Pure Joy!

James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 

The pain in my knee nearly crippled me.

I hobbled into work each day from the handicapped parking spot. My good knee, replaced a few years earlier, carried the other swollen and pain filled knee, as I lurched down the hall. Every day, I persevered even as the pain shot through me, because I knew hope waited at the end of my journey. In a few months, this knee would also be replaced, and I'd regain my ability to walk pain free.

Two years later, after enduring physical therapy and exercise, I've taken walks in the neighborhood, hiked in parks, climbed hills, and kayaked. I thank God every day that he led me to the surgeon who could heal my knees, and that I was able to carry on despite the difficulty and endurance required. The trial of pain led me to a time of thanksgiving and joy.

As a follower of Jesus, I've endured trials, some of my own volition, some put on me by other's choices. The one thing I've learned is—if I curl up in a ball and hide, I accomplish nothing. But if I pray and move forward as the Holy Spirit shows me, the testing of my faith produces perseverance and maturity in my walk with Jesus. Without the trials of this world, I wouldn't understand the joy, peace, and hope that fills my soul.

No matter the circumstances, if I continue to open God's word and seek him in prayer, my faith will grow. But if I choose to hunker down in fear and hide, I'll remain stagnant in my faith, with little to give. God wants faithful followers, prayer warriors, Bible readers, and folks who share His truth. Those all come through perseverance and learning to grow in this world, despite the negativity and stress.

When trials come, seek Jesus and embrace the time to grow in him.

Click to Tweet: Consider it pure joy!

No Darkness at All

No matter how dark the world seems, God's light outshines.

He houses no darkness, only light.

The birds, in this beautiful print, remind me of 

the gold finches who visit my feeder.

Even on bleak winter days, 

they flit and flutter and go about their business.

I notice when the rain pours and clouds darken the day,

they gather at the feeder eight to ten at a time. 

They bring me great delight!

Like the little flock of birds, let's join together 

and shine God's light in the darkness. 

Let's bring joy, peace, and kindness to a hurting world.

Only in Him will the light break through the dark.

 

Fiction Book Review: All That We Carried: A Novel by Erin Bartels

Book Description:
Ten years ago, sisters Olivia and Melanie Greene were on a backcountry hiking trip when their parents were in a fatal car accident. Over the years, they grew apart, each coping with the loss in her own way. Olivia plunged herself into law school, work, and a materialist view of the world--what you see is what you get, and that's all you get. Melanie dropped out of college and developed an online life-coaching business around her cafeteria-style spirituality--a little of this, a little of that, whatever makes you happy.

Now, at Melanie's insistence (and against Olivia's better judgment), they are embarking on a hike in the Porcupine Mountains of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. In this remote wilderness they'll face their deepest fears, question their most dearly held beliefs, and begin to see that perhaps the best way to move forward is the one way they had never considered.

Michigan Notable Book Award winner Erin Bartels draws from personal experience hiking backcountry trails with her sister to bring you a story about the complexities of grief, faith, and sisterhood.

My Thoughts:
Erin Bartels created a brilliant and moving story of two sisters searching for hope. She beautifully balances total disbelief with belief in whatever gets you by, while telling a heartrending tale of love and loss. The sisters, as most are, come across very different from one another with a link that joins them forever. Through all of the ups and downs of the camping trip, I felt like I was hiking along the path with Melanie and Olivia. Bartels reveals a spiritual thread throughout the story that left me seeking more. And there is a twist or two. I won't give that away, but I will say it was the perfect way to integrate grace into a tragic story. If you enjoy heartfelt, family stories that delve deep, you'll want to read All That We Carried. I've read all of Bartels' books and this one is my favorite. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Celebrate~Jesus

Luke 2:6-7

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

As an American consumer, I used to make Christmas way too complicated. The shopping, the decorating, the baking exhausted me. For the past several years, I've stepped back and made an attempt to simplify. Less presents, decorating with the items I hold dear, and more focused time in the kitchen. I confess—I love Christmas. But what I love the most about this beautiful holiday has less to do with the gifts, baubles, and cookies and more to do with the people.

First being—Jesus—the babe in the manger who grew to be a King. Even as King, he lived a simple existence as he walked this earth. His life reflects the love and grace he gives. I praise God for sending his son to us.

Second being—my husband—we go through this life together encouraging and loving one another. For this I am so thankful.

Third being—our family—our children and their families, my mom, our siblings, and the many who connect, love, check in on, and surround Tim and I with their love. I appreciate them so much.

