Finish Well

8/27/23

We celebrated 40 years as Pastors in April this year. It was hard to believe, yet as we gathered pictures, newspaper articles, and wrote out invitations to the party, we thought a lot about the amazing 40 years God gave us as pastors here at All the World Christian Center. We were honored to have so many dear friends and family come support us and celebrate with us. Our four grown children, who grew up in this church, blessed us with their presence.

My prayer for you is that you will continue to grow in the Lord, that you will continue to stand up for what is Godly, that the gifts of the Spirit in you will continue to grow and produce much fruit, and that you will continue to walk in love like Jesus.

As you let His light shine through you, others will see Jesus in you.

Always believe, hope and pray for God’s blessings and His promises.

Never stop worshiping and praising God. Through worship and praise the Lord will strengthen you and show you how you can strengthen others. Help others realize that Jesus is the only way.

Keep the full armor of God on always and stand up against evil. Continue to fight the good fight. Don’t back down. Press forward. Don’t quit.

I recently heard a story about an 1968 Olympian, John Stephen Akhwari, from Tanzania. He was representing his country in the marathon at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.  During the race he was accidentally bumped by another runner and fell badly wounding his knee and hitting his shoulder hard against the pavement. He continued running and finished last long after the award ceremony was over. A few people were still in the stadium and cheered him on as he crossed the finish line. When asked why he continued running, he said, ”My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race; they sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race.”

We want to encourage all of you to finish this race that you began with the Lord. Run the race until you cross the finish line. What a great celebration! Finish well.

Hebrews 12:1

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,”

So after 40 years as pastors we are closing doors here at All the World Christian Center, but not ending the ministry God called us too. We will be moving north to be closer to family.  We will listen to the Holy Spirit for His direction. We will step out. We know God has doors to yet open for us as we continue to prepare and study His Word.

We also will continue to run the race, keeping our eyes on the finish line, and we will finish well.

Created, Called, Chosen

CREATED, CALLED, CHOSEN June 2023

“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.” Psalm 139:14

I have been thinking a lot about what adoption means lately. My youngest daughter and her husband chose to pursue an adoption in order to grow their family. They started the adoption process over a year ago. It has been an anxious, hopeful, waiting time.

Finally they were contacted that an expectant mother chose them to adopt her baby. They were chosen out of many other hopeful families. So much hoping. So much anticipation.  So many prayers.

Through the waiting I would pray with my daughter and remind her to hang onto hope and faith that God is in control. He knows the desire of your heart. He is bringing your best to completion.

The concept of adoption is very real to God and His plan for His people. Mary was chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus, God’s Son. An angel from the Lord assured Joseph that he should marry Mary and become Jesus’ earthly father.

So Jesus was loved and raised by Mary and Joseph. Then He fulfilled the call on His life.  He taught, He healed, He discipled, He blessed, and He gave His life for us. Then He rose from the dead and sent the Holy Spirit for us. He left us with a job to do…to share the love of God and take the good news into all the world.

In Galatians 4:4-6 we see God’s plan for our adoption into His family.

4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

“Abba” is  the Aramaic (Hebrew language) word for Father

God has always wanted His creation to have fellowship with Him, just like an earthly father wants fellowship with his children. God created each of us to spend time with Him, to know Him, and to communicate with Him. When we worship and praise Him in song or spend time in His Word and study, we are spending time with our Father.

When we spend time in prayer and intersession, we are communicating with our Father.

When we receive Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are called new creations. We have been born again. This is the spiritual birth that Jesus talks about in John 3:1-5: God wants us to experience the new birth and be part of His family.

We are like a new born baby needing to be fed, cared for, loved, nourished, and taught. John 1:12 says,  “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right (authority) to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”

One day during the waiting I received a call from a very tearful daughter questioning if this adoption would really take place. We prayed together and thanked the Lord for peace and trust and faith in Him. Then it was the very next day that my daughter heard from the birth mother and plans were set.

The day arrived.  Our daughter and son-in-law went to the hospital where after the baby was born she was placed in their arms. A baby girl.

I flew back to Nashville. I was there to see my 3 year old grandson meet his new baby sister. He proudly wore his Big Brother t-shirt. So I have a  new granddaughter who was chosen and adopted and forever part of our family.

Children are a gift from God. And our heavenly Father teaches us how to be the best parents. It is amazing!  We are adopted and chosen by God. We are His children.

Ephesians 1:3-6. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Sometimes, But Always...

