Jane Hinrichs - Home

I know I'm a bit unsettled when . . .

10/17/2018

We all do something when we're a bit unsettled inside. There's a better way to say that. We all do certain things when we are not quite at ease or not quite at peace inside. What I do (if I happen to be in front of my laptop) is I go between three websites: Facebook to check for messages; my email to check for emails; and Amazon to check my Vine Queue. I am hopng for connection to those I love (the Vine Queue is where I choose things to review. If something happens to pop up on the queue I need I know it is straight from God). I do this dance between three websites over and over.

The silly thing is that I should be full of joy and peace right now. Yesterday a loved one had surgery and got through it incredibly well. I had messages from two loving friends this morning already. And God is blessing us with some incredible weather today -- sunny, minimal wind and warm temperatures. A perfect day for me and Hawk to sit outside for a while.

But I'm not quite settled because a change occurred this morning I knew was coming, a change I didn't want to happen, but it is what it is. It is really no big deal whatsoever. But I let a situation I see as a tiny bit negative (and really not that negative at all) take my eyes off all the blessings that are laid out before me for this day.

I guess it's human nature. I guess that is why we need to be reminded in the Bible so many times to praise God, to be content; to think on things that are good and lovely and beautiful and blessings rather than other things. That's why Paul calls it a learned activity. And we need to learn and relearn how to align our thinking with God's ways. His ways are so much better for us, healthier, more joyful, more promising, more lovely!

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways . . . For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

It's a dream you have

10/15/2018

Reading in Deuteronomy today. Here's what stuck out to me:

"See, I have placed the land before you; go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to them and their descendants after them." Deuteronomy 1:8

Taking their promised land (their dream, the realization of their stories and their hopes; of their very existance) wasn't simply like opening a Christmas present. Sometimes I think some of us (including me) think that dreams we have should be that easy. We ask God for something that we know is what we are meant to do or meant to have, and balk at the notion that we have to do something to make it happen.

In order for the Israelites to see their dream fulfilled they had to have eight things (and there is probably more but these are the ones that came to me today). These eight things are:

1. Courage
2. Faith
3. Discipline
4. Obedience
5. Teamwork
6. Vision
7. Be ready to work, lots of work.
8. Imagination

They needed Courage because what they had to do was conquer a pagan people who must have appeared very scary and powerful (because the Israelites' parents refused to fight them, refused to take the land because they were afraid).

They needed Faith because they had to believe this was God leading them.

They needed Discipline because they would have to be ready to follow a plan and be able to carry it out. No slacking was allowed. This is the principle of being ready in and out of season -- all the time.

They needed Obedience because when they were given the command the plan would only work if they obeyed (even though the instructions were goiing to sound really strange and irrational).

They needed Teamwork because they had to work together. Everyone was needed, not just a select few. No dream is realized by the effort of just one person. There are always others who helped.

They needed Vision because they needed to remember why they were doing what they were doing.

They needed to be ready to Work, to do lots of work because this was a monumental task that would require sweat and muscle power.

And they needed Imagination because God rarely if ever works the way we think He should work. He has His own way of doing things and if we don't allow Him that freedom in our lives, our dreams will never be realized.

To reach our own promised land, our own dream (whatever dreams God has laid on our hearts) we'll need these 8 things too. Develop them now. It's God's will for you to do so. I know. And when we know for sure something is God's will we can be sure He will help us do what we need to do to live out this life He's called us all to.

Why even really good and wonderful people need to be saved

10/10/2018

One of the things that stop people from coming to Jesus is that they know they are good people. And I am not disagreeing with them. They pay their bills. They are kind to people. They help others out. They give to charity. They are good citizens. They are generally liked by most. They don't even gossip! But a person like this still needs to be saved by Christ to get into heaven. It has nothing to do with goodness. It is that when we come to Christ He actually changes us into new creatures that are heavenly spiritual beings and only heavenly spiritual beings can enter heaven. I thought of an illustration that might help all of us understand this idea (2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."). Now, my illustration is a bit silly and it has its problems, but I hope you can see what it is trying to show.

Let's say all humans before salvation are blocks of wood:

Blocks of wood come in all sizes and shapes and colors. Some are solid. Some are rotten. Some are beautiful. Some are painted. But the one thing that they all have in common is that they all are made of wood.

Now, let's say heaven is a ball pit -- a ball pit where all kinds of colorful balls exist (I know this is a bit silly).

The ball pit is filled with joy and love and childlike wonder. Blocks of wood don't work in this place. If we would put one in there it would sink to the bottom and be smothered (here is where the illustration has faults because we could throw a block of wood in there but when it comes to heaven we can't throw an unsaved soul in heaven -- but the point is that it wouldn't fit there or be happy there or even be able to live there)

The ball pit creator and owner knows all the blocks of wood would be happy to be part of this joy-filled, love-filled place, but he can't let them in as blocks of wood. So, he figured out a way he could recreate them into balls that will be able to exist and enjoy this wonderful place. He can totally transform a block of wood into a ball. Sure, it seems impossible and magical, and it is without the creator. But he made it all so he knows how to do this.

When a block of wood wants to become a ball, it just needs to go to the creator and tell him he wants to be changed. The creator places that block of wood into his hand and transforms it into a ball. The transformed block of wood now can enter the ball pit and enjoy life and be surrounded by love and joy and childlike wonder!

That is what happens to us when we accept Jesus' sacrifice and tell Him we need Him into our lives. He is the "magic" that makes the impossible possible. He is the one who can make us into new creatures. No matter how good we are or how wonderful or beautiful or kind, we cannot do this transformation without Him. He is the only one who can do it. Asking Him for this transformation miracle is the only way we can be made into the kind of creation that can enter heaven.

Do you want the "magic" formula? See below:

"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;" Romans 10:9

Drunk on the world, a drunk we can slip into

10/9/2018

When we hear or see the work "Drunk" most of us probably think of someone stumbling and falling because that person drank too much alcohol. That's not a good state to be in, especially around other people because being drunk on alcohol lowers a person's inhibitions and he or she might do things he or she wouldn't do if alcohol wasn't involved. This post isn't condoning that, but I want to talk about another kind of drunk that is more seductive because it can take us over without us realizing it.

That is the state of being so seduced by luxury or money or sex or power, some kind of thing that promises us the world, that our senses are numb to anything else. Maybe a big company comes in promising us money if we will agree to have wind turbines on our property (not realizing that there is a 25% chance they will go bankrupt and that these turbines destroy wildlife, human health and take tons of fossil fuels to make and transport these monstrosities to their permanent home).

