-king with the continental breakfast. Or what about camel refueling? He had to dig his own wells! Abraham didn’t even have a map, he just had to follow the leading of God’s voice and stop when the Lord said to stop.

“Abraham had faith and obeyed God. He was told to go to the land that God had said would be his, and he left for a country he had never seen. 9 Because Abraham had faith, he lived as a stranger in the promised land. He lived there in a tent, and so did Isaac and Jacob, who were later given the same promise. 10 Abraham did this, because he was waiting for the eternal city that God had planned and built…13 Every one of those people died. But they still had faith, even though they had not received what they had been promised. They were glad just to see these things from far away, and they agreed that they were only strangers and foreigners on this earth…16 But they were looking forward to a better home in heaven. That’s why God wasn’t ashamed for them to call him their God. He even built a city for them.” Hebrews 11:8-16 CEV

For years we had been telling friends and family that we are going to be moving back to Arizona. And for years, we had waited! And now the time had come. But this morning I had to ask myself a question. “Am I anticipating my heavenly home – my eternal city with the same excitement and anticipation as the one in Arizona?” I believe the answer is yes! There isn’t one thing here on this earth that can compare to living in the city whose builder and maker is God!

The things I value most are people and everyone I love can meet me in heaven. God has room for all of us. How wonderful is that! In the six years we’ve lived in Arizona a number of dear and precious friends have died but I know that I will see them again in heaven.

“Jesus said to his disciples, “Don’t be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I wouldn’t tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. 3 After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together..” John 14:1-4 CEV

So many have come to visit in Arizona and we love having company. We’ve missed you all during this “stay-at-home” condition. However, if you can only come for one visit, I would rather that you come for coffee once we are settled in our heavenly mansion – the view will be spectacular!

Father, my prayer today is that all whom I hold dear have a personal relationship with you. I desire that their friendship with you is deeper than it is with me. You gave the life of Your Son so that they will live eternally. Thank you for touching their hearts today – thank you for providing new life, a life that never ends – thank you for giving us a place in You where we will never die but will live eternally. And thank you for caring about the everyday details of our lives. In the name of Jesus. Amen!

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Mightier Than The Sword

Every morning I take time to write two or three things I am grateful for as I start my day. It’s not a lengthy process but I have found that starting my day with gratitude greatly influences how the rest of my day will go. As I was finishing the last word in my journal my favorite pen ran out of ink.

This event is far from a crisis but it was disappointing. Writing is a part of who I am and having a pen that fits my hand is important to me. It’s not an expensive pen, in fact, it’s one I picked up in a doctor’s office a couple years back but I was so comfortable with it and now I will need to find a replacement.

As I was lamenting this situation the Lord quickly reminded me that what’s important is not the pen but the words. So true! I had just written I am grateful for wisdom and strength. Strength to face any circumstance and the wisdom to react properly.

My Bible reading took me to the perfect example of wisdom and strength. John, chapter 8, is where Jesus encounters the woman who was caught in adultery. The Pharisees dragged her through the streets and threw her at Jesus feet. They wanted to know if He was going to keep the Law and have her stoned or would he ignore the Law of Moses and give them an opportunity to arrest Him.

“They were saying this to trick Jesus. They wanted to catch him saying something wrong so that they could have a charge against him. But Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger.” John 8:6 ERV

Did you notice what Jesus didn’t do? He didn’t speak at first – instead He wrote. We don’t know what He wrote but it must have been powerful because the woman’s accusers left one by one. He used wisdom and displayed strength in this delicate situation. Yes, I am grateful when I use the strength and wisdom the Lord provides.