January 26, 2023

Sometimes, But Always . . .

Sometimes when the heat

Of the night hangs heavy

Wrapped around the mountains

And the thunder

Rolls in the hills…

Sometimes as they fall

The leaves dance and twirl

Then mix it up

With the other brightly

Tinted hues beneath the brown old oaks…

Sometimes in the dark

And the deep night

When the cold stars twinkle

On snowy fields

And silent homes…

But always

When I push the curtains wide

To see a new fresh day

Waiting to be filled

Like an empty box

Ready for a gift to be wrapped…

Then

I am reminded

You told me

You love me always

And

You will never leave me

Or forsake me.

I am Amazed

I am Amazed

I am amazed

At your gentle birth

You came from heaven

To this cold earth

I am amazed

At your amazing grace

Seeking the rich and poor

Not forsaking any

I am amazed

At your healing touch

For you took the stripes

And made me whole

I am amazed

At your great love

When your Holy blood

Fell to cleanse my soul

I am amazed

At your awesome power

How you shook off death

And gave me life

I am amazed

At your kind forgiveness

Accepting me just as I am

Making me a child of the King

I am amazed

At your loving mercy

When you took my place

Jesus, my Lord and my King

Give Thanks

Give Thanks

As a child I was taught to say “please” and “thank you.”  I taught my children the same manners. Saying “thank you” may seem like a small gesture, but I believe it is very important. When we stop to say “thank you,” we slow down and are aware of the person and the action that just took place and prompted the courtesy of saying “thank you.”

Did a car stop to let you cross the street or did someone open and hold the door for you?  Were you given a gift or a kind word?  There are so many reasons for responding with “thank you.”  In our busy world these are moments of kindness and the perfect time to give thanks.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”   1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Here in America we set one day aside each year and celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Traditionally it has always been a day to gather with family and friends. Eat good food, watch football, or take a nap. A day to slow down and be thankful.

Thanksgiving Day should also be a day to count the many blessings we have. As my family gathers, we will stop and pray and offer thanks to God. Because everything we have is from Him.  He deserves all our praise and thanks.

“Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;

Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.”   Psalm 95:2

Let us give thanks for our family and friends.

Let us give thanks for the church family that gathers faithfully.

Let us give thanks for a free nation that was founded on God’s Word.

Let us give thanks for all the service men and women.

Let us give thanks for all the first responders.

Let us give thanks for the missionaries sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Let us give thanks for Peace in Jerusalem.

Let us give thanks for the family of God all around the world.

Let us give thanks to God for sending His Son.

Let us give thanks to Jesus for salvation, healing, deliverance, and His love.

Let us give thanks…

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
  For His mercy endures forever.”    Psalm 136:1

Seasons

October 24, 2022

Seasons

I live in a beautiful part of the country where I am blessed to see the seasons change.  I It reminds me that God is in charge.  Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.  Each has a beauty of its own. Each has a reason. The scriptures contain numerous verses that tell us about how God is in charge of the changing seasons.

“He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.” Psalm 104:19

As I wake to changing temperatures and cooler mornings, I watch the brown oak leaves fall and the maple trees turn a brilliant red and orange. Soon the leaves will cover the lawn. Raking will begin. It has been a very dry, warm autumn. A long awaited rain fall is forecasted.

“The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands.” Deuteronomy 28:12

I remember that in the 60’s a band called the Byrds put the verses from Ecclesiastes to a song and titled it “Turn, Turn, Turn.”  These verses from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 describe how God has a time and season for everything.

There is a time for everything,

   and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,

    a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3  a time to kill and a time to heal,

    a time to tear down and a time to build,

4  a time to weep and a time to laugh,

    a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

6  a time to search and a time to give up,

    a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend,

    a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8  a time to love and a time to hate,

    a time for war and a time for peace.

“Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons, and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration.” Jeremiah 8:7

What marks the change of seasons for you? Which is your favorite? Why?

What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”  John Steinbeck.

In Spring everything is new and we have the feeling we can accomplish so much. Time to plant the garden. Time to clean the house. Plant some spring flower. Celebrate the Resurrection.

Summer brings growth and excitement. We accomplish the list of plans that have been waiting for sunshine and good weather. Time to play in the river, maybe even travel, and visit family and friends. Then take time to relax before the harvest.

Autumn arrives with a burst of color. Buy new school supplies. Pull out the warm sweaters. Spend time in the garden gathering the harvest and then in the kitchen canning. Watch the leaves fly. So many reasons to be thankful.

