This post is something I've never done before. It is written by my husband as he just recently became a father.
I was initially supposed to have this written before I was a father. But things have changed and our son arrived a week early, just in time for me to have my first Father's day.
A Father's job is to provide, protect, support, encourage, discipline, push, fix, lead, teach, and love. I didn't always know this was the case. The more my faith grew, the more I understood what a father was. It's one thing to understand, and another to experience.
I look at my newborn son and I am overwhelmed with emotion and a weight of responsibility. I have been made a steward of this spirit transmuted from my and my wife's flesh. All I want is for my son to be healthy, happy, and to learn to love the Lord. Can I do this? Can I be the bad guy when it's justified? Can I make the hard choices? Can I do it all?
Luckily God has provided earthly examples for me. And ultimately provided Himself as the perfect example. God was there for me through it all. He feverishly pursued me with ferocious and unconditional love. When I pushed Him away, He was never more than an arms length away. When I disobeyed, He crushed me and built me back up in the same stroke.
He was patience through my stubbornness. He ran to embrace me when I turned back to Him. He is never afraid to do for me what is needed. He only ever continues to mold me into who I was born to be. He truly knows me.
If I could just scratch the surface of that, it would be enough for my son. And ultimately if I can just be enough of a light to steer him to his true Father, then I will have peace.
So happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there who try to carry the world for their families. If they are too stubborn to let God spot them or carry the burden, at least give them the day off to rest their shoulders. Let them know how much you respect their work ethic. Let them know that you see them. And stroke their ego just a bit and tell them that they can do it all, but that doesn't mean they should.
When you think of Memorial Day, what do you think of? Maybe it's thoughts of time with family, picnics, parades, and time off work or school. You also try to remember to be grateful for those who served our country and died in that service.
To those of you who had family or friends who served and lost their lives, we are truly grateful for the freedom we have because of their sacrifice. There's no greater love than to lay down one's life for a friend. Those who served and died did this.
This year, on Memorial Day, I'm also thinking about those who have passed in my life. They may not have served their country, or died protecting it, but many of them did serve God's kingdom. I'm sure you have people in your life who have passed who you still think about. Maybe the scar they left in leaving is still fresh. Maybe it's not. However fresh it is, I encourage you to think about them today.
Think about those who served our country and those who served God's kingdom. Thank them for their sacrifice. Thank God that he has given us freedom. Thank God that he has sacrificed his Son so we can be with him in heaven.
So, who do you know who served our country or God's kingdom? If they were here today, how would you thank them?
Last year, on Mother's Day, I delivered a sermon on Hannah's story from the Bible. During that sermon, I said something that scared my father. I said, "I am not a mother, YET." After the sermon, my dad questioned me and I just rolled my eyes. This year is different; I am technically a mother now as I am carrying a child in my womb. There are times it doesn't feel like it, but it is true that I am currently a mother to a child I haven't met yet. There are even times when I ask my husband, "do you think I'm going to be a good mom?" He usually says, "you already are."
The prospect of being a mother is scary. I mean, you are bringing a little child into the world who solely relies on you for everything. On top of that, the world we live in can be scary. Then there's all the things you don't think about or know until they happen. I didn't research anything on pregnancy, childbirth, or raising a baby until I became pregnant. There's a lot to think about and there are a lot of opinions out there.
Then you have the fact that complications arise. In past Mother's Day blogs and sermons I have talked about how much mothers sacrifice. While no one may tell you this, the sacrificing begins once the baby is in the womb. Aside from all the symptoms you may hear about, there are the ones you don't want to think about. Symptoms like Gestational Diabetes. This is what the doctor diagnosed me with.
Gestational Diabetes sounds like you just have to focus on not eating sugar but there's more to it than that. I need to count my carbohydrates at every meal, eat half a plate of vegetables at every meal, eat protein at every meal and snack, and eat small snacks throughout the day. I'm only allowed to have 30-45 grams of carbohydrates at each meal. I'm pregnant; this is the time I am to be enjoying being able to eat pretty much whatever I want (I was avoiding sugar most of the time before this) but instead I'm hungry most of the time.