“They kept on asking Jesus about the woman. Finally, he stood up and said, “If any of you have never sinned, then go ahead and throw the first stone at her!” 8 Once again he bent over and began writing on the ground. 9 The people left one by one, beginning with the oldest.” John 8:7-9 CEV

It was an English author by the name of Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839 who said “The pen is mightier than the sword”. Words can have more of an impact than physical, brute strength. I like what the writer of the book of Hebrews says:

“God’s Word is living and powerful. It is sharper than a sword that cuts both ways. It cuts straight into where the soul and spirit meet and it divides them. It cuts into the joints and bones. It tells what the heart is thinking about and what it wants to do.” Hebrews 4:12 NLV

As we approach a new day and a new week we would do well to fill our hearts and minds with God’s words – they will equip us with wisdom and strength and we will be prepared for any battle.

Yes, the words penned in Scripture are definitely mightier than the sword!

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Are You In?

This morning as I was pouring my first cup of coffee I was struck with the concept of “in”.

Let me explain. I was very glad that the coffee was in my cup and not on the counter. When something is “in” its contained and protected. It is much better to be in a boat and not on it. If we were on the boat it would more than likely be capsized and we would be holding on for dear life.

My imagination took over and I started thinking of other “in” phrases…in the house, in the car, in a plane, in love, in person. I’m sure you are thinking of some phrases yourself. To be in is to be protected, totally surrounded, completely captivated.

Used as an adverb the word in means “expressing movement with the result that someone or something becomes enclosed or surrounded by something else”.

Enclosed or surrounded by something else.

The New Testament has a lot to say about in.

“They were to look for God. Then they might feel after Him and find Him because He is not far from each one of us. 28 It is in Him that we live and move and keep on living. Some of your own men have written, ‘We are God’s children.’” Acts 17:27-28 NLV

As Christians, we are “in Him”, we are God’s children and we are in the family of God. My, my! In the family of God, we are enclosed and surrounded by the heavenly Father. The coffee that is in my cup can be consumed or poured out and the cup would be empty but when we are in Him nothing can removed us.

“I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, 39 and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” Romans 8:38-39 CEV

Nothing can separate us from God’s love because we are in Christ Jesus. I really want you to catch hold of this truth – the truth of in. This is God’s plan for us and He sent Jesus to see that it was accomplished. God, our Father, wants all of us to be in Him.

“When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! 18 All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him. 19 I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people. 20 So we have been sent to speak for Christ. It is like God is calling to people through us. We speak for Christ when we beg you to be at peace with God. 21 Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin so that in Christ we could be right with God.” II Corinthians 5:17-21 ERV

Let me ask you this question, are you “in”? When we are in Christ we are right with God, every thing is new and all of our old life is gone. May I give you this instruction? Take time to read through the books of the New Testament that Paul, Peter and John wrote. They were teaching the new Christians about their life in Christ. As you read those books, underline the phrases “in Him” and “in Christ”. Pay attention to those words because this is where we live – in Him, and we are protected by His covering of love.

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7 NKJV

Walk tall – we are part of the “in” crowd!

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Apples of Gold

A lot going on in my life right now. One issue in particular has been life and death – God is so precious and life reigns!

“With his mighty arm the Lord wins victories! The Lord is powerful! 17 And so my life is safe, and I will live to tell what the Lord has done.” Psalm 118:16-17 CEV

As I sit here this morning in my quiet place of refreshing I am reminded of a song we sang in the 70’s. Do you remember the early days of the Jesus movement? New choruses of worship and praise were being written weekly. This is one of my favorites, the focal point is Jesus. Without Jesus, all of our songs are just noise or as the Apostle Paul put it – “a sounding brass and a tingling cymbal”.

Lord, you are more precious than silver. 
Lord, you are more costly than gold. 
Lord, you are more beautiful than diamonds 
Nothing I desire compares with you.
Lord, your love is deeper than oceans. 
Lord, your love is wider than seas. 
Lord, your love encompasses the nations. 
Nothing I want more inside of me!

My heart is singing praise to the Father – Nothing I desire compares to Him!

God’s word will bring comfort, healing, strength and joy. We simply need to open the pages of the Bible and read. There on those pages are the words of life. The Almighty, all-loving, heavenly Father speaking to us, His children.

