Jane Hinrichs - Home

Seven, no, Six Ducks and Counting

6/19/2018

We're living with six ducks right now. See them on the left? This was an unexpected pleasure (yes, I said pleasure. They are cute and it's kind of fun to have babies around since I know they'll be going home Friday).

For the last eight or nine days we've been doing chores for some dear friends. They had found an abandoned nest in their field filled with eggs. They put them in their incubator just to see what would happen. No one knew if they would hatch, and if they would how long it would take.

When I opened the incubator yesterday afternoon the little faces were looking up at me. Some were just sitting in their eggs. A couple had escaped to the bottom of the incubator standing there waiting.

I must admit I was a bit impatient while doing chores last night. A lot of the chickens were out and had to be wrangled back into the chicken house; and these new babies -- I had no idea what to do with them.

One of our friends called. She told us where the feeder and waterer could be found. We grabbed a heat lamp from their chicken house (which was not needed by the chickens).

Okay, we can do this, I thought (but I was dragging. VBS really wore me out last week). We loaded up the seven ducklings in a bucket and placed them in the car while we retrieved the necessary equipment. I left the car door open because it doesn't open from the outside presently. And Tom, the orange tomcat saw his chance and nabbed one of the ducklings for supper (so seven went down to six).

This morning Shannon will probably be bringing more home because some of the eggs hadn't hatched yet.

What have I learned about ducklings?

-- They're quick.

-- They're very alert. They must have good eyesight. I'll have to look that up.

-- They're noisy at night. Had to shut our bedroom door and turn the fan on high.

-- They like to sit in water (duh. They're ducks).

-- Their webbed feet and bills are absolutely adorable at this stage.

-- They move in groups. And here is an interesting fact for you. According to this site, a group of ducks is called rafts or teams.

Whenever I get close to a part of creation I usually don't get to get close to it reminds me so much of God's diversity and creativity and love for all His creatures. God wants these ducklings to survive. That's why they are so alert and they move together and are quick at less than 24 hours old.

"Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? And yet not one of them is forgotten by God." Luke 12:6

If God has equipped these ducklings with necessary survival characteristics, how much more will He give us what we need in our daily lives. He loves the little sparrows and ducklings, but we, His kids, are of far more value to Him. "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows (or ducklings)." Luke 12:7

Is It Worth It?

6/13/2018

Our church family is putting on Vacation Bible School this week (known in Christendom as VBS). It is a lot of work and preparation. You never know what will happen. You never know how many children will show up from day to day. Today, one teacher had to leave unexpectedly but we had an extra adult who was able to step in at the last moment. And then you'll get kids who have a hard time listening or sitting still or keeping their hands to themselves. Some kids don't seem to be paying attention at all and you wonder if anything is making a difference.

VBS is worth it. Sure, it's a lot of work. It takes tons of energy. It takes a lot of time. And very likely you won't see any fruit from the all the seeds you plant.

But someone will. One day someone will harvest those seeds and one day those kids will remember the Bible verses, the songs, the stories and they will be changed.

They will remember the adults who had time for them.

They will remember that there is hope in the world.

They will remember they are loved and matter to us and to God.

And one day they will remember that Jesus is calling them and wants to be part of their lives.

We don't have to see the fruit and the harvest to know that VBS is worth it. God tells us His word always accomplishes what He wants it to accomplish. Every single time!

One of the women who is part of the VBS staff said that she was told about another church that couldn't find enough workers to put on a VBS. I fear that is pretty common in many churches across our country. We all get so busy and it is often easier just not to do a big program.

But I encourage you to take part in a VBS program. Volunteer. Interact with the kids. You matter too.

One study said that most people who are Believers accept Christ by the age of 12. That means these young children are a vital missionary field. A lot of the kids you will work with might have troubled home lives. They might not have adults who have time to give them the attention they need.

If your church isn't doing a program this summer, look into it for next summer. If your church is doing a program see if you can help. Even giving just one day can really encourage the other workers and the kids. You have gifts. Share them. All of us will be grateful.

Do you get it? You're a delight!

6/5/2018

Do you understand?

Do you get it?

Do you realize that you are an absolute delight to God?

Isaiah 62:4d says, "For the LORD delights in you.'

And yes, Isaiah is talking about you! You, the one who is reading this!

Proverbs 5:21 says, "For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He watches all his paths."

Don't read that verse as if God is watching to judge you. Read it realizing He is loving you, loving to watch you!

My oldest son played drums in high school. I loved to watch him play him drums. I loved to hear him play his trap set at home. When we would go to his concerts my eyes went straight to him just so I could watch him play. It seems so silly that I took such delight in seeing him get into those drums, but I did. And I miss it.

This is what I think of when I read that God is watching over my path. He is watching us in love. He's watching us to see what we do next. To see us enjoy this life. To see us delight in him.

If we could grasp how much God loves us I don't think we'd ever worry about anything. He's got us covered. He wants you to rest in him. He wants you to realize he's got your back. He's on your side. Bad things happen because bad things are part of this imperfect life. When sin entered the world, it allowed evil to enter in. And most of the time the bad things in our lives are not our fault. They just are part of life. But even in those bad things, God is there and will help us through them. And He will even bring great good out of those bad time if we let Him.

Zephaniah 3:17 says, "The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy."

He's crazy about you! Really!

I don't know what you're going through right now, but God does. And He will help you with it if you let Him. He will show His great love for you if you ask Him.

Every once in a while when my son was at the drums during the concert I would catch his gaze and he'd smile at me (usually it was before the song started when I was waving madly at him to show him I was there).

God is waiting for you to catch His gaze. His eyes are on you.

A wee little goose

5/30/2018

Last Thursday I rescued a wee little goose from the jaws of Dog Maggie. I yelled, "Drop it," and Maggie did! The goose took off running, but I was quicker. I picked him up (he was alone and we are nowhere near water) and took him in the house. I said to Megan to Pete, "Look what I got."

And Megan says of course, "Ahhhhh. Can we keep him?"

So we got a box and filled it with grass. Pete told me to give him a bath (bad idea) so I did. Then the poor thing (which we named Clyde) was shivering. I got out the hairdryer and blew him dry. Then the little guy walked around the house.

