Beautiful Feet

I like shoes, but I’m not always gung ho about shoe shopping. It’s really only because of one reason – the size of my foot. Let me put it this way – if I was Cinderella, my foot would be more like a large vase. When I was a little girl, my uncle used to say to me, “It’s good to have a solid platform, Andrea.” I appreciate his attempt at making me feel better. The size of my feet are one of those things about myself I’m not crazy about. I know -- it’s silly. They’re just feet.

In need of a pair of shoes for the She Speaks conference that I am attending next week, my fourteen year old daughter and I went to the store. She sports a darling size 8, and looks cute in everything. I flop around in a – oh, it’s not important. I was in search of a pair of closed toed shoes. For this sandal loving girl – it was a bit of a stretch. I like my tootsies free and unencumbered. In the summer the only pair of closed toe shoes I have are my running shoes. Those will not cut it with dress pants or a skirt.

The good news is that after slipping on shoe after shoe, I finally found a pair. Due to the sale, I was even able to snag a couple pairs of sandals. Maybe shoe shopping wasn’t that bad?

In the quest for footwear, I started thinking about feet and what God says about them.

When we seek to love Him and trust Him, He …

· Sets our feet upon a rock (Psalm 40:2)

· Keeps them from stumbling (Psalm 56:13)

· Keeps them from slipping (Psalm 66:9)

· Lights the path with His lamp for our feet to walk (Psalm 119:105)

· Says our feet our beautiful as we bring good news, proclaim peace and bring good tidings, proclaiming salvation (Isaiah 52:7)

I think that’s cool. Regardless of the size or look of our feet, cute shoes or not, He thinks that they are beautiful, as we step out in obedience and share the love, hope and peace of Jesus to a hurting world. That brings perspective to me, and I’m glad that I have that platform to stand on.

A Fear of Being Forgotten

Trips to the dentist. Phone calls. A special request from the children for a treat at the store. A promise to play a game. My purse. Paying a bill. A submission for the community calendar I write for. Scheduling appointments (Which reminds me … I need to call the orthopedist for one of my children). And on and on it goes. I have been awfully forgetful lately.

It’s really bugging me. I hate the pit in my stomach when I realize that I forgot to do or get something. It’s been happening way more frequently than I would like. Is it too much on my plate? Too much on my mind? Or -- shhhh! -- peri-menopause? I’m not sure of the cause, but what I realized today is that what is really bothering me about it is that at a deeper level it is tapping in to my fear of being forgotten.

I have no idea where I developed this fear. Something deep down inside of me fears being left out, left behind, of low priority – low enough to be forgotten – like a pack of snacks at the grocery store.

Do you fear being forgotten?

Truth is, we are all forgotten from time to time. People will fail us. We fail people. However, we can be confident that God will never forget us. He never leaves us. He is never too busy or pre-occupied. He is always present, at our side. What a relief.

I am so thankful for His faithfulness. Believing it is something that I am working on. In Joshua 1:5, God reminds Joshua, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” That’s for us, too, and one thing I am determined to never forget.

Puzzle-ing Days

I wish I could look on the cover of the box. Then I would know how it would all turn out, and somehow, I think that would be best for me. But then again, not really. I know better.

I love a good jigsaw puzzle -- looking at a pile of pieces, separating out the borders, and piecing them together. After the border is put together, then I can get to work on the inside pieces. There is enjoyment in picking up piece by piece, looking for familiar colors and patterns, and placing them together. There is satisfaction in seeing the varied pieces, in size, shape and color, gradually coalescing together to create a bigger picture, whole and defined.

Life is like a puzzle. Each one of our days is a piece, placed in just the right spot, by the hand of He Who Created the puzzle. He begins with the outside of the puzzle, framing up our lives with the assurance of His love. Then, piece by piece, He places each day within the confines of His love. Some days are monochromatic and mundane, others are colorful and busy, still others are dark and dreary. A piece here, a day there, the Lord settles them in one next to another, not always in what we see as order – left to right, right to left, up to down, and down to up. Sometimes, they are grouped together, giving us a glimpse of the whole, other times one or 2 pieces sit, connected, but not revealing even a portion of the picture.

We don't know the number of pieces in the puzzle of our life. God has numbered our days, and day by day, He places them, planned from the very beginning of time. He knows the picture; He planned it. He takes each day and all that it holds for us, and fits them together in just the right way to make you, you and me, me. Our stories are made up of a million pieces.

Most days, it’s puzzling to me. Once in awhile, I capture a view of what the whole might look like. In spite of my not always getting it, my faith grows and is strengthened, as I trust my life to the Hand of the One who loves me, “being confident in this, that He who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

That’s for you, too. He is at work in your life, dear reader, piecing the days together, as puzzling as they may seem. The good work He is creating in you, is a beautiful work -- the perfect work -- drawing you and others around you closer to Him and revealing His love to a broken world, through you.

Dear Lord, Help us to appreciate each piece – each day. Help us to accept that seeing the cover on the box would not be helpful to us, that if that was so, our faith would not be faith at all. Help us to give thanks for each day, whether drab or exciting, full of holes or of knobs, believing that each day is another piece of the puzzle that God is placing together for His glory and for our good. Amen.

