From Surviving to Thriving

We have sure had the opportunity to be tested, tried and sentenced over the last few months. How is it looking for you? Would you have been convicted of giving up, throwing in the towel, quitting, sulking, murmuring and complaining about it all? Or would you receive glowing testimonials from your family and friends about being tenacious, relentless, determined, staying optimistic and being grateful for the blessings in your life?

No one is judging – certainly not me! I’ve come to realize that I don’t want to have gone through these times with an attitude of regret and remorse because I couldn’t take the heat. No one should blame anyone who got a little cranky over the last few months. And, for good reasons. But, wait just minute, Mr. Postman! We have so many reasons to be thankful and be boasting about our God Who has kept us, protected us and provided for us. We’re still here! We have survived! Psalm 27:13-14 says “I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait on Him and take courage.”

I AM living in this land of God’s goodness and mercy following me (Psalm 23:6). I believe it and speak it. My daughter runs a non-profit outreach called EMwomen that exists to rescue and restore women who have suffered through some of life's most difficult challenges – many of whom were homeless, jobless and hopeless. But, what does God do right in the midst of this pandemic? Every single one of those women now have homes, great jobs and are “living in the land of the living”. Because they had an attitude of gratitude, God’s goodness was magnetically drawn to them. Maya Angelou said: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

I have seen men and women rise and shine, accelerate, and go to a whole new level in their faith, confidence and trust in God during these times. They say with all-out fervor: "Bring on the heat! I was made for this. God power-packed me to win. I will come out of this heat and not even smell like smoke!”

The three Hebrews, Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego, not only survived the fiery furnace, but they weren't even singed and their clothing wasn't scorched. They didn't even smell like smoke! And that will be our story, too! As we praise and trust God Who causes us to triumph, we will come out of our “furnace situations”, alive and well. So what can we do to turn it all around from just surviving to thriving? Praise God. Our praise will jack up our faith. It’s time to step into the thriving circle of praise. Let's have some flash backs about what God has already done. When our hearts focus on the right place, we will more than survive – we will thrive!

This is the surviving to thriving scripture proof: "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us." Ephesians 3:20
That power working in us is the Holy Spirit and His fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." THAT is thriving!

Getting Back In-Sync

I’m a creature of habit. My built-in alarm system wakes me at 5:00 am each morning. My “routines” are set. My two cups of coffee. My daily devotion time. My personal plumbing system is right on time every day! I know – TMI! My clothes washing day. My scheduled weekly meetings and appointments. My daily blogs. My going-to-bed time. My morning ritual of texting a love note to my kids. My devotion time. I’m in-sync when all is calm and all is bright. Sure there are ups and downs, but they come in and go out – like the tide’s ebb and flow. But throw a kink in the middle of it all and my rhythms can get out of whack.

And what about this ginormous "kink" that was thrown into our rhythmic world? So many huge changes to our rhythms. Lord, have mercy! We have had to make ongoing huge adjustments to our routines, unlike any we've ever seen and experienced.

I had a "kink" last week. My car's engine light came on. Ugh! What does that mean for a 10-year-old car that sports 137,000+ miles? I interrupt my usual rhythm to take it in to an automotive shop. After all, I was getting ready to hit the road for Austin.
I find out that there are $3,250 repairs needed for my well-loved car that was a birthday gift to my husband and I from my son, 10 years ago. A timing chain issue. My in-sync-ness was interrupted. I decided I’d take it for a second opinion, but not yet because the engine light went off. Hopefully, as the technician commented "Sometimes it corrects itself!" All the way to Austin, the light never came on! I'm praying that my Master Mechanic did some of His Master work on it!

I determined to take matters into my "rhythmic" hands that are empowered by God's strong and mighty hands and made some positive decisions. The best part, I realized I have the opportunity to use my faith to make those “walls of discomfort” tumble down by praising and thanking God for so many blessings. “Don’t worry about anything, but in EVERYTHING, through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6) Yes, I even take car troubles to God.

Most importantly, I found my peace and my trust in God Who saw this little glitch on His radar screen before I did. I’m still “idling my engine” literally about those repairs and I’ll continue to take one day at a time with making the decisions I need to make. Thank you, Lord, for the slow and smooth rhythms that are so sweet, but I thank You for even the disconnected, staccato rhythms – because more than anything I desire is to be in sync with Your ebbs and flows – in tempo that connects me to your ways which are so much higher than mine!

The Feather: A Symbol of High Honor

Yesterday, I was drawn again to all the geese that abound in my community. Not before the last couple of days did I notice so many of their feathers all around the grounds. I gathered enough molten feathers for a feather bouquet. My research found that Native American culture believes that all things possess an inherent virtue, power, and wisdom. For example, the feather signifies a connection between the Creator and the feather of the bird that lost it. It symbolizes trust, honor, strength, wisdom, power, and freedom. It is deeply revered.

My feather bouquet is symbolic to who I desire to be – a woman of trust, honor, strength, wisdom, power, and freedom. I also learned that Native American warriors were awarded a feather when they won a battle or were particularly brave in war. When a feather falls to the earth, it is believed to carry the bird's energy, and perceived as a gift from God.

No wonder I was drawn to pick up those feathers. They were a gift to me from the geese and God. I read that they shed their feathers because they are dead structures, like our hair or nails and are made of the same ingredient, the protein keratin. That means when they get damaged, they can’t heal themselves. They have to be replaced and that's called molt. Molt keeps birds in top flying condition. Timing is everything in molting so they avoid other periods of high energy demands, like nesting or migration. So, there you have it – my biology lesson on molting.

Timing is everything for us, too. What about this timing of stay-at-home and focusing more inward than outward? Are we in a time when God is causing our "dead feathers" to be replaced like the molting process when birds get a new look and so they will be in top flying condition?

Maybe we need that process to get rid of the old, broken, worn, damaged areas of our lives that cause old, broken, damaged thinking? Just as those geese don’t stubbornly hold on to their dead feathers, so we shouldn’t hold on to the unnecessary weights of negativity that have clung on way too long in our lives. I am so ready to move on to a new season from the old one that was filled with stinking thinking, poor self-image, mistakes made, regrets and disappointments to the new feathers that symbolize our connection between our Creator -- whereby our new feathers are those of trust, honor, strength, wisdom, power, and freedom.

Oh, how God longs to empower and strengthen us to be able to take flight from all those things that have held us earth-bound and weary. “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18,19

God longs to help us let go. All we have to do is go to Him in prayer and ask Him to shine His light on any thoughts, circumstances, habits or other “dead feathers” we might be clinging to. My prayer is that we let go of anything that would hinder a fresh relationship with God, with our family, with our brothers and sisters as children of God. I’m determined to “let go” and let God have His way in me. I’m looking for some new feathers! How about you?

