May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do
not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you
wherever you go.
Playing a sport as a youngster is not for the faint of
heart.
I opened my calendar and spread their schedules in front of
me. Grandchildren in track, baseball, and softball filled the pages, not to
mention Tim’s schedule as a Red’s usher and my author obligations.
We’ve watched our children and grandchildren compete in sports for years. Tim and I even coached our own kids.
I enjoy all kinds of sports, especially when the grands are
participating. Watching Eli throw the discus and shotput was a new experience.
I love his attitude. He’s brand new to the sport and willing to learn. He wants
to do his best. Zeke, in his baseball, has grown by leaps and bounds and this
year, the coach is tapping into his potential. Again, he has a great attitude,
he wants to learn and do his best. Ella Cate, in softball, is the same as are
Max and Aiden in basketball and track and Dylan in tennis. All of these young
folks have approached their sport with an attitude of courage and a
determination to be strong in their sport. They each want to enjoy the game,
but also learn and grow. They know their parents and grandparents are there cheering
them on and encouraging them to do their best.
When God tapped Joshua to take over for Moses, Joshua stepped
up and told the people what would happen next. God reminded him, “As I was
with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor
forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5) Several times, God reminded Joshua to be strong
and have courage. And he did.
Just as we encourage and support our grandkids in their
sports, God reminds us to be strong and have courage as we serve Him. That may
require learning something new, spending time in His word or on our knees in prayer.
God’s courage goes before me as I serve Him and minister to others. He gives me
the strength and courage to do the things I hesitate to do on my own. I’m
thankful for God’s love and encouragement.
Take heart, and be strong and courageous.
Daniel 6:25-27
Then
King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all
the earth: May you prosper greatly! I issue a decree that in every part of my
kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
“For he is the living God
and he endures forever;
his kingdom will not be destroyed,
his dominion will never end.
He rescues and he saves;
he performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
I felt like I could touch the hand of God.
Pretty Place is a place where the reverence of God overwhelms me with peace and hope.
I’ve only visited the stone chapel twice, and both times I
felt the same. I wish I could start my day there every day, but I live in Ohio.
Instead, I seek God through scripture reading, devotions, and prayer. We visit
the woods and sit beside the lake when we can. No matter where I am though, God
is with me. He’s here in my living room, on walks with our dog, in the city,
the country, no matter where I am He travels with me. And He’s with you, too.
Seek God where you are. He loves you.
I see the moon and the moon sees me.
The night sky reminds me I see the same moon and
stars as my niece in England or my friend in Missouri. That brilliant heavenly
body connects me to my family, friends, and folks around the world.
Our youngest daughter and her husband live in
South Carolina and it’s a comfort to me we see the same sky. Even though we are
not close in proximity, we share a similar view. When our family, who lives
close by, sends photos of rainbows or sunsets, and I can see the same ones from
where I’m standing, it’s a joy to know we see the same bits of creation. They join
us with each other and with God.
On Sunday, the praise band led us in the song Same
God by Elevation Worship. The lyrics reminded me of all the people
throughout history who called on the same God I call on today. Moses, Jacob,
Mary, and so many more lifted their prayers to the Father, the same One I speak
to daily. It kind of blows my mind that I’m talking to the same God Noah prayed
to, or Esther. The same One who people around the world take their cares to is
the same one who listens and has listened for centuries.
I love what David says in Psalm 17. He calls on
God, who answers, turns His ear, and hears our prayers. Then he asks many of
the same things I seek for myself and my family and friends: keep me close,
protect me, hide me in your wings. Praying to the same God as my ancestors
fills my heart with comfort and joy.
Keep praying to the same God who remains
steadfast and faithful.
Ephesians 1:7-10
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of
sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished
on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us
the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he
purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their
fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
I’d put off cleaning the bathroom.
Confession—I don’t like to clean. Oh, I love the
results, a shiny sink, sparkling toilet, and glistening shower, but I need
motivation to make it happen.
After I gave Rosie May a bath, and I got as wet as she did, I
scrubbed the shower, shined the mirror and overall cleaned the bathroom. We
have a beautiful crocheted rug, in a hue of rainbow colors, a friend made for me.
I tossed that one and the shower mat in the washer. After everything sparkled,
I laid the rugs on the floor. The difference between the dirty rug I washed and
the clean rug I pulled out of the dryer was remarkable. The colors shone and
brightened the room.
At times in my life, my heart resembled the dirty rug. Muted
colors replaced vibrancy. Like the dirt, sin darkened my joy and sucked the
life out of me. Then Jesus took my sin, my filth, the garbage in my life, and
washed it all away. He carried sin to the cross and died with it there, but the
beautiful thing is, He rose on the third day and with open arms offers a way
out of negativity, addiction, sorrow, suffering, mistakes—you get the idea. In Jesus,
there is hope. Through Jesus, God wants to lavish His grace on us. His grace
cleanses the soul and restores vibrancy with joy and hope.
