The Hero Mom

Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz, NY

One of the hundreds of gazebos along the trails 

She sat peacefully in a wooden gazebo by the water’s edge, half facing the water, head swiveled backward  keeping a watchful eye on her howling daughter standing on the rocks behind her about 10 feet away.

At Mohonk Mountain House, the breathtaking scenic vistas, rock climbs, miles of hiking trails, crystal clear mountain-top lake, can be best described as serene.

At least it was until the silence was broken by the little girl’s screaming tantrum.  

“M . O . M . M . Y...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” The rest was unintelligible and unrelenting. Tears streaming, arms outstretched, begging Mommy to come and carry her to the gazebo.

And Mommy sat, not moving. But, gently repeating the same few words, over and over again. “You can do it. Just take one step at a time.”

It would have been so much easier to pick up her daughter, to comfort her, to coddle her, than to remain steadfast in the face of such despair. She could have worried what passersby thought of her, letting her daughter cry on like that. But she demonstrated a resolve to help her daughter overcome fear. One step at a time.

I wanted to go over to her and encourage Mommy and tell her what a great mom she was.  She probably didn’t feel like a great mom then. But I kept on walking. I rationalized that it would have spoiled the moment, but I still regret it. Maybe she’ll read this.

Fear Is A Four Letter Word

For as long as I can remember, that four letter word fear has been a most unwelcome companion of mine, a curse you might say. I've tried to raise my children to be strong in the face of fear so that they would not have to deal with some of the stuff I've endured. But my dog? Well, she's just a scaredy-dog!

Visit me over at Laced With Grace today where I share what my little Roxie taught me about that nasty four letter word ~ FEAR! 

http://lacedwithgrace.com/?p=10890
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Wanna play Hangman?

In the restaurant last night, I spotted a boy with his new Christmas gift - an ipad. And what was he doing with this valuable gift?

 

Playing Hangman. 

Hangman? - on an iPAD? - really????

As a kid, I played Hangman - using pencil & paper, chalkboard & chalk, dirt & stick.

And here was this 21^st century kid using one of the most powerful devices currently known to man to play the simplest of games.    

But could we be doing exactly the same thing with the gifts that God has given us?

He is Emmanuel - God WITH us.

He declares us to be His temple and so His limitless power dwells WITHIN us.

And yet too often we are content to live a limited life.

We are satisfied with less than best.

We play with dirt & sticks when the Power that created the dirt resides inside us.

He calls us to use the gifts He has so freely given for Kingdom work. He wants us to step out of the boat with our eyes fixed securely on the One who keeps us from sinking. He desires to reveal Himself in us and through us. As a believer, His power within us is greater than an ipad or any man-made device. Where we are weak, He is strong. 

Rather than settling for mediocrity, I want 2012 to be the year I climb out of my comfort zone. How about you? 

ps - If uncertainty is holding you back from serving, and if you live near northern NJ, please join me and my Bible Fellowship class as we embark on a 9 week study "What's So Spiritual About Your Gifts?" by Blackaby. Shoot me an email if you're interested in participating. 

Get Rid Of It - For Real

I was so proud of myself.

I've been digging, sorting, and clearing out stuff.

I bagged it, washed it, and carted it to the car to be donated to Ditto, the "upscale resale thrift shop" that raises funds for my kids' alma mater.

Felt like a real accomplishment.

The problem is Ditto's hours of operation aren't in sync with my hours of operation ;D  I can't seem to get there before closing time.

And so I have been driving around with my discarded stuff for a week. I went through it - did the inventory. I identified and separated it. I even moved it. But I haven't really gotten rid of it. I plan to, but it's still there hanging around. Moving around. I stopped short yesterday to avoid a car that ran a stop sign, and heard a symphony of shuffles as the stuff in back slid toward the front.

In order for me to actually get rid of this stuff, I have to make a change. I need to change my habits and rearrange my schedule. I have to move out of my comfort zone.

I have some other stuff I'd like to get rid of. Fear, anger, resentment, jealousy. I have done some soul-searching. Taken inventory. Identified what needs to be addressed. Felt some pride and a sense of accomplishment in that.

But that stuff is still hanging around. An unwelcome remark or a difficult situation becomes like that car running a stop sign bringing all that stuff toward the front, a symphony of emotions sliding around my interior. So how do I actually get rid of it - for real?

