Chasing Bigfoot

A few days ago, my wife and I were talking with our boys, ages 8 and 9, about what kinds of books they like to read.  Among the mentions of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Harry Potter, my son Ethan made a statement that always gets me.  He said, "I like reading non-fiction books about things like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster."  It wasn't the first time I had heard him say it, and this time I kept my mouth shut and just smiled and nodded.  I know he's only 9, and I know what he means by "non-fiction" - indeed, there are loads of books written as factual books by "experts" in things that don't exist.

Reality exists, even if you stop believing in it.  To me, reality matters.  As humans and as Christians, what is true - reality - should matter more than anything.  In other words, all truth is God's truth.  If we believe something, even though it's not true, it's not from God.  I don't know that too many Christians would disagree with that statement.

So why is there so much division in the global church?  It has taken me a long time to realize it, but there is a huge difference between God's reality and our perception of reality.  For some people, Bigfoot is as real the air we breathe.  Undeterred by the fact that there is no evidence to support such a stance, some people will spend their lives dedicated to the study of Bigfoot.  And, believe it or not, there are disagreements within the church over what is true and what isn't.

I am not egocentric enough to think that everything I believe is reality.  Indeed, my understanding of truth has grown and changed.  What I am pretty confident about is this:  In light of new and compelling evidence, our perception of truth and reality must change.  Think about it.  We go to church every week to hear someone speak truth into our lives.  Most of the time it affirms what we believe, or challenges us to live what we say we believe.  But every once in a while, a new truth, based on evidence, will be presented, and we have a choice.  Do I accept this truth, and alter what I believed to be true an hour ago, or do I reject it because I'm kind of attached to my old "truth"?

Like I said, in light of new and compelling evidence, our perception of truth and reality must change.  But what if it starts a domino effect and the entire scaffold of reality that I have built is threatened?  This is the fear that keeps many people from accepting new truth, and fighting hard to hold onto their old ways of thinking.  For me, holding onto the fact that all truth is God's truth means that if my "truths" are being shaken by undeniable fact, then perhaps my understanding needs to be altered.  I am not living in a right relationship with reality.  It doesn't mean I abandon everything I believe, but sometimes, a healthy dose of critical reflection can go a long way.

So I guess I'm OK with my 9 year old's fascination with Bigfoot and the Lock Ness Monster.  I've tried to show him that there is no evidence to prove that they exist, but he's not having it.  The reality of being a 9 year old is that his reality is still being formed.  I have no doubt that as he grows up, fantasy will give way to reality, as we teach him to look critically at the borage of information and “facts” being thrown at him.  Through conversations like these, I pray he will learn that the pursuit of God’s truth, even if it leads to places unexpected, is what life is about.  Maybe the pie charts and bar graphs outlining my position will be more compelling when he's 10.  Then again, even for some adults, those blurry Bigfoot pictures are a tough act to follow. 

Jeff Hyson

The Gospel in the Busy Moments of Mothering

Sarah Howard

I've been loving these sermon series on the Everyday Gospel. As a stay-at-home mom, I've been wanting to know more of how to embrace the Gospel in the middle of diaper changes and floor mopping, piles of dirty laundry and sibling disputes. I came across this blog post that helped me have some glimpses of what it can look like to cherish and live out the Gospel in the busy moments of mothering. I hope you enjoy it, too!

God: The Miner and Refiner

(By Diego Cuartas)

This week I am leaning on a source shared by Paul Tripp. In this article, Paul describes how God not only rescues us but He desires to work in us so that our "strength and beauty" may develop a grow to the potential He intents for our lives. As you read this article, I suspect that you will be encouraged, especially if you are facing any kind of hardship or difficult times a the present time. I can say that I read Paul Tripp's perspective and encouraged me today! May it be so for you as well.

To read the article click on the link below.

 Mining and Refining 

God bless you.

Not Even a Sparrow

The other day I was trying to not worry about money, budgeting, car repairs and all of those kinds of fun, "grown up" responsibilities, which really led to more worry and worrying about worry. Then I was reminded of a verse about fear and worry... Except all I could remember was something about "not even a sparrow."

I was reminded as some random bird sang very loudly outside my window. It was the kind of chirping bird you hear early in the morning and not the kind you want to hear when you're trying to concentrate on worrying. 

"Stop it, God." I thought.

The bird sang louder.

"I see what's going on here. It's not going to work." I thought louder, to drown out the bird. 

The bird broke into a complicated Beethovenesque melody. 

Unbelievable. 

I finally gave in and looked up the verse I was so faultily remembering. It actually says this, 

“What’s the price of a pet canary? Some loose change, right? And God cares what happens to it even more than you do. He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries. (Matthew 10:29-31 MSG)

I'm not saying conquering worry is as easy as reading a verse but it was a powerful visual for me. God knows exactly what's going on even down to the fate of a canary. 

I like the way the English Standard Version pinpoints specifically who's in charge. It says, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. "

It's easy to get tunnel vision and believe that our lives are so full of complicated cracks and crevices that no one else can understand or navigate. It's a necessary reminder that if not even a bird can miss a step without God deciding, whatever I'm dealing with can't be out of His reach. 

Jessica Noblett

And Jesus asked him, “Do you want to be made well?” John 5:6 (NKJV)

(By Lois Robinson)

 Years ago, I had a friend make a wall hanging for my office that had the above words on it. They are powerful words that Jesus spoke to one man, only one, at a Pool called Bethesda in the story found in John 5:6. They are words that I never understood very well before I became a counselor.

