I'm Not Athletic

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. Galatians 6:4

"I'm not athletic."

"Wait a minute," my new neighbor stopped me, "You're not athletic, you're not domestic, you're not...." She trailed off, and suddenly I felt very embarrassed. I'd only spoken with her 3 or 4 times since she moved into the neighborhood, and her comment made me realize I'd said something I "was not" every time I'd spoken to her.

The truth is, I'm not athletic. She was sharing about her hobby of running, and doing a high powered exercise program similar to what the Navy Seals do. I realized in that moment that subconsciously I must have been feeling inferior to her. And in my normal "chatty" way, I verbalized it, without even meaning too. "I'm not athletic."

Still, there are so many things I can do, and I am such an upbeat person, I was embarrassed that I'd been showcasing my cannots, instead of my cans. Who cares if I'm not athletic? Here is the truth. I don't love athletics, but I have been walking 4 miles on a regular basis, and am feeling pretty fit. No, I'm not a domestic diva, but I am a great deal finder when it comes to clothes shopping. I'm a good writer and a great mom. I am a faithful, respectful and loving wife. I am a loyal friend.

There are so many things I'm not. But there are so many great things that I am. SO I will do as the Galatians verse suggests. Instead of comparing myself to what other people are, I will focus on what I am.

5 Things About Marriage

Today is my 15th wedding anniversary. Though I was 28 when I got married (old by many standards), I feel like I was just a kid. I know I still have a lot to learn, but here are some of the things I have learned. I hope they may help you as they've helped me.

1. The number one cause of conflict is unmet expectations.
How can this knowledge help you? First, your spouse can't meet an expectation they aren't aware of. Rather than sulk about your unmet expectation, share you expectation with your spouse. AND, most importantly, be willing to change your expectation if your spouse can't meet it.

2. Pray for your spouse's relationship with God.
Yes, there are lots of things we'd like to change in our spouses. But it's selfish to pray for God to change something about them, so that we don't have to change, or grow. Instead, pray for their relationship with God. Because a solid relationship with God WILL produce change in the sinful areas of your spouse's life. And the other areas? That's where you have to pray you will change, and be more accepting.

3. Marriage is work, expect it.
If you work outside the home, you know that if you ignored things at work, you might lose your job. As a parent, you know that if you don't spend time with your kids, they won't be raised properly. Why do you think your marriage is different? Work at your marriage. You won't get anything out of it, if you don't put anything into it. Date nights, or quiet time together after the kids go to sleep - to talk together (not watch TV) are important.

4. Don't dishonor your spouse.
I remember when my husband and I were attending a party. One of the guys started a conversation about what celebrity woman he'd found attractive. As various men chimed in, my husband remained silent. And when pressed by the group to respond, he said something to the effective of , "I only have eyes for Kelly." The guys may have boo'ed him, but I was honored, and esteemed. Honor your spouse.

5. Love is not a feeling.
You will wake up some mornings and not "feel" in love. How you act during those times defines you, and your marriage. It defines your character. I love my husband always, even when I don't feel "in love." And because of that we have 15 years together, and with the help of God we will have many more. Amen.

What marriage tips do you have? Share them in the comments section today.

Repeat Offender

Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!
Romans 6:1,2

“I FORGIVE YOU.” These are hard words to say after someone has harmed you mentally, physically or emotionally. Yet imagine after you said these words to someone, they immediately repeated their offense against you saying, “Well, you said you forgave me.”

Forgiveness does absolve someone of the offense they committed against you, however it is not permission to repeat the offense. Forgiveness expects that the offender is truly sorry for their actions and will use every effort not to repeat them.

In the same way, the Apostle Paul says that just because God has given us His grace, there is no reason to go on sinning. Just as God’s grace extends forgiveness to us for our sins, the expectation is that we should use every ability to not continue sinning. Through Christ’s death, the consequences of our sin died. Through our baptism, we are reborn to a life seeking holiness. This can be found by continuing to seek God on a daily basis through Bible reading and prayer.

If someone continues offending us, we may struggle to offer our forgiveness. Even after we forgive, we may terminate the painful relationship to prevent further offenses. Thankfully, we have a heavenly Father who continues to forgive our every offense without ending our relationship, but instead shows us grace and mercy.

Every time we ask, God replies, “I forgive you.”

Forgive someone who doesn’t deserve it today.