What is YOUR Motivation for Change?

What is YOUR Motivation for Change?
The Great Escape -- so, I’ve been in Austin with my family since last week. Talk about change – from my quiet, non-eventful life, to nearly non-stop activity with this crew. My quiet peace zone at home has certainly been interrupted, which is fine with me.

My second to the oldest grandson, Bear, asked for a date-night with me. Be still my heart. He drove to downtown Austin for a take-out meal fit for a queen. We enjoyed our “date” out by the pool and commenced to go to the theater (rather, the theater room) to see an epic movie “The Two Popes”. (Recommend it!) The attention to his planned night touched me so much. Then I loved spending time with his adorable girl friend when she came down on Sunday.

The youngest grandson, Bryson, age 13, still wants to sleep with me. I hope that doesn’t end any time soon. Sweet memories of chattering about this and that, praying together, and falling to sleep. And, yesterday taking a trip to nearby Reimer's Park. He had told his Dad “Nana would be inspired with a blog if she were here.” And, yes I was!

Oldest grandson, Braden, and his precious wife, Ruth, spent three days with us. I loved catching up with their dreams, aspirations and hopes. Sweet Ruth worked many extra hours as a neonatal NICU nurse during the quarantine and right in the middle of it had to have an appendectomy. She’s doing great, and she’s oh, so precious! I love the love these grands have for each other, playing games and spending time together.

Number #4 grandson, age 15, called on his mama and I to assist in two of his school projects. During this homeschooling, the students are doing virtual learning and reports or speeches that would usually be given in the classroom. This creative one, Brennan, had two presentations to give. His mom and I were his film crew. She was the camera-gal; I was the teleprompter supervisor. Oh, my, the hilarious times we had on Take 1, Take 2, Take 52, etc. And, oh, the precarious places were our locations! Thank goodness, this Nana has still got game!

Thanks for letting me bring you up-to-speed at the Wuerch's Austin ranch. The greatest take-away from my get-away from isolation-days has been how much sweeter are the days than I ever hoped for before. Gratitude just gets stronger for those things that don’t come as easy as they were before. There’s something about realizing that what seemed to be the greatest upset in our own personal lives, became a lot easier and faster to deal with than what we ever thought.

Sincerely – changes needed to be made. God probably shakes His head as He thinks “Why do my kids get so caught up on so much that is just temporary?” There is one guarantee in life: CHANGE will happen. Change is something we tend to fear and become anxious about because we feel out of control. But we have this blessed assurance. God NEVER changes. "I am the Lord, and I do not CHANGE.” (Malachi 3:6). He walks with us in every season of life -- no matter how easy or difficult. We can choose to accept CHANGE because God has a plan for our lives – to give us hope, a great future, and to prosper us. If we trust in God and allow the CHANGE to mature us in our faith and to grow us in becoming more like Him in how we respond and act, then we are promised that “Everything will work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28)

God orders our days. He knows the seasons we are exiting from and He also knows those we are about to enter. It’s a new day – yesterday is gone. Why don’t we awaken to the assurance that He KNOWS ALL and if we’ll board His ways, we’ll travel higher, further and safer than we could ever imagine. I think I hear Him saying to us “I’ve got this so let go and let Me carry you through each CHANGE. Relax. Enjoy the ride. Trust Me!”

Living the Life, We Were Born to Live

Remember the line by Mother Abbess to Maria in the epic movie “The Sound of Music" – “Maria, these walls were not meant to shut out problems. You have to face them. You have to live the life you were born to live.” Such words of wisdom: “We must live the life we were born to live.”

In the grand scheme of things, we probably are living the lives we were born to live if we’re staying determined, positive, fear-less, strong, trusting God and being the best version of ourselves that we can be. Maybe you are one of those who studied, trained and acquired their degrees and professional licenses to serve as doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel who are living those lives and are giving your gifts back to God and to us. Maybe you’re living the life you were born to live if you’re a truck driver, an essential service worker, or are in so many other businesses that are serving in tremendous ways to help those who need you so much.

Maybe you are a parent who is working from home and are facilitating home schooling while doing your work. You, too are living the life you were born to live – right in the middle of all of this – if you believe that you have been “called”.

I posted a great “Dad” video of the Senior Engineer of my son’s company last week. He spent time and energy, certainly beyond his business talents, to have all-out fun with his three children – using a simple water bottle and balls. His children were active participants in this “World of a Dad in Playland”. Right here in a time when he must work from home, this Dad found time to adventure with his children. And, quite frankly, I tend to think “THAT is the life he was born to live.” The life that is right here, right now, embracing the moments, making memories, creating family ties and bonds, and sharing it with the world – when the world needs to see something far greater than negative news reports and folks who are bemoaning their situation instead of “living the life they were destined to live.”

Yesterday, I was reminded of Who our Good Shepherd is in Psalm 23:1-7 “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and your staff – they comfort me……” We have definitely been through the valley of the shadow of death as we daily hear new death tolls, but at the same time, we’re also living on the mountaintop of healing as we watch the recoveries’ numbers go up! Praise God!

Bottom line – are we being willing, obedient sheep who are allowing our Lord, our Shepherd, to lead and guide us into these “pastures” in our homes or hospitals or services as His devoted followers? He must have something in mind for us. Our Shepherd always looks out for His sheep and has placed us in a state of dependence – right where sheep typically live. No wonder “I shall not want” were words King David used in penning that beautiful and poetic psalm. In trusting Him and His “lead”, we'll be living the lives were born to live.

To Be Thankful is to Be Peaceful

Back in the day, my husband, his sister, a friend, and myself made up the Masters IV Quartet. We were known for our renditions of Andrae Crouch’s beautiful songs. Andrae was a well-known gospel singer, songwriter, arranger, record producer and pastor. He penned these words that were our testimony and I’m sure you might call them yours, too:

“I've had many tears and sorrows / I've had questions for tomorrow / There's been times I didn't know right from wrong / But in every situation / God gave me blessed consolation / that my trials come to only make me strong.

Through it all / through it all / I've learned to trust in Jesus / I've learned to trust in God. / Through it all / through it all / I've learned to depend upon His Word.”

Andrae wrote that song based on the struggles and wins in his own life. John Newton wrote “Amazing Grace” based on his spiritual conversion after having been a slave trader. And, Horatio Spafford wrote “It is Well with My Soul” after the death of his son and subsequently the loss of his four daughters when their ship sank. Horrific struggles in life often produce some of the greatest masterpieces of our lives. As I think about my own life’s struggles – there is an unexplainable thread of peace woven throughout my story and I’m sure, if alive, those authors of some of the most renown songs ever written would tell us the same thing. A powerful peace was prevalent that centered them in the awareness of God’s presence.