It always confused me why Jesus only interacted with one man at this pool, a pool that the Bible says many people laid around who were lame, paralyzed, blind or suffering from some sort of brokenness. They were all waiting for the key to their healing that took place at this pool. You see, the Bible says that during a certain season an angel would come down and stir the waters. The first person that entered the pool would be made well of their diseases. On this particular day, Jesus goes over to this certain man and asks him the above question, “Do you want to be made well?”. The man goes into an explanation of why he can’t get into the water, but Jesus doesn’t get caught up in the “why he can’t” reasons. He goes to the heart of the matter. Jesus asks the guy if he wants to be made well, tells him get up and the man does! He just does what he is told to do! Let me say that again: The man does what Jesus tells him to do! He was healed. Later, as the story unfolds, we find something interesting in verse 14. The man encounters Jesus in the temple. The identity of Jesus is made known to the man, and this is what happens:

"A little later Jesus found him in the Temple and said, “You look wonderful! You’re well! Don’t return to a sinning life or something worse might happen.” (The Message)

Whoa! That’s pretty heavy! Interesting, huh? Here are some of my thoughts and questions this passage has evoked over the years, as well as other questions I get from quite a few people. Maybe they echo some of yours:  

1. Why did Jesus only talk to the one man?

2. The story also says later on that the man didn’t even know it was Jesus!

3. Practically speaking, this man had been an invalid for 38 years. 38 years would cause his legs to be atrophied, bones fragile, etc, and he didn’t question this guy who says, “Get up!”?

4. Does verse 14 mean that our sin issues can contribute to our diseases?

5. Does God make us sick as punishment for our sins?

6. The invalid must have believed the man who told him to get up off his mat.

I always say I get 3 kinds of people in the counseling room: 

1. The Yes People- When asked the same question Jesus asked the man, they answer a wholehearted YES! I want healing and believe Jesus can do it.

2. The I Don’t Know People- They are usually silent for a minute or so, having to weigh their answer according to what the cost will be, what the responsibility will be, how hard it is going to be and the exhaustive list goes on and on.

3. The I Don’t Deserve It People- They step into the role of God and judge themselves, using their veto power to reject the work that Jesus already did on the cross for them. The Bible says we are healed by His stripes. Amen. This group of people doesn’t understand that verse yet.

In working with folks, including myself, I think I have part of the answer for my number one question: Why did Jesus go to the one man? I think it’s because he desperately wanted to be healed, had no excuses and was willing to GET UP! He believed he could be healed, and he wanted to be healed. Plus, he was willing to do the hard work of walking out that healing without excuse. What is Jesus telling you to do regarding your brokenness??

As far as the other questions go, a big resounding Yes to the question #4. Our sin issues can perpetuate our diseases. We can be lazy about doing exercise, eating right and establishing good sleep patterns in order to help in our healing process. On the other hand, a big resounding NO to question #5. God does not punish us with sickness. All of the punishment we deserved for our sins was put onto Jesus Christ when He died on the cross and came back from the dead on the third day, so we too can have eternal life with Him when we say YES to Jesus! That is the good news, folks!

The big point I want to end with is this. It is absolutely, absolutely imperative that you believe Jesus can and desires to heal you. Jesus heals in many ways, three of which I have listed:

1. Instantaneously

2. In a process

3. When we see Him face to face.

I pray for the grace to accept His answer to my healing. I am always wanting an instantaneous healing and will do my part in the process of healing, but will still praise Him if it won’t be until Glory. In Scripture, I find Jesus asking people all the time, “Do you believe?” They respond ‘Yes, I believe,” and then He says, “Your faith has made you well.” Folks, there is something very important about believing Jesus can do it! He can BREAK EVERY CHAIN! Check out this video: Tasha Cobbs ; Break Every Chain. Worship with it; watch the expressions of worship in the video. Ask yourself, “Do I believe that Jesus can really break every chain off my life?”. I would encourage you to check out John 5 for yourselves. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what He wants you to understand in the passage.

Be blessed friends.

Where Are Your Boundaries?

(By Diego Cuartas)

From time to time certain words draw my attention because they are not necessarily words we find explicitly in the biblical. For instance, I have never come across the word balance, as in live a well-balanced life. Or try the word boundaries, as in live with boundaries or within boundaries for your own good and the good of others. I do realize that these concepts are welcomed in some way by our American culture. I am not down on these concepts. What I want to do is from time to time come back with safeguards found in the Word of God to help us keep our understanding and practice of these concepts under check. Why keep them under check? Because something good such as boundaries could become self-serving or feed our self-focused tendencies in life. 

For today, I want to focus on a few thoughts shared by the apostle Paul to help us x-ray our understanding and implementation of personal boundaries. Romans 15:1-7 says:

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.  For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”  For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.  May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Test #1: Do you use boundaries in your life to avoid “bearing with the failings of the weak”? In verses 1 and 5 Paul points us to build others up, seek their good and live in harmony with each other. Boundaries should help us reenergize so that we can re-engage community, not live in isolation.

Test #2: Do you use boundaries to “please yourself”? In verses 2 and 3 we see that Jesus set an example in terms of living a life that was not about pleasing himself. He even allowed reproaches that were aimed to his father to fall on himself. Boundaries should help us seek our well-being and the well-being of others.