This devotion by me originally appeared in Light from the Word. Check out their devotions on-line!

Why Dig Deeper?

Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Ruth 1:16

The above verse is one about unconditional love. There is even a new Chris Tomlin song based on this lyrics called, I Will Follow You. It always makes me chuckle when I hear it in weddings, however. I wonder if the bride reciting this verse to her husband,realizes the context of the actual verse. You see, it was said by a daughter-in-law, to her mother-in-law.

Young Ruth had lost her husband. Her sister-in-law (Orpah) and her mother-in-law (Naomi) all lost their husbands too. Naomi told her young daughters-in-law to go back to their own families. It only made sense. The other daughter-in-law returned. But not Ruth. Ruth professed her love to her mother-in-law, and promised to follow her wherever she went.

Before you get the idea that perhaps Ruth had the perfect mother-in-law, listen to this. Naomi told everyone to no longer call her Naomi (meaning pleasant), but to call her Mara (meaning bitter) because her life was so bitter. Would you profess you love to your bitter mother-in-law?

Scripture sometimes has two meanings. The obvious meaning in the passage, and often a deeper spiritual meaning. The literal meaning in the story of Ruth is steadfast love. According to scholars, the deeper meaning Ruth foreshadows the gentiles becoming a part of spiritual Israel, the church; and is a story of redemption. Digging deeper into scripture is important.

First, we get the full meaning of the story, not just one line out of context.

Second, we get to read first hand the message, and not just take the word the person sharing the message. The Bible is the infallible Word of God. But I am very fallible. When I give my opinion on the meaning of a scripture, it is to your benefit to read it in context, and draw your own conclusion.

Finally, the Word of God is alive. What does that mean? That means through the Holy Spirit, you and I can read the same Bible verse and get different impressions for our life. God's truths do not change. However, He will impress different parts of a story on each of us depending on where we are and what we need out of the Scripture.

So next time you read a devotion, hear a sermon, or listen to a commentary, listen to what the person has to say. Then, dig deeper and come to your own conclusions of what God is trying to tell you.

And the next time a bride tells her groom "where you go I'll go" during a wedding, ask her later how she feels about her mother-in-law.

Faith Like Noah

The rain fell in torrents as I drove into the parking lot of my daughter’s school. We ran from the car to the doors, but were soaked by the time we entered the building. My clothes stuck uncomfortably to my body, and I felt every bit the drowned rat.

I dropped my daughter off safely in her classroom. As I was leaving I jokingly told the school's director “I’m off to build an ark!” She replied, “Well you better hurry because it’s already raining.”

That caused me to think. When God told Noah to build an ark, it likely was a beautiful, sunny day. No doubt the people laughed at Noah as he built this ark; 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. Yet Noah had faith. The Bible says, “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” (Genesis 6:22 NIV) He built an ark in the sunshine.

I wish I could be more like Noah. When God calls on me to do something for him, how often do I wait for the rain first? “Send me a sign if that’s really what you want, God.” If Noah had asked God for a sign, surely it would have begun to rain. And Noah would have had to build his ark in the rain. The tools would be slippery in his hands, his clothes uncomfortably sticking to him. His hair, matted to his head. But no, not Noah. He had the warm sunshine to work in…no doubt whistling while he worked.

And here I am…in the rain. How much easier would my life be if I could respond to God’s call immediately? Without a sign. Without the rain. And yet even as I work in the rain, I know God will be sending the rainbow soon enough.

But the next time God asks me to do something, I hope I can have a faith like Noah. A faith to do everything just as God commands, without a sign. That faith will allow me to work in the sunshine. And not end up all wet.

Doing It

Nike, the famous athletic apparel company, coined the phrase “Just do it.” But life isn't that easy. Paul, the apostle, was more on target when he said, “I do not do the good thing I want to do, but I do the wrong thing that I do not want to do.”(Romans 7:19) We fail to do what we know we should.

Just as Nike would have you believe you can’t “Just do it” without their shoes, the Bible truthfully states that we can’t do it without Jesus. He did what we couldn’t, live a life on earth without sinning. But when he left earth, he gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us do what we should.

God’s Holy Spirit prompts us to make right decisions, to stop doing what we know is wrong and to live a life worthy of being called children of God. We can fight off the sinful nature with God’s help and do what he calls us to do.

Once you start doing that, you’ll find another change in your life. You still won’t be able to “Just do it” as easily as the Nike ads claim. But you will be able to do it justly. And doing it justly is better than just doing it every time.