He wouldn't eat and wouldn't drink. When it was time for bed I put him in his box and gave him a more grass and a bowl of water.

In the morning he was in bad shape. He had fallen into the water and was soaked. His neck was limp but he was alive. So out came the hairdryer again. I blew him dry and wrapped him in a towel. Shannon and I prayed God would heal him.

And he did. As the day went on he was more and more active. He went on walks with the kids. He ate grass. He drank water. He wandered. He made noises. And he sat with us. He seemed to be a very happy goose. That night he even watched a movie with us.

Saturday morning he was ready to get out of his box. Another day of activity for him. Saturday night I was thinking of him migrating in the fall but bringing by his new mate to meet his mom.

Sunday morning he seemed quiet. He sat outside with me before church. He walked a bit but spent most of his time between my feet (except when he was sitting in Shannon's robe pocket while Shannon wrote his sermon). We told him we'd see after church.

Shannon talked about Clyde at church. First time he ever had a goose in his pocket.

When we got home I took him out of his box and he had died.

The family wasn't happy. Megan was pretty sad. She asked why. I said I didn't know.

But I do know that he had a couple of really good days, and he brought joy to us. A life is precious no matter how short or long it is. Every life, even a little gosling's life, brings light into our world.

Where to start?

5/23/2018

I picked these lilacs yesterday in my back yard. Lilac blooming season doesn't last long, but it is a glorious one.

When I picked them the bush sounded like it was alive there were so many honeybees on it. That gives me hope! Will I catch bees this year? Highly improbable but not impossible.

As I looked at these flowers this morning after reading Psalm 135:7c (God "brings forth the win from His treasuries") another verse came to mind, Romans 1:20. It states, "For since the creation of the world (God's) invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made"

Which led me to thinking about another verse, Mark 16:15, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."

Where is this leading?

Jesus has told all His believers to share the gospel with others, but sometimes we don't know where to start. You're in a conversation with your neighbor about fertilizer and how much rain you got last night. How do you insert the gospel in there? Or, you're at the store comparing prices between two brands of tomatoes and another shopper gives you her opinion on which one to choose. How do you go from tomatoes to the gospel?

The Romans verse tells us that everyone can see God in creation whether they acknowledge Him or not. Why not start with creation? If you're talking about weather why not acknowledge God's hand in it. Say, "God sent us a 1/2 inch of rain last night. Praise God!"

If you're talking about tomatoes maybe that can lead to planting tomatoes which can lead to God's hand in their growth.

Maybe that's all you say about God, but a seed will be planted.

And maybe it will lead to a bit more. You never know.

The time is short to share God's love and words with others. It might be very short for the person you talk to today. The time might be short for you, for me. Life ends suddenly often.

And if you're feeling far from God, spend time in His creation today -- just 15 minutes alone listening to the sounds; smelling the smells; watching the movements. It will revive you. And you could tell about that experience to the next person you talk to. Hope is found in Jesus Christ. Everyone needs that hope.

It's a Big Fat Lie

5/18/2018

I am so thankful not to be depressed! This past winter the depression I was in got very serious. If not for my husband and God it might have been fatal. And now that I am feeling like me again I realize I've been in a mild depression for over a year. Praise God it's gone (now I know in the future it may come again, but God is already there).

I want to tell you a lie that the enemy tells us or tries to tell us all the time that we will completely believe if we're in a vulnerable state. A vulnerable state could mean depression or it could mean you're facing a big challenge or you are hurting some way -- a vulnerable state is any state that isn't you being at peace, confident in who you are.

Here's the lie: You are alone in this. No one understands. You don't have any close friends. No one cares. You're friendless.

This is a lie for all of us! None of us are alone. All of us are loved. Deeply loved. If you don't have eyes to see the people who are loving you, start with Jesus. He is at this very moment sitting beside the Father praying for you (Romans 8:34). And earlier in the chapter it says "the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words" Romans 8:26

So each of us has the Triune God on our side: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If the Son and Spirit are praying for us you know the Father has our back!

Whatever side God is on is a majority.

What about people?

It's God's will for you to have friends, for you to be in relationship with other people. He has placed people in your life who love you. If you don't recognize them ask God to show you who really cares. You'll be amazed.

When I was in the middle of my deep depression I attended the Women's Winter Retreat in Rapid. The second day I sat down in the auditorium. No one sat beside me. The devil used that. I could have moved, but I didn't. I noticed some of the ladies at my church and began to think they didn't care. I was no use to anyone. I was alone. I was believing the lies. There were several women I could have sat by, but my legs and feet were heavy. I couldn't even get out of the chair. I just wept. Finally, one dear friend reached from behind me and asked if I was okay. I said yes. Liar! This dear woman would have prayed with me. This dear woman would have made room for me. But I was believing the lies that I was alone.

Don't believe these lies. The enemy's way is to isolate us from everyone else. A person all alone is easier to attack. And when we're being attacked life gets darker and darker.

Don't believe that you're alone. Many people love you. Many people care. We humans, though, can be dense and not see the hurting right in front of us. Take a chance and ask someone to pray with you.

What you are dealing with someone near you has dealt with something similar. They can help you.

"No temptation (or trouble or depression or trial) has overtaken you but such is common to man;" 1 Corinthians 10:13a

Email me if you need someone to talk to here.

You are a glorious human being. God's got plans for you, plans you will find great joy in.

I'm a writer. That's about all I can do. I'm not the best writer by far. Some might say I'm not even good. But no matter. I'm still a writer at heart. But I wasn't writing and God told me to start writing down stories from my life. I told Him that no one would want to read those. Why bother? But He insisted. My husband agreed with him. So, I've been writing between 2200 and 2500 words daily and I'm up to about 42,000. I'm shooting for 100,000. Once I'm there I'm going to read it all and see if there's anything good in it. If there's nothing good in it, no matter because getting me to write for extended times during my days was the first step that needed to take place. I get in that zone, that zone of creativity where stuff just flows. That is what I needed.

We all need something like that. You might not be a writer, but you are something. There is something in your life now or has been that you can take part in where you can get in that creative zone and just create. You gotta do that whatever it is. It is a gift.