Test #3: Do you lean on boundaries as your “hope” or safety in life? In verses 4 and 5 Paul affirms that God is the source of endurance and encouragement. In this context, encouragement comes to us via the revealed Word of God. Boundaries should help us realign our hope in God.

Test #4: Do your boundaries serve just you or your community at large?  Verse 5 calls us to engage community “in accord with Christ Jesus”. Verses 6 and 7 offer a picture of what happens when we live in “harmony” with others: God will be glorified by the community and we will grow in welcoming each other. Boundaries should help us offer others in our community a quality of life set by Jesus.

Stay tuned. In my next blog I hope to give an example of how I have misused boundaries in my life. I will also illustrate beautiful things that have happened when I have used boundaries well.

But God...

Memory can be a very tricky thing. But there are some moments so permanently stitched into your mind that you can still see the furniture, see the people, hear the words and feel exactly as you felt when you heard them, or said them yourself.

The most painful one of mine is this: I was putting my oldest child to bed, hearing her say a little rote bless-mommy-and-daddy prayer. She was seven or eight. And she asked me, “Mommy, really, who WAS Jesus?” And I actually said to her, “Sweetheart, that is something you will have to decide when you are older.” She said, “But no, Mommy, I want you to tell me!” And I said, again, ”No, you will decide that for yourself later. Now go to sleep, precious, and sweet dreams.”

I was so proud of myself! I did not believe in child evangelism; I thought it was taking advantage of young minds. I was so woefully and ignorantly opinionated, so sure I was doing the absolute best thing. I was so wrong.

But then, over the years, one by one, all of the rest of our little family came to the Lord. Except this one. It seemed as though she had slipped through the cracks and was lost, and you can surely imagine the tears I shed as I replayed that night in my mind, over and over and over. 

So now, we listen to advice about Faith Talks, and hear how other young parents do it so well and live the Gospel in their homes. But are any of you a little older now, with no children in your home anymore, and do you have children who are not walking with our Lord, and does this whole next-generation thing just fill you with sorrow because you believe you missed your chance?

I have an answer for you. PRAY.  God really understands. He loves you so much, and He loves that child, and He hears that prayer. 

“He surely heard me, and let me tell you how He answered.”

Many, many years later, that same child was living a thousand miles away. She had experienced a painful divorce, and now had badly injured her right hand at work, and had had one finger removed. Her lower arm was in a cast while it was healing, and she couldn’t do much for herself, so she came home for a few weeks. This was after all the rest of us were finally true Christians, and one Sunday night I really, really wanted her to come to church because I knew what the subject matter was going to be, and I was sure – (of course I knew best!) – that God wanted her to hear it! But she was at her brother’s house for dinner, and those wretched children never showed up at church at all! I was SO mad at all of them!

BUT   GOD …….  oh, those two sweet, sweet words! …….  but God had other plans. While I was at church, steaming about my miserable children, my son and his wife were still at his house, leading my beloved daughter to the Lord! We lived at the shore, and she wanted to be baptized immediately, so she was --- in the ocean, with her bandaged right arm sticking up out of the waves!

Don’t give up. God knows that where you were then was not where you are now. He loves you, more than you can possibly understand. Pray, pray, pray. And pray too for the younger parents who are hearing these messages now, that they would believe that they can do this with their children, and that it will make all the difference in their lives, and their children’s lives, and the lives of those to come.

Norma Stockton

Children At Risk: The Gospel & The Next Generation

It doesn't take an expert to realize that the next generation is at risk. Over the next weeks, join with us on Sunday mornings as we study Paul's letter to the Ephesians. We'll look at God's plan for those at risk: households effectively taking the hope of the Gospel to the next generation. Take time to peruse this site to get a sense of the urgency in bringing the Gospel. 

What Are You Reading This Summer?

(By Diego Cuartas)

Not too long ago I had a chance to hear pastor and author Kevin DeYoung speak at a conference where he introduced his recent book "Taking God at His Word". This book is inspirational and has the potential to help followers of Jesus Christ rekindle their passion for God's Word. One reason I would give you to read this book, or any book that aims to this goal, is that God's story and your life story do intercept constantly. The question is "do you see how they intercept?" Paying attention to your daily situations in light of God's Word will help you develop an eye for how your small life story can fit within a larger story God has in mind.

For a summary of the book I encourage you to visit this link and consider this book as one of the next ones you will acquire, and, read!

Blessing to you.

Diego Cuartas

What About Our Extended Extended Family?

As far back as I can remember, I’ve been told that we are all “brothers and sisters” in Christ.  That worked for me early on, when all of the Christians that I encountered were basically similar to me.  It stood to reason that people in my church were “family.”  People that went to other churches that looked like mine were also “family,” but more like cousins.  People who went to churches that didn’t look like mine were suspect.  They might be “family,” but it was hard to say.  I didn’t know exactly what they believed, and they may have spoken in tongues, or had priests instead of pastors, or had female pastors, or had some strange sounding church name.  So they probably were’t my “family,” but they had their own “family” in Christ, I surmised. 

As I grew, my experience with different bodies of believers, my college experience, and my own journey began to expand my idea of “brothers and sisters,” and my “family” became much more inclusive.  Just like Caesar Kalinowski talked about a few weeks ago, our family is HUGE.  We don’t all have to believe or live exactly the same way.  God has lots of children, and many of them are in different places in their own Gospel stories than I am.  This is a beautiful truth that I can embrace.  