Paul says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." But he doesn't leave it at that.
He continues with, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you." (Eph. 4:31-32)

James instructs us, "Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent" 
And like Paul he goes on, "and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, .. Do what it says." (James 1:21-22)

To get rid of these unwanted emotions and behaviors, I need to move beyond identifying them. I need to replace them with desired behaviors. Clearing out the old creates a void and the old will slide right back in if there isn't something already in its place.

Replace resentment and anger with forgiveness.
Replace doing evil with doing what the Word says.

Then I'll be getting rid of it - for real!

How about you? Do you have unwanted stuff hanging around? How can you clear it out? For real? Let's talk about it.

What Not To Wear

My 9 year old self LOVED to dress up!

It’s October 31^st and millions of people will spend billions of dollars to eat candy and dress up as someone (or something) else today. It may be fun to dress up as someone else for an event. But what about when we habitually wear an invisible mask to hide who we really are, when we pretend to be someone we’re not.


To read more, click over to Laced With Grace. And please leave me a comment. You know I love to hear from you! 


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The Doubt Monster

Everywhere I turn, it seems to be the topic of the day. Doubt. I was drowning in the “I don’t have what it takes…” Bloggers like Chatty Kelly and Jody Hedlund are addressing it today. Renee Swope’s new book “A Confident Heart” released this week. I haven’t read it yet, but it’s high on my list.

Doubt is the enemy's tool. It affects everyone. And it can affect any area of our lives. Are we a good enough mom, wife, friend, writer, speaker, worker, fill in the blank. It has us focus on whatever will take our eyes off God - our weaknesses, other's strengths.

After Adam and Eve sinned and hid in fear, God’s first question to them was “Who told you….?” He hadn’t told them to be fearful, ashamed. They were listening to the voice of their enemy.

All that God asks of us is to be obedient. To seek, to love, to serve Him and His people. When our eyes are squarely on Him, our doubts fade in His light.

Years ago, I had a strange experience. I was to speak before a crowd of fellow employees at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. Every cell in my body trembled in fear. I had asked for prayer from trusted friends, telling them my session would begin Wednesday at 8:00 am. It was Wednesday at 7:55, and as I drifted to the podium, I wondered how I’d be able to utter a single word, so filled with fear and doubt was I.

Then something weird occurred. Really weird. It all happened in a nanosecond. I felt a tingling on the top of my head, like when someone pretends to crack an egg on your head. The tingle moved down from my head past my shoulders, past my arms and torso, down my legs, and out my feet. Picture a thermometer with a pinhole in the bulb and the red liquid leaking out the bottom. The tingle was fear, and so tangible was this feeling that as it left my body, I looked down because I thought I’d see a puddle of fear on the floor. All I saw were black and white tiles. As my eyes swept back up, they glimpsed the wall clock – which read exactly 8:00 sharp. In that instant, I simultaneously remembered 3 things - my praying friends, my mentioning 8:00 am, and the Scripture verse that says, “Perfect love casts out fear.” God is perfect love, and He supernaturally removed my fear.

I’d like to say that ever since that time, I have never experienced fear. But that would be a lie. What I do know is this – He CAN supernaturally remove my fear – if He wants to. So if He doesn’t, it means that the fear is there for a reason - most likely, so that I keep tethered to Him, focused on Him, in communion with Him, dependent upon Him rather than myself.

All the self-doubt that’s so prevalent and so destructive is just a tool in Satan’s arsenal, seeking to hinder the work of God. If only we can just remember that yeah we do have weaknesses, but it’s in our weakness that He is strong. He gets all the glory when imperfect people do amazing things. When we think we have it all together, we are at our weakest point.

Of course, that's my sermon for today. Tomorrow I may just be a pile of doubts again. ;)

Prayer request:

Thank you in advance. I’m so grateful for this community of prayer warriors.

Please keep my family in prayer – so much going on:

My dad is in ICU. He had emergency surgery last night to repair a ruptured fistula in his arm – the arm used for dialysis. This is one of many serious issues he’s facing, including cancer. In addition to his physical issues, please pray he'll know God's presence and peace. 

My son has been running a fever for the past 3 days, a week after his return from Uganda. I don’t even want to think of the possibilities.

I’m supposed to attend a 4 day writers’ conference starting Wednesday followed by a family vacation. A lot to prepare for both, assuming I can even do either one now.

And I will be sharing this Sunday’s message in church since my son is unable to do so. He was to share a message from his mission trip. So I’m preparing for that now. I’ll share from a chapter in my WIP book.

Can I just say “Oy vey!” 

