No Fear

Has anybody noticed that Satan can be both consistent and creatively crafty at the same time? Well, let me share, just in case you haven't noticed because to fight Satan, we have to recognize his tactics, and he's got some seriously ugly tactics.

Point #1:
When Satan wants to get to me, he almost always attacks me in the night. This has been consistent throughout my walk with God. Satan knows that in the night, I can't call my friends and ask for prayer, and he also knows that in the dark of night, things always look worse than they really are. So he is consistent in shooting his fiery darts when I need to sleep, and last night was no exception. I am a recovering worrier. In fact, I should start a group called "Worriers Anonymous" because it is something I have fought all my life, but in recent years, I've had tons of victory over worry because I have fought back with God's Word. But still, Satan tries now and again . . . one more time . . . to see if he can get me to worry . . . worry about things that I might have done wrong, worry about things that could happen, worry about what other people think . . . worry. Now, I know it's a waste of time, and I know that God's Word is clear about worry: it does absolutely no good, and in all honesty, it shows my lack of trust in God. So I fight back with scripture; I fight back with prayer; I fight back by remembering all the times God has brought me out of situations. I fight back with a well-balanced, sound mind. And when I do this, God always provides.

Point #2:
When Satan is not winning in the normal areas of attack, he finds a new place to pierce my heart, and today is no exception. I rarely worry about anything at school. I work hard, love my students, pray over my school days, and I don't worry, but Satan is creative. Yesterday was the first day of school, and he came after me with a vengeance, keeping me from getting a good night's rest and putting a spirit of fear on me. I recognized it as Satan, and I should have gotten up right then and there, in the middle of the night, to pray and claim God's victory, but I was tired. I lay there and let him bother me until finally, at 3:50 A.M., I knew I had to go to God's Word. And did I find answers? You bet, I did! Over and over in the Bible, it clearly states that God did not give us a spirit of fear, and yes, fear is a spirit, but it's not from God. It is an evil spirit sent by Satan to steal our confidence in God and therefore, destroy the effectiveness of our witness and our prayers. So like a good soldier who prepares for battle, I got up and put on the armor of God this morning. I covered myself in His Word, writing it down in my journal and reading it over and over. I prayed God's Words back to Him, and I went boldly to His throne, asking for complete peace and calm. I reminded Satan that he has no power in my life because God is in control . . . not me with my weaknesses, but God -- the Almighty, the Creator, the Protector, and Provider! He not only gives me His armor, but He walks with me in every battle, and He walks with you, too. He knows Satan will attack, and He is ready to defend and protect.

Point #3:
When Satan comes after me this strongly, I know that God has great things in store. Satan prowls around like a roaring lion, trying to destroy what God is doing in His kingdom, and when he sees great things about to happen, just like an evil warrior, he plans his very best attack. Pure and simple. But the truth is simple, too: he will lose.

So what do I know as I go to work today? God is with me, He has great things in store for my life and for this school year, and He is faithful to protect and defend me against the attacks of Satan. My job is to be faithful and refuse to give my confidence away. My job is to stay close to my Defender, God Almighty. My job is to trust in His Word and His guidance, not wavering, because we read in the book of James that God will answer our prayers, but we cannot be double-minded or uncertain in our thoughts. We must claim God's love and believe that He has a future and a hope in store for us, and He is faithful to His Word.

So if you're under attack, do as the Psalmist did: praise God for your trials! Yes, praise God because He works everything for good for those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. Be called by God, and trust in his provision this very day.

Today Is the Day

Well, today is the day . . . the day that has lived in my thoughts for the last few weeks: we have Open House at school today from noon to 7:00 P.M. Our excited students will enter the building, both nervous and giddy with anticipation, waiting to see their new teachers and their old friends. They will wonder what we are like, and our first impressions are urgently important. I will smile, hug, and comfort both sixth grade parents and children today as they seek to transition into middle school, a big scary place. I will welcome back old students who will return to me this year for round two. I will be a willing diplomat and caregiver because I love this day! I love assuring parents that I will adore their children and care for them with intentionality. I love looking every student directly in the eye, allowing them to see my honest desire to know them, appreciate them, teach them, and love them. God has allowed me to be a tiny part of this mission field, and I am both humbled and grateful, but this big day is not all that is on my mind this morning.