Until a few months ago, I thought I lived this truth well.  I was excited about the new Pope, even though I’m not Catholic, because it meant so much to my Catholic brothers and sisters.  I could relate to coworkers who’s God-experiences are very different than mine, without being critical or judgmental of how they do things.

On March 19th, I saw the news of the death of Fred Phelps, founder and pastor of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church.  I often interacted with members of WBC on Twitter, and my initial impulse was to fire off a not-so-nice tweet to his daughter, Shirley.  I started to compose the mean-spirited tweet, carefully selecting my 140 characters in the same divisive tone that Fred and his daughter are well known for.  I felt OK about this because they certainly spread enough hate and evil that they definitely aren’t real Christians.  They aren’t “family,” are they?  They might believe in the same God I do, and they might believe in the same core tenets of faith that I do, but… they are such… awful people.  Surely, God can’t consider them his children.  And even if He does, they have their own “family,” and it’s not mine.

There’s a saying that you can choose your friends, but you’re stuck with your family.  As I have had to learn through experiences, our “family tree” is enormous.  It extends in many directions that I’ve never considered.  It even includes people that I wouldn’t choose.  Fred Phelps, like a crazy-mean-terrible uncle, was a part of the family.  Realizing this has had an immediate effect on my interactions with members of Westboro Baptist Church.  I still, obviously, disagree with almost everything they stand for.  I disagree with how they go about spreading their “message.”  I disagree with them picketing funerals of soldiers.  There is plenty of room for criticism.  But my perspective has changed.  No longer am I on the other side of the fence throwing rocks back at them.  Now I find myself reacting in love, not hate.  After all we’re family.  

While WBC is probably the most extreme example I can think of, this idea of “extended family” touches on other areas and relationships.  It’s easy for me to think of believers who are different than me as family, but it’s much harder when they are not only different, but wrong.  God doesn’t call all of his children to believe the same thing as me, as though I am the standard-bearer.  We are all family, and there has to be room in this family for grace.  Who am I to deny the family that God has given me?

Jeff Hyson

DAD, PIZZA, AND THE BIRTHDAY PARTY

(By Thor Knutstad)

When I was maybe like 14, my mom and my sister were away for the weekend at a Christian women's conference or church event. It was just me and my dad. That Saturday evening, Dad rounded me up and we went for pizza downtime. When we walked in to the back room to be seated, to my shame and embarrassment, most of my closest friends were gathered for a birthday party - that I wasn't invited to. When we sat down in the booth, I wanted to crawl under the seat. I felt rejected and could feel the staring eyes of disapproval from my classmates. They felt bad too - maybe worse. I wanted to run and hide. I felt exposed. But my Dad made me stay. He sensed my shame and said "Honey Boy (that was his term of affection for me through my life), sometimes people won't include you and will not invite you. When you are young, it hurts. You feel ashamed that they didn't invite you to the party, but they feel worse." Then he reached across the table and gently squeezed my hand - in a firm but tender and manly way. He opened his wallet and said to me, "Here" and handed me a $20 bill. "Here's enough for you to share with all of them - go play video games with them and include them even though they haven't done that for you." A few of my friends joined me, talked with us, and we even left them extra pizza (I never understood till now why my Dad bought two pizzas but now I do). This is a simple story with a deep, complex meaning. My father used creativity and wisdom to compensate for and alleviate my pain of wanting approval and fears of rejection. He rose above a situation with encouragement and quick thinking that rescued his young son's fragile, developing heart. (I just teared my way through this reading this to my Gram and to Jordan before). I think those moments prepared me for greater rejections - and for walking wisely in tough situations - and made and make a little more like Jesus. Teach your sons well fathers - life is more than hard work and education and survival. Your life is Christ. Be that to your sons.

Beauty For Ashes--Quite the Journey

(By Lois Robinson)

I told you readers last month that I would bring more insights from my current journey. These new insights are just that: new. God is working new things in my heart that I do not think would have been possible if not for what I am going through.  He really is giving me beauty for ashes. Thank you for your feedback, comments and encouragement. It is great to know people are actually reading these blogs and are getting encouragement in some way from them. 

The focus of this blog will be about embracing the painful reality of a different kind of life than I had always imagined: fully mobile with two good, strong legs to walk and run, going shopping for groceries and carrying them to the car, mowing the grass, taking a long walk, climbing a set of stairs. These are just some of the areas of my life that have been radically changed. When I get into a heated therapy pool, I nearly cry because it is then I remember what it is to walk again, somewhat normally. But, in that loss, I have gained a lot. Here are my new gifts: God is breaking my heart and opening the eyes of my heart in order to know Him more, love Him more, love people better and, last but not least, understand His faithfulness, goodness and love for me.

1. Growing in awareness of my deep control issues:

~having to depend on others to mow the grass.  

I love mowing and want to mow when I want to mow. Now I have to wait on others :)

~having to ask store workers to load the heavy things into my electronic scooter and unload them into my car when I am shopping alone. 

I want to be self sufficient and not have to ask for help at all :)

~eating habits: there are natural remedies available that assist in the healing process.  Learning to embrace a new way of eating for health benefits can be difficult. 

I want to eat what I want, when I want!

~finances: a lot goes into the medical journey each month, so following a weekly budget is crucial. 

I want to spend my money on what I want. Fun stuff, not medical stuff!

