The Jewelry Box

I hate to untangle necklaces! Ever have the really small chains that get so intermingled it is difficult to see the end from the beginning? Those are the worst! As I was sitting down to separate a few of Ashlee’s knotted chains I got to thinking about how this represented life. Each one of us encounters knots along the way. Trials and suffering are inevitable. Straight pin in hand, I knew I was in for a very frustrating and LONG session with those necklaces.

As I worked at each knot, the Lord began to speak to me about His will for my life. It is undeniable that at some point in time, necklaces shoved into a jewelry box will become knotted. They will not “un-knot” themselves; someone will have to intervene, action will need to be taken, and they will have to be stored a different way to avoid the same thing happening again.

I was reminded of the young man I had prayed with that previous Sunday. I did not know what he was facing, but I knew it was potentially devastating. In his eyes, I could see fear and remorse. I told him that no matter what had happened up to this point, God can, will, and does forgive those who ask for forgiveness. He will not remove us from situations, but He will always walk with us. Just like the necklace, his life was a tangled mess and I do not think he could see the end from the beginning. I wondered if anyone had ever expressed to him that he was loved and valuable in the eyes of the Lord? How many other lives were intermingled with his because of his decisions? How long would this process take for him and what happens when it is all over?

Just as we have the power to cause harm to others, we also have the power to heal thru sharing Christ. My words to him were not hollow or empty, but filled with genuine hope and promise. As he left, I could see that part of his burden had been lifted. Why? Because he knew that he was not alone!

What a privilege it is to be involved in the gnarled chaos of others lives! As women in ministry, this is a heavy burden, yet one of the most rewarding! Our intervention as representatives of Jesus is crucial for those who are in despair. Be encouraged that your words, spoken in love and kindness, will be used of the Lord regardless of how tired or burdened you become. No matter how God instructs you, He will give you the energy, drive, and time to complete it. You DO make a difference!

The storing process of those untangled necklaces and lives can be extremely overwhelming at first. Just where are we going to put them?! Once again, the answer comes from the Father. He knows just where to store that gem and how to showcase it.
Find rest in the fact that you do not have to have all the answers because Jesus does.

So, open up that jewelry box! Do not be afraid to untangle the most knotted necklace you can find. Once your task is complete, you will be able to realize that you had a small part in that beautiful piece of jewelry. Go ahead, grab that straight pin and dive in!

Do You Hear What I Hear?

When I was young, my favorite Christmas movie was The Little Drummer Boy. I also loved a song in the movie called, "Do You Hear What I Hear" by Noel Regney and Gloria Shayne. Perhaps it was the haunting melody of the song that soothed my soul or maybe the concept of the second verse;

"Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear?
Ringing through the sky shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear?
A song, a song
High above the tree
With a voice as big as the seas
With a voice as big as the seas"

Now that I have you humming Christmas songs in July, read the verse again. A simple question is asked, yet a simple answer cannot be given because I do not hear what you hear. We all hear differently.

During heated discussions we may assume others hear and understand what we are saying in the manner in which it is intended, but the reality is many times they do not. When I say to my spouse that my feelings are not hurt by his actions, does he hear the quiver in my voice? It is definitely there and in my opinion, screaming loudly for all to hear, yet does he hear what I hear? If I am asked to do a favor for a friend and the request is followed by, "It's okay if you can't," is it really okay? Did I hear that correctly? Do you hear what I hear?

How about when God speaks to us. There are many examples in the Bible that seem clear enough! Adam heard God's voice in the Garden of Eden when He asked,"Where are you?" (Genesis 3:9) Moses heard God's voice when he received the Ten Commandments, "Then the Lord said to
Moses. . ." (Exodus 34:27-28). As Jesus was baptized, John the Baptist and those crowded around the Jordan River heard God's voice respond, "This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased," (Matthew 3:17).

Unfortunately, I have never heard the voice of God audibly, nor have I known anyone who has, yet I do hear Him. I hear Him on my morning walks with our oldest daughter, Ashlee, as she shares with me her hopes and dreams and what God is doing in her life. I hear Him as I watch our youngest daughter, Paige, practice ballet with her class. She is so graceful and there is such peace and fluidity in her movements that I can hear God gently whisper the same to me. I hear Him as I listen each Sunday morning to my husband, Bill, preach the Word of God at Bethlehem Chapel. I know this one seems obvious, but the journey to arrive at this place has been a wild ride! As I listen, I hear once again the promises made in the quiet secret times with the Lord. I remember the voice that I heard all those years speaking life, freedom, and hope.

My place in life is not the same as yours! The promises made to me are mine, not for anyone else. Each one of us has a unique call from the Lord with talents and gifts to sustain that call. I cannot hear for anyone else. What do you hear when you quiet yourself before the Lord? How about when life is not so quiet, what can you hear? He is speaking, but the question is not "Do You Hear What I Hear?" The question for each of us should simply be, "Am I Listening?"

Hi, my name is . . .