The truly thankful person is a truly peaceful person – no matter what! Thankful people have created a habit of noticing, pausing and choosing. Noticing “something” to be thankful about no matter the circumstance. Pausing to acknowledge this “something” as a reminder of God’s presence. Choosing to focus on God’s presence until His powerful peace consumes us. I know this “season” has given us plenty of reasons to be in fear, concern, disappointment and angst about what the future holds. But, will we come through this time unscathed because we’ve been noticers? Pausers? Choosers? Were we people of thanksgiving no matter what the circumstances were?

The greatest examples of the power of thanksgiving are found in sacred scriptures. What was the prayer of Daniel right before being thrown into the lions’ den and witnessing God miraculously shutting the lion’s mouths? Thanksgiving. After three days in the belly of a fish, what was the cry of Jonah’s heart right before he was finally delivered onto dry land? Thanksgiving. What was St. Paul’s mode of operation in the prison cell and how did he instruct us to pray in Philippians 4:6? “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God."

And what was the outcome of each of these situations where thanksgiving was proclaimed? Peace -- powerful, unexplainable, uncontainable peace. Paul went on to write: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7).

I wonder what might happen if we decide in the midst of our circumstances to notice, pause and choose something to be thankful about today. Let’s pray about it!

Dear Lord, will You help me notice things that I can be thankful for in each circumstance I face today? To remember to pause and acknowledge it as evidence of Your presence? And please help me choose to focus on Your presence until Your powerful peace rushes into my heart and helps me see everything more clearly. Thank You for the reality that being thankful changes everything. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Turning our Cocoons into Divine Preparation

In my interactions with friends and family lately, I’ve been referring to this time of isolation as “being in a cocoon”. I sense that we are growing in our gratitude and being made over mentally in ways that are so good for us. I saw this on a friend’s FB page yesterday. It confirmed what I had been thinking:

“TRAFFIC is gone, GAS is affordable, BILLS extended.
KIDS are at home with their FAMILIES.
PARENTS are home taking care of their CHILDREN.
FAST FOOD replaced by HOME COOKED MEALS.
Hectic SCHEDULES replaced by NAPS, REST, and RELAXATION.
The AIR seems CLEANER. The WORLD quieter.
PEOPLE are conscious about HYGIENE and HEALTH.
MONEY doesn't seem to make the world go round any more.
We have TIME, finally, to STOP and SMELL the ROSES.
And lastly, We've become closer to THE MOST HIGH and more praising HIM every day of our LIVES. Yes, I want this to be over but there is some positive in this.”

Eye opening for sure. I’ve been through some painful seasons when it felt like I was in an uncomfortable cocoon. It seemed God had a deaf ear to my heart cries. The seasons of financial concerns, illnesses, disappointments, broken relationships, family deaths – including, my own precious husband’s passing. I was in the cocoon during those times – going through what seemed to be personal death, but, God was using those seasons to instill in me hope, trust and belief that He was in control, and that He was creating a butterfly that could soar further and higher than I could have imagined.

It was in those dark seasons that my faith grew stronger. No question -- the cocoon WAS painful. But were it not for that dark season and the changes made in me, I would have never known the joy, freedom and beauty of flying to such heights today.

Hold on, my beloved children and friends. Soon, we will be breaking out of these cocoons. Count on it -- when we are free again, we will not be ashamed to dance in the rain, to celebrate each new day with the wonderment of a child, to laugh at ourselves, to value each other more than ever before, to look in the mirror and see LIFE being lived to its fullest again.

Soon, this dark cocoon will be in our past. We’ll realize that it was worth the stillness and death and preparation for the wings we were given to fly higher than we’ve ever flown before. We’ll soon break free from this isolation and we’ll never take so much for granted ever again. Before long, we'll be spreading our wings to fly and we'll start flying AND dancing again.

"You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy." Psalm 30:11

Prayer is the Key and Faith Unlocks the Door

Prayer is the Key and Faith Unlocks the Door
I defer my writings to this beautiful prayer today -- the day our President declared it to be a National Day of Prayer. May we pray it with complete faith and trust in our God -- with Whom nothing is impossible:
🙏🙏🙏Prayer for the Coronavirus Epidemic Crisis🙏🙏🙏
LORD JESUS, we ask you to protect us from the coronavirus. You are powerful and merciful; let this be our prayer -

🙏🏻 “Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” (Ps‬alm ‭57:1‬)

JEHOVAH SHALOM, Lord of Peace, we remember those living in coronavirus hotspots and those currently in isolation. May they know your presence in their isolation, your peace in their turmoil and your patience in their waiting. Prince of Peace, you are powerful and merciful; let this be their prayer.

🙏🏻 “May your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need. Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of Your name.” ‭‭(Psalm‬ ‭79:8)

GOD OF ALL COMFORT AND COUNSEL, we pray for those who are grieving because of this virus, reeling from the sudden loss of loved-ones. May they somehow know Your fellowship in their suffering, Your comfort in their loss, and Your hope in their despair. We name before you those known to us who are vulnerable and scared - the frail, the sick and the elderly. [pause] We also remember those doctors, pastors and family-members who are caring for all such people right now. God of all Comfort, You are powerful and merciful; may this be our prayer.

🙏🏻 “He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us.” ‭‭(2 Corinthians‬ ‭1:10‬)

JEHOVAH RAPHA, God who heals, we pray for all medical professionals dealing daily with the intense added pressures of this crisis. Grant them resilience in weariness, discernment in diagnosis, and compassion upon compassion as they care. We thank You for the army of researchers cooperating towards a cure - give them clarity, serendipity and breakthroughs we pray. Rise Sun of righteousness, above this present darkness with healing in Your rays. You are powerful and merciful; may this be our prayer.

🙏🏻 “Sovereign Lord, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for You.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭32:17‬)

GOD OF ALL WISDOM, we pray for our leaders - the WHO and national governments, and local leaders too - heads of schools, hospitals and other institutions. Since you have positioned these people in public service for this hour, we ask You to grant them wisdom beyond their own wisdom to contain this virus, faith beyond their own faith to fight this fear, and strength beyond their own strength to sustain vital institutions through this time of turmoil. God of all Wisdom and Counsel, you are powerful and merciful; may this be our prayer.

