Another Year Draws to a Close

I just searched my old documents and read a devotional I wrote about the end of 2009. Really? Is that so far in the past? It seems like yesterday, and yet here we are again -- at the end of another year --- two years later. Wow, the old adage about time passing quickly has never felt more true than it feels today.

2011 has been quite a year, one like no other in my life. I started this year differently, choosing to give God the "first fruits" of my calendar year. I took time away from church "work" in January to focus just on God and my commitment to Him. I took time every day to sit in God's presence and seek His face. I took time to start my year by giving God my days and my heart, and in a million ways, I have been blessed. I couldn't possibly have known the dynamic storms that were ahead for our family in 2011, but God knew. He used January to prepare me for February - December; without that preparation time, this year would have felt like a disaster, but with God . . . with God . . . disasters feel like victories and valleys always have a way out. It was a year that should have felt hard, and yet, until I started to look back, I didn't even realize how hard it was. That's when I was reminded once again that God was with me every single step of the way.

During this year alone, our lives changed dramatically. Our precious son-in-law, weary of being laid off at work, made a decision to join the Army, and he leaves in just a few short weeks. Our hard-working son saw the economy drop its final wrecking ball on his business and end a dream. He closed the doors in exhaustion and relief. Both of these life-altering decisions were based on economic pressures, and Satan wants me to resent the world, but the truth is that my God is bigger than a failing economy, and somehow, He keeps providing for us, just as He will in 2012. Our oldest daughter had a second child after suffering miscarriages and not being sure she would ever have another baby. Addelyn was born in June, and God is so good. Our middle daughter faced kidney stones, but she is healthy today. She also lost her grandfather this year. Our youngest daughter's whole life has changed for the better. She has the family she always wanted but didn't think she would have, and we have gained another son. God is really good. Our youngest son continues to study at CCU, and he moves closer and closer to being a classroom teacher.

And these are just some of the changes we faced in the past calendar year. So what have I realized by looking back? God was always here, and true to His Word, He never left us or removed His mighty hand from our lives. The other thing I can see from this side of the valley is that God had a plan for every single step we took this year. Last January, when we were fighting some ugly demons, it was hard to see where this would lead, but today I have the joy of seeing some of the strands of God's tapestry woven together . . . I'm finally seeing a picture come into focus, not just loose strings but a masterpiece of God's goodness and grace. So as I enter 2012, there are a couple of messages I need to share with you.

God never leaves you, and no matter what you have faced or are facing in 2012, God is here. Emmanuel -- God with us.

God always has a plan that we can't see, at least not fully. And as surely as we try to know where He's headed, He takes us by surprise, and then we get to be amazed!

God desires to bless us all. We are His children and heirs to His kingdom, and He wants to bless us with His goodness and grace. We just need to seek Him, love Him, and in the words of scripture, "delight in Him," and He will give us the desires of our hearts. And actually, what I've realized is that He changes my heart to make my desires match His, and then the impossible begins to become possible.

Finally, give God the "first fruits" of your new year. Start the year by giving Him more of you. And watch what happens in 2012 . . . I'm sure it's going to be the year of the Lord's favor. Happy New Year!

Mixed Messages

"Love yourself just as you are," but "Try to look like a supermodel." "All you can eat buffet!" paired with "Overeating is bad for your health." "You are loved," sadly teamed up with abuse from those that should be trusted most. The world is screaming mixed messages at us every single day. We can thank the media for much of the confusion; their propaganda is constantly trying to sell us something that is superficial or damaging to us. Might they even be selling us a lie or two? I teach my students to evaluate every single message in the media: what are they selling? How are they trying to mislead you? What red herring are they using to distract you from the real truth of their messages? I want my students to be savvy -- to know to look for propaganda and bias, and so I've learned to do the same. But what I've found recently that has caused me some serious heartburn is that many of the mixed messages in my life come from people close to me . . . people I'm supposed to be able to trust. And that's a horse of a different color.

I can't tell you how many times recently I've been asked to do something, and after I've spent time accomplishing the task, the task has changed. Wasted time and energy because someone else changed the message midstream and failed to let me in on the secret. Scenario number two: you are my friend, and I love you . . . but it's only words. The last time I checked the dictionary of my heart, "love" is not just a noun; it's a verb -- an action verb. Real love has action attached . . action that calls, visits, gives up time to show love. I teach students to "show, not tell" in their writing, and it's the way we should love, but it just doesn't always happen that way. And one more example-- just to bring the point home -- we go to church and learn about God's forgiveness and how He demands that we forgive so that we might be forgiven, and yet, I hear Christians way too often who claim that they can't forgive. Or maybe they say they have forgiven, but the next words out of their mouths are critical and judgmental. Mixed messages. It would be very easy to live confused, hurt, and frustrated in this convoluted world of ours, but there's hope: God's messages are clear, powerful, and constant -- the antithesis of what the world offers us.