Separation Anxiety

In a parking lot near my office, I spotted the cutest family parade: four little goslings marching single file, Mother and Father Goose in front and rear, on their way to a nearby stream. 

Unfortunately, one little fella wound up on the wrong side of the fence. Hearing his family on the river side, he franticly scuttled along the barrier. A mere one foot high, for the little bird the fence might as well have been Alcatraz. 

you can spot his little head all the way to the left

Nearby, Mother Goose hovered and honked loudly to Junior who desperately waddled back and forth along the divider. At one point, he tried with all his pathetic little might to fly over the divider. Jumping and flailing his weak downy wings, he failed to launch more than an inch off the ground. And then I saw it. Several feet away, the rugged wooden beam arched upward, just a few inches, but surely high enough for Junior to scurry under. Now how to steer him there without causing him a coronary? 

I approached the drama with tiny steps in his direction, whispering words of encouragement. Mother Goose shrieked and wildly spread her wings, and I trembled, most grateful for my sunglasses protection should she attack. Then inexplicably her demeanor changed. Innately, I think she realized I was not a threat. She eyed me, but stayed silent and motionless until Junior finally found his way under the fence, and the reunited family sailed away.

 

Seems like a perfect belated Mother’s Day story.

Here was a mother striving in her own strength to guide her little prodigal in the way he should go, only to release control to one with greater vision. May we, like she, guide our brood, protect them as we are able, but ultimately trust their care to the One with greater vision. May we realize that He came to show us the way, speaking and guiding us gently with His still, small voice. 

Happy Belated Mother's Day! 

seen last week at my Hallmark store:

Here’s to good women-

- May we Know them

- May we Be them

- May we Raise them

^{Psalm 138 (Amp)}
I will confess and praise You [O God] with my whole heart;
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In the day when I called, You answered me; and You strengthened me with strength in my inner self.
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they shall sing of the ways of the Lord and joyfully celebrate His mighty acts, for great is the glory of the Lord.
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For though the Lord is high, yet has He respect to the lowly [bringing them into fellowship with Him]; 
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Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me...

Hang in there!!

There they sit, like giant beached whales. Mounds of snow, at the edges of fences, by the sides of highways, in corners of parking lots. For the entire winter, our lawns were cloaked in white. The recent rain, wind and warmer weather washed away much of the snow; yet there still remain piles of graying white.

Each of those snowflakes that fell en masse last December were so delicate, it’s amazing that they are still present in March. What can we learn from these fragile flakes that have such staying power?

1. They stick together.
Despite the fact that one person can make a difference - which I absolutely believe - it is also true that there is power in numbers.
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We simply were not made to go it alone. God made us to be part of a body, His body. He made us for fellowship. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another. Heb 10:25
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God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness..." Gen 1:26 He is one God, but He is a plural God (like one family or one class or one snowstorm are singular, yet plural.) He is in fellowship with Himself. We are made in His image, and therefore, we need to be in the fellowship of believers. We are made that way for a reason. We are stronger together than we are alone.
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Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Eccl. 4:12
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2. They were pushed out of their comfort zone.
Oh, it’s so much easier to stay within our comfort zone, isn’t it? But those flakes that remained so comfortable out on the open lawn were the first ones to melt away. It was the plowed flakes, the ones that got pushed and shoved around that remained. If the snowflakes could speak, they would say that it sure didn’t feel good at the time. To the snowflake, the plow seemed brutal, a real bully. But it was precisely because it yielded to the plow that it survived.
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When we don’t understand our circumstances or we have to change our status quo, we have to recognize that there is Someone greater than ourselves in control, Someone who has our best interests at heart.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer. 29:11
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Recently, a friend shared this excellent quote with me:
"Comfort is the breeding ground for mediocrity. Hardship makes you find your greatness."

If you’ve been trying to go it alone or if you’ve been facing a difficult struggle, hang in there. Remember the frail snowflake that first arrived in December and is still hanging around in March; and recognize that you are on the road to greatness!


 

ps - the winner of our giveaway book The Hole In Our Gospel is Marja Meijers. Congratulations Marja, and thank you so much for your encouraging comments and for sharing Eternity Cafe.

While You Were Waiting...

I’ve read it a hundred times. OK maybe not a hundred, but a lot.

The Book of Acts, one of my favorite books in the Bible, full of drama, history, theology.

Chapter 17, one of my favorite chapters, where Paul delivers a powerful message in Athens.