Hooked by Criticism

I felt the sharp point pierce my skin and then dig deeper still. My stomach sank to my feet and my head began to spin silently, as the barbed hook of criticism (the non-construtive sort) lodged itself in to my heart. It wasn’t that it was a very big hook, it just was that it hit me in a tender spot and triggered a pain that rippled through out my body. Critical words, whether big or small, direct or indirect, hurt.

Regretfully, as much as I have experienced the pointed jab of criticism, I have cast the hooked line myself and injured others. I hate that. It humbles me. It makes me sad.

I don’t know why we do it. Part of our sinful humanness, I guess. Perhaps it’s to prove to ourselves that we are “okay.” We fear being inadequate and so we try to elevate ourselves by injuring others. It’s been said that “hurt people hurt people.” I think that is true. Or maybe our words are a flowing over of years of fermenting bitterness or a reenactment of what we experienced somewhere in our past. I’m sure there are a million reasons. I wish I understood it better, both for my protection on the receiving and delivering end.

Thinking back to when I was working as a PA, I recalled that when a person came in to the office with a fish hook in their finger the procedure to remove it would be to continue to push the hook through. Pulling it back out through the direction from which it came, was difficult and even more painful. Following the arch of the hook and moving the point forward, until the hook was out, was the best way to remove it.

So, I’ve been pushing through and working out a hook over the past couple of days. The gentle hand of God is helping me. I’m trying to use His truths about Himself, about me and about His plan for me, to help wiggle the criticism out. I am feeling more at peace, and learning to depend on Him more, in new ways. He is releasing me, slowly but surely, from the injurious effects, and also gently reminding me of the pain that my own barbed words of criticism can cause. In the end, I now see how He is taking this time to further grow me and change me. Again.

Dear Lord, Thank you for your faithfulness in helping us in all circumstances. When we are hurt by others, please help us to see the truth and trust you for all things in the process. Help us to be sensitive to where others are, to watch our words, to encourage and build up rather than discourage and tear apart. If we have hurt others, help us to be bold to seek forgiveness and seek to restore the relationship. Thank you for being gracious and merciful to us. Amen

High-Five!

The score board was broken, so the score did not light up, but it wasn’t necessary to see it, anyway. We knew our team was down, and it wasn’t looking like a win for my son’s junior little league team. It was the bottom of the last inning. William, my eleven year old son stood at bat with two outs and two strikes. To add to the tension, the bases were loaded.

The pitcher hurled the ball, William swung the bat and -- “smack!” -- the ball sailed through the air, far in to left field. Everyone ran. The outfielders ran towards the ball that flew through the air. The infielders ran to cover their bases. The boys on base ran to the next base and the next base, and the next. William ran all the way to third, three runs being scored before it was all over. The crowd (and probably most dramatically, I, his mother) jumped from their chairs, screaming and cheering. My son's team ended up winning the game. One would think we won the World Series.

Today, William has been reliving his great moment in his own personal little league history. At lunch he outlined every micro-second of the infamous hit, detailing how he stood at bat, where the ball met the bat at the “sweet spot,” what he was thinking when he hit the ball, and on and on.

“And my friends and coaches were giving me high-fives, saying ‘great hit, William’ and ‘way to go, William.’ Even my friends on the other team were giving me high-fives and ‘way to go’s.’ It was so fun!”

Then he paused, held his hand high, with palm outstretched and beamed, “It was great getting all those high-fives mom, but I’m thinking – I’m going to give God a high-five for helping me to make that great hit!”

I love that -- giving God a high-five. Now that’s a picture to behold in my mind. The Lord’s strong, perfect hand reaching down, palm open to meet the hand that He formed, as it stretched out to show gratitude. Very cool.

I’m convicted by my son’s spontaneous acknowledgement of his gratefulness to God. It was grand to see him have a terrific game, but even sweeter to see his heart living a life of thankfulness. I’m learning from him; and in this game of life, win or lose, I’m going to work on reaching up, touching the hand of God, and giving Him a high-five for all He’s been and done for me.

Pictures and Points to Ponder ... from our trip to California

God places signs of His love for us, everywhere, in all sorts of environements. (A heart shaped hole in a Redwood tree in Muir Woods).

As a calm lake reflects an image of a rock, a quiet and gentle spirit that trusts the Lord, reflects Him.

Sometimes, the road of our story takes a God ordained detour. It can be good. Very good.

Lovely and strong, these small pink mountain flowers grow and flourish in a hard place. So can we. (Discovered blooming on the steep, rocky wall in the Yosemite Valley).

The Lord has written, sealed, stamped and sent you a message today. Are you looking to see what He has to say?

One Thing I Abhor -- Bullying

It was getting chilly at the soccer game and I wanted my jacket. I hustled over to my car to quickly grab it out of the trunk, when I heard the quivering sound of fear. Over my shoulder I caught the image of a young boy about 8 years of age backing away slowly from another boy about his same age.

“Leave me alone. Don’t do that anymore. Go away.” The words shuddered like the ripples on a washboard, as they escaped from his mouth.

“I’m going to get you,” the other boy taunted, as he ran towards the first boy. They both disappeared around a car.

There are some things in life that once you’ve felt them yourself, there is no lag time in feeling them again. Movie clips of my being teased as a young girl began rolling in my mind. The deep sense of fear and helplessness came rushing through my veins. I was motivated and moved by these miserable memories.

