Truth Telling

Reading through Galatians, I noticed a verse I can’t remember seeing before. I’m sure it’s been there all along but it never caught my attention like it did this day. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16)

Have you noticed how often Christians are seen as the enemy in today’s world, especially when one takes a definitive stand, ignoring political correctness? People of faith are frequently labeled as bigots, intolerant, unloving, narrow minded … 

And truth is labeled “hate speech.”

How typical of human nature – to be “friends” as long as we hear what we want to hear – as long as we are not offended or convicted or uncomfortable. But when truth butts heads with our own behavior or beliefs, we reject both the truth and the truth teller!  Is it any wonder that Christians are so often hated – that there is so much hostility directed towards people of faith and conviction. 

Truth offends.

Jesus, THE Truth, was treated as an enemy by the people – good people, bad people, religious and irreligious people. People took offense at his truth teaching. Yet he loved them, even those who despised him.  There is a way to speak truth in love, without being obnoxious. But truth will offend. We do not get to define what is truth based on what we believe or how we behave or by what the culture deems acceptable. 

God’s Word is truth. (Psalm 119:160)

God help me to hold onto truth –

Believing the truth,

Speaking the truth, (Ephesians 4:15) 

Handling the truth accurately, (2 Timothy 2:15) 

Never exchanging the truth of God for a lie, (Romans 1:25) 

Not caving into the pressures of current trends, hostility or political correctness.

May this be my prayer:

Father,

Help me to always speak the truth, in love, so that You become known to those around me.

And Lord, if someone is offended may it not be You!

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight,

O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)

Amen.

Crucified With Him

CRUCIFIED
     To Give UP - my own demands, desires, dreams, expectations, my life.
     To Lay DOWN - my will, my rights, relationships, possessions.
     To Spread OUT - my arms to receive blows, wounds, attacks and misunderstanding.
     To Cry OUT - to God, the only One able to bring me through it.
     To DIE - to self

Only to be BORN AGAIN - with new desires, hopes and expectations.
     In joyful submission to the Giver of Life.
     Arms wide open to those in need.
     Giving love and hope to others.
     Receiving from the Creator of the universe - ALL that I need to fulfill his purpose for me.
     Enjoying fellowship with Him on a daily basis - FOREVER!
     Sustained by the Bread of Life.
     Satisfied by the Living Water.
     Guided by the Good Shepherd.
     Enlightened by the Light of the World.
     Comforted by the Lover of my soul.
     Indwelt by the One who will never leave or forsake me.
FORGIVEN
FREE
FULLY ALIVE.

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; 

Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:

 And the life which I now live in the flesh 

I live by the faith of the Son of God, 

who loved me, and gave Himself for me."

Galatians 2:20 (KJV)

View from the lounge chair

We come bursting into this world making an entrance -
Fighting, crying, demanding, creating, expecting...
And for many, much of life continues in the same vein -
Active, restless, demanding, expecting, making things happen!
Then suddenly -
In those 'get away from it all' moments,
The beauty and peacefulness of stillness is savored.
The peaceful serenity of a sunrise,
Gentle breezes,
Waves lapping the shoreline,
Puffy clouds,
Birds in graceful flight -
And we wonder,
Why is so much of life lived at a frenetic, hurried pace,
As if it's up to us to keep the earth spinning on its axis,
the sun rising and setting, the galaxy intact.
As if we were to stop, things would come to a grinding halt,
stars would fall crashing into the sea, birds would cease flying?
Look UP!

"The heavens declare the glory of God..."

But to look up, we have to STOP.
His glory is all around us.
He knows how many grains of sands are on the beach.
He feeds the birds.
He clothes the wildflowers.
He brings the gentle breezes.
He calls the stars by name.
He is majestic and awesome.
He holds it all together.
My doing doesn't change that one iota.
I can BE...
Because HE IS!

"Be still and know that I am God..." Psalm 46:10

"My soul, wait silently for God alone,

for my expectation is from Him." Psalm 62:5

Take heart!

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

"Courage" has at its origin the word 'heart.'  It makes sense. We feel "disheartened" when we are discouraged. And so often discouragement follows on the heels of failure, disappointment, unrealized hopes and dreams (or watching the world and national news!) But to quote the greatest teacher ever, "Take heart!"

We can have courage because of the PAST.
How often I have seen God move in miraculous and profound ways in the past. I have only to read back through old letters and journals to recall memories long forgotten -
Stories of God's faithfulness,
His provision,
His protection,
His enabling.

