Category: Christian

“Not everyone’s going to love you, and it’s okay!” I think about this hard, very direct, yet loving, truth that was shared with me several years ago from a sweet, wise lady. I do not recall what our conversation was about that day that led her to share this profound truth with me, but it was evident to her that I desperately needed to hear it. Not only did I need to hear it, but I also needed be okay with it. God has used this statement in my life multiple times since then and God has used it as a major catapult in helping to shift my focus and recognizing where my heart really belongs.

Desiring acceptance and love, especially from those closest to me and those that I cross paths with frequently, has always been something I longed for- primarily because I feel like this has been something that has lacked throughout my life. This need for love and acceptance and my efforts to fill this need as I saw best, has served to be one of my greatest hindrances in life. It is a pit that I found myself in, and the deeper I dug it, and the longer I dwelled there, the more susceptible I was to hurt, disappointment, and loneliness. It was a pit that always remained empty and never filling up with what I longed for.

And as the song goes … “I was lookin’ for love in all the wrong places. Looking for love in too many faces.” And so it was with me. I was looking to be fulfilled with love and acceptance from everyone except the One who was already offering me all that I longed for. I just kept looking in all those wrong places.

That was me, and still is me at times, but Jesus reminds me often, “Fix your eyes on me, abide in me, trust in me, lay your heart at my feet, and never will you fail to find the love and acceptance you so desperately seek. I will love you with an everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

So, what is your “not everyone is going to love you, and it’s okay” statement? Change the words to fit you and where you are right now. Whatever you keep seeking after to fill your heart that leaves you with only continued emptiness, know that it’s a space in your heart that God is able to fill and will fill! Fix your eyes upon Him and let Him fill you today! There is no pit that’s too deep!

“You know that there is a good chance that you killed our hydrangea bushes right? You aren’t supposed to cut them back until the spring!” That was not the response that I expected or wanted to hear from my husband! I absolutely love these bushes and the last thing I wanted to think was that I had possibly killed them! During the right season, they probably come close to 6 feet tall, and they are absolutely beautiful! But after we had a few cold snaps in the fall, they were done! The once lush, vibrant green bushes were now brown, leafless limbs. Some had even lost their form and were now bent over, sagging to the ground. They looked awful and I just had to cut them back. After I realized that I had jumped ahead on my pruning, I just stood there looking at the short brown stubs that remained, hoping and praying that there was life still left in them.
A couple of years ago, my husband was traveling for his job, and one of the places he was sent to work experienced several tornadoes and straight line winds within a short period of time. Before the city could get back to its’ feet and recover from one destructive storm, another was well on its way, just adding to the damage. I remember us driving around after the first storm and seeing some trees completely pulled up from the ground, while others had just the tops completely lopped off, trunk and roots still intact. So many bushes and trees had received an untimely and vicious pruning. The place looked dead and as we looked around at what remained, you just prayed that life was still left within them. As I looked around this city and its’ devastating destruction, I felt like I was looking at an outward depiction of the inward storm I was experiencing within my own heart and mind. I too was experiencing a relentless and destructive storm that left me feeling like all hope was lost, and I began wondering if there was still life left in me.
Looking at the short brown stubs of my hydrangea bushes sent my mind back to this time and place of my life. Storms have a way of making us feel that we just are brown, withered, done, and dead. After the constant wear and tear it continues to bring, you begin finding yourself hoping and praying that there is still life left within, that there is still hope.
Just yesterday, I was highly encouraged when I saw little green buds sprouting up all over the short brown stubs of my hydrangeas. Although it is winter, and a harsh cold snap will probably put an end to the growth, I was able to see the proof, months later, that YES there is, in fact, still life left in both of these bushes! I rejoiced when I saw the evidences of life and I ran to share this exciting discovery with my husband. Just like that my hydrangea bushes still have life in them, I too discovered, in the middle of my storm, that there was still life in me. I discovered that there was life left because Jesus had not left! The surpassing power of God was at work within me, and though the storm was great and proved destructive, it could not and did not stop the life giving work that God was producing within me. During this time of my life, I experienced that the power of God was much greater, the peace of God was my constant guard, the word of God to be alive and active, and I learned the deep, great, unending love of a Father!
Today, I encourage you to look to God in the midst of your storm! He is the giver of life, the giver of hope, the giver of peace, and the giver of joy! You may find yourself wondering if there is still life left within, and with God at work within you, the answer is always YES! In the middle of your storm, don’t lose hope! Be on the lookout for the evidences of the Living Hope that is steadily at work within you, because the evidences are sure to come!
There is a good work going on inside you, a working that is occurring even before your eyes are able to see! God never fails and He will not fail with you either! You are in His grasp, by His grace, for His glory!
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We ALWAYS carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body” 1 Corinthians 4:7-10

Peace, joy, happiness, freedom… As incredible as these states of being may be, they just do not do justice in describing how exhilarating that day was that the Lord saved me! A true mountaintop experience, and it is a moment that still brings tears to my eyes when I dwell upon the abundant mercy and grace that rushed over me that day. The beauty of God’s transforming work can leave a person in complete awe when you go from being lost to now found!

