He Can Move the Mountains

The sky started out blue in the early morning hours, with patchy clouds sewn across the horizon. But before long, thick dark bands of gray marched in from the west. I could almost see the layers upon layers of clouds, like rows of enemy soldiers marching towards a battle front.

The wind picked up and then I heard it, faintly at first, rolling in from the distance. Quite quickly, the irregular thunderous drum roll increased in intensity and frequency. The cracking and booming grew, rolling across the landscape, bellowing from the clouds; the thunder brought with it the rain, slowly at first and then rapidly pelting the ground like machine gun fire. The storm had arrived just as I rounded the turn on to my street and home.

As a child, much like my own children, I was afraid of thunder. There was something hollow and deep and scary about it. As years went by, I convinced myself that it was "angels bowling" or "God moving furniture," but I was never fully satisfied.

Today, however, the cracking and the booming and the rolling sounded more like mountains moving. There are certainly a few mountains in my life that I could use moved. I had recently been thinking about the mountains that seemed to be between me and what I thought looked like a sweeter, gentler more peaceable time. The way over them looked too daunting. The way around too laborious. Oh, how I wish they could just be moved! (And I had asked God a time or twenty for just that thing).

But today I thought, "What if they are moving?" Maybe amidst all the noise and commotion that I witness from time to time in the circumstances of my life, God is moving the mountains that are before me out of the way. Maybe, just maybe, what I thought was not moving, really was, but it just was being done differently that I thought. (Imagine that!) God wasn't making the mountains disappear, but He was doing something.

Psalm 46:1-3 says, "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."

Today, when I heard the thunder, I also heard the gentle voice of God in it saying, "Does that thunder sound like mountains moving to you? Well, be assured, I am ever-present in your storms. The sounds you may be afraid of are not for you to fear. It is Me doing my work for you. Remember that when you fear the thunderous circumstances in your life, it is Me moving out of the way that which separates Me from you and you from you. I am moving that mountain, dear daughter. Trust Me."

When I feel as if all is crumbling apart and not going as I had hoped, I will chose to remember that perhaps what appears to be things falling apart, may actually be God moving the mountain. When my dreams and desires seem to be giving way, maybe God is placing them somewhere else to be better used for Him. Either way, no matter what, I know that on my walk with the Lord when the storms come, He is my refuge and my strength from the rains and from the winds, and I need not fear.

God Lifts Us Out and Sets Us Free

It is raining today. A chilling kind of rain, that you can almost feel seep in to every pore of your body and settle there, leaving you wanting for warmth, all day.

As I walked through my back yard today with the dog, I noted a low spot. The grass reaches out towards a path that wanders through the woods, but at the opening of the path, the ground dips down. When it rains, water almost always pools there.

There was something about it that reminded me of my own heart. It has a low lying spot, too, where the tears of my sorrow seem to all flow and pool. When the rainy days of life stir up my tears, they seem to all run in to this place of grief; grief from the past and grief from the present, mixed together, they accumulate.


The spot in my yard can get pretty sloppy, slippery and slimy. The water dries up eventually, but for awhile, it stagnates, only slowly seeping in to the ground or evaporating, producing a miniature swamp of sorts, muddy and stinky. It's a mess to step in, and easy to get stuck in.


More and more as I grow and mature, I realize that I can get stuck in the pool of my tears as well. The tears come for a reason, and they are good, but sometimes they begin to gather and pool and instead of soaking in to my heart and nourishing it, they can stagnate. I get stuck in the mud and the mire, and I need help to get out.


Psalm 40:1-3 says, "I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to my God."


I know that there is a time and a season to grieve. It is important and it serves a purpose for our hurting hearts as it drives us to call out to and depend on God, the only One we really can depend on. The problem is that sometimes I, and perhaps you do to, dear reader, get stuck there. We feel hopeless and helpless. We lose sight of Who God is and what He is doing in our lives. We think that all of life is going to be muddy and sticky and yucky, and we forget that God is right there standing with an outstretched arm to pull us out and rescue us. He has a rock for us to stand on, a place of great strength and stability, Jesus. And not only that, but He has a song for us to sing, that only we can sing for Him.

As I look at my back yard, I see that beyond the path where the muddy mire sits today, are two chairs. I can almost hear the Lord beckoning to me, "Grab hold of Me, I am here to lift you out and to set you on solid ground where you are free. Remember I am your strength and in Me you are strong. Come sit with me awhile, child, and let me sing to you the song I have for you to sing. It is a song of great beauty and of great joy, not of sorrow. You do not need to be stuck in your grief, but free in my love. Have hope for I am here to help."

And so, again, I chose to trust God and hold tight to Him -- no matter what, no matter when, no matter how, no matter where. I will trust in Him alone.

God's Gentle Hand Prunes to Produce More Fruit

On the previous post, I wrote about abiding in Jesus and the fruit that results when we do so, in Him alone; fruit that is beautiful and nurturing and vitalizing. It is the fruit of the character of Christ in us.

In addition to the importance of abiding in Jesus, John 15:1-5 also talks about God's pruning purpose in our lives, in regards to fruit bearing. John 15:2 says, " ... every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit" (NASB).

Every branch that bears fruit, God prunes that it may bear fruit? I wish that more fertilizer and watering would produce more fruit, not something painful like pruning. But that is not what Jesus says. He says that in order for there to be more fruit, pruning must occur.

Unfortunately, and don't we all know it in some sense or another, pruning hurts. It hurts, but it helps. We do not enjoy it, but it is necessary. It is essential if we are to be more like Christ.

In the physical world of vines and fruit trees, it is the gardener's job to prune the branches in order to bear more fruit. The gardener is trained to know how to best prune. In our case, God already knows, because He knows everything so we can trust Him. He knows where to cut, how to cut, what angle to cut at, and when to cut. I am thankful that God can not make mistakes when He prunes.

He prunes off the things in our lives that are not good for us -- our sin. He prunes away (to note only a few) our anger, bitterness, love of self praise and selfishness. He cuts away that which is not good or necessary so that the strength of Jesus may be put in to full force to produce more fruit in our lives. And, as the verse says, he often cuts away fruit that we are already producing. Has this ever happened to you? You were serving the Lord, doing what you thought He had called you to do. You had prayed. Perhaps circumstances seeming from the Lord had led you in a direction of a certain project or ministry for Him, and -- poof! -- it was cut off. It can be hard to understand, and great amount of sorrow can be experienced as you see that fruitful portion of the branch lying on the ground. It can seem as if we are left bare and with out much of anything at all, but we can trust that no cut is too sharp or too many, if it helps us to be more like Jesus.

But we can have hope that God does have a purpose. Romans 8:28-29 reminds us that "...we know in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to
His purpose ... to be conformed to the likeness of His Son." God prunes us for His glory, for the good of others, and as a result, for our benefit as we are made to reflect the beautiful character of Jesus more and more.

He uses His Word, the Bible, to help prune us. God's Word convicts us with the truth and changes our thinking. In addition, God uses circumstances in our lives to prune us. It can be scary when we know the pruning Hand of the Father is up on us in our times of suffering, and yet it is a gentle and loving Hand.