🙏🏻 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear.” (Ps‬alm ‭46:1-2‬)

“Surely He will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.” ‭‭(Ps‬alm ‭91:3-7‬)

🙏🏻 “Answer me when I call to You, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.” (Psalm‬ ‭4:1‬)

May El Shaddai, the Lord God Almighty who loves you protect you. May Jesus Christ, His Son who died for you save you. And may the Holy Spirit who broods over the chaos and fills your life with peace, intercede for you and in you for others at this time.

🙏🏻 “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (2 Timothy‬ ‭4:18‬)
(Thursday, March 12 2020 by Pete Greig/24-7 Prayer)

They Gave Me a Blank Check

My children were heading out of town. I needed to oversee some contractors that were painting their home while they were gone. They left a few blank, signed checks for me to give them when they finished. Aw! Blank, signed checks! Good thing I'm honest and dependable because it could sure have been tempting to use one of those checks to get me to Tahiti and beyond!

If there were ever a “blank check” verse in the Bible, this is it:
Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us." I have so many of those "exceeding abundantlies" in my life. The one I am most grateful for -- that I even spoke of to my children in my early morning text message to them is the joy of the Lord that is in my heart. Seriously, I could complain about so many things. I just won't. A joy that is exceedingly abundantly has superseded any doubt, fear, loneliness, or any other negativity, is down in my heart.

A tangible "exceedingly abundantly" I recall was when we were in a season of financial crisis. We were still strong believers in the "blank check" principal of "God will do exceedingly abundantly according to the power that works in us." We did believe, and put our absolute trust in our faithful God. My husband, a man of faith, found a 6,000 sq ft spec home in a nearby subdivision, convinced the builder we should move into it and help him market that home and other homes and lots he had for sale. The builder said, "I don't know why I'm doing this -- but, okay -- let's do it!" So we moved into that home. Ron sold three homes and 13 lots within six-short months and not only did he continue to have success there, we purchased that 6,000 sqft home and made it our place of business and ministry for years. God did the exceedingly abundantly for us because God's power was working strong in us. We did not limit our "exceedingly abundant" God.

Maybe there are things that you need, but are afraid to ask and believe God for them. Just know that He is able to do far more than you could even dream of. I’m a pretty big dreamer. God says, “Donna, think of the greatest thing you could ever dream of, the greatest thing you think I could do in your life. Guess what? I can top that.”

If there were tears in Heaven, it would probably be because we would get there and realize all the things that we could have done if we had just believed God a little bit more. I think I'd shed a few tears -- to see everything I could have accomplished if I had just believed God more. But there are no tears in Heaven and God gives us everything we need right now to accomplish what He has planned for us. I challenge you to dream big about your relationships, your marriage, your family, your career, and your ministry to others. Your faith can turn those dreams into reality, because God is able to do far more than we would dare to ask or even dream..

Faith turns God-given dreams into reality. Nothing happens until somebody starts dreaming! The Bible is full of people who had God-given dreams. Abraham dreamed of being the father of a great nation. Moses dreamed of setting God’s people free. Joseph dreamed of saving a nation and his own family. If we'd look around us, we'd find many dreamers who refused to quit. They stirred up God's power in them and saw the exceedingly abundantly in their lives. Why not you?

Replacing Fear with Trust

Though I was a young, vulnerable mom, I still considered myself a strong woman of faith. But, it was still so difficult to see my baby girl and my baby boy suffer. I’ve heard it said that “It’s harder on the mom to watch her child suffer than the child suffering.” I don’t believe it for second, but sincerely, one of the hardest thing for a parent to do is watching their children hurt – for any reason – and whether they are young or older. I wished many times that I could haven taken their place.

As Christmas is almost here, I’m drawn to the story of another mother who watched her child suffer. At our “Advent Meditations with Mary” study this week, we talked about Mary’s true grit as she endured watching her beloved Son suffer. Like most mothers, she loved and cared for her Baby Boy and 40-days after his birth, Joseph and Mary presented Jesus in the temple. Simeon prophesied to Mary “And a sword will pierce through your own soul also” (Luke 2:35). She was forewarned. In our group, we talked about how she must have carried those words with her all of her beloved Son’s life.

I’m grateful that my own son and I have a very close relationship. He has been an open book to me – telling me his innermost thoughts and feelings most all of his life. Even when he started dating, he couldn’t wait to tell me about the date. As we talked in our discussion group, we envisioned that it was probably like that between Mary and her Boy. It was most likely that their relationship was intimate and endearing and He talked to her about His road up ahead. He prepared her. We suspect that she told Him that she would never leave Him no matter what the future looked like – and she didn’t.

When He was 33, Mary’s Son hung on a rugged cross to bear the weight of humanity’s sin. As He suffered, she never left His side. When He died, His body was placed in a tomb, and a large stone rolled over the opening. Three days later, the stone was rolled away and Jesus was no longer there. That day, a physical stone was rolled away from the mouth of a tomb, but so was the burden on a mother’s tender heart. Scripture doesn’t speak to it, but we moms just know that she had, literally, INSIDE information that she would see her Son again. And, she did and she does today. Her Son suffered but His life left an eternal impact on the world. Throughout Jesus’ life, and even in His death, Mary stood close to Her son, but God drew even closer. And in our suffering, God draws even closer to us.

Over the months and years, as I loved and cared for my own children, I learned to replace fear with trust. I still do that today when I pray for them. To exchange uncertainty with truth that God’s hand is over my children, in health, in peace, and still in times when I see them suffering in any way. Remembering God has a plan for them as He did with His own Son, I know God has a great plan for my children and me -- even though I may not fully understand what that looks like. But He sure does.

As this Christmas approaches, we will praise and worship God for His great gift to Joseph and Mary and to all of us. We will worship this precious Baby in the manger -- but the story gets so much better. Simeon had a painful message for Mary. But she discovered that for those who trust God, He uses soul-piercing events to unleash more grace, salvation, and joy into the world than we could have ever imagined. We know the massive stone of fear was rolled away, revealing our Savior lives, and because He lives – SO DO WE! Praise God forevermore!

“Do Not Fear” Seems to be a Theme Here

Those three words “Do not fear” pack a punch, don’t they? While I stay on the bandwagon about living by trust and faith, the fact is I am not so Pollyanna-ish that I am unaware of the fears we all face: taking care of bills, repairs, health concerns, pain and struggling relationships, etc.. And, I'm very cognizant of the seriousness of those who are at the end of their rope in coping with fear. It is no laughing and quick-fix matter.

So where do we start when worry, fear and concern dominate our lives? Can we live above our fears? Or at least quiet their gnarly voices? I really feel this season puts the answers for us in neon, flashing lights. By this season I don’t mean the "Christmas carols playing, Santa ho-ho-hoing, colored lights and sentimental old Christmas movies." I mean how Christmas can point us to deeper sources of hope, courage and fearlessness.

