Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Beauty for the Broken’ Category

A Dying Daughter Asks a Question Her Mother Couldn’t Answer

Posted in Beauty for the Broken, compassion, Faith, God's Authors, grace, intentional living, Kisses from God, Let's Get Real, Living by Grace, Praise, salvation, tagged , , , , , on May 9, 2013 | 14 Comments »

TeresaPollardCroppedWatching your daughter fight for life must be unbearable. Hearing her gut-honest questions–questions that appear to have no answers this side of heaven–is unfathomable. So how did Teresa Pollard answer the heart-wrenching question–why do bad things happen to good people? Not with words, but with love. Today, after her daughter’s death, she addresses the question again. Not with anger or bitterness nor a raised fist at God, but instead, with the answer that can only come from surrendered faith.

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

By Teresa Pollard

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope.      Romans 5:3-4

There are several important themes in our novel Not Guilty, but possibly the main one is:  why does it seem sometimes that bad things rain on good people like monstrous thunderstorms, while (at least for a time) bad people keep getting away with their malicious and evil deeds?  Candi Pullen and I both lost our daughters at very young ages, so it’s a theme that’s become extremely important to us even though the novel was actually written before either death occurred.

When my daughter, Kara, lay dying of cervical cancer, 1100587_hospital_handthis was the question she kept asking me.  She wanted to know what she had done to deserve such an early death.  She knew she was saved and had a home in heaven, but she had a young son who needed his mommy, and she didn’t want to leave him.

I didn’t really have an answer for her.

All I could do was tell her I loved her, and that I knew that God loved her too.

I think one of the first songs I ever learned as a small child was Jesus loves me.  When Kara was born, her daddy sang it to her in the delivery room while the doctors worked on me.  She believed that Jesus loved her, but she didn’t really understand why a loving God would let cancer happen to her.  I’ve spent a lot of time over the last six years pondering the same question.

The Apostle Paul pondered it too.  He was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, hungry, thirsty, in danger from all directions, and in great emotional distress.  Was he some kind of a super Christian who could endure things that just aren’t possible for us normal folks?  No.  He was a man just like we are.  He admitted weakness.  In fact, he said if he had to boast about anything, it would be his weakness, because he knew that it is in our weakness that we find God’s strength.

In the thirteen months between the diagnosis and Kara’s actual death, I shed countless tears.  I ranted at God, and I prayed and begged Him to spare her life.  He said “no.”  I was helpless.  I would have given anything to be able to save my daughter’s life, but all I could do was entrust her to the Lord’s keeping.  And that’s where I found strength.  That’s the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian.   We have hope.

This earthly life isn’t the end or even a large part of our existence.  It’s a tiny speck of time.  But it’s the speck that determines where we will spend 248782_carnations_pink_2eternity.  Not only that, but it also determines our rewards in that eternity. One of Kara’s last deeds before she became too ill to go anywhere was to take 300 carnations with messages of hope to patients in the hospital where she had spent so many of her days.   The Bible tells us that God even rewards a cup of cold water given in His name.  I wonder what the reward is for 300 carnations given by a dying mother to bring hope to patients in great need of that hope.

In Psalm 73:3, Asaph said, “I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”  Then God gave him a vision of how the wicked will end—an eternity of destruction.  On the other hand, I know I will see Kara again someday, and we will spend eternity together in heaven.  If you haven’t read Randy Alcorn’s Bible study on heaven, I highly recommend it.

Why do bad things happen to good people?  God isn’t finished with me yet, and I still don’t have all the answers.  I know we live in a fallen world.  I’m still not to the point where, like Paul, I can “exult” in tribulation, but I do know God promises in Romans 8:28 that “all things,” both the good and the bad, “work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”   I can understand that somehow they’re for my good and for the good of others.  What we don’t really understand when we’re in the middle of things is that it’s not really about us at all.  It’s about Him.  It’s about the kingdom.  If even one person spends eternity in heaven instead of hell because of our suffering, isn’t it worth it?  Suppose that one person were your son or daughter?  Wouldn’t it be worth it then?

NotGuiltyFrontCover3x4-5Not Guilty by Teresa Pollard and Candi Pullen:

It’s 1974 and Carrie Shepherd, daughter of the minister at Windspree Community Church, is a college senior with plans to be a missionary in Africa. Raped by a masked assailant, Carrie is so traumatized she tells no one until she realizes she’s pregnant. Refusing to have an abortion, she must find the courage to face her family, her fiancé, her friends and a gossiping, angry congregation, which may include her attacker.  Can Carrie find the strength to cope with the secrets, silence, and shame?  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1938708067

Teresa Pollard is from Richmond, Virginia, and was saved at a young age. She has a Masters degree in English and Creative Writing from Hollins College, and has served as a Sunday School teacher and children’s worker for most of the last forty years. Married for forty years, she was devastated by divorce and the death of her youngest daughter, but God has blessed her with a new home and another grandson, and she now resides in Dacula, Georgia.

  ***

I love the song, Blessings, by Laura Story.

In it, she sings about some of our greatest blessings coming through pain and trials. I’ve never lost  a child and can’t imagine the pain those who have must feel on a daily basis, but I have experienced trials. And I’ve found, it is often during my moments of greatest pain that I sense God the most. And it is often following intense periods of struggle that I experience my greatest freedom. But more than that, when I look at our world with all it’s pain and suffering, I’m reminded, and grateful, that this is not my home. No, God has something much better planned for those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose. But while we are here, through trial and triumph, what He longs for most is that we point others to Him and His life-saving gospel. For this time is short, and often wrought with pain. But eternity? That will be glorious, my friend, if you know the Lord. For those who don’t? Well, there’s still time to send out invitations. :)

Let’s talk about this. Are you or a loved one going through a difficult time right now? How might your response to pain reveal the depth of your faith? And what might that say to a watching, hurting world? Pause to think of what Teresa’s daughter did, shortly before her death. She used every last possible moment not to grow bitter or isolate, but instead, to reach out with the love that had taken hold of her, to spread hope.

Share your thoughts and stories in the comments before or on Facebook at Living by Grace.