For the first time ever, I remember feeling like I had “clear vision” and I knew that the only path I could take now was the one that God would lead me down. But what I didn’t expect to follow weeks later was discouragement. Here I was, a new creation in Christ and nothing could be better… until I realized just how “marred” I still was. I wish I could go back to that time in my life and see through the “lens of truth” that God has allowed me to see through over the years. I was so focused on how marred I was and I missed what God was striving to do in spite of that. The good work that God had begun was steadily underway and He was working towards completion!

Jeremiah 18:4-5 tells us, “But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.”

What a beautiful “BUT God” moment! What a beautiful picture of grace! Although heavily marred, God was taking “the old” and making it “new”! I wish in my ‘infancy’ of walking with Christ, that I realized and understood this truth! This heavy awareness to the sin and the hindrances in my life were not for the purpose of bringing defeat, but instead, it was God graciously bringing about a necessary awareness of these things so that they may be removed from my life!

If you find yourself discouraged by the strongholds in your life, remember that God hasn’t brought them to light for that purpose. He brings them to light for awareness and then for removal! We cannot remove what we are unaware of and it is by grace that He shines His holy light upon these things in our lives. He longs to produces a harvest of righteousness and peace as long as we remain receptive to His discipline! (Hebrews 12:10-11)
In order for us to overcome the discouragement that can easily find its way into our lives, we must not forget God’s words of encouragement! (Hebrews 10:5) Let His living and active words dwell in your hearts richly so that these encouraging truths will be what you hear and believe- not the lies from the enemy! I thank God that He calls me child, and I pray that His light would continue to shine on me, marred places and all, so that I can live a life of obedience to Him as He continues to work to make me new!

Hebrews 12:10b-11
“but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

It’s easy to rattle off the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control), especially when they are sung to a catchy tune, without having any thought to depths that each one holds and how they should look in our daily lives. I have been personally guilty of doing this and yet Jesus clearly tells us in John 15:8, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

As I look at this list of evidences, I am immediately challenged by the first one listed- love. For years, I have had a preconditioned idea about love. Society has done a great disservice by sending out false messages about the true essence of love, one being “follow your heart.” Yet, God warns us that our hearts can be deceitful and following mere emotion can easily lead us astray.

Elizabeth George says in her book “A Woman’s Walk with God”, “It’s obvious that since love is the sacrifice of self, it involves effort not merely emotion. It demands action, not just feeling. It’s something we do, not something we only feel or say.”

But in our flesh, how tempted are we to write those off that God is calling us to love when it takes more effort than we want to give or when we no longer “feel” love for them anymore, when we feel they are undeserving of our love? How tempted are we to wash our hands clean of those people and just walk away? As I wrestle with these questions, I then in turn ask myself, “Is this how God has treated me? At my most difficult moments, has God ever withheld His love from me?” And the answer is, NO.

It’s absolutely humbling to me that God’s perfect, unchanging love has been given to me completely out of grace- and so undeserved. As I look to the cross, I am reminded that my unloveliness, my sin, is why He died. We easily forget how unlovable we are, and yet God does not withhold His love from us.

In light of God’s sacrificial love towards us, may we not fail to extend it to another! Instead, may we seek to completely surrender ourselves to Him so that we can be a means in which He extends His love to those in our lives, even those who may not be so lovely, all the while remembering God loved us in our darkest moments.

“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God”              1 Peter 1:22, 23

“Mom, have you ever felt like you were just no good?” My heart was gripped by this question my son asked me one day a while back. When I look at my son, I see a person who was purposefully and wonderfully made by God to fulfill the gifts and talents given to him. When I look at my son, I see someone that I love in a way that words cannot express and I want him to live his life throwing off any and all things that may hinder him from being all that God has called him to be- including not accepting who he was made to be.