Our adult Sunday School class is studying it. Paul fled to Athens because those Thessalonian rabble-rousers started to agitate the Bereans. Silas and Timothy stayed behind in Berea until Paul’s other travelmates came back for them.

And there it was:
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. Acts 17:16-17

While Paul was waiting…. The 4 little words screamed for my attention.

How many times had I read the inspired sermon that follows these verses and missed the fact that Paul was alone as he wandered around the city, waiting for his fellow workers to join him to begin ministry in this new locale.

“God’s Waiting Room.” I’ve heard the term, even said the term myself. It’s that period of time spent waiting for our life to begin anew.

“When this happens, then I will…”
“When I get a job, get married, have a baby, then I will …”
“When the chemo is over, then I will…”
“When I discover my gifts, then I will…”

Years ago, I heard Elisabeth Elliot share, “We should wait on the Lord the way a waiter waits on tables.” How does a waiter wait? Serving. How may I help you? What can I do for you?

That’s what Paul did. “Paul was waiting . . . So he …” He was distressed with what he saw (idols everywhere) and “so he reasoned with” whoever was around. He didn’t lament that his companions weren’t with him. He didn’t wait until his team was in place. He saw and he served right where he was.

In my husband’s chiropractic office, we have what some call a Waiting Room. We don’t; we call it a Reception Area. There’s a tv monitor that has streams facts about our amazing bodies. The reading materials are about health or about the Lord. Our intention in that room is that while the patients are waiting, they are being prepared to meet the doctor or meet their Maker (not in the fatal sense of the phrase!)

The “waiting room” can be a place of worry or anxiety, a place of uncertainty not knowing what the future holds. It can be a place of preparation for that future. Or like Paul, it can be a place to (cliché alert) “bloom where you’re planted.”

In the allegory book, Hinds Feet On High Places, the character Much-Afraid is on a journey to her Shepherd. At a lonely severe rugged spot, she meets a tiny flower nestled among the rocks. It’s name: Acceptance-With-Joy. The Shepherd later tells her, “When you wear the weed of impatience in your heart instead of the flower Acceptance-With-Joy, you will always find your enemies get an advantage over you.” Her enemies are our enemies: Resentment, Craven Fear, Bitterness, Pride.

On Sunday, our dear friend Irene was in the Sunday School class. She spent most of last year alone in her apartment, exhausted from the chemo she regularly received. Now that her strength is slowly returning, she eagerly makes the long drive to church each Sunday. I asked her about her time spent waiting. Her answer: “It was so difficult, but I got so close to the Lord during that time, I wouldn’t change it for anything.” Irene faithfully leads our prayer ministry and fills the role of “prayer warrior” more than anyone I know, yet the Lord used that time of weakness and waiting to strengthen her in ways beyond her imagination.

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. (Is. 40:31 Amp V.)

Are you in “God’s Waiting Room?”

Do you wait as the Amplified Verse says – with expectation, looking for the Lord, hoping in Him? There lies the key to renewed strength and power, run and not being weary, walk and not becoming tired.

Dear Lord, I pray for those who are waiting. That they may sense Your indwelling power. That they will be strengthened to serve You right where they are. And that in the serving they would become more like You.

i am a ... sister!

....I interrupt my previously scheduled “i am …” series to bring you the first of two highlights from our church’s family retreat last weekend.



.....#1:


Today is a video of a comical skit performed by my friends and me. Enjoy! After you watch it, I’ll share the secret of how it all developed.
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....




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In case your email doesn't contain the video, here's the YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxFsZDdEWA8

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Now what’s really funny to me is how God can take a complete lack of talent and an abundance of fears and transform them into a joyfilled experience.

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You see, on our annual church retreats, we have “Share Your Gifts” nights, my contribution usually being an appreciative audience member. This year I wondered what, if anything, I could do. Alas, I cannot sing a single note on key. But, secretly I can lip-sync with the best of them. Then again, I’m way too scared to do anything by myself. Yet I was also a little afraid to ask anyone to join me in such a ridiculous endeavor. Would they laugh at me? Or just think I’m bizarre?
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The small group I attend is studying “authentic relationships,” so I bared my soul and popped the question to my posse. A movement was born! Patty dreamed up costumes. Diane suggested my daughter choreograph our moves, which she did (that was my Lauren dancing in the audience after she successfully led us through our routine!) Even funnier than our performance were our practices. If laughing were an Olympic sport, we won 7 gold medals.
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This just shows how God can use us despite our weaknesses, or in this case, because of them.
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I usually focus on what I lack.
I usually succumb to my fears.
This time, I took a chance and ended up with a memory of a lifetime.
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Whoever said that it isn't fun to be a Christian - isn't hanging around with the right Christians!

