Disappointed, but Not Discouraged

I regularly listen to a podcast produced by In Touch Ministries, and recently something Charles Stanley said really stuck in my mind.

He said that it's okay to be disappointed, but it's not okay to be discouraged.

In the last couple of weeks, I experienced first hand what this means . . . twice.

I won't bore you with the details, but two times, something I really desired and had prayed for didn't happen the way I wanted. And I was really disappointed. I would rather have had things turn out differently, but because I know God is in loving control and is completely trustworthy, I didn't become discouraged.

Many times in the Bible, we're told to take courage. In fact, that's really what "encourage" means: to give or instill courage. And thus the opposite--discourage--is to take or lose courage. So when I feel discouraged, I'm losing courage in the love God has for me. I'm failing to trust Him.

And that's sin.

Being disappointed is human. We can't help feeling a bit sad when something goes against our desire or plan. But we can keep from being discouraged by going to the Lord, expressing our disappointment, and thanking Him for His faithfulness.

If we trust Him, really trust Him, we can handle any disappointment with the assurance that, if we didn't get what we wanted, it was for our best.

A Warrior Princess

I usually don't include quotes from other writers or speakers in my blog, but I'm going through Beth Moore's study on Esther with women from my church. I've read the book of Esther many times, and I often include parts of her story when I speak.

I love how God reveals new things, though (that's why I never tire of reading and rereading His word), and I just had to share with you what I learned in today's lesson.

It's week four, day two if you're familiar with this study.

Mordecai has learned of the king's edict, and he's torn his clothes and put on sackcloth. He's mourning the coming annihilation of his people. Esther is told about his wailing, but doesn't know why. She sends the king's eunuch to give him clothes to wear--she doesn't (yet) take the time to find out what's wrong. She just wants to solve the problem. (Sound familiar?)

Beth writes, "If people around us helped us avoid [our problems], we'd quit learning how to deal with difficulty. We'd forget how to cope and we'd crush under the least inconvenience . . . strength comes from muscle, and muscle develops with a workout. This is as true spiritually as physically. What we don't use, we lose."

I've written in previous blogs that we are works in progress; we're being refined as gold. We may not like it, but we know that the end result is worth the pain and suffering.

"As painful as the process may be," Beth concludes, "that which shatters our superficiality also shatters the fetters of our fragility . . . We are not the fragile flowers we've considered ourselves to be. We, like Esther, are the warrior princesses of God."

You are not only a beloved daughter of our Father, you are a strong "warrior princess" being refined and grown into the woman God has designed you to be!

Be Still

I've committed Psalm 46:1-2b to memory. It's one of my many favorites, and I love knowing that God is my refuge and strength.

I forgot, though, that another verse I quote often is also from this psalm. Verse 10a says "Be still and know that I am God" (NKJV).

The New American Standard says to "cease striving," and I love what it says in the notes of my study Bible: cease striving means to "let go" or "relax."

I can let go of my worries. I can be still in the moment. I can cease striving to do it on my own. And I can relax knowing that God really is my refuge and strength. He is my very present help in times of trouble and I don't need to fear.

In these uncertain times--a new administration, a stock market that continues its roller coaster ride, lost jobs and homes--it's comforting to know that I can trust Him.

Lord, help me to be still knowing You are God. You are in loving control of all things, and I need not fear. Amen

Brand New Year. Same Old Stuff.

Isn't it the truth?

For some reason, every new year, I somehow think things will change.

Sometimes they do. We plan to exercise more, and guess what? We actually pull the old bike out of the cobwebs in the corner of the garage. We say we're going to eat better, and we add a salad a day to our diet.

But often they don't . . .

Here it is, the 9th day of 2009, and I'm having a really bad day healthwise. I was feeling pretty well for a few weeks, thanks to a new medication that seems to be helping to manage my symptoms . . . But yesterday, I had a migraine (haven't had one in a while), and it triggered a flare up.

Part of me asked, "Why?"

Why didn't it "stick" this time? Why can't I just feel better . . . all the time.

It's interesting how God works. Our theme for the year at work is "Trust."

And I was just telling the Lord that I do trust Him. I trust Him with everything, since it's all His anyway. And if I trust Him with everything, I have to trust Him with my health too. He is worthy of that trust.

