O Come to The Altar

In 2019, I heard O Come to The Altar by Elevation Worship and it spoke to me, brought me to my knees.

Are you hurting and broken within?

Overwhelmed by the weight of your sin?

Jesus is calling

Have you come to the end of yourself

Do you thirst for a drink from the well?

Jesus is calling

O come to the altar

The Father's arms are open wide

Forgiveness was bought with

The precious blood of Jesus Christ

Leave behind your regrets and mistakes

Come today there's no reason to wait

Jesus is calling

Bring your sorrows and trade them for joy

From the ashes, a new life is born

Jesus is calling

Are you hurting and broken within?

• Yes, I am.  Every day I feel the world crushing in on me.

Overwhelmed by the weight of your sin?

• Yes, I am.  I cannot keep my head above water as the weight tethered to my legs holds my head at the bare surface.

Jesus is calling

• And my tears begin to fall, I hear you, Father.

Leave behind your regrets and mistakes

• Yes, Father, gladly.

Come today there's no reason to wait. Bring your sorrows and trade them for joy.  From the ashes, a new life is born.

Father God, forgive me of the sins that burden me.  Let me release my feelings of shame and guilt.  Allow me to learn from my mistakes rather than allowing them to weigh me down.  Give me your guidance and give me the strength to let go of my indiscretions and let you, God, take over.  Free me from my self-imposed prison and allow me to forgive myself so that in you I can find joy again.

Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpfuKKH_SCE

This little light of mine

I remember one of my favorite songs from when I was little, and I would sing it loud and proud.

This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine. Oh, this little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.

This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine. Let it shine, all the time, let it shine.

You may remember singing the song when you were young too.  It also became a Civil Rights Anthem.  What are we singing about in this song? What is our light?  In the song, we hold the light, or the light is in us.  The song may want us to consider the light inside us reflecting the love of Jesus.

In reading through Mark, I saw the following reference to the light.

Mark 4:21-25 NLT

Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine. For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”

Mark’s gospel is that the light is the truth, the word of Christ Jesus, the word of God. 

God’s word is our guiding light, Psalm 119:105 KJV, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. 

We should not hide His light.  We should share it, bring it to the world, uncover the Truth God has given in his word. The more we listen to God’s word, pay attention to His word, apply it, the more understanding of His word will be given.  We find this all the time.  We read a passage one day, and it means one thing, and then read it a month later, and the meaning deepens. Or someone we know references a different part of the word with a different view, and our meaning deepens again.  Our knowledge of God’s word grows, and our thirst for God’s word intensifies. We are broadening our understanding of what God has planned for us, and we become more obedient to His call on our lives, and we share his light.

Let His word in you shine by reflecting what God has put in your heart through reading his word. Let it shine, all the time, let it shine.

Hosea 6:6

“I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.”

‭‭Hosea‬ ‭6:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I want to be seen

I want to be heard

I want to be understood 

Don’t we all want to be seen, heard and understood?  God speaks of being known. God is looking for an intimate relationship with us. To know God intimately, God is looking for recognition of His glory(seen), acknowledgement (heard), and obedience (understood). 

“I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord.”

‭‭Hosea‬ ‭2:20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Our Father God is heartbroken that His children have turned away. They are being disobedient and disrespectful to him. They are worshiping idols and depending on themselves.God sent his prophet, Hosea, to speak with the people and share His disappointment and hurt.  God looks forward to a time when He and His people have a relationship with him. 

When we have deeper relationships With others we feel seen, heard, and understood. Relationships are deeper by time alone together, seeking to understand, and listening. God wants the same: time together, time in His word seeking to understand, and listening to His quiet voice in prayer. 

Father God, I love you. You are worthy of all praise. Your majesty and glory overwhelm me   You send me new mercies every morning and I am grateful. Father, give me a heart and mind to understand your word and give me strength to be obedient to your desire in my life. Your word is truth. Speak Lord and I will listen. All the power and glory are in you Father. Amen. 

God’s Word

15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

2 Timothy 3:15-17

From a young age, I was taught the scriptures. But as I grew into a teenager and adulthood I was not in the word, studying the word, meditating on God’s word. 