I wish we could sit together at my table and talk about your life and Jesus and drink coffee and laugh and just have fellowship. Coffee's always on (though I make it really strong -- I have tea too and I would even make a whole pot just the way you like coffee. I'll just put mine in a thermos).

If you don't know, start here

5/16/2018

I think we all go through times of rediscovering ourselves. New phases of life bring new things out in us. New challenges cause us to learn new skills. Old battles are resurrected and we deal with them in a new way. Or, we deal with them like we always have and realize something new in the sameness.

And there are seasons in life we question what we've done and where we are going. This is all very human and happens to many of us.

From singlehood to marriage. From marriage to being a parent. From being a parent to seeing your children leave. Staying in the same job for a long time and realizing you want something else. Illnesses and deaths can bring these questions on.

A book I just read said that sometimes to find out who we are now we have to remember what we are not. If you want to try this, get a lined sheet of paper and number the lines at least to ten (you can do as many as you like). I did twelve.

Here's my list:

1. I am not glamorous.
2. I am not exotic.
3. I am not lazy.
4. I am not ugly.
5. I am not famous.
6. I am not evil.
7. I am not a farmer.
8. I am not a superhero.
9. I am not a neat person.
10. I am not greedy.
11. I am not into possessions.
12. I am not going to hell.

After making this list I was a bit disappointed because it didn't tell me anything I didn't know. But what came next was a good thing. I redid the list saying the opposite of those as I am a ______________. Here's what I came up with.

1. I am natural.
2. I am earthy.
3. I am a hard worker.
4. I am pretty.
5. I am loved.
6. I am kind.
7. I am a flower lover.
8. I am a mom.
9. I am casual.
10. I am generous.
11. I love good conversation.
12. I am bound for heaven.

Try it. Both ways. It might encourage you. You are gifted and God is working out His plan in your life. He's using you in ways you don't even notice. He's using you in very good ways!

What has He said to you?

5/11/2018

Reading in Luke 1:45 today where Elizabeth says to Mary, "blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord."

And I thought, do I have that blessing? Am I believing for things that God has told me?

There is a person in my life who has wandered a way from the Lord. I used to worry until God told me to not worry. To let Him deal with this person. One day this person will be back on fire for Jesus. What an incredible day that will be. I sure hope I get to see. I no longer worry.

Another thing God has told me is "not yet" in a situation in my life I want to happen. "Not yet" means there will be a "now" time in my life for this situation. I believe Him. He never goes back on His word.

The third thing I thought of is not really a promise but it is a kind of promise. God has told me to do something (which I am doing every day). I don't quite see the value in it. The promise in this command is that there is value in it because God told me to do it. So I will not quit following this command.

Has God told you something about the future or about a loved one or about your purpose? Do you believe this? It is a whole lot more fulfilling to walk in belief rather than worry. I initially "a whole lot easier" but that is a lie. Sometimes it is so much easier to fall into worrying because worrying gets validated by the world we live in. A lot of people think that is the way to show love and concern. If you're worrying about your child you must be a great parent.

Worrying is not a form of love or concern. Worry is a form of unbelief.

If nothing comes to mind (something you're believing God for) ask Him to give you something. Ask Him to remind you what He has told you. He talks to everyone. We just have to take time to listen. The longer you believe the stronger your belief will be. And that growing belief will cause Jesus's words in John 14:12 to manifest themselves. Jesus says, "he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father."

That is a promise to grab hold of and believe! What if all believers believed that? Wow, this world would be changed!

Thinking about Thinking

5/7/2018

I'm in the third book of the Margaret of Ashbury trilogy by Judith Merkle Riley. I've read it several times. Though this will sound a bit strange, I think of Margaret as a friend. I adore her! She gets me thinking. Recently she was observing her brother-in-law who is a smug, shallow individual. She watched him grin a self-satisfied grin as he admired his shiny armor and stirrups while sitting on his charger.

The guy is smug but he's satisfied at that surface-level of thinking. I kind of envy that. I kind of envy the thought of just thinking about what's right in front of me and not thinking beyond that. There's a bit of eternity in that way of thinking. Just living in the now.

There are two kinds of people -- those who think deeply and those who don't. Neither is better than the other. There are benefits to both. Possibly we can switch to the other kind of thinking, but I kind of think we are born into one or the other mindset.

A problem occurs when we expect others to think like we do. If I am a deep thinker and judge another person because she is not, I am wrong. Or if a surfacy thinker judges me for my thinking too much, she too is wrong.

We should seek to understand each other rather than trying to mold each other into our own image. When we seek understanding we are fulfilling the second greatest commandment, "Love your neighbor as yourself."

No one likes to be judged. If we left all the judging to God we might be a lot more loving and Christ-like. Yeah, people frustrate each other and do each other wrong, but why waste time judging? Forgive and move on.

The psalmist in Psalm 119:17 requests something of God. He says, "Deal bountifully with Thy servant, That I may live and keep Thy word."

We can deal bountifully with each other. Think good things of each other. Say good things about each other. Do good things for each other. Love, believe in, hope for.

Paul writes about love eloquently in 1 Corinthians 13. He writes, "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"

Just think if we lived and showed this kind of love daily to all in our lives!

Let's try.

It's not for what you think it's for

5/1/2018

It isn't a surprise to any of us when we're told we live in a fallen world. When Adam and Eve sinned way back in Eden they brought all of creation down with them. And with that fallenness comes suffering. We can't escape it. Loved ones will die. We'll get sick. We may have a reverse of financial security. People will betray us. We might betray those we love. Natural catatrosphes happen. Suffering is part of life and it happens to all of us. But it's not for what you think it's for.

Actually, I don't know what you think it's for. Some people think God is punishing us. Some people think it's to teach us a lesson. Some people think we deserve whatever suffering comes our way. Some of this might be true -- the part where God is teaching us something, but after a conversation my Sunday School class had last Sunday I think there is a reason for suffering that supercedes all other reasons.

The principle goes back to a story in the gospel of John chapter 9 where the disciples asked Jesus about a blind man. They asked, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?"

Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him."

In class we talked about how people see God when His children suffer well. I think a big reason for our suffering is for the benefit of others. They need to see God is bigger than the pain of this world. They need to see God carry us through the suffering. If we suffer well, people's eyes will be drawn to God for only He can get the glory for this kind of suffering. Maybe when bad things happen to us, it is God believing in us, believing that we will trust Him to get us through. Maybe someone needs to see that trust lived out.

Hebrews 11:6 says, "he who comes to God must beleive that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."

God rewards our trust in Him. He always comes through. He doesn't want to see us suffer, but suffering is part of this world. He can use it to bring us and others closer to Himself.

In class we also talked about what happens when someone gets a huge windfall or wins the lottery or gets a huge inheritance. Usually God is not glorified in that. People say that person was lucky. Or people say, "I wish I had a rich relative."

God's ways aren't our ways. If showering people with all sorts of worldly goods would increase their faith and bring them into relationship with Jesus, God would do that. But He knows us better than we know ourselves.

If you're suffering look up. Realize God is using it in wonderful ways. And realize it is also finite. There is an end to it. Just keep holding on. God's got you.

Will you do this? Please?

4/28/2018

Hawken and I are reading a great book right now by a man named Mike Slaughter. It's called Dare to Dream: Creating a God-sized mission statement for your life. Slaughter talks about a lot of stuff but I have gleaned from it something that maybe isn't exactly what he intended but it sure speaks volumes to me.

In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul tells us, "But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."

Later in the same chapter he says we are part of the body of Christ (meaning we each are a certain part of that body like an eye or an ear or a leg or a foot, etc).

Then he says, "But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired."

You've probably heard all that before, and you've heard before we all have a purpose (yada yada yada).

Now, let me tell you a story (and I know I'm jumping around in this post but I promise all of it fits together):

A month or two ago before my husband got up to preach in church I stood up and said I had to share something with the congregation (my husband had no idea what it was and I think he might have been a bit nervous). I went to the pulpit and shared with everyone that I had been going through a very deep depression but that I knew God would heal me. I shared a verse about healing I had read that morning and then I sat down.

That probably doesn't sound like a big deal, but what was really interesting is what happened after church. Several people thanked me for sharing what I did. They said it really spoke to them and touched them.

Now to be clear, I didn't speak very long and I was speaking out of the depression (It lifted just a few weeks ago). What I said wasn't incredible. But it was honest and real and transparent. I was sharing what was inside of me, where I was at the time. That is what touched the people.

So, here's my point: yes, we all been tasked to do certain things in the Kingdom of God (Ephesians 2:10 says God has prepared works for us to do), but one thing we each must do (because absolutely no one else can do this for us) is to be ourselves -- our authentic, transparent, real and vunerable selves with each other. Here is where the power is.

No, we don't have to hang out all our inner dirty laundry (please don't), but we need to tear off the masks and tear down the walls and just be ourselves in all our weaknesses and strengths. We need to show each other who we really are. When we do this the Spirit can work between us.

We won't be as close to some people as to others of course, but we can be real all the time. Sure, it takes courage but God will give you that courage. It's His will. If we aren't real with each other; if we aren't honest (but always kind); if we don't share our real selves how can we be unified for the glory of Christ?

There's power in weakness. That's the great reversal! When we're weak He's strong.

We need you to be yourself, truly yourself. No one else can do it.

Will you do this?

Please?

Did a Boo-boo

4/25/2018

Yep. I did a boo-boo (interestingly enough the merriam-webster dictionary does define boo-boo. It says it is a mistake or a blunder....and that is exactly what I did).

This morning I had to drive my youngest child to school early so she could catch a bus for an academic competition. On the way home I was thinking of some issues with this said child, a meeting that is going to occur next month; and then the next three years of school activities. Needless to say, thinking of all that overwhelmed me. By the time I got home I was stressed.

I asked Shannon if we could pray. I told him all the thoughts going through my mind. And he, thought by thought told me why I didn't have to worry about that. He prayed for me and then left for work.

I know better. I really do.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:34, "tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Why can't we stay worry-free all the time when we know worrying is not from God?

It's cause we're human. We like to be control. We like to know the end of the story. We like to know how things will turn out.

That's why God gave us each other and His word. He knew we'd have to read things more than once (way more than once) before they sunk in. And He knew we'd forget and have to relearn the same lessons over and over.

Faith is a process just like a child learning to walk. When he starts learning to walk he falls a lot. As he gets better at walking he falls less. But that doesn't mean he still won't at times trip and fall. We all get clumsy -- even really good walkers get clumsy.

Study, worry and worship

4/24/2018

Are you finding delight in God these days?

Or, is your faith kind of lackluster? A faith that feels dry and mundane?

It's not supposed to be that way. Now, I'm not talking about feelings for feelings can be affected by all sorts things (food, drink, weather, sickness, other people). I'm talking about seeing God above our lives and permeating all aspects of our lives.

If you don't have that here's something you can do:

"Great are the works of the LORD; They are studied by all who delight in them." Psalm 111:2

If delight can bring forth study, the reverse is true also -- study can bring delight.

Start looking up. Psalm 19:1-2 says, "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And they expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge."

Proverbs 23:7 says, "For as he thinks within himself, so he is."

So what we dwell on is what we begin to resemble. If I'm constantly filled with worry, I will become a big ball of stress. If I think and dwell and watch TV shows filled with lust and murder and deviant behavior, that's going to affect me. If I read books and magazines lifting up anti-godly values then that too will affect me negatively.

Our brains are sensitive organs. They are flexible. They change. They adapt to the information given them. We train them to become what we want them to become.

I've been writing down memories. Some of them haven't been pleasant to write and have even affected me negatively. This is because I'm still remembering them as I felt them when they happened. What I need to do is remember them from the perspective of who I am now, the perspective of a woman who believes in Christ Jesus and who has seen Him transform life. He can do that to memories too. He can help us see them with new eyes so we can see the humor and the compassion and the misunderstandings that possibly resulted in us being hurt back then (not always but sometimes).

