Jane Hinrichs
Jane Hinrichs
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I won't disdain winter any longer

2/6/2019

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When I was growing up I had at least 10 blankets on my bed because I got cold. As a teenager I told my mother I was going to live somewhere warm when I grew up. I went to college in the farthest place south I could and still be in the state of Illinois, but other than that  I've stayed in the north my adult life (except for a year and a half in North Carolina). It wasn't because I embraced winter. I have lived where I have lived in spite of winter. Until this morning I would have said I disdained winter (disdain means "the feeling that someone or something is worthy of one's consideration or respect; contempt"). I didn't complain about it much. I just endured it (it does get tough when you have a wheelchair to get through the snow). All winter I've been saying daily, "One day closer to spring." 

And I'm going to keep saying that because I am still looking forward to spring, but I won't disdain winter any longer. Today I read in Job 12:8, "Speak to the earth, and let it teach you."

I've been like a snarky teenager sitting in class who refuses to listen because she has to be in a class she didn't choose. So I said instead, 'Winter, teach me."

It was if an old, discouraged teacher suddenly sat up with a smile. Finally, a pupil who wanted to listen!

What did he teach me? I received four lessons this morning. The first one is one I've heard others talk about, but the other three were new ones to me in the context of winter. Then again, maybe they are all lessons we know but winter gives us a physical illustration of lessons we need to learn over and over. 

Here is what winter taught me this morning:

First, snow covers everything like grace covers us. Snow can make the whole world beautiful, even the ugly parts. This is a picture of grace in us. When grace covers us even our not-so-pretty parts look fresh and alive and holy.

Second, winter reminds us there are seasons of rest and inactivity. This is a good thing. When we fight against these seasons of rest we do it to our own peril (and sometimes we endanger others when we ignore this). At the very least we wear ourselves out. We can end up killing ourselves fighting against the rest God imposed.

Third, winter is ordained by God, but God puts limits on it. Every season in our lives has limits. No season will last forever. Good or bad.

And finally, even if we don't like winter we need times of rest, extended times of rest. They are useful to us personally. We might not be able to see or even know why we need still times, but God is doing something in the stillness, in the darkness, in the cold. 

Thank Teacher Winter for his lessons. He doesn't have to be our favorite teacher (though he is some people's favorite teacehr). We just need to listen when he is speaking. I'm sure there are all sorts of other lessons he wants to share (like beauty can be deadly), but class today is done. 

Thank you Father for your seasons. And thank you Father we know winter is given just a few months to impose its rest on the land before spring bursts through the door.

Stay safe anyone. 

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You Matter

3/2/2018

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You matter. You don't have to be making lots of money. You don't have to be famous. You don't have to have some important job to matter. You matter because God created you and loves you. You matter because He created you for Himself -- to be in relationship with Him. You matter to others whether they say it or not. You matter. Your life is vital to your world. Don't let anything or anyone including yourself telll you anything differently. 

Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." 

He created each of us to work alongside Him in this thing called life. It isn't a chore. It is a delight. And He will lead you. You won't be left behind. You might feel lonely now, but you aren't being left out. He's preparing things right now. He's working behind the scenes. 

You are shining for Him right where you are. Don't doubt it. His Spirit lives in you. You can't help but shine. 

Sometimes life is slow. Sometimes life is fast. Sometimes life is a struggle. Sometimes life isn't. Life is full of seasons. Maybe you are in an uncomfortable season right now. Remember -- it's a season. And seasons end. This too shall pass. Please don't give up. God is using you even if you can't see it. The work will bear fruit at the right time. Sometimes that fruit takes years to develop. You are precious to Him. Oh, Dear One, Don't give up. Hold on just a little bit more. Spring is coming.
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Nothing forgotten, nothing wasted

1/18/2018

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I read a good quote from Beth Moore today I want to share with you. She writes in her entrusted Bible study:

Persist. Jesus is on His way. Your anointing has not run dry. Heaven has not forgotten you're alive. You have not believed for nothing. The results of your faith will soon sprout from that fallow ground. Just a little more rain. Just a little more thunder. Your obedience will pay off. You have not wasted a single breath on prayer. There is still life in your bones and, child of God, there is still life in His Word. Persist.

