Jane Hinrichs - Home

Lay it all out there.

4/9/2020

Jeremiah 17:9-10

This strange time of social distancing and staying home a lot and not seeing many people except for your family is the perfect time to let God clear away the crud in your heart.

Don't be offended. You have crud in your heart. I have crud in my heart. We all do. Don't be surprised at that. God isn't. Read the verse on the left. That is truth. And the sooner we accept it as truth the sooner God can do His work in us to clear the junk out.

Sure. You can live with all that bad stuff. People do this all the time. People live their whole lives with poison in their hearts. Jesus says in Matthew 15:18-20, "But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the (person). For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the (person);"

Proverbs 27:17 says, "Iron sharpens iron, so one (person) sharpens another."

I tell my kids often that their true character comes out in how they treat the ones they live with; how we treat those we feel safest with; how we treat those people who we see day in and day out; those people who see us in the early morning and the late at night; our brothers and sisters, spouses and children. How we treat these people is a spotlight to who we are. That's why this time of just hanging out with family at home can give God the opportunity to clear away the garbage that lives in our hearts. When it is exposed to the light it can be cleared out.

It's no use denying what is there. One of my children loves to kick against the boundaries this child so desperately needs to be safe and grow in wisdom and joy and love. How I respond to this shows who I really am. And I tell you -- I am not at all like Jesus sometimes. Instead of condemning myself for negative thoughts or irritation I can just hand it over to God and ask Him ot change me, to make me like Him.

There is great power in getting alone with God and laying it all out in honesty and vulnerability. That lets Him in. Self-justification, excuses, blaming others -- all these kinds of reactions harm ourselves and our relationships with others and God. If you catch yourself doing any of that, stop and ask God to help you respond in love.

Let God Use These Unusual Circumstances In Your Life

3/30/2020

God only can use these unusual circumstances in your life if you allow Him to. He will do what He can, but if we keep our hearts closed to Him, He can't flow into our lives as He desires.

Last night my husband took a shovel and turned over all the ground in our garden. Our garden isn't huge, but it is a very big job for one person to work the ground. Working the ground before planting is necessary. Farmers do this all the time. Hard ground can't accept seeds. Sure, once in a while a seed might take root in hard ground, but not normally (unless it is a weed and we don't want weeds in our lives).

God tells us in Jeremiah 3:3 to "Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns." Hosea 10:12 says it even better. It states, "Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD."

This is exactly what we all can be doing during this time of quarantine and social distancing. This time (again, if we allow it) will remove the dross, the unwanted junk out of our lives. It will remind us what's important. We can once again focus on our families.

The Bible talks about dross. Dross is the waste, the unwanted stuff that comes out of metals like silver or gold when they are fired. Each time the gold is put into the fire the impurities rise to the surface. The artist then scrapes those off and does it again until eventually there are no more impurities.

What if God has chosen to use this COVID-19 pandemic to take away the dross in our family life so our families will grow closer and stronger? God will use anything in our lives to strengthen the good. To strengthen our relationship with Him and with people in our lives. I am not saying He brought this into the world, but even when bad things come into the world God can bring great good from them. Joseph says to his brothers in Genesis 50:20, "And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good"

When our world is functioning without restriction, it encourages tons of activity. You gotta do this. You gotta do that. You gotta play in all these sports. You gotta do ______________. Fill in the blank. It is as if the world system is trying to tear apart our families and stop us from spending time in quiet and thoughtful contemplation.

One last thing. You might ask how you can break up that fallow ground in your heart. Just ask God to help. Pray something like this: "God, please break up the hard shell around my heart so I can hear from you."

That's all you gotta do. He just wants you to look to Him. Give Him permission to plant His seeds of Love in you. You will not regret it.

He is Amazing

3/25/2020

I've got to share something with you today. And I wholly recommend getting a copy of The Message Devotional Bible by Eugene H. Peterson. That is where what I am going to share with you comes from. Peterson's comments, notes and questions really get deep into a person's heart -- well, at least this person's heart. Here is his comments on The Parable of the Sower found in Luke 8:4-15:

This sower went out to sow his seed, and he threw it everywhere. He didn't care where the seed went. He didn't seem to care whether it fell on the road or in the rocky places or in the briar patches -- he just threw it to the winds and let it fall where it may. A farmer has to have a lot of seed to be that extravagant.
We flash back to Genesis where God created an entire universe and put one man in it. Sun, stars, moon, seas, vegetation, fish, birds, mammals -- a cosmic system created so that one man may live. And that is extravagant, too.
The Genesis story reminds us that the parable, too, is about God. God is the Sower. He sows his seed, which is his Word. And the characteristic of his sowing is his extravagant, if not wasteful, generosity. Seed everywhere. God's Word spoken incessantly. The words, acts, intentions, creative happenings of God falling all over the place.
Is that the way the world looks to you? Well, whether it does or not, says Luke's parable, that's the way it is. We live in a world that's dominated by a Farmer-God striding through nations, civilizations, societies, communities, continents, countries, families, and private minds; through war, through peace, through taverns, through restaurants, through theaters, through offices, while people are typing, sewing, eating, sleeping, driving, singing, weeping, talking, watching, playing, cursing, blessing, arguing, making love, studying, striving, escaping, running; in Bangladesh and Baltimore, in Calcutta and Chicago.
God is present in the world sowing his seed, the seed thrown into every person's life, into every situation, into every heart, into every nook and cranny of the universe.

Isn't that great? That "in private minds" reminds me that God speaks to everyone. Even those who have convinced themselves that He doesn't exist. He is speaking and revealing His love to everyone. He is working. No one can keep Him out. I am so very glad of that!