As an adult in my 40’s, I learned to read God’s word again.  I found an entirely new love for God’s word and how it has the ability to mold me and shape me.  It teaches me new things and opens my eyes.  God’s word reminds me of how to correct my behavior and provides enlightenment in an area that I need. 

Paul, in his letter to Timothy, reminds Timothy to use the scriptures to guide and teach.  God’s word is meant for preparation and equipment to not only live a godly life but also to be in service to God.

As we move into the holidays, we begin advent and really dig into God’s word.  Let us continue to relish these times in the scriptures long after the holidays end.

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

Psalm 119:105

Plan B

"When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum. At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death. When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. "If anyone deserves your help, he does," they said, "for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us." So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, "Lord, don't trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, 'Go,' and they go, or 'Come,' and they come. And if I say to my slaves, 'Do this,' they do it." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, "I tell you, I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel!" And when the officer's friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed."

Luke 7:1-10 NLT

"What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes." Mark 9:23

Jesus responded, "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!" Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. Matthew 8:26

Faith is a funny thing.  We profess to have faith: faith in God, faith in Christ Jesus, faith in the Holy Spirit.  But yet, we doubt.  We doubt the power of God to heal, to save.  We think we do not doubt, but thoughts creep in, and we look for a plan B.

After my husband's stroke, I relied heavily on the verse Proverbs 3:5, Trust in the Lord with all of your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  And I did, I trusted, and I fought, and I failed to fully allow God to take on some of the healing that needed to take place.  In fact, before my husband's stroke was one of my biggest tantrums.  We moved into a house that I did not like, did not want to be in it, too much to deal with, too much to clean and take care of.  I was not too fond of the neighborhood and was overall throwing mental tantrums.  My faith was weak.  I did not trust the plan that God had for our family.  Instead of going along with God's plan, I was trying to live out my plan.  I was making contingency plans and creating what-if scenarios.  But God knew what was best for us.  This house was perfect for my husband's recovery as it had a first-floor bedroom and hardwood floors throughout the main level.  There was only one stair that could be tackled with a wheelchair ramp to start and then handrails for the future.  The garage and the main story did not require stairs, and overall the house was ideal. 

I see the faith of the Roman officer, who would have been a non-believer, and I realize that while I call myself a follower of Christ, my faith is not as strong.  The officer knew his servant would be healed just by trusting Christ's power to do so.  This servant was a member of his household, like a family member.  Then we see those who are a part of the Jewish community, the community chosen by God, who asked Jesus to help his son "if" He could.  The stark contrast between the Jewish man who asked Christ to help "if" He could versus the Roman officer who "knew" Jesus could. 

As a believer, I realize that my faith is not as strong as the Roman officer's, and I find myself depending on me or my friend's advice rather than giving it over to God in prayer.  My struggle may be your struggle.  I know that I am resolving to hand over what troubles me to God, that I will have faith in His power to act on my behalf in favor of what is best for me.  I know that He is working all the time, whether I see it or not, whether I understand it or not.  There is no longer a plan B for me, only a plan God.  Will you join me?

Romans 8:15 – Deep Dive

I enjoy reading different versions of the Bible to obtain a clearer understanding of God’s word.  Romans 8:15 is a verse that I dove into for understanding in multiple versions

New International Version (NIV)
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

New Living Translation (NLT)
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

New King James Version (NKJV)
For you did not receive the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

Before we are Children of God, we are enslaved to sin.  Everyone’s sin is different, no sin greater than the last.  But in Romans 8:15, we understand that our sin before becoming Children of God (see the post I am a Child of God, 1/13/21) kept us from a relationship with God.  Let’s break down the verse, piece by piece.

The Spirit:

·         The Holy Spirit, Advocate

·         Gift of God, sent when Jesus departed (John 16:7, 20:7)

·         Guide for us (Romans 8:28)

You received:

·         As a gift from God (John 14:16; Romans 5:5)

·         Given to God’s people (Luke 11:13; Romans 5:5)

Slaves:

·         Without our relationship with God, we are enslaved to sin

·         We are in bondage, tied to our sin, separated from God

Fear:

·         The bondage and enslavement create fear

o   Fear of God, fear of judgment, fear of our enslavement to sin

o   Both words evoke imagery of tied, restrainment, fear

·         By receiving the Spirit, we are released from this fear

Received the Spirit:

·         Were given as a gift; see above

Adoption:

·         By becoming Children of God, we are adopted

·         We are God’s children

·         We are loved by God, cared for

Abba! Father!