Like this silly memory -- my hair was cut in third grade and I hated it. I thought I looked like a boy and I had always wanted long beautiful hair and so at the time I was ashamed. That was 8-year-old Jane's perspective. But if I look back on this memory and look at pictures, I realize I looked adorable. That little shag haircut emphasized a cute little face. And that's probably what all the adults in my life saw. And other kids -- well, kids are kids. They probably didn't care one way or another if I even had hair. I can choose to remember the shame I felt or I can choose to remember the memory as I see it now and smile.

We can study life today and see God -- in our surroundings, in nature, in other people's lives; in our lives and even in our memories. And if you have children, your children are watching how you live, how you choose to spend your days; where your focus is. Are they learning to worry? Or are they learning to worship?

Your past

4/18/2018

Sometimes we don't want to think about our pasts. Maybe this is because of mistakes we've made. Maybe this is because of how people treated us. Maybe this is because of some really tough times we'd rather not think about.

But what if you saw your past through God's eyes?

What if you asked God to redeem our past? To show you how He has been calling to you all your lives?

Your past is sacred. Your past is a story of you and God's hand is there.

Maybe you have some horrendous memories that still pain you think about them. Those are the ones God wants to transform. Truly our God lives in all time. He can change the way we feel about the past by showing us His perspective.

Let Him.

I've been struggling for months in my role as a writer. The only real writing I'm doing these days is this blog and feeble attempts at ideas that I pursued which became files on my computer screen. I read a lot. Presently I'm reading a writing book I've read before and the author mentions writing about childhood. I reject this idea for I was as silly, awkward and odd child.

This isn't the first time I've had this idea laid before me. I've been "told" several times to write about my life. But I tell myself why bother? There's nothing of value there that people would want to read.

God showed me the faulty thinking in this. He reminded me as I just wrote that my story (like your story) is sacred. It i a living parable. He was wooing me as He woos you to His side. His light is there. I'm to dig for the light. And if it doesn't go anywhere but to a file on my computer that's fine. Maybe the whole exercise is to remind me of His perspective on my life.

Our lives are sacred to God. He sent Jesus to die for us. You are precious to God. Your life hasn't been a mistake. Your life has hidden treasure waiting for you to discover it. Be bold. Tell others what God has done in your life. Your story just may open someone's heart to the truth and to God's love.

I'm going to try.

Great News!

4/16/2018

Great news! I just zoomed on over to weather.com and next week every day is supposed to be like 60 degrees and a lot of sun! Hey, spring is coming! I'm so thankful (like many of us will be when it arrives). I look out the window and see the sun. I hear the wind rushing. I see patches of brown grass intermingled with larger patches of snow. I don't know this for sure, but I kind of think my daughter who lives in heaven has encouraged God to send all this snow to us in April for a joke. She hated winter. On the day of her funeral (late March 2013) we were hit with a snowstorm. And I think she was laughing cause she was warm and healthy and shining and smiling with Jesus while we all froze!

Before I went to the weather site I searched the following three words: Tired of Parenting.

I'm not proud of that. Not at all. Several years ago I would have never even had that thought. But as I get closer to my 50th birthday (next month) I sometimes wish I could be selfish and and just take care of me and my husband. Part of it is that spring is taking so long to get here and we've been stuck inside a lot (I love sitting outside in the sun). Part of it is that my biggest challenges of parenting have come with my two youngest children. All children are different and all children have their own unique needs. I've learned something new with each of my six children. But God uses some children to really stretch us parents.

He doesn't stretch us needlessly. There are always good lessons to be learned. And I love all my kids. I really do. Maybe we are stretched in parenting when our children's thought processes are vastly different than ours. That's where we clash. Actually, that's where we clash with anyone -- when we cannot fathom why they see a situation the way they do.

Seeking to understand is showing love.

Okay, do you remember being a teenager? All that teenage angst? All that teenage thought that the world and your parents and every single adult in your life is against you? God taught me something one day about love.

My mother and father had four teenagers in the house at one time (me and my three brothers). Dad somehow kept us in working cars throughout high school and college. They might not have been worth much but they ran and ran reliably. Most every Saturday he was in the garage tinkering on a car engine. Once we had a total of 10 cars!

I don't know if I ever thanked my dad during my growing up years for all the auto work he did tirelessly for us. At least not until God showed me something. God showed me that Dad did this because he loved us. He showed his love by keeping our cars running. When God showed me that, I felt foolish for never noticing it before.

For the last day a verse has been in my head. Here it is:

"But to each one is given the manifestion of the Spirit for the common good." 1 Corinthians 12:7

When we use our gifts and skills to benefit others (especially other Believers and other maybe-one-day-Believers) we are showing love. When we use our gifts and skills to benefit others, Jesus is glorified. So I have been wondering if I'm using mine in a way that encourages others (I'm still thinking).

When people stretch us they are giving us a gift. We are becoming more and more the people God created us to be. These challenging people may sometimes be our children. Sometimes they may be spouses. Sometimes they might be co-workers, fellow church members, community members, even friends.

Before I became the parent of my two youngest children I thought I was a pretty good parent. Turns out my four oldest kids just happened to be easy to raise. My two youngest are great people (both in high school now). They bring light and joy to others. They do okay in school. They are involved in school activities. They are usually very respectful. They are gifts straight from God. It's just that their mother sometimes feels old. They both are becoming the people God created them to be, and I know God has a great plan for both of them.

What about your gifts? What about those challenging people in your life? Can you see them as gifts? They are.

Sleep and Mercy

4/15/2018

I've been a pastor's wife for almost 3 years now. And I've learned something: I'm not a very good Christian.

The last two nights I've had trouble going to sleep. And when it takes me hours to fall asleep I get irritated. So I woke up a bit irritation that I didn't get all the sleep I wanted. And God put a verse into my head from Proverbs 20:13: "Do not love sleep."

Ha ha. And yet I do love sleep. I asked God to help me get over myself. I think "myself" is the biggest thing standing in my way to being what God wants me to be.

And my praying is sporadic. Some days I pray a lot. Other days I pray a little. And I just gotta believe the prayers I pray are effective because I have no clue if they are or not. There's power in prayer but I rarely feel any power.