Domestic Diva

I've never been good at "domestic" stuff. Cooking, cleaning, decorating, crafting....one can say I was challenged in these areas. So I decided to embrace my non-domestic ways. Me? Cook? Ha, never. I am woman, hear me roar! I became part of the feminist movement that says I don't have to do these things. Truth is, I was never trained. Growing up with a mentally ill mother left me challenged. But then something changed.

I joined a cooking co-op. If I would cook dinner just 1 night a week, for myself & three other families, then 3 nights a week I would have dinner delivered to me by another family. To someone who hated (aka can't!) cook this was a dream come true. What happened next was truly a surprise.

I had to meal plan. We set our co-op calendar 3 months at a time, so I had to pull out cookbooks and select meals. Once the calendar was set, grocery shopping was easier. And once I started putting some real effort into my cooking, the compliments (from my own families AND the other three families) started coming in! Soon I was buying fun kitchen gadgets (did I say fun and kitchen in the same sentence?)

I can honestly say now, I am a good cook. I can meal plan. I just had to learn how. I'm still not the best at decorating, but I am learning. Why is this important? Titus 2:3-5 says we older women are to teach the younger women to be "busy at home." That means cooking, cleaning, meal planning, decorating. I was never taught. But rather than carry on this omission, I am now teaching my children the JOYS of things like cooking.

Imagine my delight, when my then 4 year old came up to me with her baby doll and stroller in tow, and a backpack full of plastic food. She said, "It's my cooking co-op day." She's 6 now, and enjoys helping in the kitchen. She doesn't enjoy helping unload the dishwasher, but I am training her none-the-less, so she will never be domestically challenged.

What things are you challenged by? Instead of saying you'll never get there, why not put the effort into learning. Then you can train up those of the next generation. Now we're cooking!

Sock Stealer

As I sat on the bottom steps to put on my shoes and socks, as I often do, I noticed one of my socks "disappeared." "ANNIE!" I shouted. Annie is our golden retriever...and chief sock stealer. She pulls socks out of clothes baskets, gym bags, and from unsuspected folks putting on shoes and socks on the stairwell.

As I stood up to go after her, I noticed my missing sock. I had some how managed to sit on it, and I had it all the time! "You blamed Annie, and she didn't even do it," my daughter and Annie's #1 fan exclaimed. She was right. But it offered a chance for a teaching moment.

When you are characterized by a certain behavior, whether good or bad, people will assume it from you. When people know you for having good character, they don't believe otherwise. However, once you become known for a bad behavior (sock stealing, for instance), when socks turn up missing you get the blame, even if you didn't do it! You only get one chance to build your character, and once it's built badly even when you "re-build" it, it takes a long time for folks to see the new you.

This isn't a "life sentence" for those who have started out on the wrong sock foot. The great thing about God is that even bad characters can receive grace and forgiveness if they truly repent. You'll have to be patient, however, as mere mortals will need more time to trust in the new you. But time can and will show your true character.

Let your good behavior shine so that people can see God through you. Then people will no longer consider you a sock stealer, and when it comes to good character, you'll be a shoe shoo-in.

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 1 Corinthians 15:33

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

I Wanna Be A Star!

If I were to tell you I wanna be a star, you'd probably not be overly surprised. Our society is filled with folks looking for stardom. The problem is, fame today does not come from virtue, courage, patriotism and honor as it has in years gone by. No, look at the cover of the magazines in the grocery check-out aisle. Today's stars are famous for drug addiction, adultery, self-made adult videos or having multiple children.

However it is Biblical to want to be a star! Really! Philippians 2 says that we should shine like stars! We are to be imitating Christ's humility, obeying God and working out our salvation through God. We are to be children of God, standing out so much in this deprived nation that we shine like stars in the universe.

Don't be like the world around you who seek to be "stars" for fame. Instead, seek to shine like a star to make God famous. Did you know that a translation of the word "glorify" means to make famous? I wanna be a star alright, but I want to shine like a star to make God famous. Are you shining today?

Philippians 2:14-16 Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life.

The Postman

"Neither rain, nor sleet, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." This is the unofficial motto of the US Postmaster. The thought behind the motto is that no matter what, the post office delivers.