By turning to God, accepting Him as Lord and Father, and knowing His son died for our sins, God removes fear of enslavement and bondage to sin that separated us.  We are His beloved children.

Everyday is a Choice

A person’s own folly leads to their ruin,

yet their heart rages against the Lord.

Proverbs 19:3

My pastor reminds us often that each day is a choice. Before you, there are two paths. There is always a decision to be made.

At different points in our lives, when things are messy, we may ask ourselves why.

• Why am I at this dead-end job?

• Why am I in this financial trouble?

• Why am I fighting with my husband over this?

• Why does he/she/they not understand me?

When we go through these roadblocks or speedbumps, they are ofter due to a decision we made in the past, a decision not in prayer or in council with God, one we made on our own.

We chose the path that was easy, that seemed like the right thing to do, but in hindsight, we see our error. At the same time we regret, maybe are frustrated, or are playing the blame game. We do not understand the outcome, what or why others are reacting or some other misconception of what is happening.

Solomon’s words of wisdom come into focus.

A person’s own folly leads to their ruin,

yet their heart rages against the Lord.

Proverbs 19:3

God did not get us into this, but He is the only way out.

• Stop

• Understand where you are

• Acknowledge the part you played

• Pray to God for guidance on the next steps to take, or in understanding where you are and the part you played.

By doing this, we have the ability to stop the loop in our lives, to stop being foolish in our decisions when we follow our desires rather than God’s desire in our lives. We find the opportunity to do God’s will versus our will.

Praise

John 12:43

for they loved human praise more than praise from God.

Let that sit for a while.

for they loved human praise

• They loved Facebook comments

• They loved Tok-tok shares

• They loved Instagram likes

• They loved Twitter notoriety

• They loved their boss’ praise

• They loved their communities’ accolades

• They loved their friend’s admiration

• They loved their parents’ approval

More than praise from God.

And yes, we typically do love human praise.  It is immediate and boosts our ego.  Human praise is public, thus leading to more praise, the addiction to receiving human praise outweighing the desire for God’s praise.

How do we cure an addiction?  Remove the source from our lives.

I am not saying to remove your community, quit your job, become estranged from social media.  I am saying to remove the connection of human approval from your self-worth, which should be rooted in God. 

Start analyzing how you feel when you are compelled to check social media for response to your posts or comments, when you are compelled to stay longer at work for the sake of approval, soundcheck yourself.

• Do I like this praise more than God’s?

• Do the comments make me feel differently about myself?

• Am I seeking approval because I am feeling inadequate?

• Am I letting my convictions go to appease the mainstream?

When we are all in front of our maker, will human praise mean anything at all?

Build Your House on the Rock

Matthew 7:24-27

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

I was reading a book called The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.  The book goes into the psychology of habit and why the foundations of habit are powerful in creating success.  One of my favorite stories is that of Tony Dungy, the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  I do not want to lose you at sports, if you are not a fan, this is not a sports story.  Tony Dungy did something amazing with a team that was previously thought of as a losing team. Dungy was a different kind of coach.  He was not a coach that called plays during the game with strategies that were complex. No, Dungy worked on the habits of players and the reactions based on habit.  Repeatedly like the Karate Kid, these players worked to develop habits that seemed senseless at the time, slowly building a foundation for success.  While they started off the season losing, in a game against the San Diego Chargers, things started to change as the habits, the foundation, started to kick in.  The Buccaneers won that game against the Chargers, and they turned their gameplay around.  These good foundational habits won games, big games.  Tony Dungy ended up being the only coach to reach Superbowl playoffs for 10 consecutive years.

We all have habits, some good and some bad. Our habits drive our lives.  We wake up every morning at roughly the same time, we eat the same breakfast, we drive the same route to work.  Even if our morning habit is not so much routine, we have other habits that are routine.