I abandoned my mission to get a coat and walked briskly to the parking space where they had disappeared. I still heard the voice of the taunter pursuing his prey.

Just as I reached the space between the two cars, the boy bully – to his surprise -- backed right in to me. Startled, he looked up. I got down at his level -- eye level.

“Are you being unkind?” I said, gently but firmly.

“Yes,” he now shuttered.

“Do you like it when people are unkind to you?”

“No,” he said as his other little friends, wondering what was happening, appeared on the scene.

“I didn’t think so,” I nodded. “I don’t know who any of you are, but I suggest you leave this boy alone. Practice being kind to each other. Is that clear?”

The boy nodded rapidly, frozen in his steps. I walked back to my car, and back to the game. Ended up, I didn’t really need the jacket. I wonder if God had me there for a reason. I’ll never know if it made a difference, but I hope it stirred conviction in one boy and strength in the other.

There are a number of things in life that I abhor -- bullying is one of them. It definitely makes my “top ten list of despicable things people can do.” It brings about this intense sense of justice and compassion in me. My blood begins to stir when I hear others being put down, stepped on, preyed upon, or doused with fear.

I think about the verse from Micah 6:8 (NET), “He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God.” Sometimes, it’s hard to stand up for what is right. We question whether we are even making a difference, or our own fears and insecurities get in the way. There are times in my life when people stood up for me. There are times when I wish someone had.

Promote justice, in the little and big things in life. Be faithful. Live obediently to the Lord, the lover of your soul, the lover of every soul. Defend the bullied, protect the abused, help strengthen the downtrodden and encourage the down cast. Show them the love of Christ, even a small way. Be aware of where God is placing you and what He may be calling out to do. Stand up and speak out. It may mean a world of a difference to one – or to the world. You just never know.

Heart Cries from Around the World

I’m always asking myself questions, lots of questions, in this incessant conversation that I carry on in my head. Questions about myself. Questions about my circumstances. Questions about God.

I wonder what other people around the world are thinking about, too. What are the cries of their hearts? What are they looking for? What questions do they ask in the dark of the night or the uncertainty of their days?

So, being the curious investigator that I am, (Did I ever mention that I considered the CIA or the FBI for a career?) I began to observe the statistics related to this blog.

If you are not familiar with how this can be done, I’ll briefly explain. I have the ability to see where people come in from to my site. I can’t tell who they are, just the geographic location, from anywhere in the world. In addition, I can tell how they found my blog. For instance, someone may type in to their search engine, “God prunes to bear more fruit.” Once doing that, a long list of places that have written on this topic pop up, including my post on how God's gentle Hand prunes to produce more fruit. The interested person then may choose to click on to my site, and possibly (hopefully) read what I wrote.

Over a two month period this spring, I recorded what people “googled” that brought them to my blog. There have been some interesting ones. From the Netherlands, someone entered “is having a snake a sin,” and came to my story about sin being like a snake. In Canada, someone entered “easy way to move a large stone” and came in to the story that I wrote about the large stone that was rolled out of the way of the tomb at the resurrection of Jesus.

And I don’t know what it is about birds, but there have been quite a few that have come in to my post Like Birds on a Wire, about loving each other. People entered words of curiosity like “how do birds keep balance on a wire,” “advert about a bird on a wire with the other birds and they don’t like the bird,” and (humorous to me) “why some people don’t like birds – they are God’s birds.”

Sadly, recently one person from India typed in “Lord, how does one feel when one is rejected and discarded?” I hope that they read what I wrote and that it helped. It breaks my heart. I prayed for them the instant I read it.

There are many questions that people are seeking answers for that have brought them to my blog, some of the most common being, “a bruised reed He will not break,” “renewing my strength in God,” and “God does not sleep or slumber.”

But … the most common phrase that I see people wondering about, that brings them in to my blog is some variation of this – “The will of God will not lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you.” I wrote about this in November of last year, and still to this day, at least one person (if not multiple people) come in through this quote. Over this two month period this Spring, I recorded 101 people from 35 of the 50 states and 34 people from all corners of the world – Trinidad, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, Singapore, Canada, Philippines, India, Brazil and Norway. Perhaps it really is a small world after all. This is amazing to me.

I am encouraged that I am not alone. There are others (all over the world) that wonder about whether the will of God will take them where they cannot be kept by His grace, and a multitude of other questions. We wonder together. We struggle together. But there is hope. We are secure in the love of God, as we seek to trust the Lord Jesus in all things. The promise of God’s security is not “from” but “in” all trials. We are not immune to difficulties. He takes us through them by being close to us, and supplying us with the grace that we need for every moment. When He asks us to do something or brings us in to a valley, He will always provide for us – in His grace – just what we need.

A Fountain of LIfe My Words Can Bring

The fountain in my back yard bubbles and babbles a beautiful, peaceful sound all day long. I love the sound of flowing water. It is refreshing, calming and alive.

Over the past few days, I’ve been listening to the fountain and thinking of how the flow of the water out of the fountain is like the power of my words. The sound of the water bubbling out of the fountain is a very audible and visual reminder to me to watch my words, using them for good and not for harm.