Read Full Post »

Healer of Broken Hearts

Posted in Beauty for the Broken, compassion, God's Authors, grace, intentional living, parenting, tagged , on April 4, 2013 | 4 Comments »

JimMagruderToday’s devotion written by author and blogger, James C. Magruder, focuses on one of my favorite verses: Psalm 34:18. You may be familiar with the quote by CS Lewis that says, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains…” I’d choose a different wording here, as I don’t envision God as much of a shouter, but I do agree with CS Lewis’s overall message–God makes Himself clear and real when we’re hurting. Through verses that leap out at us during our morning Bible reading time, bringing a deep sense of peace; through songs that penetrate so deeply, tears arise; through a friend who calls unexpectedly when we need it most. And He longs to use you and I to do so. As you go about your day, ask God to show you His hurting children and how He longs to love them through you.

Healer of Broken Hearts by James C Magruder

 

 

The Lord is near the broken hearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18

 

523835_sweet_dreamsBroken hearts. They’re all around us. The man sitting next to you at the office is going through a divorce. It wasn’t his idea. The young couple next door recently finished painting the baby’s room. Last night they had a child—stillborn. A 10-year boy learned his father was killed in an overseas conflict. He was to come home in a few days.

 

People all around us are hurting.  In some, you see it in their eyes. In others, you hear it in their voice. Others bury it deep in the recesses of 747397_sam_close_uptheir soul mistakenly believing no one can see or touch their pain.

 

But you may see it. You may even feel it, because you’ve been there. You’ve experienced the pain, felt the void, and wondered how you would move on. But God met you there. He numbed your pain, filled your void, mended your broken heart and lifted your weary spirit.

 

Look around you. Who is hurting? Who can you introduce to the healer of broken hearts?

 

The Lord knows our pain no matter how deep we bury it, no matter how we mask it. He sees it, He feels it—and He died for it. God is near the broken hearted and He is ready to “save those who are crushed in spirit.”

 

Point a broken heart to Him.

***

James C. Magruder is an award-winning advertising copywriter and executive speechwriter. He has had articles published in Writer’s Digest, Writer’s Journal, Marriage Partnership, Home Life, Christian Communicator, and recently in Chicken Soup for the Soul, Inspiration for Writers, available in bookstores, Amazon.com and other online booksellers on May 21st, 2013. He encourages writers to chase their dreams regarding the writing life on his blog at:  www.thewritersrefuge.wordpress.com.

You can reach out to him at:  jcmchips1@yahoo.com.

***

Let’s talk about this!

Parents, I want to address you first. I believe compassion is as much taught as it is caught. But I do not believe it comes naturally. In fact, I believe humans by their very nature are selfish, so self-consumed we rarely notice the hurts and needs of others. However, if we diligently and consistently train and model active compassion, I believe our children will learn to do the same. And what happens when God’s children consistently display the love of Christ? People experience healing, lives and families are changed, and those we encounter will be drawn to our Savior, the God of love.

To all of us, may we keep our eyes and hearts open to the hurting today, taking the time to look past the exterior to the broken heart hidden beneath.

Is there someone God has placed on your heart, and if so, how might you move forward in obedience? Has God used someone else to show His love to you? We’d love to read about it!

Share your thoughts and stories in the comments before or on Facebook at Living by Grace.

Read Full Post »

When God Feels Distant

Posted in Beauty for the Broken, Faith, God's Authors, grace, Kisses from God, Let's Get Real, Living by Grace, tagged , , , on March 21, 2013 | 5 Comments »

God created us to be feeling beings, and many times, our emotions can be our safeguard. A knotted stomach can signal danger, frustration or Deb's_Pic_for_Bioanger can stir us to pray. But our feelings can also be deceiving. There are times when we can’t feel God’s presence, but that doesn’t mean He’s left us. In fact, the opposite is true, for God Himself promises to never leave us nor forsake us.

If you are struggling to sense and receive God’s ever-present love today, I hope you find the following post, written by my dear friend and fellow ACFW writer, Deborah K. Anderson, encouraging.

Through the Eyes of Bear by Deborah K. Anderson

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

(Psalm 46:1 KJV)


Several years ago, my father-in-law was diagnosed with lung cancer. At the same time, my elderly mother suffered a second mini-stroke, followed by a fall. In addition, I was going through personal trials of my own. I desperately needed a touch from God.

No matter what I said, though, or how hard I prayed, I couldn’t hear God’s voice or feel His presence. I pressed on anyway, hoping to move the heart of God.

“God, where are you? Why do all these things keep happening?” I hung my head and wept.

A few moments later, my cat Bear sashayed into the room, bellowing. I adore my cat (and all other animals for that matter), but I didn’t want to be bothered. I felt as though I was ready to snap.Bear_&_Tuncie_2

I looked down at him, and as usual, the black ball of fur tugged at my heart with one glance.

“What are you crying about?” I picked him up, scratched behind his ears, and kissed the side of his face. I knew if I coddled him a bit, he’d go back about his business. Soon, he began purring, so I put him on the floor. Within seconds, he started meowing again.

“What is wrong with you?” I said. He just looked at me. I was sure the poor critter was sensing my feelings, so there would be no shutting him up any time soon.

 

I headed downstairs, hoping to find a quiet place to pray. As I reached the last step, Bear’s paws came padding down the stairs behind me.

Please, God, make him go lie down or something. I can’t take much more.

But the little critter persisted following me through the house, no matter where I went.

I finally ducked into the living room, thinking I had lost my private-eye kitty. Seconds later, he jumped in lickety-split behind me.

“MROW!”

I threw my hands up. “Okay. That’s enough! What are you crying about? I’m standing right here in front of you. Why do you keep howling at me?”

As I looked in my animal’s eyes, something strange happened.

I’m standing right here, in front of you, too, daughter, so why do you keep crying and asking where I am? Why do you keep 1104793_crosswandering around looking for me?

Tears filled my eyes as I looked at Bear. He had suddenly grown quiet, his golden eyes wide in wonder. I then noticed how he’d tugged at my heart without ever making a sound—the same way I had tugged at God’s heart, only I didn’t realize it at the time.

I picked up Bear and rested him over my shoulder. I began stroking his fur. Soon, he was purring, content in my arms.

“Father, forgive me,” I said.

It still amazes me how God used my cat’s eyes to open mine. Perhaps it was because of the love I had for this beautiful creature. God knew how to get my attention. Whatever the reason, I’m so glad that He did.

When the storms of life come our way, it can be so difficult to see, especially when the rain begins pelting us. But God is always there, even when we don’t think that He is. It’s during those times we can find rest in His arms.

