Being More Than a Conqueror

It’s taken me a lifetime to fully understand what it means and how to live the victorious life Jesus died to give us as believers. I remember my growing-up-spiritually years. I was a whiny kid and a less-than-confident teenager, a young wife and mother learning the ropes of responsibility. I was a good-doer attending church faithfully and really loved God with all my heart. But, I didn’t have a “conqueror” mindset. As I grew in my personal relationship with Christ, studying His Word and making every effort possible to serve Him wholeheartedly, I came to understand what it means to be “more than a conqueror”. Romans 8:37 says Christians are “more than conquerors” in this world. Maybe that's far from how you feel today, but in Christ, that's who we can be. We certainly need to get that indelibly imprinted on our hearts so that we get it, understand it and become it.

That verse is in response to the Apostle Paul's questions before saying we are “more than conquerors”: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans 8:35). And, then he replies in Romans 8:37: “NO, in all these things we are MORE than conquerors through Him Who loved us.” Sounds to me like Paul could have been right here with us during our situations today. He tells us we can be more than conquerors in the midst of hardships and right in the middle of a trial. Paul certainly proved it is possible. Being more than a conqueror means whatever the enemy uses to take us out, he fails every time.

It means we stop naming ourselves “forgotten, loser, mess-up, mistreated, etc.” It means we persevere to the other side of the trial and wait, expectantly, for our new name, “more than a conqueror”. When we keep our old names, identifying with our old stories, we make the name-changing process about us. Yet this overcoming process is not about us; it’s about God revealing His name to the world.

When we fully understand that Jesus came to give each of us a life of abundance (John 10:10), then we'll see ourselves as more than a conqueror through Him. All the enemy wants to do is kill, steal and destroy what God wants us to have. He wants to diminish us – make us small-minded and small in spirit so we’ll live a small, frustrated life. Whatever your situation is today, God knows about it. He sees you and hears the cry of your heart. Welcome His overcoming love, grace and power. Live it. Own it. After all, you ARE more than a conqueror through Christ.

Just Harping About Loving

What are we going to do about the evil in this world? Let it play out, or, as Christians, take the responsibility to demonstrate radical love that people will start to know Jesus by our love. We could reach the world with this radical, Christ-like love.

How do we measure up? Do others know we're a disciple of Christ by the way we talk the "love talk" and walk the "love walk"? Let's take St. Paul's love test to see how we measure up: “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 way, 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 (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). That love is the mark of Christ’s disciples.

Yes, I’m harping on loving. We’re in good company if we become a “love-harper”. We’ll be taking after Jesus. Our hearts of love (or not) are being exposed. Here’s a scripture that reveals whose side we’re on: “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy”, but the Jesus way of love says: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) The thief is aka Satan. The Lover and Life-giver is Jesus.

Jesus explained it in an easy-to-understand way. He said: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.“ (Matthew 22:37-38) Loving God is the heart of the matter. Without love for God, first and foremost, it's easy to violate all the other commandments, the laws of the land, love and respect for our brothers and sisters, and ourselves. If we stuck to this one -- we'd sail through the other ones!

And, isn’t that why Jesus gave us that first and most important commandment? It was because He loves us too much to see us wander and become isolated from a Father-Child, loving relationship that is about obedience, righteousness and a daily heart-check-up! If we aren’t purposefully loving God with all our hearts, it's easy to slide on keeping any of the others.

These times call for an immersion in the waters of love. When we fall in love with the Lover of our Souls, then it is a natural by-product of Jesus’ second greatest commandment – to “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). In 1st John the connection is explicit: “We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother” (1 John 4:19-21). Whew! How much clearer could it get?

So, how can we measure up to loving in spite of wrongs done to us? We can't measure up, but there is One who does. Jesus loved us perfectly and gave Himself for us. He saved us when none of us could save ourselves. And now, when we put our trust in Him, we are transformed and can imitate the pattern of His love: In receiving His love, we can, in turn, love others. It’s a win-win – we love God with all our hearts – and then, we live it out by loving others. Let's harp about this kind-of-love!

Whatever the Mind can Conceive and Believe, it can Achieve

Napoleon Hill authored that quote. I know it's true. This blog comes from the incessant, but, I know, necessary, talk about the coronavirus. From the negative reports, the fears, concerns for the well-being of lives, there is really no place to hide. I loved these words from a pastor: “Wherever we are on earth, we have no rocket ship to escape this outcry or a home so insulated from peril of any kind, but we CAN put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6). God is our “shield”. The plague will not come to our homes; His blood on the doors of our heart shelters us from harm.” (Psalm 91)

My cousin posted this: "At last night's prayer gathering it was mentioned that the word "corona" in coronavirus means crown. This is a quote from a devotional from National Men's Ministries of The General Council of the Assemblies of God: "Health is the crown on a well man's head that only a sick person can see." Standing on the promise of Jeremiah 33:6: "Look, I will bring health and healing. I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security."

There is pure power in our thoughts. What we think about long enough, will actually come to pass – be it a fear of something or a dream of conquering and winning at something. But why is that? How is that the mere concept of something, held in the forefront of our minds, can be brought to fruition through persistent thinking about it over time? God always has an answer for questions like this.

I remember all the talk about polio and tuberculosis when I was a young child. I didn’t grasp what it was all about, but it sounded scary based on the concern in my mom and dad’s voices when I heard them talking about it and how those awful diseases had attacked some of their friends. I could tell that worry and concern had entered into my little corner of the world.

The fact is illness and disease has always been a part of our world. Blame that on the enemy of our souls who comes to “kill, steal and destroy”. Think about the awful plague of leprosy in the Bible that cruelly destoryed people’s lives and families and excommunicated them from their homes and towns. But, Jesus. All of those diseases then, and now, didn’t and don’t phase God. John 10:10 says “The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy, but I (Jesus) came to give you abundant life.” Doesn’t that bring comfort – especially when we conceive it, believe it, and achieve that abundant life?

If we are living in fear about the flu, the coronavirus, cancer, the common cold, heart failure, a pimple or acne, then we better, sooner than later, start getting our thinking right. Go back to that beginning thought “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” I hear people saying all the time “I think I’m catching a cold.” But, when we talk that talk, we aren’t aligning ourselves with the truth of God's Word. "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.( 2 Timothy 1:7). God says: “Him I will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Me!” (Isaiah 26:3). Proverbs 23:7 “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” There is a remedy for going rogue in our thinking. The Bible makes it clear that our thinking and our hearts are linked together. What we think, affects our heart, soul and body. Likewise, the condition of our heart, soul and body affects our thinking.