Before I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes, my husband kept saying something to me whenever a symptom would come up or when I would get overwhelmed. He would say, "we've entered our time of sacrifice." Being parents, being a mother, requires sacrifice. You give up your time, money, and health to do what is best for your child. And, yes, it can be annoying at times. I don't like the fact that I have to say no to sugar when we are at family get togethers. I don't like that I feel tired a lot lately. But I know that I'm sacrificing for someone I love, even if I haven't met them yet. That's what love requires: sacrifice.
Jesus was the one who ultimately sacrificed for all of us. He loved us enough to give up his life. When I am struggling with things happening in my life, I can look at him and thank him for what he did. I can try my best to emulate him and show his love to others. That's what we are all called to do each and every day.
Happy Mother's Day to all mothers and mother figures out there. I hope you know how appreciated you are, even if you don't always hear it. Know that your sacrifice is worth it.
There is so much symbolism surrounding the Easter story. Jesus entered the world and was placed in a tree (manger) and he left the world on a tree (the cross). Jesus was the perfect lamb sacrifice for our sins and we don't have to sacrifice animals ever again (praise the Lord)! But one symbol you may not know is about the cup at the Lord's supper.
Matthew 26:27-28 gives us context for what I'm talking about. It says, "Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.'" Of course, there is the obvious symbolism here of that not really being Jesus' blood. But there's another picture here. According to Ann Voskamp in her book The Broken Way when an engagement was happening back in Bible times, a Jewish Rabbi "said that when a man decided he wanted to marry a woman, his father would pour a cup of wine and pass it down to his son" Next the son would look at the woman, hold the cup out, and say:"this cup is a new covenant in my blood, which I offer to you."
When I read this, it was a mind blowing moment for me. Jesus didn't just offer us his body as the perfect sacrifice, he also offered us a marriage covenant. He offered to take on the role of protector for all of us. Then he died on the cross for our sins. Jesus is an example of a good husband. He made his covenant with us and then he took action to show us that he meant that covenant.
As Jesus is the ultimate example of whom we should try to emulate, I have a question for all of us: are we taking action as well? We have a calling while we are on this earth. If we don't know Jesus as our personal savior, then our calling is to accept him as that. Then we grow in him. If we do know him as our personal savior, then our mission is to grow in him and tell others about what he's done for them. These are our action steps as the bride of Christ. The church is his bride and he showed that through the symbol of the cup and his blood. A bride doesn't just sit around waiting for the groom to arrive. She takes action steps and prepares for his coming. That's what we are called to do as well.
So, do you know Jesus as your personal savior? Are you spreading the good news of the gospel? How can you grow closer to him?
Do you know anyone who just seems to have all the luck? You know, that person who seems to always be picked, who wins all the things, and who finds the lucky penny? Okay, maybe that last one is a stretch but you get my gist. I'm talking about the person who gets the promotion. The person who just seems to have everything. You have someone in mind?
New questions: that person that you are picturing, do they have joy? Are they following God? These questions may not seem connected but they are. I've talked in the past about how happiness is fleeting. It is temporary. Joy is something we can have at all times because God gives us joy and we can have joy in him. If we are following God, we have access to that joy.
Did that person you were thinking of strike you as someone who has joy and is following God? Maybe they are and maybe they are not. If they are following God, then that will show in their life through their actions. They will not follow the way of the world and be selfish. Instead, they will show attributes of God. They will be giving and kind. They will have joy because they are following God.
Whether or not you have luck or wealth, we will all be judged one day. Matthew 16:26-27 says, "What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done." If you had all the wealth in the world but didn't know Jesus as our personal savior, none of that wealth would matter. All things in this world will pass away. The only thing that matters in eternity is our souls.
You probably know this. But now I want to ask you a question, and I'm asking myself this question just as much as I'm asking you. What are you doing with the things you have been given? Are you using your possessions and gifts for yourself or others. Look back at those verses in Matthew 16. It says Jesus will reward each person according to what they have done. What have you done with the things you've been given? Have you told others how "lucky," and I say lucky to go along with the St. Patrick Day theme, you are to know Christ as your personal savior. Have you shown his love to others through gifts and actions as we are called to do? See, in the end, we are all blessed to have the opportunity to join God's family. We get to spend eternity with God. While here on earth we need to show God's love to others, tell others about what Jesus did for them, and grow in God. That's what true, eternal wealth is.