Winter blows in with rain. Rain gear is ready by the door. Hot cocoa and warm mittens. Life slows down. Snow falls and the magic of winter arrives. Bring in the firewood and snuggle with the family. Prepare for the upcoming Christmas celebration.

Jesus taught His disciples about the seasons too. There is a “time for everything.”

“And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.”  Mark 11:13

We get to observe changing of seasons in nature. We also have changing seasons in our lives. Our lives go thru seasons physically and spiritually. Each season brings opportunities, challenges, and blessings.

Childhood; youth; adult; and old age - these have been written about often as the physical seasons of one’s life. They have been compared to spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

Seasons change, we change and grow, but God never changes. Each season is unique and amazing. It may not be your favorite, but you can’t stop it or change it. I think the best solution is to learn from it. Grow in it. Embrace each season.

"Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.”  Henry David Thoreau.

God wants us to grow thru the seasons of life and become strong in Him. As we learn more of the Word, He wants us to not remain babies, but mature and become all He has called us to be. We are to grow up and be strong in Him. He wants us to use the gifts He placed in us. He wants us to be His disciples and share Jesus with the people in our world, those we have contact with, and those who are lost.

“Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”  Acts 14:17

In our lives we will have seasons of joy, contentment, pain, sorrow, regret, or hope.

God is in all the seasons of our life. God is in the changing seasons of nature and in the changing seasons of our lives. Embrace them. Flourish like the tree in Psalms 1:1-3.

Blessed is the man

Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,

Nor stands in the path of sinners,

Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He shall be like a tree

Planted by the rivers of water,

That brings forth its fruit in its season,

Whose leaf also shall not wither;

And whatever he does shall prosper.

As I finish writing these thoughts on the changing seasons in nature and our lives, the long awaited rain fall has arrived.  God’s timing is perfect.

Kindergarten

This fall my granddaughter started Kindergarten and she loves it.

My daughter is learning to accept the multitude of feelings that accompany this monumental event: happiness, tears, pride, concern, and love, and the list goes on and on.

And I remember. I remember all those feelings and emotions and the need for prayer. I learned to pray for each of my children. A lot. Often. For safety, wisdom, and guidance.

I prayed that the love I gave would be an example. That I had taught them to love, be kind, thoughtful, truthful, but also to stand up for what’s right and fair.

I remember reading a book on the strong willed child. All four of my children are strong willed. It wasn’t always easy when they were young, but I am thankful. They know how to stand up for what they believe.

Each child is a blessing from the Lord. They come equipped with gifts and talents. As parents we are given the awesome responsibility to teach and train these little people. We nourish and care for them and raise them up to be responsible people.

There will be struggles and heartbreaks as children grow. Tears, skinned knees, and broken dreams, but love, forgiveness, and encouragement must never stop.

The Bible says to train them up in the love and admonition of the Lord in Proverbs 22:8.

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

It is a joy to see each child grow and blossom in the talents God planted in them. As parents, our job is to help them discover their gifts and talents, and then to encourage them to pursue and flourish in them.

So proud of our son who is musician, successful business man, a father of four boys and soon to be a grandfather.  He is kind, thoughtful, loving, and wise.

Our three daughters are each amazing women. They are wives and mothers, sisters, and aunts. Our oldest daughter is now a grandmother too. Each has pursued the gifts God placed in them. They correspond with each other daily and encourage each other often. Family is important.

Recently we hosted a family reunion. All but two of my grandsons were able to come. It was so special to see all our kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids together. Talking, laughing, and getting to know each other. Some for the first time.

I found myself just watching, taking in each moment, wanting to hold on to it all. Four generations!  Stories were shared. Pictures taken. Family memories made.

Now that I have grandchildren and great-grandchildren, I have an urgency to keep all of them and those they love in prayer. I will be praying for wisdom, guidance, safety, and wise choices. I will be praying for God’s love to shine through each of them.

The truth is I will never stop praying. First Kindergarten, high school, college, travel, work, relationships, marriage, families, health; it’s all part of the amazing privilege of being a parent and having the blessing of children.

Psalms 127:3-5

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

The fruit of the womb is a reward.

  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

So are the children of one’s youth.

  Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;

They shall not be ashamed,

But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

I am very blessed.

So as my precious granddaughter steps into Kindergarten, waves goodbye, learns to ride the bus home, and meets new friends, she will be in my daily prayers. God has placed amazing gifts in her and I can’t wait to see all of them shine.