The post office has faced competition in past years by "new" ideas. Overnight delivery by FedEx and others portrayed the post office's service as slow. Next came the facsimile (Fax) machine. Wow - that was "fast." (Remember standing over the fax machine as the document edged out.) Next came e-mail and PDF files. Instant delivery! Many people have moved on to these new ideas, but the postman continues to deliver.

The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Romans. In it, he created an unofficial motto for Jesus. It said "Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38, 39)

More reliable that the Postman is the love of God! It is always there. There are been new ideas through the years...new age ideas. Thoughts such as as long as you're a "good person" you'll go to heaven, regardless of your relationship with Christ. The idea that we hold the controls of the universe, and are in control of our destiny. Many people latch onto these new ideas, but Jesus continues to deliver.

Even though I enjoy the convenience of email, nothing beats receiving a hand written letter in the mail from a good friend. And nothing beats having a God who loves me so much that he didn't just send me a letter; he sent me his son. That's not delivery my friends. That is deliverance.

Psalm 3:8 -- From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

Un-Sin Me

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;" Psalm 51:7a

"Un-sin me." That is the literal translation for "Cleanse me" in Psalm 51 above. It is David's humble prayer for forgiveness and cleansing that he wrote after Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

Un-sin me! What a great phrase to pray to God. I think as Christians, our view point of forgiveness is often like giving someone a "re-do" or "do-over." But in God's view, forgiveness is not a re-do, it's an un-do! He literally takes away our sins. As a sinner, I can barely wrap my mind around that.

When I forgive, I still remember the offense. Not intentionally, but I don't get forgiveness amnesia either. No, I remember the person hurt me, and I am on guard to make sure they are not a repeater offender. God doesn't just forgive us. He un-sins us, restoring us to righteousness.

We aren't God. Sometimes remembering the offense is a good protection to prevent future harm. We don't have the ability to cleanse someone, to "un-sin" them like God does. At the same time, the Lord's Prayer clearly states, "Forgive us our sins, as WE FORGIVE those who sin against us." It's important to forgive those who offend us. But I'm thankful for a heavenly Father who doesn't just forgive. He doesn't even forget. He removes.

Un-sin me!

Gossip? Me?

They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Romans 1:29-31

The Bible is clear, gossip is wickedness and evil. As Christians we are to guard our tongues and keep from repeating gossip. But what about listening to gossip? Sometimes as Christians we think listening is okay as long as we don't repeat what we've heard.

Proverbs 20:19 says to "avoid a man who talks too much" in regard to gossip. So it is clear, we should not just guard our mouths but our ears as well. Not only that, but Proberbs 18:8 and 26:22 repeat the same warning, "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts." What we hear goes in our "inmost parts." Or in the words of computer programming, "Garbage in, garbage out." We need to guard what goes in us, to protect what comes out of us.

Think you've got this one down? I did too. Lately however, God has been poking me about my "entertainment." This is what the media calls gossip now days. Whether it's People magazine, Entertainment Tonight or an online "Celebrity News" site, they are all in the business of gossip. As a matter of fact, People.com had more than 14.5 million monthly unique visitors as of March 2010, per the Time Warner website. That's 14.5 million people reading celebrity gossip every month. Where you one of them?

The world tells us gossip is okay. The Bible says it is evil. Who are you going to believe? And will your actions show it?

Just Do It

"Do as I say, not as I do" was a common quote my mom used when I was growing up. She smoked several packs of cigarettes each day, all the while detailing the dangers of smoking to us kids. "But mom, you smoke," we'd point out. Then she'd quote that infamous line to us. She knew what she should do, but for whatever reason she didn't do it.

Many of us are still like that today. Consider all the plans, pills and patches on the market for weight loss. We all know the two things need to lose weight: Eat less and move (or exercise) more. Yet we spend millions of dollars each year for gimmicks because although we know what we should do,w e just don't do it.

Nike, the famous athletic apparel company, coined the phrase "Just do it." But it's not that easy. The apostle Paul was more on target when he said, "What I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing." (Rom 7:19) So we keep on smoking or overeating or failing to do what we know we should.

The Bible gives us a summary of what we must do to put feet to our faith:

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind:; and, ""Love your neighbor as yourself." Luke 10:27

Focusing on these two commands alone is a full time job, so to speak, yet we waste time instead of spending time with God, and find fault not only with our neighbor, but also with our coworkers, family members, and practically everyone else.