 

  

Lazy or Crazy?

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 One of our most enjoyable family experiences has to be riding a Lazy River water ride - floating peacefully in a giant tube, aimlessly drifting yet gently propelled around a vast loop. The slides at the parks are great fun, but the Lazy River is pure bliss. 

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A few years back, we visited the local water park on Long Beach Island, NJ. They had a Lazy River! Oh JOY! My sister-in-law Cathy, daughter Lauren, and I grabbed our tubes and set out for a serene float. Around the park we went, gliding in paradise.

On our second loop, we abruptly found ourselves overturned, terrified, nearly drowned, totally immersed in water, not knowing which way was up. 

What we didn't know was that this park had a Lazy Crazy River, lazy serenity alternating with crazy confusion. We were dunked by a ginormous bucket that, once filled, tipped over spilling tons of water on unsuspecting floaters. A few minutes later, we were under attack by watershooters above us who found it entertaining to be gunning down perfectly innocent strangers. Around a bend, relative safety was lost completely by exploding underwater mines followed by powerful streams of water spurting out from above, below, left and right.
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Once we recovered, Lauren and I ventured back into the River, this time sharply aware of the potential pitfalls. Cathy though, spent her time safely ashore not interested in risking the turmoil the River.  

Hmmm.... Kinda sounds like life.

I long to float through life peacefully unhindered, don’t you? Then one day, it happens - a diagnosis, a phone call, a pink slip, [insert your tribulation] and our serenity is shattered. We may feel like we’re drowning or under attack. Dangers lurk everywhere, no end in sight, no place to turn.



But we have a choice. We can retreat to the sidelines of life, watching others in the race.


Or we can stay in the fray, hopefully a little wiser, a bit better prepared. And know that with the struggle will come a strength and a joy that we would not have were it not for that very struggle.


Consider it pure joy, my brothers (and sisters!), whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Jms. 1:2-4


In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7

Are you in a crazy river right now? How can I pray for you, my friend?

Rejection ... NOT!

On Tuesday nights, my small group and I have been studying Overcoming Fear. Each week, we focus on a different type of fear. Last Tuesday was the fear of rejection. We had a great discussion, but who knew it would be so timely? The next day, I received not one, but two rejection notices from publishers! 

And I'm not alone! Last week, a friend in our group received a rejection notice from a job she applied for. And another friend from this summer's writers conference received 3 rejection notices for her work. Must be rejection season!

Then, this week unbelievably, my inbox contained a devotion about rejection (from Proverbs 31 ministry) AND an email article for writers called "Rejecting Rejection". If you have been dealing with rejection, click on the links to be encouraged. God's timing always amazes me. How could He who keeps the entire universe spinning in perfection be concerned with our tiny wounded hearts?

But I submit to you that there is a valuable lesson to be learned from rejection. Jesus Himself was rejected (Isaiah 53:3). He was perfect, and even He was rejected. Can we expect anything different? Being rejected, He asked the Father to forgive them. When we are rejected, we are given an opportunity to develop Christlikeness, an opportunity that we would not have were it not for the rejection we received.

For most of my life, I lived in fear and never stepped through doors that the Lord placed before me. This year, I walked through the doors, even though it meant risking rejection. Playing it safe had kept me from moving forward. So even though I was rejected, I believe I was victorious just because I tried! 

While I am not embracing rejection, I am not rejecting it either. I am determined to use it wisely. I will not harden my heart. I will seek to improve what needs improvement. And I will trust that in God's time, His plan will be accomplished. His plan, not mine!  James tells us to consider it pure joy whenever you face trials ... because the testing of your faith develops perseverance ... so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (Jms 1:2-4) I'm not quite at the "joy" stage, but I am anticipating the benefits that He will bring to pass.

 The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with Him

forever in the next.

Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

"For the LORD will not reject His people;

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

Susan

He will never forsake his inheritance."

Psalm 94:14

Focus → Refocus

A little while ago, I shared about focus and how it is so easy to focus on the 1% negative instead of the 99% positive. Last week in Bible study, one of the women made a sweet comment that Ashley's hair was so beautiful and my nails were so nice. She didn't say anything about anyone else in the room. Don't you know my first thought was "What's wrong with my hair?" Why, oh why, do we women do this to ourselves?