An Invitation

An open door is like an invitation to enter. On sunny summer days quaint little stores in an old town off the main road open their doors. Walking by you can’t help but sense the invitation.

Imagine finding the tomb empty and the stone rolled away on that first Easter morning. Matthew describes the scene in Matthew 28:1-2  “After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.”

The empty tomb was an open invitation to step inside. That is what the women did. Matthew 28:5-6  “The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”

We can also step into the empty tomb. Jesus is risen as He said. When we choose to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we step into the empty tomb and rejoice that He is Risen. 

John 3:16  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Jesus had told His disciples what He had to do for them and for all of us. He was the sacrifice for all mankind. He had to suffer and die, go to hell, take the keys, and break the curse. On the cross Jesus declared, “It is finished.”

Then darkness descended and an earth quake shook the earth. The veil in the temple was torn.  The torn veil is an open invitation for us to have a personal relationship with the Lord. Everyone is welcome. Please come in, but you have to choose to step into His presence.

Recently as I was studying the events of Holy Week, I thought about one of my favorite stories, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis.   Aslan, the Lion, goes willingly to the Stone Table and allows himself to be bound with ropes.  I thought of Jesus as He willingly went to the cross. He was God. He could have refused, but Jesus went willingly for us.

Luke describes the scene at the empty tomb in Luke 28, verses 5-8  “In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered His words.”

In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe the children are afraid and hide when Aslan is killed. Then with the rising sun everything changed. As the children cautiously return to the Stone Table, they see it has broken in two pieces and Aslan is gone. He meets them and assures them that he is alive. The good prevailed and the evil was defeated.

“Arise, shine; for your Light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.”  Isaiah 60:1

On the morning of the third day the women who ran to the tomb were greeted by angels. As they stepped into the empty tomb, they remembered what Jesus had told them. He had risen just as He had said. And nothing will ever be the same again. He is risen, He is risen indeed.

The tomb is still empty. Jesus is seated at the right had of the most High God, and He is interceding for each of us. Jesus is offering each of us an invitation today. Choose Him and choose eternal life. 

Romans 8:11 “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

Friendship

FRIENDSHIP

My Poem on Friendship

F orever

R espectful

I nterested

E ncouraging

N onjudgemental

D ependable

S incere

H elpful

I mpassioned

P atient

Friends…There are many types: funny, serious, long time, brand new, childhood friend, church family friend, work place friend, neighbor, family friend, or a friend that’s moved far away.

Whether we have just a few friends or numerous, each one is important. No matter where they are, near or far.  They are all special for different reasons. 

We’ve created memories with them.  We’ve laughed together and cried together.  We’ve shared secrets. We’ve opened our hearts and trusted their faithfulness. 

There are about 200 scriptures in the Bible that talk about friends. The book of Proverbs has many helpful tips and much wisdom about friendship and friends.

The Lord is the key to good friendships.

To be a good friend takes time. That means we need to slow down. In a culture that seems to always be in a hurry slowing down is a challenge. We need to make time to be a friend.

When we open ourselves up to someone we become vulnerable. We open ourselves up for the possibility of getting hurt.

“The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” Proverbs 12:26 (NIV)

Friends are important in our life. The amount of friends isn’t what matters. Quality is more important than quantity.

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” Proverbs 17:17

We need to have compassion and be sensitive to our friend and their needs. Sometimes just being available to be still and listen is what’s needed most. At times no advice is wanted, just a listening ear and a kind heart. Maybe even a hug.

“Bear one another’s burden, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

“Love one another” is the law of Christ. 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34 (NIV)

A truly good friend is willing to listen and pray with us. A true friend will keep what is shared in confidence and can be trusted. A friend must be dependable.

“A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.” Proverbs 16:28

Sometimes we have to be honest with our friend. That can be uncomfortable but important. We might save them from disaster or regret. Correction or advice should be shared in a loving way.  We may need to to be corrected or advised at some point also. Can we accept it graciously? 

“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 (NIV)

In the Bible is the story of Zacchaeus who literally went out on a ‘limb’ to connect with Jesus. Luke 19:1-10 describes how Zacchaeus climbed up into a tree just so he could see Jesus who was walking into town.  Zacchaeus took the ‘leap’ for connection, his life was changed that day. In the presence of Jesus he repented and was saved.

Friends are important. We learn from them. They learn from us. 