We can have courage because of God's PROMISES.
He promises never to leave me or forsake me.
I can have courage because I never have to walk alone through the difficulties of life.
He watches over me.
I do not have to fear for my children and grandchildren, knowing that He watches over them!
He loves me.
I have courage to keep going if I feel unloved, devalued or unappreciated.
Because the One who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world,
I do not have to be afraid of world events.

We can have courage because of God's actions in the PRESENT.
Have you noticed the beautiful sunrises lately?
Seeing God's work in the daily moments of life,
in the beauty around me
and in the way He orchestrates the "coincidences" that keep us safe -
are great reminders of His presence now.
I walk with Him and He walks with me.
And I am not afraid.

We can take risks for the FUTURE.
Not foolish, reckless risks -
but stepping out in faith,
moving forward courageously,
putting into action the words of Corrie ten Boom who said,
"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God."
I can have courage to try new things,
to let go of familiar things,
and to trust Him for today... and tomorrow... and all the tomorrows after that!

So, today, replace fears with faith.
Live courageously!

Who Cares About the Details?

Last night my husband told me that my blog was wrong! Surprised (and pleased) that he was even reading it,  I asked him what was wrong with it.  He said my profile needed updating, since I'd written that we had 6 (soon to be 7) grandchildren. Of course he was right! We now had 7!  I had blogged about her in my post, "Worth the Wait," but I hadn't changed the details in my profile.

Annika Sophie, made her entrance August 8th. 

Big brother, Stefan, is overjoyed and so proud.

Papa and Mama are happily adjusting to their new little bundle of joy

and giving us lots of Skype time, since they live in Europe. 

I started thinking about details.  Certain people in my family (who will remain unmentioned) are a lot more concerned with details than yours truly, but it is often true that details matter! 

Our God is a God of details... Even down to numbering the very hairs on our heads!

 (Matthew 10:30).

Nothing escapes His watchful eye. 

Psalm 34:15 - "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, 

and his ears are attentive to their cry..." 

Proverbs 15:3  - "The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, 

keeping watch on the wicked and the good."

Not a sparrow falls from the nest without His knowledge.

 (Matthew 10:29).

We are under the watchful eyes of One who knows all about the details. 

Nothing escapes His attention... And He cares!

Nahum 1:7 "The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. 

He cares for those who trust in him."

1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on Him, 

for He cares for you."

My help comes from the Lord.

We are living in troubled times.  Terrorists threaten our country, our way of life, and our freedom to worship God in the way we desire. 

The world waits and watches to see how President Obama will respond to these terrorists. Yet, as Christians we know that our help, our strength, our security is not in any man, even the President, but in our God.

Psalm 33:20 Our soul waits for the Lord, He is our help and our shield.

Psalm 31:24 Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord.

Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life, whom shall I dread?

Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord, be strong and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the Lord.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 

Psalm 48:1 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised.

Psalm 121:2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heavens and earth.

Envision a country where the leaders are on their knees pleading with God for His favor. Imagine them asking Him for guidance and wisdom. 

We have access to the greatest defense possible – God Himself. Yet we have shunned His help and refused Him access into our lives, our buildings, our businesses, our homes. We have thrown Him out of our schools, our books, and our government. We have gone our own way.

We deny Him, and then we blame Him when things go wrong. We complain when the forces of evil rise up against us and unleash the fury of hell on us. We don’t want evil to win, but we don’t want God either. We want to be our own gods. 

As a nation founded on Biblical principles, can we, will we admit our shortcomings and confess our rebellion against God? Will we turn away from our self-centered absorption with pleasure and convenience and once again stand up against the tidal wave threatening to drown us. Can we, will we repent?  

Will I?

God, have mercy.

Psalm 118:8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.

The Bible records some of the most unusual effective battle strategies that came – not from the wisdom of man – but from the mind of Almighty God. Strategies that showed victory came from God, not man.    Take a few minutes – get into the Word and read about our great God.

Fear Knots

Fear knots – we all get them –

  those uncomfortable knots in the pit of the stomach 

when we hear yet another story, 

see yet another newscast,

   or face yet another unwelcome report from the doctor.

Fears of what could happen, 

or what did happen,

political unrest,

economic uncertainty

and social disturbances 

all unite in an enormous effort to destroy our peace 

and render us ineffective in our parenting, our marriages and our witness.

            Joy and contentment are overshadowed by the reality of living in a troubled world.

The Bible has its own share of “Fear nots.”

Consider this verse:  “Fear not for I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God. 

I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” 

(Isaiah 41:10).  God’s “Fear not” is accompanied by the promise of His enabling presence.

Even when facing possible danger we can act with wisdom and appropriate caution 

without living in fear. 