God wants us to do more than just listen to His Word. He wants us to obey it. He wants us to spend time in the Scriptures strengthen our understanding so that we can "just do it" without arguing, complaining, justifying or denying. He wants us to repent of our tendency to expect others do as we say but not as we do because we know we're doing the wrong thing.

Just as Nike would have you believe you can't "Just do it" without their shoes, the Bible truthfully states that we can't do it without Jesus. He did what we couldn't - He lived as a human without sinning. But when He left earth, He gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us do what we should.

God's Holy Spirit prompts us to make the right decisions, to stop doing what we know is wrong, and to live a life worthy of being called children of God. We can overcome the sinful nature with God's help and do what He calls us to do.

Once you start doing that, you'll find another change in your life. You still won't be able to "just do it" as easily as the Nike ads claim. But you will be able to do it justly. And doing it justly is better than just doing it every time.


Originally published in Vista Journal for Holy Living, March 21, 2010

It's Raining, It's Pouring

We were having exceptional thunderstorms! The first "boom" around 1 a.m. brought my youngest scampering into the bed between my husband and me. The second "boom" brought in my oldest daughter to sleep in the floor of my room the rest of the night. The winds blew. Sometime it felt like the house shuddering when the big thunder bolts hit near by.

It reminded me of a children's song, you may have heard. It tells how the wise man built his house upon the rock, the foolish man built his house upon the sand, the rains came down and the floods came up, and the house on the rock stood firm, but the house on the sand went CRASH! I’ve heard this song many times, and realized the metaphor.

The house represents your life. The rock is Jesus Christ. The sand is the “world,” or building your life around things such as money, success, status, or even your kids or family. The rains and floods are the problems in life. If you look at the song, you will see both the wise man and the foolish man experience the rains and the floods. Having your house built on the rock, or your life built around Jesus does not mean you won’t have problems and trouble. The difference, simply put, is whether or not you stand firm or go “crash.”

This children's song is based on a Bible verse. Jesus says in Matthew 7:24-27,

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (NIV)

Knowing that Jesus said it (and not some children's song writer) makes me ask myself: “Is my home built on the Rock?” When the storms of life come in, am I going to be able to stand firm, or will I crash? Whether in the huge or smaller struggles, I’ve found that a relationship with Jesus can make the difference in every aspect of my life.

So how about you? Are you ready for the rain?

Guilty by Association

Think about the kid in your 2nd grade class that ate the paste. You know the one I mean. Now imagine all these years later that someone suggests you name your child (or dog) after this person. Ewwww! Not that name. I could NEVER pick that name. That's the kid who ate the paste!

Last summer I got my toe nails painted coral at the salon. Women's Day magazine had said coral was "THE" hot color for summer. When I got home, my daughter said "That looks like the color Nanny always gets." It did. Suddenly I didn't feel stylish, but grandmotherly.

In both these examples, the item itself is fine, but by association becomes "guilty."

Did you know that as Christians, we are the only Bible some people will ever see? So what are you saying about Jesus, by association? When you gossip with girlfriends. When you refuse to apologize for the feelings you've hurt, because they hurt your feelings too. When you don't include someone because YOU don't think they'll fit in with the group. When notice the speck in another's eye, while ignoring the plank in your own.

Jesus is found guilty, by association.

The irony is, that just as Jesus is found guilty by his association with us; We have been found not guilty by our association with him. "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:17) Jesus died on the cross, found guilty of our sins, so that we can stand here now and say NOT GUILTY...by association.

James 2:10 -- For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

John 3:16 - - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

The Power of Prayer

Many of us have heard stories of miraculous healings as a result of feverent prayers. Just as many of us, however, have known or heard of someone who was not healed, who had seemingly just as much prayer support. What then, is the power of prayer? Why should we pray?

Jesus is the perfect Son of God. The Bible gives us examples of Jesus praying.

Matthew 19:13 - Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them.

Matthew 26:36 - Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."

Mark 1:35 - Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Luke 5:16 - But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Luke 6:12 - One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

Jesus was God incarnate, God as man. Because He prayed, we should follow his example. But what could He have been praying about? Jesus could perform miracles himself, so why did He need the power of prayer?

I believe the most important power of prayer is relationship. The God and creator of the universe allows us, lowly sinners, to not only approach him, but to talk with him, to tell him our feelings, our wants, and our needs. He is the perfect parent. Just as we sometimes tell our children no for things they ask for, He too sometimes tells us no.

