Christian

Unexpected Moments

Highlighting Hope

Life is full of unexpected moments. Being caught off guard and unprepared for the unexpected has a way of leaving us feeling quite shaken.

A couple of weeks ago, my husband went with a few of his buddies on a weekend fishing trip. I can almost imagine their 5 hour drive together- constant laughing with one another and some really good conversation! About 15 minutes from their destination, the mood in that truck instantly changed. The laughs and good conversation came to a screeching halt when a deer leaped from the woods and landed on the road just in time for it to collide with my husband’s truck. To use the word “shocked” would be an understatement.

Life’s unexpected moments seem to sometimes happen in a similar tempo. All is well. Life is good. Laughter abounds. There’s no strife in sight. Then, bam! Here comes that deer, that major interruption, that big problem, landing on your path, just in time for a major collision to occur, and suddenly, the mode of life changes. The laughter and happiness comes to a sudden stop and you are faced with damage you didn’t expect.

This is sometimes our life’s reality and it doesn’t look pretty, nor does it feel pretty. We are left with the damage and the undeniable need for repair!

The temptation to respond in these situations with bitterness and anger is real! If I am being transparent, I have struggled with this reaction in my own life over this past year. Being bombarded with unexpected hardships gets old and feeling the weariness of trials that seem to continuously find their way onto your path wears you down!

But looking at the trial, looking at the hardship, will no doubt produce bitterness, anger, frustration and exhaustion, and inevitably, it will produce a poison that will begin to kill the fruit of the Spirit that God longs to see abundantly produced in our lives. This is why, in ALL circumstances, we must keep our eyes fixed on our Lord, Jesus! The Psalmist asks in Psalm 121 “From where does my help come from? And then he answers, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

In moments of difficulty and hardship, I’m learning to change my question from being “why is this happening?” to “Where does my help come from?” Asking the latter will always lead us to the only viable answer!

Our help friends, come from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth! God our Father will keep you! When you feel the ground beneath you give way, remember that God is your keeper and sustainer!

With God as our Heavenly Father, we can be assured that we always remain in His grasp, by His grace, and always for His glory!

Christian

An Extended Hand

Highlighting Hope

One of my all-time favorite movies is Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves with Kevin Costner. In one part of the movie, Robin Hood attempts to cross this river, but in doing so, he invades the territory of a group of outlaws. Midway into crossing the river, he engages in a fight with “Little John”, who is really not so little, while still standing in the river. At the end of their scuffle, Little John gets knocked off his feet, falling to his back in the water. He immediately begins to panic, shouting over and over again, “I can’t swim! I can’t swim!” His apparent awareness of not being able to swim ransacked his mind, and fear took over. Robin Hood then comes over to him, grabbing his arm to help him up, telling him to stand to his feet. It’s a pretty comical moment in the movie when you see this big, burly, tough man screaming for help in knee deep water, and all he had to do was stand, with no swimming necessary.

As I think about this scene in the movie, I couldn’t help but wonder how often do I look like Little John, flailing around unnecessarily? How often does the thought of what I know I can’t do paralyze me, and all I really need to do is just stand upon the strength of the Lord?

Although it was apparent to another that all Little John had to do was stand, he needed to be made aware of just how close the firm foundation was beneath his feet. As life moves on, we might find ourselves in the position either of standing or flapping around frantically in shallow water. In either position that we may find ourselves, it is important that we always have a hand that is extended; a hand that is continuously extended to either to be a caring pull to lift up another, or one that is extended in humility in order to be pulled back up again.

When struggles arise, when our circumstances become overwhelming, or our hearts are filled with discouragement, it is so easy become aware of our limitations and forget about the character of God and what He CAN do!

It’s important that we always have a hand that is extended to either provided a caring pull or one that is extended in humility in order to be pulled back up again.

What a great encouragement today to know that God has given us a firm foundation that is sure, and all we have to do is stand upon Him and the truth of His word! As we seek to set our minds on Him, may His word serve as the gentle reminder of the firm foundation that we have readily available, helping us to stand once again!

