One of the books I’ve been reading lately is One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. The premise is to give thanks for all the little things we rarely notice so that we can become people of gratitude. Some of the items Ann gives thanks for are the rainbows that form in dishwater suds, clean clothes hanging on the line and the smile of her baby.
As I’ve read her incredible writing and thought more about giving thanks, I’ve noticed more of life’s details to praise God for. The robins who keep determining that it is spring, in spite of our snowy weather. The fact that whenever I turn my key in the ignition, my car’s motor roars to life. The internet connection that helps me do research.
It’s easy to thank God for the days that are sunny and the circumstances that are comfortable, but staying in an attitude of thanksgiving helps broaden our faith when life is hard. I tried this practice the other day while sitting in the dentist’s chair with my mouth wide open and the squeal of the drill setting my remaining teeth on edge.
“Thank you, God, for the technology we have so that this filling can be fixed. Thank you for quality dental care here in the U.S. Thank you for the COBRA insurance that will help pay for this bill.”
Instead of praying for help while in the dentist’s chair, thanking God for the blessings of the moment made it a more worthwhile and even worshipful time. As Voscamp explains, “Eucharisteo (giving thanks) always precedes the miracle.”
Maybe the real miracle is the transformation of our hearts as we give thanks in all things.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
A Few Days Respite
Last weekend, I experienced three glorious days of respite. No bills were due and none came in the mail. No major appliances broke, and the car continued to take me where I needed to go. Although my son had a slight cold, we didn’t have to go to the doctor. OTC drugs took care of it – and God’s healing power.
For three glorious days, nothing happened to try to steal my joy. I roamed through a couple of home décor stores, just enjoying the textures and colors of pillows and bedding. At a local coffee place, I used a free coupon for a cup of hot tea. I spent time out on my deck, reading a good book and praising God for spring.
Before the fourth day flipped over on the calendar, I praised God for three days free of worry and care. It gave me a foretaste of what heaven will be like: no bills, no stress, no illness and none of the tendencies we have toward sin. Just pure peace and joy and the raptures of God’s love all around us.
After those three days of respite, life kicked in again. I was spiritually attacked, my desktop computer died, and no more support came in for my job. Discouragement tried to visit me, but God urged me to read Psalm 52 and concentrate on verses 8-9, “I am like an olive tree, flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever. I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.”
For three glorious days, nothing happened to try to steal my joy. I roamed through a couple of home décor stores, just enjoying the textures and colors of pillows and bedding. At a local coffee place, I used a free coupon for a cup of hot tea. I spent time out on my deck, reading a good book and praising God for spring.
Before the fourth day flipped over on the calendar, I praised God for three days free of worry and care. It gave me a foretaste of what heaven will be like: no bills, no stress, no illness and none of the tendencies we have toward sin. Just pure peace and joy and the raptures of God’s love all around us.
After those three days of respite, life kicked in again. I was spiritually attacked, my desktop computer died, and no more support came in for my job. Discouragement tried to visit me, but God urged me to read Psalm 52 and concentrate on verses 8-9, “I am like an olive tree, flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever. I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.”
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Blessed Insurance
For the past two weeks, I’ve been searching for health insurance. I’ve looked at numerous websites and spoken to several insurance reps. These are helpful people whom I appreciate, because they help me muddle through the paperwork. So far, I have not found affordable insurance that a part-time-raising-funds-and-hoping-to-be-full-time job can support. It’s one of those conundrums of life: insurance – can’t live with it or without it.
So I come back to the only One who gives me any type of real and lasting insurance – Jesus Christ. He reminds me of the words penned by his servant David, “Do not fret; it leads only to evil” (Psalm 37:8b).
What is the evil that can result from fretting about insurance? Worry that keeps me from sleeping at night and getting the rest that my body needs. Worry that I might have a terrible accident and have no insurance to cover it. Worry that I might end up bankrupt and foreclosed on, because the medical bills took everything. Worry that I might lose everything anyway, because the cost of the insurance is prohibitive. Fret = worry = the evil of a life not in trust.
All I can do is try to work with the reps and find the best plan for me, then trust God with the rest of life. He is faithful to keep me healthy, to protect me from accident and to provide the funds necessary to be a good steward. He is faithful when life doesn’t work out the way it should. He is faithful when we don’t know which path to choose. He is faithful enough that we can trust him.
So we’re back to the issue of trust again – and staying in the hope that trust brings.
So I come back to the only One who gives me any type of real and lasting insurance – Jesus Christ. He reminds me of the words penned by his servant David, “Do not fret; it leads only to evil” (Psalm 37:8b).