Deborah has written stories for Focus on the Family, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and numerous other publications. She is a member of TWV, ACFW, SCBWI, FCW, and YALITCHAT.ORG. Married 31 years, Deborah and her husband enjoy country living in the Midwest. She also spends her time rescuing cats, reading novels, and taking nature walks. Deborah recently completed a supernatural suspense novel for young adults. You can contact her at: DAnderson955@aol.com. Visit her blog at: www.deborahkanderson.com. 

Let’s talk about this! Share a time when, during a time of sadness or difficulty, God made Himself real to you or let you know He was with you. We all have moments when our feelings betray what we know to be true. What do you do when God feels distant? Do you have any verses you like to remember or meditate on? One of my favorites is James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. I claim this as a promise, reminding myself that the moment I turn to God in prayer or worship, He is already taking three steps toward me, whether I feel His presence or not.

We’d love to here from you.

Let’s talk about this!

Share your thoughts and God-moments with us in the comments below or join the Facebook discussion at Living by Grace.

Read Full Post »

Hidden Treasures

Posted in Beauty for the Broken, Faith, God's Authors, intentional living, Living by Grace, Proverbs Study, United in Christ, tagged , , on February 21, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

GE DIGITAL CAMERAToday my sweet friend and fellow Yahoo Bible study member, Beth Farley, is back talking about a verse I have long loved. The Word of God is unlike any other book we will ever encounter. Hebrews 4:12 tells us it is “living and active,” and I’ve found this to be quite true. When we open God’s Word, the Holy Spirit comes along 40762_reading_the_bible_1side us, making our reading a two-way communication between us and our Creator. At times, certain verses will appear to jump out at us, drawing our hearts or pricking our conscious. At other times, a passage will evoke a strong desire to stop what we are doing and pray. And yet other times, a verse or passage will prick a curiosity–no, more like a yearning–to go deeper, searching for the truth and heart of God. Our time in Scripture can become many things, but it is never, never intended to be a solitary or mindless affair. To the contrary! It is to be an intimate love affair between us and our Creator.

Hidden Treasures by Beth Farley

QuestionmarkI have to admit, that I feel very unworthy in sharing on this scripture because I must admit, that I don’t know what it really means? It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. NKJV

I did some digging and I can only pray that I am on target. For you that are participating in this study, if I am way off, please forgive me. If I am on target, Yay! Please, please share your comments.

Let me try to break it down. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing – This has been understood as referring to the revelation of God’s will in his word. We have been talking every week and praying that we would all seek out God’s will for our lives and do what He wants. There are some things that are hidden from us such as parables, allegories, metaphors so that we will continue to seek but His will is always readily available for us to see…if…we open our eyes and hearts.

In order to know God’s will we must really spend time with HIM and really get serious about studying HIS word…Before I became ill, I went through another rebellious time of not being serious about staying the studyingWord of God. I read it from time to time, but I was not intent on studying it and applying it. I know that being in God’s Word is His will for my life, no matter what! I am really ashamed of how I can get so lethargic in spending time in the Bible. When raising my kids, I was in the Word every morning. My children would wake up and find me on the couch, by the fire, with Bible and paper in hand. Now that they are adults they comment about it in positive ways. Back then though, they didn’t like it because it was taking time from them. I am thankful that I never gave up on that time with Him when they were in the house.

When I got divorced, and let me tell you, God was right there with me as I went through that difficult time in my life; He didn’t give up on me, but I gave up on being in the Word. When I had to move, I struggled finding a new trustworthy church that I could step into and they would not judge me because I was divorced. I carried that “D” on my forehead. I carried it way too long. I rebelled and stayed away from the Bible. I was hurt, broken, lonely and scared. How would I have ever known what he wanted from me if I didn’t seek him daily? His will was to know that I was walking in forgiveness and no condemnation. “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

I don’t know why I have through my rebellious times. It irritates me. I am not proud of the few times that I have turned my back on God. I was not ever angry, just lazy, stubborn and scared. Come to think of it though, I can think of more times that I have remained in the Word than times when I shut the Word out. That’s a good thing. I guess I shouldn’t dwell on the negative here but rather the positive.

So again, if I am off on my interpretation of the verse, please set me straight. I am not one that is so prideful that I can’t be set straight on things. I am one that wants to learn as much as I can about God and stay committed to Him; allowing Him to reveal His will for me each and every day. How about you? Do you have times when you’ve taken a dive in your commitment to reading and studying His word? If so, what helped put you back on track? I know we are coming to an end of our study shortly, and I want to remind you that the prayer board is still open. If you have something you would like for us to pray about, please let me know; if you have a personal request and would like to just share it with me, I would be honored to pray. I can’t tell you what I would have done without the many who have prayed for me over the years at different times of my life. The power of prayer; it’s a beautiful thing. The power of the WORD; it’s a beautiful thing.

Beth Ann Farley is a dear friend of mine and one of our Yahoo Bible Study group members. She is married with three grown children. She lives in Kansas City, MO where she serves as librarian. She loves to read, write, decorate and spend as much time as possible outside with her Peek-A-Poo. Beth is a lover of the Lord. “He is my-everything and I can’t start a day without visiting with Him.” Beth came to know the Lord when she was 30 years old and has served Him on committee’s such as Missions Outreach, Local Missions, Diaconate Committee, Youth Committee, and was a church secretary for several years. Beth loves Women’s Bible Studies, has hosted several in each one of her homes that she has lived in and has led a few as well. Beth is now taking time in life to move forward with her writing in whatever way God directs her.

Visit her online at: http://firsthalfday1.wordpress.com/

Let’s talk about this. When reading your Bible, do you allow yourself enough time to really absorb what you are reading? To pray over what you have read? What are some tools you use to dig deeper into a passage?

Here are some tools/tricks I’ve learned to get the most out of my Bible reading time:

1. Begin with prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to use His Word to speak to you, guide you, correct, and grow you, then, read expecting God to communicate with you.

2. Ask questions: Who was the original audience? Who wrote the passage? What might the passage have meant to the original audience? (Sometimes these questions lead to a bit of a historical investigation.) What is the universal and/or timeless truth revealed in this verse or passage? What does this verse or passage show me about God (His character, heart, desires, etc)? What does this verse or passage show me about myself? Is there a specific action I can take or that this verse or passage points to?

