Running is the fountain of youth.
Running will kill you.
Eat peanut butter.
Never eat peanut butter.
Probiotics are good for you.
Probiotics are will harm you.
You need 8 hours of sleep each night.
5-6 hours of sleep is enough.
The earth is round.
The earth is ... well, okay, it's round.
I know I'm not alone in my frustration as I search for truth. Seems no matter what the latest study shows, tomorrow there will be a study to refute it. I mean seriously, did you know there's a "doctor" out there saying we should NEVER eat yogurt?
Sometimes I want to toss my computer into the front yard and run away screaming "This world has gone crazy!"
It's no secret we live in a super upside down place. It's no surprise we fight over which politician is telling the truth (which is becoming increasingly ridiculous every day). And God didn't glance over at us and wonder how we got where we are today.
When my children were little, I could watch them and know what toy they would reach for. James loved his books and his golf clubs by 2nd grade. Hannah was a Barbi fanatic and would play for hours. John chose his tractors and farm animals. Abigail had twin baby dolls she named Katie and Katie. These memories make me smile.
I knew what they would choose. I didn't cause them to choose it.
It's my feeble illustration of God's ability to know all things. He didn't make me get up this morning and pour my 3rd cup of coffee but He certainly knew I would.
Even as I make light of peanut butter and probiotics, my heart is so heavy with the greater things I don't understand. Why do young mothers leave this earth early? Why do children get hurt in car accidents? Why can't I learn I can't fix people? Why can't I learn I cannot fix myself?
When I am overwhelmed with what I do not know, I settle myself with what I do know. I know I can trust Jesus in moments of peace and joy and I can trust Him in the center of madness. When my chest is heavy and I cannot sleep--I can go to the One who created me and knows me. Time and time again He has met my deepest need and shown Himself faithful.
I love you, Jesus. And today, moment by moment, I trust You.
I trust You.
I trust You.
Saturday, January 27, 2018
Saturday, January 20, 2018
"My Father is still working, and I am working also." John 5:17
His eyes were on the waters.
He waited. For 38 years. With his eyes on the waters.
He wasn't alone. Many people--sick, blind, lame, paralyzed--all watching the waters.
They waited and watched for the waters to stir. The one who had help and made it into the water first was healed.
He had no one. Even so, he waited. And he kept his eyes on the waters.
This pool of water was in Bethesda. The Bible describes it as having 5 colonnades. It must have been beautiful in its day.
The man's eyes were on the waters. But Jesus' eyes were on the man.
"Do you want to get well?"
The Messiah is speaking. And the man is looking at the waters.
"I have no help. No one will take me to the waters."
"Get up! Pick up your bedroll and walk."
By the end of the day, this man had healing. Both physical and, vastly more important, spiritual.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if all illness and forms or torment could be healed and no longer present on earth? Well, it would be ... heavenly.
A few verses later, we read how angry the religious leaders were. Jesus healed the man at the pools on the Sabbath.
His response was simple. "My Father is still working, and I am working also."
His eyes were on the waters and he waited. Until the day he looked at Jesus instead of the waters.
The pools at Bethesda are no longer there. We still have our eyes on something other than Jesus.
Self.
Education.
Money.
A person.
A dream.
A goal.
Our healing--healing of the heart, healing of the mind, healing of our pain--comes when we keep our eyes on Jesus.
The removal of cancer, addictions, sorrows, and loss on earth isn't going to happen. I look forward to heaven. I look forward to these things gone from memory.
Until then, I will believe with all my heart "My Father is still working, and I am working also."
I love you, Jesus.
He waited. For 38 years. With his eyes on the waters.
He wasn't alone. Many people--sick, blind, lame, paralyzed--all watching the waters.
They waited and watched for the waters to stir. The one who had help and made it into the water first was healed.
He had no one. Even so, he waited. And he kept his eyes on the waters.
This pool of water was in Bethesda. The Bible describes it as having 5 colonnades. It must have been beautiful in its day.
The man's eyes were on the waters. But Jesus' eyes were on the man.
"Do you want to get well?"
The Messiah is speaking. And the man is looking at the waters.
"I have no help. No one will take me to the waters."
"Get up! Pick up your bedroll and walk."
By the end of the day, this man had healing. Both physical and, vastly more important, spiritual.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if all illness and forms or torment could be healed and no longer present on earth? Well, it would be ... heavenly.
A few verses later, we read how angry the religious leaders were. Jesus healed the man at the pools on the Sabbath.
His response was simple. "My Father is still working, and I am working also."
His eyes were on the waters and he waited. Until the day he looked at Jesus instead of the waters.
The pools at Bethesda are no longer there. We still have our eyes on something other than Jesus.
Self.
Education.
Money.
A person.
A dream.
A goal.
Our healing--healing of the heart, healing of the mind, healing of our pain--comes when we keep our eyes on Jesus.
The removal of cancer, addictions, sorrows, and loss on earth isn't going to happen. I look forward to heaven. I look forward to these things gone from memory.
Until then, I will believe with all my heart "My Father is still working, and I am working also."
I love you, Jesus.
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
My Peace I Leave with You
Most people in the world long for peace.
Peace between nations.
Peace between family members.
Peace within their hearts.
My husband and a few friends recently spent time together in Israel. What a beautiful, confusing, deep, amazing land.
There's so much I long to understand about the past and the present of this complicated. special place.