What is the evil that can result from fretting about insurance? Worry that keeps me from sleeping at night and getting the rest that my body needs. Worry that I might have a terrible accident and have no insurance to cover it. Worry that I might end up bankrupt and foreclosed on, because the medical bills took everything. Worry that I might lose everything anyway, because the cost of the insurance is prohibitive. Fret = worry = the evil of a life not in trust.
All I can do is try to work with the reps and find the best plan for me, then trust God with the rest of life. He is faithful to keep me healthy, to protect me from accident and to provide the funds necessary to be a good steward. He is faithful when life doesn’t work out the way it should. He is faithful when we don’t know which path to choose. He is faithful enough that we can trust him.
So we’re back to the issue of trust again – and staying in the hope that trust brings.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Signs of Spring
A week after the paralyzing blizzard of 2011, I looked outside my front window. Cloudy skies reflected brief rays of sunshine. Piles of icy snow blocked areas of my cul-de-sac like giant icebergs. Ice melt formed tiny puddles of frigid water.
But in my redbud tree, scores of robins perched on the winter-brown limbs. I had never seen so many robins in one place, let alone in my own front yard. Though the calendar read the middle of February, this cadre of robins announced the coming of spring.
“Thank you, God. I so needed the encouragement of those robins. Thank you for sending them to my redbud tree.”
After this year of unemployment and weeks of godly discipline, my soul needed to be reminded that spring was peeking out from the next calendar page. The robins were a sign that the long siege had ended, and God was sending a refreshing change. During 2010, God had poked at me from his word and prodded me to seek him rather than the security of a job. He asked me to love him again with all my heart, soul, mind and strength – to enjoy his presence more than the presence of a paycheck. He wanted me to covet the divine whisper rather than the things of this world.
With my soul in raw tatters, I repented of worldly attitudes and felt once again the warmth of spiritual healing. Each day brought more strength and a renewed sense of gratitude for all God had taught me.
Now – the robins promised spring – just as God provided a fresh healing in my soul.
But in my redbud tree, scores of robins perched on the winter-brown limbs. I had never seen so many robins in one place, let alone in my own front yard. Though the calendar read the middle of February, this cadre of robins announced the coming of spring.
“Thank you, God. I so needed the encouragement of those robins. Thank you for sending them to my redbud tree.”
After this year of unemployment and weeks of godly discipline, my soul needed to be reminded that spring was peeking out from the next calendar page. The robins were a sign that the long siege had ended, and God was sending a refreshing change. During 2010, God had poked at me from his word and prodded me to seek him rather than the security of a job. He asked me to love him again with all my heart, soul, mind and strength – to enjoy his presence more than the presence of a paycheck. He wanted me to covet the divine whisper rather than the things of this world.
With my soul in raw tatters, I repented of worldly attitudes and felt once again the warmth of spiritual healing. Each day brought more strength and a renewed sense of gratitude for all God had taught me.
Now – the robins promised spring – just as God provided a fresh healing in my soul.
Friday, February 25, 2011
When Silence Answers
So many times, we pray and God sends an answer. He heals, he provides and he protects. We depend on God to guide us through the journeys of life and help us find direction. He often surprises us with miracles and with his divine whisper. His answers help us feel loved and secure in the knowledge that he will never leave us.
But what about those times when he doesn’t answer? I had that experience this week. After more than a year when God provided for us financially – often through miraculous means – suddenly this month, we ran out of money. I prayed, I fasted, I expected another check to arrive in the mail. But even the publishers who owed me money didn’t come through. Nothing happened to prevent the checking account landing on the negative side.
When silence answers, I believe God is still at work. He still heals, protects and provides. He still cares about us and wants to send a joy-filled miracle. But he also has reasons for not coming through with a concrete answer. That’s when he sends us back to Psalm 63:8, “My soul clings to you. Your right hand upholds me.”
Silence is not the same as absence. God is still there. He is working behind the scenes to craft a miracle in our souls and push us toward a deeper trust. He has not forgotten how to provide nor has he refused to care. He is just doing a more important work. Caring for the soul and fashioning it to be more like His Son is more vital than placing a check in the mailbox.
When silence answers – cling to God even more tightly. Let him uphold you with His powerful right hand. Let Him love you until the answer comes.
But what about those times when he doesn’t answer? I had that experience this week. After more than a year when God provided for us financially – often through miraculous means – suddenly this month, we ran out of money. I prayed, I fasted, I expected another check to arrive in the mail. But even the publishers who owed me money didn’t come through. Nothing happened to prevent the checking account landing on the negative side.
When silence answers, I believe God is still at work. He still heals, protects and provides. He still cares about us and wants to send a joy-filled miracle. But he also has reasons for not coming through with a concrete answer. That’s when he sends us back to Psalm 63:8, “My soul clings to you. Your right hand upholds me.”