Proverbs 10:11 says, “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life.” I desire for my mouth to bubble out words of life. Encouraging words. Joyful words. Truthful words. I want my words to be humble, not boasting and self-serving, but gentle and kind. I want words that are refreshing, nourishing, peace bringing, and life-giving to flow out of my mouth. I want to have wise and discerning words. I do not want to choose words that are stagnant and putrid, like the water in a lifeless fountain, but words that are beneficial and beautiful to life.

Unfortunately, I am not always successful at this. Sometimes, especially in difficult circumstances or with difficult people, I find it hard to come up with something nice to say, and worse yet, I sometimes say things I shouldn’t. I fail with my family and friends. I desire to be one way, and yet, fall in to criticism and self-pity; things that muck up my words.

And then I realize that just like I have to flick the switch, allowing the electricity to flow through the circuits to the fountain in my back yard, energizing the motor that runs the pump for the water to flow, I must stay connected to the perfect source of power, the Lord Jesus. As I acknowledge His life giving power in my life and spend time with Him in His Word and prayer, then my mouth (and heart) can be a fountain of life. I have a choice. I can choose life-giving words.

Dear Lord, Help me to use lovely words, words that build up and do not destroy – worthy words. As I come in contact with my family, friends and those who you bring across my path, remind me to bubble and babble words that bring life. Help me to be the fountain of refreshment, by Your power, in a world that is dry and stagnant, in need of encouragement and hope. Amen.

Slowing Down for the Summer

A major storm blew in upon the little house. The rain pelted. Tornadoes touched down. The little house was nearly destroyed, with the exception of the foundation – firm, unmovable, indestructible.

To restore was a big job; some would say (did say), insurmountable. Slowly but surely, with help and prayer, debris was hauled away, plans were made, the walls were slowly erected, the roof set on top, the electricity strung from room to room, and the plumbing piped throughout. Doors were placed to keep the unwanted out and what was inside safe. Windows were placed for light and for joy.

The final touches were yet to be made. To make it a home, it would need to be redecorated. The little house needed color, furniture, fabric, and photos. New colors. New furniture, placed in new places, for the family who lived in the house to enjoy. It would take time, a new kind of time. The big things were built, the little things now needed to be worked on. Without them, it was just a building, with them, it would be a home.

So it is for my family right now. There are times when I can unmistakably feel the hands of God upon my shoulders directing me and saying, “Do this, now, dear one. This is what I want from you.” And I know better than to ignore Him or refuse Him, for I know He loves me and my family and Has a future for us. This is clearly one of those times, and I have heard Him say, “Slow down for the summer, Andrea. Slow down.”

For the past copule of years, we have been in a major reconstruction project. Nearly all that was left after the storm of our trial that hit our family was the firm foundation of our faith in the Lord Jesus – the firm, unmovable, indestructible One who is our all in all. He helped us rebuild, wall by wall, strut by strut, wire by wire, pipe by pipe. He helped us to place doors to keep the unwanted out, and to help protect that which is indoors. He helped us hang windows, to allow more of His light in and to bring us joy when we looked out.

Now, is the time to redecorate -- time to add new color and details to our family. It’s been called, “creating a new normal,” and it is done together, over time. It is making new memories. Having new traditions. Sowing new seeds. Cherishing. Investing. Hugging. Being available. Celebrating. Sharing. Looking at each other through fresh eyes.

Why am I sharing all of this with you? Well, part of my slowing down, will be writing less on my blog this summer. It is a bit sad for me. The blog has been a place of healing for me and a place of encouragement from the Lord and from my readers. Thank you for that. I love to write. It brings me joy. It makes my heart full to share God’s truths through daily experiences to encourage and to strengthen. Slowing down for me is hard, but I know it is what I need to do, for right now. I hope to write about once a week, but we’ll see how God leads. Maybe sometimes a bit more, maybe a bit less. Please check back once in awhile. Let me know how you are doing. Let me know if I can pray for you.

My children will wake up soon this morning, and the next time I look, they will be grown up and gone from this house. That’s natural. I understand that, but for now I want to pour into their lives and decorate our new family together. It’s the little things that make a home special, and it is the little things that make relationships special, too.

Little things, that’s what I hope to do this summer with my family. Play basketball. Watch movies. Laugh. Talk in the car from here to there and everywhere. Go to a Christian music concert. Make a campfire. Eat lots of s’mores. Cheer at a MLB baseball game. Take family bike rides. Go for a run. Snuggle. Talk like the dog. (It’s a silly thing I do that makes the kids laugh). Play games. Swim, swim, and swim some more. Take road trips. Read. Take naps. Teach one of the little girls how to sew. Play “store” with another. Hang out with my teenage daughter, doing whatever is important to her. Plant seeds and watch them grow. Be available by just being present. Play games with my oldest son. Sit in my back yard and watch my youngest son hit baseball, after baseball after baseball in to the woods. Look for God together. Thank God together. Celebrate each other. Slow down, create – redecorate -- and enjoy each other in our “new normal.”

"Embrace Life" (Lessons from a Seat Belt Ad)

My mom forwarded this ad on to me. I just couldn't resist sharing it with all of you. And at the end, I thought to myself, not only, "Yes, I should wear my seatbelt," but "Oh! How He loves you and me." When the tragedies of life hit and all around us shatters, the Lord is present, embracing us with His love. Wear your seatbelt, dear friends. Embrace Life. Embrace God. Allow Him to embrace you.