Maybe a group of people offer you a powerful position if you would only do them a few favors.

Maybe someone you have found attractive throws him/herself at you and offers you all you desire.

Maybe someone gives you things to curry favor with you.

If we do anything just for the money or the power without caring about consequences we will very likely regret our decision. Jesus says in Luke 12:14 to "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed;"

Don't allow desperation or panic decide things for you.

What if Jimmy Stewart's character in It's a Wonderful Life had panicked? The whole town would have been lost to Mr. Potter who wanted to make money off of everyone not caring how much he hurt them.

For your sake, for your family's sake, for your neighbors' sakes, do not panic. The way our life goes is based on the decisions and choices we make day-by-day. Seek God. Seek His approval, not people's. And do not do anything that contradicts His word.

I've talked about this before but maybe this will help someone

10/3/2018

I've talked about this topic before, but as I sit here in front of my computer screen, I think if I talk about it in a different way it might help someone. Maybe it will help you, or maybe you can share the post and it will help someone you know.

There's a lot of happy people out there, but there are a lot of unhappy people too. The Washington Post wrote about the increases in suicide rates across the nation back in June (you can read that article here). Every state but Nevada saw a huge increase in suicide. Suicide is a very complicated subject and much goes into it besides unhappiness. Often, a person is severely depressed and suicide is the only thing that they can think of to stop the pain. It's not a selfish act normally -- self-centered yes, but often the people can't get outside themselves to think objectively.

An article from The Telegraph (read it here) says that only 3 in 10 people in the UK are happy with their lives. The Huffington Post said only 1 in 3 people in America are happy with their lives.

Life is more than being happy, but it sure makes life better when you're satisfied. We don't have to be happy with all aspects of our lives to be content. Contentment can be achieved by anyone anywhere. It doesn't matter what we're going through. I think God wants us to be content, to have that peace of His inside us, to live in that peace no matter what is going on in our lives. There are steps we can take to learn contentment (but before you can learn to live in God's peace you have to be a Believer. Click here to find out how to become a Believer if you aren't).

(Before I share those steps I want to address depression. If you are dealing with depression (and not just being sad for a few days -- but a hopeless depression that won't lift no matter what you do) and have been dealing with it for a while, please see your doctor. Sometimes medication is needed to help our brains get back on track mood-wise. There's nothing wrong or shameful about that. If you're in a full-blown depression you very likely need some outside help to get out of it. Not seeking help can be fatal.)

So, I've come up with four steps that can help you learn contentment (Paul even had to learn contentment. He mentions this in Philippians 4:11). Here they are:

#1. Put on a thankful attitude every morning. There is always something to be thankful for. Always. Sometimes we have to search for it, but that is okay. Think out of thankfulness. If you're reading this you can thank God you can read. If you're reading this and you're not in pain, you can thank God for your health.

"give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

#2. Realize who you are in Christ Jesus. You are someone. You are unlike anyone else. God chose you. God loves you. You are significant just because you are you and you were created by God.

"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate (you) from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

#3. Realize the task God has given you to do is vital to His kingdom work. If God has placed you somewhere you are there to represent Him. He will shine through you. Your interactions with other people; your faithfulness to your work; the love you show others -- all of it will be used for God's kingdom. No task or job is insignificant when it has come from God -- and this includes daily tasks we all have to do (laundry, cooking, cleaning, shopping, paying bills, etc). If God has given it to you to do, do it for Him gladly.

#4. Don't compare your life or your work or your calling to anyone else's. This kind of comparison does no good whatsoever. Be assured the importance of your life. It doesn't matter if anyone else notices what you're doing for Jesus. He notices.

"Only hold fast what you have until I come . . . keep . . . my works until the end." Revelation 2:25, 26b

I wish I had a picture

9/29/2018

I wish I had a picture to share with you, especially for those parents who have adult kids or teenagers. For what I saw reminded me how strongly God's hand is on our kids. How that that fact can be enough to keep us from worrying!

Last night our high school like many high schools across the country had a football game. Dupree Tigers vs. the Harding County Ranchers (The tigers got beat but they played hard -- Go TIGERS!!).

And my youngest son Pete had to make a decision -- would he or would he not go to the football game with me and Hawk. He finally agreed to attend, so off he, Hawk and I went to Dupree. I drove over to the east side of the field and found a spot where I could sit in the Suburban and watch just in case it got too cold for me and Hawk (and it did -- we escaped the cold air at halftime). I asked Pete if he wanted to sit with us. I brought a chair for him. He said no. He wanted to be where most of the people were. So off he went with his cane toward the porta potty area. Now, Pete is slow with his cane. I mean really slow. He doesn't care. He takes his time. He looks around and takes a break every couple steps (not that he needs to, but because that's what he does).

Once I got my chair and Hawk set up and strapped in, I took the second chair over to where Pete was headed. I didn't want him sitting on the ground. And because I get impatient I then went back to Pete and carried him to the chair. I asked him if he was sure he wanted to sit by himself. He said yes. I then headed back to my chair and Hawken.

And what I wish I had a picture of is Pete from last night. Once he sat in his chair, kids came running. Almost the entire game he had a crowd of people around him. One kid even brought him hot chocolate. He was like a king and his court. T

Pete is my one kid I get concerned about. I don't know what he is going to do with his life once he graduates from high school. I know he is great with people and he could hold down a job and be very good at it if it is the right job, but he also has his CP which gives him quite a few challenges.

Last night while watching Pete, God reminded me that He has His hand on Pete. God reminded me that Pete is going to be okay. God reminded me He is always watching out for Pete. God reminded me that He isn't worried about Pete's future. And God reminded me that He has a great plan for Pete's life and that He is big enough to carry it out. If He needs my help He'll let me know, but mainly this plan will be carried out by Him and Pete. He doesn't need to give me the details (it's really none of my business).

All of this made me feel such peace (and gives me a smile as I write this).

Parents of adult kids, I know you worry about those adult kids of yours. This is needless stress for you. God has His hand on them. He is with them. He will provide for them. He is speaking to them. He isn't worried about their futures. Sure, there are times parents will help out their adult kids, but we shouldn't be too quick to do this. Make sure it is what God wants from you. If our kids see us as their Providers rather than Father God, this hurts them spiritually.

One of my adult kids lives three hours from me. The other one lives six hours from me. And I have done my share of worrying for both of them. For months I wept and worried over one of them. What grief I caused myself. God doesn't cause us to do this to ourselves. He calls us to pray and trust Him.

One of the very best things we can do for our kids no matter what their age is to live for the Lord faithfully.