When God answers no, it doesn’t denote a lack of power or caring, just that God is God. He has wisdom and knowledge of things we don’t know. We must simply just believe the Bible when it says “we know that in all things God work for the good of those who love him." (Romans 8:28)
God loves us so much he allows us to be called his children. He allows us a relationship where we call Him our father. What happens when we enter this relationship sewn in prayer?

I love the answer found in Philippians 4:6-7 in the Message paraphrase of the Bible: “Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”

Christ displaces the worry in your life. Imagine a life not fraught with worries, but with peace, peace that passes human understanding. This is what the power of prayer can bring.

I remember when my seven-year-old daughter had the flu. As she woke up crying with body aches she called out “Pray for me, mommy!” As I prayed out loud for her pain to go away, she let out a deep sigh, and fell back asleep. Whether the power of the prayer came as a swift answer from God or the peace of a child that knew a relationship with God, either way my prayer was answered.

My friend Julie shared the story of when her son went to serve in Iraq. Julie was understandable overcome with fear. After several weeks consumed with fear and unable to eat, she decided to give it over to God, and praise Him. Her fear was removed, and she said she didn’t have fear anymore for the entire time her son was gone. Her precious son is home now and safe, but God answered her prayer not only by bringing her son home safely, but by giving her the peace of His presence in relationship with her while her son was gone.

Friends in my prayer group often say, “Just knowing you were praying for me gave me peace.” They too know the value of the relationship with God. Even when God says no to our prayers, we are still blessed by the relationship.

The power of prayer is not found in the answer to a particular prayer, but the fact that we may enter the presence of God at all. The power is the relationship. God hears our prayers. He uses them as opportunities to grow our faith in Him.

Spend some time in prayer today, and watch your relationship with God grow, then you’ll feel the power of prayer.

The Power of Love

Celine Dion and Huey Lewis both sang about it; the power of love. What power does love have? Can love really change anything? Or is it just a sweet notion that ebbs and flows with our mood?

Many people are familiar with the classic wedding passage:

Love it Patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails…. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13 NIV

There is scarcely a church wedding today without it. Yet, do we really apply these truths about love to our family?

With February comes Valentine’s Day and it is the time of red hearts and “love.” Many women’s magazines will come out with questionnaires this month to see how you rate on the “Love” quotient. But the values shared in these magazines often do not represent the Biblical view. Here is how the Message Bible translates the same verses in contemporary language:

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle.
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything.
Trusts God always
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies…. We have three things to do to lead us….Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

Love doesn’t fly off the handle? Puts up with anything? Always looks for the best? How would my marriage change if I could implement these things into my life? How would yours? And our parenting, how would that change if we could always be patient and kind? How about relationships in the office, could they improve by showing them God’s example of love? The Bible paints the perfect picture of love. All we have to do is read it…and do it. All the advice from every women’s magazine in the world won’t make your life any better than the advice from God.
For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16, 17 NIV

God loved us so much that he let his Son die for us. That is so powerful. Yet, even though I am a Christian I can’t even seem to love my family enough to be patient, enough to be kind, and certainly not enough to “put up with anything.”

This February I will try to reflect on God’s perfect love for me as I try to improve on my own love for my family. I challenge you to do the same. And have a happy Valentine’s Day!

The Power of Hope

Have you ever felt hopeless? Divorce, death of a spouse or child, critical illness, and job loss are all reasons that provoke hopelessness. In our failing economy, many are losing jobs, homes, vehicles and retirement value. How can we remain hopeful in bad times? What is the power of hope?

Dictionary.com gives the first definition of hope as “the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.” There is realistic hope and unrealistic hope. To hope that you win the lottery to offset your financial loss is not a realistic hope. Misplaced hopes can lead to disappointment, despair and even depression.

Realistic hope can actually lift our mood. That job you applied for, hoping you get it actually gives you a mental boost that an end is in sight for your hard economic times. A new clinical drug trial provides hope that a cure can be found. Hope inspires us.

What are you putting your hope in? Is it realistic? In Isaiah 49:23, God says, “you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.” But how does our definition of hope translate to having hope in God?

Dictionary.com also provides an archaic or ancient definition of hope which is “to place trust; rely (usually fol. by in).” In other words, hoping in God is trusting in God. Faith. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hope and faith are tightly woven together. Our hope in God produces greater faith.