And just two days ago, I read a devotional that talked about how we can look at God's fingerprints on our lives to see His faithfulness. And He has been amazingly faithful to me.

So, even though it's a brand new year, and even though I'm faced with some of the same old stuff, once thing remains the same.

The Lord God will never change. His grace and mercy and love will never change. Never.

Happy New Year!

A Christmas Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus,

Words are so inadequate.

I want to thank You for Your willingness to come to earth in human form, to feel hunger and weariness and pain, to experience rejection and betrayal.

I want to thank You for Your willingness to feel the lash of false accusations, to suffer the thorns, to endure the whip, to bear the nails.

I want to thank You for Your willingness to be the sacrifice to cover my sin.

Most of all, I want to thank You for Your willingness to be my living Savior, to walk alongside me through the valleys and atop the mountains of my journey.

I want to thank You for all of this, Lord Jesus.

But, again, words just seem unable to express what's in my heart this Christmas Day.

So one last thank You: Thank You for Your willingness to know what's in my heart and know what words just can't convey.

I love you, Lord Jesus. My Savior, my Redeemer, my gift at Christmas.

Amen

Silent Night

It's the time of year when I'm surrounded with music of the season. I love it! No matter where I go--the grocery store, the mall, my local Target--songs play that speak of Christ's birth. At no other time of the year do we hear such words in public places.

But this morning as Christmas music played in the background, I realized how often the music can become "white noise" and I fail to really think about the words.

My very favorite Christmas song of all is Silent Night. I love to sing it, love to listen to it.

Over the last several days, I've been blessed to sing this song at the end of some speaking engagements. I asked the ladies at the events to sing along, and the last time (mainly because I'm fighting a cold and my throat was pretty sore) I stopped singing and just listened to them sing in lovely harmony.

For the first time in a while, I just listened.

The final verse proclaims:

Silent night, holy night!
Son of God, love's pure light.
Radiant beams from Thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace.
Jesus Lord at Thy birth.
Jesus Lord at Thy birth.

Jesus is the Son of God! He is love's pure light! He is our Redeemer!!

Next time you're listening to your favorite Christmas songs, stop. Really listen to the words that sometimes just become . . . well, just words.

Remember again why Jesus came: To give us peace and joy and, most importantly, redemption!

In God We Trust?

It's on our currency, and we read that motto from our forefathers regularly (those of us, at least, who still use cash!). But right now, the tangible piece of our economy seems to mock us.

I spoke at a lunch recently, and this lovely older lady came to me afterward. She's in a valley right now, and she's struggling. I asked her if she'd seen a counselor, and with tears in her eyes, she said she couldn't afford it. She'd retired last year, and--you guessed it--her retirement portfolio has taken a huge hit . . .

She's not sure how she's going to make it. And there was an underlying question . . . why? She followed Christ. She loved Him and believed that He loved her, too. But she questioned why this was happening.

My heart broke for her.

And frankly, I didn't have a good answer for her.

We live in perilous times, in many ways, unprecedented. My generation and those following have never lived through times such as these.

And beyond that, it seems like so many are suffering--health, marriages, family. Struggles everywhere.

It's hard. Really hard.

I find myself asking the same "why?" And the answer? Because somehow, some way, God is using even this time of uncertainty. Because the bottom line is, do I trust Him? Do I believe He loves me? Do I believe He's in control, even now?

I know this answer. He's proven Himself faithful to me time and time again. And I have to believe He'll always remain faithful.

Yes, even in times like these, maybe especially in times like these, in God we can trust.

God's Little Heartwarmers

If you're a true Christ-follower, you believe in answered prayer. I do. I've seen it. I've seen God answer big prayers--like miraculous healings--and small things--like the perfect parking place.

He often answers with a resounding "yes!" And we rejoice.

Sometimes, He answers with a clear "no." And we may at first grieve, but eventually we often see the purpose behind the "no."

Then of course, there's when He says "wait," which we usually don't like very much.

While I've seen answered prayer (all of the above), it sometimes seems like God is rather silent. It sometimes seems like a lot of time goes by between clearly answered prayers.

God is good, though, and He rewards our patience. Sometimes He, like the loving Father He is, just warms our hearts, through and through.

Over the last few days, I've experienced some of God's "little heartwarmers." He's clearly answered four prayers--two rather big and two rather small. This time, He chose to answer "yes" to each of them. And can I just say, I feel very blessed . . . and very humbled.