One of the biggest distractions from the enemy is not ever being satisfied with yourself. If I am being honest, I think that this is a battle that has distracted me most of my life. It’s a battle that I realize has already been won and I just haven’t accepted it. When God created all things, He declared it to be very good, including you and me. In fact, when He created people, God decided to make us in His image. In addition to Him creating us, God also had a plan of redemption in place in order to save that which He loved with the price of His son Jesus. What a sacrifice! Such sacrifices are only made for things of great value.

As I answered my son’s question, I answered him with the truth that only God can give. Self-confidence can come and go, but God confidence, now that’s eternal and unwaivering. We serve a perfect God and His plans are good! If you struggle with who you are, feeling like you are just no good, look only to the one who made you for satisfaction and purpose! Believe me, He has a purpose for you! Drown out those lies the enemy loves to give and replace them with the knowledge of who God says you are so that you can be the vessel God’s made you to be! When God sees you, He sees someone who has been fearfully and wonderfully made. What a wonderful truth to walk in each and every day! I choose God’s truth!

I’ll never forget the day when I was sitting in class and I suddenly realized that I couldn’t see the board anymore. Here I was, 14 years old, and I didn’t even notice the slow fading away of my vision until it was completely obvious that I couldn’t see anymore. I think back on that time and wonder how I was unable to notice the changes in my vision beforehand. Maybe I was distracted by other things and the changes came in such small doses, it made it easy to over look until it was so far gone that something had to be done about it. Who knows?

As 2019 came to a close and we have started a new year, I have continued to think about my spiritual vision. God has burdened me with a desire to keep my vision crystal clear. But what about the small things that I have let come into my life or the thoughts that I have allowed to take root that are slowly distorting my view? Am I taking notice of these small things that are keeping me from seeing things as clearly? And once I notice these things, am I taking the necessary steps to correct my vision?

These small shifts in our spiritual vision and seeing rightly, matter. If we allow ourselves to see through lenses of distortion, it will gradually grow worse, until one day we can no longer see. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to wait that long before I notice these changes. It’s a horrible feeling to look up one day and realize that you can’t see.

To this day, my eyes are still bad, and they have gotten progressively worse over the years. If it weren’t for corrective lenses, I wouldn’t be able to see. I never forget to wear my contacts or glasses, because the moment I open my eyes, I am instantly reminded of my need for them.

How much more so is this true for our hearts and minds?! How lost and blinded would we be without our Savior? He has saved us, He has given us a “helper” (Holy Spirit), and He has given us His living and active words to help us “see” correctly everyday!

How foolish would it be for me to get into my car and drive without wearing my corrective lenses, thinking I can make it to my destination safely without them? How much more so is it for us to think that we can go through this life without God’s words giving us true, corrected vision each and every day?

Our vision impairment is not one that can be self- corrected, but rather it must be treated by an outside source. God’s word is truly a “lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths” (Psalm 119:105) and without it, we are sure to stumble and fall! I’m praying for 2020 vision in 2020!

Faith is being sure and confident of what you hope for. Faith, when it is properly placed, is rock solid and can move mountains. It all boils down to the foundation of our faith.
There was a particular day when the disciples got into a boat with Jesus, and I imagine that they got into the boat because it appeared sturdy enough to carry them safely across the lake and that the weather conditions were right to set sail. But, as they were making their way across, a very strong storm suddenly sprang up all around them and the waves were so big that the boat began to fill up with water. The two very obvious reasons for the disciples feeling sure that the boat ride would be safe and successful were instantly shattered. Their faith was gone and in a great panic they went to Jesus, who was asleep, and woke Him with desperate pleas to save them.

Life seems to be just like this at times, doesn’t it? We evaluate our circumstances and check to make sure that all the conditions are just right before we “step out onto the boat” and then, BAM, we are hit with an unsuspected storm. We subconsciously have faith in certain things and I imagine that the disciples climbed onto this boat because they felt safe in doing so. They weren’t scared when they first started the journey. It was when the storm hit that they became filled with fear and anxiety. The weather turned in an instant and the once sturdy boat became unreliable in this unforeseen circumstance.

They were very much aware of the storm’s strength, but what they failed to recognize and understand, was the power of the very One who was in the boat with them.
Our ability to evaluate and act as wisely as we can comes with limits, and therefore, our faith must be rooted in Christ. It didn’t matter how bad the storm was, how full of water the boat became, or the fact that disciples were consumed with fear. None of those factors changed God’s sovereignty and control over their lives- in the calm and in the storm. These same truths are still true today and apply to our lives, each and everyday. Nobody is promised a trial free life, but we are promised an anchor and a place to fix our eyes when the storms of life come; and just as Jesus asked His disciples after calming the storm, He is also asking us “Where is your faith?”