The coronavirus is showing us what we should have known all along: we are mortals in desperate need of God. We need God’s protection in the present and His saving grace for eternity. One way God wants to redeem this pandemic is by using it to turn us to Himself. We need to pray for the sick – those around the world and even here in the U.S. This unprecedented threat is an unprecedented opportunity for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let’s point others to Jesus – the Great Healer Who changes not. “He is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). I am one of those who has been healed by His miracle-working power. I’m proof positive that there is nothing to fear because Jesus is still here!

God Would Never Unfriend Us

Back in the day, when we unfriended someone, we walked away, erased their name off our notebook or wrote a “Dear John” letter. Here we are – decades later and we can unfriend someone with the tap of a button. I don’t “unfriend” but rather “unfollow”, usually because of their language, their rants, their lack of self-control. I still want them to follow me – hopefully, so they’ll catch some Llight if they pass by my blog.

Our lives are about relationships -- with Jesus and with people He’s created. Period. What concerns me most, is that people fail, disappoint, act up and act out, they let it rip – their language, I mean, without a thought or concern. I really do want to unfriend them because my little Pollyanna world needs to stay all peaches and cream. Right?

Good thing I’m not a god who carries a big stick. I’d be whack-a-moleying those ornery folks all over the place. I’m done with their lack of love, lack of decorum and lack of common sense. If some of them were my friends, I would unfriend them without a second thought. Go ahead, God! Let ‘em have it!

Then comes along the full-volume, yet gentle voice of God, with His personal guarantee, "I will NEVER unfriend them." Argh! But, please, God! Then God’s gentle tap on my shoulder reels me back into what His grace is all about. Our God would die before He would unfriend anyone. Fact is: our God did die rather than unfriend us. “Greater love has no one than this: than to lay down one’s life for His friends." (John 15:13)

Jesus didn’t leave, unlike, or unfriend a single one of his twelve closest friends. Not even when they deserved it. He’s not about to start with you and me. Instead, He kept on keeping the promise He first made that He would never leave or forsake His people. This is the God who moved into our neighborhood to be our friend. To know all about us and still love us. This is the God who has pursued you and me since before time and who never ever considers us a waste of time. This is a God who died on a cross to reach our hearts and souls to rescue us. We are loved – in spite of, because of, and instead of, but – do we believe it? Do we believe ours is His Love Story and in His Love Story – the Lover never leaves us.

My precious and beloved friends – let Him love you and wrap you in His grace and mercy. Just say “yes” – ACCEPT His “friend” request. He will take away all your sin, failings, fear and give you His own life – life to the full. "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10) You are loved!

Being Careful but NOT Judgmental

I want to be very careful with my words today because I cringe with the thought that I could sound judgmental. I don't get into politics much, though I am adamant in my position which I think is obvious for Who I follow -- our Abundant Life Provider (John 10:10). Maybe I'm naiive because I assume that those I chum with at church, events and various organizations follow my set of values, principles and God's ways according to His Word. But, shock and awe -- not everyone sees my way of thinking! How can it be? 😉

Such was the case when a friend expressed that she is pro-choice and anti most everything else I stand for. I could have been knocked over with a gentle breeze. I was numb, couldn't even respond and just walked away. A week later I heard that my walk-away meant that I was mad. I quickly asked for forgiveness for the impression I left. At first I thought I'd provide a list of reasons for my position, but then I thought "What would Jesus do?" And, immediately the Fruit of the Spirit -- the qualities that I want "fruitful" in my life, came to mind. So, I expressed my appreciation and love and that "our politics and persuasions" don't make a difference in that love. Between you and me, I'm praying that God will draw her to Himself and clarity comes to her.

Here's what I know. I know we shouldn't judge others, lest we be judged (Matthew 7:1-3). But, I figure it's quite alright to inspect the fruit in my own life and be my own "fruit inspector". I can judge me. Matthew 7:20 says "Therefore, by their fruit you will recognize them." WOW! That’s how we’re recognized as devoted followers of Christ, or not. By our "fruit". So as fruit inspectors, first, we need to pass the test on the fruit we, ourselves, are bearing. It will be obvious, not by judging, but by inspecting where people are at by the fruit they bear also.

It is "fruit bearing" season. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23) I'm checking out the "freshness" of my fruit even as I type this blog. As we experience the Holy Spirit's work in our lives, those beautiful attributes and characteristics of the FRUIT of the Holy Spirit will thrive and flourish in our lives. As believers, we know Holy Spirit is in us so we already have the good soil, fertilizer, nutrients and everything else we need to be good FRUIT bearers.

With all the craziness of politics and a world of unrest and pain, we can still find beautifully, mixed-in times of thanksgiving and gratitude. It's the perfect time to settle down to be drawn into a place of intimacy with God and inspect the good or bad fruit we may be bearing. Perhaps, a self-fruit-introspection is what will make us true "Fruit of the Spirit" fruit bearers that cause others to desire that fruit in their own lives, too. Lord, let it be!

Choose Life

What helps me pass the time when I'm traveling or on a treadmill or elliptical equipment, is listening to audio books. Since I’m a “romantic” at heart, I enjoy listening to Karen Kingsbury’s Christian inspirational books of intrigue, a tinge of romance and happy endings. The story-line of a recent one I listened to, included God's words to Moses: Deuteronomy 30:15,19 -“See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. Choose life, so that you and your children may live.” I’ve repeated those words to those I’ve been encouraging.

Every day we make all kinds of decisions – from the outfit we’re going to wear, who to meet, what to eat, and what to do. Most important, we choose what to think. I have come to know one thing for sure: today will not be any better than our thoughts. Seriously. LIFE and death are in the power of our thoughts. Choosing life at every thought makes such an incredible difference in who we are to ourselves and to others.

I was compelled to write this blog today because I’ve listened to some dear friends who are still struggling over the loss of a loved one – years after their passing. Instead of choosing life in abundance, they are still consumed with death and are choosing death over life. John 10:10 says “The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy, but I (Jesus) came to give you life and more abundant life.” Don’t we all want ABUNDANT life?

I work with a Faith and Grief Ministry. We share with those who have suffered a loss: "Take as long as you need to heal. Allow yourself to grieve for as long as you need to.” And while it is a soothing way to help someone ease back into living, I’ll admit, I want to get them on a fast-track back to choosing life over death. The sooner we get back to life, the sooner we enjoy living. For all who grieve, I know it is a profoundly personal journey and while I can share my hope with you -- I cannot speak to your time-frame. What I can tell you is that if you are open to true joy, happiness and living life beyond loss, open your heart to welcome the day to live again because Jesus’ abundant life is there waiting with open arms.