God increases the holiness of His children by the circumstances that he places them in. He uses the circumstance as an instrument to make us more fruitful, helping us to draw closer to Jesus, His Word, the Bible, and prayer. He uses it to help us to not love the world so much, but love Jesus more. Our hearts become humbled and become more sensitive to the Word of God which comes in and transforms our lives.

Dear reader, I do not always (okay, ever) enjoy the pruning process, as I am sure you do not, as well. It is painful, sometimes, horribly painful; and yet, as I walk through these current times of pruning, I can sense the beginning of new growth. And I can trust God's Word that this new growth will eventually lead to more fruit; more fruit to benefit others and to glorify Him. And so I will choose to continue to trust His all-knowing and tender hand as He trims and shapes my life to be more like Jesus.

Abide in Jesus

For the past couple of months, I have been working on the bible study lesson that I am speaking on tomorrow. John 15:1-5 has occupied most of my thoughts, as I have sought the Lord to show me what He wants me to see. I feel as if I have eaten it, breathed it and soaked very cell of my body in these verses. They have become a part of me; although I am still nervous about speaking tomorrow.

I can now see that God has also been showing me what I needed to know during this time of trial. Out of my deeply hurting heart, I am now more and more deeply confident of the love of Jesus and His strength in us, when we trust in Him. Jesus says in John 15:5 "I am the vine and you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."


Jesus is the Vine. We are the branches. He is the source of all life, strength, vigor and beauty. We, the branches, are all different, with different gnarls and different bends, but we all need Him.


Jesus calls for us to abide in Him, as He abides in us. To abide is to remain; to stay connected. We can do this by being in His Word and in prayer. Abiding in Jesus is having an active relationship with Him and living with a continual awareness of his strength in us. It is living with a constant connection to Jesus, in our thoughts, choices, plans and behaviors.


The good news is that when we abide in Him, we bear fruit. The problem is that we tend, in our sinfulness, to abide in things that do not bear fruit in our lives. We attach ourselves to "idols" that we think bring us strength and fruit in our lives, but really are just a lie. We connect ourselves to money, popularity, things, accomplishments and self-reliance to name a few. I know that I need to constantly be aware of these pulls on my life. Jesus is the only one that can give us the strength and life we need to produce fruit.


The fruit produced in our lives, as a result of our abiding in Jesus and He in us, is real fruit. It is not "fake fruit." Real fruit is not success, or numbers, achievements, or an impressive outward appearance. Fake fruit can look good on the outside, but it is hollow on the inside. It does not sustain. It will do nothing for those who eat it, other than maybe make them sick, and turn them away from the love of Jesus.


Real fruit is Christ like character in us. It is not for our own benefit, but for the glory of the Gardener (God) and for the benefit of those who eat it. It is the Fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5: 22; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. It is the fruit of good works and service (Colossians 1:10), fruit of giving (Romans 15:26,28), fruit of growing in holiness and obedience (Romans 6:22), the fruit of praising God (Hebrews 13:15), and the fruit of sharing the truth of Jesus with others (John 4:32-36).


We can not bear the fruit that God has for us to bear without staying connected to Jesus, actively and continually in thought, word and deed. It is loving the Lord Jesus with our heart, soul and mind, regardless of where we are, what we are doing or what we are walking through.


We can not bear fruit by trying, only by abiding. This is a great encouragement, dear reader. Do you want to be gentle with a difficult person? Abide in Jesus. Do you want to be patient with your children? Abide in Jesus and He will give of His patience. Are you weary and in need of strength? Abide in Jesus and He will make you strong. Are you feeling useless? Abide in Jesus and you will bear real fruit. Are you fearful? Abide in Jesus and He will give you peace. Are you need of help? Abide in Jesus and you will know Him as your only true help. Are you tired and feel as if you can not do one more thing? Abide in Jesus, and He will give you rest and strength.

Times will be difficult. Perhaps they are right now. I can relate, but time and time again, the Lord has held me with His gentle arms, leaned over and whispered in to my ear, "Abide in me. I love you very much and I will give you my strength. Trust me. I have fruit for you to bear that you can not bear separate from me, and it is fruit that will bring glory to God and be a blessing to others." My prayer is that you will hear His call, as well, and abide in Him.

God Enables Us to Stand on the Heights

"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights" Psalm 32-33.

In general, I have a fear of heights. Yes, I did sky dive one time, but my fear lies more when I am climbing something and there is the potential that I may lose my footing and fall and be injured. I am nervous about climbing ladders with rickety rungs and unstable footings.

One time I went to a state park with my children. There was a tall, wooden observation tower, that naturally, they wanted to climb. Boldly putting my fears behind, I began the trek upward with them. Back and forth, the wooden steps (the ones that have holes in between where you are almost certain your foot and whole body could fit through if you stumbled) coursed, up and up. The wind was blowing cold and brisk that day. I found that I hung close to the core of the tower, holding tightly to the railing, and self-talking "Don't look down. Don't look down." Once I got to the top, I knew that it still was not a good idea for me to look down; too scary, too nauseating, but I did look out. And I realized that high about the trees, on the top of a hill, looking out over the water, I had a perspective that I could never have even imagined being on the ground.

And so it is with our trek with God. There are times when he asks us to climb towers in our lives that seem too scary and too risky. We are not sure of our footing. Will we slip and fall and be injured? But God makes our feet like the feet of a deer, and gives us a sure footing. We are not sure, but He is. He guides our steps. Proverbs 15:24 says "The path of life leads upward for the wise." As we seek God and His plan and purpose for our lives -- His wisdom -- we will climb upwards. And when we get to the top of the tower, He enables us to stand on the heights.

It is hard to imagine what we will observe from the heights that God will bring us to. " 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him' but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit" 1 Corinthians 2:9. God, in His strength and love, brings us to the heights that He has for us, and shows us, by His Spirit, what He desires for us to see.

Dear reader, do you feel scared on the journey that God has you on? Do you feel as if your footing is unsure? Are the winds of doubt and anxiety circling around you, making your trek more difficult? Do not look down, but look out. Look out and in to the face of Jesus. He will guide your steps. Cling close to Him and He will make your footing clear. You will not slip through the holes that threaten you. And when God brings you to the top, look out and observe what He has for you to see. He will give you, through His Spirit, a new and greater perspective. He makes our way perfect, arms us with strength, guides us in our steps, and brings us to the heights. We truly can not imagine what God has prepared for us who love Him. His love is unfailing.

The Peace of God On Guard

There are times in our lives when we feel much more vulnerable than others do. We may be hurting, either acutely or chronically, and feel as if even the slightest brush up against another difficulty or difficult person, sends a chill down our spine and in to our hearts. We want to be out and about, and yet we may feel insecure, sorrowful and weary.

When an animal is in the wild and injured, it becomes vulnerable to further harm. When a wounded soldier is on the battle field, they are more vulnerable to attack. And so it is with us. When our hearts have been broken or our emotions are raw or fears beset us or life's circumstances seem too much to bear, we feel susceptible to being wounded and hurt, again.

I was reading through my bible tonite, seeing what God had to speak to my heart and I came across Philippians 4:7, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." The word "guard" jumped off the page. What did God mean by "the peace of God" guarding our hearts and minds?