Have you ever been in a
place where you are surrounded by people who are being negative? I'll tell you what;
I have been to many places and met many people who will never be content. These
people who just find something to complain about whenever they get the chance.
I'll give you some examples: "it is too rainy out to get anything done
today." "These customers are so annoying." "I wish I could
have gotten the red jacket instead of the blue one." And the list goes on
and on. When I walk into a room where everyone is complaining I just
feel drained. I get sick and tired of people who just say negative things. When
I walk into that room and someone is complaining I normally try to put a
positive spin on it. For example: if someone says "these customers are so annoying."
I say "at least you have a job where you earn money." See, anything
negative can be spun in a positive way. You may be saying "what if a friend or family member is
sick?" I would say "I don't know why that is happening but I do know
that God has a plan." It may seem like a cop out but everything does
happen for a reason. You never know what might happen because you can't see the
future. You staying home because you are sick may have saved you from getting
into an accident. On Thanksgiving we try to be thankful for all of our
blessings. Well, blessings can also come though bad things. We may not think of
bad events as blessings but it is true (listen to the song
"Blessings" by Laura Story if you don't believe me). We have a choice. We can choose to be negative about
everything, or we can choose to be positive no matter what is going on. We can
choose our attitude. It may be raining but we can say, "thank you God for
keeping the earth green." We may have wanted a different colored jacket but
we can say, "thank you God for the jacket that I have to keep me
warm." We may be sick but we can choose to say, "thank you God for
this time I have with my family and that I am still alive." So, will you choose to be negative about everything? Will you
be positive even when bad things happen? Will you thank God in all
circumstances?
What do you think of when you hear the word power? Maybe you think of having something charge like a phone. You may think of someone or something strong like a lion. You may think of politics or money. But is that true power?
God is the most powerful being ever. He showed his power through miracles. He showed his power through events like creation and plagues. But when it came to how God saved us at first it didn't seem that powerful.
Looking at the Old Testament we see wonders like parting the red sea, the sun staying still, and walls falling. Jesus came as a baby. That doesn't seem to show that much power, does it? Sure, it was a virgin birth but that isn't that much of a show of power. It is more of a miracle. Amazing yes, but how many people knew that Mary was a virgin?
Then Jesus lived a normal life till he was 30. That's when he started performing miracles and teaching but again that didn't seem like much of a show of power. Then he died. 3 days later he rose again. That's powerful.
But here's the thing, sometimes I think what we think of as powerful is something big, amazing, awe-inspiring, etc. What if power can be in little things? What if power is shown in little moments? Think about Jesus. He is the most powerful person ever alive. He showed his power through miracles both big and small. He touched people with small actions. He showed his love in small things too.
Power can be shown in sacrifice and surrender. We have true power when we give up things. Sounds counterintuitive, doesn't it? Jesus was able to do the greatest thing ever because he surrendered to the Father's will. He chose to sacrifice himself to show true power.
How do we get and show power then? You may or may not be able to perform miracles. You may not be able to use a lot of money to do great acts for others. But you can show power by giving yourself to God. You can show power by choosing to sacrifice for others each day, by showing love to others. Power can be shown in the small everyday acts we do.
So, do you realize that power can be shown in little acts? How can you show power and love to others today?
Some of you may know that each year I have a spiritual focus that I try to concentrate on. Usually, I pick something that is an area I feel I need to work on. This year was the first year I focused on something that I consider to be more of a strength of mine. I chose servanthood.
I’m not at all trying to toot my own horn here. That’s never my intention when it comes to my spiritual resolution. I just know I’ve been told by others that I have a servant’s heart. And I went through what I usually go through at the end of the year. In the last days of 2023, I prayed and asked God to give me a focus for the new year. I was surprised when I felt led to servanthood.
Then I sat and thought about it. I knew that in 2024 changes would be happening. I was hoping to get engaged and married. I was continuing to work in my new job of being the lead preschool teacher. And I was planning on getting more involved at church. Having the spiritual resolution of servanthood made sense. I just didn’t realize at the time how important it would become.