He Wants To Be Your Father (in the most perfect sense)

3/24/2020

I've done it myself. I've read books and articles that encourage it, but they are all wrong. There is no formula, no right way to pray, no right way to talk to God because with that kind of attitude it is essentially us trying to manipulate God to do what we want Him to do. When people try to manipulate us and we resist or succumb to the manipulation, it is a bad thing. It doesn't encourage love or closeness or honesty. I want to share a couple of good quotes I read today from The Message Devotional Bible by Eugene H. Peterson:

"The living God cannot be used, manipulated or managed. Spiritual power isn't a matter of getting our hands on the right method or technology. The personal God cannot be reduced to an impersonal power."

"pagan worship was grounded in the belief that human actions provide the critical element for what happens in life, that the gods can be bribed to prosper humans. Viewed this way, Canaanite culture is hardly distinguishable from contemporary culture. A great deal of contemporary religion is little more than trying to manipulate God in order to get something from him."

This is a worldly way of thinking about God and relationships with others. If I do this, He owes me. If I do this, they will do _____. You see this in certain children. Children who are not normally "sweet" might start getting all sweet and cute in order to get something from their parents. When we indulge this behavior we reward manipulation and not honesty and real connections.

God will not be manipulated. He wants to have real relationships with us. If He would bow down to our manipulation, it just indulges us and encourages and fosters dishonesty and more manipulation. He doesn't want spoiled children. He wants children who are close to Him. Children who want to spend time with Him. Children who lean on Him and find their strength in Him and who enjoy is presence. Why? No, it isn't for selfish reasons. God is not selfish. It is because He loves us and knows in this is where we will find true joy and contentment -- being in a loving relationship with Him.

Doing things God's way is the best way to do things. Jesus says in Matthew 22:37 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind."

In John 13:34 Jesus says, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another."

Doing life God's way means loving Him and loving others -- doing what is best for others. Imagine if everyone in the world lived this way. That would be heaven. And actually, that will be heaven. We want you there! So, talk to the Father. He is very very good. And He loves you. Talk to Him.

You gotta change your life rhythm

3/23/2020

Being at home for extended periods of time is hard for some of you. It isn't your normal. You have a different rhythm to life. We're creatures of habit, and we're comfortable doing things the way we do them. Routines are blessings (their true worth shows through at certain times of life); but God, who is in charge of all, might be telling you to try a new life rhythm for a time. Trying to keep the life rhythm of your other life will just frustrate you while you are at home.

As one who has been a caregiver and stay-at-home mom for almost 25 years, I can tell you you gotta slow down and be flexible. Notice things. Find the joy in your situation. Don't hold fast to any kind of routine or task. If you are a parent of young children who need your help with homework, find joy in that. Laugh with them. Laughing is a really good thing. Kids (and adults) long to laugh with you.

God is blessing us with some really good weather this week. Make a point to get outside. You don't have to do anything out there unless you want to. When I go out I usually just sit in a chair and enjoy the warmth of the sun on my face and drink a cup of coffee. While I do that I might notice birds; I might do a bit of yard cleaning or throw a stick for the dogs; maybe I will do a bit of garden clean-up. Whatever. God isn't in a hurry. When we are in a hurry and adament things have to stick to the schedule we have in our minds, we miss some really good stuff.

The moments in life the New Testament Writers chose to share with us about Jesus' time here on earth are not all the moments they shared with Jesus. In between all those times He and they did a lot of walking and a lot of sitting and a lot of talking. They prayed. They sang. They laughed (I believe they laughed a whole bunch). They ate together. God is calling us to enjoy some of these kinds of moments.

Last week I was helping Pete with his essay questions that dealt with two stories he had read. We laughed. We laughed a lot (I admit when I do the thinking and discussing thing with him I get kind of irreverent...well, maybe a whole lot of irreverent....if you read his bigfoot books -- he has two now -- you'll read this irreverent attitude a lot).

Something we all need to get better at is to quit taking ourselves so seriously. The One we need to take seriously is God. And then become a student of the people you are with. Learn about them by listening and noticing. There is always something new to learn about people, even yourself. Let me share with you what I just learned about myself. I have been having a lot of negative dreams lately. I didn't know why. I don't read or watch anything that would cause this. And I am not angry or worried. So I did some research. Turns out that nightmares and negative-feeling dreams are common in people with bipolar disorder. Wondering how to get them to stop I read one place that suggested to tell yourself to dream gentler dreams. That sounded silly to me, but I tried it. It worked! I'm going to try it again tonight.

What can you learn about yourself this week? About the ones with you? How can you enjoy the life you are living right now? Taking it as it is and not imposing your own agenda on it?

Death is not the end -- indulge me please

3/21/2020

Indulge me please as I talk about a personal matter. It's not that private really, but there is a reason I will share what I share. With this story I want to illustrate that death is not the end. Just because we lose someone who rips a hole in our soul when they leave this earth doesn't mean we have to live devastated for the rest ofour lives. If we know they are in heaven we know their lives continue on, and one day we will get to hug them again. Death no longer has to have the final say. Death no longer has to destroy the lives of those who are still on earth. We grieve but not without hope -- that is a Bible verse paraphrased...let me look it up . . .

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope." 1 Thessalonians 4:13

When you lose someone so close to you you will grieve at times throughout your life, but there is hope in it.

Seven years ago, our daughter Maggie went to heaven. She was two weeks shy of her 12th birthday. Since then she has never left our lives. She is still part of it. I say to my oldest son, "Maggie would have loved Anna!" And she would have. Anna is my future daughter-in-law. My oldest daughter says, "Maggie would have loved little Weston." Oh, she would have delighted in being Aunt Maggie! Weston is my genius grandson (he is six months old -- and I am so in love). As Pete, her adopted twin (both were the same age and were in the same grade -- Maggie was from Bulgaria, Pete is from Russia but they ended up being like twins in a way), will graduate this year from high school. We think what Maggie would have done. We imagine her reaction to things Pete does. We picture her in her cap and gown. We picture her at college (she wanted to be a special education teacher like her favorite teacher of all time, Mandi).