Jesus walked that ground 2,000 years ago teaching, healing, and showing the world His Father. In fact, what got the people most angry with Him were the words "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father."
Even then, people wanted peace.
Peace in their nation.
Peace in their hearts.
No different from today, they looked and listened but they could not see nor hear.
We want peace, but only on our own terms. Peace without cost. Peace without effort.
Hours before Jesus was arrested, He spoke to those closest to Him. He spoke from the heart. He spoke from the Father.
John chapter 14. We call it the Comfort Chapter. It has been a personal favorite chapter for many years.
"Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go and prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place I will come again and receive you unto myself so where I am, you will be also ... Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives ..."
Peace comes with a price.
The price is surrender. The price is laying down self-sufficiency and picking up Jesus. The price is not just admitting we need Him, the price is in acting on our need minute by minute of every broken and difficult day.
Our hearts are restless because we want to understand everything. We want answers to the why's of heartache and disappointment. We want relief. We think peace comes with having all our prayers answered.
Complete peace, like true joy, comes from giving up and giving in. It's the cry, that guttural cry, that admits I cannot continue to do this life this way. I cannot continue to use my own limited strength.
Jesus! I give in. I hand over to You my need to do it on my own, my desire to fix. My want to understand and my felt control.
I want Your peace. I accept Your peace in place of my pride.
I hope you'll read John chapter 14 today.
I will pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
I will pray for peace among people.
But more so, I pray for people to know the gift of salvation and the peace of total surrender.
Minute by minute of every broken and difficult day.
Peace between nations.
Peace between family members.
Peace within their hearts.
My husband and a few friends recently spent time together in Israel. What a beautiful, confusing, deep, amazing land.
There's so much I long to understand about the past and the present of this complicated. special place.
Jesus walked that ground 2,000 years ago teaching, healing, and showing the world His Father. In fact, what got the people most angry with Him were the words "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father."
Even then, people wanted peace.
Peace in their nation.
Peace in their hearts.
No different from today, they looked and listened but they could not see nor hear.
We want peace, but only on our own terms. Peace without cost. Peace without effort.
Hours before Jesus was arrested, He spoke to those closest to Him. He spoke from the heart. He spoke from the Father.
John chapter 14. We call it the Comfort Chapter. It has been a personal favorite chapter for many years.
"Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go and prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place I will come again and receive you unto myself so where I am, you will be also ... Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives ..."
Peace comes with a price.
The price is surrender. The price is laying down self-sufficiency and picking up Jesus. The price is not just admitting we need Him, the price is in acting on our need minute by minute of every broken and difficult day.
Our hearts are restless because we want to understand everything. We want answers to the why's of heartache and disappointment. We want relief. We think peace comes with having all our prayers answered.
Complete peace, like true joy, comes from giving up and giving in. It's the cry, that guttural cry, that admits I cannot continue to do this life this way. I cannot continue to use my own limited strength.
Jesus! I give in. I hand over to You my need to do it on my own, my desire to fix. My want to understand and my felt control.
I want Your peace. I accept Your peace in place of my pride.
I hope you'll read John chapter 14 today.
I will pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
I will pray for peace among people.
But more so, I pray for people to know the gift of salvation and the peace of total surrender.
Minute by minute of every broken and difficult day.
Thursday, January 4, 2018
Flowers for My Momma
As far back as I can remember, my momma has had the greenest thumb ever. She can take a dried and lifeless plant and bring it back to blooming.
I've been super-blessed to visit Israel multiple times and am super super-blessed to go again.
Tommy has picked on me because I take pictures, endless pictures, of flowers everywhere we go.
I called my momma before embarking and let her know, when she sees a posted picture of a beautiful bloom, she can know it's for her. Her response? "And you can know I am well."
As many of my friends know, she is battling cancer.
Here's the thing--she is giving God glory for every single day. Privately in her heart and publicly to strangers in a store. She knows her strength comes from God alone. And even on those long days and nights, those spans of time that only those who battle this evil can comprehend, she knows the joy of the LORD is her strength.
I am asking a favor of all who read this blog and all who follow and will see the breathtaking flowers I will soon post--pray for my momma. And pray for all those who fight the battle against this dread. And as you pray, believe in your heart that God is sovereign. Every minute of every day.
Momma, I am so proud of you. And so thankful for everything you have taught and continue to teach me. Watch for the flowers and know they are for you.
And yes, I will know you are well.
I've been super-blessed to visit Israel multiple times and am super super-blessed to go again.
Tommy has picked on me because I take pictures, endless pictures, of flowers everywhere we go.
I called my momma before embarking and let her know, when she sees a posted picture of a beautiful bloom, she can know it's for her. Her response? "And you can know I am well."
As many of my friends know, she is battling cancer.
Here's the thing--she is giving God glory for every single day. Privately in her heart and publicly to strangers in a store. She knows her strength comes from God alone. And even on those long days and nights, those spans of time that only those who battle this evil can comprehend, she knows the joy of the LORD is her strength.
I am asking a favor of all who read this blog and all who follow and will see the breathtaking flowers I will soon post--pray for my momma. And pray for all those who fight the battle against this dread. And as you pray, believe in your heart that God is sovereign. Every minute of every day.
Momma, I am so proud of you. And so thankful for everything you have taught and continue to teach me. Watch for the flowers and know they are for you.
And yes, I will know you are well.
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