Isaiah 59:21 says, "'And as for Me, this is My covenant with them' says the LORD; 'My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring's offspring,' says the LORD, 'from now and forever.'"

Deuteronomy 28:2,4 says, "'And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the LORD your God . . . Blessed shall be the offspring of your body"

God promises if we parents live for Him, our children will be blessed.

We may not be able to control what happens to our kids, but we can sure make sure this promise applies to us and them!

There's not much time left

9/28/2018

I was listening to a podcast yesterday about perfectionism addiction (and no, I don't have this). The author being interviewed said something that we all need to hear. He said, "If you fail at love, you fail at life."

He went onto to share a story about a man who heard him speak somewhere saying this in his speech. The man was a very successful businessman, super driven to achieve and in the business and financial world the man achieved a lot. But when he heard the above quote he said to the author, "You just ruined my day."

He told the author that he was on his second marriage and it wasn't going great. He had adult sons who he saw only once a year. Basically, his relationships were in tatters -- but his professional life was great.

What about us? What about you? What about me? Are our relationships growing or are they in tatters? There's not much time left to work on our relationships. Those are the things we will wish we spent more time on when someone we love or we are on our deathbeds. The relationships are what matter.

Listen, we don't know how much time we have left. This could be the last day we live for any of us. You will never regret the time you loved; the time you tried to mend relationships; the time you spent talking and laughing and crying with others. But you might regret seeking after things that just won't matter. They won't matter when we are facing the end. They probably won't even matter in five years.

Jonathan Edwards wrote, "Lord, stamp eternity on my eyes."

Enjoy life but don't let stuff consume you. Enjoy the blessings, but don't live for them. Don't live to please people. Live to love them. Live to love God and them. We can always love. We can always be kind. We can give people real genuine smiles today -- showing off our teeth and letting the smile reach our eyes.

Don't get caught in drama. Life is more than that. Don't get caught up in gossip. Gossip does no good to anyone -- just brings a sour taste in a person's mouth. If someone brings someone up in conversation say good things about that person or don't say anything at all.

Be a blessing. Be Love to others. Be encouraging. Don't flatter -- flattering is not genuine. If you give compliments make them genuine -- real. Not fluffy. Notice people's hearts, their emotional state. Speak to their souls.

"Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails;"
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

Why It Matters

9/24/2018

In Malachi 3:6 God says, "For I, the LORD, do not change;"

Why does that matter?

Why should we care that God doesn't change? Does it really affect our lives to know this truth?

Yes.

In ancient times Greeks worshipped gods who were volatile; who had temper tantrums, who had to be appeased.

In modern times, many in our society worship gods that act in the same ways: money, success, sex, possessions, status, fame, acceptance. All of these are changeable. They'll be there one day. They'll be gone the next. They take from us and lessen us when we worship them. Worship might be a strange word to use with these things. We could also say we revere them or seek them or run after them or think we need them for our personal happiness; or think we just aren't complete without _____________.

The thing that is different about worshipping God rather than all that stuff I mentioned (or anything else) is that by worshipping God we become more fully who we were created to be. Our eyes will be on Him and everything else will be put in right perspective. No problem will seem too large because we'll know God is bigger. No person or situation will intimidate us because we'll know God is bigger. No tragedy will destroy us because we'll know God is bigger. No heartbreak will devastate us forever because we'll know God is bigger.

Everything around us can change, but we can be resting in His peace because we know God is bigger. And if we know this and we learn more about Him, we'll also know His love is beyond anything in this world and will never be taken away from us. Nothing or no one can change Almighty God.

If we have God on our side, everything we go through in life, good or bad, can make us more complete; can make us wiser, and more loving and more honest and more content.

If we have God on our side, no matter what this world or others or the enemy throws at us, we will still be in the middle of His peace.

If you know Jesus you can have peace no matter what is going on around you. Honest!

We don't know how long we will live this life. Some of us will have long lives. Some of us will have shorter lives. Some of us live well past 100. Others of us only live for a few weeks in the womb. All of our lives are precious to God. We choose how we live them. With or without Him? The days we live with Jesus are days that will be forever filled with purpose. For anything we do for Him (and that can be washing dishes, doing our jobs, serving people, driving, eating, enjoying others -- all can be done in gratitude to Him) will not be lost.

Anything we do for the fleeting treasures of this world will be worth nothing in the end.

If you were given the chance to know your death is near, would you be thankful for how you led your life?

Jesus tries to keep us from heartbreak about our lives when he tells us, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there wil your heart be also." Matthew 6:19-21

I didn't know what to write today (but I wanted to write something). I was thinking how quiet my day has been today. I haven't done too much. Just read to Hawk and washed his hair and fed and changed him (and lifted him and set him down). I've picked a few tomatoes and fed the animals and did dishes. I drank coffee and read my Bible and wrote in my journal. I've prayed. I've talked to my oldest daughter. Sent my youngest daughter an email. Did a few errands in Eagle Butte. Nothing that is a great story to tell except I realized through all this stuff I do daily God is there always loving me, always seeing me, always present. That's why I wrote what I did.

The same is true for your life. We don't have to do anything grand. A writer named Melissa Spoelstra writes in her Elijah Bible study that "callings (from God) are not always glamorous" and that God "calls us to stay the course"

Be faithful to the tasks God has given you to do. They are important. What you do is valuable, valuable to God. He doesn't call us to busy work. He calls us to stuff that matters.

Sometimes things just happen

9/20/2018

No matter how good we are at our jobs and roles in life, things happen. Things break down. We fail at tasks we didn't expect to fail at. People disappoint us. We disappoint others. It's all part of living on this planet.

Over the last two weeks Hawk has fallen out of his wheelchair twice. Big fail on my part. The first time involved a donut cushion. We had just gotten a donut cushion for him because his tailbone sticks out bad since he is so skinny. It's even turned under a bit. The donut cushion seemed like a good idea. What wasn't a good idea was me putting it on top of his other cushion. While he sat on both of these cushions (and properly belted in) he jerked and fell over -- chair and all. His face got scraped up in three places, and his back got scraped in two. He even shed one tear (I have never seen Hawk cry except when he was a very young infant). I made sure to take out his old cushion. That wasn't going to happen again.

Then, along came yesterday. I was wheeling Hawk to the Suburban. I had him partly belted in. Often I do this if I am going to put him in the vehicle since he won't be in his chair for long. I took my hand off his chair for just five seconds while opening the Suburban door. At that moment, he jerked to his right and pulled himself out of his chair (these jerks are individual seizures). He hit the ground with his right eye. What a trooper! He didn't even make a peep. I unstrapped him and held him; told him I was sorry. He won't be belted in part way again, that's for sure!