I’m not a mind over matter kind-of-gal, but I am a life-giving, Word-of-God living kind-of-girl. That is my “secret sauce”, which is really no secret. God gave us every tool we need to live an over-the-top victorious life and don’t we want to be one of those who we want to hang around with? I know I live with hope and purpose because I’ve chosen LIFE. The ability to choose my thoughts is the difference between pain and freedom. The greatest truth I have learned about LIFE is that LIFE is only ever one thought away. The good news is we are free to change our mind whenever we want. In every situation, we can cultivate the habit of asking ourselves: “What is the LIFE thought here?” Lay aside those dark, sad and depressing thoughts, and make yourself available to the higher ways of the abundant life Jesus came to give us.

Of all the decisions we make – none is greater than to CHOOSE LIFE. To choose thinking life-filled thoughts instead of doubt, unbelief, death, poverty, sadness and fear. When we choose life, we are choosing God thoughts and God actions. I am speaking to those today who have convinced yourselves there is no hope for good things to happen to you; no great expectations for dreams coming true or prayers answered. I am speaking to a parent who has lost a child or a child who has lost a parent or a widow or widower who has lost your beloved spouse. Today is the day to make a choice. I love you too much not to encourage you to CHOOSE LIFE! What a difference it makes in living!

That Annoying Fly and Our First Line of Defense

It is Saturday morning and my blog inspiration is slow in coming, Soon the creative juices start to flow. It starts with an annoying, over-sized, buzzing horse fly that overflew his bounds since the night before. I attempt tactical warfare -- swatting and spraying – but the beast lives on. Then, while sitting at my desk, he has the nerve to land on me. I think: “This is one of satan’s little imps on assignment to steal my joy and annoy me!” He, obviously, doesn’t know I am in “beast-mode” after a week of faith-filled injections of God’s Word at VBS. I grab my trusty flying insect spray and nail him. He is down for the count! Victory!

Now, it is time to head out for a 7 am appointment. I turn the ignition on my car. It does not start. All the lights, music, and a/c are working just fine. I know it's not the battery. I call my children for help, but, alas, this is their morning to sleep in. No cell phones on. One last attempt before canceling my appointment. I call my grandson who picks up the call. He is gracious to get me. It is worth the annoyance to have this precious few minutes together. He fills me in on his new real estate career and so much more. He waits while in my appointment. We go for breakfast at Chick-Fil-A where my granddaughter serves us. Then, we’re back to my home where I start to figure out what to do about my car. It’s Saturday and my auto repair shop is closed. I call and leave a message that I’ll have AAA to tow the car to them on Monday. I call and ask my family to please take me to church tomorrow because I’m on for serving this Sunday. I think “This is all a hassle with towing, a repair bill that I’m not looking forward to, and my family going out of their way for me, but I’ll get it done and soon this will be behind me!

I sit down for my morning devotion and prayer time when suddenly, I remember that on Thursday night I was the speaker for our Rejoice Healing Night at my church. I spoke about our “first line of defense” when trouble comes. Jesus used it for those who approached Him for healing or help. The example I used was from Mark 5 -- the story of Jairus, a synagogue leader, who came to Jesus begging Him to come and heal his dying daughter. After the interruption of a crowd and a woman with an issue of blood for 12 years who was healed as she touched the hem of His garment, Jairus and Jesus were on their way again. But Jairus was met by people from his home who said: “Don’t bother the Teacher – your daughter is dead!” Before Jairus could say a word, Jesus said to him: “Do not fear – only believe!” The first line of defense. The little girl was healed.

An "aha" hits me. I start praying for my car right here in my chair. “Nothing is impossible with You, God!" I go to my car and pray. “Please heal my car, Lord. I am not fearing. I am believing that nothing is impossible with You!” I turn the ignition. Nothing. But, something (actually, Someone), tells me to look to my right. I see that my car’s gear stick is in neutral – not in park. I put it in park, turn the ignition, the car starts -- and in my heart, I hear bands playing and choirs singing “Alleluia” and so am I!

Oh me. Had I not prayed and just pondered “What do I do? Who do I call? Where do I go?” instead of applying my "first line of defense", I would be waiting for the tow truck on Monday and no telling what charges would have been incurred. So many repercussions when, instead, I use Jesus' tips for quick answers to prayer: "Do not fear; only believe!"

I think back on my Saturday morning fly and car annoyances. I feel that way about the enemy of our souls – how annoying he can be. But, when we use the right plan of attack on him, he and all his tactics to “steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10) will be swatted and lambasted out of our lives. Remember. Jesus and I told you so: "Do not fear; only believe!"

Happy Birthday, Church! It’s Pentecost Sunday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! Today is Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the Church. So, it is YOUR BIRTHDAY, because YOU ARE the Church going and coming.

Pentecost Sunday (50 days after Easter) commemorates the day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and those in the Upper Room. Pentecost fulfills Jesus' promise when He said: "I must go away but I will send the Holy Spirit to you!"(John 16:5-15) and it launches the large-scale spreading of the Gospel. Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He said these words to His disciples: “When the Holy Spirit comes to you, you shall receive POWER." (Acts 1:8) How awesome is that?

Peter is such a great example of how God turns a fearful, impulsive coward who denied even knowing Jesus into a powerful, bold and courageous witness for Christ. It was because of Pentecost, and Peter receiving that power, that Jesus had promised. Acts 2:41 records that Peter spoke to the crowd and 3,000 people were baptized. Power-less to powerful! And that’s what Holy Spirit does for us, too!

My story is very similar to Peter's because I was weak, timid and afraid but because of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in my life, I have weathered and even overcome so many storms in my life. The Holy Spirit gives me the power and confidence to share the Good News boldly and unafraid. That power of the Holy Spirit is available to anyone who is a believing and obedient Christian and who desires the fullness of God’s Spirit.

I believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is the answer to our actions AND reactions of anything OR anyone we encounter. How was it possible to be a strong and bold witness of Jesus Christ back in those days of such tyranny and oppression? How is it possible for us to overcome the challenges in our lives? How is it possible to experience John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

The moment we received Christ, the Holy Spirit not only came to live in us, but He also imparted the power to overcome the enemy’s tactics. "Be filled" means to allow the Holy Spirit to produce his attitudes and actions in the life of the believer. We received amazing gifts of the Holy Spirit when we received Christ and a big bushel of fruit. Galatians 5:22: "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."

People ask me: “What’s your secret?” “How can you always be so happy?” It is no secret. It is the natural product of “living in the Spirit” and embracing His presence and fellowship. Through life's ups and downs, I can tell you I know peace. I know faith. I know comfort because of the Holy Spirit.