In the Greek, the word guard means to protect by military guard, either to prevent hostile invasion or to keep the inhabitants of an attacked city from flight. We can envision the peace of God like military sentries or soldiers standing guard around our hearts and minds. This peace that is beyond our ability to understand and explain, the peace that comes to us only through the power of Jesus, protects us from attacks from the outside and inside. It is God's protective care to the very core of those who are in Jesus.

The verses that precede talk of rejoicing in the Lord, being gentle to all men, avoiding anxious cares and presenting our requests to God. Then it says, "And the peace of God ..." As we try to do the preceding things, God is giving us peace.

As I go about my day, sometimes feeling vulnerable, I am going to remember that the peace of God that He has given me is a protective force around me. It is guarding me. I need not fear vulnerability or be insecure. A garrison of the peace of God is wide and high and thick around my heart and mind, and is helping me Dear reader, as you trust in Jesus in all the happenings of life, remember this for you, too. His peace, possible only by the perfect power of Jesus, is on guard.

Anticipating Our Heavenly Home

"Are we there yet?"
"Are we almost there now?"
"When are we going to be there?"

It is almost always some variation of the above. No matter whether we are going to grandma's, to school, or to the grocery store, my youngest is eager to know when we are going to arrive. I suspect you have experienced the same thing, if you've ever been the parent or passenger in a car with kids.

Then no matter what I answer, she responds with, "Is that a long time?"

I'm not sure if her questions come from excitement over the destination or weariness over being in the car yet again. She is the baby (she'd say the little sister!) of 5 children and does spend alot of time being shuffled around in the car.

I thought today, "I wish I knew the answer, dear." I wasn't thinking of how long it was going to take to get to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription, but I was thinking of Heaven.

I think that there is a vein in all of us that runs with the question "When are we going to get there or when will Jesus come again?" Is it due to the anticipation of arriving in the presence of the Lord and experience the beauty and glory of Heaven where we will be able to worship God day and night or the eagerness to part from our troubles here and have it all behind us?

I am sure it is both, but as we walk through difficulties our hunger for heaven seems to be at a peak. The life hear can become weary, almost seeming futile. The battles can be intense. The grief over relationships lost can be deep. The storms can be torrential; the emptiness, vast; physical pain overwhelming; uncertainties lurking at every corner.

We are caught in the tension of living for the Lord in today, no matter what He has for us, blessings or pain, and yet pressing on, persevering, towards what He has called us to in Jesus, in Heaven (Philippians 3:14).

A friend of mine reminded me of a song that mutual friends of ours wrote, "There is a Place." Dear reader, if you are struggling, today, like I am, wanting to glorify God in the now in the midst of all sorts of uncertainty and trials, and yet tired and yearning for our heavenly home, I hope it will encourage you. You can link to the song at: http://www.philipmusic.com/There_is_a_Place.html .

"Is it a long time?" That's what my daughter asks. I ask it of the Lord, too. How long until He comes and takes us home? I'm not sure, but I will continue to persevere for Him in this life, in His Word and in His love until He chooses the perfect time, and then I will run and embrace Him, and I will be whole. I know that He has alot of work for each one of us to do, now, as we shine for Him in a world where there is much pain and much need for the love of Jesus. I thank Him that we are His ambassadors. However, what a comfort to know that God will wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Revelation 21:4). All will be well.

God Knows Where We Will Bloom Best

Today was a beautiful day, with a crystal blue sky and a gentle warm breeze. My mom and I walked through a garden nursery, enjoying the many colors and designs of flowers that were for sale. Rows and rows of flowers and plants were nestled in their pots, under the canopy of an arched greenhouse. The air smelled of fresh soil and new growth.

I was looking for flowers to plant in my shady backyard. Although I always admire the plants that grow in direct sunlight, I know from years of experience that the flowers that grow in the shade are really the only ones that work for my yard. This year, I found the most beautiful Double Impatiens. The blossoms are delicate and bold in color, resembling little ballerina tutus. I chose the ones that I liked and brought them home to pot them up.

I knew that God had something to say to me today through these flowers, but at first I wasn't sure. However, as the day went by, I kept feeling His gentle touch and voice say to me, "I chose you, too, Andrea." Later in the afternoon I went on a walk, and the Lord and I began to have a conversation that went something like this.

"Why did you choose the flowers that you did today?"

"Because I knew that they would grow best in the shade, and they would make my yard look the prettiest."

"What if you planted the ones you bought in the sun, instead?"

"They would not bloom. They would not thrive and they may even dry up and not live."

"And how will you care for them?"

"I will plant them in good soil, fertilize and water them."

"And what do you think of those flowers?"

"I think they are beautiful."

And then I understood what the Lord wanted me to hear today. "Just as you chose those flowers for the spot in which they would best grow, so have I chosen for you the spot in which I know you will best grow. Like the Impatiens, who thrive in the shade, so I have chosen the shade for you. This is where you will bloom brightest and best. I will care for you. I will plant you in this place and I will fertilize you and water you with my grace and my love. This is the best place for you, trust Me. If I were to plant you anywhere else, you would not flourish and blossom like I know you have the potential to do. And by the way, I created you and I think you are beautiful, too."

Dear reader, perhaps you find yourself planted in the shade of affliction. Sometimes life may seem darker to us than it is for others around us (and it can be!), or darker than we would like ourselves. It can be hard to understand God's ways. But God loves each of us very much. He chooses what is right for us, for our good, that we would bloom and grow, and that we would bring glory to Him. He cares for each of us tenderly. He plants us in a place that will bring us life, and life abundantly. He truly does know what is best. It may take time for us to see the beauty that God has in store for us, just as it will take time for my flowers to be full and overflowing, but He is faithful.

"Put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption" Psalm 130:7.

God Does Not Slumber Or Sleep -- What a Relief

It usually starts around ten or eleven at night. Finally, the house is quiet. I slip under the covers, set the alarm for the morning, squish my pillow in to just the right shape and turn off the light. Then I, unfortunately, often reach for my imaginary magnifying glass. and begin to have an enlarged look at my difficulties. Perhaps you know the feeling. I have an overwhelming sense of exhaustion all day, but seem to be never more awake than when I get in to bed, and then I begin to think, well, ok, worry.

Whether it is acute or chronic trials, they take their toll on one's physical and emotional well-being. Pain of any sort seems to be magnified at night, when the distractions of the day come to a halt. Now, however, we are tired and the uncertainties look bigger, the fears are greater and the sorrow is deeper. Troubles of the day, concerns for tomorrow, questions unanswered, although real, seem even more sensitive and fragile at night. Maybe it's the darkness that leaves us feeling alone and vulnerable. It is hard to see accurately in the darkness.

Laying in bed at night and thinking is causing me to not get enough sleep, I'm physically tired and I'm getting alittle tired of it, no pun intended. So, what do we do? How can we take captive our emotions and our thoughts and get some sleep?

I believe that it goes back to remembering who God is. We can choose to let our words of worry be few, and for God's Words to overflow, seep in and soak our weary souls. By reading and meditating on His Word we can remember it at night, and let it bath over us. We can listen to God's Word on a tape or CD and we can listen to music that glorifies Him and brings comfort to our troubled hearts. Instead of dwelling on our troubles, we can choose to dwell in Him.