3. Follow bunny trails. :) Many Bibles have foot notes or verse references in the inner or outer columns of the text. If a passage mentions a previous account or character in the Bible, take the time to review the event/person referenced. If you notice a verse reference in the text, footnotes, or inner or outer columns, take time to read the correlating/supporting verses.

4. Read the passage in a few different translations. (You can find alternate translations online at Biblegateway.com or Biblos.com

5. If a particular verse stands out to you, look it up in the Lexicon. You can find a Lexicon on Biblos.com

6. Read a commentary or two expanding on the verse or passage. You can find commentaries on Biblegateway.com

(If you would like help using any of the above tools, please, shoot me an email at jenniferaslattery(at)gmail(dot)com. I’d love to walk you through it!)

Do you have any other tools or resources you like to use to go deeper into Scripture? Tell us about them! 

Share your thoughts with us in the comments below, on Living by Grace, or join our online Bible study. We’d love to have you!

Click to join ProverbsStudy

Click to join ProverbsStudy

Read Full Post »

Though You Trip and Fall

Posted in Beauty for the Broken, compassion, Faith, grace, Proverbs Study, United in Christ, tagged , , , , on February 19, 2013 | 4 Comments »

The other night, my husband and I were talking about the state of our marriage, and we’ve noticed a surprising trend. SteveandIWhen times get tough, we grow closer. Now, I know, according to the oft spoken clichés, that’s the way it’s supposed to happen, right? But I suspect it doesn’t always. During times of trial, families either grow closer or farther apart. In my opinion, the deciding factor is whether or not they have God’s holy, wise guidance and ever-present hand. Well, that and whether we honestly give Him an obedient ear. Because God is about unity. Peace. Love. Intimacy. And when you have God-given intimacy with those around you, an amazing thing happens. Though you fall, though you trip seven or seventy-seven times, you will get up again. Though it feels as if the world is spinning ruthlessly around you, you can and do endure.

I’ve shared, and will share again, this has been a rough year for our family, perhaps the most difficult we’ve faced instorm some time. For a while, it felt like the storm clouds pressing around us would never lift. But they did, and we’ve stepped out of our storm shelter stronger, closer to one another and to God, wiser, with one more wound healed and one more emotional layer peeled back.

The other day, as I was walking through our neighborhood, the sun bathing my face in warmth, the temperatures a pleasant fifty degrees despite the fact that we are in the middle of winter, I realized I was joyful. At peace. It’d been a while since I’d truly felt joy. And in that moment, I realized my storm had lifted, and reminded myself that storms don’t last forever. While we’re in them, they feel as if they will never let up, or as if they will tear us to shreds. But they won’t, because God won’t let them. And one day, they will lift and we will again feel the soothing warmth of the sun on our face.

Because though we trip, though we stumble, though we slide backward, we will get up again.

This morning I was reading in Psalm 18 and was reminded afresh of my heavenly Father’s ever-guiding, training hand.

Psalm 18:32-36

praiseGod arms me with strength, and He makes my way perfect. He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights. He trains my hands for battle; He strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. You (God) have given me Your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; Your help has made me great. You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping (NLT).

Scholars believe King David may have written this psalm toward the end of his life, during a time of peace. If you are familiar with David’s life, you will remember, much of it was anything but peaceful. In fact, he spent a fair amount of time in caves, hiding from King Saul who tried to kill him. And during his times of hiding, David cried out to God in despair. I imagine it felt as if his storm cloud would never lift.

But it did, and upon looking back, David was able to see God’s hand in every hurdle, storm cloud, and heartache.

If you are standing on the mountain top, rejoicing in God’s faithfulness, pause to remember some of the more difficult times in your life. How did you feel during those times? Did it seem like your struggle and pain would never end? But it did, right? Because God brought you through. Look at that/those experience/s through a God-lens. What did He show you about yourself? About Himself? Who did He bring alongside you during that tough time?

If you are still sheltering a storm, look up and look around. God is hovering over you, watching you, loving you. He friendswill bring you through. And, I would almost guarantee, He’s brought you someone to come along beside you. Are you accepting their aid and support, or are you building barriers around your heart, barriers that may seem protective–safe–but in essence, are blocking the very love and care you long for?

Read Full Post »

Seeking Wisdom–An Intimate Affair

Posted in Beauty for the Broken, Faith, God's Authors, grace, intentional living, Let's Get Real, Praise, prayer, Proverbs Study, tagged , , , , , on February 8, 2013 | 13 Comments »

jude-urbanski-headshot-smallHebrews 4:12 tells us God’s Word is alive and active, penetrating deep to our soul. It has the capacity to speak to our very depths in an intimate and miraculously personal way, becoming a two-way conversation between the Holy Spirit and us. In the following devotion, multi-published author, Jude Urbanski, encourages us to attune our ears to God’s wisdom, to God’s heart, as we seek to learn and grow from His Word.

As a fun treat, Jude is giving away one of her books (winner’s choice) to a reader randomly selected from the blog comments.

The Babbling Brook of Wisdom by Jude Urbanski

Today’s focal verse: Proverbs 18:4

         The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a

         babbling brook.

Focus:

“Discernment versus foolishness”

        

The whole chapter of Proverbs 18 is one of contrasts. A chapter depicting wise versus contrasting, foolish actions. Yea, even a chapter pitting our purpose to choose our own follies against desiring a wise and discerning heart.

I related verse four, in which it speaks of the words of a man’s heart being deep waters and the fountain of wisdom being a babbling brook, to the words of my pen. Left to our own devices, our words may plunge to the deep and profound, which isn’t always bad, unless we drift to the obscure. When our writing muse (Spirit?) is at work, or words feel like the free flowing fountain of a babbling brook.

There are times I feel God’s word to be deep and obscure and I don’t understand. There are times God’s answer to my prayers is silence and I readingBiblewonder if He even heard. This is when I work, as verse 15 says, to persuade my heart to listen, to be discerning and to have wise ears seeking to acquire God’s knowledge.

I often wonder why God works this way, but the chapter ends by telling me there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). I’ve always equated God as this friend, which brings great comfort.

Proverbs 18 leaves a lot to ponder. Some of it is hard to understand. Some of it becomes special memory verses, but all of it admonishes me to let the words of my page be joyful explosions for God.