I can't possibly tell you all of God's wonderful, consistent messages today, but I want to share just a few that might help to refocus your mind and heart in this mixed-up world in which we live. Number one: God sent His only Son because He loves us and wanted to save us. Simple and powerful. He sent His Son to earth to suffer in our place. And so we celebrate Christmas as the birth of our Savior. The world will tell you it's all about having the most expensive gifts, but the unwavering truth is that the best gift has already been given: God's Son. Number two: There is nothing we can do to make God love us more or love us less. His love for us is an act of grace, and no matter where we stray into the far country, He still loves us and desires for us to come back home -- home into a relationship with Him -- which brings me to number three: God wants a personal, living, breathing relationship with each and every one of us. He does not desire for us to love religion and structure; He wants us to spend time every day seeking Him, talking to Him, and loving Him. He wants us to have the relationship with Him that we so desperately seek with others: a bond of complete trust and love. Number four: We can never sin more than God can love. Now let me be clear: this does not give us permission to chase sin and count on God to fix things. But it does mean that there is nothing we can do -- no matter how bad -- that is bigger than God's amazing grace. He is the great Pardoner! And finally, number five: God expects us to give, but we can't possibly out-give God. We are to give our firstfruits to Him -- our time, our money, our hearts -- He wants the first part and the best part. This is our privilege: to give back to God out of the love in our hearts -- love for Him and love for others. And the most wondrous thing is that when we give, God always gives us more. Just like an earthly parent desires to bless a child, God is anxious to bless our lives, and his blessings, according to scripture, are always exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ask or think. All we have to do is love Him, seek Him, and delight in Him.

So at Christmas and as you begin a new year, if you have already been loving God for a long time but the world's mixed messages have discouraged you like they have tried to discourage me, refocus your heart on God. Give Him your best and trust His clear, timeless messages. And if you've strayed away from God and need to return to Him, or if you have never known Him, run to Him now. It's never too late! Let the God of the universe love you and help you see yourself and your life with new eyes -- His eyes. He will always tell you the truth -- it's found in His Word -- and His truth is constant and rock solid. No mixed messages here! Merry Christmas!

The Sanctity of Life

Once I again, I think a commercial writer got things right: "Life comes at you fast." My only revision? Really, really fast, and sometimes it takes your breath away. Last night my precious granddaughter, Lily Grace, had an episode that will be one of those unanswered questions: she stopped breathing for about twenty seconds. Afterwards, she clearly was not herself, but neither was anybody else, so maybe her reaction was one of fear at what happened and shock at how it made normally sane people behave. In my daughter's defense, let me say that she is one of the calmest young mothers I have ever seen. When Lily screams, she responds with a gentle voice. When Lily is cranky, she responds with words of love. So last night was new for all of us, but not breathing is kind of a big thing, don't you think? Anyway, after a night at the hospital, IVs, oxygen monitors, and tests, we think she'll be coming home today. What happened? Not sure but it's probably just one of those things we'll never completely understand, but this morning, there are some other things I understand completely.

I know for sure that as I talked with God on the way to the hospital last night, He was there. I know for sure that as my daughter prayed for Him to take care of Lily Grace, He did. I know for sure, that life is sacred and precious, and my tears this morning are not about sorrow: they're about life and thanksgiving. Months ago I began telling Lily that she is a gift from God . . . that He formed her in the womb . . . that He knew her and planned for her even before she was born. I have quoted scripture over her precious spirit as I've held her in my arms (as I have done with my other grandchildren) and I have spoken blessings into her life. This morning as I ponder the vastness of God and the interactions of my family at the hospital last night, I once again stand in awe of Him and every single gift He has given us.

I thank Him today for his mercy. I thank Him for Dr. Steve Corontzes, who has been "doctoring" my family for over twenty years, and for the awesome staff of Conway Hospital: they were incredible, calm, informative, and respectful. I thank Him for my loving daughter Meredith who stood by their side with us last night, and for my other children who lived on the telephones, receiving updates and doing what wonderful sisters and brothers do: being in the game when the game gets tough. I thank Him for my husband who gave up on homemade chicken pot pie and instead, brought us cheap burgers at a time of night when nobody should be eating anything, especially cheap burgers. I thank Him for extended family and amazing Christian friends who offered to come and dropped to their knees in prayer, the most powerful gift of all. I thank Him that for growing me into a daughter who can trust Him in moments like these and who can see threads of his tapestry weaving through our lives. I thank Him for tears because through them this morning, I can truly see the face of God.

Now, on another note, I'm apologizing for letting my blog go untouched for such a long time. I have let school . . . as usual . . . overwhelm me, and I have slipped away from something I love: writing. Anyway, this morning I felt God's nudge to share. He wrapped me in his grace long before I knew it, and He continues to show us His hand every day. I am one seriously tired, but truly thankful grandmother this morning, but I need to say this: don't ever stop being amazed by God's goodness and His mercy. His hand is in everything, even when life comes at us fast, and He is with me and Lily Grace and all of us this morning, even as I bow my head in reverence.

Love to all,
Jean

A Quick Word of Encouragement

It's early and I am back at work, so this is going to be quick! This morning I read a devotional from Joseph Prince, and it reminded me of something so vital: God has promised us in His Word that when things are taken from us, He doesn't only restore what was lost but He can give us "double" for our trouble. When Job lost everything he had, God restored him completely, and in fact, he got more than double!

This morning as I prepare for the last day before children arrive in my classroom, I am deeply humbled and grateful for God's gracious hand. Years ago, I lost my first pregnancy due to a car accident. The accident was my fault and I was devastated, but when I look at my personal and professional life today . . . 30 years later . . . God has given me way more than double to repay that loss. I have three wonderful daughters who are now amazing mothers to my grandchildren, two precious sons who have grown to be fine young men, and three sons-in-law who feel like my own (couldn't have picked them better myself!). And it continues . . . five grandchildren who own my heart and then 32 years of students . . . I've lost count but I think that's somewhere between 2000 and 3000 students. Wow! I've received way more than double for that early loss, and there is no way to completely put into words how thankful I am for God's blessings.