Those of us in the Christian tradition believe that this time of year presents us with the answers we need that can change the whole picture. No wonder the angels announce to the main characters in this drama, “Do not be afraid.” Mary hears it. Joseph hears it. The shepherds, scared witless by all the radiance in the sky, hear it from a chorus of angels. No wonder “Don’t be afraid” appears in the Bible more than 100 times.

It sure sounds like God delights in turning around “fearing times into holy, providential moments" of His presence and His promises to keep us in spite of times of fear.

But God. The ONE and ONLY -- the same God Who told Mary, Joseph and the shepherds to not be afraid, is still telling us "Do not be afraid." The "Do Not Fear" words don’t sound like a suggestion to me. Why does God COMMAND us not to be afraid when every day there are situations that occur and it seems impossible NOT to fear?

Throughout the Bible we learn that our Lord is a Lord of miracles and we are not to fear or have a lack of trust, because all of it, even the tough times, even in the uncertainty of the 21st century (or the 1st century) God’s plan is greater than our fears. So whether in this season, or the days to come, let’s remember that the perfect love of God casts out fear. The message of the Angel of the Lord is for every day - not just Christmas… “Fear not, for I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people. For unto you is born this day … a SAVIOR which is Christ the LORD! (Luke 2:9-11) Picture the God of the universe handing you his Son, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Hear him say, "Don't be afraid of anything….ever. I give you joy. I give you peace. I give you comfort. I give you hope. I give you good news of great joy! I give you peace that passes understanding. I give the the perfect love that casts out all fear. I give you JESUS!

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear.” Psalm 41:1-2

When Mountains Don’t Move

I know mountains. I’ve gazed at their beauty from a distance. I’ve skied down them. I’ve driven the winding roads to the top of them and embraced the beauty from the top looking down. And I know MOUNTAINS -- those vast, enormous obstacles and circumstances that seem beyond overwhelming.

We think that if only these mountains were removed, our lives might be more peaceful. But, there must be mountains to appreciate the valleys. And perhaps, God, in all His wisdom, is wanting us to scale those mountains. He is wanting us to hike up those mountains for a “mountain-top experience” where we are refreshed, restored, nourished, and where we receive divine revelation. His revelation is always intended to grow our faith, strengthen our resolve, and equip us to take on any mountain that may be standing in our way.

I sang along as my car radio played Lauren Daigle's “I Will Trust in You” song. I meant the words as I belted them out with her:
“When You don't move the mountains I'm needing You to move; When You don't part the waters I wish I could walk through;;
When You don't give the answers as I cry out to You;
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You”

It’s difficult to trust someone when they’ve let us down by mistakes they made and we wonder if we can ever trust them again. Oh, but not so with our God. He is dependable, true, honest, unwavering, loving and faithful in all His ways. So when our mountains aren’t moving, we can do but one thing – trust in He Who knows best. Father knows best.

I speak from firsthand experience…..again. Through the heartaches, amazingly, I experienced more of God’s love. It’s unlike anything the world can offer. Sure, I’ve cried and even had some wailing times, but God extended strength, peace, and joy during the difficult times. Only God, the Creator of all good things, could have carried me through those times.

Do you ever stop to consider God’s point of view when you’re going through a hard time? He’s a good, loving Father. He could have changed circumstances with a snap of his holy fingers, but He decided on the slow – let her "trust in Me" grow-times. I can see clearly now. He wanted me to share my story with others who have experienced pain, loss and disappointment. Maybe He saw how it all would strengthen my faith and the faith of others. Maybe He saw how He would be glorified.

And, maybe, God intervenes more than I realize, maybe, more than we all realize, and maybe God might have prohibited a situation from happening that would have been even more difficult. I sure don’t know it all, but I do know I just need to trust my good, loving Father. Whether it seems big or small, God cares and desires to reveal His love for you. Let’s trust God, even when our plans don’t seem to align with His.

I’ll Take a Cloud…or Two

This day a year ago I was all caught up in gratitude for the rain, cooler temperatures and the Fall season that was in the air. I spent the day getting my Fall décor out and turning my home into a place of pumpkin spice aromas and colors of oranges, yellows and browns. But, not this year. It seems Summer doesn’t want to give way just yet! So, as in the title of this blog – I’ll take a cloud or two that gets this Fall party started.

But, actually, I’m not moving in that direction with this post. I’m thinking of the “cloud” that went ahead of the Israelite wilderness wanderers. “By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way …” (Exodus 13:21). I’m big on putting my faith and trust in the Unseen God. But, there are just some days when a cloud or two would be awesome in pointing the way for me. Perhaps you’re like me and you could sure use some reinforcement on some difficult decisions you and your family are making. I spend a lot of time searching for supportive Scriptures and always hope to glean a definitive, holy answer to my questions. I stay alert for any trace of God speaking. I want to hear His voice loud and clear. I look for patterns in things I read or heard. And, continually, I seek precise affirmation in the choices I am leaning toward.

It’s easy during those times of waiting, seeking, and knocking for our thoughts to run rampant. “What if I make a wrong decision? What if I thought I heard God’s voice, but instead it was just my own emotions or feelings controlling my thoughts? Is it too much to ask for a blinking neon arrow dropped down from Heaven to point the way?”

Instead of allowing frustration and angst to overwhelm us, maybe it’s time to chill – relax and stop trying to figure everything out. Maybe the better thing is to stop looking and listening for a blaring answer from God – and to simply ease into a place of “coming into His presence with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise” (Psalm 95:2) – to simply sit at His feet and indulge ourselves in Him. Praying for wisdom, clarity and guidance about how to move forward. Praying for peace and hope to fill our hearts and minds — leaving no room for confusion and negative thoughts. Praying that decision-making would be an extension of our faith, not an exhaustion of our efforts.

That "cloud" phenomenon guided the Israelites during the daytime. We could sure use a holy cloud to guide us, Lord! But, instead of a cloud, we have cloudy minds and we worry we’ll make wrong decisions or we can’t even make a decision at all. We also feel lost in the wilderness, If they would have trusted more and complained less, the direct path would have been only an eleven-days journey instead of their 40-years journey. Hearing that makes my thoughts become less cloudy and I rest in knowing God is our guide. If we walk down the right path, God is there with us. If we take a wrong turn, He is still there, redirecting us, guiding us and leading us out of the wilderness. In fact, He may take us down the most difficult journey, with full intention of growing our faith along the way.