Fourth being—friends—dear friends I've reconnected with from college and the many friends made through the years. Our neighbors who wave a friendly hello when we walk the neighborhood. My writing friends I've met on social media from all over the world. The church filled with folks who walk with us on our spiritual journey. Thank you.

Fifth being—the folks we are yet to connect with—those God will place in our path.

All these people bless our lives. I thank God for each one.

As I reflect on this strange, stressful year, I thank God for Jesus and for you.

May the New Year bring joy, peace, and hope as we celebrate the babe in the manger and look forward to a new calendar filled with wonder and adventure.

Here's to a Happy New Year!

A Quiet Joy

As we approach Thanksgiving,

think back on 2020 and capture the good moments.

Find those times of quiet thankfulness.

Let go of the sorrow, frustration, and grief

and hold onto the peace and joy.

 

Palms up...Let Go

Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

My flower bed looked kind of pitiful.

The black-eyed Susan's blossoms had dropped and their leaves had turned reddish brown like some of the autumn trees. The wind had knocked them down for the count. My lavender plants stretched until they looked lanky and the woody under part showed. The blazing stars' heads looked more like cattails than purple flowers. My zinnias were the only plants hanging on to summer.

I could wait for the first frost to kill more foliage or I could start the process of cutting the plants back. With clippers in hand I attacked the lavender. A lovely scent filled my nose as I snipped the branches. With just two plants, the trimming took minutes. But what a difference the pruning would make for spring growth.

Sometimes life mirrors a flower garden. I plant, fertilize, water, and prune my flowers, and God waters, prunes, and encourages growth. Sometimes I need more than a trim. Old habits, like worry, need chopped out to allow for more positive behavior. Worry produces about as much good as a gangly plant that languishes and flops in the garden. While some plants survive and even flourish with a quick trim, others like the black-eyed Susan and blazing star must be cut to the ground in order to grow the following spring.

Paul calls us to pray instead of worry. Our heavenly father asks us to talk to him instead of keeping our concerns balled up inside or wringing our hands with frustration.

I sat on my porch the other day and tried something I'd read about, but not done. I opened my hands, palms up, and held them in front of me. Then I prayed. This small gesture of letting go of my requests brought me peace as I spoke to my Father in heaven. Worry steals the peace that encourages my faith. God listens. He loves to hear from us.

Pray instead of worry. God's peace guards the most vulnerable parts of our being.

Worry or Pray

I'm not sure why it is so much easier to worry than pray.

When I worry, I tend to imagine the most ridiculous outcomes.

When I pray, I place those worries in the hands of the one who created me,

the only one who can give me peace.

Repeat after me-pray instead of worry.

Not easy, but so much better!

 

How Beautiful

Ecclesiastes 3:11a
He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”

Typical for a teenage girl—I thought I was ugly. 

I giggled over Tiger Beat and 'Teen magazines and plastered posters of the Mod Squad, Brady Bunch, and the Monkees on my bedroom walls. Even though the celebrity rags were much more innocent in my time, they were covered with what Hollywood considered beautiful people.

As a tomboy, growing up in the country, I knew I'd never look like any of the beauties who graced the screen. I wasn't skinny (anyone remember a model called Twiggy,) my clothes were determined by our high school's strict dress code, girls in dresses and boys in business casual. We wore our hair long and straight and had some interesting eye wear.

All I wanted was to dress in my bell bottoms, sneakers, and t-shirts.

Even as I read about Bobby Sherman and Marcia Brady, I also learned about a man called Jesus. On Wednesday and Sunday evenings our youth leaders shared Bible verses about true beauty that blossoms from the inside out. They watered us like flowers with verses about joy, love, kindness, faith, and peace.

It took me years to truly accept the beauty the Holy Spirit planted in my heart and to understand that "pretty" blooms from within. There's nothing wrong with looking nice, neat, and clean. But the outward appearance is only a fraction of true beauty.

I'm thankful those adults brought the "good news" of Jesus to us.

Sharing about Jesus love and grace, and the eternal hope I have in him opens my soul. Living a life where Jesus shines through me wherever I'm planted reflects the wonder of daily life with him. My outward appearance may not be Hollywood standards, but my heart is filled with the beauty of Jesus' love and grace. I pray I mirror Him in all I do. 

"If only our eyes saw souls instead of bodies. How very different our ideals of beauty would be." ~Unknown

Seek Jesus and share his beautiful story.

A Fountain Mist of Refreshment

Philemon 1:4-6
I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

If I could paint the feeling of peace, I'd paint it the new color of my walls— 

Fountain Mist.