I know I 'm the best caregiver Hawk could have, but I messed up. These things happened when I was with him.

Accidents happen to all of us. Life is frail. Two thoughts from scripture come to mind:

First, "All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass." Isaiah 40:6-7.

Second, "now is the day of salvation" 2 Corinthians 6:2c.

Just today I heard of two young people's deaths. And last week my oldest daughter called me telling me three people she knew in different places had died within a week -- all under age 37.

Death can claim any of us at any time.

Do you know where you will spend eternity?

You can know for sure. You can choose to go to heaven. Trust in Jesus. Trust that He is the way, the truth and the life. Only through Him can we get to the Father (Jesus said this in John 14:6).

The Father is the Perfect Father, our Heavenly Father; our Father who loves us and desires to be in relationship with each of us. Please don't wait any longer. Please answer His call.

(And please don't buy into the lie that hell is going to be a fun place. It will be torment and isolation and unending pain.)

What you have

9/12/2018

I watched an episode of Call The Midwife yesterday (love this show -- wholly recommend it. It brings up great conversation topics with the family). A husband and wife of one of the episode's stories told each other, "Think about what we have, not what we don't have."

A phrase from the song "Count your Blessings" is flitting through my mind right now:

Count your blessings,
Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings
See what God has done.

Hebrews 12:8 says, "let us show gratitude."

And Philippians 4:8 says, "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things."

That verse is all about noticing what we have rather than what we don't have!

This is all in my mind as I sit at my table listening to the wind rush through the trees. My mornings of sitting outside are rapidly ending for 2018. I'm praying for a long autumn, but I know the land needs the moisture winter will bring (Hawk and I still sit outside, but we go out later and come in earlier). The human part of me isn't excited about the seasons changing. I think about pushing Hawk in his chair through snow; trying to get around ice; bad weather, loss of electricity; isolation that comes with being snowbound.

But so much good comes with the changing seasons too:

warm sweaters and stocking caps
chili and soup
cuddling in bed on Saturday mornings
Thanksgiving
the beauty of snow
crisp, sunny winter days
Christmas hymns
family
Jesus' birthday
thick winter coats on the horses that feel like velvet

My youngest daughter and I got home at midnight last night after her volleyball game. Late nights are not my most favorite thing in the world. I'm usually in bed by 9 p.m. As I waited for her in the parking lot I longed for bed, but then I wouldn't have seen Mars and the stars in the sky. I wouldn't have heard the positive words I heard on the radio. I wouldn't have spent those 20 minutes alone with my daughter on our drive home. Those were all good things. Those were things I had last night, things that were vastly more important than lying in bed.

There is always something we can think about we don't have, but thinking like this just adds stress and worry and discontent to our lives.

My mother mentioned a man to me the other day. He lived in our neighborhood where I was grew up. He was six years my junior so I didn't know him (but I knew his parents). He suddenly died last week. He just didn't wake up. He left behind a young family.

None of us know when we will take our last breath. Do we really want to waste our days in worry and discontent? Things can change in less than a second for good or bad. There are bills to pay. There are tasks that need doing. Problems arise. Health issues sometimes take over. And we need to deal with all this for sure. But none of it needs to define us.

What we focus on is what our life will be.

What you and I have far surpasses what we don't have.

You probably have more than one

9/8/2018

You have at least one. You very likely have more than one. And it is vital you know what they are so you can do what you need to do.

Colossians 4:17 says, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it."

That's what we're talking about -- the ministry God has given each of us to fulfill. Our ministry is the task God has given us to do. And if it is a task from God it is of eternal importance no matter what others (or even we) may think of it. We cannot judge the tasks God has given us to do with comparisons to other people's tasks or to world ideologies of what constitutes significance.

We each have unique ministries. Sometimes we Believers can get caught up in the ministry thinking the only valid and important ministries are public ones and those acknowledged professionally as ministries. This is not the case.

If you are married, one of your tasks from God is to support and love your spouse.

If you are a parent, one of your tasks is to raise your child in the faith and teach that child to become an independent adult (as he/she is able).

If you are part of a church, one of your tasks is to help build up and encourage other members of your church family.

If you are human, one of your tasks is to be authentically you. This one is more important than you can even fathom. Only you can be you. Have you noticed are powerful it is when someone shares honestly and vulnerably and is just so real? We all can do that (but it sure takes courage).

If you have people in your life, friends, co-workers, family members, one of your tasks is to watch out for them. Give them words of encouragement. Pray for them. Notice what is going on in their lives.

You have also been given at least one spiritual gift (you really need to become a Believer to operate in this. If you aren't a Believer yet click here to find out how to become one (it is the best decision you can ever make. It will affect every aspect of your life if you let God work). We Believers are called to use our spiritual gifts for the building up of the body. If you don't know what your spiritual gift is, click here to help you figure it out. The linked page isn't the only resource online but it is a good place to start.

Reread the Bible verse above (Colossians 4:17). Here is how The Message says it: “Do your best in the job you received from the Master. Do your very best.”

If You Notice Them You Might See God

9/7/2018

It's fly month -- the month when flies start darting indoors whenever a door is left open a fraction too long. But once they are in, have you noticed how slow they move? I'm not great with the fly swatter except during this time of year when the flies lose their speed. It's a little detail that tells us fall is coming. Plus, I'm getting fewer and smaller tomatoes than I did. Another sign. A sign that harvest is ending and fall is beginning.

Seeing the approach of fall in a few little details can remind us we can do the same thing with God. We can go days without seeing anything big happen in the God department. Maybe we have been praying for something or someone and nothing seems to change. Maybe instead of looking for the answer we expect to get, we should just look for little details.

Just this week I was contacted by someone I've never spoken to but have wanted to meet. Our lives are connected by a person, a person my husband and I have been prayng for; a person we see growth in. This unexpected contact was a little detail covered in God's fingerprints I could have neglected to notice (and it came at the perfect time because we had a huge water bill due to a leaky automatic waterer that put a dent in our budget -- thankfully Shannon will have it fixed very soon).

Yesterday was my son Hawken's 19th birthday. I wrote something on Facebook about how his life isn't the life we would have chosen for him, but how it is amazing to watch how God uses Hawk's quiet life the way it is. I shared this because I want people to know we don't have to be showy or in the spotlight to make a difference. We might have a so called "boring" life and think it doesn't matter much. Every life matters as much as the next life. Anyway, God gave me another detail with that. A family member I rarely talk to shared how Hawken has affected her life. It was a reminder that God is indeed working when we just are trying to get through the days.