We may not have a cloud we can see with our eyes, but we can trust God is always leading the way. God may lead us into the wilderness, and He may even guide us there to camp for a while, but He will never leave us there. Regardless of the decisions we make, we’ll never be on any path alone.

Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”

He is Our Storm Chaser

Most of my posts come from my own personal life experiences with the sincere hope that what I share will encourage and even open your eyes to our great Storm Chaser. I learned some very difficult lessons the hard way so my goal is to pass along the wisdom from those lessons to give you shortcuts to your prayers being answered and your faith increased.

It's our human nature to have the mindset: "I've got to figure this out on my own!" Many times, seeking God for the answer is the last thing we do to escape our storms. "I've tried everything else. I might as well, as a last resort ask God for help! Instead of asking "God, can't you see how great my storms are", we should be saying "Storms, can't you see how big my God is?"

The disciples passed their lessons learned onto us. We can learn a lot from their mistakes if we would not go the way of their lack of faith. They knew Jesus was on land and they discounted that He was the authentic, unparalleled STORM CHASER and PEACE MAKER. They toiled and feared, but Christ was praying on the shore for them. He saw the storm come up. HE SAW. He knew. And He sees and knows the storms we're going through. They are no surprise to Him. In fact, they are part of His plan to build our faith and trust in Him more. He is hearing our prayers in the midst of OUR storms and He will carry us safely to the other side.

We can know this: There is no difficulty in life that is stronger than Jesus. We can face our difficult times with courage because He promised to ALWAYS be with us! I love knowing that His peace is ours in the midst of our storms....and how reassuring to know that right behind this storm is a rainbow of blessing! He promised it, and I've come to count on it! Since we know our circumstances are no surprise to Him, let’s surprise Him with our trust in Him – in all circumstances and in all seasons.

The calm and quiet nature of Christ is what calms the storms in our life and in others. By sharing the presence of Christ within us, we introduce the nature of Christ. He is our Storm Chaser. He pursues us to let us know that we can trust Him. He calms our storms when we ask Him.

Dear Lord, we come to you and ask you to increase our faith. We acknowledge that one of the best ways to grow in faith is to experience storms in our life. For only in those times, can we exercise and experience trust, so that we may receive true peace and increase our confidence in You. By growing in our trust, we receive the calm and quiet nature of Your presence. May people be attracted to my soul that expresses calm in any and every situation. I invite you into my boat and ask you to take control. Amen.

Be Fearless

Fearless in these days and times? Get real, girl! Who can be fearless when from the smallest fear (like a snake in a flowerbed -- that was me yesterday) to my friend's upcoming major surgery or another friend's livelihood being challenged after a hard fall that fractured some bones? I get it. There are plenty of reasons to be in fear about what tomorrow holds. But God has solutions for us to squash those fears. We can be fearless. It's not a suggestion from God -- it's an actual command! Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God..." God Almighty is our back-up and our back-up plan for being FEAR-less.

Clearly, God's solution for annihilating fear is Himself. He shows us how to be fearless. It is by trusting in His sovereignty and power which keeps us in peace when everything else in the world screams out for us to FEAR. My husband identified FEAR in an acrostic -- "False Evidence Appearing Real". Reality tells us that so much of what we spend our time worrying about never even happens. Living under the weight of the "what if's" is a mighty heavy blanket to live under.

My younger self struggled with fear and worry for years, so much so that I developed acute colitis. My amazing Christian doctor coached me to healing by giving me the prescription of taking God's Word into my heart and meditating on it as soon as anxiety showed up. I took that prescription, faithfully. I learned to call on the Prince of Peace (Jesus) to give me peace and I found it as I relied implicitly on what He promises in His Word. In time, I began to find that the things that I once feared, no longer affected me. Change happened. Anxious thoughts disappeared. Worry released its constant grip. God's words became "life" words, soothing to my soul, calming my spirit, giving power to my days. It wasn't always easy, and it often came down to a choice. Choosing not to allow fear and anxiety to control my life. Choosing to guard my heart. Choosing to focus my mind on what is truth in the midst of uncertainty.

If you're relating to what I'm speaking about today, and FEAR has you in its grip, I urge you to take the same prescription that Dr. Gregory gave me. As many times a day as you can -- take God's Word in, speak it, pray it, meditate on it and be healed. Our Master Physician is on call 24/7. Find Him in His Word that is full of His promises. Be assured that He is a promise keeper!

~ Psalm 34:4: "I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears."
~ Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
~ John 14:27 "Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be ~ worried and upset; do not be afraid.”
~ Psalm 118:6-7 “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; He is my helper.”
~ Isaiah 26:3 "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."

PEACE be with you! Be FEAR-less!

An Icebreaker Became a Memory Maker

Our interdenominational fellowship group came together in my community on Tuesday night for another pot luck meal and time of fellowship. There is always an entertaining or thought-provoking time after dinner. This week we had five icebreaker questions to discuss at our table. I sat by my cousins and there were two other couples at our table. Naturally, for the couples, they answered the questions with each other in mind. For example, question one was “If stranded on an island, what 3 things (or people) would you want to have with you and why?” Each one of the couples gave as one of their three as each other. Widow Donna came up with a hatchet, water, and a ladder (I need help climbing a tree!). I’ve watched “Survivor” episodes so I know what I'd need on a deserted island.

The one question that gave me pause and introspection was “If you could live one year from your life again, which one would you go back to?” The couples’ answers were beautiful: “Going back to the first church that we pastored in Fayetteville, AR that began in our home and grew exponentially.” Another couple talked about the year that their first child was born, and the other talked about the year when he returned from Vietnam to come home to his wife and baby. Then it was my turn. I had plenty of time to consider it and, without a doubt, it would be the last year of my husband’s life that I would want a do-over.

You see, my sweetheart was a muscle-bound, picture of health and strength, full of the joy of living and sharing God’s love in ministry and counseling. We had traveled a lot and had the thrill of precious times with our children and grandchildren. Life was good. Then, came the day when we received the diagnosis of Stage 4 Kidney Cancer that changed everything. Life came to an all-consuming 24/7 endeavor to get him healed. If it had been God’s will, he would still be around today because with all the treatments, surgeries, interventions, and most of all, the prayers from around the world, it was his time.

This is what I shared with our group. I would have stopped being Martha – doing, doing, doing and I would have stopped to embrace every second that I had with my Love. I would have spent every waking moment laughing about our puppy love romance at ages 12 & 13 and some of the crazy things we did together. I would have talked more about all that God had blessed us with in the past than continuing to figure out that awful disease. We both knew he was in God’s hands and it would have been so much better to have trusted implicitly for the outcome than all the going here and there and everywhere. I would have sat with him patiently at the dinner table and just talked and talked instead of hurrying to get the dishes cleaned up so quickly. I would have thanked God for the ups and downs that we survived and even thrived through. Actually, I’ve added a little more than what I actually said in that group, but what I did say to them, as couples, to live each day as if this were the last with each other. Love each other deeply.