 

 

Jude Urbanski loves to be a wordsmith woman and to weave stories where strong characters, with God’s help, spin tragedy into triumph. While writing has been a passion all her life (and also for many others in her family), she is delighted to have been able to write seriously for the past seven years. She wears many hats in her family, church and community and is wife, mother and grandmother. She is published in both fiction and nonfiction by Desert Breeze and LangMarc Publishers.

 

JoyRestoredCoverArt72dpi_(1)Joy Restored:

Kate Davidson purrs along in her remodeled life, but inwardly wages war with God, whom she thinks snuffed out her husband’s life on that mountain curve. Not acceptable. Clayton may as well have died in the jungles of Vietnam as in a car accident on Wolf’s River Bridge.

Buy it here.

***

Let’s talk about this. This past fall, I went through a difficult time and felt the lowest I have felt in quite some time, if ever. But looking back, that was also a precious time as each morning when I curled into the corner of the couch with my Bible, God met me. He told me He loved me. He promised to care for me. He asked me to trust Him. And each morning built on the previous, as if He was revealing yet another layer of His loving character, as if He was peeling back yet another layer of my fear and covering it in His soothing love. Honestly, I can’t quite explain how incredibly beautiful that period was, how real God felt to me, and how deeply I felt His love.

I suspect we all have God moments to share–times when, when we needed it most, God showed up and spoke words of love to our very core. Regardless of how He answered our prayer. And in that moment, encountering God in our very being, we suddenly know, the peripheral no longer matters, because we have God Himself, and that is enough.

We’d love to hear from you. I know some of you are going through some very difficult times. You’re pouring your heart out to God, asking for aid, for a miracle. For comfort. In your deepest sorrow, how is God making Himself real to you?

And for those of you on the hilltop or perhaps strolling through the meadow, I know you’ve had trials and sorrow. Can you think back to a time when God met you during a time of difficulty? Let us gain comfort from your experience.

It’s important for us to share our God stories. When we do so, not only are we reminded of God’s faithfulness, but we invite others to rejoice with us as well–not in our circumstances which are often mired by a sinful world, but in the unchanging, never-failing, always loving nature of God.

You can share your “God-moments” in the comments below or join our online Bible study group:

 

Click to join ProverbsStudy

Click to join ProverbsStudy

Read Full Post »

What or Whom do You Fear

Posted in Beauty for the Broken, Faith, God's Authors, grace, intentional living, Let's Get Real, Praise, prayer, Proverbs Study, Spiritual disciplines, United in Christ, tagged , , , , , on January 21, 2013 | 1 Comment »

Please note, Lotis is giving away an electronic copy of her book, the Song of the Tree (see description below).

Today’s reading: Proverbs 9, Daniel 3,

Today’s focal verse: Proverbs 9:10 Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment (NLT).

This week’s memory verse: This week, I encourage you to review the verses you’ve already memorized. Week one, we memorized Proverbs 2:7-8; week two we memorized Proverbs 3:9-10; and last week we memorized Proverbs 6:16-17

Wisdom and Fear by Lotis Key

lotishomepicProverbs 9: 1-12

“The fear of the Lord, is the beginning of wisdom.” From this statement, I understand that wisdom, and the fear of the Lord, are inseparably linked.

Yet, in this world, it’s hard to find much recognizable as, “fear of the Lord”. Instead, if it were possible to condense all human fears, press them together into one small box, and slap a label on them, it would be this: I fear my needs will not be met.

We steal because we fear we won’t have enough. We lie because we fear the truth is costly. We murder with our tongues, because we fear competition will rob us. We commit adultery because we fear a shortage of pleasure. We worship other gods, because we fear our own, can’t, or won’t, satisfy our, “needs”.

Our every foolishness, our every crime, is based in fear, not of God, but of the world.

The Scriptures, repeatedly lift up, “the fear of the Lord”. Yet, what is it? How do we get it if, let’s say, we look over our life, and realize, that perhaps what we really need, is a little wisdom?

In this particular sense, what if we understood “fear” to be “recognition”? To recognize, that He is the Creator and we, are merely the created. To recognize, that an all-powerful Creator, who made sacrifice, of His only begotten Son, for love of His creation, is a Creator worth trusting for our supply.

To embrace this recognition, results in the chain-breaking freedom of our first, baby steps into the realm of Wisdom: a Wisdom that brings gifts, and lays them at our feet.

Wisdom has built her house; she has set up its seven pillars.

(Wisdom provides shelter.)
She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.

(Wisdom provides sustenance.)
She has sent out her servants, and she calls from the highest point of the city,

“Let all who are simple come to my house!”

To those who have no sense she says,
“Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed.

Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight.”

(Wisdom opens her door to all, offering entry into a life of ready supply.)

Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you.

(Wisdom gives understanding of, and insight into, the world around us.)
Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

(Wisdom guides, and instructs, our journey through this life.)

 For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.

(Wisdom promises a future, and a hope.)
If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

(Wisdom does not force us to her will. She advises of the consequences, yet offers the freedom to accept, or reject, her.)

 

Oh, Lord, help me to put away my fears of the world. Help me to fear YOU instead, and in that fear, to find real peace, true love, and the satisfaction, of my every need.

Lotis Melisande Key (SAG/AFTRA/ACFW/MCWG) has lived a life of wide travel and curious variety. She’s raised horses in the Australian outback; skied the Alps; run tours through a tropical jungle; bought & sold antiquities. She’s been a restaurateur; a breeder of show cats; a third world church planter. She’s worked in an orphanage, and run a ministry that puts children through school.

After a professional theater début at the age of twelve, she subsequently starred in over seventy-five feature films for the Asian market. She’s also hosted numerous television and radio shows. Upon settling in the United States, she signed with Chicago, New York, and Minneapolis based talent agencies, expanding into American on-camera and voice over narration, industrial videos, trade shows, professional theater, television, and radio commercials.

Retiring from secular work, she founded MESSENGERS, a Christian theater arts group based at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. As artistic director, she toured the company throughout the US, Canada, and Asia.

Vice-president of the Minnesota Christian Writers Guild, Lotis is a passionate storyteller. Her work focuses on the mystery of God, and His incomprehensible love for the unattractive, wayward parts, of His otherwise perfect, creation.

Lotis book,

The Song of the Tree:

hDespite promises of eternal joy given by the Tree of Life, a privileged young woman loses everything in a brutal war. Her husband disappears; her family is murdered; her home is burned to the ground.