“As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” Proverbs 27:17 (NKJV)

Let’s be best friends with Jesus (BFFs),  and we will learn how to be best friends with others. 

“And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.” James 2:23 (NIV)

Jesus is our example of a true friend. He is our best friend ever. 

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”  John 15:13-15 (NIV)

A Heart like God's

A Heart like God’s

Everyone knows that keeping your heart healthy is important. There are numerous diets and helpful medical advice for heart healthy living. Exercise and eating healthy food are just part of the plan. Vitamins and supplements are also helpful for heart health.

February is the month we celebrate Valentine’s Day. The symbol most often used is the heart. It symbolizes love. Valentine cards and flowers are on sale everywhere. Restaurants are advertising romantic dinners. Red is the color of the month it seems. Love is in the air. 

I send Valentine cards to my grandchildren reminding them that they are very loved. Our first great-granddaughter was born this month one year ago. So I have been shopping for the perfect gift for her.

I remember that Valentine's Day celebration in elementary school was fun. Making cards and passing them to classmates was exiting. There was always a party in class too. My granddaughter who is now in pre-school is enjoying that fun.

Looking back to when I was teaching high school, I remember how emotional it would be in the classroom on Valentine’s Day. It was exciting for some but sorrowful for others. The kids who didn’t receive a flower or card were in pain. It was a reminder to them that no one was thinking of them, not even a parent. I always felt sad for the kids left out.

1 John 4:7  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

God has a lot to tell us about the heart. He has a big heart and He loves us dearly. He cares for the broken hearted, the lonely, and the hurting. God cares for us even more than the little sparrow He created. He tells us He will never leave us or forsake us. There is no end to His love. Love is from God. God is love.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

How can we show God’s love? Have a heart like God’s? Perhaps love is worth fighting for. Reaching out and going beyond our comfort zone to love with God’s kind of love.

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 

Valentine’s Day comes once a year. But we can show God’s love everyday of the year.  In acts of kindness, respect, courtesy, and forgiveness we exhibit a heart like God’s.

As Luke records Jesus’ words in Luke 10:27 … “So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

Thoughts on a New Year - 2022

A new year is like a new journal with blank pages to fill.  The new year 2022 offers us a chance to reflect and reaffirm our faith.  To start anew and strengthen our walk with the Lord. God has given us tools in His Word to move forward, meet the challenges, and succeed.

First, take every thought captive. What we think is important.

2 Corinthians 10:5  casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Next, pray. Make your concerns known to God.

Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know to God: and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Then, thank God for answered prayer. Keep a prayer journal.

Philippians 4:4-5. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!  Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

Finally, keep your eyes on Jesus. Focus on His promises. Don’t be distracted.

Romans 8:26. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Tune out and turn off the distractions. There is so much negative around us daily. We 

need to spend our energy on the good things: Jesus, family, friends, and those in need.

Philippians 4:8. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworrhy—meditate on these things.

This new year is the year we can thrive and see God do great things in ourselves, our homes, our community, and our world.

April 1, 2021

The Gift of Forgiveness

An unexpected package left on the front porch just waiting. Waiting to be discovered, opened, and treasured. 

That is just like forgiveness. Forgiveness is a gift.  Sometimes it’s a long awaited gift. Sometimes it’s a surprise gift and not expected at all. Maybe it’s even undeserved.

A gift can be received or rejected. In either case lives are changed. A window will open and sunlight will pour in or shutters are drawn and the chill remains. 

Forgiveness is powerful. It can pull down strongholds and crush negative thoughts. It can break chains and set captives free. Forgiveness heals wounds, deep wounds. 

For a survivor of the Holocaust forgiveness may be the last imaginable thought. Standing face to face with one of the cruel Nazi guards, is forgiveness even possible? But when the never forgotten face of that particular guard asks for forgiveness, there is a choice. Unexpected forgiveness occurs. Shock, tears, release of pain and guilt. The gift of forgiveness sets them both free.

After walking, eating, and sitting at His feet for three years, Peter denied he knew Jesus. Jesus warned him that would happen. Peter is stunned and filled with grief at the realization that Jesus knew him so well. But after the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection, Jesus prepares a meal for Peter at the beach. Jesus offers Peter forgiveness, food, and fellowship, and Peter accepts the gift of forgiveness.

A free gift is offered to all. While Jesus was hanging on the cross, He offered it to the two thieves. The free gift of eternal life with the opportunity to spend forever in heaven was offered. One rejected the gift, the other received it.