My father was a very opinionated man. His approval or lack of approval affected me more than I can even convey. As a little girl, there was nothing better than sharing something with my dad and having his face light up with satisfaction and pride over something I had accomplished or achieved. That did not stop when I became an adult. In fact, I think my need for his approval increased. When something life changing would come my way, Dad was the first person I wanted to share it with. I needed his advice, comfort, and opinion. I needed to know what he thought not only about the situation, but his opinion of me. Then one day, he was gone; consumed by a massive heart attack and gone in an instant. Ten years later, I still find myself wanting to pick up the phone and share moments of my life with him.
My mom is the quiet advice giver. She has shown me more than she has told me. Her perspective is very different than Dad’s. I value her opinion and need it just as much as I needed his.
Having the approval of someone we love often equates with how we view ourselves. If someone is pleased with me, then I must be a good person; positive feedback = good person. The flip side is the opposite; negative feedback = bad person.
The society in which we live is a performance driven environment. When we meet someone for the first time part of our initial conversation includes, “Hi my name
is. . .” and then we pause to receive their response. This leads to other questions such as, “What do you do for a living?” or “How many children do you have?” or “Where do you live?” The answers to these questions quickly begin to formulate a picture and tell a story of the person we have just met. For example, she is a doctor, she lives in an exclusive gated community, she has twelve children. Our responses shape the opinions of others and ultimately lead them to draw certain conclusions which, over time, can eventually begin to define who we are.. Some might think; Oh, she’s a doctor, she must be rich. A gated community?! Rich and untouchable! What? Twelve kids?!! Ok this chick is rich, untouchable, and crazy! The more we answer these same questions, the more our answers shape who we become and God says we are much more than what we do or where we live or what we have!
None of the above answers are wrong, after all, they are based on facts about our lives. God may have gifted you as a doctor and blessed you with an opportunity to live in a gated community and if He has, more power to you! You go girl with those twelve little ones! An issue arises when we begin to allow the facts of our lives to define who we are. Yes, I may be a doctor (not really), and I may live in an exclusive gated community (I wish!), and I may have twelve children (no, I do not), but these things only characterize my situation or position in life, not my soul or my purpose.
We all want to be liked. I believe it is a basic human need. Unfortunately, none of us enjoy this all the time. There will always be those who disagree with our profession, the way you raise our children, and our opinions. Jesus himself did not have everyone’s approval all of the time. However, there was one whose opinion mattered most of all, His heavenly Father.
So, what is God’s opinion you? What does He think about me? I am sure there are times when He laughs at me, maybe even yells at me, possibly shakes His head in complete frustration. Through it all, He still loves me.
Remember the old saying that goes something like, “They broke the mold when they made you.” Well, guess what, He really did. Each one of us are created completely different, yet still in the image of God. Isn’t that a crazy thought?!!
Life is full of choices; some made by us and some made by others. I have been overwhelmed at times by choices made on my behalf that could have defined who I was. As Bill and I prepare to celebrate 23 years of marriage, I am reminded of standing before an altar looking into his eyes and having him choose me to be his wife. Three years ago, we stood before a congregation of people who voted unanimously for us to be their shepherd and lead the congregation of Bethlehem Chapel. These are just two examples of times where I have been completely consumed with responsibility and joy all at the same time. I could easily have let these two situations ultimately define who I am. Yet, John 15:16 lays out something different for each of us, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. . .” We have been chosen by the One who set the foundation of the world! God must think we are capable of more than we realize and able to accomplish His will here on earth.
The following is from an outstanding book by Dr. Neil Anderson “Living Free in Christ.” I highly recommend it! Here is what God thinks about you. You are. . .

Salt and light of the earth (Matthew 5:13-14)
A branch of the true vine (John 15:1, 5)
God’s temple (1 Corinthians 3:16)
A minister of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
God’s co-worker (1 Corinthians 3:9)
Seated with Christ (Ephesians 2:6)
God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10)
God’s child (John 1:12)
Justified (Romans 5:1)
Adopted as God’s child (Ephesians 1:5)
Redeemed and forgiven (Colossians 1:14)
Complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10)

Using myself as an example, I am so much more than a wife, mother, or the sum of my many other roles. Each one is important, but they are not the true definition of who I am. The next time you meet someone, ask them the tough questions, the ones that get to the core of who they really are and the position they want to be. Ask them about their hopes and dreams, their desires and plans, their goals and gifts, don’t be satisfied with the response to the usual, “Hi, my name is. . .”

When did I forget. . . ?

No one wants to be forgotten. It is a small child's greatest fear. It is a the greatest fear of those nearing the end of their lives. Forgotten.

Webster's second definition of the word forget is, "To treat with inattention or disregard; to slight; to neglect." To forget means we have had memory or knowledge of something at the start. At some point, whether through inattention or neglect, we forget that which we know to be true.