Desperate, starving, and burdened with an unwanted child, she now despises and rejects the Tree she once worshiped. Ripped from her land and people, forced into survival immigration, she becomes a lowly refugee, a servant in the homes of the rich. Her unusually gifted child thrives, but is an ever-present reminder of ultimate loss and betrayal.

Two women: one broken, the other rooted in bitterness, continue to be drawn towards the song of a Tree that will not let them go. Along roads of degrading poverty and equally destructive wealth, each much wrestle with the siren call of perfect love, and its altar sacrifice of perfect trust.

The Song of the Tree is an intense, contemporary allegory that moves the God-seeker from fist shaking stance, down to knees before the throne.

(Buy it here!)

 ***

Let’s talk about this. No one likes to be afraid, nor do I believe God wants us to be afraid. In fact, throughout the Bible we read the words “Do not fear!” or “Do not be afraid!” numerous times.

And yet, I suspect we all have times when our fears and anxieties get the best of us. How might rerouting our thoughts help us when we feel afraid?742655_surrender

For me, it comes down to complete surrender. I need to get to the point, in whatever situation I find myself in, that I can say, “Not my will but thine be done, Lord.” Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, I need to reach the point where I can say, “But even if He doesn’t (save me from the fire, heal me, answer this prayer, whatever), we want to make it clear to you, your majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” In other words, regardless of what God chooses, I will remain loyal and fully committed, fully surrendered, to Him. I’ve reached that point numerous times–for but a moment, and oh, what immense peace that brings! But somehow, I crawl off that altar soon after.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you believe peace comes in full surrender? Pause to consider the things that cause you angst. How might releasing your expectations provide freedom?

I’ve also noticed my peace dramatically increases when I spend more time with my Savior. Do you notice a similar correlation? I’ve mentioned before, the Bible tells us we’ve been given the mind of Christ, but I suspect to fully take hold of that mind, we need to stay connected with Christ.

Pause to think of a time when you’ve been exceptionally fearful. Do you remember your spiritual state at that time? Were you diligent about spending time with Christ or had life’s business gotten in the way?

What thoughts came to mind as you read today’s passage?

Let’s talk about this! You can share your thoughts in the comments below or join our Yahoo Bible study group by clicking the link below.


Click to join ProverbsStudy

Click to join ProverbsStudy

Read Full Post »

Choosing to Trust

Posted in Beauty for the Broken, Faith, God's Authors, intentional living, Let's Get Real, Perseverance, Proverbs Study, tagged , , , , , on January 5, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

Today’s reading: Proverbs 3:1-8, Psalm 139 , James 1:2-8

Today’s focal verse: Proverbs 3:5

Today’s focus: Choosing to trust

This week’s memory verse: 
Proverbs2memoryverse

 This has been an interesting year for me. I’ve seen healings I’ve fervently prayed for not come to pass. I’ve seen a family with young children lose their mother to brain cancer. I’ve seen hurting and hungry children and broken adults. I’ve experienced some health challenges and watched helplessly as my daughter cried out in pain from a bad case of shingles. Worse, I listened to her express her broken heart as she wondered why God would allow her to experience such pain. And there were times when all I could pray was why. Why, Lord, would you let these things happen? Where is Your healing? Can you see us? Do you care?

One morning, while asking those very questions, God gave me this answer, found in Ezekiel 36:9 “See, I care about you and will pay attention to you” (NLT).

And truly, that was all I needed to hear. You see, we won’t always receive answers this side of heaven. Nor will we always be rescued. But we will always be heard. And held. So what do we do when life doesn’t go as we expect? We choose to trust. When we don’t understand the what or the why, we must focus on the Who–knowing God is in complete control and that at every moment, He has us in mind. He is attentive to our cries, and He has a loving purpose for everything He does and everything He allows. But more than that, one day He will set everything right. One day He will wipe away every last tear, will heal every disease and heartache. So hold on, beloved, for our bridegroom is coming and oh, what a party He has planned for us!

Today as you read Beth Farley’s devotion, prayerfully direct your thoughts onto the nature of God. Choose to trust Him, for He is worthy.

GE DIGITAL CAMERABeth Ann Farley is a dear friend of mine and one of our Yahoo Bible Study group members. She is married with three grown children. She lives in Kansas City, MO where she serves as librarian. She loves to read, write, decorate and spend as much time as possible outside with her Peek-A-Poo. Beth is a lover of the Lord. “He is my-everything and I can’t start a day without visiting with Him.” Beth came to know the Lord when she was 30 years old and has served Him on committee’s such as Missions Outreach, Local Missions, Diaconate Committee, Youth Committee, and was a church secretary for several years. Beth loves Women’s Bible Studies, has hosted several in each one of her homes that she has lived in and has led a few as well. Beth is now taking time in life to move forward with her writing in whatever way God directs her.

Visit her online at: http://firsthalfday1.wordpress.com/

Proverbs 3:5 in several versions

New King James:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;

New Living Translation

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.

American Standard Translation

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

Amplified Bible

 Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.

No matter how many ways the above scripture is written, it means the same thing; trusting in God and not myself. I had an opportunity to chat with a close relative the other day about the shooting in Connecticut. She is a mother of three young children and about ready to have another. She told me that she didn’t want her kids to go back to school and did not understand why God would do such a terrible thing.

I had to let her words soak in for a few before I answered. I wanted to be very careful and wise because she is not really a believer. She is not sure what she believes in. Before answering, I quickly asked God that His words come from my mouth, not my own because I was sure to botch it up.

I told her that I believed that God did not make that happen. He may have allowed it but for reasons we can’t possibly understand and won’t understand until we meet Him face to face. I shared with her the above scripture about trusting in God and not in her own thoughts and strengths.  I also spoke to her about Isaiah 55:8 where God tells us, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the Lord. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” NLT I also told her that so often I will have circumstances arise and not know why but if I do trust in the Lord then I know everything will work out fine.

Today I pray as you continue to study Proverbs 3 that you will ask the Lord to give you the strength and discipline to trust in Him and not in yourself. I pray that when you are approached by an unbeliever or someone who is just not certain about events that make no sense, that you are trusting in God to give you the best guidance possible. I pray that if you are hit yourself by something during this study that tempts you to quit, that you just trust and not give up.

Are you truly trusting God in all that you do? In all that you say? In all that is going on in your world right now? I ask myself these questions as well. I have to trust. Without trust, I have nothing.