I’m thankful Jesus loves me more than I understand.
Seek Jesus and ask Him to cleanse your soul.
Psalm 23:6
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
I’ve been thinking about the word goodness this week.
Goodness is listed as a fruit of the spirit in Galatians
5:22. The dictionary tells me goodness is moral excellence, a kindly feeling,
generosity, and virtue.
When I think of pure goodness, I remember the sweet faces of
my girls as newborns. Looking into their eyes, I saw the purest elements of
humankind.
When God created the garden of Eden and all the beautiful
natural elements, He said, “It is good.” Everything shone with goodness, before
the wretched snake (Satan) slithered in and tempted Adam and Eve. Once they indulged
in the fruit of the tree of life, the goodness faded. Sin scarred the purity of
the earth and the moral excellence.
Yet God had a plan. He had given the humans the freedom to
choose, and He knew they would choose poorly.
When I worked in the elementary school library, I would ask
the students about good and bad choices. “Was it a good choice to leave a
library book in the rain?” “Should you leave your book where the dog can gnaw
on it?” You get the idea.
Years ago, I made the choice to accept Jesus as my Savior—best
choice I ever made. With Jesus as my Lord, I have goodness in my life. I’m not
perfect, I sin, I make mistakes, but God pours His goodness over me. He keeps
showing up. His goodness and love follow me all the days of my life. And I’m so
very thankful. With His goodness in my life, I continue to grow as a believer.
I have confidence in His salvation, and I have the hope of heaven.
Let God’s goodness pour over you.
Proverbs 24:3-4
By wisdom a house is built,
and through understanding it is established;
through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures.
I’ve lived in 14 different homes in my lifetime.
When I was young, my parents sometimes took us for a Sunday drive to look at houses. We rolled along rural roads and through small towns. From that experience, I learned to appreciate the architecture of older homes. Some with fancy ginger breading and others with simple porches attracted my attention. To this day, I enjoy seeing some of the interesting houses in our travels.
Of the 14 different houses I’ve lived in, some of my
favorites were the old farmhouses. They have so much character. I loved imagining
what stories they could tell. From the farm wife toting in eggs from the
chicken coop to the child sitting on her dad’s lap at the end of the day. Life
was breathed into the home. Love, laughter, dinner around the kitchen table,
cousins piling in, and the dog laying by the hearth. My mind weaves a tale of
joy. However, I also know some houses heard the rough voices of arguing and
anger. They felt the trembling of fear and sorrow. Those homes break my heart.
I also see the houses, who abandoned over time, have the
life sucked out of them. They look tired, run-down, weary, and sad. I wonder at
the stories they could tell.
As I compare a house or home to life lived, I see the same
thing. Many people are filled with joy, peace, and love. While others may be
angry or fearful or live a weary, sad life.
I could have been any of those three. We all could, but when I
accepted Jesus’ invitation to follow and love Him, my life found the joy, love,
and peace I longed for. Even in times of sadness and difficulty, Jesus’ love
carries me. I no longer live as a slave to fear, anger, sadness, and sorrow.
Instead, Jesus poured His love and grace into me and loves me more than I could
imagine.
I want my home to be a place of love and peace, reflected in
Jesus, just as I want my life to shine for the Lord.
Does your home reflect Jesus’ love? Does your life?
Matthew 10:16-20
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as
snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over
to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account
you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to
the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or
how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it
will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through
you.”
God is with me.
A crowd gathered for the varsity boys’ game. On the opposite
side of the gym from us, the opposing team’s fans came together. A sea of blue
filled the bleachers, except for one lone soul dressed in gold and black (our
team colors.) When I noticed the fellow dressed in different colors, my
first thought was sympathy. A fan for our team sat amidst the opposing fans,
but then I wondered if he wore those colors without thinking about what everyone
else was wearing.
I’ll never know the answer, but the visual reminded me of folks
who stand alone in their faith or are on their own in their circumstances.
Missionaries go to places where they may be the only ones who believe in Jesus,
and they are responsible for living a life of faith. Teachers stand before classes
and work so hard to instill a love of learning in their students. Ministers sometimes
feel alone, even surrounded by many.
I’m sure the apostles felt singled out and on their own many
times. Jesus sent them out without earthly possessions and asked them to go to towns less
than welcoming. They traveled and taught about Jesus, even though they could be
flogged or end up in jail. What did the apostles know that kept them going? God
was with them. They were not alone. The Holy Spirit dwelled in their hearts.
Writing is a solitary activity, but I know beyond a doubt,
God is beside me as I write. He’s with me when I’m tired, disappointed, excited,
happy, broken, or weary. No matter what my circumstances may be, God stands
with me, picks me up, heals my heart, and keeps me going. For that, I am so
thankful.
God is with His people, even when we feel alone.