When we moved up here in 2015 Shannon and I took over the youth group (actually I think we didn't start leading it till 2016 -- years run together). Last year I had a tough time with it. I knew it was important, but emotionally I wasn't in a great spot and so everything was hard. This year we've got into a routine with it that works for us and for the students who attend. We had three new students to youth group this past Wednesday and we had a great discussion. It was really, really good. That is another detail of God's presence. Nothing in our lives is coincidence if we are living for Jesus.

If we open our eyes and take time to be aware of the details we will be encouraged. God never leaves us without His light. Maybe you're in a dark place. His light is shining. Maybe you're tired. He sees this. Jesus says, "Come to Me all you who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest."

Is there something?

8/31/2018

Is there something in your life that keeps hanging on no matter how you to try to remedy it through your own actions, words and prayers? Are you so tired of this something wondering why God doesn't take it away or restore or fix?

Maybe God is using it has a refining tool. Forget the maybe -- He is using it as a refining tool.

God can change life instantly. If He allows something to hang on in your life, that something is being used by Him to do His work in you or your situation or in others (or in all three).

We gotta trust Him even with these tiresome situations. They are not beyond His control. In fact, they are in His control. We can't let these kinds of things get us down. Knowing God is using them means we can actually rejoice in them!

English Writer and Theologian Thomas Fuller was the one who wrote, "It is always darkest before the dawn."

Fuller lived in the 1600s and a quick internet search says he was one of the first English writers able to live on the earnings he got from his writings (something I aspire to).

We ought not to get bogged down in daily troubles. Those are some of the thorns Jesus mentions in the Parable of the Sower.

"And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful." Matthew 13:22

The Book of Mark states it like this, "and the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful."

God's got this (whatever this is).

They Belong To Him

8/30/2018

We humans can get pretty possessive with the people we love. And this is just fine to a point. If God has blessed us with family relationships, children, spouses, in-laws, grandchildren, we are right to love them and do the best we can for them. And what a joy it is to have sweet fellowship with those we love!

But in reality every single person belongs to God. In Ezekiel 18:4, God says, "Every soul—man, woman, child—belongs to me, parent and child alike."

With that being the case it is good to remember that God is speaking to every single person. He wants to have relationship with all of us. 2 Peter 3:9 says that God is "not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

Sometimes we make it about us. Sometimes we demand things in the relationships that we have no business demanding. Sometimes situations are just about God and them. Often it has nothing to do with us.

If you are a Believer and you do your best to live out a Believer's life, you might sometimes take the heat from a person you love who isn't living for Jesus. Your life might be a constant reminder of where they should be but are choosing not to be.. And that's okay. It means Jesus is shining out of you. It means God is speaking and trying to draw those loved ones back to Him. Don't despair! God "is patient" toward everyone (also from 2 Peter 3:9).

The best thing for us and our loved ones is to be in relationship with the Father. In Him is fullness of joy. In Him we will find out who we were created to be. In Him, we get to be part of His plans and purposes!

Remember, that this life is only a shadow of the Unseen Realm, the spiritual realm. There is where the real fight happens. We don't fight "against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12

You're not going to miss it

8/27/2018

When your life is full of family responsibilities or caretaker duties or a bunch of other people's needs, do you sometimes feel you're going to miss out on being chosen by God to do something out of the ordinary (because it is pretty cool to be used by God in a nontypical way)?

God isn't going to pass you by. If God has plans to use you in a special way He isn't going to change those plans because your days are filled with needs of your loved ones (your faithfulness to those duties might be the reason He has chosen you for the task).

In Numbers 11 the Israelite people are complaining about the food God is providing them. And Moses is sick of it. The burden of the people is getting too much for him. He even asks God if it isn't going to get better to just kill him and put him out of his misery (that's in Numbers 11:15).

God has a different plan. He tells Moses to gather 70 guys from the elders of Israel "whom you know to be elders of the people" (Numbers 11:16) and God will put some of His Spirit on these guys to share the load with Moses.

So the guys gather, but two of the men who are signed up can't make it. Their names are Eldad and Medad (and their reasons for not attending must have been good ones because God doesn't forget them).

Once the guys are gathered "the LORD cam down in the cloud . . . and He took of the Spirit who was upon (Moses) and placed Him upon the 70 elders. And it came about that when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied." Numbers 11:25

Eldad and Medad got the Spirit too and verse 26 says "they prophesized in the camp."

Maybe Eldad and Medad couldn't come because they were sick or maybe their families had emergencies or something. It wasn't out of rebellion they didn't show up because God wouldn't have honored that. Whatever the reason God came down to them too even though they weren't with the others.

I admit that there have been days upon days where my routine is the same with Hawken. Days are filled with changing him and feeding him and reading to him and placing him in his chair, then on the floor, then on the couch and then back to his bed (over and over). A person can feel like she/he is forgotten.

But we're never forgotten by God. He sees us. He is using us right where we're at. And when He chooses us to do something out of the ordinary, it will happen. It will happen in God's time. We just have to stay faithful to the tasks we have today. They are important, eternally important if given to us by God.

Your story, your soul, your battle

8/25/2018

Again, here I sit at the picnic table in our yard (I say "our" loosely for we are renters, but then again all things belong to our Father in heaven). Oh, I wish I could share the peace I have at this moment with every single person in the world or at least with every single person I know. It is peace straight from God. It is peace God wants each of to live in, the peace that Paul calls "the peace that passes all comprehension."

Eugene H. Peterson translates it this way in The Message:

"Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."

(By the way, the scripture quotes I share I often get from Biblegateway.com. That is an incredible site. It doesn't just have scripture from all sorts of translations. It also offers devotionals and verses of the day).

This morning I read Psalm 55:18a which says, "He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle which is against me."

Everyone of us has our own battles we fight, within and without. Things that are a battle to one person aren't to another. Our battles are battles because of who we are, our souls and the stories our lives are playing out.

I've been keeping journals since my freshman year in high school. I started writing them at age 14 and I am now 50. So, it's been a while. A few times in my life I've thrown a bunch away. I no longer have my teen journals. When I'd reread those I would get irritated with my silliness (but maybe I should have kept them). And I threw a lot away from when I was first married (again, maybe I should have kept them).

Through them I can see spiritual growth, but I also see myself fighting the same battles over and over.