As I write this my cat Killer is on my lap. Maggie said to me once, "Mom, don't ever get rid of Killer." Why? Because Killer is a small cat and Maggie could pick her up (my stepson Tyler named Killer -- it was to be a prophecy and it sure is. She's a great mouser). Maggie was very thin and didn't have much physical strength.

She loved babies. I think of her taking care of a bunch of babies in heaven. And I picture her riding a horse. And I picture her sitting on Jesus' lap telling stories.

One thing I long for that just isn't going to happen, but that is okay (because in heaven all will be made right). I wish I could see Maggie as an 18 year old. She was beautiful. Big brown eyes. A sweet angel face. Thinking of that sweet sweet face makes me smile right now.

Memories and the hope of heaven and knowing she is with Jesus keeps her right here as a part of the family. When people ask me how many kids I have I always say, "Six." Maybe I should say five but that isn't right to my brain and heart. Three of my kids presently live with us. Three of my kids live elsewhere.

Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me."

It doesn't matter what others say or argue about or don't want to believe. Jesus said the only way to the Father is through Him. This is why we gotta tell people this. It isn't about what to do or what not to do. It isn't about rules. Sure, the "Father" word makes some scared, but our Father is good, good, good. If you feel resistance in a person about accepting Jesus, maybe that person has a problem with authority. Maybe you can explain to them how good and loving our Father is.

Death is not the end. I talked about Maggie and then I went onto us here on earth because it is all connected. Heaven is much closer than we realize. I still grieve at times for Maggie, but more often than not, I smile and laugh when I think of her. The grieving times are precious to me because it means we shared a really deep love, a wonderful special love created by God for us to enjoy. I didn't even have to go through a pregnancy for her (I do regret at times that I didn't have more children, but I will say when I was pregnant I didn't enjoy it. I got too tired and felt like a whale at the end navigating through the world...though I would experience a labor and delivery again. Yes, it hurt BAD but you get a baby in the end)!

"Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is fading away."
1 Corinthians 7:31

If we can get past the noise and the arguments and the weird notions of people, we can show them Jesus. We can show them the Father. We can tell them about the Spirit living in Believers -- we are no longer ever alone when we enter into relationship with God. All people want to belong somewhere to a group of people. When we accept Christ we finally have found our tribe.

Finish well

3/18/2020

So, maybe you didn't start well, this life of faith. That's okay. Ezekiel 4:10 reminds us to "Don't despise these small beginnings." And maybe you have been in this faith journey for months or years or even decades and you've faltered at times. Maybe you've even slipped back to living for self instead of Jesus. That's okay too. God knows what we are made of -- He likens us to grass (which is here today and gone tomorrrow); clay (which breaks so easily and can be smashed to bits in a nanosecond); and sheep (which are truly very stupid animals, though they are quite cute -- especially the little ones).

But, no matter where you're at in your faith journey, finish well. Finishing well can change all the falters into grace moments. Finishing well can help us and all who are watching see God's hands in the misteps, the falls, the times of confusion or wanderings.

Today I read in Job 23. Verses 10-12 is the passage I hope and pray will be true about me for the rest of my life. I suspect you hope and pray they will be true for your life too. Here is the passage:

"But He knows the way I take;
When He has tried me, I shall
come forth as gold.
"My foot as held fast to His path;
I have kept His way and not
turned aside;
"I have not departed from the
command of His lips;
"I have treasured the words of
His mouth more than my
necessary food."

You're not forgotten

3/16/2020

So you did that good thing for someone. You did it out of love and you asked God to use you. He did. But then that person forgot all about you and you never heard from him or her again. You were tempted to feel used. You were tempted to feel abandoned, but you didn't. God sees that.

This is what happened to Joseph in Genesis. He interpreted the dreams for the cupbearer and the baker. And he told them when the dreams happened to remember him. He said in Genesis 40:14-15, "Only keep me in mind when it goes well with you, and please do me a kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house. For I was in fact kidnapped from the land of Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing that they should have put me in a dungeon."

Sadly, they "forgot him." Genesis 40:23

Two years went by. And then Pharaoh had dreams that needed interpreting and Joseph was called and eventually made the head of all the land (If you don't know the story, it's a good one to read. Start in Genesis 37).

We aren't told what happened in those two years but we can believe that Joseph was faithful to God doing the tasks he was given faithfully. Like the rest of his life his faith didn't waver. He could have given up but didn't.

Those spaces of time in scripture that aren't mentioned are as important as the ones that we read. Two years of faithfulness to God. Two years of living a quiet life ("make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands" 1 Thessalonians 4:11). When God needed him God brought him out.

Years of quiet faithfulness can grow boldness in us. They aren't wasted whatsoever. For in those quiet unseen times, the times just between God and us, we can draw closer to God and develop deep, eternal roots that grow and wrap around every part of us. Each tiny space of ourselves can be overcome by God's peace and friendship and faithfulness. And then when He needs us for a special task, we will speak from that depth of faithfulness.

You are never forgotten. Never. Yes, people forgot. But God doesn't. People are like grass -- they can be cut down or wiped out in an instant. Often, the forgetfulness isn't on purpose. We all have brains and bodies that are getting older daily. Sometimes life just gets busy. There is no evil motive behind it. People are just people. But God is watching. God sees your faithfulness. He sees everything you do. And when He needs you for a special task He will pluck you from where you are at and place you where He needs you. So, stay faithful. Do not waver in the every day. Do not waver when every day seems the same. Continue to cultivate your relationship with God. It will serve you well.