My daughter, Maggie, planned to paint our living room, dining area, and hallway last fall. Circumstances rearranged the timing. Seven months later, she edged, rolled, and feathered with a brush a beautiful shade of light aqua-blue on our walls. As I watched and played gopher, a gorgeous transformation took place. The dingy white/gray walls disappeared and a refreshing peacefulness covered our home. With Maggie's expertise, she revived the dreary rooms and created a space for inspiration and contentment.

I love the new color and Maggie's generous spirit. Both brought a feeling of gratitude.

Going through this difficult year of 2020, my spirit needs refreshment. Whether from new wall color, time in God's word, praying, writing, reading, or enjoying nature, I seek God's encouragement. With all the negative news and comments, I beg for peace and search for understanding.

The Apostle Paul writes the best greetings in his letters to the churches and his friends. Philemon, must have been a man who encouraged and loved his brothers and sisters in Christ. He was a servant who "refreshed the hearts of the Lord's people." In this time of fear and doubt I pray I can be a servant who refreshes and encourages. I pray for peace to fill all hearts.

How can you refresh the people around you?

How can I encourage you?

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Take Heart!

John 16:33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Summer peace...

I tucked myself into the old swing where maple trees shaded and cooled. In my hands I held my favorite book, probably a story featuring a horse or dog. Or maybe my favorite novel, Christy. I read Catherine Marshall's classic several times as a teenager.

Cincinnati at the Banks

Where I grew up, an awesome porch sat on the corner of the house. When the heat of the season pressed in on me (no air conditioning) I'd take my iced tea and book of the day and cozy into the porch swing. The back and forth sway cooled my skin as I lost myself in the story.

That was the peace of long ago summers.

I still enjoy porch sitting. Now we have a glider instead of a swing. And I still like to read on the porch to escape the chaos of life. When I sit in the quiet absorbed in a story, peace fills my soul.

In the book of John, Jesus speaks to his disciples, those he considered his friends, about his end days. He assures them they will have peace even though he is going to die. I'm not sure how I would have felt if I'd been with him. I'm guessing each of the disciples needed time to process and comprehend. They may have had a place to sit and think (their own form of a swing.) They may have contemplated the parables Jesus told. As we know, some of them didn't understand until Jesus had risen from the dead. Even then, a few had to be convinced. But Jesus promised they'd find peace if they trusted him.

As I seek calm in this chaotic world, I hang on to the promise Jesus shared with the disciples, "...take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Seek his peace.

Blessings of Peace

I've spent most of my life seeking peace. 

Quiet and calm encourage me.

Peace in the midst of chaos fills me with joy.

In my life, I've found only Jesus provides that kind of peace.

Help Comes From the Lord

If I don't ask God for help, that's on me. 

He loves me and wants me to talk to him and seek his favor.

He's always available to listen.

God, please heal the hearts of those hurting and guide those who want to help.

Give us wisdom.

Thank you Lord for your continuous love and care.

Love Your Neighbor

Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself."

I love that God made our world in color.

From the kayak, I watched the sun cross over the fresh spring foliage. The shore, covered in trees, showed various shades of green. The sky moved from pale blue to sky blue to cerulean as the white clouds whispered across. Along the bank, rocks and pebbles rested in assorted shades of brown. Beautiful colors. All created by God.

In the hours before we took our kayaks out on the lake, I'd wrestled with how to respond to recent news of racial strife and sorrow. I'm an older white woman who has only walked in my shoes. I can't say I understand what my friends of color are experiencing, but I can say I care. 

I contemplated how to offer hope in a time of sorrow and help in a time of stress. But I'll be honest, I wasn't sure how.

As I prayed, I understood two things:

• What's going on in the world right now is breaking God's heart.
• God loves every single person he created, and he calls us as his followers to love people, too.

In Matthew, Jesus said to love God and love people. It's that simple. But sin has gotten in the way. Satan stirs the pot and throws in envy, anger, and a whole lot of other junk. He rejoices when he recruits one more person to destroy another human being, a building, a lifetime of work. He spreads his evil anywhere he can.

Together, let's toss Satan out and pour in the ingredients of love, hope, compassion, and peace. Let's stir in joy, acceptance, patience and understanding in whatever way we can.

As I floated in the kayak and soaked in the variegated world we live in, Jesus reminded me to love and appreciate people. He gave us different shades of skin, different textures of hair, different eye colors. And he gave all of us hearts for love, abilities to help, and minds to think. We are more alike than we are different, because we are created in God's image.

Love God and love people. Click to Tweet

Be the Peacemaker

Take Heart

Psalm 31:24 is a great reminder of hope. 

As we wade the waters of uncertainty and change, keep your eyes on the one who offers hope. No matter what's going on each day, God remains the same, a light in darkness, joy in distress, peace in turmoil. Take heart and trust the Creator of life.