At the beginning of 2024, I felt God calling me to leave my job that I had worked at for at least five years. I had just been promoted to lead teacher, so it didn’t really make sense logically to leave. But, through stirring and circumstances, I knew it was time. I began to look for other jobs, but it isn’t easy to find teaching jobs in February. I looked for those jobs, but I kept feeling like I should change careers. I investigated being a Behavioral Health Technician. A BHT is someone who works one on one with a student who has special needs.
Now, some of you may recall that in 2023 I focused on patience and prayer. I never in a million years thought I would be contemplating becoming a BHT. I just didn’t have the patience for it, or so I thought. But then I kept hearing God say, “make a difference to the one.” I had been a teacher for years and touched so many lives, but I felt God calling me to impact just one kid. That was strange to me, but I followed his lead. I became a BHT. Let me tell you, being a BHT is not easy, but it is rewarding. And you need a lot of patience and servanthood to do it.
I also ended up getting married this year. People said that the first year of marriage is hard. That it is hard to live with someone who may not have the same habits as you. It is not easy at times, but, because I had servanthood as my focus for the year, whenever I began to feel annoyed by little things I remembered to humble myself. I remembered to stop and speak in kindness. I didn’t bury things down, but I did choose to either handle the problem myself or communicate how I felt. That may not have happened if I hadn’t remembered to be a servant.
While being a servant isn’t easy all the time, it is so important. Even Jesus humbled himself and became a servant. That’s pretty much what his whole life on earth was. He was a servant. Whether he was healing, listening, teaching, or showing love in action he served. That’s what we are called to do as well.
So, have you been a servant this year? What is God calling you to focus on spiritually now?
Christmas is a time of year that we associate with gifts. I mean, other than Birthdays it's probably the only time of year we get gifts and give them. It's a time of year where we think about hope, peace, joy, love, and Jesus who came to bring that all. This year I was struck by something different than I was usually this season. Sure, I thought about all those things Christmas usually brings but something else happened that made me think of something new: grief.
On Thanksgiving Day, my family went to visit my grandmother at a rehabilitation facility where she was at for physical therapy. While there, across the hall, a man died. After leaving, my husband and I both said in an odd way it made us more thankful for what we had.
Later, toward the middle of December, a family friend who was a part of my parent’s church for as long as I can remember, suddenly died. It was a shock to everyone. And it made me think of how hard it was for me and my family, let alone his family, to deal with his passing.
Yes, Christmas and Thanksgiving are times we remember to be thankful, have joy, give gifts, and that Jesus came to be our Savior but sometimes it's hard for people to have those things and remember them. Grief is real and it's okay to have. Jesus even grieved over the loss of his friends. But it's also a time to remember the good. To remember the gift that life is. That God gives us this life so we can get to know him, grow in him, help others know about him, and help others grow in him.
This life has pain and sadness. This life isn't always easy. We have hurts and hang ups. But God is with us through it all. He sent Jesus so we could have hope in a future eternity with him. So, we could have peace in this life and the next. He came so we could have joy in knowing everything will be okay. That we can spread his love to others so they can have eternal life. Isn't that an amazing privilege and gift?
So, yes, grief can be a gift. It is a reminder that this world is filled with sorrow, but this world is not the end. We can rest in knowing that God is with us in Spirit here and one day we will be with him in heaven. Thank Jesus that he came as a baby, with the plan in place to eventually die as the perfect sacrifice for our sins, so we could be with him forever. He is the perfect Christmas gift
One morning, just as the sun was beginning to rise, a little girl raced down the road. She crested the hill and, only then, began to slow down. The view of the beach was breathtaking. The sun glimmering off the calm waves of the ocean. The sound of the waves brought peace over the girl. She paused for a moment just to take it all in.
But that was all she allowed herself, a moment. She had a task to do, and she knew it would not be an easy one. There was a storm last night. It was a big one that kept her up with how loud it was, but she stayed brave and prayed. She knew God was protecting her. She also knew that, because of the storm, other things might happen.
Marching down the hill, she saw she was correct. Across the beach lay a sea of red and orange. This was more than she had expected! The immense weight of how many washed up on the shore hit her. How would she ever finish? The answer, she may not. For some it could be too late. But that did not matter, she would do what she could for them.