I love the stories about Nehemiah in the Old Testament. Nehemiah was in the service of King Artaxerxes of Susa. He learns from Hanani, his brother, that his homeland of Jerusalem is in danger. The walls surrounding his beloved city have been destroyed and his people are in grave danger. King Artaxerxes notices his despair and listens to his concerns. Nehemiah wants to rebuild the city! The king grants his request. That was easy.

Of course, the rebuilding is not easy. There is opposition, specifically by two men named Sanballat and Tobiah. Camps are formed and plans are made to halt the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Nemehiah 4:8 "They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it."

Here is my favorite verse of this chapter, verse 9, "BUT WE PRAYED to our God. . ." I do not think Nehemiah forgot who God was or what He could do! They did not run, they did not hide, they did not quarrel amongst themselves or complain, they prayed.

In my devotions this morning there was this line regarding a story of a woman's faith, "Through prayer, she regained a proper perspective of God." My perspective of God is often times shaped by my surroundings and my circumstances. However, the author of this devotional was saying that prayer can "right" a "wrong" perspective.

When did I forget that God has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand? When did I forget that the breadth of His hand marked off the heavens? When did I forget that He holds the dust of the earth in a basket or that He weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills on a balance? (Isaiah 40:12)

"To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to?" (Isaiah 40:18) What earthly image is there to compare God? As difficult as it is for me to wrap my mind around the concept of eternity this verse reminds me that it is equally difficult to even begin to compare Him to anything that I can see, touch, feel, or experience.

When did I forget. . . ?

High Heels and Fiber

This weekend I was at a large retail store making a purchase. As I finished shopping and was checking out, I happened to glance down at the conveyor belt where I had placed my items for check out. I had to laugh because on that belt were; a pair of high heels and a container of fiber! What a combo! I never thought I would arrive at this day, purchasing fiber!

Later, I began to realize that the combination of those two purchases represented something about my life. Ever have one of those, "How in the world did I get here?" moments? I suppose I had one of those that day.

One of my favorite scriptures of all time is Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, "'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Many times, this reference is used in reference to newborns or graduating high school seniors, however, I feels it applies to all of us on a daily basis. How many times have I been disappointed by God's movement, or lack of movement. If I am to answer that question honestly, I must confess, many times over!

Back to my example. When I mentioned high heels, you must realize that the shoes I was purchasing that day were in no way the same kind of heels that I used to wear! When I was in college and in my early 20's, shoes were what I saved my money for. I would scout out the local specialty shoe stores, they knew me by name, on a weekly basis. Once I found THE pair of shoes, I saved and saved. Now, I am going to "date" myself when I say, I would put them on "layaway." Every extra dollar I had would be stashed away in an envelop until I had enough to break those stilettos out of jail!

Looking at those shoes at the check out line, I realized that they represented something long past. I am still the same person, still love shoes, however, I have definitely changed. The shoes are not the same style as they used to be. The shoes are more practical. The shoes are more functional. The styles and heel height have been altered to suit my present needs. I am no longer in my 20's, I am in my mid 40's, therefore, I can no longer "work" those shoes as I once could. My life has been altered through my experiences and by my perceptions of those experiences.

This is just one example of the cruelness of life and I am being facetious here, but in all seriousness, this is a difficult part of life. It is overwhelming to come to the realization that things we have worked for or dreamed about just haven't turned out the way we planned. I never planned for my father to suddenly pass away from a massive heart attack at age 59, but that is what happened. I never planned to wait 6 1/2 years for our precious Paige to be born. I never planned to give up on having more children, but I did. I never planned for illness to strike our beautiful 11 year old daughter and change her life forever, but it did. I never planned on losing a job and being left with nothing for months on end, having to receive groceries and money from virtual strangers, but it did, more than once! I never planned on injuring my back to the point of being unable to walk for 6 months, but it happened! None of these events were planned, not by me anyway! However, each one of them has taught me something about myself, and something about life in general. I would not be who I am today without each of these heart breaking experiences.

This leads me to the fiber - the reality of where I am in life! Anyone else relate?! Fiber is for old people, right? No, not really! It is certainly NOT something I ever envisioned needing! Fortunately, the Lord gives us the opportunity over and over to practice accepting reality, by giving us larger doses of it as time goes on! So, what do we do when we realize we are not in the place we thought we would be or things have not turned out the way we expected?

Isaiah 25:1 reminds me that ". . . in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago." All the high heels and all the fiber of my life was planned long ago by the One who knows exactly what I need and when I need it. God has not been blind-sided by my sudden need for certain things or over my turning away from others. It is all part of His plan for my life. His plan, which is perfect, to give me hope and a future. Yes, the realization of certain realities may be painful, but only last for a season.

Going back to Jeremiah 29 verses 13 and 14, God reminds us that when we seek Him with all of our heart, we will find Him, "I will be found by you." Are you looking for him in your shoe choices? How about in the those "fiber" times of life, are you finding Him there?

Allowing ourselves to release the past (heels) and embrace the present (fiber), gives us the clarity of thought we need to focus on His future.