With the Psalmist we can say, with confidence, "I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety" (Psalm 4:8). We can rest secure in Him, for He shields us all day long (and night!) and we can rest between His shoulders, for we are His beloved (Deuteronomy 33:12). What safer place is there?

Keeping God in clear view is always the solution. He brings peace, even in the darkness, because even the darkness is light to Him (Psalm 139:12). So, dear reader, when at night, you are finding it difficult to sleep as your mind is meandering and magnifying, and you are feeling vulnerable and fragile, look to the Lord, your help comes from Him. He is the Maker of Heaven and earth and the One who loves you very much. He will not let your foot slip, even when the way is treacherous, and He who does not slumber or sleep, watches over you (Psalm 121:1-4).

But, Lord, My Children ...

When trial and tragedy come in to our lives, we can be devastated, overwhelmed, raw, sorrowful and scared. As a mother, though, it is even harder when I witness the consequences ripple in to the lives of my children. I cry out, "OK, Lord, I will try to accept this from your hand. But what about my children? What am I to do for them? This is not fair!"

I have wrestled with this over the years in different circumstances, trying to come to terms with how do I persevere and heal the pain that I feel, and help my children to do so, as well.

Recently, I bemoaned the fact that my children are walking through the consequences of the reality of my current situation and how concerned I am for them. My heart ached with worry and fears for their futures. How would this affect them? Would they be alright? The arrows of the "what ifs" and "if onlys" attacked my heart, pricking it and making it bleed great sorrow.

But, as usual, I needed to take a big step back and a deep breath, and seek God for His comfort and answers for my children. (This is a topic, by the way, that I occasionally visit with the Lord about. I have not mastered it, yet.)

Isaiah 40:11 says, "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those that have young."

I began to realize that I needed to remember the truth. God is in control of all things, even the lives of my children. When God is tending His flock, He gathers the lambs in his arms. He knows that they may not be able to keep up. They are more tender and needing of more care. He is the one who gives that, and He carries them close to His heart. Not only that, but He knows that I have young ones, and He gently leads me as I try and nurture and care for them during this journey that we are all on.

I began to remember that God is writing my children's story, too. He works together all things at one time, even this, in their lives (Romans 8:28). Jeremiah 29:11 stands true for them as well as it does for me. He has a plan and a purpose for their lives, not to harm them, but to give them a hope and a future. What He has for them today in the midst of difficulty is part of His plan for who they will become and what He has ordained for them. He knows their individual make up, their needs, their strengths and their weaknesses. After all, He created them and He loves them very much.

My job is to trust God, even with, perhaps especially with, my children. As I walk through trials with them, they are opportunities for me to teach them how to trust God. I can teach them to turn to Him in prayer and to look for Him in the events of every day life. I can reassure them that He is present and that He is in control. I can help them to see that even though we may not understand what is happening that God knows and He will help us and direct us (Proverbs 3:5-6). God does have a special plan for them in all of what is happening. I can live out before them (not perfectly) the example that God's grace is sufficient for this day.

These days are full of opportunities for me to help turn the hearts of my children to God and help them to grow in their faith. Life is difficult. As they grow up, they will experience other trials. But, today, I can help equip them to trust God.

Dear reader, perhaps you struggle, too, with fears for your children as they walk through difficult times. May you see them, today, being held in the arms of a loving God, who will care for them and give them just what they need, not just for today, but for a lifetime as He writes the story of their lives. And, may you feel His gentle touch upon your back as He leads you in the ways in which you can comfort and encourage your children in the Lord. He really is always present caring for His flock.

In The Palm of His Hand

This morning I was working out with my youngest daughter, she on the elliptical, I on the treadmill. She, being only five, has lots of energy and figured that she would keep me company. Her little legs were going one hundred miles an hour, while I dogged the run. "Working out like this makes us strong, Mom. Strong and courageous!"

I laughed, appreciating that she had pulled that scripture verse from her heart. Strong, hopefully. Courageous, I wasn't so sure about, although it did cross my mind that depending on the day and my frame of mind, there probably was a certain amount of courage that I had to muster up to either go to the gym or work-out at home.

As I was jogging (and she was sprinting) I watched the news (with the volume down low so my daughter could not hear, although I suspect it was difficult for her to hear anything between my loud running steps and my heavy breathing). I thought TV may distract me from the physical discomfort that was growing inside my tired body.

Recession. Terrorist attacks. Joblessness. Murders. Drugs. Homicide bombings. Kidnappings. So much for distraction.

I began to think, "so much to be fearful of." The world seems upside down, with the latest culprit having its grip on the people of the world -- the Swine Flu. Apparently, it is now at a level 5, whatever that exactly means. Level 6 is the highest, so I guess not good. Clips of people all over the world wandering around with respiratory masks on, fear emanating from their eyes, projecting that which is in their hearts. Schools closing. People staying home. Uncertainty. Real concerns.

If it isn't enough to be hounded on the outside by such terrors, whether close to home or not, we have our own personal issues. Illnesses. Broken relationships. Financial strains. Loss of dreams. Abuse. Homelessness. The truth is, people hurting everywhere.

And with their pain, comes fear. Fears come from the reality that we may lose something precious to us like our family, our loved ones, our health, our homes. Things that we hold dear, lost to us, and then what will we do?

How do we watch the news and not fear? How do we look at our own life situations and not fear when we are dismayed, disillusioned, disheartened, and discouraged? We can combat fear by remembering Who God is.

Psalm 91:4b-6 is appropriate to even the fears of this day. "... His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys by midday." Isaiah 41:10 reminds us, "So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Dear reader, if you find yourself fearful today, I pray that this gives you comfort. The God of the universe who created everything (including you) is with you, holding you in His righteous, strong and powerful right hand. Imagine that. What an incredible thought. God holding out His hand, and you sitting right there, resting, in the very middle of it.

Working out may bring us physical strength (and maybe alittle bit of courage) but it is God who gives us the strength that we need to overcome the fears and discouragement that we face. He says that He will be the one who strengthens us. He is OUR God, and we are His.

The truth is, life is hard and hurtful, but we need to stand back and look at our fears in light of eternity. I need to be reminded of this, often. It is can be hard to grasp and hard to continue to hold on to. Life may not go as we had hoped. There will be disappointments. God will help us with our fear, but that does not mean that everything is going to work out perfectly, at least from our human perspective. We will lose things that are special to us, and it will be painful. But God is here to give us the grace and strength that we need, when we need it, and He will hold us, and carry us to our heavenly home in the palm of His hand.

PS -- I do want to add one caveat. Fear can be a "good" thing, sometimes. It can tell us that something is wrong, and that we need to act or react. If you find yourself in a situation that is abusive or dangerous, pay attention to your fear. God may be giving it to you for a reason. Flee from the situation that you are in, seek safety and pursue wise and godly counsel.

My Brake Light and My Sin -- What God Showed Me

It started three days ago. "Hey, Andrea. I saw you driving around town and noticed your right brake light is out. Probably should get that fixed before the police stop you" one of my children's teachers said to me in the pick-up line.