Won’t you pray this prayer with me today in celebration of Pentecost Sunday and Holy Spirit that lives in you? It's simply acknowledging His presence and His power that is available to you today.

“Dear Jesus, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, welcome into my life. I know You are living in me, and today I acknowledge that You are my helper, my counselor, my confidant, my comforter and my peace. I ask You to take complete control of my life. I ask for Your gifts and fruit to be evident in my life. Lord, I ask that You fill me to overflowing with Your precious Holy Spirit. Baptize me from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet – the same way You filled those in the Upper Room. I ask You for a radical transformation like the disciples had when they went from fear, anxiety, timidity, and concern to empowered people of love, faith, boldness, and courage. May I receive you fully and completely. Come Holy Spirit! Consume me! I ask this in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!!!

When it Comes to Fishing – Anything Goes

My grocery list in hand, items checked off, coupons pulled and I’m at check-out with a brimming grocery cart. Only two cashiers? Ugh! I patiently wait in line. All those unnerved folks waiting behind me must be thinking: “Great! There’s THAT lady who is going to take FOR-EVER with all those groceries! And to make matters worse – SHE HAS COUPONS!”

I’ve been behind people like me. I try to grin and bear it, but it definitely calls for pulling the fruit of patience out of my Holy Spirit fruit basket! The elderly lady behind me is amused as she watches the total to $200, then $210, then $235!! She exclaims: “I’ve never spent that much on groceries!” I reply “Oh, I don’t either, but this is for a family fishing trip!” Then she sees the cashier’s final total of $175! Oh, yes, this girl coupons. I apologize to the grocery buyers behind me with their meager-filled baskets and thank them for their patience. They smile at me with clenched teeth. The little lady right behind me assures me “I enjoyed watching this show!”

This kind of shopping is not for the faint of heart. It is a quest – a feat of monumental proportions and it takes time. I ease into the entertainment value of imagining my family’s excitement when I pull out some of the goodies. Hostess chocolate cupcakes! Chocolate-covered mini donuts! BBQ potato chips! Essentials! Family favorites we rarely indulge in, but this is our annual fishing trip and anything goes! So as not to cause you, veggie lovers, to implode – the bounty does include fruits and veggies. It takes precision and quality management to get these groceries home, unloaded, sorted and temporarily stored until we load up the cars and head out about 8 am!

This annual fishing trip is a tradition that started with Papa and me when we took the grands to a fishing location each summer. That tradition continues. We have carried on Papa’s love for fishing. We are serious fisher-people. We get to our favorite fishing spot by daybreak. A picture of heaven (at least in a fisherman's eyes) as we arrive at those quiet, calm, peaceful waters. The fish are jumping and saying (in our imagination) "Come get me!” We are fish-whisperers. They'll be greatly disappointed by the breakfast they’ll go after because tomorrow they'll be in our tummies!

I enjoy fishing but “somebody’s gotta’ be the chief cook and bottle washer. I know the rest of the diehard fisher-people would rather fish than eat so I think of myself as sustenance-provider. I love it. I’ll fish in the mornings, but I return to the cabin for my call-of-duty. Hopefully, this crew brings in lots of fish. It’s a staple: Beer-batter trout. Yum!

So what is my encouragement for today as we make our way to Beaver's Bend in Broken Bow, OK? This scripture comes to mind: John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." I totally get it. The enemy of our souls wants our thoughts to be on everything but peace. He wants us all consumed about matters of the world and matters in our little worlds, rather than taking to the words of Christ to heart "I CAME to give you life and have it to the full". My life is full and running over with God's abundance and blessings. That's what I purpose to fix my mind on -- and NOT those things that the enemy purposes to use to steal, kill and destroy my good thoughts and good attitudes!

So, until next time, I’ll finish loading up all the cold rations into the coolers and get over to my kids’ home where they have all the fish tackle, poles, and everything needed for a few days of celebrating my grandson’s 19th birthday and living the abundant life Christ came to live us! I’m not sure what the wifi ability will be in this very remote spot…..so, just in case I have to be off the grid for a few days – be sure to come back on Saturday when I’ll be back home in My Peace Zone!

A True Difference Maker -- Happy MLK Day!

Today we celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. On January 20, 1986, President Ronald Reagan approved the creation of this national holiday, held the 3rd Monday in January of each year. What a price MLK paid for this day of honor.

He lived an extraordinary life. At 33, he was pressing for civil rights with President John Kennedy. At 34, he galvanized the nation with his "I Have a Dream" speech. At 35, he won the Nobel Peace Prize. At 39, he was assassinated, but he left a legacy of hope and inspiration that continues today. I'm one of those he inspired. Those years were some of my first awareness of the atrocities of racial discrimination and the civil rights riots that made us feel like our country was falling apart. It really was. For the love of God, how could this happen to "one nation UNDER GOD"?

Today we honor this passionate, bold and courageous "Baptist minister" who gave his life to change our world. I remember his words just before his assassination in 1968: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." MLK was in good company with these words of Jesus in Matthew 5:44, “Love your enemies! Bless them that curse you! Do good to them that hate you! Pray for them who spitefully use you, and persecute you!” That sounds preposterous, doesn't it? How could we possibly love someone that hurt us or rejected us or cursed us? How absolutely IMPOSSIBLE these words seem to be! Only through the supernatural power of LOVE -- God's love -- can it be possible.

He gave up his life so that those who had been ostracized and marginalized, simply because of the color of their skin, could experience abundant life. That sounds familiar, doesn’t it? John 10:10 says “And Jesus came and gave His life so that we could have abundant life.” MLK was in good company, wasn’t he?

MLK fought against injustice without violence. He overcame evil through the power of love. He followed the example of Jesus, who chose to forgive his persecutors even as they were killing him. That’s our calling as followers of Jesus. Unfairness and injustice may be part of the human condition, but when we don't feed into it, we are responding in the love of God.

Relentless passion in pursuit of a dream is what men AND women like MLK are made of . . . and look what one life did to change HIS world. To think and speak on behalf of others is noteworthy, to serve and act on behalf of others is heroic, but what do we call someone who gave his words, actions and life on behalf of others? Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of the few people in history who has so profoundly changed the world in such a short time. His visions and actions for social unity, racial brotherhood, true peace, and social welfare were carefully thought out and acted upon. He fought the good fight and kept the faith.

Lord, help us to love relentlessly and pursue the dreams you would have for us to invest our lives in -- to make this world a better place for just having been here. Thank you, Martin Luther King, for your example of "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

Our Christmas Fire

I’m sitting in front of this contained and beautiful fireplace as I post this blog today. I was reading this scripture a couple of days ago: “Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!” (James 3:5) It refers to the damage that our tongues can cause – words that escape from our tongues that seem so incidental but can cause major damage if they’re not kept in check.