Ephesians 2:8 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

Jesus offers that gift of forgiveness to each of us. No matter what we have done, no matter the sin, big or small, Jesus offers forgiveness. We can’t earn it. We don’t deserve it. I accepted the free gift of forgiveness from Jesus. I opened the gift and found freedom, joy, and peace.

2 Corinthians 9:15 (AMP) Now thanks be to God for His indescribable gift [which is precious beyond words]!

As we celebrate Easter, it is a good time to consider why Jesus would willingly go to cross and be crucified. He gave up His life for you and for me. 

Romans 6:23 - the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord

Hope in the New Year

The year 2020 has been a challenge in good and bad ways. It’s time to turn a page and start new. A new year offers that.

A clean slate. An empty journal. A second chance. A new beginning. A hope.

What are you hoping for?   What are your expectations?  What are your dreams?

If frustration, depression or fear seemed to overcome you in 2020, it’s time to look for hope. It’s time to look up.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”( Jeremiah 29:11)

This year I am hoping for a chance to gather once again with family and friends. To hug. To laugh. To just be together again.  It’s been too long. 

I am hoping that soon I will be able to hug my granddaughters and be in the same room as they spin and dance to The Nutcracker. 

I am hoping to sit and help my grandson build a tall tower of blocks and watch as he gleefully laughs and knocks them over.

I am hoping to sit with my grown grandchildren and listen with a glad heart as family stories are shared.

I am hoping to hug my great-grandson and kiss his brand new baby sister. 

Hope keeps me looking forward and anticipating something good.  I will wait and watch for it.  As a child looks forward to Christmas morning. 

Romans 5:5 says, “And hope does not put us to shame…” 

It’s okay to hope. Everyone needs hope. Hold onto your dreams. 

In 1 Thessalonians 1:3, hope is defined as a confident expectation with sure basis. “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

God already knows what this year will hold. He knows each of us and has the best plan for our lives. God knows us better than we know ourselves. He created us to do great things. The Psalmist says, “Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” (Psalm31:24)  God bless you.

Christmas Reading

December 23, 2020

Christmas Reading

I woke up thinking about my favorite Christmas stories. I started the coffee pot and then turned on the Christmas tree lights. I kept the curtains closed since it seemed cozier. As soon as the coffee finished brewing, I poured myself a mug full, grabbed my journal, and snuggled in my chair to write.

I have a collection of books I set out at Christmas time to enjoy and share with my grandchildren. Fun stories, serious stories, and colorful stories. Each one has an encouraging message of hope, forgiveness and love.  A few of the stories are new ones I have acquired since marriage and others are stories that my mother read to me.

One that is still my favorite is The Littlest Angel by Charles Tazewell. A darling story about a little angel franticly searching for the perfect gift to give the new born Christ child. Besides having the book, I also was fortunate to have the story on 45 records. As a girl I enjoyed hearing the story also. In fact, I just found the records and will listen to them this Christmas.

While teaching I would share with my English classes O.Henry’s story The Gift of the Magi. A lovely story with an important lesson of unselfish love. Like all O. Henry’s stories, this one had an unexpected surprise. The students would enjoy sharing their thoughts on the twist at the end of the story. 

I believe my dad introduced me to Dylan Thomas’ A Child’s Christmas in Wales. This is a fun story of a Welsh boy’s experiences and adventures around his home town at Christmas time. This story was special to me since both my parents’ families come from Wales. Dylan Thomas recorded the story on vinyl while on a trip to the United States. His voice, use of words, and imagery were so enchanting to hear as he read his story. I would often play the record for my students as they followed along in their literature books.

As our family gathers around the Christmas tree we share another story on Christmas day. The story found in the Bible, the best selling book of all time. The story of the birth of Jesus is the reason we celebrate Christmas. Jesus was born to die for us. It’s a story of eternal love, humility, forgiveness, and sacrifice. This story is still touching lives today and will continue to touch lives for generations. This story is the greatest story ever written.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16,17

Merry Christmas

Thankfulness on Thanksgiving Day 2020

This Thanksgiving is different from others not because I am less thankful but because life has been impacted by the pandemic. More time at home. More time to look at photographs, slides, and photo albums. More time to remember and consider the reasons for giving thanks.

I have always loved celebrating Thanksgiving. Sitting with family around the table and each thoughtfully naming 3 reasons to be thankful. Then holding hands and praying. This year my list of thanks is quite long and I keep adding to it.

I am thankful for my parents’ loving example.. 