I got distracted and promptly forgot. I guess it was not a priority for me.

Then today I was in a copy shop and a man pointed it out to me, again. "Miss, I noticed your right brake light is out. Better get that fixed."

"Ugh," I thought, "when am I going to take care of that!"

All day long I drove around town, but now I was finding myself super self conscious about this burned out brake light. I'm not kidding you, it was ridiculous. You may laugh; maybe you can relate. I found myself trying to avoid braking, by slowing down earlier than usual. I would try and time my transitions through stop lights so that I did not have to stop. One time, I thought to myself, "I wonder if I take a different way to school, if I would be less likely to see the police." And then I even took it!

I even saw more police cars today, than usual, and at one point, one came up behind me and I was sure he was going to pull me over. At the stop light, next to him, I put the car in park so that I did not have to put my foot on the brake. I was determined to not get pulled over for this brake light, and yet, I just could not make time to have it fixed.

As the day went by and my antics continued, I began to think. This is just like my dealing with sin. Again, maybe you can relate. Something is not right in us, maybe even hazardous, like a brake light being out can cause an accident. We may keep bumping in to God trying to reveal to us the specific sin problem, but we keep on trying to manipulate our way around it. We deny it or try to forget about it. We try to avoid it. We take different routes, trying not to deal with it. We tell ourselves that we do not have time right now. We'll take care of it later.

And in the process, we just keeping getting more bogged down by the problem, and it holds us captive. Sin of all sorts. Mistrust of God, fears, worries, gossip, words misspoken, and bitterness, to name only a few. All we need to do is confess it and ask for forgiveness, but we don't.

1 John 1:9 says, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives."

Tomorrow, I'm going to bring the car in and have the brake light fixed. I don't like living in denial, fear and manipulation. Right now, I am going to ask the Lord to search my heart and help me to see what I need to confess. I know it's in there. And then I will ask the Lord to forgive me, in the name of Jesus, and set me free.

God's Intricate Faithfulness

I pulled off of my kitchen shelf a small book with the words "Special Occasions" scripted across the front. Each year about this time, I place it by my kitchen sink, dust off my binoculars that are housed most of the year in the back of the kitchen towel drawer, and begin to watch for migratory birds.

The book is special to me, even though I only use it from mid-April to mid-May. I do not know who gave it to me or when I received it. Most people use this type of book to record birthdays and anniversaries. I use it to record when I see different birds, as they fly through for Spring, marking their names and the year. For example, these are the current entries:

April 24th:

Veery 2004

Wren 2006/2009

Chipping Sparrow 2006

Nashville Warbler 2009

April 25th:

Veery 2009

Ruby Crowned Kinglet 2006

Chipping Sparrow 2009

White Throated Sparrow 2009

April 26th:

White Throated Sparrow 2003

White Crowned Sparrow 2003

Chipping Sparrow 2004/2005

I gaze out my kitchen window or wander around my back yard, trying to spot the newest arrival. I search for their flitting and flying. I am delighted by their songs.

God is so amazingly faithful. How can it be that each year, I see the same type of bird for the first time, within the same dates. Take the Chipping Sparrow, for instance. I saw one on April 24th in 2006, on April 25th this year, and on April 26th in 2004 and 2005. How does God do that?

These sweet little birds find their way north without a map or a GPS, like clockwork each year. They do not wear a watch. They do not carry a suitcase. They do not have a ticket. They just do what God designed them to do and what He plans for them and they fly. They are fed by the Lord when they are hungry, and they are directed to shelter when they need to rest or are in danger of a storm. He cares for their every need and He leads them through the skies. Some may call it instinct. I call it God's intricate faithfulness.

Psalm 57:10 says, "For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies." As I look for the birds in the skies and record them in my book for "Special Occasions" I am amazed at how God is at work in the journies of little birds and how His timing is so perfect. And I am reminded of His timely care and love for me, as I journey with Him, designed by Him and part of His plan. Great is His faithfulness, indeed.

As For Me, It Is Good To Be Near God

My nine your old son shuffled in to the room.

"Mom, I really need to talk to you. I had a really bad day at school and I'm scared."

We sat down on the couch and he shared, near to tears, "We talked about the digestive system today in science class. I'm really scared that I'm going to have appendicitis and it's going to rupture and I'm going to die. Like, what if I'm at school and suddenly I get pain and there is not time for me to get to the hospital. I'm really scared, Mom."

I tried to calm his fears. I talked to him about how appendicitis doesn't happen very often, but when it does it usually happens very gradually. I told him about the signs and the symptoms. I reassured him that it rarely ruptures, and that even if it did, there are antibiotics now to help people.

He still worried. As the hours went by, he brought it up from time to time. Over dinner he talked about it. On a walk with the dog he talked about. Even after he went to bed, he talked about it.

Finally, I said to him, "Honey, do you want me just to hold you? Maybe that would help?"

He sighed, "I think that is what I need, Mom. I'm sure glad that God gave me a mom who used to be a Physician Assistant who knows alot about things like this and can comfort me." And shortly after that, he fell asleep.

Usually when God is trying to tell me something, he sets it up in different circumstances. I had just posted Psalm 73:28 on the side bar of the blog days before, the speaker spoke on Psalm 73 at bible study yesterday, and then I had this sweet interaction with my son.

Psalm 73:28 says, "But for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds."

As I tried to encourage my son, I realized that I was much like him. I can have fears, especially during times of difficulty, when I am worn down and weary. There are so many uncertainties. I can become fearful and then I think on it, and think on it, and think on it. Finally, I remember that what is best for me is to be near God. And so like a little child, I draw away from the hustle and bustle, and draw near to God. With my warm fleece blanket, my bible and my journal, I snuggle in next to my Father in heaven and allow Him to hold me.

I realized that, because I had some knowledge, I could share with my son the truth about appendicitis. Because I had seen many people with the infection, I could assure him of the outcome. And because I love him very much, I could comfort him with my love.

This is how it is for us with God. He gives us truth, assurance and comfort. Our Father is a Sovereign Lord. He knows everything. Because of this, I can trust that He will show me the truth when I seek Him, and He will assure me in the process of His care for me, and His good and perfect plan. And because I am a child of God, I know that He loves me. He comforts me. He is my safe place of rest - my refuge.

Dear reader, my prayer is that you will know the gentle, tender touch of God, as you draw near to Him. I pray that you will know the truth and be assured through His Word and through prayer of His care and plan for you. I pray that you will know the comfort of his loving arms that hold you tight. Our all knowing God is in control of all things. We can depend on Him and not fear, because He truly is our refuge, and there we can rest.

Blessed Be the Name of the Lord

The daffodils in my yard, with their yellow, bright faces had finally bloomed. They pushed their way up out of the cold, dark soil, past the remnants of Fall, and announced the arrival of Spring. On sunny days, their heads bounced and bobbed in the gentle warm winds. They manifest hope and growth following a long, silent winter.

But today their sweet heads drooped down as they weathered stronger winds and freezing rain and snow. They seemed to peer at the ground with a yearning for the gentle touch of the sun. They represented perseverance and fortitude, yet appeared sorrowful. Their leaves were covered with droplets of rain, like tears resting on the cheek of one who longs for warmer more hope filled days.