Reading that meaning caused me to remember “a little fire that kindled” in one of our Christmases long ago. We were new homeowners at last after paying a whopping $7,500 for our little fixer-upper home. that we turned into our “love nest”. Our children were ages three and one. My 22-year-old husband loved adding ambiance to the atmosphere with candlelight. This day, with the small, decorative kerosene lantern that he lit earlier, decided to light a nearby candle from the fire of the lantern, tipping it ever so slightly to light the candle. The candle was lit, but some of the kerosene poured out and a fire erupted. He dropped the lantern filled with kerosene and the fire blazed to our carpet. His quick thinking to stamp it out helped, but still, our carpet was scorched. Now we had to find carpet to match the huge spot that was burned to replace that scorched spot.

You can imagine my husband’s angst that he was so “stupid and careless” (his words, not mine). It was such a small lantern, but given the right set-of-circumstances, it sure produced big problems. As I type this, I couldn’t help but think of the recent small campfire that became the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in California history.

It’s tempting to think about how we use our tongues is no big deal. Our words may not appear to do much damage, so we aren’t more careful. We know that “the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10) so keeping guard of our words will certainly keep us from setting our words ablaze.

I pay close attention to my vehicle’s indicators to change the oil, put air in the tires, etc. Keeping an eye on the indicators that could set us up for a “fire” from our tongues is critically important in preventing a “forest fire”. Trust me. This is the voice (rather, tongue) of experience sharing this. Keeping a fire extinguisher on hand is a good idea, but never having to use it is even better.

I’m reminded today that our words have power. The power to heal and the power to hurt. Words are no small thing. A Sunday School song we sang as kids was “Be careful little mouth what you say!” May we all be careful with our words -- choosing blessing over cursing; helping over hurting; waiting rather than rushing the wrong words out into the world.

At this beautiful time of the year, there may be situations that create opportunities to "let 'er rip" and get careless with our words even in innocent conversations and situations. May our words bring “Joy to the World” as the light of Christ shines in AND out of us!

Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

What Distracts Us From Who is Most Important

While taking my 14-year-old grandson to school yesterday, he asked me whether I had read C.S. Lewis' book, "The Screwtape Letters", as it is his required reading for English this semester. I hadn't, though I have great respect for C.S. Lewis' notoriety as one of the premier writers of his times and, even now, his compelling ability to really make us think deeper and open our minds to the idea that Satan is warring daily to distract us from a deeply committed relationship with God. Brennan was endeavoring to convince me of also reading Lewis' "The Great Divorce" that was his summer required reading. Suddenly, this year, he is captivated by Lewis' writings. I love it!

"The Screwtape Letters' gives the correspondence of the worldly-wise devil and assistant to Satan, Screwtape, to his nephew, Wormwood, a novice demon who is in charge of securing the damnation of an ordinary young man (The Patient). Of course, I hadn't read it -- I, who am the "sugar and spice and everything nice" reader by choice. I told him I had judged a student at a Speech & Debate Competition who was performing in the character of Screwtape for his Open Interpretation speech. He was a brilliant actor and in "character" as Screwtape and portrayed him all too well, that I was uncomfortable with the "darkness" he conveyed. I didn't rank him too high because, as a Christian organization, it seemed so foreboding and I suggested, in my notes, that it may be prudent for him to consider the "God" character instead of the "Devil" character.

As I heard Brennan's take on the book and how it had affected him, it made me wish that I had read the book prior to hearing that young man's speech. Brennan explained: "Nana, have you ever been in church and were praising and worshipping God? Your attention was fully on Him, and then the thought comes to you "What should I have for lunch today?"' That is what this book is about -- how the enemy is always distracting us from keeping our attention on God."

"Screwtape tells Wormwood to keep "the patient" from thinking whenever possible since reason will only encourage the patient to accept Christianity with greater fervency. Wormwood should try to prevent the patient from thinking about the history of Christianity, and instead influence the patient to focus excessively on the ugliness and imperfection of his peers and of family, especially his mother.

Brennan's new open mind about a real devil and our REAL GOD made him want to think twice about decisions he makes and the attitudes he has and the way he interacts with others. It made him realize that there is a tug-of-war going on for our souls. John 10:10 says it clearly "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Yesterday, my mind opened a little more to the real possibilities that we are the target of the enemy and if he can devise ways to keep us from the abundant life Christ came to give us, he will. As my Brennan had an "aha" moment with this book and the deeper message within, maybe we should all consider the schemes, plots, strategies and tactical warfare that the enemy of our souls wishes to use against us. Consider it to the point, that he loses, because we are persuaded, convinced, unequivocally on God's side and we will not be persuaded otherwise. "Lord I'm keeping my eyes on you, following you, my Lord!

Use It or Lose It!

My mother, when she was 94 (now graduated to heaven), would tell her doctor: “There are mornings when I just don’t want to get out of bed because everything hurts too much!” And her doctor’s response was: “When you stop forcing yourself to get out of bed, is when you’ll be bedridden. If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it!”

Mission IMPOSSIBLE or Mission POSSIBLE?

As most know, I'm a Hallmark Movie kind-of-gal, but I still love an action thriller now and then. So, Sunday night I joined my family in their theater room to watch the last Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation movie. That prepped us to see the latest Mission Impossible - Fallout movie Monday night. Okay, I'm still reeling from two nights of fast-paced, sitting on the edge of my seat, enjoying the comedy relief moments when my son, Larry's laughs make me laugh louder -- not to mention the crazy stunts of Ethan Hunt, played by Tom Cruise. When I watched the movie, I knew that Ethan Hunt's stunts were always Tom Cruise doing those stunts. It's remarkable because, in this film, the stunts only got more difficult and Cruise is now 53. If you can stand the twists and turns, death-defying stunts and so many other surprises that are in it from beginning to end, you might want to see it.

No sooner does Ethan Hunt makes it through one crisis, than another crisis tops that one. When you think it's time for a little R&R, then comes the crazies out to get him. His greatest mission in life, besides preventing a disaster of epic proportions, is to stay alive. Spoiler alert! When I was starting to panic a little, Larry whispered, "Mom, this is Ethan Hunt -- He will survive!" No doubt, Ethan Hunt knows why he was put here on this planet.