Years ago, right after the accident, my mother looked at me one day when I was sobbing in her arms and said, "You just really want to have a baby, don't you?" I am sure that she prayed for me, and I am smiling this morning as I ponder how her prayers have been richly answered.

Take time today to reflect on how God has blessed you against all odds and doubled your joy. He is the God of the amazing and the impossible, and I don't know about you, but I am overwhelmed with joy because He calls me His child. It doesn't get better than this.

Let God Create the Home Run

I recently attended a music conference in Spartanburg with Christian Supply (a wonderful company, by the way!). On Friday morning Dave Clark, an arranger and composer, told a wonderful little story about his grandson, and of course, it had a point. I want to share it because it is resonating with me right now.

He told us about playing baseball with his very young grandson . . . this is baseball with the giant, fat bat. You know the one: small handle for little hands but huge end so a tiny fellow who is still working on eye-hand contact can actually hit the ball. Well, Dave pitched to his grandson once, and the boy missed. He pitched again, and the boy swung even harder but missed a second time. He pitched a third time, and you guessed it: missed again. Finally, Dave walked over the child, helped him find a good stance, showed him where to hold the bat, and then said: "Just hold the bat still. Don't swing." Being a good grandparent, Dave pitched the plastic ball directly at that fat bat, throwing with more force than before, and behold! It was a hit! The child immediately ran the bases and celebrated. He didn't care that his grandfather did the "hitting"; he only knew that he was finally successful and he got to run around in victory. So what does this say about our lives today?

In Zechariah 4, the prophet Zechariah told Zerubbabel: " . . . not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit . . ." And this was Dave Clark's point: sometimes we need to hold our bat still and quit trying to knock one out of the park. We need to get the right stance, stand still, and let God do our hitting. Not our power but His. Thanks, Dave, for giving me an image that I need today, but I think there's even more.

I am a do-er. I always think I need to be getting the to-do list finished . . . checked off, but sometimes God just needs me to stand still and let Him do what only He can do in His power. He needs me to wait on Him. In Isaiah 40:31, we are told this: "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." That's a powerful Word from Isaiah. Sometimes we just need to stand in the batter's box of life and wait on God -- rest in Him and renew our strength so we can run the bases when His victory comes. We don't have to be weary; in fact, we can soar around those bases when we have rested in God. But I want to suggest something even further: just like that little boy had to let his grandfather put him into the right stance so he could wait properly, we need to learn the proper stance for waiting, and the instructions are in His Word. Our stance? praying, praising, trusting, and waiting patiently. We don't just wait passively. We wait with expectation, knowing that our prayers will be answered by the Great Pitcher. We wait with praise, thanking our Coach for all the things He has already taught us and done for us. We wait with trust, knowing that He will never steer us in the wrong direction. And we wait patiently . . . that's the hard one sometimes, and yet, in His Word, it says that His timing is always perfect. And so? We wait, and in the waiting, we renew our strength to run the bases in victory, knowing that when God gives us a "hit," it's His victory, and we get to celebrate His allowing us to be a part of the win.

Today and in the coming days, I hope, like me, you will choose to be on God's team. Allow Him, through His power . . . not your power or might . . . to do what only He can accomplish. The World Series will pale in comparison to the victories you will have when you step into the batter's box, hold your stance, and let God do your hitting. And in those victories? God will let us run the bases and throw a party, and He will be glorified. Doesn't get much better than that. It think it's what they call a win-win situation!

Thanks, Dave Clark, for an object lesson I will never forget. And thanks, God, for being faithful to give me a Word . . . manna for today.

Repair, Not Replace

Thanks to Facebook, I often get prayer requests from friends who need some warriors in their corners, and this week was no exception. A few days ago, an old fried from home sent me a medical prayer request. She is having heart surgery (only 53 years old), and here's her request: let the doctors be able to repair the valve . . . not replace it. Now, I'm not a doctor, but she is a smart woman, and so I am sure she has educated herself to know that this is the best possible route for her healing. As I thought about her and prayed for God to be her Healer, He nudged me with an "a-ha" moment: God is often about the business of repairing, not replacing.

In scripture we are told that God can create in us a clean heart. In other words, He can take the one I have, clean it, and use it for His glory. He didn't say He would get rid of my heart. Just cleanse it and make it more like His. In another scripture, we are told that God refines us, similar to the way silver is refined before it can be used. Silver must be rid of its impurities before it can be considered valuable on the jewelry market. Sounds a lot like repairing to me.

Lately I've become a Gorilla Glue fan. If you haven't tried it, do yourself a favor and run to Wal-Mart. Gorilla Glue can repair almost anything! My latest and most precious fix-up was when I used it to repair a gift given to me by my precious Timothy. He and his mother gave me a beautiful figurine of a Bible with angels' wings. Not costly or artistically impressive, but deeply important to me because of the hearts of the givers. So when it broke, I ran to the Gorilla Glue cabinet, repaired this sentimental token, and breathed a sigh of relief. So . . . to extend this analogy, God is kind of like Gorilla Glue and Magic Erasers all in one. He can repair anything in my life that is in pieces. He can repair broken friendships and marriages, and He can "glue" pieces together in our lives that seem disconnected but can work together for good. And this isn't all! Like a Magic Eraser which wipes away almost every kind of grime, God is able to cleanse us of all impurities and fill us with His Spirit, strength, and righteousness. But what part do we play in making this happen?