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”                                                2 Peter 1:3

Christian

Reaching Certainty Through Surrender

Highlighting Hope

I believe ,that embedded in all of our hearts, is a desire for certainty. It may seem in vain to have this desire because what aspects of life are certain?

Although uncertainty is true for this life, it is not true for God, and a having a misplaced source to fill this desire for certainty will only cause us to experience heightened insecurities, doubts, fears, and emptiness. The control over our lives that we seek to have results only in an increased deficit of control, which is the opposite of what we are seeking. I know this to be true because I have been there and I will admit to being a first-hand witness.

I sought after this control over my life. I thought I was grabbing a good dose of certainty and direction when I went off to college for the first time. I went as far from home as I could go without leaving the state. I was going to fix my life and things were about to get better for me, so I thought. I was going to make a big turnaround and finally do things the right way, but the, “do things right” part was short lived- if ever lived at all.

This pursuit only left me empty and lost. My insecurities continued to grow with each passing day. There were moments when I attempted to pray that God would intervene and change my heart and life. I knew that I was stuck in a life and rhythm of doing things my way, and even though its results only offered more emptiness, I struggled with wanting to leave it.

Months later, God did answer those halfhearted prayers. He flooded my heart with conviction and brokenness. I experienced His presence for the first time in a way that is truly indescribable. It’s what happened next though that really surprised me. That day, God called me to leave that college and go back home. Upon that call, so many questions filled my mind. How could I quit college in the middle of spring semester? What would my parents say? What would people think? Is this really the right thing to do? As God’s heavy urge to simply “go home” grew louder, the questions began to fade away. That day I withdrew from that school and took my first step towards true certainty even though I didn’t know what would lie ahead of me and so many of my questions were still left unanswered.

Our insecurities and uncertainties about life and all that it beholds will always be trumped and silenced by God’s call; but this is only true if we choose to obey His call. Obedience to God, whether or not we understand all the aspects of the “where and why” He is leading us a certain way, solves a lot of our problems.

Honestly, it was gut-wrenching to go from “my way” to “His way”. In the end, the control I thought I had, and the ability to self-fix only served to keep me enslaved to emptiness, disappointment, and heart ache. Sometimes we seek out this grand formula to follow and if we can’t find one, we create our own.

The plan for us to follow though is simple- it’s simply surrender. Surrendering to God’s call and walking in obedience to Him was the first plan He had in place, and abandoning it the Garden of Eden is where all the trouble began. Obedience to God solves the true root of our problems, and it will always provide us with the true certainty we are longing for.

Christian

Dear Exiled One

Highlighting Hope

Dear elect exiled one, to the one who finds themselves misplaced or in a wilderness place, may God’s grace and peace be multiplied to you!

Peter was addressing his persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ who had experienced being exiled from their homes. They now found themselves in unfamiliar places and the comfort of home was gone. But was all comfort and hope really lost? Though all seemed to quickly fade around them, and the things of this world only continued to reveal just how temporary they are, Peter quickly reminded them of what they had that was alive and unfading.

Here in 1 Peter 1, he was reminding these exiles, those whom God has called, of the firm foundation they had beneath them.

✨There is a grace and peace that God provides that can be multiplied to you this very day! (1 Peter 1:2)

✨Jesus has caused you to be born again to a LIVING hope! (1 Peter 1:3)

✨This living hope guarantees you an inheritance that will never perish, an inheritance that is pure and an inheritance that is unfading! (1 Peter 1:4)

✨In circumstances that are uncertain, you remain guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is to be revealed- sooner rather than later, with each passing day! (1 Peter 1:5)

✨When the trials of life seem to bring you continuous grief- they will serve to produce a refined faith because our faith lies in our Living Hope (Jesus)! (1 Peter 1:6, 7)

✨All of these gifts, which are unaltered by circumstance, these gifts that are graciously given by our Heavenly Father. This grace that we receive, which is fulfilled in Christ Jesus, is one that is personal, and is a grace that is to be yours! (1 Peter 1:10)

Do you find yourself feeling as if all comfort and hope are lost? Cling to the truths found in God’s word and stand firm in the grace and peace that God is able to multiply to you this very day!