Habits are fundamentals, a central or primary principle on which something is based.  Our habits, our fundamentals, can define us and our behaviors.  What we build upon is what we become.

Therefore, in the sermon on the mount, Jesus mentions the building of a house.  Jesus’ sermon lasted for several days.  Several days of wisdom were imparted to the people.  But, while Jesus was able to speak to the large crowd, educate the large crowd, challenge the large crowd, he could not control what they did with this information.  He could not act as a life coach and follow up to ask what the people did when they went home, he could not hold them individually accountable…. or could he?

Enter Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus calls to our attention our limited knowledge on building houses.  He speaks of a man who builds his house on a firm foundation of rock versus the man who builds his house on the shifting sand.  We understand that Jesus is likening the foundation of the house, the habitual building, on a firm foundation to building our spiritual house on God’s word, God’s desire for our lives in obedience to him.  The habits, the foundation, required to not be shaken when the storm comes is the house on the rock.  However, in contrast, if our foundation is weak, our habits not built on God’s desire, our resolve to do right will crack, will crumble.  Good habits, good foundation, rooted in God’s desire in our lives win the game. And our reward is not a Superbowl ring-like Dungy’s team, but instead everlasting life with God in Heaven.  That is quite a win.

The story of Tony Dungy in The Power of Habit is quite an amazing story and I love the book.  I do encourage the read.  You can also see a summarized version here: https://productiveclub.com/the-habit-loop/

I Corinthians 15:10

“I cannot believe I did that.”

“Why did I say that?  What kind of person am I?”

I Corinthians 15:10 tells us

But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me. (abbreviated) NLT

or

But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and by his grace to me was not without effect (abbreviated) NIV

or

And his grace toward me was not in vain (abbreviated) ESV

If you are like me, you are still punishing yourself for your past; what you did, what you said, who you were.  Who we are today in God is what is important, our past is forgiven and forgotten.  Once we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the son of God, we ask forgiveness for our sins acknowledging that God sent his son to die on the cross to wipe our sin away, and follow God, all our sins, what we have done, who we were, is all forgotten.

In Romans 4:5-8, Paul speaks of forgiveness when he quotes David’s Psalms 32:1-2.  Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! (NLT)

We are forgiven and our sins are forgotten for those whose faith is in God. In II Corinthians 5:21, we are told that: God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (NIV).

Our younger selves have done things we abhor, we are ashamed of.  But for those who believe in Christ and ask for forgiveness, that sin is gone.  God gives us grace, even when we do not deserve it, because of his love for us.

Father God, thank you for your love for me, for sending your son to take my sin. Father, forgive me of the times when I have not lived according to your word.  I know I fall short. Thank you for your grace.

Amen.

Romans 8:28

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose for them. NLT

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. NIV

Understanding the promise of Romans 8:28 calls for our understanding of God’s call on our lives.  God calls us to him in obedience, living for God, for His mission, for His glory.  In our love for God and in our obedience to Him, God will work in our lives.  God will make incredible things happen in our lives for His glory.

Where we sometimes misconstrue the message is when our will, our desires, are not coming to pass.  God knows what is best for us and best for his kingdom.  Therefore, when we both love God and live according to his will do amazing things happen; things like healing and provision, peace and knowing that our eternity is secure in Him.

For many years, I fought for my own will, my own desires.  I worked hard for the approval of others, worried about what others thought of me, was a slave to looking just right or saying just the right thing so as not to offend others, I would sacrifice my purpose as a mother to volunteer for everything and attempt to keep my house just right should someone come over.  I was not living in obedience to God.  It got me stressed out, overwhelmed, angry and miserable, when all God wanted for my life was rest in his arms, peace in my mind, and happiness in my heart.

Hello, my name is Christine, and I am a Martha

After reading the passage of Luke 10:38-42, I know that I had a reaction. It was likely not the correct reaction. I know that I have felt exactly like Martha in the past. I read this a few years back and said to myself, “Yes, why isn’t Mary helping”? Ha-ha, oh boy.