Peace to You

Sometimes the calm we need feels far away.

I know Jesus offers a peace that transcends whatever is going on in life.

He offers amazing grace and hope.

In this week before Easter, I pray peace fills your heart. 

He's our Ever-present Help

Psalm 46:1-3

God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.

I loved listening to my Gram tell stories.

Grammy as a teenager

When the 1918 Spanish Influenza attacked, my gram was nine years old. In October a messenger about Grammy's age, dropped a telegram at the door. A military officer had alerted my great-grandmother Helen Hannah Smith to the urgency of her son's illness. "If you want to see him alive, come right away." My Grammy Sara fetched her brother Bernard and his wife, and the family loaded into the Model T and traveled from Lynchburg, Ohio to Camp Sherman in Chillicothe, Ohio where her brother, Walter, prepared to serve in WW1. The flu had hit the camp and my great-grandma Smith was determined to see her son. 

Sara, too young to visit, waited on a bench with the doctor's wife, outside the building where the infected men stayed. Great-grandma applied a mustard plaster to Walter's chest in hopes the home remedy would help. Sadly, Walter died during the epidemic with complications from pneumonia. Great-grandma Smith, Grammy, and other family members contracted the flu. Thanks to the doctor who lived across the street and a neighbor who left soup on their step every day, they survived. As my gram's memories echo with sadness and sorrow, I'm reminded of the folks who have lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic. My heart breaks for anyone who has suffered such loss. 

Please pray with me that God pours peace over those who mourn.

Grammy, Great-grandma Smith, & Mom

Are you feeling exhausted, nervous, sad? Are you mourning? God wants to wrap you in his arms and comfort you. He reaches out to the brokenhearted, the hurting, the sad. He offers shelter in this time of distress.

As I've reflected on my Grammy's story and witnessed her life, I know she clung to Jesus. She loved God and set an amazing example of resilience and faith in her 92 years. No matter what we're going through, God is our strength and our hope. He gives rest to the weary and peace to the broken.

Seek the Father who is our ever-present help in times of trouble.

A Season for Everything

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

And a time to take a walk and see the beauty of spring.

As we wait out the COVID-19 virus, Tim and I and many people I know have made walking outside part of their daily activity.

We've trekked around the high school track. Hiked on a trail in the woods and ambled around the neighborhood. I'm happy to report we've witnessed spring's arrival. Regardless of our circumstances, the frustration that eats at us, missing our families, friends, and church, or not working—the tulips peek out with a flourish of color, the bright yellow daffodils wave in the breeze, trees show off their blossoms, robins twitter and tweet, and the sun bursts through the clouds.

This morning in my quiet time, I read a verse in Psalm 43, "Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell." As I read, sunlight spread across my Bible and highlighted the words. Goose bumps raised on my arms. I bowed my head and prayed God would lead me to that mountain where he rests.

His light gives hope in this time of despair. Ecclesiastes tells us there is a season for everything. Good and bad. Regardless of which moment we're in, God remains the same. His light and truth guide us. He offers hope for a hurting world. In him we find peace.

In this season of difficulty, have you prepared your heart? Jesus loves you. He offers peace and hope through forgiveness and grace. Let his light and truth guide your heart.

The Lord Gives Strength

Help for the Anxious

1 Peter 5:6-9

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

The more people I talk to, the more I hear anxiety rearing its ugly head. Even if you don't suffer from anxiety, the state of the world right now could raise anyone's insecurity to a new level.

I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder several years ago. Because I want to live a peaceful life, I practice different methods to keep my anxious thoughts at bay.

On a daily basis I remind myself there are things I simply cannot control. Those are the things I have to let go. I have to. If I don't let them go, they bury me like an avalanche.

Instead of lugging my worries around in a wheel barrow, I pray. I ask God to cart around my anxiety for me. He carries our burdens if we ask.

I read Bible verses every day. They ground me and remind me I have a Father who loves me. Even if I only read one verse, I'm reminded I have hope.

I talk to my family and friends. Find someone who understands.

Yes, I also work with a doctor to keep the receptors in my brain working properly.

If you have a family member or friend with a lot of anxiety. Be patient. These are trying times, and they may be overwhelmed. I think we all are.

Love your neighbors. Help the ones who can't help themselves. Lift each other in prayer to the One who cares.

Here are some Bible verses that help to calm and give hope. Hang them on your door, the refrigerator, the mirror. Focus on the promise of hope.

Psalm 33:20-22
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.

Isaiah 40:29-31
He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

Romans 15:13
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.