We have to ask in faith. That's it. Not complicated. Doesn't require a committee or a strategic plan. We just have to go to Him with our brokenness and impurities and ask God the Healer to work on our hearts and our messes. We have to give ourselves over to Him, trusting that He knows how to repair us. He doesn't have to replace us. In fact, He doesn't want to do that. He has loved each one of us before we were even formed in the womb. He knew the messes we would be, but He has continued to love us anyway. But here's an important truth: God will sit back and watch us in our brokenness if we never turn to Him. We were designed to be in relationship with Him and to worship Him. If we never seek Him, He often will let us stew in our disasters. He's omnipotent God, but He's not pushy. Our Father wants us to invite Him into our lives, and as soon as we issue the invitation, I imagine that He says, "Well, I've been waiting on you to let me help you. I'm so glad you got in touch.Now, watch what I can do."

Today, invite God into your heart and every corner of your life. After all, He is the God who was, and is, and is to come. Don't miss this: He was with you yesterday, will be with you tomorrow, and He is with you right now . . . today. The God who is. I somehow believe that He and Jesus, who sits at His right hand on the mercy seat, throw a little party when we humble ourselves enough to say, "God, repair me today. Give me Your strength, Your cleansing wave, and Your righteousness. Let me reflect Your glory to everyone in my life, and let me live before the world in a way that makes them want what I have: a Father who never wants to replace me but revels in repairing my cracks and defects. Thank You for loving me so."

Septic Tank Thoughts

As school is looming over me this week, I am on a mad mission . . . cleaning closets, reorganizing clothes, the usual stuff that makes me feel less stressed. In the midst of this, I am dealing with some junk. Anybody out there dealing with junk, too? I suspect you are; if you want a companion and some timely advice, read on, my friend.

As I have been cleaning my house and my closets today, I have also been having a dialogue with God. You see, I am struggling with decisions and desiring to hear His voice, but I also have allowed garbage to get in the way of my hearing His voice clearly. And in the middle of this summer cleaning day, the phone rang . . . Septic Tank Service, just checking on us. Seriously? Who calls to check on the state of my filth? Well, duh . . . God does. The call made me chuckle, and it made me think about what God is trying to say to me today. I think He's saying that it's time to clean out the septic tank of my life . . . the garbage that needs to be carried away to places, never to be seen again . . . the "crap" (excuse the pun) that is stinking up my life and my mind. I've been so clouded by the stench that hearing His voice has been a serious problem. Can't concentrate on Him for the odor that's chocking my nostrils. Anybody living where I'm living? I think so. So what do we do?

I know what I am going to do. As sure as I am giving away some clothes that I no longer need, I am going to give God the smelly stuff in my life. I want Him to take the self-condemnation and doubt. I want Him to heal the hurt I've felt lately because of people whose approval shouldn't mean a hill of beans, and so I'm going to ask Him to make me more confident in His love. I am going to give Him my service and my gifts; He gave them to me, and He is waiting patiently for me to give them back to Him. And finally, I am going to give Him my obedience and my time because the truth is this: He is waiting on me to be obedient with what He last told me before He is going to bless me with anything else. And He is not going to give me more things to do with my 24-hour day until I learn how to use the minutes He has already allowed in a more sacrificial way. So Facebook friends? I might not be there so much for a while. You just might have to pick up the phone and call, and I will answer you as surely as I am going to answer God's call on my life.

Phillips, Craig, and Dean sing a beautiful ballad that says: "Your grace still amazes me." And doesn't it? Let me clear out the stench of my self-absorption and doubt and be reminded that I can still stand in wonder at God's amazing grace.

If you are stinking up your place, please join me in cleaning out for God. I know you won't regret it, and your life will take on an aroma that is pleasing to your heavenly Father!

Write It Down

I just finished reading a YA (young adult) trilogy: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. To put it mildly, the series was incredibly exciting and rich with images and ideas. I love reading YA literature because it keeps me in touch with my students, and when the books are as good as these, I learn so much.

In the last chapter of Mockingjay, the main character, Katniss, decides that she needs to write things down in a book for the future. She gets the idea from a plant book that her family kept years before, and because so much has happened in the last few years and so many people have been lost, she starts her own book. Katniss says this: "I got the idea from our family's plant book. The place where we recorded those things you cannot trust to memory . . . Then in my most careful handwriting, come all the details it would be a crime to forget." Wow . . . I fell in love with her as a protagonist even more after reading those lines.

In 2006 I attended a Joyce Meyer conference in Winston-Salem, and she compelled her listeners to start a journal. "Write down scriptures in long-hand," she said, and so I began. I bought my first journal that weekend, and I continue to journal to this day. (I think I'm on #9 . . .). I don't write every day, but I do write the things that matter: scriptures I've read that I need to commit to memory, A-ha moments that take my breath away, prayers and answers, joys and pains . . . anything it "would be a crime to forget." The journaling has changed me and grown me as a Christian. It has allowed me to record the things that matter most and watch my own growth, chronicled through the pages of those precious books. I have told my children not to touch them until after I am gone; then they can read them or not, but what they will find in those pages should give them joy. Then will see just how often I thought of them, prayed for them, and how much I loved them.

