New Year's Welcome

"The Old Year's death knell and the New Year's welcome. He comes like a carrier with a sealed parcel for every one of us. Would we wish to break the seal and peep in?"  ~ Charlotte Tucker

     The New Year is a time for contemplation. A time to remember the past year, ponder our path ahead, and prepare for brand new adventures. Until this year, I'd never quite envisioned the New Year as a gift from the Lord. It happens every year - it comes and goes like everything else. But what if we never had a New Year?  What if our days ran on and on in an endless chain - not once broken by that feeling of "newness"? What if we never had that feeling of starting afresh, a time when we purpose in our hearts to live this life for Him and gain His direction for the days ahead? Life would be dull and monotonous indeed.

     Each year is a gift. Wrapped in beautiful paper and tied with a ribbon. What it holds remains to be seen. We try to envision what lies inside. Hopes and desires we wish to see realized. Places we want to see. Relationships strengthened. Goals accomplished. And yet, only time reveals it's contents. And in His divine plan, it is best to let the gift unfold instead of seeing it all at once. :)

     I can clearly see what my package from this past year held. Had I opened my 2015 package on New Year's Day last year I would have seen trips to Ecuador and Guatemala, my brother's wedding, photography jobs, new friends, old friends, moving to a new town, new jobs, and finishing out the year with family. I would have also seen many hardships..... circumstances and difficulties which were heavy weights to bear at the time. Could I have opened it then, would I have been fearfully startled? Despondent and overwhelmed? Unwilling and ungrateful for His gift? Perhaps. And yet, in hindsight I can thank Him even for the hard times. They were links in a cord of love to draw me ever closer to Him!

     What a joy and comfort to know that He is in control of everything we hold dear. He knows us, He sees us, and He gives us gifts accordingly. What an awesome privilege to be His child. My Father gives the best gifts. Happy New Year - enjoy your gift from Him.

"Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."  ~James 1:17

Why Difficulties Give Us Joy and Hope



How awful it would be to inhabit this world,

have some idea that there is a God,

and yet not know what He desires from us.

Divine statutes are a gift to us.

God gives us law because He loves.

-Kevin DeYoung



     While reading through both books of Peter recently, several passages stood out and I wanted to jot down my thoughts about them here. {Can I just say that I love the writings of Peter? He makes no pretense about anything. He states truth in a very matter-of-fact way. He gives precise meaning to the difficult-to-understand-paths along our road in life. And most importantly, he points us to the one true source of our joy and hope and peace: Jesus Christ.}

     Starting in verse 11 of chapter 2, we see Peter setting down a standard of living for those who profess Christ:
"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation as honest among the gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation."  (vs. 11 & 12)

 How we live life speaks to others - all around us. I remember a friend quoting this poem once:

I am my neighbor's Bible
He reads me when we meet.
Today he read me in my home,
Tomorrow in the street.

He may be relative or friend,
Or slight acquaintance he may be,
He may not even know my name,
But yet he is reading me.

Dear Christian friends and brothers,
If we could only know
How faithfully the world records
Just what we say and do.

Oh, we would make our record plain,
And labor hard to see
Our worldly neighbors won to Christ,
While reading you and me.

And while it may seem {to us} that the way we honor God in our daily living only brings derision and scorn from others, {Peter describes it as them "speaking against (us) as evildoers"} we are assured that after Christ visits them with salvation, they will glorify God because of their remembrance of our testimony. They are not going to understand now...... but someday they will and then God will receive glory, which is where glory is due!

Peter continues...... exhorting respect and honor for those in authority:
"Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the King, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." (vs. 13-15)

Concluding with this:
"As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness (or vice, or evil), but as the servants of God. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the King." (vs. 16-17)

Part of our testimony before men is how we respect and honor those in authority and how the liberty He has bestowed upon us is stewarded. He has granted us freedom in a world full of bondage..... liberty in a culture of oppression. Would we willingly sin and use our liberty in Christ as an excuse to do as we please? If we do, we destroy our testimony. And are we given that liberty for ourselves? Certainly not - we are given liberty for use as a servant: "...not using your liberty for {evil}, but {using your liberty} as the servants of God."