I am thankful for my sister who shared a Campus Crusade tract with me so I could know Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

I am thankful for my husband and his steadfast love, patience, and sense of humor.

I am thankful for our four amazing children. Each one has taught me so much.

I am thankful for our ten grandchildren and one great-grandchild (so far). Each one is amazing and will positively touch the world.

I am thankful for my extended family, though living far away, we are still connected.

I am thankful for our church and the many years God has allowed us to pastor His flock in Grants Pass, Oregon. I am thankful for our faithful church family.  We pray together, laugh together, and cry together. 

I am thankful for the many friends I have been fortunate to know and enjoy through the years. Friends that challenged me to be better. Friends who love without asking for anything in return. 

I am thankful for this beautiful world which God created. Each season is alive for our senses to enjoy the color, feel, smells, sights, and sounds. A thankful heart is a happy heart.

According to Amazon books, the most often highlighted words are from the Bible in Philippians 4:4-7. Peace and thankfulness can be found in these verses.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Who is my Neighbor? 9/4/2020

There is a lot of fear and unrest in the world. The coronavirus still seems to be waging a battle for lives. Many of us know someone who has been affected by it. The constant reports of increased number of cases or deaths plants fear in hearts. 

Recently we have been shocked to see unjust brutality in our streets. Daily the internet and television broadcast scenes of destruction as it happens live. There is a lot of hate, mistrust, and pain in our nation. What is the answer?

Psalms 91 has sustained many of us through the months of quarantine due to the coronavirus. Verse 1 says, “He who dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”  I truly believe that Jesus is the answer to the fear, hate, mistrust, and pain. Only with His help can we help those in need.

Jesus loves us. He wants us to love others. We can be part of the solution. The world will see Jesus in us if we love others like He loves them. We need to see people as Jesus sees them. He died for all people. Jesus is not prejudice. Do we have the eyes of Jesus?

Jesus didn’t die on the cross for perfect people. He didn’t take the beatings, bruises, and stripes on His body for healthy people. He did all the things His Father told Him to do for imperfect, scared, broken, sick and dying people—us.

We need to have compassion for others as Jesus did.  Compassion was the direct motive for at least 5 miracles by Jesus. Compassion is that feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for someone struck with misfortune, accompanied by a desire to alleviate the suffering. In other words - mercy! Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw a need, and He responded with teaching, healing, feeding, and loving. In Matthew 9:38 Jesus prays for more laborers to help. He was praying for us.

In a world with an ever changing culture, the Body of Christ, the church, must continue walking in the love of Jesus.  We must never stop being the hands and feet of Jesus. We must continue to believe and do His commandments. Jesus makes it simple in Mark 12:30-31, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” The world and culture may be changing, but God never changes.

So who is my neighbor?  Jesus asked this question, “Who is my neighbor?” And then tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:29-37. This parable deals with pain, fear, discrimination, and abandonment. The only person to stop and help the robbed and wounded Jew was a Samaritan. When Jesus shared this parable, everyone present knew the history of conflict between the Jews and the Samaritans. Jesus completes the Parable and asks in verse 36, “So which of these do you think was the neighbor?”

This question we must ask ourselves too. The answer was the person who showed mercy. The simple request from Jesus in Luke 10:37 is “go and do likewise.” God’s grace and mercy are for every person.  So go show mercy. How? With the love of Jesus.

Stop, pay attention, listen, feel the pain, show compassion, learn, and do what you can to help. Compassion will lead to empathy when we identify with the feelings and attitude of the other person. That is what the Good Samaritan did. He stopped to help when no one else would. He stepped out of his comfort zone. Jesus is asking us to “Go and do likewise.”  Simply love God and love others!

He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6:8

Waiting...

Waiting again…

We have all been waiting for life to return to normal, whatever that might be after two months of quarantine. As we wait, many of us and I hope the majority of us, have been busy doing things we normally don’t have time for or try to avoid. Many of us have had to learn to do new things. I have learned how to film my husband’s Sunday sermons and then upload them onto Youtube. Waiting can bring good things. The following blog is one I wrote last year at this time also about waiting…

Waiting…

for someone to arrive, 

someone you have never met,

someone special.

Waiting can be so hard. As a little girl it was hard to wait for Christmas to finally arrive or for my birthday party with my friends. Patience is not easy for a little girl or a mom either.

Recently, I have been anxiously awaiting the birth of a new granddaughter.  The due date arrived and passed. My daughter was preparing and ready. But baby girl had her own schedule. Only the good Lord knew her perfect arrival time. 