This verse isn't talking about death by suicide

3/9/2020

When people have their own agenda it is super easy for them to use scripture to back up their agenda. We could probably prove anything we wanted to prove with the Bible when we take bits and pieces and have them stand alone. I plan on mentioning one verse in particular but I want to continue on this thread -- when we read the Bible we need to go to the Bible first and see what God wants to say to us rather than have an opinion in our mind we see as truth and then try to back up our own thoughts with certain Bible passages. Reading it without a teachable spirit, reading it with an agenda will not bring us to truth whatsoever. Manipulating scripture for our own gain is wrong. Ephesians 5:5 says, "You can be sure that using people or religion or things just for what you can get out of them -- the usual variations on idolatry -- will get you nowhere, and certainly nowhere near the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom of God."

Now onto the verse I wanted to mention: 1 Corinthians 3:17. It says, "If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are."

Later in this book in chapter 6:19 we are told, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?"

Because of the second verse many think the first verse (3:17) is saying that if someone dies by suicide that means he or she is going to hell because the verse does say, "If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him"

This is not what the verse says. Interpreting the verse this way is totally wrong. You have to take the verse in context. 1 Corinthians 3 is not talking about individuals. The whole chapter is talking about a body of Believers -- the temple in this verse means the church.

This verse must not be used to condemn those who have lost their lives to suicide. Suicide is a tragedy. Often, though, it is a symptom of a mental illness. And there are other reasons -- as many as its victims.

I do see suicide as a sin just like many actions we take that are centered on self. But Jesus died to free us from sin and if we've accepted His gift of salvation we do not need to fear that this sin will send us to hell. I am not condoning suicide. God doesn't want us taking our own lives. We are way too precious for that.

5 seconds of every day -- you will see a difference

2/19/2020

I read some great verses today in the Bible (if you aren't reading daily you are really missing out). I want to share some with you. First, read this:

"Grow a wise hearrt -- you'll do yourself a favor; Keep a clear head -- you'll find a good life." Proverbs 19:8

You will do yourself a favor. Growing a wise heart will cut out the drama in your life dramatically. It will also give you inner peacee and you will tend to not panic. Panic causes all sorts of problems.

Now for the five seconds I urge you to spend daily:

Pray this scripture daily for 30 days and see what happens. It will change your life. When we get an appetite for God's word and that appetite keeps growing we will see changes in life, in ourselves, in how we relate to others; in how we think. It is all positive! You are worth this. Even if you don't believe scripture, even if you don't really follow Christ daily, this scripture prayer will change you. Pray it as a challenge to God if you like. Pray it in doubt if you like. But just pray it. Do it for yourself. Do it for your family. Do it for your friends. Hey, do it for your enemies.

And while you'll at it, if you have entered the podcast world, think about downloading episodes of Bible Talk with Jane and Shannon. I think you'll enjoy it and it might even get you thinking (it is always a good thing when we start using our minds). Or, you can find it anywhere you find your podcasts.

We See What We Look For

2/9/2020

We see what we look for. Artists train themselves to look at life in the way they need to see it for their art. Parents become good (hopefully) at seeing the truth behind their children's words. When I go outside these days I have to search for things in a different way because snow covers everything. Finding a stick to throw for my dogs to fetch takes a different kind of looking than I use in the summer. Yesterday while I drove to Pierre for more parts for our shower I was looking straight ahead. My mind was on the podcast I was listening to and getting to Pierre and back home as quickly as I could. Suddenly, a deer slammed into the side of the car. He was killed instantly. Thankfully, the car suffered minimal damage and was still drivable -- so I continued on my journey (I threw that in there because as you see I wasn't looking for a deer and I sure didn't see him -- usually when I drive our roads I'm alert them...that was my bad yesterday).

Again, we see what we want to see. We find what we search for (eventually). This completely applies to us seeing God in our lives. If we aren't looking for Him we usually aren't going to see Him.

Jesus says, "ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened." Luke 11:9-10

The more we look for God, the more we will see Him.

Eugene H. Peterson writes in The Message Devotional Bible: "the word blessing isn't a static word but rather a dynamic one, filled with action. Like a seed. God's blessings often come to us in seed form, sprouting through the tangled complexities of life and ripening to fruition. Because the blessings of God often grow slowly over time, it's easy to miss the miracle of growth taking place right before our eyes. But when we look attentively, we see blessings budding all around us . . . If we forget his blessings, we slip into what psychologists label 'sensory deprivation,' and we become deaf, dumb, and blind to the flourishing miracle of God at work, not only in the catastrophic circumstances of our lives, but also in the casual circumstances."

Let's not be deaf, dumb and blind to God and all He does in our lives. If we are we will shrivel up inside. He is the water our souls need. He is the food our souls need. He is the light in the darkness. He is the song we need to hear.

Here's something you can do today

2/7/2020

I hope you've checked out the podcast Bible Talk with Jane and Shannon recently. I think it will bless your life. You can download it anywhere you get podcasts. If you are new to podcasts you need to enter the podcast world. What is a podcast? It is like a recorded radio talk show. I listen to them while I drive distance. Anyway, the reason I bring it up is because our podcast that will be published this coming Sunday is called "Why We all Matter." This is important to listen to if you sometimes think your life is pointless or you wonder if you really are having an affect on others in a good way.