She picked up a starfish and threw it back in the waves. One down, probably more than one hundred to go. Gently grabbing another one, she threw that back into the ocean. Then another, and another. The girl continued in this task for over an hour.
People began to come to the beach. Some were jogging, others were walking. They glanced at her as she continued in her task: bend, pick up, throw, bend, pick up, throw. None of them asked what she was doing, they just looked at her for a second then went about their business.
One couple walked down the beach. The man glanced at the girl then continued talking. The woman noticed the girl and pursed her lips. What could the girl be doing? Where were her parents? The woman let go of her partner's hand and walked up to the girl, "hello, what are you doing?"
The girl paused for a moment, "I'm throwing the starfish back." Then she picked up another one and threw it back. The woman looked down the beach and saw that many more starfishes were laying there. She also noticed the sun was getting higher. "I can see that's what you are doing, but why?" The girl didn't stop this time, "these starfish washed out of the sea probably from the storm last night. I am throwing them back, so they don't die."
The woman looked at the girl in disbelief, "why would you do that? There are so many of them." "I know that" the girl replied. The woman wouldn't let the matter drop, "you won't be able to save them all. Why don't you just stop and go play? Look at how many are left; you won't be able to pick up enough to make a difference." The girl paused, smirked, picked up a starfish and threw it back into the ocean. Then she stared pointedly at the woman, "it made a difference to that one."
I know it's strange to have this post be a Thanksgiving blog but think about the world today. Sometimes it feels like you try and try to do your best in the world, but it doesn't seem like you are making a difference. There is still world hunger. There is still war. And the world is still broken. But there is something important to remember: you don't have to do big things to make a difference.
Sometimes I think we think we need to become famous or have a huge talent to make changes in the world when that isn't the case. I have found it is the little things that make a big difference. While you may not be able to solve world hunger, you can feed the hungry in your neighborhood. While you may not be able to stop war, you can love those you see each day. And, while it may not seem like a big deal to you to do one little thing for someone, it just may be the biggest deal in the world to them. In fact, it could save their life.
This Thanksgiving I encourage you to think back on the people who have made an impact on your life. Maybe it's someone who has been in your life forever. Or it could be someone who you don't even know their name. Think of the people who have done little things in your life that have made a lasting impact on your life and be grateful for that.
Have you ever thought about how Jesus came to earth? It
was in a very unexpected way. Most people assumed the Messiah would come like a
powerful king or a mighty military man. But that’s not what happened. And, when
you think about it, Jesus came in a way that wasn’t easy.
Wouldn’t it have been a lot easier to come in the way
people expected him to come? To swoop down like a hero, wipe out the enemies of
Israel, and rule? But if he did that, he would not be true to one of his characteristics.
He came down as a baby, as a human, to show his love for us. He chose the hard
path.
Why do I say that? He could’ve taken the easy path and showed
his power to all. He could have taken the easy path and just destroyed all of
us when we sinned. He could have taken the easy path and just chose to ignore
us because we chose to disobey him. But he chose to become one of us so he
could know what it was like to be one of us.
He chose the hard path of growing up, hitting puberty, learning
a trade, facing temptations, and having hard emotions. He chose the hard path
of not truly revealing who he was till he was 30. He chose the hard path of
explaining hard topics to others, he went against the religious leaders of that
day, and walking away from his family to show love to all. He chose the hard
path of submitting to the Father, being falsely accused, being beaten, and
dying on a cross for all our sins.
Yes friends, Easter was far from easy. But, because Jesus
chose the hard path, he made a way for us. Jesus took the hard part from us. He
took our sins and became the perfect sacrifice for us. Then he made it easy for
us to choose him. We just need to accept him as our savior, believe he is God,
and confess our sins to him. Now, that’s not to say our life suddenly gets
easier. But we do get to walk through life with the one who loves us. With the
one who knows our pain. With the one who loved us enough to die for us.
So, have you thanked God lately for what he has done for
you? When life gets hard, how can you remember to lean on God?
Love: it is a simple word and yet it is so powerful. We
use the word almost every day and yet, so many people don’t know what it means.
I already discussed that in last year’s Valentine’s Day post so I won’t bore
you with that again.