~having to do exercises and stretches daily to keep whatever muscles and nerves working that I can. 

I do not feel like exercising every day. I’m tired. I’ve worked all day, week, etc and the list of excuses goes on and on.

~dealing with the embarrassment of using a wheelchair, crutches and scooter in public, and the stares or sympathetic grins that I get from people. Honestly what goes through my head is,  “Let the cripple through.” I’m still working on that lie.

2. Growing in my Awareness of Loving and Serving People:

~When I go into any store now, I immediately look to see if all the electronic scooters are plugged in and charged. It is impossible for those of us with mobility handicaps to shop unless the scooter has a full charge. There have been times the basket is full and the scooter dies. I am now left to slowly walk up to the front, get a cart, have help to load everything into the cart, push it up, pay and have help loading it into my car. NOT GOOD! Nightmare material. 

3. Growing in my understanding of the Godly benefits of friendship/community:

~My best friend Jess, some of you know, is so wonderful in walking with me through this. She holds me accountable to exercise, to the nutritional aspect of this journey, and introduces me to natural foods to battle inflammation, etc. She attends doctor visits with me as I have learned it is too much for one person to deal with. Jesus knew what He was talking about when He says live in community!

~Our lawn mower was broken, and I spent 3 weekends trying to fix it. A friend from church offered to fix it, and one hour later it was working wonderfully! Praise God!!

4. Growing in my wisdom and knowledge regarding God and medical treatment:

~I always questioned the area of medicine called Pain Management. I was completely ignorant of the necessity of such doctors on a long term basis. Now I have a much better understanding. Yes, the system gets abused horribly. But for those who have painful conditions on a daily basis and still desire to continue to live a life God has called them to, pain management doctors are very necessary. For the longest time, I wouldn’t even tell anyone I went to pain management. It was an area of shame. Thank God He has healed me of that set of beliefs. 

~I have learned how God points me to the doctors he wants and closes doors to the places He doesn’t want.     

~I have learned to trust Him in deeper ways because I have had an issue with striving to obtain a level of healthiness and functionality, only to result in it all falling apart physically, again and again, believing all three times it was because I didn’t work hard enough, didn’t do the exercises exactly right or long enough. The doctors and physical therapists have said there was nothing I did wrong; it is just that my body is very broken right now.     

As you can see, no, God has not chosen to heal the most noticeable brokenness in my body, the leg and back. But, what we must do is look at the way He IS HEALING ME! With all of my heart, I want to walk normally again, have no pain anymore and be functioning well again. What I must never lose sight of is all the beautiful things in my heart that are being birthed and healed in me because of the brokenness I am experiencing physically. In all honesty, experiencing such brokenness on a daily basis makes most things hard physically, emotionally and psychologically. But, what rises up in all of that is His promise to give me beauty for ashes. I am experiencing this verse that I will leave you with. Thanks for reading :) See you next month! Blessing friends!

Isaiah 61:3 (from The Message)

[Announce Freedom to All Captives ] The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God anointed me. He sent me to preach good news to the poor, heal the heartbroken, Announce freedom to all captives, pardon all prisoners. God sent me to announce the year of his grace— a celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies— and to comfort all who mourn, To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion, give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes, Messages of joy instead of news of doom, a praising heart instead of a languid spirit. Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness” planted by God to display his glory. They’ll rebuild the old ruins, raise a new city out of the wreckage. They’ll start over on the ruined cities, take the rubble left behind and make it new. You’ll hire outsiders to herd your flocks and foreigners to work your fields, But you’ll have the title “Priests of God,” honored as ministers of our God. You’ll feast on the bounty of nations, you’ll bask in their glory. Because you got a double dose of trouble and more than your share of contempt, Your inheritance in the land will be doubled and your joy go on forever.

Redeeming Stubbornness

On this particular day I’m realizing how quickly we take things at face value and forget the Spirit inside us. 

Fine. I’ll take back the “we.” Maybe you do an excellent job of listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit each and every day and you can skip down the end. 

I almost always forget to listen to the Holy Spirit. 

I am also a person of passionate, quick opinions. I will not hesitate to call what I see as good, bad, right, wrong, stupid, hilarious or insufferable. I’m like a mutant version of Adam in the Garden; name it and move on to the next. 

Everyone has a reason for why I’m so opinionated; in fact, they have quite strong opinions of their own. It’s because I’m Italian. It’s because I’m a woman. It’s because I’m from New Jersey. Or (most fearful of all) it’s because I am the dreaded Italian Jersey Woman. 

I think it comes from the deep, stubborn essence of my soul that likes to make decisions and stick with them. It’s there and it’s who I am. I have to believe God has it there for a reason other than scaring small children; a holy tenacious purpose. When stubbornness is used for good, it changes names and becomes “tenacity” which sounds much holier. 

I’ve realized that in the crossroad of my forgetfulness of the Spirit and stubbornness-not-yet-fully-redeemed-to-tenacity there is a huge problem: this isn’t how I am supposed to live. I miss so much when I scurry about and never stop to listen to the quiet force of the Holy Spirit. I miss so much when I make an opinion, call it true and move on. Jesus never called me to be a species that takes things at face value and lives my life contently bobbing on the surface. It definitely isn’t how I am called to love His people. 

On a daily basis, I walk around thinking I understand people and making judgment calls on who they are and what they do and whether it’s right or wrong- and I do this because I think I have them pegged. In reality, I know nothing. I don’t know the pain they carry every day or what they deal with at home or what keeps them up at night. 