Christian

Our Wounded Hearts are Best Laid at the Feet of Jesus

Highlighting Hope

One of the verses my daughter  learned at school when she was 5 was, “Hear and increase in learning.” Proverbs 1:5. An abundance of wisdom is found in that little verse, and as I have heard her recite it over and over again, I have been reminded of how important it is to take the time to listen. Here recently, I have made a greater effort in really listening to those around me, and take to heart the stories others share.

A story shared, is piece of someone’s heart that’s being given out and that is something of great value. As I have taken greater strides in listening, I have been able to see how much we really all have in common. We have all known happiness, sorrow, acceptance, rejection, fulfillment, and emptiness…etc; and all of these we have been acquainted with through various life experiences. But in the midst of our difficulties, can we all say that we have experienced true joy and peace?

Hardships do come. The size of the hardships may vary, but they do come, often leaving wounds that require time to heal and a course of treatment. But, how we treat our wounds makes all the difference in how well those wounds heal, and improperly cared for can result in something far worse than what you started with.

Our hearts are deceitful, especially when pain is present, making us more likely to respond to our hardships foolishly. When we are heavy with burdens, God, our Heavenly Father, lovingly extends an invitation to come and give those over to Him (Matthew 11:28). Choosing to obey and follow God’s call to come to Him when our hearts are hurting and our wounds are so deep, results in a great blessing and sets us on the path of true healing.

Regardless of the burden you carry today, regardless of how deep your wounds, we have a God who heals, who extends to us a surpassing peace, blesses us with joy in the storm, and bestows upon us His constant presence in our lives! Our wounded hearts are best cared for when we lay them at the feet of Jesus; and when we lay them there and leave them there, we can be sure that we will experience His healing, His joy, and His peace!

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

Christian

What’s YOUR Manna From Heaven?

Highlighting Hope

When my son was little, my husband had certain things that he loved picking on him about. It would be getting close to a meal time and my son would say something like, “I’m so hungry! What are we eating for supper?”

My husband would quickly jump on the opportunity to answer his question with, “Grant, you are going to love supper tonight! I’m going to go outside and pick a bunch of grass and mix it with some dirt and maybe add in some rocks for a crunch.”

It was always so funny to hear my husband’s “purposed dinner menu” because it was absolutely and obviously absurd – even to a little boy and it provided us with a good laugh!

Our son knew his father’s crazy answer to his question was not what he was going to be fed for supper because he knows his father and he knows his father’s goodness to him- despite the fact that he still didn’t know the real answer to his question. His relationship with his father and his father’s constant provision for him proved otherwise.

Matthew 7:9-11 says, “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

I think if we are honest, we could say that we have experienced moments of doubt towards God. Life has a way of throwing curve balls and hardships our way, causing us to become vulnerable to doubting God’s goodness and plan. But yet, it’s through difficulty that I have personally seen and experienced God’s gracious hand and provision in my life. My circumstances may have been ones that I despised, but I have been able to see God rise above them and, in turn, know the God I serve in a deeper way!

Difficult seasons have served as a reminder to me that our circumstances do not change the nature of God. His very own people that He rescued from captivity out of Egypt were not immediately led into the land flowing with milk and honey, but rather they first had to endure a long, difficult, and trying journey through the desert. Did this harsh climate change the nature and goodness of God? Absolutely not! Instead, we see Him miraculously provide Manna from heaven and water flowing from a rock!

God began to challenge me many months ago to ask myself, “What is your Manna from heaven?” My focus can so easily become fixed upon my difficulties that I stop seeking God and miss seeing how He is present and active in my life currently- despite the hardship.

So, I extend to you the same question the Lord impressed on me, “What is the Manna from heaven that God is providing in your life right now?”

Maybe you find yourself in a wilderness place, but as a child of God, rest assured, although the climate of life may be relentlessly tough, know that God is providing you with His Manna from heaven. Pray that He would allow you to see beyond your circumstances, that so easily blind us, so that you may see His glorious love and goodness that is being displayed in your life in spite of difficulty.

Because God is our good father, we have His unwavering promises and His undeniable truths! He is surely faithful to give good things to those who ask Him in faith!