Jesus is our way maker, miracle worker, and light in the darkness! Yes, let it be in Him and Him alone that our faith is placed!

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7

Some prefer to celebrate the “magic of Christmas” but I prefer to celebrate the hope that Christmas brings. Magic is just an illusion and is not real, but hope on the other hand, brings a confident certainty. Jesus’ birth was not a magical one, but rather it was a miraculous birth that was purposefully appointed by God. As we celebrate Christmas, it’s important to look past our yearly traditions, whatever they may be, and gaze our eyes upon the markings of hope that Jesus’ birth brings into our lives each and every day. 2019 years ago, Jesus brought hope into the world and this hope still lives on still today. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life” Proverbs 13:12. We all have a need for hope, and in Jesus alone can this need be met! Praise God, for the birth of our Savior! Jesus is the only reason for the season!

1 Peter 1:3-5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

How can one be full of hope in the midst of feeling hopeless? It may come as no surprise to you, but HOPE is one of my favorite words. Hope is often times associated with “wishful thinking,” but the hope that God gives us is much different! Instead, God’s hope allows us to be filled with confidence! God’s hope enables us to have an unwavering  confidence that God will fulfill all of His promises and that His faithfulness is steadfast! When the source of our confidence is found in God, we will find that it will supply us with the assurance needed to live our lives constantly abiding in Him!

So, I ask again, how can we be full of hope in the midst of feeling of hopeless? We can have hope when we feel hopeless because God’s hope is not wishful. His hope is rock solid, absolute, and can be fully trusted. We are whatever we fill our minds with, and therefore, to be full of hope we MUST be full of truth!

Seek out those moments when you can fill your hearts and minds with God’s word so that when times of hopelessness arise, seeking to knock you off your feet, you will instead find yourself still standing confidently because you have been constantly filling yourselves with the HOPE you have in Jesus! Keep running this race fueled and ready!

Romans 5:2-5

“And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Such beautiful and comforting words found in Psalm 23:6. A life full of goodness and mercy, followed by dwelling in the Lord’s house forever?! Yes! Please!!

It is a comfort to know that we can have these tremendous blessings, but yet it is substantially comforting to know why these blessings are available to us.
As David writes the twenty-third Psalm, it’s important to note that he first declares that the Lord is his Shepherd! If anyone was familiar with the role of a shepherd it was David! Therefore, David declaring that the Lord is his shepherd and that he shall never find himself in “want” for anything is pretty powerful. Why could he make this bold proclamation? Because David knew his Shepherd to only be good, faithful, always present, and always providing for every need he could possibly have.

Now here is where it gets really comforting! As we learn and come to understand that all of the Old Testament points to the coming of Jesus, we can then see how Jesus has fulfilled all that was written in the New Testament. In John 10, Jesus declares Himself to be our good Shepherd. How perfectly He has fulfilled this role and its’ attributes! This good Shepherd, Jesus, laid down His life for His sheep, He stays near His sheep in order to guide and protect them, and He constantly talks to them so that the sheep know Him and His voice.

When times of difficulty and loneliness arise, our Shepherd will not scatter and abandon us. Instead, He draws near to us, remaining to be our constant comforter and defender. His voice will be the one that we hear in the darkness of the night, speaking words of peace and comfort. When He speaks, the sound of His voice will be known to us because we know our Shepherd and we are known by Him! Knowing that Jesus is this good Shepherd means we can know that we are never left alone and we have His voice of truth.

On countless occasions, I have gone to God’s word and received timely truth. I have uttered prayers of “Oh, God please work! Please help me!” and I have seen Him lovingly intervene and answer my pleas in ways beyond what I could have imagined.
Walking and living out our lives with our good Shepherd means walking in His goodness and His mercy- even in difficult times. Having His goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives means abiding in Him, His word, and talking to Him constantly through prayer! When we seek Him through these means, His goodness and mercy is found!

Do you know this good Shepherd? Are you seeking to know Him and His truth daily? If not, I urge you to seek after Him! He openly invites us to do so, and when we do, He promises that we will find Him! This good Shepherd longs to make Himself known to you today!

*** A shepherd is not  merely seen by his sheep, but rather he makes himself available to be known by them.***

1. Take a moment and list the attributes of a shepherd.
2. Read John 10:1-18. How does Jesus describing Himself as our good Shepherd help you have confidence and hope that His goodness and mercy follow you all the days of your life?