What if I took the time to stop and listen to the Spirit’s quiet, persistent nudges? Maybe I would also stop and listen better to the people around me, what they are really telling me about who they are and how they need to be loved. 

As the lazy, lounging days of summer approach, my heart needs to spend some time hanging out and taking a look around. I’m going to pack up my quick opinions with my winter clothes and give slowing down a chance. 

Jessica Noblett

PREPARING GRADUATES TO CONNECT THEIR FAITH WITH THEIR FUTURE CAREER AND MORE

I want to recommend this article to those graduating from college, considering graduate school or any next steps in employing a career or vocation. The gospel coalition is a good place for blogs that offer good perspective and information. I hope you find this one helpful.

Diego Cuartas

To read the blog follow this link http://thegospelcoalition.org/article/preparing-graduates-to-connect-their-faith 

Walking In Rest.

(By Thor Knutstad & Diego Cuartas)

Rest. We crave it. We rush to it. We plan how to rest in a furry of activity and we invest in it feverishly. But we misdefine it. Rest is not time off. Rest is not the weekend nor a break nor a vacation. Rest is actually my calling - daily. Rest must be my mindset. My friend Nate uses the phrase "walking in His Rest" as a statement of calling and command. When I walk in God's Rest, I do not bow to anxiety and fear. I do not seek power over situations that are out of my control. I do not fret over circumstances. Instead, I trust my God and entrust myself to Him. Rest, or unrest, displays who or what rules my very heart. It's almost Monday, but will you walk in His Rest? 

In A Pilgrim Song, found in the 131 chapter of the book of Psalms, we can see the relationship between rest and hoping in God: (The Message)

God, I’am not trying to rule the roost,

I don’t want to be king of the mountain.

I haven’t meddled where I have no business

of fantasized grandiose plans.

I’ve kept my feet on the ground,

I’ve cultivated a quiet heart.

Like a baby content in its mother’s arms, 

my soul is a baby content.

Wait, Israel, for God, Wait with hope.

Hope now; hope always!

Reflection:

• When do you experience the most rest?
• What role does God play in that rest?
• What would have to change for you to find rest in God?

Stepping Stones

by Dara Born (guest blogger)

It was a Wednesday morning, September 6, 2000. I sat in a hospital room surrounded by my family listening to my mother’s breaths become further and further apart. We were huddled around her bed telling stories and laughing. Nobody voiced it out loud, but I am sure we were all full of hope. Not the hope that my mother would soon fall into the arms of Jesus and be in glory for eternity, but rather the hope that we were going to get our miracle and my mother would be healed. Cancer free. Coming home. What we were praying for was good. It was righteous. God would grant us our desires, wouldn’t he? Nobody even noticed when my mom took her final breath. We were being silly, telling jokes…a typical “Terry” gathering. Our laughter was interrupted by Russell’s voice “I don’t think she is breathing anymore”…  

Me & Mom with "cancer-do"

A year earlier we learned my mother had breast cancer. At first I was shaken, deeply saddened and confused. Those feelings were quickly replaced. I began to tell myself “lots of people get breast cancer…it’s no big deal…she will be fine.” My mother was gentle and kind and loved God deeply. She had faith she would get better, therefore I was convinced she would get better. I gave myself permission not to think about it anymore. I started to attend CMA that year because my mom asked me to. I wanted to make her happy. It was during this time that God began to open my ears to His truths, His promises and His love. One week, Pastor Nate spoke about “drawing near to God and He will draw near to you.” It was many years since I felt close to God but I began to desire it. How? How do I draw close to God? 

…a nurse came into the hospital room. She checked for my mother’s pulse, pushed a few buttons on a machine and stepped quietly out of the room. My mother was gone. She was not healed. She was not cancer-free. She was not coming home. But even so, the room was filled with a strange sense of peace. It surrounded me. It hugged me. Is this what “a peace that surpasses all understanding” means? Is this God? 

Within a week I was back at work and trying to function in my new reality. I was still going to church and I was still wondering about “drawing near to God.” Then one week, Pastor Nate said, “use your struggles as stepping-stones, not stumbling blocks.”  Wow. Everything inside me screamed to grasp this, to understand it, to change my old ways, to allow God to give me new ways to handle pain. All the struggles in the last 10 years of my life appeared in my mind and I saw myself using each one to stumble deeper and deeper into a world of darkness. Then I saw myself in a new picture. I was using stepping-stones and climbing up. I whispered to Russell, “I want to do that. I want to use the stepping stones.”

                    Mom & I

So began a 13-year journey of me drawing near to God and God drawing near to me.  

In Pastor Greg’s sermon on Mother’s Day he said to allow God to take the old to birth the new. God took my old ways of negative self-talk, my old patterns of escaping pain and He showed me a new way. A better way. His way. 

By the way, my mother is healed. She is cancer-free. She is home. 

DONE

One of my classes informed me yesterday that they were officially DONE for the year. I teach Language Arts to high school seniors, so this wasn’t news to me. At this point in the year, the prom is way more important than poetry. Actually, pretty much ANYTHING is more important than poetry to these students.

My typical teacher answer was that just because they FEEL done doesn’t mean they ARE done. We still have plenty of school days left, whether they have the energy or motivation for them or not. Feelings don’t change the reality of the calendar.