I am rereading a book series about Margaret of Ashbury by Judith Merkle Riley. The first book is called "A Vision of Light." I love Margaret! She's like a friend (another indication I'm not a very good Christian because a lot of my friends are characters from books). In the first book she is healed miraculously from the plague (books take place in the middle ages). And one day when she's walking around a town basically empty of people because of the plague she finds herself in a small chapel. While sitting there she hears God's voice and she gets a glow about her. She has her vision of light. This light ends up being able to heal others (though it drains Margaret). She herself never says she's a good Christian. She just does her best in life, and sometimes she gets to see people healed.

I don't have the healing gift but I wish I did. That would be like dramatic and exciting.

Instead I change diapers all day and pray sporadically through the day (and lately wait for spring to show up).

I'm also not a good Christian because I spend most of my time at home doing house stuff and taking care of my family. I'm not out there evangelizing or preaching or going door to door -- though as a pastor's wife I wonder if I should be. For some reason we've come to think that pastors and their wives are holier or more obligated to share the Word. Neither of these thoughts are true. We all are supposed to share the Word and Jesus and live lives that honor God.

But then again a verse comes to mind presently. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4:11, "and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you;"

I'm sure glad we are saved by believing in Jesus Christ and not by what we do. I'd fail utterly.

It's amazing when God uses us to touch others. I think of all the time in the Bible between verses. What was going on? People were living their lives. People were eating and sleeping, having babies, burying their dead, building houses, getting sick, celebrating birthdays and holy days.

Maybe that's what we're supposed to do -- just live our lives and be available to be used when God chooses to use us. A pot isn't anxious to be used. It just sits on the shelf until the owner picks it up to cook soup in it for supper. But if there has been no need for soup the pot might have sat on the shelf for months doing nothing.

Are we like that?

I'm doing a Beth Moore study right now about the Thessalonian letters. What a wonderful writer and Bible teacher Moore is. It's called Children of the Day and part of the premise is that we take God's light with us wherever we go.

I guess our aim in life shouldn't be to be good Christians. It should be just to follow Jesus where He leads. Leave the good part to Him. Even Jesus says only God is good.

Well, it's time to feed a few horses (do you want one -- we've got some for sale) and time to get the family moving to church (and oh, I better practice a few hymns just in case I'm playing).

You're loved. I'm loved.

Maybe that's enough.

Has one of your kids ever done this?

4/13/2018

Has one of your kids ever done this? They do something blatantly wrong (that they know beyond all doubt is wrong). They get caught. They get disciplined. And then they get mad at you for it and "punish" you by giving you a cold shoulder for days on end?

Before we get mad at our kids for their bad behavior, think about how God reacts to this behavior. For yes, we grownups can do the same thing. We might do or not do something. We might say or not say something. We might think or not think something. We might act or not act in direct disobedience to God. And when we do this and God disciplines in mercy, we might have the nerve to turn it back on Him and somehow blame Him for our discomfort.

When this happens does God try to explain Himself? Does God give attention to our temper tantrums? Does God try to change our bad attitude?

Often, He is silent about the issue.

Read this from Beth Moore:

"God is wholly secure in His sinless character. He doesn't feel a compulsion to protect Himself from misunderstandings by threading disclaimers on every sacred page. He doesn't have to take up for Himself because nothing can bring Him down. He doesn't incessantly qualify Himself because He is already qualified."

I think over the last almost 23 years of parenting I have had and I believe there have been times I have caved into my kids much to their detriment. Some kids (and some adults) are master manipulators and if there is a shred of "wanting to be loved (also known as the people-pleasing gene)" in us, we might allow their manipulation to work.

Manipulating God never works. He doesn't cave in to our bad behavior. Praise God for this.

Just think if He did.

If we could manipulate God to do what we wanted Him to do, our lives would be chaos. Our lives would be in our control. And since we can't see the big picture most of the time, a lot of the things we want to happen might be the very things that shouldn't happen. What a mess this life would be for all!

What do you use yours for?

4/8/2018

I just finished a book by Eugene H. Peterson called Under the Unpredictable Plant. It is making me think. It's about the vocational life. That might not apply to all of us, but a lot of the content does. Toward the end of the book he talks about the importance of our imaginations. Let me quote from the book (page 171):

Peterson writes, "A major and too-little-remarked evil in our time is the systematic degradation of the imagination. The imagination is among the chief glories of the human. When it is healthy and energetic, it ushers us to adoration and wonder, into mysteries of God. When it is neurotic and sluggish, it turns people, millions of them, into parasites, copycats, and couch potatoes. The American imagination today is distressingly sluggish. Most of what is served up to us as the fruits of imagination is, in fact, the debasing of it into soap opera and pornography.
"Right now, one of the essential Christian ministries in and to our ruined world is the recovery and exercise of the imagination. Ages of faith have always been ages rich in imagination. . . Imagination is the mental tool we have for connecting material and spiritual, visible and invisible, earth and heaven."

Jesus tells us to love the Lord your God with all our hearts, with all our souls and with all our minds.

Part of the mind is the imagination.

What do you use yours for?

One way many of us use our imaginations for is to worry.

What if we chose instead to use our imagination to lift up Christ? How would that look?

Paul writes in Philippians, "I'd 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."

That would be a great place to start!

Break Down Those Walls

4/3/2018

Break down those walls within you. Be courageous. It takes guts to be vulnerable with other humans but we gotta do it. We need each other. People will find courage to be vulnerable when they see you be vulnerable. Courage can be catching.

Do you feel an impulse to reach out to someone, to open up to someone? Follow that impulse. Do it.

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

We can't do that if we aren't being real. We gotta break down our walls. We gotta open up to each other. We gotta let those wounds and hurts see the light so they can be healed.

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous (person) can accomplish much." James 5:16

How can we pray for each other effectively if we don't know what to really pray for?

Don't worry about people judging you. Just be real. Honesty allows for healing to begin.

There are so many people walking around with festering wounds in their souls. No wonder we Christians are often not that effective! How can we be effective when we ourselves need healing?

Seek healing by punching through those walls. Seek healing. Ask for prayer. Be real. Open yourself up to the light. Jesus wants to accomplish great things through us. In fact Jesus tells us in John 14:12, "he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father."