I still have many prayers to which He still seems to be saying "no" or "wait." That's okay, though, because He's reminded me again that He will answer.

Keep praying, my friend. Keep listening for His "yes" or His "no" . . . or just keep waiting. He will answer.

God's Good Work in Me

I don't know about you, but I feel far from complete. There are days when I wonder how God can have any patience with me as I come to him (again) with the same prayer (again). I've really been struggling with my health, and I wake up every morning praying for strength for the day. And every day, He answers that prayer.

But some days, I can feel sorry for myself. On better days, I remember that everything I experience is part of God's good work in my life.

My favorite book in the Bible (I may have mentioned this before!) is Philippians. There is so much richness in this short epistle, so many truths. And some of my life verses are contained in it.

Paul starts this letter, as he does many of his others, with a greeting for grace and peace for his recipients. He thanks God for them. Then in verses 4-6, he writes, ". . . always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship of the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."

We children of God are works in progress. He is perfecting us, completing us. I've written before about being refined, and I know that trials, pain, suffering, difficulties all are part of that process. And if I want to be complete in Christ, I have to be willing to experience whatever God wills.

So this morning, as I prayed for strength (again), I could do so with that same confidence that Paul had, knowing that God is doing His good work in me and that I will one day be completed, either when He chooses to take me home or when Christ returns.

Thank You, Lord God, for Your refining work. Thank You for Your perfecting work. I pray that You'll fill our hearts with confidence of Your good work. Help us to remember that, as long as we live in Your will, everything we experience will lead us closer to being completed in Jesus Christ.

A Refuge in the Storm

Psalm 62:1-9 is all about God's being our salvation and refuge.

Verses 7 and 8 say:

In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.

Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us.

I really see this world running down. We live in an unprecedented time. Banks are failing in a way not seen since the "Great Depression." Insurance companies are closing. Companies are declaring bankruptcy. The stock market is dipping and rising like a roller coaster. The housing market continues to fall.

More alarmingly, "celebrity preachers" are "tickling the hears" of hundreds of thousands rather than revealing full truth.

It's a messed up world . . .

Yet, those of us who know God, who have a personal relationship with Jesus, can find refuge from the storm. We can be assured that, no matter what happens, that God is our rock, our stronghold . . . our refuge.

Thank You, Lord God, that You provide refuge for Your children. You are the calm in the midst of the storm. You are the wing under which we can hide. It's easy to get caught up in today's chaos. Help us to live wisely, but always looking to You in faith. Let us not make rash decisions out of fear or worry. Rather, let us follow Your will, knowing that You are in loving control. Be glorified. Amen.

It Breaks My Heart . . .

I've been reading the book of Mark, and I'm in the middle of chapter 14. It's the chapter that includes Jesus's betrayal by Judas. It's very sobering to read how one of His own betrayed Him for pieces of silver.

But you know what?

That's not the saddest part to me. What really breaks my heart is verse 50. The New International Version says it this way. After Judas betrayed Jesus and He was arrested, "Then everyone deserted him and fled."

Everyone.

We assume it was just the other eleven disciples, but maybe it included some of the other followers. In any case, that "everyone" was, at the very least, those eleven who had been following Jesus for three years. They'd broken bread with Him. They'd probably camped out under the stars by His side. They'd seen Him heal the broken. They'd watched Him raise the dead. They knew He was the Christ. And just moments before, Peter said he'd die with Jesus.

And yet, everyone deserted Him. Everyone.

It just breaks my heart.

And I think it broke Jesus's heart too. It think it caused more pain than the beatings He'd receive and from the nails that would be pounded in His flesh.

When I read this verse, I'm convicted of something: I never want to cause Jesus that kind of pain again. I deserted Him once. I spent 20 years fleeing from Him. And I broke His heart, just as those eleven did.

And I never want to do that again.

The Lord Holds My Hand

Psalm 37:23 & 24 say,

The steps of man are established by the Lord;
And He delights in his way.
When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong;
Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.

I love these verses!

First, they say that God established the steps of man (and woman). I talk a lot about the confidence I have that God really has a plan for each of His children. Verse 23 tells me that God does have a plan, but also that He delights in the steps His children take.