     Peter then moves to a related topic; instructing slaves to submit themselves to their masters - both good and evil. He states that if we suffer for our mistakes & faults and bear it patiently..... why should we be commended for that?  But when you're shamed or ridiculed for doing what God asks of you..... should you bear that patiently?  Yes, most emphatically!! When those times come.... when because of a relationship with Him, you suffer wrongfully.... in those times, Peter says, you have been counted worthy of the same suffering as our Lord. Because He was guilty of nothing, and yet was reviled and rejected among men.

"For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.... for even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow in His steps:" (vs. 19 & 21)

     I am sure we've all experienced this on different levels. Being ridiculed, laughed at, or even just getting those "what-in-the-world-do-you-do-that-for?" look. And yet none of it compares to what our Savior experienced for you and I. The degradation and humiliation He endured ...... all because of His great love for us. And yet, we have been counted worthy to suffer as He did.

so when life gets difficult....
when we feel betrayed....
when it seems the world in which we live is turned upside-down....
when we wonder if God hears our prayers....
when we begin to lose hope because of circumstances....
{and these times inevitably come into every life}

REJOICE! Take hope by the hand and with joy in your heart thank Him....... because this is what will happen if you're following Him. If Christ suffered - and He was the perfect, sinless, spotless Son of God - why should we expect anything less? It's exciting really, to think about. Instead of letting life's difficulties "get us down" embrace them and thank the Lord for them. This is what He had called us to experience.

Friday Feature: Favorite Quotes

Here's an image I wanted to use this weekend in honor of Father's Day. My dad is not just my dad, he's also my pastor. Being a pastor has defined who he is as a father. I am SO thankful for the loving, godly, committed man that he is. How he lives out truth and mercy in his life and continually places his trust and his life in the Hands of our Heavenly Father. He has always pointed me to Christ and is a faithful Shepherd to his church. Love you dad!

My dad & mom..... in DeSmet, SD

Friday Feature: Favorite Quotes

     I love this verse. I don't know that I ever noticed it before. Preparing for my brother's wedding, I was looking up verses {to decorate the rehearsal dinner} and came across this one and it is SO wonderful! Found in Hosea 2:19, the Lord shows His love and compassion on an unworthy people by renewing His promise to be with us forever! Taken in context, we see His pain and heartache over an unfaithful and obstinate people, but His love & care never wane, never die. He is ever faithful and worthy of our hope and trust. Read Hosea 2 and be encouraged by His steadfast love and righteousness!

Friday Feature: Favorite Quotes

Amen and Amen! I love the Hope He brings!!

Friday Feature: Favorite Quotes

 

A Quote by D.L. Moody

Friday Feature: Favorite Quotes

Day by Day

     While singing the other night with my family, we randomly picked this song out of the hymnal. I've known the tune for as long as I can remember, and have sung it at various times, in various places...... but it's never been one that I've learned by heart, or even sung very often.  Therefore, the words really came home to me as they so perfectly fit with what the Lord has been showing me lately on Hope and trusting in His promises.

Day by day and with each passing moment,

strength I find to meet my trials here;

Trusting in my father's kind bestowment,

I've no cause for worry or for fear.

He whose heart is kind beyond all measure

gives unto each day what He deems best - 

Lovingly, it's part of pain and pleasure, 

Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Help me then in every tribulation

So to trust Your promises O Lord,

That I lose not faith's sweet consolation

offered me within Your holy Word.

Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,

E'er to take, as from a father's hand,

One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,

til I reach the promised land.

     After singing this song, I decided to look up the author (Carolina Sandell) and the circumstances surrounding it's writing. I found a very interesting story......

The daughter of a Lutheran minister, Carolina grew up in the rectory at Froderyd, Smaland in Sweden. At the age of 26 she accompanied her father Jonas on a boat trip across Lake Vattern, during which he fell overboard and drowned in her presence. The tragedy inspired some of her first hymns as she poured out her broken heart in many of her songs. She would eventually write over six hundred hymns and become known as the Fanny Crosby of Sweden.  Many of Lina's hymns were made popular by a traveling evangelist named Oscar Ahnfelt. Ahnfelt's ministry was received with animosity by some, and eventually the King was petitioned to forbid his preaching and singing. The King refused until he himself heard him in person, so he bade Ahnfelt appear before him. Unsure what to sing, Ahnfelt went to Lina Sandell and asked her to write a hymn for the occasion. When he appeared before the King, he sang the following words:

Who is it that knocketh upon your heart's door in peaceful eve?
Who is it that brings to the wounded and sore the balm that can heal and relieve?
Your heart is still restless, it findeth no peace in earth's pleasures;
Your soul is still yearning, it seeketh release to rise to the heavenly treasures.