Sometimes we need to hear this. Life might seem empty. The routine might feel meaningless. The days might feel endless. You might even find yourself bored at times. As she wrote, Persist. Continue on. Press forward. Do what you are called to do. Life is full of seasons. No season lasts forever. 

"But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:5

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Can you survive a spiritual drought?

7/10/2017

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Some in our area have received rain, but many haven't. Our place is dry. I water my garden but I don't water heavy so I still rely on precipitation. And the lack of it can be seen in the sweet corn's skinny leaves, the stunted zinnias, the slow growth of my pumpkin vine. 

Is there anything good about a drought? 

A drought reveals what is permanent. A drought reveals what has deep, strong roots. The trees still have their green leaves and seem unaffected by the drought whatsoever. They are affected, but their deep roots will get them through. 

That's how we survive a spiritual drought. Spiritual droughts are reality for all believers. It is a season that will visit us periodically. And it is a season that can destroy us if we haven't grown deep roots in the Word. If you are in a good place, it is vital to read the Word. Store up Word treasures in your soul for future droughts. 

A spiritual drought sucks the life out of a person. Feelings are gone. Life is listless. You just go through the motions and wonder why you're going through the motions. 

Droughts are God's will sometimes. He's gotta test what's in us so we know what we need to work on, what areas of our lives we need to allow God to do surgery. 

I read briefly this morning about the dust bowl drought back in the 1930s. Many farms were started during an exceptionally wet period of history on the Great Plains. It was deceptive. And their was a wrong belief that plowing the earth brought rain because of the dust it put into the air. Of course we know now that that is wrong. But that wrong belief made the Dust Bowl Drought worse than it had to be. For these farmers kept plowing believing the plowing would bring the rain. They were wrong of course and paid for that wrong belief.

Spiritual drought does the same for us. It exposes wrong beliefs within us. When we are shown this we have two options -- we can let go of those beliefs and change our behavior or we can cling to them and continue on a course of destruction. 

Drought reveals good things too. Years ago when we lived in Hughes County Medicine Creek flowed through our pasture. One year it got so dry that the creek (which in places is six feet deep or more) dried up -- except in our pasture there were two puddles that stayed puddles. We knew those had to be fed by underground streams. My husband and oldest son dug into one of these puddles and found one of those streams. Their digging helped the underground stream a bit and our horses had a bit more water to drink. Their efforts didn't bring enough water to fill the creek up of course. The drought was still obviously there, but it helped a bit. In a time of spiritual drought that's what we cling to -- efforts of digging into God's word and believing by faith (when you can't see or feel anything) that the Word is having its effect. The Word always affects us. It is a promise from God 

"My soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to Thy word." Psalm 119:25

And another passage I have quoted so often:

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth, And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10-11
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Being a chickenĀ 

9/7/2015

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Picture
What a chicken I am! Here we are: Pete, Megan and I on the ferris wheel at the Cheyenne River Fair last night. 

I used to be the girl who rode the dangerous rides!

Now, I am the middle-aged woman who screams on the fair-sized ferris wheel. Pete and Megan were squealing too. Shannon was watching from below laughing!

We change as we age. Sometimes for the better. Sometimes not.

I've learned a few things this weekend. 

First, I'm not good at letting my birds fly the nest and fall if they have to. I sure admire those feathered parents who can let their little birdies fall! 

Falling is part of the process of growing up, but oh, is it painful for parents to watch. My first reaction is to enable, to fly for my young adult  birdies but that sure won't help them fly. 

I'm learning to let them fly and fall as much as they need to to strengthen their wings. 

Eventually I know they'll soar on their own. 

So, I guess I'll close here. I had written a whole bunch more but it flew off into cyberspace. Maybe it is a sign. 

Keep flying my fellow bird brains! 

Hold tight when you ride a ferris wheel. 

And don't rock the seat.



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     Who is Jane Hinrichs?

    Jane is a wife, a mom, a writer, an artist, a lover of the Word of God. She has been studying the Bible since 1987 and has been writing about it almost since then. She loves to hear from her readers. Email her at:
    JaneHinrichs@mail.com

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