Have you ever noticed that God’s highest and best for us usually involves growth and change, whereas our natural preferences run toward peace and security? Have you also noticed that, though He loves us “with an everlasting love” (Jer. 31:3) and has “given us everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3), He doesn’t consult us before He upends our life?
Most of us have seen them—painted performing artists who are creative and entertaining in their perfect stillness—live statues can fool us. Even up close it is difficult to tell whether they are real or not. Children and adults alike are fascinated by their realism.
Rest is essential to bread making. Bread dough needs to rest because we add yeast to it which is a living organism that takes time to rise, rest, and rise again to increase in size.
During the 19th century, personal tragedy led Puritan Hannah Whitall Smith to write several books on suffering. Her out-of-print devotion book, God Is Enough, spoke to my heart a decade ago while crippled by insecurities. It continues to be one of my most treasured books.
“I want Jesus!” shouted my three year-old granddaughter from the back seat of my car. Imagine my surprise and delight. I wanted to shout back, “You may have Him!” Or, “He wants you, too!” But I didn’t.
Our children are stepping into the adult world day by day. Our daughter is finishing college, and our son has just graduated from high school. They are asking big life questions: Where do I go to college? What do I study? Who do I marry? What is my life work? Most recently, our son asked, “What do I need to be a good husband and father?” These are heavy questions that demand wisdom and courage.
“Mom,”, my 18-year-old son, soon to be a graduate, whispered, “I don’t know what to do. I need to you tell me what to do.” There was such desperation in his voice and everything in me wanted to figure this out and fix it for him. In reality, it was not a big thing. But in the moment, it was urgent...especially to him. Hadn’t we spent the last eighteen years teaching him how to weigh things with Scripture, to consider others involved, to seek God’s face and to lead by serving? Yes, we had. But my boy was needing some handholding as we talked through options, obligations and expectations. He came to a perfect decision, and I was grateful to still have opportunities to pour into him.
I have always considered my fleshly nature to be stingy. Generosity is not a trait that flows naturally through me. As the Lord is growing me into Christ-likeness, I have begun to look for ways to be gracious and generous to others.
When her baby brother was born, our 2 ½ year old daughter had a rude awakening. Suddenly, she wasn’t the only child. Her parents’ attentions were divided, and in the early days, the division did not seem fair. For almost a year, when referring to her brother, she called him ‘the boy’.
As a child, I sang, “His Banner Over Me Is Love” with much gusto and hand motions. My own children would dance around their rooms with this proclamation.
If you read through Psalms 77, you will find that the psalmist was in a tough spot, in deep distress. He opened his heart to the Lord, and he was honest about how he was feeling. Then he turned his attention to what the Lord had done. He remembered God’s goodness and His mercy.
This verse is so comforting to us. We know that our God is good, and He works all things for our good. BUT . . . we also must remember that our good may include struggles and pain. Our good may be walking through that tough thing.
I have heard of women asking the Lord for a word from Him at the start of a new year. This word might be a direction, a quality, a verb, or just about any word. It seems to me to be kind of like a theme He wants to speak over us at that time, or for that year. I honestly had not done that before, so this year, that is exactly what I did. I asked Him for a word.
Quiet is nice sometimes. You know how it feels when that car alarm won’t stop? And then it does - ahhh. Or how about when the restaurant is so loud you can’t enjoy conversation with a friend or family? And then you leave - whew. It’s like you can finally relax again.
Have you ever had a season in your life in which a character quality of the Lord continues to come to mind? God keeps reminding me of His faithfulness these days. Maybe it’s because I am in a season of transitions. My oldest child is transitioning into adulthood, making decisions about life and future as she navigates college. My 16-year-old is now driving, transitioning into a more independent teen. My home church is even in transition to a new pastor. But God is faithful. In all things. He is faithful.
Down I fell, flat on my face! I was running downhill with my dog when suddenly she darted ahead. I hung onto the leash trying to slow her down. Instead, her momentum pulled me down until I was face down in the dirt.
I pulled into the rest area and looked around. The people I observed were as varied as the vehicles. Where were they all going? The adventurist in me began to imagine several possible scenarios. For some reason we had all converged in that one location at precisely the same time. Momentarily, we each would continue on our individual routes.
A friend’s daughter posted on social media that she had been pregnant and lost the baby. My heart hurt for her. I know in part how she feels. I have miscarried twice. I remembered those feelings from long ago.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes it is hard for me to keep believing. I pray and believe, but then I look at what I can see around me. My faith falters. My fears escalate. Doubt creeps in.