So my word to you today is this: buy a journal. Get a pretty one! (Wal-Mart has great ones in the stationary section. I just bought two new ones last night.) Start writing down those things that need to be kept for the future. I wish my mom had done this. She died with her memories, her recipes, and her thoughts in her head. What I wouldn't give to see her handwriting again and hear her voice come alive on the pages. I will make sure that my children don't have to have this same wish. And if this seems overwhelming to you, start small. I started with scriptures only. Later, I began to add more, but I started simply, and God has blessed it every step of the way. I know He will do the same for you, too. Have a blessed day and get started with your own story!

Thanks, Charles Stanley

I'm listening to Charles Stanley this morning, and here's the big point: "Storms are inevitable. The anchor is immovable." Honestly, you ought to find him on TV or online today and listen to this sermon. Take notes. Digest every word because he's right. Storms will come . . . I don't care how you live your life. Storms will come. But God's Word is always right, always true, always timely. For every single storm, you can find a perfect Word in the Bible to address whatever it is you are facing. But guess what? It means you need to get busy. Dig in God's Word. Make it your business to know what He says that applies to your life today. Don't wait on a pastor or a friend to figure it out for you. It is your responsibility, and mine, to read and learn God's Word on our own. It takes work. It takes time. It takes effort. And it is worth more than anything else in your life.

When you learn the eternal Word of our eternal God, you can truly build a relationship with Him. And in that relationship, you will find strength. I have always heard people say, "If so and so happens, I just won't make it." Well, we can make it and we will, but we must make up our minds to be tenacious. We must never give up reading, studying, and praying in order to grow our relationship with our precious Father. He is "sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient, holy and just." Need more? Read His Word and you will love Him more every day.

Be tenacious always, and in the storms of life, don't be blown away. Hold fast!

Life All Around

As I stare at my computer screen this morning, I think I am so inundated with life that I don't know where to begin. So if this seems disjointed . . .

In the past 13 days, our family has been blessed with not one, but two, new granddaughters: Addelyn Grace Emmert and Lily Grace Corbitt. Neither girl was supposed to be here just yet, but you know how women can be opinionated about time! Addelyn entered the world through a planned C-section (that got pushed a little sooner!), weighing 5 pounds, 3 ounces. Lily arrived naturally at 8:44 on a Monday morning, weighing 7 pounds, 3.8 ounces. According to my other children, she arrived saying, "I'm here!" A little flair for the dramatic!

So today as I share my heart, I feel overwhelmed by God's blessings. Now, I know that sounds oversimplified, but it really is how I feel. The last six months have been, for me, a test of my faith, a test of my trust in God, a test of my tenacious spirit. I have cried out to God, clung to God, and studied His Word, but mostly, I have learned to praise Him in the storms of life. And the reward? Today I am reminded that my Redeemer lives. I am thankful that He has allowed blessings into my life and the lives of my children. I know that God's plan is always bigger, better, and more incredible than I could desire, and it's always full of surprises. As sure as I think I have everything figured out, He changes the course, but every time, His way of working things out is so much better than what I envisioned. He is just so good.

So before I close (to visit babies!), I want to encourage you this morning. If you are in a hard time . . . pray hard, study hard, and cling to God. The tough times don't last forever, and when you are faithful in praising Him and never doubting His plan, you will be richly rewarded. And if, like me, you have come out the other side of a long, tenuous stretch and stayed near to God, enjoy the moment! Hard times will come again; scripture tells us that we will always have trials and temptations, but take heart: God is a tenacious God. He walks with you every single day, He will never leave you, and He loves and wants you more than you want your next breath. Be tenacious!

Another School Year Goes By

If there is anything that will convince you that time passes quickly, it's teaching school. I feel like it was just yesterday that I decorated my classroom and wrote plans to prepare for a brand new group of students, and today I am preparing to close this "home away from home" for the summer. It's bittersweet, and it's a wonderful reminder that time passes quickly, and we must make the most of every day.

It's not popular out there in the world today to be hard and fast about anything. We're expected to be tolerant of differences, and while that is sometimes good, it's not always possible: not when it comes to faith. We can dance around the truth, or dress it up and put a bow on it, but the truth is the truth: our lives are spinning by ever so quickly, and if we intend to have eternal life, we cannot let another day go by without committing our lives to Jesus Christ. He told us that He is THE Way . . . not A Way; He is THE truth, not just a good idea. And then He said that no one goes to the Father except through Him. He is our mediator, our Savior, and our provider of grace because of His sacrifice on the Cross. He is not asking to be a part of our lives on Sunday morning and some distant back-burner figure Monday through Saturday. He wants to be Lord of our lives . . . Lord. He wants us to seek Him, know Him, and strive to be like Him, and this will never happen as long as we think we have plenty of time. It won't happen if we somehow think that it will be okay to wait until another day, another week, or another year. What is that time never comes?

I don't know about you, but I know what kind of future I want for myself. I want one lived in the presence of God. I want God to be able to say that He knows me intimately. I surely don't want to have any regrets. I have made the decision to give my life as a living sacrifice to God almighty, to pray in the name of Jesus, His Son, and to allow the Holy Spirit to guide my heart. No matter how quickly my days may pass, I know to whom I belong and where I am headed when this quickly-passing life of mine is over, but I want that for all of you, too.