But, I do want to point out that love is very powerful.
There are many forces in the world: gravity, inertia, The Force (Star Wars), and
so many more. But, though all of these are important forces, I think the most
powerful is love. Merlin and King Arthur put it best in the Disney movie The Sword and the Stone: “Merlin: ‘ah,
you know, lad, that love business is a powerful thing.’ Arthur: ‘greater than
gravity?’ Merlin: ‘well, yes, boy. In its way, I’d, uh… Yes, I’d say it’s the
greatest force on earth.’”
Honestly, in my opinion, love makes the world go round,
literally. Think about it: why did God create everything? He created us, water,
food, earth, life because he loved us before we were even created. Without God,
there would be no earth. Thus, love makes the world go round. And, it is still
very powerful today. God sent his Son to save us because he loves us. God’s
love is unconditional. It is him showing compassion and grace even when we don’t
deserve it.
God asks nothing in return; but he wants to have a relationship
with us. Because he loves us, we should love him and his creation. We need to
show others love no matter how difficult it may be. Remembering that, as stated
in last year’s Valentine’s Day post, love is not just a powerful emotion. It is
respecting others and caring for them even when they don’t love you back. God
has enemies, I have enemies, you have enemies, everyone has enemies at some
point in their life; but if God can love his enemies so can we. We must forgive
and love our enemies.
I encourage you on this Valentine’s Day to think about
what love is to you. Have you been loving others, or do you hate them? Do you
want God to forgive you when you mess up? If so, you need to take a long look
in the mirror and figure out if you are forgiving those who wrong you.
Happy Valentine’s Day
1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 1 John 4:8, 1 Corinthians 16:14
Each year I choose a spiritual resolution. This year I prayed about it and God led me to I choose patience. That was tested through work, relationships, soccer, and life in general. I would take a step back each time I felt impatience coming on and talk with God.
As the year went on, I felt something I hadn't felt before. I felt God tugging on me to add another resolution. This one was also a difficult one for me: prayer. When you think about it, patience and prayer go hand in hand. But I had been holding off on those resolutions because I knew they would be hard for me. Yet, through God, I have been able to work on both of them.
When trying times would come up, not only would I pause, but I would pray. I would spend time each day with God in prayer. Then, midway through the year, something happened.
I was tested. I was myself. I was honest. And it came back to bite me. I didn't understand. Why would God allow this to happen if I'm following him?
The final "p" I was asked to do this year was some pruning. I had been holding on tightly to my reputation. I prided myself on what others thought about me. I wanted others to praise me. It took that testing and reflection for me to realize what I needed to let go of.
Now, I'm not going to lie, the pruning hurt. But, in the end, it was a good hurt because I grew in God through it. It also reminded me that I am continually growing in God; and he is going to grow me as I keep my eyes fixed on him.
So, what is God asking you to grow in? How can you keep your eyes fixed on him? What might God be asking you to prune, or get rid of, today?
One Thanksgiving I
sent out a blog that talked about how comparison is the thief of joy. That is
still true. We can look at what someone else has and say "I want that. I
won't be happy until I have that." This is the thief of joy. But, it goes beyond that. The wisest man who ever lived was telling us that we
need to be content with what we have before we even said "I want
that." In the book of Ecclesiastes Solomon talks about how many things are
meaningless. Here is the richest, wisest man in the world telling us many
things are meaningless. He had all he could ever want and yet he said pretty
much all of it was meaningless. Why? In chapter 6 Solomon talks about wealthy people. These people have much but
they never have time to enjoy it. Instead, when they die, someone else enjoys
their wealth. What is wrong with these wealthy people? They are not
content. These wealthy people look around and say I need that and I'll be happy. They
are not happy with what they have. They are not content. God gives us so much,
and yet we never seem to be content. Let me ask you this... when you die will
anything you own go with you? No! So then why are we always ungrateful for what
we have? This Thanksgiving I encourage you to look
at what you have. Take a lesson from the wisest man on earth and don't fall
into the trap of wanting more. Think about all that God has blessed you with.
Rather than choosing to look at what you want be thankful for what you have.