There is so much information now available to read or hear concerning the birthing process. And it is beneficial to study and learn all one can. My daughter studied, learned, and listened to those with the knowledge she needed. Then she paused and with much wisdom asked her family to take time and celebrate. No, the baby girl was not here yet, but she needed to celebrate those amazing women who came before her and have experienced the birthing process. Such as me, her older sister, her grandmothers, her husband’s mother and grandmothers, dear girlfriends, and her younger sister who is pregnant also. 

It was a precious time for my daughter to share objects which were from or symbolized the women she was honoring. A handkerchief, a candle, a glass angel, a bell, and little dress made by women in Zimbabwe. After she shared about each object, I was asked to offer a prayer. I was aware of the legacy before me. I was honored. 

The amazing idea of family began with our Heavenly Father. Recently I taught on Eve, the first mother. As I studied and prepared, I realized that Eve had no one before her to answer questions or give instructions. 

Unlike Eve, my daughter was able to glean information from women before her. Yet, since her first little girl was born cesarean, this natural birth was new for her.  With each day she became more determined that she could “do this.” 

Finally, the birth day arrived. It was long and difficult. The support team assembled was just perfect. Midwife, Doula, nurses, Liz’s husband, sister and me. Each of us had a key role to play in the birth of this baby and in helping Liz.  At just the right time, the midwife brought in the doctor, the very same doctor that Liz and Matt had met previously. He gave them information, let them make the decision, and then with his help, Eleanor Grace Wills was born. I finally got to meet and hold my newest granddaughter on May 26.

Waiting does have it’s perfect time for rewards.

Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV) But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Peace be Still

Life can be a rollercoaster. Just when we think we are at the top everything goes upside down and we fall. 

There is much uncertainty in the world right now. If we put our hope and trust in earthly things, we can end up with bitter disappointment. If we base our happiness on material things, money, or status, we will only be disappointed every time. 

We are being told to stay home and practice social distancing. We know a young man who was in the hospital for 5 weeks. With much prayer and the hard work of the doctors and nurses, he is finally home,  You may know someone who has lost their job. You may know someone who has lost a loved one to this virus. What can we do? What is going to happen? Is there any hope?

The Psalmist says that God will strengthen our heart. We can have hope. 

Psalm 31:24 - “Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” That’s what we need: courage and hope. 

When the storm is raging and it seems to be, keep holding onto your faith. When the waves are crashing and the tempest is blowing, hold on tighter to Jesus. Don’t let go of your faith and knowledge of God’s love. He will never leave you or forsake you.

Remember when the disciples were in the boat with Jesus. Wind, rain, and storm were tossing the boat. The disciples were fearful. Where was Jesus, sound asleep in the bow of the boat. When Peter woke Jesus, He rebuked them for their lack of faith.  Then Jesus simply said to the storm, “Peace be still.”

So we need to remain in the boat with Jesus and hold onto faith. Pray for peace. Pray for healing in the land. Pray for our nation and the leaders. Keep standing on the Word of God.

This time of remaining at home can be a blessing. There is the opportunity to pray, read, write, garden, practice an instrument, clean out a closet, make a new recipe, write letters, or simply sit and be thankful for hope and love that surrounds you.

Read Psalms 91 and strengthen yourself.

Nahum 1:7 says, “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him…”

God's Love

God’s Love

God’s love is truly amazing. He loved us before we knew Him, before we loved Him. We can’t earn or deserve His love. He just simply loves us. 

1 John 4:9-10 NIV says, “This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for or sins.”

God’s love is perfect and authentic. Not like the world’s kind of love that demands something first or needs something in return. God’s love is forever. God’s love is self-sacrificing.

Most of us know John 3:16 - “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” That truly is unconditional (Agape) love. God’s love is action.

God’s love is “wide, long, high, deep.” (Ephesians 3:18) Is it possible to really love like that? Fear can keep us from loving like God loves. But when we begin to understand God’s love, His love will strengthen us to love others without fear of rejection or hurt.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV) has always been one of my favorite scriptures:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. And love never fails.

At Easter we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. After Jesus was crucified and hung on the cross taking all the sins of the world upon Himself, He was laid in a sealed tomb. But on the third day He arose. An angel declared, “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.” (Matthew 28:6)  Our Lord of eternal love could not remain buried. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:17)

Faith, Hope, and Love…but the greatest of these is love.