On a walk in the arboretum near my house, I again spotted my rainbow in the spray. I wanted to get a better look, so I moved past the tree to my right, and the rainbow disappeared!

A step back to my previous position and the rainbow returned. In order to see the rainbow, I had to be in the right place and to be looking in the right direction.

And to see the promises of God, I also need spiritually to be in the right place and to be looking in the right direction. When Paul says, "Think on these things..." (Phil 4:8), it is an instruction to us - "Do this... Think this..." God would not instruct us to do something if we would not be able to do it.

Years ago, my friend Ashley, the one with the great hair, went through a difficult time. Tests revealed that the baby she was carrying was very sick, a chromosome anomoly. It was uncertain how long her baby would live. Ashley was faced with worries most of us could never imagine. To combat her fears, she put Paul's words to the test. She decided to make a list of "whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely,  admirable, excellent or praiseworthy." As she wrote, she realized that she didn't even have to go past "true." With Ashley's permission, here is her list:

Whatever is true:

1. The Lord gives strength to His people

2. The Lord blesses His people with peace Ps. 29:11

3. For You created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb Ps.139:13

4. For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, "Do not fear. I will help you." Isaiah 41:13

5. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. Job5:9

6. Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Matthew 16:23

Whatever is noble:

1. This is what God the Lord says-

     He who created the heavens and stretches them out

     Who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it

     Who gives breath to its people and life to those who walk on it:

     I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness

     I will take hold of your hand. Isaiah 42:5-6

2. For God is the King of all the earth

    Sing to Him a psalm of praise

    God reigns over the nations

    God is seated on His holy throne. Psalm 47:7,8

For the remainder of her pregnancy and baby Laura's short life, Ashley's list kept her thoughts from racing in a downward spiral. Throughout her trial, Ashley and her husband were beacons of light to those around them. At the funeral, the pastor said that baby Laura was like a shooting star that he and his family saw while star-gazing on a recent camping trip. For a brief moment, all attention was given to this shooting star. And for a brief while, with all attention on Laura and her family, God's light in them shone in the darkness. In their grief, they were able to comfort others with the comfort they received from the Lord. 2 Cor. 1:3-4

Be in the right place and be looking in the right direction, and the promises of God will be all you can see!

Susan

Fearless by Max Lucado

Fear has been a constant companion all my life. To me, it is like the threshold in a doorway. It prevents me from going further. When I was little, I remember being afraid of participating in a pillow fight my dad was having with my little sister. I stood silently at the entrance to the room, even after they invited me to join them. I still find that it is fear that prevents me from moving forward.

So when I was given the opportunity to review the new Max Lucado book, Fearless, I jumped at the chance.


We live in a world of turmoil and unrest. People everywhere are facing real fearsome situations: economic crisis, terrorism, health issues. “Every season seems to bring fresh reasons for fear.” Other people (like me) have unrealistic fears like pillow fights, phobias, worries for the sake of worry.

In Fearless, Max Lucado addresses all these issues with life stories and Biblical wisdom. He challenges us to trust more and fear less. And he provides the tools to accomplish this. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of fear including the fear of “not mattering”, the fear of worst-case scenarios, the fear of global calamity, the fear of death, the fear of disappointing God. Fearless challenges us to imagine our life without fear, wholly untouched by angst. “What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats?”


The book is such an easy read, yet with such a compelling message. It empowers me as the bride of Christ to choose to allow my Bridegroom to carry me over that threshold, past that fear, leave it behind and enter into a place of peace, living a life free of fear.

For more information on Fearless, visit Thomas Nelson Publishing.