After listening with tears in his eyes, the king gripped Ahnfelt by the hand and said "You may sing as much as you like in both of my kingdoms!"

Feature Friday: Favorite Quotes

This quote reminds me of a passage in Philippians 3:

"But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus"

Amen 

Friday Feature: Favorite Quotes

Friday Feature: Favorite Quotes

(A friend posted this to google+ the other day and I liked it so much, I decided to repost!)

God Does Not Lie: Oaths & Promises

     A few weeks ago I discussed the topic Does God Change? I would like to build upon that earlier post with a look at Hebrews 6. In this chapter, we find an inspiring verse on Hope - something we've been talking about extensively on this blog. It's amazing how God works - certain verses in this passage caught my attention long before I read the verse on hope..... which only cemented firmly in my mind the loving way in which He guides us.

<Side note: Ever heard of your reticular activator? Definition: the reticular activator is a part of the brain that stays on alert. It's job is to make you notice some things and ignore other things (if you noticed everything, you'd be too distracted to function). When you buy a VW, it seems like the whole world has bought VWs, because you notice them everywhere. That's the reticular activator at work. I believe the Lord gave us this function to help us in our study of Him & His character. The more He reveals a particular aspect of His nature to us, the more we notice it in His word as we read! Our reticular activator at work. :) >

     A common thread among recent posts has been to take hold of His promises. When we know what His promises are for us, for our future, for our health, for our family..... for whatever is a concern to us, we then have something {or better phrased: Someone} to hope in. When we have hope, we live life to the fullest and without regret. The writer of Hebrews is explaining that God made a promise to Abraham. And Abraham knew He would perform it because:

1. He promised it
2. He swore that He would keep His promise
3. God does not lie

This finished the matter in Abraham's mind.  This Bible version makes it very clear and simple:

    ^"For instance, there was God’s promise to Abraham: God took an oath in his own name, since there was no one greater to swear by, that he would bless Abraham again and again, and give him a son and make him the father of a great nation of people. Then Abraham waited patiently until finally God gave him a son, Isaac, just as he had promised. When a man takes an oath, he is calling upon someone greater than himself to force him to do what he has promised or to punish him if he later refuses to do it; the oath ends all argument about it. God also bound himself with an oath, so that those he promised to help would be perfectly sure and never need to wonder whether he might change his plans. He has given us both his promise and his oath, two things we can completely count on, for it is impossible for God to tell a lie. Now all those who flee to him to save them can take new courage when they hear such assurances from God; now they can know without doubt that he will give them the salvation he has promised them. This certain hope of being saved is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls, connecting us with God himself behind the sacred curtains of heaven, where Christ has gone ahead to plead for us from his position as our High Priest, with the honor and rank of Melchizedek." Hebrews 6:13-19

     Now we know that this passage is referring to our salvation, but God is the same {yesterday, today & forever} and if this truth {that God does not lie & fulfills His promises} relates to Salvation, it also relates to all aspects of life. When we find and hold fast to the Promises of God {for us} in scripture, we have assurance that He will perform them. Perhaps not in the way we think He should - usually not when we think He should - and more often not how we think He should...... but nonetheless, He will perform them. We must be very careful to keep ourselves from fulfilling His promises in our own way...... remember Abraham and Ishmael? I find that I must so often put aside my idea of what His promises mean, and wait expectantly for Him to bring them to pass.......... in His way, in His time. 
     "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall not he do it? or hath he spoken, and shall not make it good?" Numbers 23:19
     "That by two immutable things {his oath and his promise} in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us." Hebrews 6:18
     And then we come to that verse so often quoted. I wonder, do we really grasp all that it means? When taken in context of this whole passage of scripture, it takes on a whole new meaning. {at least it did for me!}

Friday Feature: Favorite Quotes

Mirror, Mirror

I read this in my devotions this morning and it was so insightful - I never thought about this verse this way!