Of course, I was inspired by that riveting 2-1/2 hour movie. But my inspiration for today's post comes from the title "Mission Impossible" -- which is definitely NOT what our Manufacturer equipped us with. Our MISSION is POSSIBLE because each of us has shown up on planet earth with our Manufacturer's LIFETIME, and beyond, guarantee. That is, those of us who acknowledge Him as our Creator and Lord. The guarantee says this: "Before I formed you in your mother's womb, I knew you. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a spokesperson to the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5) In Psalm 139:16 we read "Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." God knows the beginning of our lives, the length of our lives and the plan for our lives. Our purpose is to dedicate ourselves to that mission and plan. 'We are ordinary people on an extraordinary mission to love and serve and help others to see the plan of God in their lives; to save them from the bad guys (the enemy of our souls). In the words of the voice in the box that will self-destruct in five seconds, "Do you accept this mission?"

For those of us who did accept the mission, we can verify -- it will give you the thrills, chills, ups and downs, challenges, victories, but more importantly the results are peace, joy, hope, love, and so many other promises that God gave us through Christ, Jesus in John 10:10 -- "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." The best part of this mission.....it never ends. It brings life everlasting!

My daughter, Staci Wallace, wrote the book "Mission: Possible", with the foreword by Zig Ziglar. It's her best-selling book that helps the reader to "unleash their full potential" as they discover "Why am I here?" Check it out here: https://www.staciwallace.com/store
Mission IMPOSSIBLE or Mission POSSIBLE?
As most know, I'm a Hallmark Movie kind-of-gal, but I still love an action thriller now and then. So, Sunday night I joined my family in their theater room to watch the last Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation movie. That prepped us to see the latest Mission Impossible: Fallout movie Monday night. Okay, I'm still reeling from two nights of fast-paced action, sitting on the edge of my seat, enjoying the comedy relief moments when my son, Larry's laughs make me laugh louder -- not to mention the crazy stunts of Ethan Hunt, played by Tom Cruise. When I watched the movie, I knew that Ethan Hunt's stunts were always Tom Cruise doing those stunts. It's remarkable because, in this film, the stunts only got more difficult and Cruise is now 53. If you can stand the twists and turns, death-defying stunts and so many other surprises, from beginning to end, you'll want to see it.

No sooner does Ethan Hunt makes it through one crisis, than another crisis tops that one. When you think it's time for a little R&R, then comes the crazies out to get him. His greatest mission in life, besides preventing a disaster of epic proportions, is to stay alive. Spoiler alert! When I was starting to panic a little, Larry whispered, "Mom, it's Ethan Hunt! He will survive!"

Of course, I was inspired by that riveting 2-1/2 hour movie. But my inspiration for today's post comes from the title "Mission: Impossible", which is definitely NOT how our Manufacturer equipped us. Ours is a Mission: Possible. Each of us showed up on planet earth with our Manufacturer's LIFETIME, and beyond, guarantee. That is, those of us who acknowledge Him as our Creator and Lord. The guarantee says this: "Before I formed you in your mother's womb, I knew you. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a spokesperson to the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5). In Psalm 139:16 we read "Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." God knows the beginning of our lives, the length of our lives and the plan for our lives. Our purpose is to dedicate ourselves to that mission and plan. We are ordinary people on an extraordinary mission to love and serve and help others to see the plan of God in their lives; to save them from the bad guys (the enemy of our souls). In the words of the voice in the case that says it will self-destruct in five seconds, "Do you accept this mission?"

For those of us who did accept the mission, we can verify -- it will give you plenty of thrills, chills, ups and downs, challenges, victories, but more importantly the results are peace, joy, hope, love, and so many other promises that God gave us through Christ, Jesus in John 10:10 -- "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." The best part of this mission.....it never ends. It brings life everlasting!

My daughter, Staci Wallace, wrote the book "Mission: Possible", with the foreword by Zig Ziglar. It's her best-selling book that helps the reader to "unleash their full potential" as they discover "Why am I here?" Check it out here: https://www.staciwallace.com/store

Use It. Don’t Lose It.

The older I get, the more I realize how precious life is and how much I want to live it “abundantly” like Jesus said in John 10:10 “I came to give you life and life more abundantly!” And the older I get, the more I not only see the aging process going on in this sleek body (LOL!), but I’m feeling it, too! I know what not to eat because of the after effects that come from “that” food choice. I know how to sleep so that I don’t wake with a crick in my neck. I know what shoes to wear to prevent plantar fasciitis. I know that I not only need to floss my teeth, but I need to use a water pik flosser as well. I know that swimming and exercising keeps my joints flexible and I know that I need to moisturize this face and body to keep it smooth. I know I need to take supplements to keep me healthy. I know I need to stay out of the sun, unless I’ve applied 100+ sunscreen! Whew!

I also know I need to keep using my mind. I know how easy it is to watch mindless TV and use my computer for answers to questions, calculator for counting, as well as use my phone to play mindless games and activities. Once upon a time, when I wanted information, I used my 26 volumes of encyclopedia or lose myself in the library. Before email, if I wanted to write to someone, I had to invest some effort in it. I’d sit down with pen and paper, or at a typewriter, and carefully compose a message. There wasn’t anything that lent itself to dashing off quick notes without giving them much thought, and the time it took to write a note, find and address an envelope, add postage, and take the letter to a mailbox. Because the very act of writing a note or letter to someone took this many steps, and was spread out over time, we didn’t go to the trouble unless we had something important to say. Because of email’s instantaneous “send” click, we get that message off in a split-second….and sometimes we realize we forgot to send the attachment or even sent it to the wrong person or persons – and, oops – I really didn’t mean to say “Have a grave date” when I meant to say “Have a great day!”

Yesterday, I received the most precious handwritten letter from a dear friend of mine, Sister Marie Pierre, a beloved retired, 89-year old, nun. Though she has some health issues and has slowed down from the over-active teacher and mentor that she was, her mind is still brilliant. I went to see her when I was in Tulsa a few weeks ago and I gave a little gift to her to help with a project she was working on. She has all the excuses she would need to have to not remember I came by or to not send a thank you note – either by email or mail. But she took the time to send me two pages of hand writing to say thank you. In her letter she said, “As you can now figure out – I can’t write legibly and for that, blame my tremors, age and frozen joints. Do the things you want to do now because later is too late.” And, her humor is still intact -- she added this “If you were here, I’d kiss your feet, but then I wouldn’t be able to get up again, so nix on that!” She’s hilarious without even trying. And she remembers so much. She said “This isn’t the first time you’ve rescued me. Remember back in the retreat time (my add: that was many years ago) when you made out sheets for cabins, rides and food which saved me time of worry and work”. I could hardly believe those words – she remembered me.