This is an issue many of us face, sometimes daily. Being DONE. With pain, emotional and physical. With lousy circumstances. With uncertainty. With lives that aren’t what we want. Sometimes it’s just all too much: too relentless, too agonizing, too isolating.

But life and its demands move on regardless of the exhaustion. Jobs need to be done, houses need to be maintained, kids need to be cared for, bills need to be paid. There is no time to be at the end of your proverbial rope.

I have felt DONE many, many times lately. I have found the daily grind of work, home, and other responsibilities to be overwhelming in the middle of the difficult journey of grief and loss. Like my students, I have wanted to proclaim that I officially quit for the month, week, or year. 

As Pastor Greg has preached the past couple of weeks, I have been intrigued by the character of Hannah. Biblical characters are normally two dimensional to me, people who have done great things for God through their faith and goodness but are really too good to be real people. They are people I admire but can’t be.

However, taking a close look at Hannah’s grief experience has given me a new angle on which to view her. She, too, had the feeling of being overwhelmed with loss and sorrow. She was “done” as well…to the point of having no other option than to throw herself on the ground in prayer, weeping. As Greg stated in his sermon, hers was not a pretty situation or pretty prayer. It was messy and had no easy solution.

BUT Hannah throws herself on the ground in prayer anyway, despite the mess she is in. I cannot help but think of what I do when I am overwhelmed. Is prayer my first reaction to being “done”? Or is it a last resort after I have tried all of my other coping mechanisms and control techniques? Usually, I find myself trying to manage the situation before I go to serious prayer. I’m not willing to seek God first in what Greg called the “confusing in between,” that space where the purposes of grief and loss are unclear.  

And it isn’t that I don’t WANT to seek God. I don’t want to actively turn my back to Him. It is a matter of not prioritizing what needs to be first when everything gets to be too much to handle. Going to God in my grief and panic needs to be a default setting, an automatic reaction to stress and pain. That will only happen when I remember that everything that happens is under the jurisdiction of our loving God.

The only way to avoid feeling done is to go to the One Who has already done everything I need to live a fulfilled life under His grace, one day at a time.  

Nancy Vasquez

Pain and Loss: Learning How to Walk in it with 1 Crutch....What a Mess it can Be!

(By Lois Robinson)

I’m not sure if any of you have ever described yourself, your circumstances or your relationships as “What a Mess,” but I certainly have- just recently, as a matter of fact. And on the heels of that realization, I thought, “Gotta write a blog about this one!”

Below is a little summary of the set of circumstances that enabled me to have such an insight on my “beautiful moment of self messiness.” Maybe this can become a new diagnostic code in the DSM-V, who knows!

Along this physical journey there have been many twists and turns, a lot of unexpected developments and diagnoses, new specialists to meet with that I never dreamed I would have a need for, waiting rooms with people that are in deep levels of physical, emotional and psychological pain. All along, I’ve been trying to weigh how to live on mission in all these different venues God has allowed me to be in, with the very present reality of my own deep levels of pain and loss. 

About 9 months ago, my orthopedic surgeon let me know that I would have to be referred to a pain specialist in order to develop a plan to manage and control the high levels of pain I live in, with the right leg and back, due to the Arthrofibrosis/Ankylosis Disorder I have. It is a collagen disorder that causes my body to produce massive amounts of scar tissue each day, which I must battle on a daily basis to break adhesions, particularly in the knee itself. Due to this condition, my kneecap frequently gets scarred down, stopping the whole right leg from having any strength at all as muscles atrophy and reflexes stop. Therefore I am in the need of the crutch(es) constantly. There is no cure for this rare condition that was triggered at the time of my total knee replacement. All I can do is continue to have surgeries each year, if I so chose, to remove all of the scar tissue and free up the knee cap, so the leg can begin working again and build muscle back.  But that will trigger the scar tissue to build again from the surgery procedure. Some have had up to 15 surgeries to beat it. I explain all of this because some of you have been so kind to ask what is really going on while some felt uncomfortable asking.

So, as I went to my first pain specialist, I was VERY nervous. Though I kept saying verses, praying and talking it through with my community of people I surround myself, I was still very anxious. Here is a glimpse into my thought process. Maybe you can relate.

WHAT IF:

1. The doctor thinks I am crazy? 

2. The doctor blows me off when this is such a HUGE thing in my life?

3. The doctor really doesn’t understand and takes me down a wrong road?

4. The doctor acts like he gets it but doesn’t?

........and the list goes on and on and on......

Do any of you relate to this wonderful rabbit trail of WHAT IF’s?! Notice none of it was founded on truth of any kind. Also notice how much POWER I was assigning to the doctor, as if he were the only one who could SAVE ME in this. WOW! I’m just sayin’. What a MESS!

 So I went, and he was wonderful! He was very compassionate, listened to my story, reflected back that he showed he understood, made his recommendations and we both agreed to the plan. The plan was great! And it managed things as well as can be expected. I got levels of healing because of that experience.

I went each month, followed the agreed upon treatment plan with an added dry needling technique that the PA would perform into all the trigger points across my thoracic back area to control spasms. As I walked through the door last month, they informed me they didn’t take my new insurance which would mean I had to find a NEW doctor. UGH!

I also needed to follow up with my primary doctor, and the nice lady at the desk told me my primary had unexpectedly retired. I had him for 35 years. UGH!

I got new health insurance, needed a new pain specialist and a new primary doctor all at the same time!  What a MESS…or so I thought.