How does our disappointment fit into this? Disappointment when we don’t get the job, or get well, or get what we hoped for? Romans 5:2-5 says, “we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

Rejoice in suffering? How can we do that? According to that passage, if we didn’t have some level of suffering we’d have nothing to hope for, would we? If we had nothing to hope for, would we really need anyone to hope in? Suffering or disappointment in worldly things may actually strengthen our faith and hope in Christ, as we know he is the only one who can truly meet our needs.

Never give up hope! Let God inspire you during your times of trial. He is trustworthy.
“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—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.” (1 Peter 1:3b-5)

An inheritance that will never perish, spoil or fade, in these economic times? That is a reason to rejoice, and never give up hope!

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

The Power of Faith

By now you’ve probably had a chance to take down some of your Christmas decorations and have reflected on the season. Christmas is full of wonderful things specific only to that time of year. Chances are you don’t have eggnog or fruit cake, except at Christmas time. You’ll never find mistletoe hanging indoors, except at Christmas time. And let’s not forget the wonderful Christmas classics on television. Whether it’s Charlie Brown and his pitiful Christmas tree, or A Wonderful Life’s George Bailey, we love those Christmas classics.

My personal favorite is “Miracle on 34th Street.” “Miracle” is a wonderful movie about a young girl who lives with her mother in New York City. The girl (Natalie Wood as Susan) has been raised to be practical; her mother doesn’t fill Susan’s head with fantasies such as fairy tales. However the man hired to be Santa Claus at Macy’s Store, where Susan’s mother works, claims to be none other than the real Santa. A neighbor who is a lawyer represents “Santa Claus” and ends up proving in a court of law that “Santa” is the true and real Santa.

Along the way Susan’s mother ends up believing and trying to convince her daughter to believe. She tells Susan “Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.” Susan is disillusioned when Santa doesn’t bring the gift she wants, but she continues to chant, “I believe, I believe, it’s silly, but I believe” to convince herself. And Santa does come through in the end.

Aren’t we a lot like Susan? It’s hard to have faith. We live in a cynical world where “seeing is believing.” Even if we are lucky enough to have faith “when common sense tells you not to,” when we don’t get the things we want, we can end up chanting “I believe, it’s silly, but I believe” or worse “I don’t believe in you anymore.”

The bible tells us in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” I have found that putting my faith in God is a safe and secure place to put it.

My faith provides me a Father, a heavenly Father who I can go to with my prayers and who cares for me. My faith provides me a family, my church family with like-minded believers who offer me love, support and fellowship when I need it. My marriage and parenting are also improved by God providing a trust worthy place to get advice, the Bible. Finally, I am certain even without seeing that my faith will provide me a heavenly home when my days on earth are done. A perfect home, better than any dreamed up in fairy tales or provided in those Christmas classics.

Through my faith, I have received the gift of God’s grace. Christmas is over, but that’s one gift I won’t be returning.

Ephesians 2:8 -- “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

Star Light, Star Bright

Star Light Star bright,
The first star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.

My daughters love to wish on stars. Before you jump on me for bad theology, just know it's all in fun. We also make wishes on birthday candles, turkey wishbones, and dandelions before blowing them. It's childhood fun.

The other night as I drove my ten year old to an activity, she saw a bright "star" in the night sky. "Is that a star or the moon?" she asked. I laughed as I answered, "Actually, its the light at the top of a cell phone tower so that airplanes won't hit it."

"I guess that means my wish won't come true?" she jokingly asked.

"Only if you wished for a cell phone!" I joked back.

Jesus tells us "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12). Darkness, in a spiritual sense, frequently refers to sin or to confusion about truth. Just as in life, the darkness can hide evil or distort what is real, in the spiritual world, it can distort truth and make it difficult to see or understand truth. When we have light, we can see things clearly.

However the Bible also warns us that Devil tries to fool us into thinking he is the light. 2 Corinthians 11:14 says, "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light."

That night with my daughter I was able to distinguish the light as a light on a cell tower because I was familiar with the area. I'd driven it before during the day. Her inexperience made her unable to tell the difference between star light and man-made light.

In the same way, we must be familiar with the Bible, studying God's Word and "digging deeper" into the scriptures so that we are not confused by the false light of the devil. Psalm 119:105 confirms "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."

Just as the light of a bright star led the wise men to Jesus, the light of the God's Word continues to lead wise men, women, and children, to Him today.