If you don't already know Jesus, or if you aren't sure you are saved, get in touch with me. Send a prayer request, and I will cherish the opportunity to pray for you and your salvation. Call a friend, or call a pastor. And talk to God. It isn't complicated, and he doesn't expect fancy vocabulary. Just tell Him you want to belong to Him and that you believe in Him. Read in the New Testament Gospels about the ultimate sacrifice, and thank God for the incredible gift of grace He gave you through the Cross. Let His love infuse you with peace and joy that can only be found by being a child of the King. Don't let another day go by; time is passing way too quickly, and you don't want to miss this!

A Message from My Mother's Table

On Sunday we did the traditional thing we do at Easter: we ate together as a family. We ate way too much, and afterwards, we were miserable, but it was so good. I'm guessing it's what many of you did as well. And if you're like me, you repented this morning for too much ham and too many helpings of potatoes, and today, maybe you ate a little less, or at least, I hope so. But in eating a big family dinner, I was reminded of many Easter Sundays, seated as a family at my mother's table. Those were really good times, and I learned some important things there.

At my mother's table, I learned to sit and be still. We spent many a Sunday sitting for hours after a meal, just talking as a family and spending time together. It's a part of my "home" family that I miss, but it's a tradition I'm extending into my own family.

At my mother's table, I felt peace. There were never controversial discussions . . . never arguments . . . just chatter, great Southern food, and relaxation. Pink-silk-pajama relaxation.

At my mother's table, I learned love. I looked forward to every meal, knowing that her table was a place of acceptance. It was a place of no pressure . . . just easy, comfortable, Southern love.

And from these lessons at Momma's table, I learned a thing or two about God, even though I didn't know it at the time. God wants us to come to His table, sit in His presence and just be still. He wants us to put on our "pajamas" and relax at His table, not rushing away to wash the dishes or put the food in the refrigerator. He just wants us to sit at His feet and bask in conversation with Him. He wants us to find peace in His presence, peace that passes understanding. Peace that the world won't understand but we do when we sit still and let God share His bounty with us.

And finally, when we hang out with God, we experience love. Complete, unconditional, amazing love. Love that we can't earn, love that we can't buy . . . passionate, fatherly, magnificent, sacrificial love. I felt that at my momma's table, and I feel it even more powerfully at the Father's table. I know complete, total love when I look on the cross, knowing what He sacrificed for me. I know merciful love when I approach the mercy seat and find Jesus there, waiting to enfold me in His grace. I know fatherly love when He allows me to drop to my knees and cry in His presence, casting all my cares on Him, because as the scripture says, He cares for us.

So I guess my momma's table was a pretty good forerunner for what I am experiencing with God today, and if you're hungry, come to God's table and take a seat. You will leave there, never to hunger and thirst again, filled with God's righteousness and His power.

"Braveheart" and Some Good Theology

It might surprise some of you who don't know me so well to find out that my taste in movies is, well, . . . a little intense. I love a great story of suspense combined with love, revenge, passion, and just enough blood to keep it real. "Braveheart" is one of my "top 3" of all time, and I have watched it over and over, never failing to be captured by the story of William Wallace, a man who lived a passionate life for family, friends, and country. The evil Longshanks had Wallace's wife killed, and in that one act, he set off rebellion the likes of which I'm sure he wished he had never seen. You see, Wallace was a man of passion: he loved deeply . . . his wife, his country, and a future of freedom from tyranny. I love him for his passion, and so I watch again and again. There is one scene that hasn't left my mind lately, and I think there is some theological truth in it if we look at it in terms of God.

When Longshanks is on the warpath to kill Wallace, his beautiful daughter-in-law, whose own life is a sham of an arranged marriage (to Longshanks' homosexual son), has fallen in love with Wallace. In one scene in which she has risked her own life to carry vital information to Wallace, we hear these lines:

William Wallace: Why do you help me?
Princess Isabelle: Because of the way you are looking at me now.

And that's where I can't tear my mind away from God.

Lately in my own life, I've been facing some really difficult situations, and through everything, God has been here. He has been faithful, and He has delivered my family and me over and over. He has never failed to let me feel His presence, and in my prayers, I have found myself saying to God, "Why do you help me?" I surely don't deserve it; I haven't earned it; and I can never repay Him for all He has done for me. So again, I ask, "God, why do You help me?" And His answer is always the same in my heart: "Because of the way you are looking at me now."

Now I don't want to get into trouble with my more knowledgeable friends, so let me be very clear: I know that God loved me even before He formed me in the womb. He loved me long before I fell in love with Him, and He sacrificed His only Son so you and I could be forgiven and free. But I also know another truth: scripture says that when we delight in the Lord, He hears our prayers and He will give us the desires of our hearts. And when I look at God, I delight in Him every single day, simply because He is God, my Father, and He loved me first. I didn't always feel that way, but I do today. I am passionately in love with our giant-slaying, stone-rolling, bush-burning, veil-tearing God! And it pleases Him when I delight in Him! He has used my passion for Him to turn my desires into His desires; He has changed my heart, and I know that He celebrates when I fall to my knees or walk in the beauty of a spring day, all the while declaring my love for Him, the only Master of the Universe. (A little aside there for my boys . . .)

Again today and tomorrow and tomorrow, I will ask, "God, why do You help me?", and I pray that you will ask Him the same question. Let Him answer you with His great love. Let Him answer you by pouring His blessings into your life. Let Him answer you by reminding you that He loves it when you love Him with unbridled passion, making Him the focus of your existence. Make Him your magnificent obsession, and watch Him show off with His amazing grace and His mighty power over your life . . . the same power that raised Jesus from the dead on resurrection morning.