Second, and even closer to my heart, God holds my hand. I often say, when I'm just not sure I can even get out of bed, "Jesus, please hold my hand a little more tightly today." I just came out of a really rough week. Physically, I wasn't doing well. The only way I got through each day was knowing that Jesus was holding my hand.

When I read these verses this morning, it was like God said to me, "My beloved daughter, you see? I hold your hand. You'll never fall too far or too hard. You can trust Me."

What a blessing it is to know that God delights in watching me walk according to His plan. And what a even greater blessing it is to know that He's holding my hand as I take each step.

Are you struggling? Are you unsure? Do you need the touch of your Lord? Just reach out your hand and say, "Jesus, please hold my hand just a little more tightly today." And feel the squeeze of His hand as it covers yours.

The Lord . . . My Strength

I was reading Psalm 28 a couple of days ago, and verse 7 really touched my heart. I know I've read it before . . . probably several times. But this day, it just spoke to me.

"The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart exults,
And with my song I shall thank Him."

I've been practicing a song with our church's choir called, "He Made a Difference." And the first lines say, "If it wasn't for the Lord, where would I be?"

Everytime I've sung those lines, I resonate with that truth. Where would I be? I'd be . . . well, I probably wouldn't be here. It's only because of the absolute trust I have in His love and faithfulness that I exist. Really.

I know He'll give me the daily strength I need.

I know He'll shield me from those things that would destroy me.

I know He'll help me.

So, as I sing songs of worship and praise, as I sing songs that draw others' hearts and minds to Him, my heart does exult. I can - and do - thank him with my song.

Do you know that God is your shield? Your strength? Let your heart exult in Him. Thank Him today with your song.

The Gospel of Peace

In Ephesians 6:11, the apostle Paul urged the church at Ephesus to “put on the whole armor of God” in order to combat the enemy. He wrote of putting on truth and righteousness, faith and the word of God.

In the middle of these pieces of “armor,” Paul wrote that we are to “shod [our] feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” (12)

Shod our feet.

The other pieces of “armor” provide protection: a breastplate, a shield, a sword. What do shoes have to do with protection? It’s what those shoes represent: the gospel of peace. The gospel is the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection. It’s the assurance that when we give our lives to Jesus, we are saved from our sins. We can look forward to eternity with Jesus.

When we walk in that knowledge, when our feet are shod with that gospel, then everywhere we go, we are grounded in that truth. It’s the very foundation upon which we walk.

A soldier wouldn’t get very far if his shoes weren’t sturdy and strong, able to keep out the elements, able to traverse rough ground. We too wouldn’t get very far if we weren’t standing on God’s promises of salvation and of peace.

Beauty Everywhere

Genesis 1:1 tells us that God created heavens and earth. Then for another two chapters, the rest of creation is described.

Do you ever stop to think about how beautiful creation is? And what a gift it is? I mean, God could have stopped with a tree or two, maybe a flower. A handful of animals, perhaps that all looked alike.

But He didn't. He created this magnificent, diverse world. Certainly for His own pleasure, but also for our pleasure, for our delight.

My husband and I spent a week in the Carolinas, probably my favorite place on earth (and I've been privileged to travel to some pretty amazing places). Although they're experiencing a drought, it was so green and lush and, yes, beautiful. Then we returned to California, and one clear day last week, I viewed the majesty of our local mountains. How awe-inspiring they are!

Today, I looked out my kitchen window to see the flowers in our backyard, some gold, some pink, some red. A rainbow just for me.

I see character and wisdom in the face of my husband. I see purity and innocence in the faces of my great-nephews. I even look at the faces of my adorable Labs, and I see beauty there as well.

We have mountains and deserts and oceans. We have lakes and rivers and cliffs overlooking amazing canyons. We have people of all colors and sizes. Throughout our nation, throughout our world, there's beauty everywhere.

And to think that God created all of this . . . just for us.

What is Man?

Psalm 144:3 asks, "O Lord, what is man, that Thou dost take knowledge of Him? Or the son of man, that Thou dost think of him?"

I ask as well: Lord, who am I that You love me as You do? Who am that You choose to use me? You certainly don't need me to do your work, yet You invite me to participate. What an amazing blessing!

Do you ever stop and think that the Lord of the universe, the Creator of all things thinks of you? The Sovereign of heaven and earth chooses to use you to grow His kingdom. Doesn't that amaze you?