The Bible is a Mirror that lets us See Ourselves as God Sees Us

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25

How often do you see your reflection in a mirror? Some studies say that the average person looks in a mirror 8 to 10 times a day. Other surveys say it could be as many as 60 to 70 times a day, if glancing at our reflection in store windows and smart phone screens is included.
Why do we look so often? Most experts agree that it's to check our appearance, especially before meetings or social gatherings. If something is amiss, we want to fix it. Why look if we don't plan to change what's wrong?
The apostle James said that reading or hearing God's Word without acting on it is like looking in a mirror and forgetting what we've seen (1:22-24). But the better alternative is to look closely and act on what we see. James said, "He who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does" (v.25).
If we hear God's Word without taking action, we fool only ourselves (v.22). But when we examine ourselves in light of God's Word and obey His instructions, God liberates us from all that keeps us from looking more and more like Him each day. —David McCasland

My favorite quote is "If something is amiss, we want to fix it. Why look if we don't plan to change what's wrong?" It reminds me of a humorous commercial I saw years ago where a man goes into an important meeting and smiles - only to reveal something stuck in his teeth! Rather embarrassing yes, but clearly illustrates the reasons behind looking in the mirror. And how much more when we want to BE like our Savior. :)

Friday Feature: Favorite Quotes

Does God Change?

Does God Change?

     Have you ever had that thought? As humans, we're always subject to change. Life is constantly bringing new challenges. It brings different phases in our journey. It brings somewhat unexpected (and often unwanted) changes to our daily routines.  We're creatures of habit and many times we don't want to be uncomfortable. We like what we know and we know what we like. :)
     And then there's the whole idea of hopes, dreams and visions. What about those? What happens when you envisioned your life one way...... and it never happens. Or when something you never dreamed would happen suddenly turns your life upside down? What of all those hopes we have for the future? If we could look down through the portal of time, would our hopes change based on what we saw in our future, or would we lose hope altogether? After all, if we know what will happen we no longer have a reason to hope. The future and hope are directly linked. Read in Jeremiah (a man who prophesied future events): 
   

 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."    Jeremiah 29:11

"There is hope in your future, says the Lord...."    Jeremiah 31:17

      A key concept to remember as we look toward our future is to keep our eyes focused on Him and His promises. God does not promise us a life of ease. He does not promise to fulfill all our dreams. And yet when we choose to focus on ourselves, we begin to expect God to make life what we want. God never wanted us to put our hope in our dreams and desires for the future. But rather to put our hope in Him and His promises. Because whatever we may feel..... whatever we may desire.... whatever gives us purpose and fulfillment may all come crashing down one day if it's not rooted in Him.
     So does God change?  How do we know that we can trust Him... hope in Him? The answer to both questions is found in this answer: He never changes. 

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."    Hebrews 13:8

     When we realize that He keeps His promises and He never changes this gives us Hope. Some will try to make distinctions between the Old Testament and the New Testament. And I agree that we are under a new covenant...... no longer must we work and try to earn our way to heaven. But does that mean that God no longer cares whether we follow His direction and inspiration that was spelled out in the Old Testament? I don't believe so. Jesus said: "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." For when we focus on find God's heart, we will find Who He is in all pages of Scripture because He has been the same and will be the same for all time. Just a few examples: 

Love the Lord:

  "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength."    Deuteronomy 6:5

"Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment."    Matthew 22:37-38

Love Your Neighbor:

"...you shall love your neighbor as yourself"   Leviticus 19:18

"Jesus said, .....'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'"   Matthew 19:19

".....and if there is any other commandment, all are summed up in this saying, namely, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'."   Romans 13:9

The Chastening of the Lord:

"Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty."    Job 5:17

"Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord, and teach out of your law,"    Psalms 94:12

"And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:     

              "My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord       
               Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;       
               For whom the Lord loves He chastens,       
               And scourges every son whom He receives."