Well, as the story unfolds, I have honestly been so anxious inside from having to find the right doctors for my particular set of circumstances. It is not an easy task. But through it all I continued to pray for wisdom, discernment and  the right doctors, while I gathered recommendations and surrounded myself with community, leaning into Jesus and His promises. This last month was a very stretching time for me. The price of medications as well as doctor’s visits had climbed into triple digits each month. The new insurance had brought a whole new set of deductibles, etc. UGH? What a MESS…or so I thought.

You will hear it said over and over again here at LFA, “Jesus specializes in our MESSES!” This is a huge truth to hold onto. I know these things, teach these things, pray these things and believe these things. But somewhere deep inside me, I did not believe these truths; otherwise I would not have been giving so much power to the doctors and stressing so much.

This Hymn came to my mind today after I picked up new meds, saw the new pain specialist and made a first appointment with the new primary doctor:                      

1. What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry

everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. 

 2. Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged;

take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

 3. Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge;

take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In his arms he'll take and shield thee; thou wilt find a solace there.

What occurred was this:

1. Medications were reduced in price by 50% due to new insurance. Praise God!

2. New pain specialist visit was reduced in price by 50%. Praise God!

3. New pain specialist has new options to try as we go along to help manage pain better. Praise God!

4. Will visit new primary doctor in the next couple of weeks. Maybe I will update you on the blog next month!

Friends, it is not enough that God showed me where I was going wrong; I now must ask for forgiveness because it is sin in my heart that fears man and assigns them any kind of ability to save me. Only Jesus can do that, so that sin is idolatry. I must also actively take steps of repentance in these areas of anxiety and idolatry. It would be wrong for me to celebrate the insights without recognizing it as sinful patterns in my thinking that needs to be repented from.

What I do celebrate is these verses:

Romans 8:1- "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,"

James 5:16- "Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

Blessings to you, Friends, and be a Blessing to someone else!

SUFFERING AND SANCTIFICATION

"Believing that great good arises out of great hardship, we can experience joy in adversity."

Read the whole post or watch the video here.

The Power and Perfection of the Word of God

(By Diego Cuartas)

I am drawn to the comparison between creation and the law of God. More specifically, between the perfection and effects of the Sun and the perfection and effects of God's revealed Word. The comparison between these two is unavoidable and very accessible to all humans. Perhaps there is more in creation that can help us know the character and nature of God than what we may realize on any given day. Looking at comparisons is helpful to us given that there is a tendency to be blind or be blinded by lesser realities. One of them being the fact that we are too easily satisfied--at least I am.

Let's look at the sun, not lietraly though. Is Psalm 19, the writer (the Israelite King David) tells us that that God has "set a tent for the sun" an he goes on to describe how this sun operates:

[the sun] comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The sun runs a circuit and it does it like a champion who is confident and joyful. Nothing threatens its purpose or role in the universe. Another observation is that the sun's presence is evident to all and it does not depend on what humans or the rest of creation thinks about it or in their ability to acknowledge it or accept it. Furtheremmore, the sun's influence is irresistible and nothing is hidden from its heat. Interestingly that the writer does not say from its light and heat. I supposed anyone can hide from the sun's light but not from its heat or ability to warm our earhtly globe.  I finding delightful that King David couches this dscription of the sun within the bigger context of a universe that has been created to declare the glory of God pouring "speech" through the amazing characteristics of created detail. He, as he does in describing the sun, emphasizes the fact that all of creation becomes another voice for God. A voice that speaks how glorious God, the Creator is.

Let's turn now to the Law of God with a warning in mind: the sun will seem considerably smaller when compared to the spoken and revealed Law of God. Consider these verses:

7The law of the  Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;

the testimony of the Lord is sure,

making wise the simple;

8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;

9 ...the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.

11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

It is amazing what we can experience as we interact and apply our minds and hearts to what God says. The Word God speaks has the power to make places of our soul alive. The presence of sin has a way of numbing or killing things God intends to be alive in us.

The Word of God transforms my simple knowledge into wisdom. The presence of sin has a way of blinding me to self, God and others. Furthermore, it causes me to misinterpret the situations I face on a daily basis.

The Word of God brings true joy to my soul. The presence of sin combined with my limited humanity often drives me to see life in a hopeless way or in a very temporal-bound hope way.

The Word of God helps me to see reality as God sees it, from where He sees it. The presence of sin disables my capacity to see well. I don't mean disabling as if we did have at some point the same capacities God possesses with regards to knowledge, but more in the sense that if humanity could consistently live under God's authority and His Word perhaps we would see more accurately as a pattern.

The Word of God pronounces and decrees and activates what is the best and most worthy in the whole creation. The presence of sin corrupts my heart into thinking that I know what is best or I can determine what is best for me.

Lastly, the Word of God warns me and paves the way for a great reward. Reward in two ways: the reward of experiencing God's best for my life and others as well as the reward of God himself. The presence of sin has a way of making me live in the moment and the pleasures or safeties of the moment without consideration of what my choices can bring about. That same sin presence of sin bends my heart towards immediate rewards that are so often meager crumbs of life.

For further thought...

1. which voice or voices have most influence in your day to day life?

2. what do that voice or voices promise to you?

3. how do that voice or voices compare to what Psalm 19 says about God's voice?

4. what results do you see in your life as you follow your own voice or voices of your choice?