God would do just fine without us--in fact, He would do much better! Yet, He loves us enough to give us joy as we watch Him work through us.

Amazing.

Planting Seeds

Don't you love how God speaks through a verse you've read before?

I recently started a study in the book of Mark. I've read this book before, but I've never really studied it chapter by chapter, verse by verse.

And today, I saw something new.

In Mark 4:26-30, Jesus tells a parable of a man planting seeds. He plants them, and then goes to bed. While he sleeps, the plants have begun to grow, but "how, he himself does not know." (NASB)

As I've mentioned in other entries, my husband, Russ, doesn't share my faith, and there are times when I wonder if he'll ever come to know the Lord. God is faithful, though, and when I face these times, He'll often bring verses to my heart. Like these.

When I read these verses today, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart. This is what I wrote in my journal:

"Jesus described the kingdom of God 'like a man who casts seeks upon the soil.' He leaves the seeds, and plants spring up, but he doesn't know how. This tells me that we are to plant the seeds. God alone knows how the seeds will grow. This also reminds me that I need to continue to plant the seeds with Russ and wait for God to grow them. I can't save Russ just as I can't grow the seeds."

For all of you who are in spiritually mismatched, spiritually single, or unequally yoked (whichever phrase works for you) marriages, I hope this encourages you as it did me.

Continue to live as the godly wife you've been created to be, and plant those seeds. God will grow the plants. In His time.

Joy in Suffering

That doesn't sound like a very encouraging title, does it? But I'm learning it's very true.

If we want to experience joy, we must experience suffering. What? you ask.

It's true. I mean, how can I truly understand heat if I haven't experienced cold? How can I truly enjoy sweet if I haven't tasted sour? How can I exult in joy if I haven't felt the despair that comes with suffering?

The few days that I feel relatively well are better and brighter because of the days that I feel unwell. It's true.

But even more, the joy from suffering comes when I see how God uses my suffering to encourage others.

True joy comes from seeing how God provides encouragement and hope to others through me. And I wouldn't be able to encourage victims of abuse or a woman struggling with infertility or the spiritually single if I hadn't gone through the suffering.

So yes, there is joy in the suffering because I know what God can do through the suffering.

Thank you, Lord, for the reminder that all suffering can bring joy as we see how You work through it. Thank You for letting me experience the valleys so I can revel in the mountaintops.

Consider What Great Things

I've been reading in 1 Samuel the last several days, and I came across a verse that I'm sure I've read before . . . but it really touched my heart this time.

1 Samuel 12: 24 says, "Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you."

These words are so true. I should desire to serve the Lord with all my heart because He has done great and amazing things for me.

When I wrote my book, The Best Laid Plans, I talked a lot about hindsight, looking back over what God's done in our lives. In fact, I call it the "gift" of hindsight. And it truly is a gift. God has protected me, strengthened me, blessed me beyond expectation. He's carried me through the hard times, and even when I wanted nothing to do with Him, He remained by my side.

So I really should desire to reverence Him (in case you don't know, that's what "fear" means in that verse) and serve Him.

And most importantly, I need to remember His goodness to me, to consider those "great things."

Time Flies . . .

My maternal grandmother used to talk about time flying on wings of eagles (or something like that), and I actually think it flies on the wings of hummingbirds. Have you ever seen how rapidly hummingbirds' wings move? So quickly, they're just a blur.

That's how time seems to be flying for me. I try to add to this blog at least every other week, and I realized that over a MONTH had flown by since my last entry.

So . . . since then, my husband and I celebrated our 20th anniversary with a wonderful ten-day cruise. I've now fallen in love with Costa Rica and Jamaica . . .

Seeing amazing illustrations of God's creativity was such a blessing. From the desert island of Aruba to the lush rain forest of Costa Rica to the incredible power of Dun's River Falls in Jamaica . . . I wonder how anyone can look at the diverse beauty of this world and not believe in a Divine Designer.

And to think, He designed all of this just for our pleasure. What an amazing God we serve!!

Speaking of divine designs, I'm preparing to speak at a retreat this weekend, appropriately titled "Divine Design." We're ALL divine designs . . . and we're adored by our Designer. Think about that for a moment. You are divinely designed. You are a masterpiece. You. Pretty cool, huh?