Okay, wait. This is really going to wander around. Why? Because it is how I think. It is like everything in my life is connected and I go back and forth from here to any other place and bring it back to the front to see the connection. So, just keep reading. It might or might not make sense to you. Yesterday Hawk and I drove to Rapid and as I do, I was listening to Podcasts. One of the podcasts I listened to was "Missing Richard Simmons." I'm not like a huge fan of Simmons, but I downloaded one and liked the conversation so I listened to the whole series (some podcasts are ongoing. Some are limited in episodes -- this one has just six episodes). In this podcast a lot of Simmons' fans are interviewed. This was broadcast a few years ago when Simmons left the limelight suddenly and wouldn't talk to anyone for years. All his devoted fans wondered why (I told we would wander around). One of the fans named Iris really touched my heart and made me realize a lot of people need to know they matter. She spoke about being obese and how it is painful -- physically, but even more so psychologically and emotionally. She talked about how isolating it is because when she'd go out in public she was always judged by people who see her because of her weight. I could hear in her voice how heartbreaking this was for her (and many others).

This isolation is part of a lot of people's lives. A lot of people these days are lonely and feel insignificant. So back to the title of this post, "Here's something you can do today."

You can be kind. Be kind to others. A lot of people don't ever experience kindness. Their worlds are cruel. We are here to be kind to each other. Don't do superficial niceness. That isn't kind. Instead give real kindness -- look people in the eye, smile big at them and see them. People want to be seen through eyes of kindness. They want to know someone notices them (not in a judgy way but in a compassionate way). Ask God to bring someone to you who needs your kindness. When you give it you can know for sure that God used you today.

It isn't about us. It isn't even about our purpose. It is about God and His purpose through us. Please give kindness today. Maybe even pray with someone. Share a word. And pray this verse: Give me an appetite for your words of wisdom, and not for piling up loot. (Psalm 119:36).

Another symptom of our sex-obsessed culture

1/28/2020

There are some thoughts going through my head because of some things I've read and looked at recently. I don't know if it will make sense to you but I'm going to share anyway. Why? Because we need to take action. We need to do something about this -- if we all do something in our own lives, just change our perspective or just start thinking about it, maybe things can change.

Okay, a few days ago I clicked on one of those links that make you keep clicking on "NEXT" to see more photos. It was a post about Hollywood couples that have been married for decades. First, I was surprised how many there were. That was a wonderful thing to see. Second, and this is what got me thinking, some of the people featured looked awful -- not because of their age but because they were trying so hard to appear young and sexy rather than their dignified age.

The second thing I read was yesterday in Our Daily Bread. Some countries are putting out Friendship Benches. There is a grandma-type lady who sits on the bench and is there for anyone to come and talk to her. The "grandma" I believe has some training in listening skills and such, but the main thing is that people who are depressed or overwhelmed with life come and have a conversation with someone who will listen and really cares. And these benches are doing really good things. I love this idea!

Those two things I read about are now milling around in my mind and I am wondering if our culture that is so focused on youth and sex that we are forgetting some of our greatest treasures are our elders. I'm not saying we should all look awful. Go ahead and dress nice and take care of the bodies and faces God has given you, but we are really losing out on a great opportunity to just relax and be ourselves and enjoy the new wrinkles and graying hair knowing these bodies are temporary tents for our true selves.

Younger people need us to be content in our aging and if we are aging wisdom ideally has been building up in us too. Think about the grandma Friendship bench. If a Grandma is trying to be young and sexy I just don't think a person is going to feel as comfortable talking to her as a Grandma who is comfortable and just shining for Jesus and just looks kind.

(Remember I mentioned above that I didn't know if I could write this out coherently and I know this is borderline coherent)

I know our society doesn't respect and revere elders anymore overall, but we should. Other than the health issues and the aches and pains that come with age, getting older is a good thing. I love being 51 and life just keeps getting better. Our churches, our society, the world needs the wisdom God has taught us and is still teaching us. Let's focus on the inner person rather than the outer person. Sure, go ahead and look nice and dress how you want -- there's nothing wrong with that. But the beauty of the inner person is what really makes a person beautiful. One of my friends who is 80 (I think) is so pretty because she has the light of Jesus in her. And she has a calmness about her that the world just can't shake. When I first saw her I thought, she is beautiful.

"The glory of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is their gray hair." Proverbs 20:29

What do you really really long for?

1/21/2020

I read this this morning: "Undoubtedly this was a moment for which Paul had yearned for years: the chance to preach the gospel to his Jewish brothers within the walls of their beloved city of Jerusalem." Erica Wiggenhorn

This moment happens after the crowd tried to beat Paul to death. I thought two things: first, what moments am I yearning for; and second, they don't always come the way we envision them. I'm sure Paul didn't think he'd be nearly beaten to death prior to getting to preach to his fellow Jews in Jerusalem (and at the temple no less). But he was still given that moment.

I wrote down six moments I am yearning for deep in my heart. I can't share them because each of them involves other people. Writing them down was a good thing though. Why? Because I really hadn't thought about what I was absolutely deep-down yearning for. And now that I know I can pray for these moments and the people involved in a more specific way.

What are you really yearning for? I mean deep down, way down at the root of your soul? Possibly, those yearnings involve loved ones. Maybe you yearn to see someone really set free from fear; or maybe you long for a deep conversation with someone you love; or maybe there are people you desperately want to connect with again. Think about it. Taking the time to figure it out will wisk away the dross of life that sometimes clutters up our brains.

A few verses from Psalm 37 come to mind:

"Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it." Psalm 37:3-5

Is this you?

1/9/2020

I read a paragraph this morning written by Erica Wiggenhorn out of her study The unexplainable church: reigniting the mission of the early believers. When I read it I thought, I've been there. I've done this.

Honestly, we've all been there. The question is, are we still there?