My spirit was downcast within me today, as well. Perhaps the weather did not help, but it was more than that. There was an uneasiness in my spirit. Tears came easier than on more recent days, and my head hung with a more weary countenance than before.

Isn't this how it goes, though in healing? The old adage "two steps forward, one step back" often holds true. We begin to grow and change and blossom out of the darkness. We begin to enjoy the warmth again, and then something happens, or maybe even nothing really obvious happens, and we find ourselves downcast.

Psalm 42:5 says, "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God."

The truth is that our hope is not in our circumstances, but in the Lord, and He is a ready help and comfort. He is our Saviour. We may be weathering another brief storm, but our roots are firmly planted in the Lord and we are being held on to and cared for. Warmer days will come when the sun will gently cast its rays across our faces and we will once again look upward. We may not know why we feel as we do, yet we can praise the Lord regardless of the chilling the winds that may blow today.

Dear reader, we can almost be certain that days will come amidst our healing when we find ourselves downcast and discouraged. These are hard days in contrast to the healing that we begin to feel. Yet, we can bless the name of the Lord. It is a choice. I love the song by that title - Blessed Be the Name.

You can listen to it by Tree63 by clicking on this link: http://free.napster.com/player/tracks/23973340 I trust that the Lord will use it to encourage and strengthen you. He used it to help me tonite. In praising Him I am feeling His comfort and His grace. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

Before I Could Even Ask ... God Answered

I got up at 5:30AM yesterday, and woke my oldest up to get ready. Made coffee. Let the dog out. Ate breakfast and drove my son to the high school for an event. Drove back home. Read my bible. Spent time with the Lord while the other children still slept. Researched grape vines and pruning. Wrote in my journal. Kids began to trickle down. Made breakfast. Answered a couple of e-mails. Took the dog for a walk and worked on (still!) heeling. Cleaned the kitchen, again. Did a load of laundry. Tried to organize the laundry room. Gathered up the kids to go to a flag football game of my youngest son. Soaked up some sun at the football game, talked with some friends and watched him play. Piled our stuff and ourselves back in to the car. Talked about what we would have for lunch and the long list of things we wanted to do during the day. Put the key in the ignition and - - - - - nothing.

I turned the key in the ignition once, twice, three times. Silence. But before I could even get the words AAA or On-Star out of my mouth, a man was standing in front of my car.

"Did you need me to help you? Sounds like your battery is dead. I can just turn around here and hook up the jumper cables."

"Really?" I thought to myself. Just like that? No calling for help? No sitting around for who knows how long waiting for road side assistance? Things usually don't come this easy!

I was thrilled. I popped the hood. The man, with his family, turned his car around, hooked up the cables, and I kid you not, within 4 minutes from figuring out my battery was dead, I was on the road again.

I couldn't believe it! Such quick response. I did not even have time to ask the Lord for help.

Through out the day the Lord brought a couple things to mind regarding this incidence, as simple as it was. They were just the things that I needed to be reminded of.

First of all, our Father in heaven knows what we need before we even ask (Matthew 6:8). Now, of course, that does not mean that we do not need to ever ask, it just means that He knows it all. Spending time with God in prayer is a vital part of our Christian faith, but I needed to remember that God is in control of all things, even when I don't have a chance to ask. He is ready at the rescue, providing just what I need, and just whom I need.

Secondly, I was encouraged to recall that even when I can't ask or don't ask, that there is Someone who is interceding on my part. Romans 8:26 says " ... the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses, for we do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."

I have been feeling pretty worn down lately. I keep trying to focus on the Lord and resting in Him, but sometimes, I must admit that due to lack of wisdom or lack of energy, I don't even know what to ask for amidst my trial. My battery feels dead.

The paraphrase the message puts Romans 8:26 this way. "...the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans.

Dear reader, what a blessed relief and assurance. Who knows how many times God answers the prayer of the Spirit when we have not even had a chance to mouth, let alone think, the words of our hearts. Sometimes, our only words may seem more like groanings and moanings let out from our pain; even these are used.

God really does have us covered and cares for us so tenderly. His timing is always perfect. At times He responds with a rapid response technique, even before we ask, and other times, His answers seem long in their coming. We can be confident though that in all things He is at work, and He loves us with an unfailing love.

A Hedge of Protection

There are times in our lives when life is not as we had dreamed of or hoped for. Pain, fears, rejection, disappointments and uncertainty whirl around us like the blowing winds of Spring. We desire and cry out for safety and certainty, and they seem far out of reach. We yearn for a hedge of protection.

I have been thinking about Job today. Talk about drama and loss! In very brief summary of the first two chapters of Job, we hear of a man named Job who God describes as being blameless and upright, a man of prayer who shunned evil. The despicable Satan visits the throne of God and a conversation takes place.

Although the text does not explain why Satan has come, God cuts right to business and asks Satan if he has considered His servant Job. Satan sarcastically implies that the only reason that Job fears God is because of all that God has given him, and at this point, he had been blessed in abundance.

Job's hedge of protection, or so Satan thought, was at the root of Job's peace with God. God knew otherwise. God allowed Satan to strip it all away, except Job's body. It was to remain untouched.

Satan destroyed almost everything - sons, daughters, livestock, servants, households and houses - but when Job heard the news, he fell to the ground and worshipped God. Satan's plan was foiled. In fact Job's first response was to worship God. Double blow to Satan.

So, Satan tried again. God remains confident in Job. Satan wants Job's own physical self this time. Surely, he must of thought, the pain in a man's own body will destroy His spirit.

Satan inflicts Job with painful sores. Job mourns. His wife does not stand by him and his friends are not really friends at all. Job is left alone, trusting God.

As I reflect on this hedge of protection, I wonder how many years Job had asked God for this? The story of Job challenges me to think of the "hedges" that I ask God for and the "hedges" that I depend on. Job had prosperity, but I believe that this was not Job's hedge of protection. Job's hedge was something entirely more precious and wonderful.

What strikes me is that Satan tried to take away the hedge he thought was Job's, when all along Job's hedge was God, and Satan can't touch God.

Dear reader, we can learn and be encouraged and strengthened by this. Perhaps you are struggling with a great number of losses right now. Maybe very little seems like gain. I know that feeling, too. It is very hard. Whether our suffering is part of a greater battle between good and evil, I can't even pretend to know, but I do know that when we make our hedge God, we are safe. When we pray for a "hedge of protection" we can be confident that God, Himself, will be our Protector.

In the end of Job, God blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. I do not know what God has in store for any of us, but I do know that if we walk with Him, trusting Him for all things, that He will be all that we need and He will provide for us in abundance.

I am thankful that God is my Hedge, and tonite, I rest confidently in the safety of that.

God Will Never Let Go

I remember the feeling all so well, even though it was years ago, BK -- before kids. A friend of mine from college and I decided that we would be uncharacteristically daring and try sky diving.