William Wallace changed a country because of his passionate love. God changed the whole world for eternity, and today, I will look on Him with eyes that show my adoration and my humility at being privileged to be a child of the King! Join me in loving Him and sharing His love with everyone whose life can be changed by a Savior. We have been passed over by the Death Angel and have been given new life in Christ; pass it on!

Peace Is Real

Time to get in the shower this morning, but I'm bursting at the seams to share something: I have sung all the songs, read the scriptures, and listened to the sermons on having peace in the midst of everything, but today I get it. I really, really get it. Soon I will share some stories of what's been happening, but I just need to share this word.

When God allows you to go through a trial of any kind,continue to sing songs of praise and lift up His mighty Name with thanksgiving. Live on your knees, trusting Him to be the good and powerful God He says He is. Speak only positive words, and believe for what you cannot see. And in the midst of the storms of life, you really can have peace and joy. Enough said for now. Just believe it -- it doesn't make sense in the world's eyes, but the peace of God passes understanding, and I have never felt so blessed in my whole life.

Praising God for unspeakable joy,
Jean

Life Comes at You Fast but God's Timing is Perfect

Well, good morning . . . this will be a quick moment because it's 5:00 AM and I have to go to work today, but I just had to share a word because my heart is full.

Have you seen those commercials that say, "Life comes at you fast"? Well, I think they have it right. Sometimes life just comes at you from all directions, and in the words of my dear friend, Jean, it "hits you in the back of the head with a 2 X 4." There's some truth to that but there are some bigger truths you need to know today.

When life comes at you fast, God has a plan. His timing isn't too fast or too slow. It is perfect, just as He is perfect. He orders our steps every single day, and in scripture it promises that those who wait on the Lord . . . wait on His timing. . will renew their strength and rise up on wings like eagles.

Truth #2: In the words of scripture, God can give us beauty from the ashes of our lives and joy for our mourning. I am living proof of that these days just as I have been in the past, and I am here to testify: when God allows us and those we love to rise from the ashes of life, He can and will do a new thing that will blow our minds! And when He gives us joy for our mourning, the joy is almost inexpressible. I have cried some genuine tears in recent weeks, but I have cried them before the mercy seat of my almighty God, and I know He holds my tears in His hands. He allows me to pour my heart out to Him and love Him in the midst of my tears, and then He can do miracles that I couldn't even imagine. He is so very good.

Truth #3: Sometimes when God is trying to answer our prayers, we need to pray, trust Him, and then BE QUIET! He knows so much more than we do what needs to be done, and He orchestrates things in a way that we couldn't even envision. He is the God who can do "exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ask or think" because His power is living in us, and that power is incredible.

I need to spend some time with God now, so this blog will close for today, but know this: no matter where you are today or what you are facing, you are a child of God. He loves you, He desires to be in a relationship with you, and He has a plan for your life . . . even for your difficulties. He is the God of the universe, and He can allow us to walk through fire and not even be burned. He can allow us to be in the rivers of life and not be overtaken. He can bring beauty from ashes. Believe it today and let Him do a work in you that you just won't believe!

Be blessed. I sure am.

Love you -- Jean

Ask and You Shall Receive . . . Be Careful!

I've been doing a lot of praying lately, and God has been doing a lot of listening . . . and answering. I've prayed for Him to enlarge my territory, particularly when it comes to His kingdom and how I could serve Him better through this website. As I have waited for Him to move, some interesting, difficult, and eye-opening things have been happening, and though I can't say that I have enjoyed all of this recent journey, I have realized that God is doing exactly what I asked. If I expect to write about living a tenacious life for Him, He had some things to teach me. Just as I had to become more of a writer to really be a believable writing teacher for my middle school students, I had to be a tenacious survivor to be able to share God's victories with all of you. And today, I have a message to share.

God can and does use the worst situations in our lives to draw us closer to Him and bring us to our knees before the Cross. And what do we find there when we lay ourselves bare and vulnerable before Him? We find strength from God that we don't have on our own. We find Him drawing us to His mercy seat. We find comfort from the greatest Comforter of all. And we find healing from the Great Physician. Try to survive the storms of life without Him, and you miss out on so many blessings, which brings me to my next point to share.

Every time I cry out to God in despair and allow Him to shine light on the dark places of my messed up heart, He helps me "grow up" in Him. He doesn't seem to mind that I cry and pitch a small fit before His throne, as long as I come in honesty, sharing my pain and disappointment with life and inviting Him to fill every inch of me.

There's one more thing . . . a warning that I want to share: if you seek God in your pain, praise Him in your storms, and trust Him completely, Satan will attack you. He hates worshipers who sing during battle and go to the front lines with voices of praise because it is in our total devotion to God and trust in His Word that Satan loses His power. He has already lost the war; Jesus took care of that on the Cross, and every time we stay in faith, even when crying out to God, Satan loses all over again.

I love it. God: one more victory. Satan: zero. I pray that your "score" will reflect the same.

Peace Really Is Reality

God never ceases to amaze me, and lately, I feel like I am being surrounded on all sides with incredible God winks and nudgings of His presence. And trust me: you don't want to know everything because it would bore you to tears, but let's just say that everywhere I look, I see and feel evidence of God's presence, and in that presence, there is peace. Incredible, calming peace. I have always known that I am supposed to have peace in the midst of storms, but until now, it was head knowledge, but I can joyfully -- and peacefully -- say that it has moved from my head to my heart! Praise God!