Since we can't do do-overs -- the best way to live life on this side of heaven is to take each day -- one day at a time -- and live it as though it were our last -- living with no regrets -- embracing and loving those around us with intensity, gratitude and gusto. Living in the light of eternity -- helping take as many others with us to heaven. My Love is waiting for me there. I look forward to introducing you to him one day!

It’s a Dog-Eat-Dog World Out There

That phrase is used to describe a situation in which people will do anything to be successful, even if what they do harms other people. We don't have to look far to see that phrase a reality. No matter the business or profession, it's clear that phrase is true.
But, how much more beneficial it is to be in a “Dog-Love-Dog” World – both in the canine species and the human species.

Who would have thought that some of my best “pals” these days are dogs. It comes with my territory and my family. There’s my grand-dogs: Buddy, the 75-pound Australian Shepherd and Emma, the 4-pound Yorkie, who, I happen to be their caregiver right now while their family is out of town. I get a kick out of throwing the ball to Buddy (with a ball-thrower or else slimy-ball would be the case) and he retrieves it often in one catch in the air. As soon as I walk in the door, he runs to the backdoor for our “play ball” time. Little Emma, who often seems the alpha-dog of the pair, incessantly yaps at me wanting her time with me. There’s Bentley, a 25-pound Havanese who belongs to my Austin family. I also have another grand-dog, rock-solid and gentle, 79-pound bulldog, Athena, belonging to Braden and Ruth. I smile as I write this post because I’m not what you would consider a dog-lover. I profess to be a dog-liker because they ALL belong to those people-lovers in my life.

I think God must have a special love and delight for those who care for his creation. Jesus seemed to be enamored by animals as He often referred to them as a source of praise to God and revelation of the nature of faith, humility and peace. When we see Jesus’ interactions with creatures, we can better understand how we are called to relate to other creatures.

We’ve all heard the saying “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” I never thought that the roles could be reversed and that my grand-dogs could teach ME some life-lessons in turning this world into a dog-love-dog world:

Lesson 1: Restrictions are Good. Once all these grand-dogs were kennel trained – it was a great option when the families were away or night-time sleeping. Believe me – we knew the damage done when my “young” daughter’s dog, Desi, was left behind, free in the house. She had separation anxiety and tore our door-blinds to shreds. Now, all my grand-dogs are more “mature” and it's "open to roam" home policy. But, like the restrictions placed on our furry friends, we, too, need restrictions that hold us to safe and peaceful living. Thank God for the Ten Commandments and Jesus’ new commandments “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind….and your neighbor as yourself.” Those aren’t restrictions – they are freedom to love and be loved. What “dog” doesn’t want that?

Lesson 2 -- Bond with Others – When I lived a few months with my Frisco family, I would take Buddy for a morning walk. We would encounter dogs in fenced yards, barking like crazy and defending their territory. Buddy was leash trained, so he would look at them like “What is your problem?” I think, if he could talk, he’d tell those dogs “Let’s make love – not war!” As busy adults, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day hustle and bustle, forgetting to make time for loved ones. Interaction with others can be a much-needed source of joy. We don't have to go it alone. Reaching out to a friend, or making a new friend, can truly make a difference in that other person’s life. And, spending time with others can be the first step on the path to making a difference in our lives.

Lesson 3: Run to Greet Those You Love; Hang Out with Those You Love -- There is something wonderful about coming home to those dogs so excited to see us. As soon as Buddy and Emma hear my car-door slam, they are at the front door barking and welcoming me home. Even sitting down, they just have to nudge in as close as they can to us. So why don’t we do this for each other? Appreciating the people we love and care about isn’t just something we feel, it’s also something we do. And what better way to show someone you care than by greeting them with a big hug or a kiss when they arrive home? And, what better way to show our love to someone, by getting as close as we can to them when we’re watching TV or just sitting down to relax. As adults, it’s easy to take our relationships for granted. But dogs know that every time you see someone you love can be just as exciting as the first. Remembering this can only strengthen our relationships.

Lesson 4: Live in the Moment -- Dogs don’t have some big master plan. They aren’t worried about the past, and aren’t terrified of the future. They live right here in the present moment. What a truly a joyous and positive way of living our life! Stop to smell the roses. Breathe in the fresh air. Put our phone down and fully experience where we are. Maybe we should stick our heads out the car window with the wind blowing in our faces to remind us to live in the present.

Thanks to our great Creator for creating some of our best friends and teachers and if we'd live in gratitude and love like them, then, for sure it would be a dog-love-dog world!

Help! I Need Directions!

I’m so thankful for my phone's GPS app. Such a time saver. Such a stress reliever. Such great comfort as I take so many road trips by myself. I remember the days of getting lost trying to find a location. I wonder how we made it so well before GPS? How did they make it in the old days before pavement roads or signs? Oh, I know. God was with them, just like He is so present with us today.

While my car wasn't starting on Saturday and trying to resolve the issue, I was going through my car’s Owner’s Manual to try to find an answer to the problem. Besides the car not starting, the outside lights would not turn off. I knew the battery would drain if I couldn't figure it out. The outside lights were on “Automatic” and the manual said I needed to “turn” the knob to “Off”, but the knob was stuck. It wouldn’t turn. Instead of unsticking it, I pushed the knob casing right into the dashboard. Lord, have mercy! I thought: "Something else to be charged for at the repair shop!" I tried grabbing hold of it to pull it out, but couldn’t get it to stay. I used a large screwdriver and pliers – but nada! I quit trying and went back to my prayer time and again, that scripture came to me “Do not fear. Only believe.” Shortly after that I remembered my small eyeglasses screwdriver, used it to pop it back in! And, whoa-la, and praise God -- it worked!

Seriously, my friends, I know it’s not a magic potion, but I know God is with me. He is with us. His Holy Spirit is in us and He knows everything about everything. He is our wisdom provider, our common-sense initiator, our comfort-giver, and our source of any and everything we need. He is so much more than a GPS!

I’m hearing the message loud and clear – that we should be communicating with Him as we would with a friend with us in the car, or, across the table from us. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6 Those ways include car troubles, family troubles, and life troubles. They include good times and not-so-good times.