When our minds meander down the path of “What if?” 

 we can grab one of God’s “Fear Nots” and hang on.

Oh, and when we are weak and tempted to let go - He'll hold onto us!

Holding on tight!

Ruth

Here are some more “Fear Nots”

Deuteronomy 31:6, 8

Joshua 1:9

1 Samuel 41:13

Joel 2:21

Matthew 10:28-31

Luke 12:7

Hebrews 13:6

1 Peter 3:14

Ever Present

Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

 if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast. Psalm 139:7-10

Many children and young people are starting school this month. For some it is an exciting time reuniting with friends and schoolmates. Others may feel apprehensive, especially if they are changing schools or if they are first-timers.

Adults face this time with mixed emotions as well. Teachers are setting up classrooms, organizing supplies, and preparing lesson plans while trying to catch just a few more minutes of an all too short summer break.  Some parents are glad to be getting back into the “normal” routine. Others (like my dear daughter-in-law) started grieving a week ago and are already counting the days to the next vacation. 

For some sending small children off for the first time is a sweet sorrow.  The children are growing up. That’s good, right?  You feel like maybe they won’t need you as much, like your role in their life is going to change. And maybe that makes you sad. You may even be fearful of leaving them in the care of someone else 5 days a week. And you are perhaps just realizing that your schedule is going to be set by someone else for at least the next 12 YEARS!

Some mothers watching their kids leave for college are gripped by the reality that their student will be coming home less often now. The fledglings are leaving the nest and it feels empty. Funny, isn’t it, how we try to teach our children independence but we feel sad when they learn it!

Recently I found a letter from me to my mother written when we lived in Africa. Two weeks after we took our 7^th grade son, Peter, to boarding school for the first time I wrote:

“Leaving a son in boarding school is not what it’s cracked up to be. I really wish we didn’t have to do it. I never thought I’d miss him so much." … (Then I told her how well he was doing before getting back to how I was doing.)  

"I was sick with the flu or malaria or something last week. One night when I had the most fever, I had a dream. I dreamt that we were all somewhere and had to take a train. We had to do something so we let Peter go ahead and get on the train with some other folks. The train left without us and even though we followed, trying to find him, we never could...

I woke up crying and remembered that he was at school and I was glad that I at least knew where he was. If nothing else, this experience has given me a lot of compassion for others who have to be separated from their children. It’s not an easy thing.”

Through many times of separation God taught me that even when I am not there HE is. Our God is Ever Present! He's with me... with my children...with you...and with your children!

It got easier over time. All three of our children thrived in their school. And when the time came for college and we were separated by an ocean, I had confidence in the unfailing love of our Ever Present God.

So, when sending your children off to school, although they won’t be building a temple as he was, feel free to borrow the words David spoke to his son,“Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.” 1 Chronicles 28:20

Worth the Wait

"For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. 

I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well." 

Psalm 139:13-14

The past couple days were a waiting game. Five days past her due date our daughter was in labor in an Austrian hospital. She and I texted back and forth numerous times that evening and throughout the night. Sleep eluded me. I wanted to be awake to hear that next text notification. In my morning meeting the phone in my hand never vibrated with the news I was anticipating. Throughout the day I couldn't concentrate on much, except the fact that my baby was working so hard to bring her baby into the world. Hours of labor, difficulty with the epidural ... nothing came easy. I wanted to be there. Midafternoon I sent her this text, "She will be so worth it." Then for the next five looooong hours we heard nothing.

And then - "Like cold water to a weary soul" came "good news from a distant land." (Proverbs 25:25) We got a text from the proud father, accompanied by a photo and video clip of mama and baby. As mama snuggled her newborn daughter, her words were, "She is so beautiful."

Worth it? You bet.

I got to thinking. How many periods of waiting do we go through in our lifetime? In most cases I want to take a short-cut, to speed up the process, to reach the goal faster.  We read that "God's works are wonderful," and most often 'wonderful' takes time.

He makes everything beautiful in His time. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

A Certain Coming

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven,

 nor the Son, but the Father alone.” Matthew 24:36

Today is due date +2 for our daughter who is eagerly waiting the birth of her 2^nd child 

(our 7^th grandchild). Arrival is imminent and certain! For these past months she has known arrival day will come. She has prepared for it, anticipated it, and longed for it while going about her normal activities of daily living. Some of those activities took on a greater sense of urgency as the time drew near. Now the wait seems to be getting long, but she has not given up hope.

I can’t help but think about another coming arrival.  Jesus said, “I will come again.”

(John 14:3). The angels proclaimed it (Acts 1:11). We are to be on the alert for it

(Matthew 24:42), be comforted by it (1Thessalonians 4:18) and prepare for it (1John 3:3).