Jesus healed thousands of people. Jesus raised people from the dead. Jesus fed thousands with a bit of bread and fish. Why are we not seeing these miracles?

Jesus wants to do a mighty work through you. He wants to do a mighty work through me. Follow His leading. Do what you must do to be prepared. And then, watch Him work!

Sometimes we need reminding

3/29/2018

Sometimes we need reminding why we're really here. Sometimes we need a new vision of Jesus. Sometimes our feet get stuck in the mud of this world and we need to be pulled out by the hands of God.

David writes in Psalm 69:14, "Deliver me from the mire (mud), and do not let me sink; May I be delivered from my foes, and from the deep waters,"

Oh, that we would see Jesus today. That we would see His shining face! That we would remember our purpose here on this earth -- to share His love, to share His light, to reconcile people to their Maker, our loving Father.

"we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." 2 Corinthians 5:20b

I took up painting again. It is beginning to bring me joy. I can lose myself when my brush loaded with paint touches the canvas. I have no visions of grandeur of my abilities. They are what they are. I think of it as painting feelings. I want my paintings to cause others to feel something. When we can touch the emotional heart of a person, that person will be open to change. That's why Jesus told stories. He wanted people to get into the story, to feel the right and wrong of it; to empathize and think and question. Some of His parables don't have conclusions, but they make you think.

Maybe that is what our lives are to do for others. Our lives are parables in Jesus's hands. They might not be explainable but God's light is there and that light, when it shines on dark hearts, illuminates truth, illuminates hidden hurts and needs.

We can't force others to come to Jesus but we can offer Him. We can give them invitations to church so they can hear the word of God. We can tell others what Jesus is doing in our lives. We can be His light in this world of darkness.

That doesn't mean we are always happy. It doesn't mean we always have it together. But it does mean we have hope. We have hope that God will work things out for our good. We have hope that He can take the most horrendous things this world throws at us and somehow use them for His purposes; bring redemption out of pain.

His ways aren't instantaneous but they're lasting.

"faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

Know that if Jesus lives within you, you are a light wherever you go. He is using you even if it doesn't feel like He is. He is drawing people to Himself with your life. Believe.

Your joy

3/23/2018

There's a fragment of a verse in John 16 where Jesus says, "And no one takes your joy away from you." He's talking to all of us. And we know Jesus always speaks truth. And God is no respecter of persons so this verse must be true for each of us.

So if it is true, why don't we always feel joyful?

I read this morning in Our Daily Bread about a woman who is full of joy not because her life is so great but because she knows God will fulfill all His promises in His time in her life. The writer says the woman's joy is "infectious."

I want infectious joy. But I admit I haven't been too joyful these days. And I wonder if it is because I am not living above my circumstances but getting stuck in them.

James tells us in his book, "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

What is the goal of our lives? What's the goal of your life? Is it to please God or please people? Pleasing people is a losing battle for they will be pleased one day and condemning the next. It's like trying to live for money. The more you have the more you want. Or the less you have the more you grasp it. And eventually you lose your soul.

Jesus says in Luke 11:41 that, "give that which is within as charity (love), and then all things are clean for you."

What's inside of each of us? Our souls, our spirits. Jesus says to give of ourselves. Don't hold back. Lose ourselves in His work, in His love for Him and for those around us. It's in the giving we can find satisfaction.

This world is not our home but I think sometimes some of us try to make it our home. We seek after the things the world says we need. We seek after entertainment or thrills or addictions and we wonder why we feel so empty. Maybe we seek after a certain feeling.

Have you ever felt God's presence? What a powerful feeling God's presence gives. I want to sense Him again in that powerful way. Yet, if we open ourselves up we can sense Him right where we are at. He is that Peaceful Silence. He is the Wind Rushing through the trees. He sends the cold rain. He dries up the mud. He paints the sky in different colors throughout the day.

I asked my youngest daughter today that if I die what will she remember me teaching her. She gave me a nice answer. Then she was worried I was dying. I reassured her I had no plans to anytime soon. As a mom my life is woven so tightly with my children's. I want to see them all serving Jesus passionately in the lives God leads them in. And if they aren't there yet I wonder if I could have done something else to get them there. But we all are on our own journeys. And God tells me not to worry.

How can we put God first in our lives? What does that mean? If we put Him first, we can rise above our circumstances and even step back and appreciate the things God is teaching us daily. We can remember He is in control and He's allowed whatever is in our lives to occur. All of it is for our very best. He wants us all to shine for Him. When we do that joy will be full.

This day truly seek Him. Seek Him in the moment. Talk to Him. He's right there. If you've lost your joy ask Him to restore it. As Jesus said no one can steal it from you. Tell Him you want to see Him. Tell Him you want to feel Him. Tell Him you want Him to use your life in some way today. He will. We can do anything for Jesus -- we can do our daily chores for Him. We can take care of our families for Him. We can be engaged with others for Him. We can recognize opportunities He gives us and take them. You are so vital to His mission, to His love. Don't doubt that. Don't doubt that at all.

Just maybe you're God's secret weapon

3/19/2018

You see other people's lives who seem to have it all together. They haven't had as hard of time as you have. They haven't had the challenges you've had. They are walking a different walk than you are. God has them in a different place. Don't focus on other people's lives and what they are doing and how God is blessing them. God has got you where you are for a reason. Maybe you're His secret weapon! Maybe someone needs hope and you're going to be that hope just because you are there.

God's got to put us all in different places in the world and in different socio-economic classes because there are people who need Jesus everywhere. Oh Friend, don't put down your life. Don't belittle that precious gift that you are. You shine. You are a light for Jesus where you are at. God knows where you're at. He put you there. And if He put you there He will see you through. He needs you there. You are vital to His mission. You are vital to other people's salvation. Oh, hold on. Spring is coming. God is your hope. God is your rock. He hasn't deserted you. He knows how you feel. He knows it's hard right now. He knows how hard it is. And He says, Hold on. Hold on My Child. I'm there. Don't give up. Just lean on Me. I will get you through.