Sometimes we fight the same battles again because we haven't learned what we need to learn, but I think the real truth of it is is that our individual souls have bents toward certain things in life -- certain temptations, certain needs, certain desires that we have to learn to deal with our entire lives. We will get to a place of victory but then rediscover the same battle in a different season, maybe in a deeper place, a place where God is fine-tuning us. A kind of refinement that is teaching a deeper truth about ourselves and God and our desperate need for Him the closer we get to Him. As we mature in the faith we will get a keener understanding of how great our need is for Christ.

Remember when the woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus? The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus. They reminded Jesus the law says the woman should be stoned (by the way, where was the man she was with????). What would Jesus do?

At first He stayed silent and wrote in the dirt. But they kept pushing Him. So finally He stood up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7

Scripture then says, "And when they heard it, they began to (leave), beginning with the older ones." John 8:9a

The older people left first -- they understood what they themselves were and were able to admit it first (when they left they admitted to all that they too were sinners).

I love fairy tales. I've loved them my entire life. And I've thought of life in terms of fairy tales as long as I can remember. I was the princess and I'd be loved by a prince and we would live happily ever after (you can see where that might cause a few struggles when a person has to live in this world). One of my favorite authors who has written many novels based loosely on fairy tales (they are stories with obvious fairy tale elements in them -- I dream of writing one of these stories one day) is Robin McKinley. I've read and reread a few of her books. She said in an interview that writers write the same story over and over in different forms. I think this is indicative of our own life stories. We live and relive our struggles and our triumphs. They come in different forms but often they are rooted in the same issues, issues we wrestle with our entire lives. And that's okay. We are human. We fail. We see victory. We are refined and then God puts us back in the fire for more refinement.

Oh, I pray God gives you great peace and contentment as you read this. You are where God wants you to be. Just love Him and those He puts in your life. And enjoy what He gives you. Use your talents to bless Him and others and to bless yourself (God gets great joy out of seeing His children enjoying life). Your story is one that is changing your world. Don't ever doubt that!

When you're in love (part two)

8/22/2018

When a person is in love (those kind of in-love overwhelming feelings) that person is only concerned about the person he is in love with. She thinks about him nonstop. She writes his name on everything. His thoughts are filled with her wondering what she is doing; wondering what she's wearing; wondering when he can be with her again. Everything is about the person who is loved.

This clip from Elf is exactly what I am talking about:

We can be this consumed with loving God. Sure, feelings come and go, but that's how feelings work.

I think of some of the questions I myself have asked God in the past: What is my purpose? When is this going to happen in my life? When will you use my talents? Why have you chosen this for me?

No question is ever wrong to ask God. We should talk to Him about everything. But when we are focused on figuring out our purpose and plan maybe we have our eyes on ourselves rather than God. Maybe we are still looking at God but putting ourselves more in the picture than is really necessary.

Think back to being in love. When you are love you aren't wondering about your own purpose. You know your purpose at that time is to love that person. Your purpose is to be with that person. Your purpose is to make that person smile.

I think we Believers can make this life more complicated than it has to be (at least I do). We start wondering if we're making a difference. We start wondering about our part. We start worrying we are missing God's will.

We won't miss it if our eyes are on Him! We won't be wondering if we are making a difference when our eyes are on Him. We won't be wishing we'd get more acknowledgement if we are focused on God because we can never out love God. Never!

This isn't complicated but it sure isn't easy. Our natural way to live is to be focused on ourselves and our wants and needs. That's why we need God to help us live better (for when we get stuck inside ourselves we are doomed).

Here are a few scriptures that relate (at least in my mind):

"for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Romans 14:17

"So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another." Romans 14:20

"And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."
Deuteronomy 6:5

When You're In Love

8/21/2018

Do you remember how it feels to be in love? When those feelings are overpowering and you are sure no one ever has felt what you are feeling?

Do you remember how you act toward the person you're madly in love with (if it is reciprocated)?

You do things to make that person happy. You leave him little notes. You give her flowers. You bring him lunch. You plan special dates. You do this all to please that person, to make that person happy. You don't do it to make that person love you because you know that person loves you already. You just have to express your shared love because it is so so so wonderful!

Okay, you got it? Got those memories, that understanding of love expressions in your mind? Hold onto it while you read the next part.

This morning I read John 8:29 where Jesus says, "'And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.'"

Jesus always does the things that please the Father.

I already knew that and you probably did too, but this morning it hit me in a new way. I thought, I could live like that too. I could live just to please my Father, to live to make Him smile; to live to express my love for Him because He loves me so so so much, and the more I love Him the more I will know Him and then the more I will love Him and on and on and on (and the same is true for you).

We aren't to live the way that would please God because we have to earn His love or earn our way to heaven. No! We can live to please Him just because He loves us and we want to show our love back to Him.

Just think how simple this would make life -- just live to please God. No more drama. A whole lot less stress. Probably fewer wrinkles and health problems too!

Do you want it?

8/18/2018

If you have the nerve to read this realize from the start that I am not saying we are saved by any other means than believing in Jesus. Romans 10:9 says, "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."

No matter how long you are a Believer that doesn't change. Ever.

But the question is, do you want to grow spiritually? Are you just going through the motions or do you really want to grow?

What happens if we choose to grow? We get closer to Jesus, Father and Spirit. We lose our agendas. We live for Jesus. We take on His plan for life. We become who we were created to be. We become more authentic. All the walls that we've built over the years to protect ourselves are destroyed. We learn to live freely and honestly and joy will bubble out of all this.

1 Timothy 4:14-16 says, "Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you . . . Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress may be evident to all. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things; for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you."

There's some advertising I see now at the local gas station. It is pictured on the side of the ice container. It says something about taking care of yourself for your loved one. And we should do this. We need to care for ourselves physically so we can keep loving those God puts in our lives. So we can keep serving them and helping them grow and being there for them when they need us. Physical health affects everything in our lives. If we are sick or not healthy it limits what we can do. It limits where we can go. It just plain limits us.

Spiritual health is similar (and emotional often goes along with spiritual health -- when you get healthier spiritually you're going to get healthier emotionally). It's not so we can become Super Christians (do those really exist? I don't think so). It's not so we can become some holy person people look at in awe. It's not about us at all. It's about God and others. The stronger we get spiritually the better we can go through life. The stronger we get spiritually the more God can use us to touch others. The stronger we get spiritually the more others will see Jesus. You don't get stronger spiritually just by going to church and reading your Bible occasionally. You gotta apply the truth you learn. You gotta practice the faith in your thoughts, words and actions. The more you practice the stronger you get (just like an athlete).