When God says that we can have peace that passes understanding, He really does mean it. It's not a pie in the sky thing to be attained; it is real and powerful. I found my peace by doing what I should have been doing all along: seeking Him and only Him, first and foremost. I have been seeking His face, His presence, and His direction. I have sought Him through prayer and through the pages of His Word. I have stopped asking for answers and just asked Him to show up and let me bask in His glory, and in this time of searching, He has given me peace.

Today I know that when He says His timing is perfect in the situations of my life, He means it. He is never early and never late, and when He brings dreams to fulfillment in His timetable, it takes my breath away. Today I know that when He says He is drawing the people I love unto Him, I can rest in that promise and let Him do what he does best. Today I know that music lifted in praise to God is healing to my soul, even in the darkest times, and I am blessed. Today I know that total surrender brings total freedom: the paradox of all paradoxes. And I just love knowing that my God, my Father, my Healer, and my Comforter is a God of the unexpected . . . a God of surprises that . . . well, once again, take my breath away. Today I am sure that my God has a much better plan for me that I have for myself . . . exceedingly and abundantly more glorious than I could ask or think because in that plan, He will be glorified.

Today I sit at my computer, bursting with joy to relay to you that I am, in the words of one of my favorite songs, desperate for God. I want to love Him, serve Him, and know that I am walking out the plans He has for me, and at the end of every day, I want to know that my destiny has never been about me. And I am grateful . . . so very grateful . . . that God is a patient Father who waited for me to figure out that a life lived for Him is the only life worth living. Wherever you are in your journey, know that He loves you supremely and He wants you to live in peace. If you are struggling with the pains and difficulties of life,seek Him and study His Word, and send me a prayer request. I would be humbled to have the privilege of praying your name because when two or more agree, there is power, and I'm sure there is peace. Reach out and let's stand in faith together, serving our gracious and paradoxical God!

Blessed to Be Broken

It's early on a Thursday morning, so this will be short, but there's something I need to share. In the past days, God has been revealing Himself to me in amazing ways. It's been coming for a long time, and now I'm starting to see tiny pieces of His plan come together in powerful and mighty ways. So here are two truths you have to know.
1) We are blessed to be broken. Yes, broken and blessed. God uses broken, messed up people to accomplish His will, and it is in our brokenness that we reach out to the God of the universe, finding that our strength is not in ourselves but in the God who lives in us. He lives inside each one of us, and when our strength is gone, His is perfect. PERFECT! I don't have to be perfect; I just have to need God, honor God, seek God. He is PERFECT! What a blessing!
2) God's promises are real. They are true. They don't change. They are enough. What promises? He loves us! He has a plan for our lives. He will carry us through the fire. He will reveal Himself to us when we spend time seeking Him. The promises go on and on. My favorite one right now is that He has given me the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all power of the evil one! What a powerful promise! And another? I am NOT to cast away my confidence in God and His Word for in that confidence is great reward!

Okay . . . this is not great writing but it sure is truth. Call out to God today. Don't wait another minute. Spend time with Him and let Him put His desires in your heart so that what you want is what He wants for you. If you are thinking, "I just don't know where to start," then just call out His name. It will be enough because He is there waiting for you. He is a tenacious God, and He never gives up on us, so let Him love you today. I sure intend to do the same, and precious friends, you will be in my prayers as I hit my knees this morning. Bask in God's love and let Him enjoy you as His precious child!

Be broken, be humble, and be tenacious!

Great Thoughts for 2011

I am on a short but needed sabbatical from my music position at church, so I am visiting other churches for worship in January. Yesterday I went to The Rock with my daughter and son, and I was blessed by the pastor's words. He preached about Joseph (Old Testament), and he made some big points. I'm not going to steal his thunder because they were his words, but I want to share something simple but profound that he said: everything points to Jesus. Everything. Not a few things. Everything.
Think about it.

I am in a time of searching, seeking, and listening for God's voice concerning my life and my future ministry, and everything points to Jesus. Everything in my life has been preparing me to serve Him, love Him, and honor Him. And I don't just mean the good stuff. God has allowed me to go through some nasty junk, but He has used it to teach me about compassion (still working on that one, BTW), forgiveness, humility . . . He has not wasted one thing in my life, but has used it all to point to Him. I'm reminded of that song that is used at many weddings -- "Bless the Broken Road" --, but ever since I heard it sung as an ode to God, I think of the lyrics differently: "I couldn't see how everything pointed straight to You, but every long lost dream led me to where You are. Others who broke my heart . . . they were just northern stars leading me on my way into Your loving arms . . . This much I know is true: God blessed the broken road that led me straight to You." So again, I am reminded that everything points to Jesus.

If you are suffering today, for whatever reason, let your suffering draw you closer to God. If you have been hurt by people and life's unfair circumstances, let these things draw you closer to Jesus, the one who suffered on the cross for you because He loves you so much. If you have been blessed, let your praise and thanksgiving point straight to God. Let everything in your life be an arrow, pointing you directly to the One who gives you life and desires for you to live abundantly in His grace. You will never be sorry that you got in His boat and paddled in His direction. He is waiting with anticipation.

Thanks, Kevin (Pastor Kevin Childs, The Rock) for reminding me once again of this eternal truth. Your God-inspired sermon pointed to Jesus, and I was blessed.