“Let instruction and knowledge mean more to you than silver or the finest gold. 11 Wisdom is worth much more than precious jewels or anything else you desire.” Proverbs 8:10-11CEV

“Saying the right thing at the right time is like a golden apple in a silver setting. 12 Wise advice to a listening ear is like gold earrings or fine jewelry.” Proverbs 25:10-11 ERV

God’s word is the source of all wisdom. In the book of John, Jesus is called the Word. He came to tell us what was on the Father’s heart. Nothing compares to Him!

I live to declare the glory and the goodness of the Lord!

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A Secret Hiding Place

After writing yesterday’s blog I realized that many times when we have been wrongly judged we create a “hiding place”. It becomes a place to go when we are feeling vulnerable and we don’t want others to see our insecurity and weakness.

Some retreat to a place emotionally and others find an actual physical place to hide.

About thirty-five years ago there was a song in Christian circles by the artist, Twilla Parris. It was entitled, “Secret Place”. The words of this song still minister to me today. It asks, if we will let the Lord into your secret place? It’s that place we don’t think anyone knows about. The place where we can hide bitterness, the sting of rejection, fear of unworthiness and secret sins. These are things that we keep secluded and we don’t even want the Lord to know about. (But He does.) When we think about these things now they hurt as much as the day they occurred. Our secret place might seem safe but in reality it keeps us locked in or imprisoned to those circumstances.

MY HEART IS LIKE A HOUSE, ONE DAY I LET THE SAVIOR IN
THERE ARE MANY ROOMS WHERE WE WOULD VISIT NOW AND THEN.
BUT THEN ONE DAY HE SAW THAT DOOR I KNEW THE DAY HAD COME TOO SOON
I SAID JESUS I’M NOT READY FOR US TO VISIT IN THAT ROOM

THERE’S A PLACE IN MY HEART WHERE EVEN I WOULDN’T GO
I HAVE SOME THINGS HIDDEN THERE I DON’T WANT NO ONE TO KNOW
BUT HE HANDED ME THE KEY WITH TEARS OF LOVE ON HIS FACE
HE SAID I WANT TO MAKE YOU FREE LET ME GO IN YOUR SECRET PLACE.

SO I OPENED UP THE DOOR AND THE TWO OF US WALKED IN
I WAS SO ASHAMED I’D REVEALED MY HIDDEN SIN.
BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT ROOM NOW I’M NOT AFRAID ANYMORE
FOR I KNOW MY HIDDEN SIN NO LONGER HIDES BEHIND THAT DOOR.

THERE WAS A PLACE IN MY HEART WHERE EVEN I WOULDN’T GO
I HAD SOME THINGS HIDDEN THERE I DIDN’T WANT NO ONE TO KNOW
BUT HE HANDED ME THE KEY WITH TEARS OF LOVE ON HIS FACE
HE MADE ME FREE I LET HIM IN MY SECRET PLACE.

I had a room in my heart like that. It was filled with bitterness and anger. Every time I thought of a certain situation and the person who controlled it I would flare up again. It was so hurtful. So yes, I kept it locked away and didn’t deal with it.

One day as I was praying about something completely different those memories came flooding in. I remember saying “Lord, that’s not what I’m praying about.” and I felt the Lord say to me “But this is what we need to deal with”. I began to weep, I confessed my bitterness and felt Him heal my heart. I was free!

Then the Lord showed me that He has a secret place for me to come to when I’m frightened or insecure, when I’ve been hurt. There’s no lock on the door. His secret place is for my safety and protection.

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Psalm 91:1-2 NKJV

“37 However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.” John 6:37 NLT

Following the Lord doesn’t mean that we won’t face obstacles, battles or persecution but it does mean that the Lord will walk with us through the storms, give us strength and peace and bring us out to a place of victory.

“Lord, Reveal to me any “secret” places that I have kept back from You and give me the courage to let You shine the light of Your love into that darkness and bring me out into the warmth of your protection and healing. You are my God and I place my trust in You!”

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