Remember; no matter how many versions of Proverbs 3:5 you read; it all comes down to the one important word…

TRUST!

LET’S TALK ABOUT THIS!

1) List five things you know to be true about God. Now pause and prayerfully think about His nature in light of whatever difficulties you are facing. Fill in the following:

Because He is loving ___________________________________________________.

Because He is faithful __________________________________________________.

Because He is all-knowing _______________________________________________.

Because He is with me __________________________________________________.

2) Yesterday, we learned the heart means the inner man, or the core of who we are. What does it mean to trust in the Lord with *all* your heart?

3) Psalm 139 is one of my favorite passages. Take a moment to read the chapter. Do any verses stand out to you? What might God be trying to say to you this morning?

Here’s what stood out to me:

God examines my heart–searches deep to my very core and knows me intimately, even better than I know myself. (v. 1)

He goes before me, to guide me, and stands behind me, to catch me when I fall or slip. Like a loving, attentive, gentle father, He places His hand upon me. (v. 5, 10)

He knows what I will face tomorrow, why I will face it, and how He will see me through it. Nothing I encounter is by accident, and because God’s loving hand is always upon me, I can rest assured everything I encounter is truly for my best. (v. 16)

God is constantly thinking of me. (v. 17)

4) Now I will ask you again, what might God be trying to say to you this morning? Will you trust Him? Will you walk with Him, not dragging behind, complaining about the journey, nor forging ahead in impatience, but instead, humbly matching your step with His, trusting He knows what is best for you?

5) Pause to consider the following passage:

2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

I’ve given you a lot to think about this morning. I’d love to know how God used this devotional or the suggested passages to speak to you. Join the conversation here, in the comments below, on Facebook, or at our online Bible study Group.

Click to join ProverbsStudy

Read Full Post »

When Current Reality Contradicts Our View of God…

Posted in Beauty for the Broken, compassion, Faith, grace, Let's Get Real, tagged , , , , on December 18, 2012 | 2 Comments »

1387142_sea_sunset_1Innocence stolen, security shattered, hearts wrenched. In one moment, lives were changed forever–some snatched, others left behind, wondering how they would go on once their treasure–their child–was violently ripped from them. And for many, for most, even those with the strongest faith, one question rages: why? Why would God allow such a horrendous act to occur?

Today, Lance Burch from Shadowlake Churck in Papillion, NE, suggests perhaps there’s a bigger question we need to ask: Who? The following post is long, but I encourage you to read it. It’s 157050_10150139846962468_3870147_nwell worth your few moments in time. (But before you watch the video and read the following, I wanted to congratulate last week’s give-away winner. Dana Patrola, you won a copy of Delia Latham’s latest release, Jewels for the Kingdom. Enjoy! I’ll be contacting you shortly to get this to you.)

Friday around 9:30 am a 911 call was made from Sandy Hook elementary school reporting gunshots and screams. The rest of America was getting ready for work… or stuck in traffic… or complaining about being served cold coffee… and in Connecticut… a horrific scene played out.

I gasped as I read the ever changing headlines on the news sites. First reporting two confirmed fatalities then eventually 27 at the school and one in a home in Newtown. 20 of them children… ages 6 and 7. I was stunned. Speechless. It was impossible to grasp the reality of this evil. And I didn’t want to. I didn’t want it to be real. I couldn’t get, can’t get the imagined images out of my mind of what it must have been like to be trapped in a classroom. To see your friends die and to know that you are next. I imagined parents waiting anxiously for news of their child and getting the worst possible message, your son… your daughter has died. Won’t be coming home. I’m sure there are presents that are going to be delivered to some of those homes. Some are already under the tree. Never to be opened.

And we’re asking this. You’ve asked this. What was God thinking? That question comes back again and again. You will ask this question again. Not because of the tragedy in CT… because of tragedies in your life.
What was God thinking?
Is He truly powerful? Loving?
Can God be trusted?

Did He cause it or allow it?

Neither is comforting.

If I see my daughter about to trip over a rock to hurt herself and I can stop it and I do nothing but watch and allow it to happen. Or if I push her.

Either way, it gives the impression of a bad father.

Everybody of every religious faith are asking these questions. Nobody is immune.

Where was God in this unimaginable suffering?

And many will say:

Either there is no God or God must be cruel.
Something happened. How could God allow such an unimaginable loss? What is your God up to?

When I try to lay current events over a good God, I can’t make sense of it.

Perhaps the God I prayed to and trusted in…doesn’t exist.

When current reality doesn’t match your view of God… you would do well not to ignore current reality.

If He’s not the God who makes sure that all children get home safely. Then who is he? Is He something different than what I had imagined? Have I been believing a lie?

For some, this is not a problem. Perhaps you believe there is no God. Maybe you’re atheist. You’re devastated like everyone else. You want to help those affected. You cried when they heard the news… But – somewhere in the back of your mind, you’re thinking “Christian, let me see you try to explain this one. Let’s face reality. This supports my theory. There’s no God. It’s random. And you are wasting your time. Life happens… then you die.”

Before you judge us Christians too harshly, consider, you have the same problem we do. You’ve created a God in your mind… and you can’t find evidence of the God you created in your mind. Then all you’ve proved is that the God who “should do” this and “couldn’t provide” that… doesn’t exist.

Is there a clue in the loss of life. Isn’t it a question I need to ask? Just who is God?

Regardless of what answers we comfort ourselves with.

At this time of year, when we are celebrating the joyous birth of Christ… families are mourning the loss of children, wives and mothers. They are looking at packages underneath trees that will never be opened. 20 graduation gowns that will never be worn. 20 love stories that will never be told. These sorts of tragedies, while almost unspeakable… aren’t new. In fact, as hard as it may be to believe, this is exactly the kind of world that Jesus was born into. There was a shocking event that happened in the little city of Bethlehem that is the dark side of the Christmas story. It wouldn’t normally come up in a Christmas series, and we didn’t plan on talking about it this year. But, it happened… and I think by looking at it… we can learn something about just WHO God is.

After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him” (Matthew Chapter 2:13).

Jesus came into the world under a death sentence. He was already marked for death. He came into a dark world in which power was so important that if you had to take a life to maintain power, then so be it.

That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”

Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. (Matthew 2:14-16).