When the Son Don't Shine

Saturday, November 8, 2008


Several years ago, I was asked to speak at a women’s retreat. The theme was “How to Keep Growing When the Son Don’t Shine.” As I contemplated this idea, the thought came to me – but, the sun is always shining! There are various reasons we may not see it, but the sun never ceases to shine. As for the Son, He never ceases to shine either. He IS the light of the world – not He will be nor He was – but He IS the light of the world. Always IS. Present tense. Yesterday, today and forever, He shines!!
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So then, why does it seem dark sometimes? One reason is because it is nighttime. At night, the earth is turned away from the sun. And when it seems dark spiritually, perhaps it is because we have turned away from Him. Have we stopped spending time with Him? Are we standing in or relying on our own strength? The answer is simple: turn our focus back to Him, spend time in the Word and prayer, enjoy the fellowship of believers. I know I said the answer is simple, but that’s just simple for me to say. It is not always easy to do. Just take one tiny baby step in the right direction, and God will meet with us. He may ask us to keep taking those steps, but He gives us the strength to do it as we lean on Him. “For God, who said, 'Let there be light in the darkness,' has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” (2 Cor. 4:6-7)
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Other times, it seems dark because something is blocking the sun, like an eclipse or dark clouds. There are things that seem huge and overwhelming, but the fact is - nothing is bigger than the sun! It’s just that these issues are closer. When is your thumb bigger than the sun? When it’s right in front of your eye! These obstacles capture our attention and block our view of the Son. But if we can step back and put things in the proper perspective, they shrink in comparison. My friends, we are engaged in spiritual warfare, and an effective enemy tactic is to distract our focus. He uses busyness, family or friend problems, work concerns, over-sensitivity, self-consciousness, financial worries, etc. to attract our attention. When we concentrate on eternal matters, the things of this world dim in comparison. Like looking through the lens of a camera, if our focus is on things nearby, those details in the background are fuzzy. When we adjust the lens, we can bring the background into crisp detail, and the close things are less harrowing. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”(Heb. 12:2-3)
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Lastly, when the sun’s glare is difficult to endure, we put on our sunglasses. We can still see the sun, but it’s dimmed. And people can’t see us as clearly either. We hide behind a façade, and don’t face the issues that keep us from the light. From minor misunderstandings to serious hidden sin, we can cautiously be near God, and yet separated from Him. We put up a barrier to keep God and people at a “safe” distance. When Jesus died on the cross, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. God removed the barrier to the Holy of Holies signifying our new opportunity to have a direct personal relationship with Jesus. “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, then the veil is taken away. … All of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the works within us, we become more and more like Him and reflect His glory even more.” ( 2 Cor. 3:16-18)
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Oh, may we become more like Him and reflect His glory more and more!! That is my prayer for you and for me, beloved.
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Susan

Will the real miracle please stand up!

I'm sharing this re-run first because it refers to She Speaks, the conference in Charlotte, NC that I'm returning to next week. Last time, I was on the speaker track, this time I'm pursuing the writer's track.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Miracle on the Hudson

I'm sure you heard about the "splash crash" of US Airways flight 1549 to Charlotte, NC yesterday. Taking off, a flock of geese were caught in the engines, and the plane went down in the Hudson River. Thankfully, the pilot's skillful maneuvering averted greater disaster, and the quick response by ferry and boat operators helped to rescue the passengers. The newscasts cited people testifying that, during this ordeal, many prayers were uttered throughout the cabin. Some, maybe many, of these prayers were spoken by people by who have never prayed before, but this desperate situation brought them to their knees. An old saying goes, "Nothing improves your prayer life like big trouble!" And, unfortunately, that is true. We often amble through life without any communication with the One who gave us life. That is - until trouble hits.
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The real miracle here, I think, is not so much that people were spared death. The miracle is prayer itself. That the Creator of the entire universe would deem to hear our feeble cries for help is amazing. That He who set stars and planets into orbits is concerned with our baby's fever, our financial woes, our relationship problems, even our parking spaces! (Don't even tell me you've never prayed for a parking spot!) He is intimately aquainted with all our ways, and He greatly desires to spend time with us as a mother loves to spend time with her child. What if we never heard from our child unless he or she was in trouble? Wouldn't that be so sad? We love to celebrate their joys, their sorrows and their everyday experiences. And so does our heavenly Father. It's not that He doesn't know about what's happening. It's about relationship! He wants to hear about it from us, and prayer will build that relationship on our part. It will help us to know Him better the more we speak with Him.