Rainy Day Hope

Rain pelted the window. The wipers marched back and forth, clearing the splattered drops only for a moment, until more covered the windshield. The clouds hung gray and heavy in the sky. My heart was slightly heavy, too. Sometimes, rainy days stir up whirlpools of emotion somewhere deep down inside of me. Rainy days are reflective days for me.

It wasn’t that I could put my finger on any one thing, it was a soup of some of my own sorrows (mixed with joys), as well as, thoughts of the sorrows of others around me. Sick family members. Abuse. Marriages under stress. Loneliness. Injustice. Widowhood. Cancer. It seems as if, as time goes on, more and more tragedy seeps in to the lives of God’s loved ones. We are not to be surprised by it; Jesus said that we would have trouble.

As I watched the wipers coarse left and right, wiping the rain away, I remembered, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:17). There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Revelation 21:4). Someday, all will be well when we are with our Jesus in a perfect place.

And suddenly, hope cheered my heart, as I watched the wipers of my car and God's Word clear my view. Despite the dreariness of the weather, inside and out, I remembered that there is hope. God has not, will not ever, abandon those who love Him. He continues to orchestrate all things, even when it seems to us as if it does not make sense. The rain of our tears may pelt the glass of our hearts, but someday, He will wipe all those tears away. And the truth of that can bring us joy, even on the dark, rainy days.

For now, we are called to trust in the Lord and not lean on our own understanding. To walk alongside of each other, delighting in each other’s joys and carrying each other’s burdens. To cling to hope. To cling to Him. To remember.

Dear Lord, Thank You that You give us hearts that feel emotion. Thank You that You teach us how to love each other. Thank You that You give us the ability to be sorrowful, and yet hopeful and joyful. Thank You that, when we are alittle under the weather (or alot) we have the hope that someday You will wipe away every tear. Help us to live in the reality of Your love, at all times. Amen.

Be -YOU - tiful

Recently, I received a gift bag with a present inside of it. The gift inside was lovely, but it is what the bag said that keeps on coming back to me – “Be-YOU-tiful.”

Do you struggle with being you – the beautiful you that God created you to be? I know I sometimes do. I’m not sure where it comes from (maybe from the enemy, who wants us to be anything other than what God wants us to be), but I find that I lose myself somewhere along the road of wanting to be like someone else and not appreciating or being content with who God made me to be. I can be distracted by what others are telling me to be or I don’t take the time to see who I really am.

For some of us, there even may be messages from the past, like you are not beautiful. You are boring. You are weird. You are not gifted. You are not fast enough, creative enough, smart enough, or funny. Maybe you’ve been told you are fat, clumsy, forgetful, or worthless.

We lose ourselves, or we never really found ourselves – but God never loses us. He treasures us, and has a plan for us.

And part of that plan, is being YOU. Rabbi Zusya once said, “When I reach the next world, God will not ask me, ‘Why were you not Moses?’ He will ask me, ‘Why were you not Zusya.”

That’s my thought for today. Am I being ME? Are you being YOU? Or are we busying ourselves with trying to be someone we are not – someone God never intended us to be?

God made us. We are His handiwork to bring glory to Him – and we can do it by appreciating and embracing who He made us to be. God created beauty and part of His beauty, perhaps the most beautiful of all His beauty, is you.

Be YOU. Be creative. Be strong. Be athletic. Be musical. Be smart. Be thoughtful. Be whimsical. Be serious. Be noisy. Be reflective. Be relaxed. Be adventurous. Be a home-body.

God has placed special gifts and talents in you that He plans to use in the lives around you – He is orchestrating all things at all times.

So, dear reader, BE YOU – be beautiful YOU. Stop toiling and fretting and trying to stuff yourself in to a mold that will never fit you -- just BE YOU. Ask God to help you see your value and worth today. You are beautiful, just the way God created you to be. Figure it out. Embrace it. Share it. Love it. Be comfortable with it. Be flexible with it. Be confident in it. Be willing to offer your beauty to God for His glory and for His purposes.

Stop! Look! Listen!

The yellow school bus bounced along the highway, while the noise of 50 children bounced off the walls of the bus. It was a busy field trip to the local zoo with kindergartners and first graders. Lots of excitement. Lots of joy. Lots of noise.

The bus driver had her rules, and the children were expected to obey them. Sit in your seat. Keep your hands inside the bus. No eating or drinking AND when she approached a railroad crossing, at her signal of two fingers held high in the air, the children were to stop talking until she looked, listened and crossed over the tracks. Once it was safe, then the fun and laughter could resume.

STOP! LOOK! LISTEN! It’s a law. When a bus approaches a railroad crossing, the driver is to stop the bus, open the doors, look and listen for a train. If all is clear, the driver carries on. I suspect it came from a load of bad experiences. I don’t even want to go there in my mind. The level of tragedy is too great for me to handle today.

Each time we stopped though, and I heard the noise level go from a roar to almost complete silence, I was reminded that I need to stop, look and listen.

When we come to a crossroads, a place of potential danger (and let’s face it we do, in big and little ways each day, on this bumpy journey called life), we approach crossings where we must make decisions. Our physical, emotional and spiritual lives may be in danger. Sometimes (not all times), tragedy can be avoided, when we are wise and seek God.