Here's the paragraph:

"What a sad picture of the state of humanity apart from a Savior. People don't know why they are here or there or where they are going or why. They just blindly follow the crowd and listen to whoever is noisiest. Maybe they want to be part of the 'in crowd,' or they're curious or looking for excitement, then one day they suddenly wake up and wonder, 'What am I doing here?' Or they never wake up at all and spend their entire life chasing the latest rush of fools. They just keep shouting and running, hoping to be heard and to find the satisfaction they're desiring."

Mindless.

If taken literally, the word is nonsense because if a person has life a person has a mind. But when taken in context it is a state of not thinking for ourselves; not using the brains God has given us to examine our lives and what we are doing on this earth.

Even Believers can find themselves in mindless seasons of life. God is faithful to nudge us awake and help us get back on track if our hearts are tender toward Him.

This will probably sound stupid, but here it is. In a college sophomore literature class my eyes were opened to the fact that not everyone is telling the truth. We were focusing on story narrators, questioning whether or not they were reliable or if they had agendas. Before that class, everything I read or heard I believed. I never thought that anyone would deliberately tell a lie or say something to sway readers for personal gain (yes, I was that naive).

If we don't use the intelligence God has given us we will find ourselves in places we really don't want to be. If we don't use the intelligence God has given us we will miss Him. We will just see the surface of things and totally lose what He wanted to tell us. He won't give up on us, but when we refuse to think for ourselves we always lose and life is diminished.

"the mind set on the flesh is death, but the miind set on the Spirit is life and peace." Romans 8:6

A New Podcast Has Come To Town -- Hope you check it out

1/2/2020

A new podcast has come to town and I sure hope you will check it out. It's called "Bible Talk with Jane and Shannon", and yes I'm the Jane mentioned. My husband Shannon is the Shannon!

We have one published episode presently and the next one will be published Sunday at about 1 p.m. mountain time. That will be regular time they are published.

You can find us on podbean. And soon you will be able to download it on iTunes (it's been submitted and waiting for approval). I will do my best to get it to all sorts of podcast outlets.

If you've never entered the world of podcasting, you need to. There are so many good ones out there. Practically any topic you can think of you will find a podcast on it. These days if I travel I have a bunch of downloaded podcasts for the road.

Bible Talk with Jane and Shannon is me and Shannon discussing topics and scripture and how they relate to our lives. The first episode is about Rest and why we need it. It's a good one. The second episode will be about Idols -- then and now. We recorded it last night. I will tell you I am definitely still learning how to do it. I added music to the second episode but it is pretty much a big fail. If you bear with me and get past the mistakes each episode will enrich your life I am sure.

You can comment. We love comments. Hopefully I'll set up a place where you can email me to ask us questions. I'd like a question time at the end. Check us out. I think you'll like it.

Put Your Brain On A Diet

12/28/2019

One of my children has had overactive imagination when it comes to worry. She worries about all sorts of things, things that will never come true; things that just don't matter. We talk a lot about it. I give her verses to read; strategies to try; we pray together.

This morning, though, a "new" idea came to my mind. I told her she should put her brain on a diet. And then I thought -- we all should do this!

It isn't about things you should and should not watch, read, see, dwell on. It is about what is healthy for your brain; what will encourage its health and strength and resilience to life's stresses. Just like our physical body, we can't expect our brains to be at their best and handle stress well if we feed them junk all the time.

Philippian 4:8-9 is a great guide for choosing postive brain food. The Message says it like this:

"Summing it up, friends, I'm say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble reputable authentic, compelling, gracious -- the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies."

We are free to read what we want. We are free to watch what we want. We are free to talk about what we want.

But, if the choices we make drag us down, do we really want to continue making those same choices? If the choices we make draw us closer to Christ and to our best selves, aren't those good things?

What you ingest mentally and emotionally should encourage you to love God and people. If some of what you ingest closes your heart to certain people or God, then that stuff probably isn't good stuff.

Get Ready -- 2020 is going to be fantastic!

12/24/2019

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Let's have a great 2020! I just want to share a few things with you to get you thinking -- to get you possibly considering choosing to live a life of courage all year long! Courage takes guts. And we show the most courage when we choose to be bold even though inside we are shaking bad.

Jeremiah must have had this problem because in Jeremiah 12:5 God says to him, "So, Jeremiah, if you're worn out in this footrace with men, what makes you think you can race against horses? And if you can't keep your wits during times of calm what's going to happen when troubles break loose like the Jordan in flood?"

Eugene H. Peterson shares in The Message Devotional Bible: God "called you to live at your best. It's easier to relax in the embracing arms of mediocrity. Easier, but not better. Easier, but not more significant. Easier, but not more fulfilling."

Let's not accept mediocrity any longer. Jesus never did or does. For you history purists, we know Jesus very likely wasn't born in December, but it is when we have chosen to celebrate it. How about this year for His birthday you tell Him you will choose to live courageously in the new year. Let 2020 be a defining year for you. Whatever comes face it with courage and honesty and compassion. Whatever comes continue to praise God. Whatever comes ask God to help you see His presence in the midst of it.

This is what I'm going to do.

One more thing -- this kind of couraeous living is easier if you spend real time, like daily, in the Bible. And I wholly recommend The Message Devotional Bible. It is written in American English. This is why some people don't like it, but know it isn't a paraphrase. Peterson translated it from the original languages. It is just in our every day language -- how Jesus taught when He walked among us physically.

Merry Christmas. Happy New Year!! If you want to do some good reading take time to check out the categories (which I have way too many of) on the right side of this page. You will find some good stuff that might encourage you.

Wishing for something else is thievery

12/20/2019

Have you noticed the obsession our society has with being famous? Sure, it could be fun for a short time (if you're famous for a good reason) but it could get really annoying. It has become the goal in life for many. And then there are those of us (and I am pretty sure we've all fallen into this category at some time in our lives) who wish for a different life or a different set of circumstances.