Being that it was our first time and we were not trained, we flew tandem. On the ground, I put on a flight suit and eye protection, and climbed aboard the plane. Once in the air and reaching the right altitude, the professional sky diver (or at least I hoped he was) attached himself to me by the use of metal clasps that connected his jump suit to mine. In this position, his head was near mine, obviously, so I could hear everything that he was saying to me. The hatch door was opened on the plane and I was told to step out on to the bar that was attached to the wing. So in unison, the knowledgeable diver and I stepped out, holding on to the wing bar. At the count of three, I was to let go and "just" fall. He would take care of the where and when, I was just to follow his lead, and trust him. He assured me that he would be responsible for pulling the chord when the time was right, releasing the parachute.

So, I did as he said. After all, I had not come that far to climb back in to the plane. Nausea and fear filled my body. A pit welled up in my stomach, almost choking me in the throat, as I stepped out in faith, clasped to my partner. There I was, now, out on a limb (or a wing), so to speak, and ready to step off. All I had to do was let go at his signal and let him take care of the rest.

For several thousands of feet I free fell with him, face down, air rushing past me, looking at the vast scenery around me. He would point out different landmarks for me to look at. All I could hear was his voice. And then "pop" he pulled the cord, and I no longer "free fell" but floated to the ground, under the parachute, still attached.

It's hard for me to even choose the words to describe the experience. It was unlike any other.

The analogy is not a total parallel, but sometimes I feel like this is how our journey with God in trials can be. God may ask us to step out in faith in a really unbelievable circumstance that feels much like we are stepping out on to the wing bar of a plane and free falling. We need to remember Who has attached Himself to us and believe that He can be trusted. We need to listen to His voice alone, and follow His lead. Even though there may be the rush of a thousand other voices, like the wind, we need to only listen to His. We need to look around us in the process and see what He has for us.

There often are a myriad of questions. Had we really come this far with God to now be falling in such an unbelievable and vulnerable way? What do we do with our fear? Will we have enough faith? What is the right timing? Will God really be there for us? Are we sure the attachments are secure? Will He pull the cord giving us the parachute of His love canopy over us and provide for us a safe and quiet landing?

Lots of questions, some answers. But we can know for sure that He is holding on tightly and will never let us go. We are not flying solo. The pulling of the parachute nor the landing are up to us; He controls the timing and He controls the direction as we sail with him.

Psalm 139:8-10 reminds me a bit of this analogy. "If I go up to the heavens you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."

Yes dear reader, in our times of trial and suffering, it can feel like we are free falling. Believe that God is with you and has clasped Himself to you by the love of Jesus. If He is asking you to step out in faith in a scary and difficult situation, know that He can be trusted. He will never let go of you. He will be there to guide you and He will hold you fast. He is faithful.

Happy Easter!

"But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him" Acts 2:24.

What a comfort! What a joy! What an assurance! It was impossible for death to keep its hold on our Jesus! Jesus was raised to life, and we too in believing in Him, have new life.

This is the only hope that we have, that in Jesus, we are free. He has rescued us and preserved us. He had the power to overcome the grave , and He has the power to overcome the evil and danger and destructiveness in our own lives, and in Him, we have the power to do whatever He asks of us.

He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Each day, from our rising in the morning till our resting in the evening, let us be confident and comforted in Christ, Who has set us free. Let us live in the glorious knowledge that Jesus is alive and well and in Him alone we can overcome our obstacles and trials. We may not always know the outcome but we will, in seeking Jesus, know Him and we can trust that whatever the outcome is, it is the right and good one for our lives.

Happy Easter, dear reader. We do not follow or love or serve a man who is dead, but a Saviour who is living. Praise God for this! And remember that you are loved today and each day forward. Rest and rejoice in the beautiful love of our resurrected Jesus.

Wait for the Lord -- Be Strong

Psalm 27:13-14 says, "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

I don't know about you, but the idea of waiting conjures up all sorts of images in my mind that I do not find peace and joy in. Waiting in line at the grocery store, stuck in a traffic jam, waiting for an important phone call, and waiting for my food in a drive through. Waiting seems like an inconvenience, a nuisance, a waste of time. We are checking our watches, checking the mail, sizing up the shortest line, or trying to calculate the shortest distance from where we are to where we want to go, because we do not want to have to wait!

As I reflect on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, I am struck with the waiting the Jesus must have endured. Knowing what was to happen, he patiently waited through being glorified by the crowds as he entered Jerusalem, knowing that ridicule and betrayal were in hot pursuit and would be on His back within days. He endured betrayal, deception, mistreatment and abandonment. Jesus had the power and the authority to come down off of the cross, throw His arms up in air and say "Enough with you people!" But He did not. He, in strength and confidence, stayed there and died an excruciating death.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, while His beloved disciples slept, He prayed to Abba Father. He acknowledged that everything is possible for God, and then said, "Yet not what I will, but what you will" (Mark 14:32-36). Jesus waited and endured because He knew the Father's will and was willing to trust Him. He waited and endured because He loved you and me.

Waiting feels passive. It feels like, "Surely we should be doing something!" We want to take a short cut, perhaps get off at an earlier exit and weave our way home a different way, just to avoid the waiting. We size up the situation and look for the shorter line. We just want to get on with our lives, not wait! It feels as if nothing is happening, and like I mentioned before, like we are wasting time.

But this is not truth. Waiting requires a great amount of strength, strength that is given to us by the Lord. Waiting on the Lord is an active process of relying on the Lord and knowing Who He is. We are to know not just who He is, but we can know Him deeply and intimately and with that comes an assurance of Whom we can depend on and rely upon.

There is something in me, and perhaps in you, too dear reader, that says "Hurry up! Make a decision! Do something! You are wasting time!" But we are called not to rush ahead of God, but to wait on Him. We are to seek His Will and wait patiently.

Lamentations 3:25-26 encourages us that, "The Lord is good to those who trust in Him, to the one who seeks him. It is good to wait patiently for deliverance from the Lord." (NET) As we wait for the Lord, we can be assured that He will answer, and He IS answering. We can be confident that even right now, in the waiting, He is at work in our hearts and in our situation. We will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!

So let us slow down, take a deep breath, grab hold of God's heart and be strong. Think upon our Lord Jesus today and what He endured as He waited and remember that He really does love you very much.

P.S. I Love You

I awoke to a blue sky and quiet. The wind that whipped and waled the day before was now silenced. The trees were still and the beach seemed to beckon, "Come and see what God has given you."

My daughter and I did not go down to the beach on the day of the storm. The wind in combination with occasional rain showers made it cold and difficult to try and hunt for shells. It was disappointing. In our first days at the beach before the storm, we were accustomed to rising early and combing the beach for shells. We were particularly drawn to finding sand dollars. We were delighted to have even found several. Sand Dollars are quite fragile and there seemed to be a lot of broken fragments laying on the beach, but to find a whole sand dollar, well, that was quite a find.

On this last day of our vacation, though, God had a surprise in store. We went out early. The sand was cold and the air was not much warmer; even the water felt warm on our cold toes.

Piles of sea weed were scattered along the shore like tumbleweeds, blown up by the fierce waves from the previous day. But the waves of the storm also deposited other evidence of the ocean, and as I would see, evidence of God's love.

We found star fish and sea urchins. We found an old trap that washed up and an old buoy. There were shells and pieces of shells in abundance. There were more things on the beach this morning, after the storm, than there had been previously.