Remember to enjoy the special moments in life because, when we go to heaven,
it's not going to matter what you had on earth. What is going to matter is what
you did to reflect God's glory. So, will you continue to compare your possessions to others? Will you choose to
be content with what you have? Will you look around at the blessings you have
and be thankful? Will you reflect God's glory in all you do? I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving! Philippians 4:11-13, 1 Timothy 6:6-8, 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Certain ideas for this blog were pulled from the book by Jud Wilhite called The God of Yes.
It is a Friday. A man who people thought would be king,
is now walking through the streets carrying a cross on his way to Gethsemane to
die. The crowd cries out, spits on him, and yell in anger.
Finally, the man arrives at the hill. His body is spread
out on the wooden beams. One hand is gripped firmly as a nail is pounded into
his flesh. This process is continued with his other hand and his feet. Then the
cross is lifted up so that all can see the man. Above the man's head is a sign
that says, "This is the King of the Jews."
Time passes as the crowd watches, waiting for him to die,
waiting for some kind of miracle. The soldiers stand waiting to quicken the
process to death if needed. The man hears a voice above the din. "Aren't
you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" This came from one of the criminals
on the cross.
On the other side of him, he hears another voice,
"Don't you fear God, since you are under the same sentence? We are getting
punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has
done nothing wrong." The man then looked at Jesus, "Jesus remember me
when you come into your kingdom.
Jesus, who was the man on the middle cross replied,
"I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
There were two thieves on the cross. One mocked Jesus
and, in his pride, expected Jesus to save himself and him. The other, humbled
himself and knew he was getting what he deserved. He asked Jesus to save him.
Which thief are you?
Nowadays we have problems remembering to be thankful for
what we have. That could be for many reasons: we advertise for Christmas and
skip Thanksgiving, after Halloween we want to start making wish lists, we are
not happy with what we have etc.
At the beginning of November I took it upon myself to do a challenge. Each day
in November I chose one thing or event from a category and was thankful for
that. I called it the thankfulness challenge.
For this challenge I thought of different categories of things people could be
thankful for. Then I organized them into 30 days. I came up with rules like:
each day you had to say the thing you were thankful for to one person, you had
to say why you were thankful for that thing, and you had to thank God for that
thing/person.
I'm not quite done with this challenge yet but there are a few things I
discovered already. First I realized how hard it was to pick one thing or
person in each category. For example, one day I had to say a hobby I was
thankful for. I have many hobbies that I'm thankful for, for different reasons.
I discovered when I focused on the thing I was thankful for the problems of the
day didn't seem to be as big of a deal. Finally, I discovered when I told
others what or who I was thankful for it got them thinking about what they are
thankful for as well.
Think about it: do you have a lot to be thankful for? If you had to choose one
family member, friend, possession, etc. To be thankful for would you only be
able to choose one? I encourage you to really think about what you have to be
thankful for. Don't just think of tangible things or good things. I'm sure
you've had problems in your life that you may not have liked at the time, but
they helped change you for the better. Are you thankful for those problems?
Will you give thanks to God for all you have?
Almost any of us who know the Easter story know that one
of the main themes is hope. But that is only one story that has the theme of
hope. Think about any of the stories you know where hope is a theme. Some may
have happy endings, while others may have sad endings. Everyone has hoped for
one thing or another in their lives. But, are we hoping for the right thing?
We all have our own story here on earth. There are ups
and downs in our stories. And, there are times we may not have hope. There is
only one story that gives us true hope. And, it starts with God creating the
world. Then man fell into sin. There was little hope in the world, except for a
promise that God would send a perfect lamb to be sacrificed on our behalf. God
sent His only son to die on the cross for us. The true story of hope is found
in the Bible.
But, there is one other great thing about this story of
hope found in the Bible: it’s not over yet. God gives us a chance to be a part
of the story. He gives us our hope in Christ because we know he is coming
back. It is our job to make sure that others have the chance to know about this
hope in Jesus. But, Jesus coming back isn’t even the end of the story either.
When he comes back we will get to live with him forever. See the true story of
hope never ends. It’s amazing to think about isn’t it? Hope you all have
a happy Easter.