I found it very difficult in fact to come to terms that it was ok for Mary to not help. Laziness, or perceived laziness, is a great insult to me. I pride myself on working until everything is done, last one out the door, work-a-holic you say—no, I am just helpful. I took pride in my diligence to be the last one standing to get it all done. And there it is, working for my glory and not God’s. Working for the sake of working my agenda, not God’s. Let the praise be on me, attention be on me and my martyrdom, instead of on building the relationships required with those I love and with God. I had plenty of time to work, plenty of time to do what I thought was important, and judged others who did not put in those extra hours.

Only this year did it finally click. I am a human being, not a human doing. I have missed opportunities with my family, with friends, with myself, and most importantly with God.

We all see it in others, where they prioritize the wrong thing. We are quick to notice. Yet, with our own behaviors, it may take years, decades to pinpoint our errors in prioritization. This is me.

So yes, I am a Martha. And I must actively work daily to be a Mary. It is a constant struggle to not fall back into my Martha tendencies. But I am a work in progress, every day trying to be more like Mary and less like Martha. Every day, I work to be in God’s word, with God, more open, less rigid, more being, less doing, more understanding, less prideful. Only through God, with his help, can I make these changes.

Luke 10:38-42

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Worthy of Love

Pray for those who do not feel worthy of love. Many of our decisions can be traced back to not understanding our worth in God and how He believes we are worthy of love, so much so that He loved us before we were born, before we knew Him.

We may think we are unworthy based on decisions we have made, our past, our tarnished future. But, God loves us despite our decisions, despite who we think we are, despite who others think we are.  In God, we are worthy of love, His love.

God’s love is so strong that He will chase us, He will run after our heart, He will send people into our lives to tell us God’s love for us.  God will send us signs of his love, whether we see them or not. God’s love is so strong that He made the ultimate sacrifice—His son.

Luke 15:3-7

3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Setting Boundaries

I do not know about you, but setting boundaries has always been difficult. My life bleeds from one area to another, the borders not defined. I write in the margins, fill up the page. I look ahead, read the last page; my parameters of the yes and no are blurred.  

But, God sets boundaries for everything from the beginning.

In the beginning:

• Heavens and earth, with space to separate

• Light and dark, with light to separate using the sun and moon

• Seas and dry land, with the seas only going so far

• Fish in the sea, birds, and animals on land, separate from the humans

Eat everything but from this tree. Eat everything, all the things, except the fruit from the tree of knowledge. Everything was very defined; never the two shall cross boundaries.

Yet, here comes in the serpent to blur the lines, temptation of greatness. Eve could not resist. There was a line, a boundary not to cross, yet the temptation was too much, and the blurred line created division and turmoil.

I see this in my own life. My lack of boundaries is skewed: one more hour at work, one more email, one more response, one more call. I check email at the dinner table to get a jump on tomorrow. The temptation of just a little bit more creates turmoil in my life at home, bringing, no inviting, work stress into my sanctuary of home.

God did so well to set the example of boundaries: Heaven and earth, day and night. We only need to follow His example.

Trust and Obey

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

This week in my Bible study with my girlfriends we are reading through Job.  I always find Job a bit difficult to read.  My girlfriend pointed out that it is like a Facebook tirade between friends (or Facebook “friends”)—yes, that is exactly what it feels like.  Everyone is trying to prove their own point of view, no one conceding or listening to each other.  I feel like I am watching a daytime talk show where all the hosts are trying to one up each other with their opinions and I just want to turn the channel.  But I don’t.  This is God’s word so there is a message in here for me.  

What is that message?

I will admit that after reading Job three times, it finally dawned on me. I am not the sharpest tool in the drawer.  This time after reading it, my eyes were more open to what God wanted to show me.

Trust and Obey.

In Job 28, Job is speaking of God’s wisdom.  Job is saying that God’s wisdom is too big for us.  We will not understand it, cannot understand it.  Search the earth, the sea, the deep and it will not be found.  God’s wisdom cannot be bought with jewels.

God created all.  He knows the limits of the wind and rain.

In Chapter 28, Verse 27, Job states:

• God saw it

• Declared it

• Established it

• Searched it

God knows all and his wisdom is inaccessible to man.