"If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons."    Hebrews 12:5-8

 "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent." (Words of Jesus, speaking to the church.)   Revelation 3:19

The Beginning & End:

 "I, the Lord, am the first; and with the last I am He."    Isaiah 41:4

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God."    John 1:1-2

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."    Revelation 22:13

     Let us rest our heart in Who He is and what He promises to be for us and in us each and every day. Find His promises for your situation in life right now - put your hope in those promises and let Him fill you with hope.

Bouys from History: Charles Simeon - A Lesson in Patience

     I only recently discovered Rev. Charles Simeon. The information I read on him barely covered a full page, but I found myself inspired by his patience and grace under fire.  In subsequent weeks, I've researched him at length and found his fervor for God and his undying consideration for the hearts of men to be of great encouragement. So I share his story with you...... to give you a bouy (a lift) of inspiration today.

Charles Simeon is best known for

• serving Holy Trinity Church, Cambridge, and Cambridge University for 54 years
• practicing and popularizing biblical, expository preaching
• pioneering on-campus discipleship among university students
• developing new, church-based ministries for youth and adults
• starting or helping to start at least four missions organizations
• introducing the evangelical revival in Britain to the Church of England
• enduring intense opposition during his early years of ministry
• dying as a beloved community member and revered church leader

     Receiving appointment in 1782 to his church by the bishop, he was opposed by the members of Trinity Church in Cambridge because of his evangelical outlook and his call to holiness for the people of God. They disapproved so much that they did not attend morning services and locked their pews so that no one else could use them! And this state of things did not last for a few weeks..... or even a few months. It continued for 12 long years. During this time Rev. Simeon preached to his congregation as they stood in the aisles. He later commented on how he endured such a long trial of faith:

"In this state of things I saw no remedy but faith and patience. The passage of Scripture which subdued and controlled my mind was this, "the servant of the Lord must not strive." It was painful indeed to see the church, with the exception of the aisles, almost forsaken; but I thought that if God would only give a double blessing to the congregation that did attend, there would on the whole be as much good done as if the congregation were doubled and the blessing limited to only half the amount. This comforted me many, many times,when without such a reflection, I should have sunk under my burden." 

     While Rev. Simeon endured 12 years of opposition from his parishioners, he served that same church for 54 years in all - dying a beloved member of his community. During his lifetime he called for true conversion and an intimate walk with Christ - emphasized by his own zeal for the Lord in both his public and personal life. Rising at 4:00 a.m. every morning, he spent hours in prayer and study of the word. Living in a time where society was self-indulgent and easy-going, he showed a different way of life by embracing self-discipline and holiness.

     Because his beliefs on outreach, evangelism and personal holiness put him at odds with those who would live an 'easy life', within the Church of England he endured harsh criticism, ridicule, social slights, bricks thrown through windows as he preached, and being locked out of his church. His response was to pray "May God bless them with enlightening, sanctifying, and saving grace." Never once did he waver in His convictions on outreach and holiness, and yet at the same time he resolved to work within the church to bring revival from within, instead of breaking unity and bringing disharmony within the church. Archbishop Donald Coggan, in his lecture on Charles Simeon in 1974, stated: "He loved the Church of England. He loved its liturgy and he was content to live and die a son of the Church of England, even though within that Church he suffered so much and saw so much

that was weak and unworthy in its priests and people."

Reverend Charles Simeon (1759-1836)

     May we gain insight and encouragement from the lives of those who have gone before. Not one was perfect. Every one made mistakes. And yet they made Christ their all and lived for Him. May we feel bouyed by their sacrifice and gain insight for our own lives as we seek to follow the Master.

Notes:

Battling Unbelief by John Piper

http://www.charlessimeon.com/

http://archive.churchsociety.org/churchman/documents/Cman_114_2_Carr.pdf

F D Coggan These Were His Gifts (Exeter: University of Exeter Press 1974) p 16

without Him, i have nothing to say

     Over the years, I've always tended to be a somewhat optimistic person. Growing up I often had a what-could-possibly-go-wrong? outlook which led to a careless attitude in areas where I should've exercised some caution.  Looking back, I think a lot of it came from having such a stable, loving home. I had confidence for nearly everything, because my parents invested in me and helped me know that I could accomplish anything I put my mind towards. They provided a safe haven, therefore danger was often far from my mind. I'm so grateful to them for that - especially considering their own homes growing up.
     Being self-assured and confident is a gift. In fact in our country, it is lauded and applauded to the point where many fall into the trap of "making something of themselves" regardless of the cost. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with having vision and a plan for your life, but "Controlling our own Destiny" was never an idea the Lord espoused. On the contrary:

     "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Matt 16:24 & 26) 

Confidence is a gift when used under the power of His guidance and grace. If  we abuse it, self-assurance will easily turn into pride. C.S. Lewis once said:

     "If we have the itch of self-regard, we shall want the pleasure of self-approval; but the happiest moments are those when we forget our precious selves and have neither, but have everything else instead." 