And as we walked along, we discovered one by one, Sand Dollars of all sorts of sizes and colors. Like children on an Easter egg hunt, we giggled and searched, wondering what we would find next and how many would there be?

Nineteen Sand Dollars in total. Who would have ever thought it possible? Not me. It was as if God was saying to me, "P.S. I love you!"

We displayed them in the shape of a heart for a photo. I wanted to remember this sign of God's love for me - His abundantly, faithful and sometimes surprising love for me. Whole Sand Dollars resting on a bed of broken shells. God's love for me amidst some of the brokenness in my own life.

After gathering the sand dollars back up we imagined, out loud, to one another, "Wouldn't it be something to have an even 20?"

No kidding, we looked down to see one more instantly uncovered by a receding wave. That would be 20.

Now I don't have any idea how or why it would be that we found 20 Sand Dollars in one morning, but in the amazing experience that we shared, God showed me a couple of things.

1. God is at work in every detail of our lives.

2. God is always showing us how much He loves us.

3. God does give us special gifts after (and in) the storms of our lives. He may use these storms to stir up these surprises for us that reveal to us His goodness and His love.

4. Even when God seems to give us alot, sometimes He even gives us more.

Dear reader, take hold of God's love for you. As the storms of life blow in and out, sometimes hourly or daily or weekly or monthly, look for the gifts that He has just for you. He is writing you a love letter in the story of your life. Look for His "post-scripts" (or "post-storms") and be assured of His unfailing love for you.

Jeremiah 31:3 says, "In a far-off land the Lord will manifest himself to them. He will say to them, 'I have loved you with an everlasting love. That is why I continued to be faithful to you." (NET) In the paraphrase the Message it describes God as saying, "I've never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, and love, and more love!"

Dear reader, take hold of the truth of God's love for you. In your suffering that seems like a "far-off land" God will show Himself to you. Look for the gifts that God has just for you. He is writing you a love letter in the story of your life. Look for His "post-scripts" (or "post-storms") and be assured of His everlasting love for you.

Love, love and more love! Nineteen Sand Dollars and one more. God is amazing.

He Calms the Waves of Sorrow

I am traveling with my oldest daughter. We are spending some long promised and much needed time together, one on one. It is a huge gift to have this time with her. It is like a sigh of relief and refreshment nestled between two parenthesis in the story of my struggles.

However, tonite I am having a hard time sleeping. My heart is stirred by a series of thoughts that I have concerning the sea and its waves.

I love the ocean beach. Today, we were walking along, looking for shells and sand dollars. The wind whipped around and through my jacket, crackling like cellophane. A storm blew in earlier, and the salty air seemed to hang heavy and thick against my skin. My hair curled in every direction, its natural tendency to do so accented by the moist air. The water was warm in contrast to the cooler air, and the waves lapped at my legs and feet.

It was the lapping of these waves that seemed to connect with my sorrow and grief that still remain deep within my heart. This is the reality of life. Joy in one aspect of life can run parallel to deep sorrow in another, and I have learned that it is ok.

Waves of sorrow or grief or whatever we may experience as a reality to the losses that we may know, can be like the waves upon the ocean beach. They rush forward crashing on the beaches of our hearts, and then ease back in to the sea. Rhythmically, but not methodically, they come. Sometimes, when the storm is great, the waves come rapidly and fiercely. Other times, when the seas are quieter, they still come, gently rolling in and pulling back, but still coming.

I noticed as the waves ease in and out, that they bring with them broken shells. These shells, large and small, are remnants of what once was whole. In our waves of sorrow, they may be dreams and longings and hopes, now shattered. They tumble along the sandy bottom of our souls, sometimes covered, sometimes exposed.

But once in awhile a treasure comes in on the waves, and if we are looking for it, we can find it. A whole sand dollar. A star fish. A sea urchin. Incredible in how God created it, we appreciate it for its beauty, and for the part of the landscape that it represents.

So, too, in our sorrow or our grief, treasures are washed ashore. They may be unexpected and we can choose to search for them. They may be new dreams or experiences that God is gifting us with. They are a part of His story for our lives, and they have a beauty of their own. They, too, are a part of the landscape amidst our grief.

Dear reader, perhaps today, you can relate to this sense of sorrow welling up inside of you, crashing on the shore of your heart. What to do? Acknowledge these feelings and ask Jesus, a man acquainted with your sorrows, to accept them in to His care. He will tenderly take your troubled heart and wrap His strong and mighty hands around it.

Psalm 89:9 says "You rule over the proud sea. When its waves surge, you calm them." Slowly you will begin to see that the waves of your sorrow begin to turn into waves of His care, and the gentle lapping of His love will wash over you and give you rest.

And for me, tonite, as I finally rest my head on my pillow, I acknowledge that God has given me a treasure in my sorrow today; I have time with my daughter, to pour invaluable love in to her life, just like that which He has poured in to mine.

Jesus Sees You, Too

"As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on" (Luke 21:1-4).

For some unknown reason, this interaction with Jesus keeps on coming back to my mind this week. As I read through it and reflect on it, I realize that there is alot that we do not know. However, it is what I am able to see that gives me encouragement in the Lord and strength for each day.

I see Jesus, and I see that he looked up. In the previous chapter he was in an intense conversation with his disciples and the teachers of the law, being bombarded with all sorts of questions and challenges. Deep in thought and talk, Jesus looked up and He saw.

He saw the rich and He saw a woman. We read that she was poor and she was a widow. We can assume that she was walking through a dark time in her life. Suffering surrounded her and I imagine that in more ways than one, she had very little reserve.

We know that she went to the temple and she gave all that she could. She got up in the morning, got dressed (I'm assuming) and gave.

And again, Jesus saw her. He not only saw her, but He acknowledged her actions. He knew her circumstance and He knew what she was choosing to do in it.

So, dear reader, how can these four simple verses, describing a minute detail in the greatest story of all time, encourage us? What do we see of Jesus and of ourselves?

First of all, we can get up each day. Maybe we are suffering in a same or different way. If we are not poor or a widow, we may be experiencing other sorts of poverty in our circumstances. We may be worn down with weariness or stretched thin by demands or flat on our backs with desperation, but we can make the choice to get up, get dressed and go about what God is calling us to.

Secondly, we can give what we have to the Lord. When we are walking through a trial, we may not feel as if we have alot to give. We may be too tired, too poor in spirit, too dry to come up with much, but we can give to our Jesus what we have. It may not be much, but God knows. We can give Him our desires, our wills, our dreams, our hopes, our gifts, our hearts. Even if we do not have much to give, we can give to Jesus and trust Him to care for it.

Lastly, I am strengthened and encouraged by the fact that Jesus sees. He looked up and saw the rich and He saw the poor, and He sees us, too. This is the most important part to me. Jesus didn't have to engage in a conversation about the poor widow. He was busy with other issues, but He did.

And, dear reader, He sees you and me, too. When we are feeling full of our fears or swallowed up by our suffering, He sees. He turns His gentle and tender face towards us and cares for us. He knows what we are dealing with and He knows what we do with it. We can believe that He is mercifully and intently watching over us.

Like the widow, rise up and give what little bit that you can, dear reader, to the One who loves you and sees you. You just never know how He may use you.