Oh, the joys of Facebook! My nephew sent me a message last night, asking if I had some kind of surgery. He must have seen something on FB that made him wonder, so he called my dad, but my dad couldn't remember. N ow, we've talked multiple times every single week since my surgery, but he couldn't remember that I had it. Now, I'm sensitive enough to know that in recent weeks as I have spoken to him, it has been very clear that his memory has taken a downward spiral in the last year, but not remembering the surgery? That struck me deep in my core, and it made me think this morning about the precious gift of memory.

In my toughest days, I use my memory to recall the times when God has been clearly visible in my life, when He has answered my prayers, when He has given me victory when I could not possibly win on my own. I recall scripture verses that give me strength, and I cling to them. But what if I reach a day when I can't remember those things? What happens then? Let me go ahead and say that I don't have a clear cut answer for this. I know that I will continue to read and study God's Word and create new memories, new ways of holding on . . . but I guess what I want to say is this: thank God this morning for your memory. It sounds odd, but it's what I'm going to do as soon as I finish this blog. I'm going to thank Him for allowing me to read His Word and remember it; I'm going to thank Him to allowing me to remember the times He has enabled me to live the tenacious life; I'm going to thank Him, too, for always remembering me. Every now and then, when I feel out on a limb, I remind myself . . . thank goodness for memory . . . that God never forgets me. He knows my name and cares for the things that concern me. Wow . . . what a good thing to remember because guess what --- today is the day the Lord has made! Let's rejoice!

Out of Pocket

So sorry! I have been out of pocket for a number of reasons recently, most good reasons! I've been recovering from surgery, and though I thought I'd have tons of time to get things done . . . like blogging . . . I found that the days were filled with way too many distractions. FYI: I've been so very blessed. My hysterectomy recovery has been incredibly good, and I am already back at work, which brings me to today's thoughts.

I have enjoyed this summer for myriad reasons, not the least of which has been that I've had to sit still and enjoy it . . . yes, be still. That's so hard for me, but I learned how to do it at least a little better than in the past, and it reminded me that God tells us to sit still. We read in the New Testament about Mary who sat at the feet of Jesus, while Martha prepared the meal. Well, we who usually feel like Martha sometimes get frustrated with Mary. I mean, really! It must be nice to sit while the meal is fixed and the house is cleaned, but Jesus reminds us that Mary chose the better thing. Sitting still at His feet. We also read in scripture that we are to "be still," and know God. In the Message, I believe it says, "Step out of the traffic." Don't you like that idea? This surgery has surely forced me to step out of the traffic of life, slowing down and doing more watching than driving, both literally and figuratively. Stepping out of the traffic also makes me think of getting out of the way of a pace that often goes so fast that we can't think carefully or make wise decisions. Sometimes it's hard to step out of the traffic and slow down, isn't it? But God expects us to find a way.

I started back to school yesterday, and in the words of my dear friend, Jean, this mission of ours owns us from early August to early June. It eats our hours, our mental energy, and our physical stamina; we go in early, stay late, and take work home on weekends and children's problems home in our hearts. We watch ballgames, meet with parents, and spend time planning for tomorrow . . . always planning for tomorrow. Last year I promised myself that school would definitely not eat away all of my hours, but my dedication to my career and the children I love changed that. So how do we find a balance? How do we "step out of the traffic," and sit still at the feet of Jesus when life is rushing all around us? Well, we make choices. For me, it means getting up earlier to spend time with God. It means using my commute to listen to Christian podcasts and K-Love radio. It means writing and studying at night instead of staring at TV. It means choosing to be in charge of my life, and like Mary, I am going to choose to sit still at the feet of Jesus.

My prayer for your days is that you will choose the better part; join me in choosing Jesus.