No one knows exactly when He will come but we are to be ready (Matthew 24:44) even while going about our daily activities.

Our grandchild will arrive soon. All the signs are there. At the exact right moment, on a timetable already determined by The Creator, our daughter will be holding her precious baby in her arms and what a celebration there will be! It is a certainty.

The Lord’s return is certain. He said so!  The signs are there. The timing is up to God. I will not give up hope. Until He comes I will keep on going about the business of daily living, all the while “Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13)

“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)

SOUL SISTERS

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for the precious gift of soul sisters. 

You knew exactly how they would enrich my life and walk with you. You knew they would encourage and strengthen me by their living examples of love without demands or expectations. You knew they would openly share joys and hurts, failures and faults, hopes and dreams. You knew they would gently hold in confidence each other’s secrets whispered from the depth of aching hearts. And You drew us – no, You knit us together into Soul Sisters who have laughed, prayed, played and cried together for sixteen  years.

We have shared

     JOYS – births of children and grandchildren, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, accomplishments; 

     SORROWS – death and loss, fear, cancer, heartache, broken relationships, job stress, illness, surgeries;

     and a myriad of LIFE CHANGES. 

Holding each other up to You in prayer, we knew You cared even more than we did.

So I thank You, Father, for my ladies group – those dear women you put into my life when I was a stranger to Kansas and started teaching the evening Bible Study. Those women I first met at Bible study, I now count as precious sisters and dearest of friends.

Thank You for the hours spent meeting together monthly – first at Bible study, then for lunches, then in each other’s homes where we talked so long, regularly ushering in the midnight hour. Our husbands, mystified by how we find so much to talk about month after month, learned not to wait up for us because we never got home before the wee hours of the morning. When meeting at restaurants we linger outside long after the doors close for the night, reminiscent of those first long-ago meetings when we stood talking for hours in the church parking lot.  For every one of those times together I am grateful.

The words of Phil 1:3 apply to these dear friends, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you…”   I am thankful for the way each one welcomed me into her life, thus enriching mine. And so, this week when I bid my friends "Good night" (good morning, actually) and closed my front door,  I went to bed with a heart overflowing with gratitude that God created us with a longing for friendship and then fulfilled that longing with such special people, my Soul Sisters.  

Purple flowers

She brought them as table decorations for a dinner and they were lovely.  I was new to Kansas and unfamiliar with the purple flower. She said they grew in her garden and if I wanted some she could give them to me, as she had plenty.

  Most of the plants in my garden came from other people’s gardens.

 I carried the Hostas
and lilies back from my brother’s garden in Pennsylvania

and they’ve thrived in my Kansas garden.

The Iris and Peonies I dug up from Mother’s garden in Pennsylvania remind me

 how much she loved flowers.

I told my friend that I would love to add her flowers to my garden. She warned me that they were very hardy. “Plant them where nothing else is growing,” she said, “Because they will spread and take over.” I said I would plant just a few, and I found them a space in my garden.

She was RIGHT! The purple flowers were pretty in the front garden, but each year there were MORE of them. They spread and took over, refusing to stay confined to their neat little corner of the garden. I pulled out the errant ones, to no avail. No matter how many I ripped out of the ground, new leaves poked up through the dirt - MASSES of them in ever-increasing number! And they TOOK OVER, squeezing out anything else bold enough to fight for space in the garden.  In early spring when they first bloom, they were beautiful. But for most of the summer my garden looked unkempt and over-run with green weeds.

Drastic Measures were required.  This year I am taking no chances!  My strategy is to pull them out by the roots, spray weed killer, and apply an extra thick blanket of mulch to smother any late hangers-on. Time will tell if my efforts pay off.

Maybe sin is a little like those purple flowers. Attractive at first, but over time relentlessly invading other areas of life – thoughts – attitudes – behavior, until righteous living is crowded out by unruly sinful habits. 

Those times call for Drastic Measures!

1. Saying the same thing about sin that God says, that’s CONFESSION 

2. Turning away from the sinful behavior and turning toward God, that’s REPENTANCE.

3.  Asking God for help to overcome the habit, that’s DEPENDENCE.

4.  Trusting in the power of God to enable changed behavior, that’s FAITH.

5. Following through on what God says to do, that’s OBEDIENCE.

CONFESSION.  REPENTANCE.  DEPENDENCE.  FAITH.  OBEDIENCE.  If applied liberally and regularly this five point strategy will help root out sins before they become deeply imbedded in the garden of our souls.

And the purple flowers?  I’ll keep you posted.