At these junctures, we can STOP -- stop what we are doing, and make a conscious effort to quiet ourselves and prepare to LOOK and LISTEN for God. We need to look at our circumstances and our thoughts in light of what God’s Word and His will. We need to ask Him to help us make a decision, chart a course, or turn the other way. We need to ask Him to help us to see when and where danger may be coming down the track, and make sure that we avoid it or let it pass us by, not collide with us. We need to listen to His voice, the promptings of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, and discern what God is calling us to do.

We are such a busy people, aren’t we? We have a lot of loud background noise bouncing off the walls of our hearts and minds. Places to go. People to see. Pain to process. Influences of the world pulling at our way of thinking. Lists and lists of things to do. We need to slow down and STOP, LOOK and LISTEN to what God is revealing to us in every part of every day. If He cares enough about the sparrow (and He does!) then He certainly cares enough about us, but are we taking time to look and listen for Him?

I know I need to be more aware of it. Oh, sure, in the crisis times I call out, but it is in the mundane of every day that I wax and wane. I’m working on it. Maybe you are, too. Let’s continue to encourage one another on this journey.

“Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him” (Deuteronomy 30:20).

Have a blessed weekend!

In the Cool of the Shade

As I popped up the umbrella, while sitting at my daughter’s soccer game on a sweltering May night, I thought of my Grandma. I can picture her, perfectly rounded, seated in her woven lawn chair. A thin hat made of netting, rested gently on her hair that was routinely “done” by the lady at the local beauty parlor. She usually wore a solid colored skirt with a matching floral print blouse. She always smiled at me. She called me “Dolly.” She would sit and watch me play from under her umbrella; even at my college graduation she sat under her umbrella, in the shade.

As a little girl, I always thought it was odd that she would use an umbrella to shade herself from the sun. I thought an umbrella was really only practical in the rain. I was little and the thought of needing shade from the sun was not something I ever considered. Who needed shade? The sun was for fun!

But today, the sun was beating down on me. The air was thick with humidity, and my skin was glazed with droplets of perspiration (let’s face it, we women would much rather think of ourselves as glistening, not sweating – although, all said, I am not opposed to a good sweat). My breathing was a bit quicker, along with my heart rate. My eyes were squinted to a slit. It was hot.

However, as soon as the arms of the umbrella fanned out over me, I instantly felt relief. The shade – it brought comfort to me and relieved my body from the affects of the heat. My breathing slowed, my heart rate relaxed, my skin felt cooler and my eyes opened wide again. To use an old phrase – I had it made in the shade.

Psalm 91:1 says, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” The imagery of “shadow” here is a Hebrew metaphor for protection against oppression, as shade protects from the oppressive heat of the desert sun. The Lord is the protective “shade” of His people.

What a powerful and practical picture, and what a reminder of God’s presence in our lives. When life becomes overwhelming and too hot to handle, only our relationship with God can calm the soul and bring us relief. It is here in this shadow of the Almighty that we find rest, a rest from our worries and our fears. In His presence we can be assured that no matter what happens, God is in control and covering us with His love, as we rest in the cool of His shade.

Dear Lord, thank you for all that you show us about You in the everyday experiences that you give us. Help us to remember when we are cooled by the shade of a hat or a tree or an umbrella, that You are our protective shade, bringing us relief and comfort from the heat of our circumstances, protecting us with your love and giving us rest. Help us to see it and believe it. Amen.

A Song that Speaks to My Heart

Every so often, I hear a song that speaks to my heart. "Your Hands," by J.J. Heller is my favorite right now. I hope that it encourages you, as well, as you seek to trust in the Lord in all things. Sit back, listen, watch and remember that you are in His hands.

Space Between the Notes

A large Cottonwood tree stands in my front yard. Surrounding it are other trees. However, the Cottonwood tree does not have any leaves. It stands tall and erect, with small buds on the tips of the branches, but no evidence of life. It appears that sometime in early spring, it budded out, and then it stopped. It never fulling expressed itself as a tree.

I shared with my friend Lori, “I feel like that tree this week. I feel like I budded out, but now I’ve stopped.”

She wrote back … “Andrea, sometimes it is two steps forward and one back. I will pray that you are not stalled, but just pausing.”

Pausing. I needed to realign my thinking on what “pausing” is really all about.

Pausing is not useless. It can be useful. It can be beautiful. It can be a time of rest. It can be a time of reflection. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I fall in to the idea that if I am not busy doing something for the Lord, then I am just that -- not doing something for the Lord.

I need to stop – pause – my thinking and realign it with God’s thinking. There are times when He calls us into seasons of rest. Like times of trial, these can be growing times, if we chose to set our hearts on allowing God to use them in our lives. They may be a gift to us.

I don’t know a lot about music, but from what I can tell, areas of silence – “rests” – are significant to the song. Claude Debussy, a French Classical Composer, said “Music is the space between the notes.” These spaces add character to the song and allow the listener to gather in the sounds and reflect on the melody. They are just as much part of the song, as the notes.

God uses times of silence or pause as accents in the song that He is writing with our lives. We may not understand what they are there for, or even know what to do with them, but without them, our song would not be as lovely for Him.