Having a little conversation with Him Who knows everything about everything -- provides directions when and to where we want to go. That's huge when we consider those who refuse to ask for directions -- men AND women. They'll go around the same block or same area of town over and over again before they're willing to ask directions. But, in this case.....if we just have a little one-on-one with Him Who is the Supreme KNOW-IT-ALL, He will direct our paths. We'll get to our destination in record time, even get cars repaired. Expert advice!

Perhaps you're looking for direction on decisions that you are having to make today. Just maybe this "Word" is your "Word" too. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways (while driving, washing dishes, mowing the lawn, waiting in a store line, etc., acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."

The Older Teaching the Younger has its Rewards

The last several days, my family and I have been at Beavers Bend in Broken Bow, OK. We’ve had plenty to eat--all the cargo I brought with us and the best of all -- the trout meal we had last night from our big haul of fish. Beer-batter rainbow trout! One of the great rewards of our labors, rather Larry, Staci and Payton’s lab
Alexia and I are two free spirits: fish a little, take care of the meals, and capture lots of sweet moments in photos. We are fair-weather fisher-girls. The others--rain or shine--are after a haul. Patient, diligent, and unrelenting. There are so many things that inspire me on a trip like this. This time I was so impressed by how Larry was an amazing, tender-hearted image of what Jesus must have been like as he kept instructing the disciples in the way they should go.

We learned our best fishing skills years ago from Papa and he learned them from old fishermen. They were happy to tell their favorite fishing tips--the best spots to fish, what to fish with, (the best bait), how to hold the rod and reel that causes the fish to chase after the lure, and how to fillet and cook the fish. The older taught the younger. Now I’m watching Larry and Payton pass it on.

A single mom had her 13-year-old son here from Dallas, spent the night in their van, and was desperately wanting her son to catch at least one fish. He was rigged up for a bass (big hook and big lure). Larry not only told him how to best catch trout, he hooked his line up exactly the way to make it happen. Small hook and small power bait. Immediately he caught a small trout and then a larger one.

Yesterday, again, Larry was showing a man and his son how to rig up their lines. I saw Payton taking a young boy under his wing and showing him step-by-step what to do and how to do it. I can’t help but think about Jesus and His disciples and teaching them.

The fishing they did wasn’t a sport or a fish for a day fishing excursion. Fishing was what they had been trying to do, what they did for a living. So, when Jesus came walking by the seaside and said to them, follow Me and I will show you how to fish for people, why did they go with Him? The Bible doesn’t tell us but I just wonder......

Had the fishing been so lousy that day for Peter, Andrew, James and John that it was a no-brained to give up fishing and follow a man they had never met before? Maybe on this day their nets kept coming up empty, maybe the net-mending was especially monotonous, maybe the heat and humidity were almost unbearable. Were they looking for a good excuse to change occupations — from fishermen to anything-could-be-better-than- this! Had they heard reports about Jesus and His powerful ways enough to pull them away from their nets, their boat, and follow Him?

Why did Andrew, Peter, John and James follow Jesus that day? Did they have any idea that following Him would mean a radical change in their lives? Maybe they thought “Follow Me” simply meant “You deserve a break today.” Maybe they figured they deserved a holiday and tomorrow be back to fishing again. Surely, they couldn’t have guessed what lie I had for them — the excitement, the fun, the grief, and the joy of it all.

We don’t know why they followed Jesus. But we do know that immediately they left their nets and followed Him. To follow Jesus means that we cannot predict what that decision will lead to. Is Jesus calling you to leave your nets? Sometimes the call to follow Jesus Jesus is as loud and clear as a fire siren. Sometimes, His call is more like a still, small voice.

One thing the Bible makes clear is that the call of Christ is the same One who calls us is the strength, the resources, to follow. Maybe, after all, that was the decisive factor for the four fishermen who left their nets and their boats to follow Jesus. Maybe they sensed at some deep, unconscious level, that this was Someone who could be trusted; Someone who, if he asked much, would give even more.

When the disciples followed Jesus instructions (John 20:6), they caught so many fish that the net could not be brought in. That great catch of fish gave the disciples a foretaste of what God was going to do through them as “fishers of men.”

Just imagine the possibilities of what God could do for us if we will faithfully follow Him! Are you ready to do some fishing? Grab your pole. Get your tackle ready. Set some priority time aside. Follow Jesus to the river and expect a great catch! “Come follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)

We Don't Know What to Do, But Our Eyes Are on You

We live in a mighty crazy, shaky world. Everything seems to be going our way when, in a moment's notice, we can be gripped with fear, concern, and worry. At those times, if we’re keeping our eyes on Jesus, we’ll stand strong no matter what the circumstances are that are swirling around us. Keeping our eyes on Jesus will keep us strong during those shaky times.

When the Israelite King Jehoshaphat first heard about three fierce armies coming to attack his kingdom, we read: “Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD. He proclaimed a fast for all Judah” (2 Chronicles 20:3). Jehoshaphat praised God before he cried out, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”

Life happens. Those times when we don’t know what to do or where to go. We’re quite willing to be directed by God to do and go – but sometimes the doing and going is hard to figure out. I’ll never forget when, like Jehoshaphat, we faced armies of our own. During my husband’s illness, there were many do-gooders who gave us advice. “Take this nutritional product. Trust God. Try this doctor. Go to this facility. Don’t eat this or that.” And, even some well-meaning people, with well-meaning intentions, told us of their own awful experiences or someone they knew who had died from the same illness.

How can we graciously respond to the voices and not give in to fear? God answered King Jehoshaphat — and all of us — by saying, “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (2 Chron 20:15).
When Jehoshaphat and his armies were confronted with an overwhelming challenge, they prayed instead of worrying. They moved their eyes off the problem onto the ultimate Problem-Solver. Although they didn’t know what to do, they were filled with God’s inexplicable peace as they walked in faith.

Our family did the same thing. When wisdom was needed, we prayed. We didn’t make a decision unless we conferred and prayed about it. We daily sought God for guidance, and He led the way to the best medical teams. We had people around the world praying for us. We ate more nutritiously. We allowed God to fight the battle for us.

God carried us through, defeated the enemies circling us, and, ultimately my sweetheart got his "fast pass" to heaven. Through it all, we trusted in Jesus like never before. We were an example to others of what to do and where to go when you don’t know what to do and where to go. We learned to “keep our eyes always on the LORD. With Him at our right hand, we were not shaken.” (Psalm 16:8).

What are you facing today? The battle is not yours, it’s God’s. Start by praising God for who He is, then rest in the fact that He goes before you to help tackle whatever problem stands in front of you.

Lord, we praise You for Your power. We need only to look to You because You will go before us and fight our battles. Please forgive us for the times we take our eyes off You and become shaken and fearful. Help us step out in faith, knowing You go before us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.