Silence is not the same as absence. God is still there. He is working behind the scenes to craft a miracle in our souls and push us toward a deeper trust. He has not forgotten how to provide nor has he refused to care. He is just doing a more important work. Caring for the soul and fashioning it to be more like His Son is more vital than placing a check in the mailbox.
When silence answers – cling to God even more tightly. Let him uphold you with His powerful right hand. Let Him love you until the answer comes.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Hope in the Unknown
Every time I turn on the television, pictures are being broadcast from the Middle East. After the revolution in Egypt, other nations surrounding Israel are in the midst of chaos and protest. It seems that volatile region again is embroiled in controversy and instability.
I have never pretended to be a scholar of prophecy, but every time something happens in that region of the world, I wonder…is this another sign of the end times? Is the anti-Christ on the verge of being revealed? Is it time for Christ to return and take his children home?
The Bible reminds us that no man knows the hour when the Son of Man returns, but we can be wise and fervent in our prayers. While we live each day here, our hearts yearn for the safety and security of those heavenly streets – the place where we will be free of all suffering, all despair and all sin.
But at the same time, our hearts break for the thousands of people who do not yet understand their need for a Savior:for those 20 Somethings who are just beginning their careers with hope and determination - yet without God, for those teenagers who are active in school and sports - but not actively seeking the Lord, for those farther along in age who have lived their entire lives without the peace of the Holy Spirit. These are the souls that should be most concerned about the situations in the Middle East.
Whether or not Christ comes back today, we who belong to him live in hope. But we must also live with the mindset of our mission – to make disciples of Jesus Christ and to share His love with the masses. The future is unknown, but our task is not. We must pray and work and live with that focus in mind. The clock is always ticking.
I have never pretended to be a scholar of prophecy, but every time something happens in that region of the world, I wonder…is this another sign of the end times? Is the anti-Christ on the verge of being revealed? Is it time for Christ to return and take his children home?
The Bible reminds us that no man knows the hour when the Son of Man returns, but we can be wise and fervent in our prayers. While we live each day here, our hearts yearn for the safety and security of those heavenly streets – the place where we will be free of all suffering, all despair and all sin.
But at the same time, our hearts break for the thousands of people who do not yet understand their need for a Savior:for those 20 Somethings who are just beginning their careers with hope and determination - yet without God, for those teenagers who are active in school and sports - but not actively seeking the Lord, for those farther along in age who have lived their entire lives without the peace of the Holy Spirit. These are the souls that should be most concerned about the situations in the Middle East.
Whether or not Christ comes back today, we who belong to him live in hope. But we must also live with the mindset of our mission – to make disciples of Jesus Christ and to share His love with the masses. The future is unknown, but our task is not. We must pray and work and live with that focus in mind. The clock is always ticking.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Planted
Who among us can truly understand the mysterious and wonderful workings of God? After all these months, praying and searching and waiting – God suddenly speaks the word and everything falls into place.
This week, I accepted a part-time position at a Christian nonprofit ministry (Check out www.gatewayofhopeministries.org). Gateway of Hope is a place of serenity, of seeking God’s wholeness for women who have been abused or women who just need to rest. The ministries include counseling, healing prayer, mini-retreats and support groups. We provide interesting workshops, a beautiful and peaceful setting and a gathering place where women can find encouragement. I will be the Program Director, working to implement the retreats and groups, managing the communications and helping to grow the organization. I will have the privilege of raising support and trusting God each month to provide the finances my son and I need in order to survive. What an awesome and humbling opportunity.
Because this is a part-time position, I will have time to continue writing and editing. With time, the Gateway position may include more hours, depending on the donations that come in. I am so grateful for all the lessons of faith God has taught me – how to trust him when the circumstances seem bleak, how to praise him when the answer is silence, how to believe that his love for me never ceases.
Isaiah wrote it well, “A planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor” (Isa. 61:3b). God has planted me. May I display his splendor.
This week, I accepted a part-time position at a Christian nonprofit ministry (Check out www.gatewayofhopeministries.org). Gateway of Hope is a place of serenity, of seeking God’s wholeness for women who have been abused or women who just need to rest. The ministries include counseling, healing prayer, mini-retreats and support groups. We provide interesting workshops, a beautiful and peaceful setting and a gathering place where women can find encouragement. I will be the Program Director, working to implement the retreats and groups, managing the communications and helping to grow the organization. I will have the privilege of raising support and trusting God each month to provide the finances my son and I need in order to survive. What an awesome and humbling opportunity.
Because this is a part-time position, I will have time to continue writing and editing. With time, the Gateway position may include more hours, depending on the donations that come in. I am so grateful for all the lessons of faith God has taught me – how to trust him when the circumstances seem bleak, how to praise him when the answer is silence, how to believe that his love for me never ceases.
Isaiah wrote it well, “A planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor” (Isa. 61:3b). God has planted me. May I display his splendor.
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