So if you feel as if you are in time of pausing, know that God has not abandoned you. He is working in this time, too. He is using it to grow character in you and making you more like His Son. It may be a time when He uses it for you to gather in the sounds of His voice and reflect on the melody of the song that He is writing. Surrender yourself in this time, stop fretting and running to find “something to do” and just be with Him. Wait patiently and confidently in the Lord (Psalm 37:7), in the "space between the notes.".

Well Done!

Sitting in my camp chair, I peered through the chain link fence at the local ball park. It was opening day baseball for my 10 year old son.

The boys ran off the field at the bottom of the fifth inning. They were down by one point, with a score of 2 to 1. As they trotted across the field, the coaches bolted out of the dugout, palms held out for “high-fives” and voices booming words of motivation and encouragement.

“Great job! Way to go! Nice play! You guys are doing a great job! Nice catch! Nice throw! I liked the way you kept your eye on the ball. I am proud of you! Well done!”

Not a boy was missed with a pat on the shoulder in the customary “Atta boy” fashion, a “high five” or a word of encouragement. It was evident that each player was appreciated and valued.

I wanted to cry. I did cry.

You see, it didn’t matter if a boy caught a ball, missed a ball or bobbled a ball. It didn’t even matter if the ball ever came close enough for a boy to have a chance to put it in to play. All that mattered was that they were all out there, trying their very best with the gifts they possessed, in the position that they played. It did not matter whether they were the pitcher, the catcher, an infielder or an outfielder. One boy did not get more attention over the other. They were a team, and together as a team, they were celebrated and encouraged, regardless of what happened on the field, or whether they won or lost.

I kept on thinking of the verse “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21) as I watched the coaches greeting each player. It is interesting to me that God does not say, “Well done, good and productive, accomplished, and successful servant.” He says, “… faithful servant.”

God gives each of us different personalities and different gifting. He places us in different positions on the field. Some of us are infielders; some of us outfielders. Some of us are better at throwing, and othersare better at catching. Some of us cover a small area, and others are called to cover a larger territory, like an outfielder. God puts us where He knows that we will best serve, and all He asks of us is that we are faithful.

Faithful. That is what I desire to be -- whether it is at home, in the community, in my church, or on the other side of the world. I want to be faithful in little things and in big things. I want to be faithful, regardless of the weather of my circumstances. I want to be faithful with how God created me and the gifts that He has given me. I want to be faithful to Him.

And someday, as I run off the field (knowing that I have sometimes played well and other times not), I hope that I hear the voice of God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Dear Lord, I know that I can be discontent. I am not always confident that You are using me as part of the team that You put together for Your good and for Your glory. Help me and my dear readers who may struggle in this way, to keep our eyes focused on You, the ultimate Coach. Help us to hear Your voice, follow Your leading, and play by Your rules. Help us to love and serve and be faithful with the game that You are asking us to play in. Thank You for giving us the strength and understanding to know how to play. Help us not to despair when the scoreboard says that we are down by 1 or down by 10, but help us to rest assured that you already won the victory and it is for us to be – faithful. Amen.

Postage Stamp Insecurities

I felt my insecurities sticking to me again, like postage stamps on a letter.

I mulled them over in my mind, trying to figure out why they were there and trying to get rid of them. Who knows where they came. I hate how they feel. Maybe you know what I mean.

Finally, I realized today that trying to figure them out by myself wasn’t working. Maybe I should actually talk to God about them, instead. (Why does it take me so long to go to Him, sometimes?)

And here’s what I felt Him impress upon my heart:

#1: Yes, you do have insecurities. Lots of them. I am aware of your struggle with them.

#2: May I remind you that you are “secure in” my love?

#3: I am going to use them to send my message to the world that needs hope and love.

No wonder I kept feeling like they were postage stamps! Maybe that’s exactly what God was trying to tell me, but I was so busy talking to myself, that I didn’t get it. (Common problem of mine. Working on it!) As I accept my security in Him, He is going to use insecurities to send a message to the world about His love.

In acknowledging the reality of the presence of my insecurities, I can be authentic. I can be vulnerable. I can be merciful. They keep me humble. What’s the big surprise about having them, anyway? I know that I’m not perfect and don’t have my act together, and I also know that God can use my weaknesses for good.

I can choose to stop fighting with them and just let them go. I don’t need to dwell on them. I need to dwell with the Lord and rest in my security with Him, for as Deuteronomy 33:12 says, “Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders.”

So, dear reader, acknowledge what your insecurities are, surrender them to God and let Him use them to speak in to the hearts of others. I believe that He may just use these “postage stamp like insecurities” to send a message of hope to a hurting world – around the block or around the world.

He Will Cover You With His Feathers

“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge…” Psalm 91:4.

Recently, I remember the story about Corrie ten Boom, a woman who endured extreme suffering as a prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp during WW II. Fear, pain and loneliness were a very present reality to her, but even more so, was the reality of her precious Savior. For comfort and relief, she turned to Psalm 91:4, “He shall cover thee with His feathers.” She prayed this verse every night, with confidence and then she would imagine herself under the actual feathers of God’s protective wing. Here, in this place of safe refuge, she would rest.