Scholars think that somewhere between 20 and 30 boys 2 years and under were murdered. Now we might have been able to read that somewhat passively just 3 days ago. But not today. Today we don’t have that luxury. Parents in the little peaceful town of Bethlehem were broken hearted… their hearts ripped out by an evil man bent on power. The gospel was good news… but it wasn’t good news for these families. They were left with confusion and grief.

Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

“A cry was heard in Ramah-
weeping and great mourning.
Rachel weeps for her children,
refusing to be comforted,
for they are dead” (Matthew 2:17-18).

This verse comes from Jeremiah in the Old Testament. Jeremiah spoke of Rachel as the representation of all of Israel as her children are led away in captivity and many of them killed by invading armies from the east.

Jesus came into this world under a death sentence and suffered.

So we have a clue, a God who was willing to come into this world under a death sentence.

This wasn’t plan B… He was always going to come into the world as our hero… (Genesis 3:15) as our rescuer. But why did we need to be rescued?
Adam and Eve, the first humans God created, were given one rule. They were placed in a beautiful garden, allowed to eat all they wanted, except for the fruit of one tree. And that is the one tree they ate from.

God created everything good because He is good and great. He is loving and powerful.
So Good and Great that when sin happened, he judged it fiercely and completely. Woman was subjected to pain in child birth, Man was subjected to work a cursed ground!

Romans 8:20-21a says, “for the creation was subjected to frustration not by its own choice but by the will of the one who subjected it in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay“

God judged sin.

God is great and good. He would not and could not turn a blind eye to sin.

We have underestimated the results of sin. God made everything good and gave us the freedom to mess it up… which we did.

We have suffered the consequences ever since. We know how it could be and should be. and we can’t get it to stay that way.

Who is this God we are dealing with?

God is great and God is good.

When sin entered the world, He judged it greatly. Severely.

Everything was cursed, you me… and the ground. Cancer, wars, death…

All of it…
Was this an overreaction on God’s part? If you think that then you underestimate the serious of sin.

But not only did Jesus come into this fallen world

With the threat of death hanging over Him

When He left… He gave us the Holy Spirit to be with us. Always.

Romans 8:26 says, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”

Holy Spirit is ALWAYS with us… ALWAYS… present.

2) He is present in our suffering… and comforts.

But even more than that, one day Jesus is going to come back and make things right.

Revelations 21:3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.

One day all that is sad, all that is tragic… will come untrue. Jesus will so fully redeem the world that we will be more stunned by it’s beautiful redemption than all the horrors that took place after the fall.

The light of resurrection will eclipse the darkness of sin and death.

He’s proved it with His own life…

He comforts us with His promise to return and rule.

He came into the world under a death sentence… and suffered.
He is present in our suffering… and comforts.
He comforts us with his return to this world… to rule.

That is who God is. No matter how dark and twisted the world gets. That is the world that a baby’s cry was heard in. He didn’t turn away from the ugliness. He entered into it. He won’t shy away from your ugliness. He loves, that’s what He does. We messed this whole thing up and now people suffer. But God is great and good. He didn’t leave us when things got messed up. Why, because he loves.

God’s grace has allowed all of us to be the exception to the rule… today. But none of us are getting out of this thing alive. We are all, in a sense, under the curse because we live in a broken, fallen, decaying world. These events shock us, jar us… but maybe they can wake us up. See, evil is real. It isn’t made up. We all need, right now, to just admit that not only is evil real, but that we take part in it every day. We aren’t part of the solution, so quit giving everyone advice about how to fix this on facebook… because while we know that something is wrong with the world, we can’t fix it and make it stay that way. Because we are the ones who messed it up in the first place!

At the end of the day today, pray, “Father, thank you for one more day of allowing me to be the exception to the rule. You are gracious. You gave me exactly what I don’t deserve.”

We all wish this hadn’t happened. We wish that we had never heard of Sandy Hook elementary school. But, we have heard of it. We wept for it. It stands as a stark reminder that all is not well with this world.

This tragedy reminds us that things are not as they should be… but the cry from the manger… the voice of God at Christmas reminds us that one day they will be.

One day, all that will be left is our love for God and each other… and God’s love for us. One day all that is sad will come untrue.

There will be a last tear… because tears don’t last forever.
There will be a last heartbreak… because heartbreaks don’t last forever.
There will be a last death… because death will eventually die
There will be a last tragedy… tragedies will come to their own end.

And after all of that… just love… our deep love for God and each other… and God’s unimaginable love for us. Hang on… hang on…

You can watch more of Pastor Burch’s grace and truth filled messages here.

Lance Burch is the lead pastor of Shadowlake Church, located in Papillion, NE. He is passionate about sharing Christ’s love with a hurting world and motivates others to do the same.

Read Full Post »

Laying a Relational Foundation

Posted in Beauty for the Broken, compassion, intentional living, Let's Get Real, parenting on June 11, 2012 | 4 Comments »

Although my daughter thinks I’m annoying, embarrassing (hm … I think mortifying might be a better word) and at times, down right infuriating, we are extremely close. But our relationship didn’t arise over night.

Today I’m at Power Up With God, traipsing down memory lane. Will you join me? Mamma’s of little ones, I hope you find it encouraging. Mamma’s of older ones, it’s never to late to lay that relational foundation. :) Start today with a chatty walk.

(You can read my devo here.)

And don’t forget about the Beauty for the Broken campaign, which continues through June 15th.

Meet another character from Never Forsaken, the novel inspired by my love for orphans. This one’s an interview, although Aubrey, my main character’s younger sister, appears to be flubbing things. Ah, teenagers. (Read the interview here.)

I’m also at Valerie Comer’s today. You might remember her from her post, X Marks the Spot.

Here we meet a child working in the coffee plantations. This was perhaps the biggest shocker. When researching my novel, God opened my eyes to the plight of countless children and families working in sugar and coffee plantations. So we can have cheaper products. (Read it here.) That’s one of the reasons I love ministries like GoThreads, Remar San Miguel, World Crafts, and the Raining Season. They are helping to break this devastating cycle of generational poverty.

Also visit me at Salena Storm’s as I talk about God’s presence during tough times. (Read it here.) Christian, we are to be His hands and feet. Right at this moment, orphans are crying out to Him, desperate for aid … and we have the means to help.

Again, for those of you who’d rather skip the posts and head straight to voting, go here.
Have a blessed, be-a-blessing Monday!

Read Full Post »

Older Posts »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 1,670 other followers