Each year I give myself a new spiritual focus. Of course I work on everything but I have found that having one specific focus helps me improve in character areas I need to work on. This year I was trying to focus on righteousness. Now, you may be thinking "righteousness is not an easy thing to improve in." You are correct. But I was following many different verses. Matthew 5:6 says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." I don't know about you but when I am hangry it is scary. I just need something to eat or I feel like the Hulk. If I was that hungry for righteousness what would my life loom like? Answering that question was far from easy. I knew it was impossible to be righteous without Jesus. I mean, he is the only one who can make us pure of heart. But that does not mean we are not to try to follow him still. Following him is not easy many times. Throughout this year I had many challenges with this challenge. There were times where I wanted to watch something that I know God would not have approved of. There were times I made a mistake and had to fess up to it. Choosing right was not easy but it was worth it. I learned much about myself and the Lord this year. So, I encourage you to hunger and thirst for righteousness as well. And maybe you could also come up with a spiritual resolution for this year as well.
The Bible is filled with verses that remind us to be thankful for many things. However, I think we sometimes forget these verses on a day to day basis. On this Thanksgiving Day I think we need a reminder of what or who we should be thankful for each day.
FOR OUR GIFTS: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." James 1:7
FOR PRAYER: "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." Colossians 4:2
FOR PEACE AND THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST: "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." Colossians 3:15
FOR YOUR SALVATION IN CHRIST: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God" Ephesians 2:8
FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD: "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28-29
TO THE LORD: "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!" Psalm 107:1
FOR GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS (we should praise him): "I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High." Psalm 7:17
FOR GODS STRENGTH (we should praise him): "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him." Psalm 28:7
FOR GOD'S LOVE (we should praise him): "Praise the LORD.Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." Psalm 106:1
THANKFUL IN ALL THINGS: "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18
It is finally here. The day that is either relished or
reviled: Valentine's Day. If you have a significant other, you may or may not
enjoy Valentine's Day. Whether you enjoy Valentine's Day or not it is a good
holiday to remind us about something really important to God: love.
Love is a word that tends to be overused in today's
society. Even though it is sometimes overused, or even used incorrectly,
sometimes something very profound comes from society using this word. With that
in mind, I'd like to go through some quotes about love that remind us of the
true meaning of love.
Piglet: "how do you spell love?" Pooh: "you don't spell it, you feel it." I don't know if you know this but
Winnie-the-Pooh is a very profound character. He has some of my most favorite quotes
and I'd encourage you to check out some others. Back to my point though: this
is one quote that I don't entirely agree with. Many people nowadays think that
love is just a feeling. However, in Matthew 22:37-40 says: "Jesus replied:
'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like
it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Of course, we are called to love God, but
we are also called to love our neighbors. Do you love everyone you come into
contact with? Do you feel good, fuzzy, kind feelings about the person wrongs
you? No? That's because love isn't a feeling. Love is a verb. Love is showing
respect to someone even if it doesn't seem like they deserve it. I mean, just
look at what Jesus did on the cross for us while we were sinning against him.
Dug: "I was hiding under your porch because I love
you." In this movie, Up, Carl is an older man who just wants to be alone.
Even though he yells at Dug, who is a dog, Dug still stays loyal to Carl. He
still loves Carl. Dug is like Jesus. He is always there for us; we just need to
choose to let him in. It is just like in Revelation 3:20 "Here I am! I
stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I
will come in and eat with that person, and they with me." Jesus doesn't
force himself on us. He gives us free will to choose Him. He loves us enough to
wait until we are willing to let His love in.
Olaf: "Some people are worth melting for." Olaf
is a snowman in the movie Frozen. You and I both I know what happens to a
snowman when he gets in front of heat: he melts. Olaf chose to care for Anna,
who was sick, when he knew he could melt. Olaf is willing to sacrifice himself
to care for someone else. Jesus gave an even greater sacrifice than Olaf. John
3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Jesus died to save all of us from our sin. He died because he loves us. He
died so he could be with us in heaven. We are called to follow his example,
take up our crosses, and die to ourselves each day. We are called to love
others as well.
So, on Valentine's Day, I encourage you to think about
love today. Are you showing love to others no matter what? Have you let Jesus'
love into your heart so you can be with him forever? What can you do to show
Jesus' love to others today?