If we wish for something else than the life we have we are robbing ourselves.

Jesus says in John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life and might have it abundantly."

Wishing for a different life is a tactic from the enemy and our flesh. That wishing takes away the life and the blessings in our lives that are already there. If we are looking at something we want we don't see what we do have. We can't enjoy the life we have if we want something else.

That doesn't mean you can't look forward to something or hope for something. But we can hope and look forward to and plan for while we are content in the life we presently have. And yes, we can even be content while we are dealing with awful circumstances.

Throughout life we have to relearn contentment when we are in a new stage of life. That is okay. Contentment is a process. It is real spiritual strength that we can develop and practice.

It took me years to learn how to be content as a full-time caregiver. Once I finally got there it was such a relief and such a joy. I know I've talked about this many times, but I think it bears repeating because the world we live in seeks to make us discontent so we will go after things we are told we "need." All that stuff does not give us life. It sucks the life out of us.

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world." 1 John 2:16

That verse explains it all about what the world is trying to get us to go after. None of that adds any real benefit to our lives. Maybe those things add fleeting pleasures, but in the end they don't do anything for us but take life away.

This is REALLY important to God

12/18/2019

As a parent I get it. I totally get it. And if you're a parent I know you get it too.

What are we talking about?

Our kids just getting along. I've told my adult children at times (and the ones still at home) to just get along. They don't have to agree with each other. They don't have to be each other's best friends. There's no reason they can't be kind to each other and keep some of their own opinions to themselves and spend the time they have together loving each other.

This goes for all of us.

Especially in the church. God wants His children to get along. Jesus says in John 15:12, "This is My commandment that you love one another, just as I have loved you."

He made a point to say that. It probably was an issue between His first disciples too.

In The Unexplainable Church, Erica Wiggenhorn writes, "Could it be that the concessions we make in our churches actually are the very things God uses to make us more like Christ? Could it be that when the music displeases my flesh, but I choose to worship in spite of it, part of my flesh becomes crucified and my spirit strengthened?"

Prior to this statement she writes, "If we're honest, church division occurs more often over squabbles regarding practice than it does over essential doctrine."

What if this coming year we all gave God the gift of church unity across the board? What if we loved our fellow Christians wholly? If we gave them the benefit of the doubt? If we didn't focus on our differences, but focused on what brings us together? The gospel is simple as Paul writes in Romans 10:9: "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you shall be saved;"

What if we all loved each other rather than complain about each other and what if we allowed the Holy Spirit to do the convicting rather than we trying to do His job? Yes, there is a time for loving confrontation and if God is leading you to do this then do it. But more often than not, if we find ourselves criticizing a believer from afar it is just our flesh and not being done out of love.

What if the entire Christian church showed great love for each other? What if we in the West remembered our persecuted family in the rest of the world daily in our prayers? What if we in the west chose to not take part in the indulgent lifestyle so celebrated in our culture and instead used our resources to help those Christian brothers and sisters who need our help?

Think on it. How better can someone love you than really love your kids? When someone shows great kindness to my kids I am so grateful. Maybe Father God is the same way.

Jesus does say in Matthew 25:40, "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me."

Merry Christmas! And as we look to 2020, may it be characterized by the great love we show each other.

Not just waiting and resting -- Advent is also about...

12/4/2019

So I'm trying to be "spiritual" with my kids this Advent season. Each morning before school we read scripture about the time before Jesus was born and talk about what it all means for us now. Sure, it is Jesus' birthday (and I love singing Him Happy Birthday). Sure, it is about preparation for celebrating Christmas Day (and also preparation for His arrival), but something jumped out at me this morning when I read Luke 2:4. Here it is:

So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Juday, David's town, for the census. As a descendent of David, he had to go there." Luke 2:4

Sometimes when God is planning a big arrival in our lives; when He is going to move big in our lives to affect others or our own lives or show Himself to us in a new way, He has to move us. Maybe He actually causes us to move to a different location permanently. Or, He sends us somewhere at the most inconvenient time (remember, Mary is like 9 months pregnant -- not a good time for her to travel). Or, He rearranges people or events in our lives to make room for His arrival -- His new way of showing Himself to us.

These changes of circumstance might cause us to be anxious or fearful or irritated or even angry. But let's let God be God. Let's let Him do what He needs to do to "arrive" in the midst of our lives. When we naturally react to these inconvenient things that disrupt our schedules, our routines, let's pray for God to open our hearts, ears and minds and eyes to see where He intends to show up.

Often, the interruptions in our lives (or the events you go to because you feel you ought to be there but you'd rather stay home and watch TV) are orchestrated by God to be used by Him in a totally unexpected, unimagined way.

Let's let God be God in our lives.

Advent's begun

12/1/2019

What if this year we spent time thinking about the time before Jesus' birth? The time the Church calls Advent?

The word "Advent" meaning "coming" meaning Jesus is on His way and will arrive at the perfect time. We can't speed His arrival. We can't do anything in ourselves to make things happen when we are on God's time. Advent is the perfect time to ponder the spiritual role of expectant waiting God has given to all of us. To learn to wait in anticipation and faith and joy and eagerness. To wait to see God come through. To wait and watch to see His hand in people and events.

You could say we live in seasons of Advent throughout our lives -- seasons when we wait for God's timing.

The season of Advent is about so many things. Besides waiting it is also about resting. About honoring the Sabbath rest in our lives.

We had to cancel church today because we (and most of the people where we live) are snowed in. I kind of thought we might have to cancel yesterday morning but I wrote my Sunday School lesson anyway. Hopefully Shannon and I will do our first official episode for the podcast "Bible Talk with Jane and Shannon" today about the topic we were going to study in Sunday School -- rest. It goes right along with waiting.