Isaiah 54:10
“…. Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord.

Christian

Is it Time to Stop Praying?

Highlighting Hope

Is today the day that God may be saying to you that it’s time to stop praying?…. What a bogus question to ask, right? Or is it? Now, before you write me off for asking something so outlandish, please hear me out. I promise there is good reason for asking a question such as this.

I truly love praying! Cast ALL of my MANY cares upon the Lord??? Umm…. YES, PLEASE! Prayer is a privilege and it allows us to commune with God. He calls us to come to Him with all sorts of prayers and requests at all times of the day! Time and time again, I have gone back and read through my prayer journals and I have enjoyed reading past prayers and then recognize that God has answered so many of them in amazing ways. Even small little prayers that I had forgotten all about! Praying and watching God lovingly respond, is such a blessing and is a major faith builder for me.

But, is there a time when God calls us to stop praying about something? And surprisingly, I believe the answer is YES. If you are familiar at all with the book of Exodus then you already know that this book is all about God’s deliverance. I never get tired of going back and reading this book! How in the world can reading about God splitting the Red Sea so that He could lead His people out of a land of slavery get old? It’s such a faith builder and it helps me keep a true perspective of God as it beautifully puts His power on display.

But as I was reading this week, I stumbled across some verses that had never stood out to me before. Just as the Israelites were nearing the Red Sea, Pharaoh’s army continued moving closer to them. Fear quickly overtook the large crowd of escapees and Moses assures them that on this very day they would see the deliverance of the Lord.

But it’s the verse following this that really grabbed me.
Exodus 14:15 says, “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you still crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.”
Wow! “Why are you still crying out to me?” This is what the Lord asked Moses as they stood in front of a large body of water with a massive army getting closer to them by the minute. I believe I would have still been crying out to the Lord too!

But what God was saying to Moses here in the middle of an intense, scary, and chaotic moment, is that there is a time when we are to stop praying and to start walking in faith!

God had heard the cries of His people and their prayers were being answered with each passing step. They just had to trust the God who was delivering them and allow their faith to be greater than their fear.

So could it be that God is asking us the very same question, “Why are you still crying out to me?” Maybe you have continued to pray about something and as God is answering your prayer, He is calling you out into the unknown and to trust Him.

I think that it’s important to ask ourselves, and to recognize if today is the very day that God is saying it’s time to stop praying about it and it’s time to start walking!

Christian

Tidy does not Equal Clean

Highlighting Hope

I really do love having a tidy home. Nothing beats the feeling of coming into the house after grocery shopping, or just being gone all day, and everything being in its place. There is something peaceful about it. As much as I love things to be tidy, it doesn’t always stay that way. Having two young children can make that unattainable at times, but as much as I love a tidy home, I also enjoy a clean home, and just because I strive to keep my home tidy, doesn’t make it clean. I have come to realize my love for tidiness, at times, hinders me from cleaning like I should. I want everything looking orderly and when I clean, it often looks like a bomb went off in the house. Chairs are moved to another side of the room, rugs are pulled up, and decorations have to be moved so that various surfaces can be dusted, etc…

Tidiness is certainly pleasing to the eye, and if we are not careful, we can be fooled by it. Chairs can be perfectly arranged around a table, but still be surrounded by crumbs. Rugs can be perfectly positioned on the floor, and dirt still be trapped underneath. Items may be perfectly arranged for display on the furniture, but still be surrounded by dust.

Tidiness is good, but cleanliness is what really matters. What good is it anyway if all is tidy amongst filth? In the life of the believer, tidiness may look like a high commitment to church attendance, daily bible reading, surrounding yourself with Christian friends, giving of your time and resources to further the gospel, and the list could continue. All of these things are great, but in our striving to serve and have God honoring aspects in our lives and keeping things “tidy,” if we are not careful, we can begin to overlook the constant cleaning that is still required within our hearts. If you look past the appearance of these things, you will still find crumbs that need to be swept, dust that has accumulated and needs to be wiped away, or cob webs in the corners that need to be knocked down. We all have these areas in our lives.