"just as it is written, 'Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.'" 1 Corinthians 2:9

You are who you are for a reason. He's shining through you at this very moment. He's with you. He's preparing wonderful things for you.

"God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong." 1 Corinthians 1:27

Your life might not measure up to this world's standards of success, but you are chosen. You are gifted. You are "His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that (you) should walk in them" Ephesians 2:10

God says, Oh Child of Mine. You are so precious to Me. You are so so so precious to Me. I'm coming. Don't give up. I'm coming.

Are You Abounding?

3/16/2018

Are you abounding? Jesus said He came to give us abundant life -- a life that abounds and abounds (check out John 10:10 if you don't believe me). Eugene H. Peterson translates it like this: "I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of."

Does that describe your life?

Beth Moore writes, "No matter who you are, where you've been, or what you've done, God has handpicked you to abound."

Is that your life?

Presently, it isn't mine. I've gotten weighed down with caregiver duties that have gone on for a long time and will continue far into the future. I've grown stagnant creatively. My life feels the exact opposite of abounding. It feels shriveled up, dry as old bones. It's not supposed to be this way for me or for you.

The entire John 10:10 verse says (in the NASB), "The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly."

In John 10:9 Jesus says, "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."

I'm guessing any pasture Jesus brings us to will be lush and green and joyful. Psalm 23:2-3a says, "He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul;"

In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."

Jesus never lies. He's gotta be the key to abundant life. He is abundant life. He created us to have joy in this life, not drudgery.

Are we getting bogged down with life? Are we getting distracted? Jesus says in Luke 8:14, "And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity"

The devil is the thief who steals, kills and destroys. If our abundant life has been stolen he is probably involved in the theft. He can't take our salvation away but the devil can make us ineffective if we fall for his tricks. He's clever. He's been messing with God's people since people existed. He hates God and he knows God loves us so anything God loves he hates. That means us. He hates people. He uses them, abuses them and destroys them when possible.

Don't let him have a foothold in your life. He gets them through unbelief, fear, worry, doubt, uncontrolled anger, despair. He doesn't care what it takes to get our eyes off Jesus. He just wants our eyes off Jesus.

Where to start? Start with the promise of abundant life. Remind Jesus and yourself by saying the words aloud, "Jesus, you promised me abundant life. I want that abundant life."

And then see what He says. He'll lead you to those green pastures. He'll lead you to soul renewal. He's got a way out and through. We have to seek Him though to be led that way.

Doesn't take a lot of effort

3/15/2018

Last night at youth group we talked about the parable of the talents found in Matthew 25. There was a man who was going on a journey. He gave one servant five talents, another servant two talents and a third servant one talent to do something with while he was away. A talent was worth a lot of money. It was a weight of 75 pounds according to this site. And depending on what scholar you talk to it was worth a few thousand dollars in our money or 20 years worth of wages. Even if it was just worth a few thousand it was worth a lot of money so even the servant who received just one talent was entrusted with a lot by his master.

When the master returns the first servant earned five more talents, the second servant earned two more talents and the third servant hid the talent in the ground. The master said to the first two servants (separately), "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master."

The third servant brings the one talent back and blames the master for his own lack of trying. He says he knew the master was a "hard man" and so he was afraid to do anything with it. The master tells him he could have at least put it in the bank and earned interest. He then calls the servant wicked and lazy and worthless and casts him out into the outer darkness.

It doesn't take much effort to put money into a bank. You just walk through the doors, open an account and hand over the money. The third servant couldn't even be bothered to do that much. He must have seen the other two servants working and using the talents the master had given them. They were all in the same household. He must have noticed they didn't see the master as being a hard man. This third servant must have had a small still voice inside tell him to do something with what he was given. God speaks to all of us. We just have to listen.

We've all been given gifts and talents by God. How are you using them? How am I? As this parable shows, the master doesn't expect us all to be on the same level but He does expect us all to do something with what He gives us. It doesn't have to take much effort.

What would this world be like if every single person shared encouraging words with other people daily? If every single person showed kindness in all he or she did? What would this world be like if we shared God's love with those we come into contact with daily? Sometimes it's just a smile. Sometimes it's just giving another person a few minutes of your time.

One of Billy Graham's kids (I think it was Franklin Graham) said at his faither's funeral, his father was "F.A.T" which stands for Faithful, Available and Teachable. Can we say we're F.A.T?

I've stayed home with my kids and for my kids since 1995. Being a stay-at-home parent has its unique challenges. I've been the caregiver for my 18 year old son his whole life and will continue. I can't lie. There are times that it gets tiresome. There are times I want something more. There are times I just don't want to change another diaper or give another bath or read another book. But God has placed me here with my son. It is one of my purposes in life. It might not seem very important but God says it is so it must be.

I think all callings can become wearisome at times. It is in our faithfulness to the tasks God has given us where He shines through. Faithfulness is hard to come by in this world. That's why it shines so much.

Be faithful and available and teachable today.

Extend a little bit of effort and notice the people around you. A word from you might steer a life in a new direction. A smile from you might give someone hope.

It's a devil's game

3/13/2018

I found myself playing along with one of the devil's games today. I didn't mean to play but I got sucked into it before I realized what was going on. I played the comparison game. I was reading someone's post on Facebook (Facebook is great for keeping up with people but it sure can be used against you) about her busy life and what all her kids are doing and all she is doing, and I came up short.

We always do in the comparison game.

Once you start playing you start questioning everything in your life, even those things that you used to be content with.
No one but the devil wins in the comparison game. He likes to tarnish everything that is good in your life. Once we start comparing ourselves with others anything can get twisted into something negative.

When we catch ourselves playing this game we must stop immediately. It does no one any good.

Instead, start listing the blessings in your life. And there are several. Where you are at this time in your life is exactly where you need to be. God placed you there for a reason. Maybe you can't see the big picture, but He can. He's carrying out His purposes in your life.

In John 15:15 Jesus calls us His friends. And then He says in John 15:16, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you."

You can bear fruit exactly where you're at. It has nothing to do with how busy you are or how your life looks to others. God's point of view is the one that matters. Trust Him that He is doing great things through you. Trust Him with your life.