Eugene H. Peterson writes, "We often labor under the illusion that everything depends on us or on those around us. But it doesn't. Everything depends on God. And this is the great lesson that rest has to teach us."

As this Advent time begins, society encourages lots of activity, things that we are told we all should do to celebrate Christmas in the "right way." God's approach is the opposite of this, impossible for humans, possible only for Him. Waiting and resting. The first mention of Jesus' birth was way back in Genesis 3 (woman's seed). And during the time of the divided kingdom of Judah and Israel, God gave this prophecy to King Ahaz through Isaiah:

"'Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.' But Ahaz said, 'I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!' Then he said, 'Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of God as well? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.'" Isaiah 7:10-14

A virgin bearing a son? Impossible. But not for God. There was nothing King Ahaz or later that anyone could do to bring about the Messiah's coming. They all just had to remember and wait for God to do what only God can do.

This is the life God calls us to. We will be in impossible situations not knowing what to do. We will be tempted to "fix" things or worry or stress till we make ourselves sick. But if we are Believers we ought to know when it is impossible God has a plan to come through. Why God chooses to act when He does is a mystery, but we know His timing is perfect.

Let's take time to think on scripture and God's timing this Advent season -- the time of rest and waiting.

Don't lose your faith

11/18/2019

I don't think any Believer intends to lose faith in Christ. I believe when each of us accepts Him and choose to live for Him we plan on doing this for the rest of our lives.

So, why do some of us fall away?

There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people who fall away, but I want to share something I read today that I think could help us all evaluate our own faith and strengthen it so we too don't.

From Unexplainable Jesus by Erica Wiggenhorn:

"If we think God owes us something because of our own goodness or obedience, Jesus warns we will most likely lose faith. If we feel we are somehow more deserving of His blessings than others, we will also lose faith when the blessings seemingly run dry."

I think a lot of us go through periods of doubt when unexpected disaster or disease or whatnot hit our lives. Naturally we ask, "Why is this happening?" or "Why did God let this happen?"

That is the wrong question to ask. I believe we should instead ask, "What does God want to do through this situation?"

We all will deal with things that aren't fair (we all should know by now life isn't fair), or things that are just plain bad, or things that are obviously an awful tragedy. We don't wish for those kinds of things and we don't worry about them arriving. But they will arrive, and when they come there will be no answers to why questions that satisfy. So, let's ask the "what" question instead.

This is how James 1:2 can actually occur. James writes, "Consider it all joy my brethren, when you encounter various trials,"

There is joy in trials when we realize it is through these very things that God will shine brightest through us -- brighter than He does when life is "good."

Resolve right now to approach life this way. It is powerful. It is freeing. It is what God calls us to do.

Manipulation is bad theology

11/16/2019

I read something in a study I am doing I plan on sharing with you. It is really good. It deals with us thinking or attempting to manipulate God. Maybe we don't see it that way. Maybe we've bought into some bad teaching that says, "If I do this, God will do this" or "If I do this and this and this I am guaranteed certain results from God."

Bad theology.

Yes, sometimes God requires steps of obedience from us prior to acting in such a way in our lives (as when Jesus told the ten lepers to show themselves to the priest -- as they went their way they were healed), but this isn't manipulation on our point. This is just obedience. Please don't believe any program that tells you if you do these five steps God will do this for you. Replace steps and this with whatever you choose to.

The study I am doing now is called Unexplainable Jesus by Erica Wiggenhorn. Here is the passage I wanted to share with you:

"So, which premise is true: Healing requires faith? Or faith is not required for healing to occur? I would suggest both are true because each instance of healing is personal. And, more importantly we cannot put God's plans and premises for healing into a box that we can examine and manipulate.

"The moment I can put God into a box of my own logic and reasoning, predicting everything He will and won't do and why, is the moment I have made Hiim too small. His purposes are often beyond our reasoning. We cannot say He healed because we had faith nor can we say that if we have faith, He must heal. Neither can we say He didn't heal because of lack of faith or that where faith is absent His healing power is limited.

"People cannot control God's actions either positively or negatively. He is sovereign in all His ways. God can, however, require steps of faith and/or obedience from us before He decides to work on our behalf." Erica Wiggenhorn

Try This. Please! For Your Sake and For Your Loved Ones

10/29/2019

Okay, I am writing this on the afternoon of October 29th. It is just a few short days till November 1st -- what my 18 year old son (who thinks he looks good with facial hair) tells me is no-shave November. Well, I want to bring a new thing to November and I hope you try it. Please try it. Try it for your sake and for your loved ones. Let's make November "Read My Bible" month. Somewhere I've read it takes 30 days to make a new habit (or at least you can see if it changes your life in any way). How about starting Friday, November 1st you read your Bible every day till December? That is just 30 days. You can do it. You could read through a gospel -- like Luke. Or you could just open your Bible at random every day and read it. Or you can pick another book and read a chapter a day. If you want to do just one book I recommend Luke or John or Revelation or Genesis or Psalms! Also, you can read it everywhere. You can read it before you get out of bed. You can read it in the bathroom. You can read it while you eat breakfast. You can listen to it while you drive. You can read it on break. God doesn't care when you read it. Just read it.

I recommend doing it first thing -- then you won't forget it later.

Try it for 30 days. Just try it. The Word is alive. If you read it in the morning and think about what you read later in the day the Word will do great things in you. And that will affect others in a positive way. And who knows what God will do.

His Word always accomplishes what God wants it to accomplish. Letting God use that Word in your life by reading it is a great thing!

So, try it.

If you take this challenge, let me know. Challenge others to do it with you. The time won't be wasted. You'll be very glad you did this. Really!