Why am I saying all this? Maybe it's because of my approaching “another-year-older”, but also because I know I need to keep doing some things that matter – especially taking the time to show others that they matter. It’s so easy to make a phone call to a friend to catch up, but “stuff” gets in the way and we never make that call. It’s easy to send a quick text message with emoticons instead of saying the words “I love you.” It’s so easy to send an email, when someone really needs to know that you thought about them enough to send a handwritten letter or card.

Maybe it’s time we use our brains for reading more, researching more, writing more and good old arithmetic more AND even using our brains for stretching our faith to believe more. "Whatever a man thinks in his heart – so is he" Proverbs 23:7. Sister Marie Pierre knows her limitations, but she still does what she can because she knows “Use it so you don't lose it!"

"Being Grateful In Good, Bad and In-Between Times”

When my home in Tulsa sold and I wasn’t even trying to sell it, I knew it was a sure sign that God was sending me to Frisco, TX. That’s where my daughter and family live. Don’t you love it when God gives undeniable directions to us – and we don’t even need to ask why there or why that or why not?

Yesterday, He did it again. He confirmed to me I was supposed to be here in Frisco because the Dallas Cowboys “The Star” Training Facility was just built and is located right here in Frisco – just 6 miles from my home. Okay, I’m quite sure those of you who are not fans of football and for sure – not the Dallas Cowboys -- could be wondering “Where is this post going?" But the truth of the matter is this – while I’ve had tears and sorrows and questions about my tomorrows, I’ve had so many joys and triumphs that I get giddy when I recognize even one more blessing. Yesterday was no exception. Staci Wallace, Denise Gerrich, Alexia Wallace and I headed over to the Cowboys training day at their new facility and, of course, I was giddy and even teary-eyed from the sweet memories with my sweetheart. I was like a school girl energized because her “star” crush was in town.

You see, the Dallas Cowboys were a very big deal for us in the early 60s when they were just franchised. My husband and I (then boyfriend and I) wouldn’t miss watching a Cowboy game. We loved Tom Landry and his coaching style – and we loved the 1966 (the year we were married) and 1967 years of their official start of record setting performances. We were hooked! Back then, if it was a home game, the game would be blacked out on TV so as to get more fans to come to the game in person. But, my ever so brilliant husband, rigged up an enormous TV antenna on the roof of our home and Sunday afternoons would mean he was on the roof -- turning and tweaking the antenna ever so slightly to be sure we had the best picture. They’ve been “our team” since then, even though the early “glory days” have been hard for them to repeat. Our hope is still high for their comeback.

As I said, I’ve known plenty of tough times in my life, and even recently some challenges with car accidents and physical issues – but I don’t let my thoughts go to those times. I stay amped up on the sweet favors of God and make a big deal about them. If we sincerely believe that “ALL THINGS work together for good to those WHO LOVE GOD and are called according to His purposes” (Romans 8:28) ….then even in the bad times as well as the good times, we see reasons to be thankful. For example: my car was rear-ended, but I got to drive a fun screaming yellow convertible for a week while it was in the shop.

The Bible is very clear about being thankful. The Apostle Paul says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

When we give thanks in the good times, we’re reminded that those are heaven’s blessings to us. Giving thanks makes us appreciate what we have been given. A person who is always complaining and never grateful is a someone who just doesn’t know the richness of life. When we take the time to count our blessings, when we make it a point to focus on the wonderful things we have been given, we appreciate life more.

When we give thanks in the difficult times, we are demonstrating our faith in our God who we believe has a plan we do not see. We believe that His wisdom is beyond our own. We can't always understand what happens in life. If we depend on our senses, life will be like a roller coaster. If we learn to depend on God, life will be steady. We can know peace even in the confusing times.

Just a couple of days ago, I was shocked to see that dear friends of mine in Tulsa lost their home in a fire that was caused from their furnace. Thankfully they, their grandson and dogs made it out safely. And, they had the good sense to get their cars out of the garage. These are the dearest, most faith-filled, loving and generous people you could imagine. They had so memorabilia, records and other treasures in that home. Her words on Facebook: “God sent guardian angels that surrounded us tonight. God is always watching out for us.” I didn’t read words of bitterness, pain, anger at God for “letting this happen” – only words of gratitude. I don’t doubt for a minute that God will bring so much beauty out of this loss that they have gone through.

Living daily with an attitude of gratitude, in spite of our good, bad and in between times, has monumental rewards that come our way. We tough it out in the tough times and we celebrate the joys in the good times. That’s just the way Christ would want us to live. After all, He left heaven’s glories to come to this earth to live, die, be buried and rise again – to give us LIFE and MORE ABUNDANT LIFE (John 10:10). I like to think that I’m living the life that He came to give me. Maybe it’s time you kept your eyes open for the blessings that show up in your life – even the good, the bad and the in-between ones!

Work Hard. Play Hard. Fall Hard.

This day is dedicated to my grandson (Happy Birthday Payton Wallace), and his wish for his 17th birthday TODAY, to be here at Marval Camp in Gore, Oklahoma. This first couple of pics are from Tuesday when we arrived here (note the coveted photo with the ginormous trout letting us know of things to come), and then the rest from yesterday when we started our day out at 5 am (yes, we are serious fisher-people) to get to our favorite fishing spot by daybreak, just below the Tenkiller Dam. It is a picture of heaven (at least in a fisherman's eyes) to arrive to those quiet, calm, peaceful, glass-like-waters (except for the fish jumping and saying (in our imagination) "Come get me", long after the dam gates from yesterday were closed, leaving behind all those hungry trout and striped bass to jump on our hooks. We like to think those fish are people-whisperers, and we are fish-whisperers. LOL! They were no doubt disappointed by the breakfast they went after because they will end up in our tummies tomorrow, but we weren't. By 8:30 am, we had reached our limits on the number of fish we could catch.

Bless Larry Wallace's heart -- he spent so much time getting all the poles rigged up, helping getting lines untangled, taking the fish off the hooks for the girls, that he didn't get as much time fishing, but when his line went in, he made up for the lost time by the number of fish he hauled in! Of course, Staci's line is in the water from start to finish -- they cleaned the fish we had back at camp -- and then fished more at the river. Notice that fishing necklace around her neck? That was her Daddy's. She represents him well in her love for fishing as much as he did. Alexia Wallace has become a great all-around fisher-girl too so now, it's a total family affair!

The boys (Payton Wallace & his buddies from church, Matt and Darian) ventured over to the other side of the river to see what their take could be on that side. They were gone a couple of hours and then we saw them heading back. They decided to walk across rocks in the river in order to stay dry. No sooner than they started across, that the horn started blowing that signals the huge dam gates are opening to let the heavy flow of water come through. In their haste, all three guys fell in the water. Hence the photo of the soaked and cold guys here! LOL!