We just need to trust and obey, revere God and his wisdom.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Song Trust and Obey, Hymn written by Daniel B Towner and John Sammis, 1887

My Body

My body was created by God for different purposes at different times in my life. As a small infant my body was teeny, it was just big enough to be held in my mothers arms, to be cuddled to be held, just right to snuggle up to her breast for nourishment as I grew. 

As I got older my body grew as well, grew stronger, grew taller. As a toddler I was just the right size to be picked up and held but also to walk on my own. My legs grew stronger, my arms as well. I was chubby in all the right places, which I think made me endearing to others. Who couldn’t love a chubby toddler?

Aa an adolescence, I grew taller and thinner. My body was strong enough for me to run and play, experiment and learn, just strong enough to help around the house, but not strong enough to do much more. Adolescence is where my body hatred started. A desire to fit in came and I started to look at myself as compared to others. The chubby child turned into a less chubby adolescence quite perfect and how God has designed me to be. Yet, the judgment began.

As a young woman, my body turned curvy, I suppose to make myself desirable for a mate. My young breasts round and high, my hips with a curve, with a very round bottom. I am a young adult designed to show readiness for a mate.

I grew older, married, my body again began to change as happier times meant connecting with food. My body again changed into a round state with more to love. After becoming pregnant, my body changed once again. Not only did my belly change into a cocoon for my baby, but also I found growth in other areas, rounder hips, fuller thighs, larger breasts. My body was preparing itself for something else, something greater than myself. My body continued to grow as my stomach grew rounder more globe like. My face changed, my arms changed, everything changed in preparation for my baby.

The birth of my baby changed my body even further, I now could see the lines illustrating the growth, the preparation, the joy of having a baby. My stomach which was once stretched and shiny, now resembled the deflated balloon. The perfect place to house my newborn baby. My breasts became even more engorged as they prepared the food source for my baby. I didn’t resemble my old self but I resembled something new, a mother.

As time went on and more babies came, my body would go through the same motions of growing smaller getting to the point of desirability for my husband and then pregnant with my next child to repeat the process: larger belly, larger thighs, larger butt and engorged breasts. Delivery offering the same results as the first time: a nice place to set my baby on my what was once my globe like belly, now a soft squishy place for a baby to lie. Once again, the growing breasts to feed my baby.

As my children grew and my motherhood role changed, I was now with toddlers and young adults.  My body now served different purposes. My still squishy body made great places to cuddle and lay. My body was soft like pillows, not hard like a warrior. I recall the shame of my body shape. It felt like my body shame consumed my life. No longer wanting to wear bathing suits. No longer wanting to go in the pool. Watching from the sidelines. Instead of being proud of the body who created these three individuals, I was ashamed of the lumpy, the bumpy, the stretch marked body.

As my children aged, my shame increased. Wearing anything less than long pants and baggy tops was all you would see. I completely missed the point that my body was an instrument, an instrument of God, which would change with each new phase of my life. Now that times are different, and my children are grown, I see that my body is once again being prepared for a new place in my life. A place where they no longer need me. Now is the time to prepare for being strong for the next phase.

As I look into the future I can see that my body will change again: my hair color will change, my skin will change as it becomes thinner with age. I will see spots appear from sun damage and with that I smile. A smile knowing that I am prepared for the next phase of my life, being a grandma.

As the years continue, my body will continue to decay. This is not my final resting place. My final body will become a heavenly body, a body at home with my father in heaven.

Learning how to pray

This year I am dedicating myself to learning how to pray. I know, I know. You were asking the same thing that I am asking myself. You don’t know how to pray??!? And One short answer, no. For those of you who do not know, I write my Bible study one year in advance. I am looking at what I wrote in 2020 which is published in 2021 and can see that I really do not know how to pray. Yes, I know how to do short prayers on a subject, but I really do not know how to pray.

This year as part of my spiritual growth I am going to focus on learning how to pray. I was raised in a church-going family until the age of seven. At that time, my mom passed away and we were on again off again churchgoers. I really did not have anybody that I could model prayer after. What I learned was picked up here and there. But prayer was always something that somebody else did and I just prayed along. Praying in front of others, oh goodness no. My prayers are not as personal and are lacking connection with God.