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Miracle in Charlotte

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When I heard that the plane was destined for Charlotte, I felt the impact profoundly. Charlotte holds a very special place in my heart, having visited there last June for what has become a turning point of my life. I plan to share more on this in the future, but God's miracles were present at the She Speaks conference in Charlotte. The fact that I was even there was a miracle in itself. It was a conference for speakers and writers and women in Christian ministry. I have kept secret a desire to write a book for about 8 years when I found myself at this con ference. At the end of the first day, I cried myself to sleep, "There is NO way that I am up to this task." My thoughts as I drifted off to sleep were that I would pay attention to the sessions the next day and glean what I could from the various speakers, but forget about my book dream. When I woke up the following morning, a single thought pushed through the haze. "Do not bury your talent. " I had one talent, and I did NOT want to be compared to the wicked and lazy servant who buried his one talent rather than invest it. I didn't give this much more thought, but my spirit felt lighter as I made my way to the sessions that day. The first speaker shared an uplifting devotion, and then I proceeded to a session I had previously selected called "Pathway to Publication." This presentation was a nuts & bolts, point by point, systematic discussion about pursuing publication. Since I had decided that I wasn't going to pursue publication, I wondered what I was doing there. Near the end of the session, the speaker said, "Now, don't forget. You have to give an account to God. Do not bury your talent." She continued on with her factual helpful information, but sitting there, I could barely breathe. Did I hear correctly? Indeed I did. Later on, we spoke and she (again very matter-of-factly) repeated, "Yes, you have to give an account... Do not bury your talent." This was a confirmation to me to do what I believe God has called me to do.
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I purchased a keychain in Charlotte Airport waiting for my delayed flight back to NY. It is a daily reminder to me that God works even in the smallest details of my life.
There were many other doors that opened in 2008, but I share this one today because it confirms the miracle that our all-knowing, all-powerful God cares about our concerns, no matter how tiny they seem in comparison to His vastness, and He wants us to share our burdens with Him. He desires relationship with us, and to me, that's a miracle!!

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Miracle at your place
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Prayer ought not to be a laundry list of requests to God. It's not even just pleasant conversation with God. I am reminded of what Corrie ten Boom shared in "The Hiding Place". She was being taken out of her barrack at the concentration camp by Nazi guards. Her friend ran past her and whispered, "I'm storming the gates of heaven for you." That's what prayer is - entering a spiritual dimension where God dwells. And we're invited!

My friend, Lisa, sent me an email that said: "Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders and says, "Oh no, she's awake!"
Susan

Surrender is Freedom

On Independence Day, there’s a lot of talk about freedom and liberty. Thankfully, we do not live under the bondage that is found in some other countries. But all too often, we live in bondage to fear, pride, depression, anger. We may not have control over these areas of our lives. The answer is surrender.

In Bible times, slavery was common. Slaves had no freedom, but when offered freedom, some chose to live surrendered to their Master, for life with a kind Master was superior to freedom outside that home. These surrendered slaves were called "bond-slaves." The Apostle Paul often referred to himself as a bond-slave of Jesus Christ.
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While unjustly imprisoned, Paul wrote the letter to the Philippian church. In it, he says that due to his being in chains, the gospel was shared with entire palace guard. He sees that his lack of freedom had a greater purpose. He was surrendered.
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From Paul’s letter to the Philippians we can discern his answers to the bondages I mentioned above:

You will not have to worry
Phil. 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

You will not feel the need to be in charge
Phil 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

You will experience true joy
Phil: 4:4-5 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

You will be free from anger
Phil 2:14-15 Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

The Christian life is a paradox in many ways-
-When we are weak, we are strong
-The first shall be last
-You must lose your life to find it
-To live forever, you must die to yourself

And...
-True freedom means surrender to the One who owns you

Happy Independence Day to you.

May you experience true freedom in surrender to the King of Kings!

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

Susan

What a night!

On Saturday, the ladies (and men!) of High Mountain Church held their annual Ladies Tea. It was a beautiful night of music and ministry, food and fellowship, and of course, the drawing for beautiful baskets, gift certificates and other items!





The ladies on the left (at least to my left!)



















The crowd in the middle

Ladies on the right

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along the wall:

the awesome men who served us

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Ladies,

Thank you for making our night so special.

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In particular:

Cherie - thank you for sharing such beautiful music, especially the song "Brave". I know it was out of your comfort zone, and you were so brave! Those lyrics have long ministered to me, and I am so thankful that you were willing to share it. And somehow you worked your magic to transform that unattractive gym into a lovely environment (so mod & groovy!!).

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Nancy - you do an awesome job with the baskets, from creation to presentation. (Hmmm - He created us and will present us faultless before His throne! Sorry, I'm just too corny sometimes!)

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Susan - you have set a vision and so beautifully demonstrate the grace of God as you are the glue that holds it all together.

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I know that there were many others who worked so hard to make the evening so special for all who attended. It was an example of the body of Christ working effectively together. Some were the eyes, seeing the need and casting a vision. Some were the feet running to and fro, while others were the ears and heart listening and ministering comfort.

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The message I shared was about conquering fear, and I'll be sharing bits and pieces here and there within the weeks to come. Until then, let me just say - I am a living testimony that God can bring us through those doors, past the thresholds of fear, enabling to walk in victory.

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Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 15:57

Susan