We can't grow by osmosis meaning we can't grow spiritually just by letting spiritual truths and sermons and teachings flow into us and expect them to stick. If that happened it would be more a brain-washing than a growing. Instead, they stick when we make them stick through our intentional choices.

So, have you chosen? Have you chosen to grow spiritually or stay stagnate? If you haven't chosen to grow spiritually you've probably chosen the other choice. We choose one or the other. And if you want to grow spiritually are you ready to really grow? Are you ready to let God transform you? Are you ready to become the person you were created to be?

What are you feeding it?

8/15/2018

So, one of my favorite things to do is to read. I read a lot, to myself and to Hawk. I read in the morning and I read before I go to bed. Maybe I got the reading bug from my Retired-Teacher Mom who was always reading while I grew up (and still does). My husband and kids read a lot too. I guess you could say it is part of our life here in South Dakota.

Reading, I'd say, is a very good thing. It's one of the best things I think God has given us to learn about Him and life and people and all sorts of wonderful things. Reading is one way (of many ways) we feed our brain.

I have a few favorite books. And when a new book comes out that is related to one of my favorite books I really want to read it. I usually wait to see if I can buy it used or if it comes onto my Vine list (a list of things I can choose from to review for Amazon). Sometimes though I buy the book new. I've done this twice this summer. Sadly, I'm throwing one of these books away (and I haven't even finished yet). The writing is good. The author is skilled. But there are scenes in it I wasn't expecting that I shouldn't read. I read one yesterday and parts of that scene keep popping up in my thoughts when I don't want it too. I'm going to have to get a brain cleaning from the Spirit and the Word (this is possible). The book I thought would be really good ended up doing to my brain what bad food does to the body -- clogs it up and causes me to feel a bit yucky.

This kind of thing can happen with anything we expose our brains too -- TV shows and movies and conversations and internet and even our own thoughts. Everything affects our brains in some way -- good or bad. We can reverse the bad effects but it takes intentional effort to do this. There's a reason Paul writes in Philippians 4:8 "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things."

There's a lot of bad stuff out there, but some of the worst stuff we can fill our minds with originate from ourselves. Jesus says in Matthew 15:19-20 "out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man;"

If we aren't intentional in our thought life junk will take over and we might find ouselves drowning in disgusting and evil and petty thoughts. If you do a tiny bit of research online about positive and negative thoughts you'll see that it takes at least two or three positive thoughts to get rid of one negative thought. Sometimes it takes ten positive comments to override one negative comment (our words either bless or curse)!

What we think about, what we dwell on affects everything. It will write itself across our facial expressions. Our thoughts will affect the way we interact with others.

So, what are you feeding your brain?

No one ever sees

8/13/2018

God "does great and searchable things, wonders without number." Job 5:9

I'm thinking of the fields and hills covered in wildflowers no one ever sees.

I'm thinking of beautiful sunrises and sunsets that go unnoticed by so many.

I'm thinking of the mysterious ocean depths no human has ever experienced.

I'm thinking of the expanse of space that continues to expand and which God fills with beauty only He sees.

God creates and creates and creates for the pure joy of it. He is Creator and He needs no validation or approval from us. When we do notice His hand and creation in things and thank Him that is a bonus and we can delight along with Him and this brings us and Him joy.

Genesis 1:27 says, "And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."

This modern society with all its social media encourages us to seek out the approval of others with all we do, as if what we are doing or taking part in isn't quite complete until we get "likes" and acknowledgement from those we know. This isn't healthy. It isn't how God operates. It can give others and the world influence into our actions and thoughts and decisions where they just don't belong. Some things, a lot of things, need to just be between us and God or us and those who are real parts of our lives.

I know I seem to talk about this a lot but it is a major part of my life -- caregiving. I see so much value in learning to be like God in daily life as a caregiver. As school starts and my days go back to being just me and Hawken most of the time, most of my life is only seen by God. If I believe what is pushed by social media my unseen life is not valuable because it isn't being noticed by anyone walking on this earth.

But this isn't true. The unseen parts of our lives are seen by God. The unseen parts of life we live are precious to God and He notices all things. These unseen times reveal who we really are. When we choose to do what we need to do faithfully and daily God is pleased. It is act of worship.

Romans 12:1-2 says, "I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

I don't know what you are dealing with in life, but I do know you live life in unseen places too. I know things you do go unnoticed by others. I know there are times you are misunderstood or judged. I know there are times you wish someone would notice those things you do, those things that tax you physically or emotionally or both. God sees you. He sees your heart. He sees what you do day in and day out. You are being noticed. You are being noticed by God Almighty, the God who loves you so very much.

For 50 cents you can change your life

8/10/2018

I did something this morning while sitting at the picnic table in our yard I haven't done for a while. It was a very good thing and is a life-changer. You can do it too for just 50 cents plus tax.

What can be so cheap but affect your life (and no I get no compensation for this -- just sharing)?

(Actually, it might even be free if you already have something that will work.)

So, what did I do?

I opened up my journal and read a few pages of entries from last spring and early summer. I read my conversations with God. I read my prayer requests. I read about a few things I was struggling with. Those aren't the life-changing effects I'm talking about. It's what comes after reading them.

I read them and was reminded how God answered prayers for me; how He grew me; how He worked in relationships and how He sustained my family and gave us a great summer. That is life changing. To see the effects of a spiritual life and prayer. To see God's faithfulness in the pages of my journal.

You might be a not a writer. That's okay. You don't have to be a writer to keep a notebook of prayers.

This is what I encourage to do:

Get yourself a notebook of any size (now is the perfect time because there are back-to-school sales). Every morning before you leave the house or start your day of chores briefly write prayer requests, a prayer, things you are seeking God for. Just write a couple of sentences and put it away. Or write down your worries and then ask God for help.

Do this for the next month. Once the month is over go back and read what you wrote. I guarantee your faith will increase. I guarantee you will be encouraged.

"And then God answered: “Write this.
    Write what you see.
Write it out in big block letters
    so that it can be read on the run.
This vision-message is a witness
    pointing to what’s coming.
It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait!
    And it doesn’t lie.
If it seems slow in coming, wait.
    It’s on its way. It will come right on time." Habakkuk 2:2-3

Use it well

8/7/2018

Sometime this summer, I don't remember when, I had a dream of two people I dearly love. I saw Jesus and my daughter Maggie holding hands looking at me. I knew they loved me but I also knew it wasn't time for me to be with them yet. They told me God had more for me to do here on earth. I think Maggie even waved and gave me a big huge smile. I hope I have that dream again!