As I continue my journey, learning how to pray is something that I want to include. I am reading books on it, studying my Bible on it, and overall making it a goal to connect more with God through prayer. You may laugh, but I want to pray big, and grow deeper in my relationship with God. As I continue this journey, I hope to share what I learn and create a more meaningful time with God.

Will you join me?

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1

Thin line between brave and stupid.

In September, our pastor said there is a thin line between brave and stupid.  That hit home because, “wow, how correct!”.

An answer to the question for “the line between brave and stupid” on Quora.com

Bravery is moving forward despite fear, knowing the possible negative or harmful consequences to oneself. Think Medal of Honor recipients. Stupidity is moving forward, discounting or ignoring the potential negative or deadly consequences to oneself or others, for no good reason. Think Darwin Award recipients.

Keith Dale, dad of six, IT guy, ex-martial artist

(https://www.quora.com/How-do-you-distinguish-between-bravery-and-stupidity)

There are moments we have all been brave….and moments we have been stupid.

We see Paul repeatedly demonstrating bravery to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.

·       Paul gets stoned in Lystra and continues to preach (Acts 14:19-22)

·       Paul argues with others regarding the ability to be saved through circumcision (the belief of the time found in Acts 15:1-11); instead, we are saved by the grace of Jesus (versus 11).

Paul had the courage and was brave; he risked his life to save the lives of others by sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. Is what we are doing for God’s glory or for ours? Is what we are doing God’s desire for our lives, or ours? Maybe that is the line.

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

Tempted to Leave

By Elaine Creasman 

A number of years ago I withdrew from God’s people.

Being involved in church seeded impossible because of family problems. My children had abandoned their faith. My husband's passion for God had cooled, and our marriage was taking such a hit that I wondered if it could survive much longer. My prayers seemed futile.

When I went to church, each time someone asked me about my family, or celebrated their children's godly lives, or talked about their wonderful marriages, pain and self-pity threatened to smother me.

No one else is suffering like me, I decided. I'll just stay home 

Yet the Lord continued to urge me to stay involved.  Reluctantly, I returned to church, and slowly I discovered God desired to use his people—even at their most imperfect—to help me navigate rough waters. 

As I tentatively stepped back into my church community and mustered courage to open up, I noticed my honesty freed others to remove their my-life-is-perfect masks and share their heartaches as well. A sense of connection with others began to grow.

My honesty led others to minister to me—and I learned how to receive their counsel, hugs, prayers, wisdom from the Word, and at times their tears.  As I humbled myself enough to listen, godly women helped me view my pain and hard times from God's perspective—a testing of my faith and a means to grow. Others helped me win the battle against fears, doubts, and unbelief.

Do people still unintentionally say things that hurt? Yet, but God has used those hurtful words too.  They’ve made me more aware of times when I’ve said things without thinking; they’ve helped me become more compassionate toward and sensitive to noticing those who hurt.

When I'm feeling the worst emotionally and a voice in my head shouts, Stay home! that's when I need Christian fellowship. The voice telling me to stay home isn't God's, but the enemy's. He wants to keep Christians isolated and hates when we bless and strengthen one another. God rejoices when we do.

printed in Everyday Matters Bible for Women, NLT, 2012, Jude 1:17-25

For more information on the author, http://www.elainecreasman.com/index.html

also, additional version found https://www.todayschristianwoman.com/articles/2011/june/temptedleave.html

Religious Shame

Shame: painful feeling arising from the circumstances of something dishonorable or improper.

A large number of believers left religion due to religious shame.  I know that I had turned from a relationship with God for a significant number of years due to religious shame.

I learned to judge myself harshly due to my understanding of what I thought was expected of me as correct and proper.  I pushed my perception of the thoughts of others onto myself.  I would quickly provide grace to others while persecuting myself mentally.

If I would have understood earlier that Jesus loved me despite myself and my sins, I would have likely found peace much earlier and released years of religious shame.

How about you?

But if we confess our sins to God, He can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away. I John 1:9