That incident leads me to where I'm at right now as I type this post. All those wet clothes were bundled up and I'm doing their wash at the Gore laundromat, which by the way, has free wifi! Thank you, Lord, for helping me to stay on point to my commitment to You -- to post a daily encouragement on Facebook.

So what is my encouragement for today, particularly in the light of my not being in a church or cathedral or the privacy of my home? As I sit here listening to the hum of the dryers here in this unconventional "online" setting, the first scripture verse that came to me was John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." I totally get it. The enemy of our souls wants our thoughts to be on the politics, the concerns and the lives of those in the public's eyes -- most of which deals with negativity. He wants us all consumed about matters of the world and matters in our little worlds, rather than taking to the words of Christ to heart "I CAME to give you life and have it to the full". All I know, my life is FULL and running over with God's abundance and blessings. That's what I purpose to fix my mind on -- and NOT those things that the enemy purposes to use to steal, kill and destroy my good thoughts and good attitudes! So, until next time, I think I'll get back to my gang and continue with celebrating the life of my awesome grandson and celebrate that abundant life Christ came to give us! http://ow.ly/OYhD30c10HN

A Day to be Sad....Really?

You may know the heartache and feelings when one of your closest friends or family members just passed away.....yesterday. You wake up the day after, and it's up to you to handle the responsibilities of planning the funeral, the burial, notifying relatives, and handling so many details of figuring out what to do without them. You are expected to hold yourself together by treasuring the memories, while being courageous and brave when you just want to sit and cry bitter tears because this life will never be the same again. You look all around and it seems everyone around you is just fine. They're laughing, they're carefree, they're going on with their busy lives, and you think, "How could they be so happy when I'm hurting so much?"

Yesterday was Good Friday when Christ bore every sin we've ever committed. He carried every sickness we have had, and will ever have. He gave His life so that we would live forever and ever. That was His promise, but this day after -- the day-in-the-middle -- the day between Christ's crucifixion and His resurrection -- His disciples and His followers could only think...."It's all over for us! Life will never be the same again."
Those disciples walked with Him and talked with Him. They saw His good acts and the many miracles he performed (raising people from the dead, opening blind eyes and deaf ears, forgiving the worst of sinners and encouraging them to sin no more and love their neighbors AND enemies). Jesus was dead -- as dead as He could be. They had forgotten His "3-days promise". To them, it was all over. They succumbed to doubt, fear, and unbelief. Yes, it WAS their saddest day EVER.

But was it really the saddest day for them AND us? Those of us who understand that yesterday, His great sacrifice of His life bought us our "abundant life" on this earth and our eternal life with Him. The cross, the time in the tomb, and tomorrow's triumphant resurrection changed everything. When someone we love slips from this life, we think they are somehow diminished to ashes and dust. But this is only part of the story. The reality, the hope, the truth is that they are more fully alive and real than ever before. They are experiencing the results of the eternal life that resurrection gave us.

I pause for a moment and think about what my precious husband might be saying to us today. I think it would be something like, “Enjoy life to the fullest. But also remember your fullest life is yet to be!"

Your “in-the-middle” day may be where you’re at in your life. Maybe it feels like God has disappointed your expectations. When it seems all hope is gone because a loved one may have died, an illness may be bearing down hard on you, your marriage may seem hopeless, your financial situation may seem devastated…..but to those who know our Savior and who know the end of the story, your hopes, dreams, desires and prayers won’t be dead forever, because Jesus was raised to life on the 3rd day and He came to give us LIFE and life more abundantly (John 10:10). So hold on, my child, in the middle, it's time to get your hopes up because JOY COMES IN THE MORNING!

The Happiest Place on Earth

Disney World -- it's supposed to be the happiest place on earth -- but I guess it depends on who's saying it and feeling it. That's where the Wallace's and I are heading today. I know it's a stretch to think I would be interrupting my Lenten "desert" and solemnity for going to that fantasy/magical/wonder/pixie dust world, but, in reality, I like to think that this long-planned adventure is no surprise to God and He might even have orchestrated it because He wants us to put into perspective the ability we have to dream and believe in miracles.

In reality, we're heading there because Payton and Alexia were given Disney World as their big incentive for achieving "nationals" in their Debate and Speech competitions last year, and to make matters even more special, it's the 10th anniversary of Papa and Alexia's birthday celebration when he turned 60 and she turned 6. This year, Papa would be 70 and Alexia turns 16. I love that we get to still include that sweet man on our adventures. After all, he is still so present in our hearts and lives.

I commented to the kids "Well, you're probably not wanting to re-enact riding in the tea-cups and the "It's a small world after all" ride, are you?" To which, both said, "Oh yes we are -- we're not missing a thing!" Which immediately caused us all to break into song "It's a small world after all!"

While Disney is such a sweet adventure with little kids in tow, I'm looking forward to this trip because it represents nostalgia for me as a young girl, when times were simpler and sweeter. Some folks enjoy the artistry and the detail (I know that to be so for Payton, as he has friends who work at Disney and, who knows, maybe with his musical talents, a door may open for him there one day). And some folks have discovered that they can be "kids" without even being a child and they can let that kid come out and play! COUNT ME IN!

Since I'm a romantic at heart, I still embrace the "Dreams come true" likes of Cinderella, Belle, Peter Pan, Little Mermaid and all the other Disney memories from my childhood that initiated my love for Hallmark movies where, though the ending is always expected to be happy, it still brings sweetness and joy.

I know there are those of you who are reading this today and are thinking "Get a life, Donna. In fact, get back in your prayer closet, Donna! Face up to the real nasty and dirty world we live in. Forget the imagery of "And they lived happy ever after" because it's just not so!" And with that thought, I say, "I beg to differ!" This life may have it's disappointments and tribulations....but the greatest BELIEVE-IT-WILL-COME-TRUE-STORY is a true story. John 10:10 "Jesus came to give us abundant life!" It's THE ONE about a Prince and a shoe and a girl who believed in the impossible. Though the Cinderella story, itself isn't true, we CAN believe that there is a Prince of Peace who gave each of us specific shoes that only we can walk in, and He promises that He will dance with us for ALL ETERNITY if we truly BELIEVE IN HIM". John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOEVER (that's you and me) believes in Him, will not perish but have everlasting life!" That's a FOR SURE promise of "And they will live happy ever after!"

I started this post with "The Happiest Place on Earth". It really isn't Disney....it's that place of inner peace that comes with knowing the Prince of Peace, and abiding in Him 24/7. That, my friends.....is truly "The Happiest Place on Earth"!!!