So often it's easy to lose sight of the gift of confidence in the light of our need for acceptance and approval from others. I speak from experience. We all want that feeling of belonging, knowing that others accept us for who we are. The problem is that we often let pride trip us into making ourselves into what others expect, and leaving God out in the process.
         "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."  (Galations 1:10)

       "The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe." (Proverbs 29:25)

Pride causes us to fear man - we begin to think highly of ourselves........ and then begin to wonder what others think of us - instead of what God thinks of us. Fear of rejection from others (ultimately the fear of man) causes us to take our eyes off the Lord.

As I prepared for Ecuador last year, I was confident. I knew God had called me to this mission. I was excited. I was prepared. And yet, all my confidence and preparations were of no use to me when I needed them. Pride had crept in. It took a few days for me to realize and refute it.(You can read about it here.) And in that moment I realized (yet again) that I can do nothing on my own. In our times of vulnerability we have a choice: do we yield to our Maker, or hold to what is comfortable? Do we allow Him to mold us, or do we tenaciously cling to what we know? Do we listen, or obstinately stick with our own idea of self?
     He calls us to know Him personally. If He did not exist, neither would I. No matter what this year holds, all is in vain without Him. Going to another country becomes pointless if we cannot tell others of Him, or at least show His love through care and concern. If we did not have Him to share with others, why go? And the same is true here at home: "if not for Him, I would have nothing to say."

I boast not of works, nor tell of good deeds,

for naught have I done to merit His grace.

All glory and praise shall rest upon Him,

so willing to die in my place.



Believing in His Goodness

Holding India @ Galilean Children's Home - she was only a few weeks old in this picture.

     As 2015 begins, I begin with another blog. Something that has long been on my heart...... to share the love of my Lord by recounting His faithfulness: in my own life and from the pages of history. As this year begins, we naturally look forward to all those empty calendar pages with thoughts on what will fill those days, those moments. We wonder if momentous occasions will actually be memorable..... if dreams will become reality..... if reality will meet our expectations. And no matter how much we tell ourselves that life is not like a book, we find ourselves believing in the idea that life will meet - and perhaps succeed - our expectations. And when we find ourselves in the midst of a difficult or painful situation, we lose hope..... we stop believing. In those moments, there is an answer: the only Truth that remains constant, remains true, and can actually hold our belief is He who loved us so much, He gave His life to prove it.
     Last year (2014) held many ups ......but also downs. It began with my heart quite heavy. Pain is never easy to bear. Don't get me wrong here. This year brought so many opportunities and joys, but also held days of despondency and confusion. I found myself digging deeper into His word for answers. How do we handle disappointment and confusion?  As I began to contemplate the coming year (2015) I was reminded of an incident that happened in 2009 while I volunteered at Galilean Children's Home in Kentucky. It was a particularly stressful time - we were short on staff/volunteers and those of us who were there, were stretched thin. I always enjoyed my work there, but the tiredness was beginning to take it's toll. (I'd worked 3 midnight shifts in addition to 3 regular shifts in six days.) I read Psalm 27 in my devotions one evening and verse 13 stood out:
     "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."
     Feeling somewhat overwhelmed physically at that point, I could relate. And the implication was clear: if we don't trust..... if we don't believe........ if we don't HOPE in the goodness of the Lord.... that we will SEE the goodness of the Lord, we will despair. Being reminded of this affirmation from years past brought a thrill of joy to my heart. We must hope to see His goodness or we will despair.
     A goal for this year? To hope in...... to believe in...... to gain strength from..... His goodness. And the following verse of Psalms 27 tells us how:
     "Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait , I say, on the LORD. "