She was much later released, by “mistake” (if there is such a thing!) and went on to travel the world, sharing the love of Jesus. She would often say, “There is not pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.” Amazing.

I am teaching from Psalm 91 this week. It is a beautiful poetic expression of God’s protection and provision. It is close to my heart. This painting, titled Psalm 91, hangs in my office. My friend Mary painted it and gave it to me, as a visual reminder that I close to God, resting in His shadow, covered by His feathers.

There is no refuge like God. He is the strongest shelter and in His shadow we can find rest. I don’t always understand it, but I know that it is true. Dear reader, no matter what afflicts you, worries you, or fears you – big or small -- run for cover under the shelter of the One who loves you and is your secure refuge. Here you will find rest for your weary soul and refreshment for your heart.

"Someday, My Prince will come ...."

The image of a sweet, innocent, trusting, yearning little girl inside each one of us is close to the surface of my heart this week. We may see her in a picture or in children around us, but maybe even stronger, we feel her deep down inside.

She is very real, isn’t she? Memory is an amazing thing. In remembering, we can conjure up images of events that have happened to us, joys or sorrows or hurts, as well as dreams that have faded. Our past affects our present; we can’t help it, it just does.

And in the brokenness and grief deep down inside most of us, our little girl hearts cry out, “Someday my prince will come …“ and we hope and so desperately want to believe that our knight in shining armor will rescue us and brings us security and joy.

And the good news is – He has.

Jesus came to rescue you from your sin and heartache in your life. When He looks at you, He thinks you are beautiful – because you are. He thinks that you have value– because you do. He thinks that you are worth fighting for – and He did. And He loves you very much.

He loves you whether you are:

· Young or old

· Tall or short

· Gray haired, brown haired, blonde haired or red haired.

He loves you regardless of:

· The color of your eyes

· The size of your dress

· Your shoe size

· What you do for a living or how many “talents” you possess

· How many children you have or the fact that you do not have any

He loves you if:

· You are married, divorced, single or widowed

· You live in a house, an apartment or a car

· You have failed and made bad choices in big ways and in little

· You have scars on your face – or scars on your heart

I need to remember this more days than not. Maybe you do, too.

Loved, Special, Made for a Purpose

Yes, that is me. Hair parted down the middle and pulled back with white plastic clip barrettes. I remember that dress with the white Peter Pan collar. It was very sweet. Can I say, I was sweet? I’ve been thinking a lot about this little girl – me as a little girl.

I attended a women’s retreat this past weekend. My friend Bridget did a presentation on how to relax and refresh yourself in simple ways – paint your nails, take a bath, exercise, read a book. However, I was caught off guard by what was at the top of her list and it brought up a well of emotion inside of me. She pulled out a picture of herself as a nine your old little girl, and she said, “Stop the negative talk about yourself. Talk positively to yourself about yourself. Speak kindly to yourself like you are a nine year old little girl.” I wept.

I came home and found this picture of me when I was nine, and wept some more. As I reflect back on what my friend went on to say, I would never tell this little girl (or any other little girl for that matter) that she was ugly or boring or useless. I would not tell her that she was not worthy of love or that she did not have any gifts. I would not tell her that no one cared about her.

So, why do I say otherwise to myself? Do you experience this, dear friend? I spend a lot of time listening to women and hearing their hearts, and I hear insecurities ooze out all over the place. Insecurities like mine and insecurities different than mine. They are all lies, and yet we hear them and repeat them to ourselves. What’ with that?

I don’t know. Something inside of us got contaminated along the way. Maybe cruel statements were heard, either through the words or actions of others, and somehow, someway a poison seeped in and began to destroy. We began to feel like damaged goods. Cracks in our hearts did not heal completely when we were hurt, and insecurities and lies began to distort reality and rot away at the truth that we are created by God, in His image, for a purpose, and that we are beautiful to Him.

So, what do we do?

Well, I am not entirely sure, but I am working on it. I liked what Bridget had to say – talk to yourself as if you are a nine year old little girl. Talk gently. Don’t belittle yourself. Talk to yourself as if you are special – because you are.

And tell yourself the truths of God, not the lies that you may have heard or felt somewhere along the way --lies that stick like leaches. God’s truth is bigger and stronger than the lies. You are His child (John 1:12). You are His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). Your are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). God has a plan and a purpose for your life (Jeremiah 29:11); you are not a waste. You are a treasured possession, (Deuteronomy 7:6) not junk. You are a friend of Jesus (John 15:15). You are chosen of God, dearly loved (Colossians 3:12), not worthless and rejected. You are never alone (Deuteronomy 31:6). You are loved with an unfailing love (Isaiah 54:10).

Your homework for today (if you should choose to accept the challenge), dear reader, is to find a picture of yourself when you were nine. Look in to that darling face and tell her that she is loved, special and made for a purpose. And then look at yourself in the mirror, and say the same thing. Say it because it was and is true; God says that about you.

(P.S. – I must share with you that I am feeling terribly vulnerable in sharing this story with you today; maybe it’s part of the lie that I sometimes believe that people are going to think I am ridiculous and that I have nothing of value to share, but I feel that God has called me to write this. I am willing to step out and live authentically for the sake of hope. I have prayed for you, dear reader, if you struggle in this area, that God will fill you with the truth and that you will begin to see more of Him and more of the truth about you.)