This morning I was able to sit outside again while reading my Bible. Again, I drank a lot of coffee (the pot is almost empty now -- though Shannon had a large cup of it before he left). I read in Habakkuk. There are some great passages in this very short book. Habakkuk 3:4 says, 'His radiance is likee the sunlight; He has rays flashing from His hand, And there is the hiding of His power."

Another one the writer in me loves is Habakkuk 2:2. It says, "Then the LORD answered me and said, 'Record the vision And inscribe it on tablets, That the one who reads it may run.'"

As I read I thought of Jesus sitting beside me, His arm around my shoulders. I stopped reading and just pictured that. I pictured me leaning my head against His shoulder. I pictured Him smiling. I thought of the peace that would bring.

And you know what -- it did. It brought peace. It brought joyful tears. It brought a sense of presence.

The first commandment is to "Love the LORD your God with all your heart, your mind and your strength."

Loving God with all our minds means we need to love Him with our imaginations. Our imaginations are gifts from God to enhance this life He's given us. What better way than to think of Him? To picture Him? To imagine being with Him?

Often, people use their imaginations to worry, to fear, to stress. I do this too. But we don't have to! We can choose not to use this incredible gift in a negative way.

Oxford Dictionaries says Imagination is "the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses."

That is a glorious capability God has given each of us. Oh, let's choose to use it well!!

On my third cup of coffee

8/4/2018

It's almost 7 a.m. here in sunny South Dakota and I am on my third cup of coffee. I am sitting outside at the picnic table listening to mourning doves call back and forth. About an hour ago I could hear coyotes yipping and howling. The air is still. Birds twitter. The two dogs run back and forth chasing sounds. Hawk is lying in his bed right inside the back door enjoying the morning air coming through the screen door. The rest of the family is asleep.

I took the picture on the left about 15 minutes ago. It is probably a bit dark (can't tell since everything looks a bit dark on the computer screen when using it outside -- would love someone to invent a paperwhite screen for laptops like kindles have that allow you to use them outside even in the brightest sunlight). I wanted to share this picture so you can see what I see from my yard. I'm so thankful for my life.

That last sentence is full of meaning I want to share. For several months I've been thankful but not wholly content. I prayed and prayed about it. I tried and failed to embrace contentment totally. I've been doing the same thing for 23 years -- been a stay-at-home mom. And for almost 19

years I've been the full-time caregiver for my son Hawk. That's part of my mom job too but being a full-time caregiver is a bit different since it entails doing things you typically don't have to do for children as they age.

I'd see my husband go off to work. I'd see my husband go off to powerlifting practice where he meets with a handful of students and coaches them in their powerlifting. This has been an incredible ministry. God is doing good things there (I know that is a tangent but wanted to share).

And of course my two youngest teenagers have all sorts of stuff going on.

And then, it would be me and Hawk at home. I knew (and know) what I was doing was what God wanted me to do. I knew it was important work, but honestly I was just feeling a bit left out. Feeling like life was happening everywhere but where I was. I knew this wasn't right but it was how part of me felt.

Just this morning I thought of what Jesus said to Paul on the road to Damascus in Acts 9. Saul (who would become Paul) was chasing Believers to imprison them. On this road Jesus appeared to him in a bright light and said (according to Paul account in Acts 26:14), 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'"

This is not a common saying in our day, but I found a great site that explains it. You can read the entire article about it here by Tommy Boland.

Boland says a goad or an oxgoad is "a long pole or stick with a pointed piece of iron fastened to one end. In the strong hands of a loving master, the ox is gently prodded, guided, steered and driven in the desired direction when plowing the fields. When a stubborn ox attempts to kick back against the goad that is causing it discomfort, the ox will actually inflict more pain, driving the pointed end deeper into its flesh."

When Jesus brought this verse up to me this morning it explained exactly what I've been doing for so many months. Part of me has been fighting him in my discontent. I still did what I needed to do, but my feelings weren't being led. My feelings were betraying me, lessening me as a person even.

I continued to pray. I wrote. I wrote over 100,000 words in one document. A bit of it (just a little bit) was good. Most of it wasn't. I threw it away. I kept trying and trying and trying to find something other than what I had to make me content. At this moment I feel like Dorothy from Wizard of Oz when she clicks the heels of her ruby slippers together three times. She says, "There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home."

God will bring growth to us if we keep seeking Him. He knows what is best for us. He knows what will make us content. He knows how to transform us and will. I can truly say I am content in this quiet life. Summer vacation is almost over. My husband goes back to teaching. My two youngest go back to high school. And Hawk and I will do what we do here at home.

Paul says he learned to be content in all situations (Philippians 4:11). We each can learn this too. Learning to be content is a great spiritual feat. The world and the enemy want us discontent. God can bring us into contentment without changing anything about our circumstances. That is true power. That is love. That is a mighty spiritual miracle. When we are content Jesus shines out of us. Contentment is a process. And very likely we need to learn and relearn it every time we find ourselves in a new season of life.

Someone else's faith doesn't count

8/2/2018

Have you read the book of Daniel? Full of stories you might not even believe happened (but they did. Click here if you'd like to read a chapter). In the beginning of the fourth chapter World Ruler Nebuchadnezzar says, "It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me." Daniel 4:2

Then, 28 verses later the same guy is full of pride bragging about himself and how he has made himself great. He has forgotten all about God (if Nebuchadnezzar could become full of pride and forget about God we can too).

So God kicks him out of the palace and Nebuchadnezzar lives out in in the fields like an animal for seven years losing his mind and eating grass.

At the end of the seven years, he gets his mind back and acknowledges God's greatness and wonder and God's dominion. He then says, "At that time my reason returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me . . . so I was reestablished in my sovereignty . . . Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just,a nd He is able to humble those who walk in pride." Daniel 4:36-37

You'd think that this experience and story and witnessing it would have a lasting effect on Nebuchadnezzar's son. That maybe he would follow God because of what happened to his father. But he didn't. In Daniel 5 we see Nebby's son Belshazzar being so anti-god that he ends up being killed. Daniel says to him, "Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this (the eating grass story)," Daniel 5:22

This reminded me this morning that each of us has to have a personal faith. Each of us has to decide for ourselves that we will love and serve God. And no matter what we do we can't decide for our own kids. We can faithfully talk to them about the faith, about living for Jesus. We can take them to church every week for their entire growing up years. We can read to them from the Bible. We can make sure they can learn all they can, but none of this will guarantee they will choose Jesus. We can't do it for them. We can't do it for anyone but ourselves.

And we can't use someone else's faith as ours.

It's just you and God. One day each of us will stand before God all by ourselves and then we answer to Him. No one can answer for us.