Whatever it may be that God is showing you that needs to be clean, praise God that He has given you the eyes to see these things, and once you see it, make the effort to do what you can to clean it up. It’s not enough for us to just be tidy Christians, God desires to make us clean!

“Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7clean

Christian

Our Shine Should be Reflective

Highlighting Hope

My daughter developed a fascination with the moon around the age of two. Her fascination soon grew to a love and she eventually named the moon “Finder.” For years our family would look for the moon on a regular basis and watch it “shrink” or “grow”, as it cycled through its phases, and of course the full moon was always our favorite find. We have stopped at red lights or even stood out on our driveway countless times, looking with awe at “Finder’s” beautiful glow against the dark night sky. As beautiful as “Finder’s” glow may be, it is a light that is not his own. I can still remember the shock that I felt as a child when I finally learned that the moon produced no light of its own, but it merely reflected what was shining upon its’ surface, and only giving off more light the more its surface became fully exposed to the sun.

The moon’s light only being a reflection of the sun’s light is actually what makes it beautiful and breathtaking. In Philippians chapter 3 Paul writes about how those of us that are in Christ are to “shine like stars in the universe.” As God continues working in us for His good purpose and pleasure, He begins the process of refining our character, and as we walk in obedience we will shine like the stars. Not that we are the star, but rather we will shine like one!

Just as the moon possess no ability to produce this beautiful, radiant light on its own, neither do we! God has allowed us the privilege of coming into His presence and then He instantly begins to shine His light upon us so that we can reflect His glory and out pouring of love, grace, and mercy. When we position ourselves fully before God, reflecting His light will be the inevitable result. Remain in God’s presence and shine His light for the world to see!

“Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.” Psalm 34:5shine

Christian

Reaching Certainty Through Surrender

Highlighting Hope

I think that embedded in all of our hearts is a desire for certainty. It may seem in vain to have this desire because what aspects of life are certain?

Although uncertainty is true for this life, it is not true for God, and a having a misplaced source to fill this desire for certainty will only cause us to experience heightened insecurities, doubts, fears, and emptiness. The control over our lives that we seek to have results only in an increased deficit of control, which is the opposite of what we are seeking. I know this to be true because I have been there and I will admit to being a first-hand witness.

I sought after this control over my life. I thought I was grabbing a good dose of certainty and direction when I went off to college for the first time. I went as far from home as I could go without leaving the state. I was going to fix my life and things were about to get better for me, so I thought. I was going to make a big turnaround and finally do things the right way, but the, “do things right” part was short lived- if ever lived at all.

This pursuit only left me empty and lost. My insecurities continued to grow with each passing day. There were moments when I attempted to pray that God would intervene and change my heart and life. I knew that I was stuck in a life and rhythm of doing things my way, and even though its results only offered more emptiness, I struggled with wanting to leave it.

Months later, God did answer those halfhearted prayers. He flooded my heart with conviction and brokenness. I experienced His presence for the first time in a way that is truly indescribable. It’s what happened next though that really surprised me. That day, God called me to leave that college and go back home. Upon that call, so many questions filled my mind. How could I quit college in the middle of spring semester? What would my parents say? What would people think? Is this really the right thing to do? As God’s heavy urge to simply “go home” grew louder, the questions began to fade away. That day I withdrew from that school and took my first step towards true certainty even though I didn’t know what would lie ahead of me and so many of my questions were still left unanswered.

Our insecurities and uncertainties about life and all that it beholds will always be trumped and silenced by God’s call; but this is only true if we choose to obey His call. Obedience to God, whether or not we understand all the aspects of the “where and why” He is leading us a certain way, solves a lot of our problems.

Honestly, it was gut-wrenching to go from “my way” to “His way”. In the end, the control I thought I had, and the ability to self-fix only served to keep me enslaved to emptiness, disappointment, and heart ache. Sometimes we seek out this grand formula to follow and if we can’t find one, we create our own.

The plan for us to follow though is simple- it’s simply surrender. Surrendering to God’s call and walking in obedience to Him was the first plan He had in place, and abandoning it the Garden of Eden is where all the trouble began. Obedience to God solves the true root of our problems, and it will always provide us with the true certainty we are longing for.