Psalm 92:1-3
It is good to praise the Lord
and make music to your name, O Most High,
proclaiming your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night,
to the music of the ten-stringed lyre
and the melody of the harp.
Praise is the rehearsal for our eternal song. -Charles Spurgeon
Our grandson, Zeke, tried out for the OMEA seventh grade
band performance. I’m delighted to share he was chosen as first chair baritone.
The students from various districts came together to perform a wonderful
concert after learning the music in only three days. Kudos to Maggie (his
momma) for driving him to Cincinnati every one of those days.
On Sunday, as the band assembled, I sat in the audience with
family and soaked in each song. Each of the four songs inspired their own beauty.
They started with a song that might have been the soundtrack to an action
flick. Then they played a lovely song that invoked an inward peace. The third
song reminded of something you might hear in a palace, and the last song they
played was based on an African spiritual with a contagious rhythm.
As I think back on the music, the first song played reminds
me of Joshua marching around the walls of Jerico. The peaceful song left me
thinking of Mary holding baby Jesus. The palace song brought Queen Esther to
mind, and the African beat reminded me of David dancing and praising.
God gave us the gift of music, and we can use instruments
and voices to raise praises to God. Music also soothes the soul and offers a
respite from the cacophony of a noisy world. I’m thankful there are different
styles of music, and a variety of musicians so we can all find the tunes that
draw us closer to God. Contemporary Christian music, traditional hymns, pop, and
folk are among my favorites, and I’ll listen to almost any instrumental tunes.
As I am with nature, I’m amazed at God’s creation of tones and melodies. He’s
given us so many gifts, and just think how beautiful the music of heaven will be.
Find music that draws you closer to God.
Luke 2:4-5
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee
to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house
and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to
be married to him and was expecting a child.
“Be prepared, just not to be safe, but to be a faithful
servant of God.”-Didi Bacon
Christmas takes preparation. With five children, four with spouses, and eleven grands, I have to begin preparing for the holidays early, because I prefer to take my time rather than stress.
For Christmas dinner, I keep it simple. Yet, the meal takes organization.
Yesterday, I spent a chunk of the day cooking hamburger for sloppy joes and chopping
peppers for pizza dip. When I finished, I tucked both into the freezer until
December 24. As I stirred the burger and cooked the pink out, my mind wandered
to Joseph and Mary. Weird, I know, but that’s how my brain works.
God had chosen Mary to be Jesus’ momma, and he picked Joseph
as Jesus’ earthly father because Joseph was a man of integrity who loved God. Obviously,
Joseph took care of Mary. When he heard Caesar Augustus called for them to travel
to Bethlehem for the census, he loaded the donkey (at least that's what we learned in Sunday school,) and he and Mary joined the
caravan on the journey. I’ve no doubt Joseph packed water and snacks, along
with blankets and bags of clothes. He prepared for the long trip, but he didn’t
stop there. His most important preparation wasn’t food or clothes, instead he
took the time to prepare his heart.
Joseph had accepted his role in the coming of King Jesus.
With willingness, Joseph humbled his heart and opened his mind to the changes
coming to his family. He looked to God with a servant’s heart and accepted the
part God asked him to take on. He chose to love the One who would change the
world, even as he raised Jesus as his son.
Joseph’s willingness to accept his circumstances kind of
blows my mind. His faith was extraordinary. His actions push me to prepare for Christmas, not in gift giving and cooking, but more
importantly, to prepare my heart to worship the King.
Christmas is about Jesus. He’s the reason we celebrate. With
humility, I ask God to open my eyes and heart in service to Him.
Prepare your heart to worship God and serve Him in this holy
season.
Psalm 33:18-22
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.
We wait in hope for the Lord;
he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
even as we put our hope in you.
Our Golden, Rosie, shakes when she hears loud noise.
Monday morning, we awoke to a crew of roofers ripping off
the shingles on the building next door. When I tried to take Rosie out to do
her business, she trotted to the edge of the grass, squatted, then ran back
inside. She refused to take her walk. Thankfully, Tim drove her to a safe place,
and she was happy.
Like Rosie, I fear certain things—failure in my writing, making
a mistake and hurting another person, letting someone down, and worst of all—spiders.
Yes, those creepy, crawly creatures freak me out. But seriously, fear is real.
We all fear something.
In the Psalm we are called to fear the Lord. Not the fear
that causes me to hide, or curl up in a ball, or throw my shoe at an eight-legged
creature, but a fear of reverence. Healthy fear of God involves, adoration, devotion,
respect, wonder, and worship. As a young Christian, the thought of being afraid
of God confused me. Why fear someone who loves you? After becoming a parent I
understood much better. Although I don’t think my girls ever truly feared me,
they had a healthy respect for me and understood the parameters I set.
God watches over his children, and He loves like no other. Even
as I hold a healthy fear for my creator, I also trust Him completely and hope
in Him wholly.
Fear the Lord with joy!
