Devotionals

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Chaos: When Living Life is Above Our Capacity

Devotionals, Stay SaneAugust 28, 2018January 13, 2019

Life is full of chaos, leaving us overwhelmed and living above our capacity, threatening our sanity. Here is how to handle these seasons.

There are some days that the weight on my chest is so heavy, it literally hurts to breathe. The air I take in is shallow, and I end up deeply sighing repeatedly. Like right now. I literally just forced myself to take a deep breath. The kind of breath that almost feels like scratching an itch. The breath that is cleansing, and feels refreshing. For all of about 45 seconds, until I feel the need to do it again.

It’s my own doing though, I can admit this. When I am active, I feel alive and honestly, more peaceful. Thus, I teeter on a very delicate balance of sanity. It is something I am very aware of, and continually check into. Most days I am operating “at capacity,” meaning I am a little stressed, but mostly I’m having fun. Then there are days I am “over capacity,” meaning the mental and emotional breakdown may happen at any moment, so watch out!

I hit this point this past week. Looking at my partner in crime, I just simply stated, “I’m operating above capacity.” At that point I felt like I could curl up in a little ball and begin to sob. She understood. Praise Jesus for people who I can be real with, and not fear judgement! Typically when at this point, I go into hiding. I simply don’t trust myself around people, and I feel too fragile to trust people with myself.

It is in this time of hiding I replenish and refill my soul. In the hiding I can refocus my perspective. It is in the hiding I find protection and am able to survive the chaos.

He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Psalm 91:4, NLT

Surviving the Chaos

It begins with self-control…

In these situations, we have to make ourselves stop the chaos in our minds. And when we feel so out of control that that does not seem possible, we need to remember that self control is a gift that has been promised to us.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23, ESV

Then we become still…

Whether it is for ten minutes in the bathroom, or a weekend away, we reach a point when we need to physically stop. But when we stop we need to be careful to not just replace the chaos with a different type of busyness. Instead we are to recognize the majesty of our Lord, and the power He possesses.

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Psalm 46:10, ESV

Taking a breath…

With every breath, we breathe in the Spirit. With every sigh, we release the tension. There are times when the chaos is so loud, and our minds so cluttered, that prayer is simply breathing. God created our bodies to need oxygen, so breathe Him in deeply.

I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise. I live and breathe God…

Psalm 34:1-2, MSG

And put it in perspective…

Often, we make scenarios more dramatic than they need to be. If we can view life in the view of eternity, the pressure lessens. The weight of the world does not fall on our shoulders, nor is the outcome based on our situation. We are not powerful enough to change what God has ultimately planned.

…you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

James 4:14, ESV

We are not powerful enough to change what God has ultimately planned. Click To Tweet

Gaining control of our reaction…

But we do have the power, through Jesus Christ, to conquer our emotions. This well quoted verse in Philippians is often taken out of context. “All this” refers to finding contentment through hardship. Because of God’s strength, I am able to function calmly in seasons of chaos.

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13, NIV

Accepting our limitations…

We are finite beings, facing the limitations of 24 hours, and needing sleep and food to continue in our tasks. If we do not accept these limitations, our bodies will literally force us into submission. But praise be to God, He is not limited!

With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

Matthew 19:26, ESV

To quiet our mind, and move forward…

There are times amidst chaos when we simply cannot stop, to do so would be giving in to fear and to be disobedient. It is possible to still the heart and mind without stilling the body.

And Moses said to the people… “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward…”

Exodus 14:13-15, ESV

So use self-control, take a moment (even if it is just a moment) to catch your breath, and put the chaos in perspective. In doing so, you will gain control, accepting your limitations. Then your mind will quiet, and you will continue on, brave sister.

obedience, Ezekiel, speak, truth, bold, Oh Lord Help Us

Obedience: How Do We Speak In A Culture That Isn’t Listening?

Devotionals, Stay SaneAugust 27, 2018June 27, 2019

Today we are living in a time of spiritual drought. God told Ezekiel, His prophet, to stand up and speak out. He calls us to the same obedience.

Today I had coffee with a sweet friend. She and her husband recently visited the Creation museum, which is located in northern Kentucky. They both admired the attention to detail and beauty of the garden, but what completely awed her was how one man’s disobedience (Adam), and another man’s obedience (Noah), changed the course of mankind. Throughout the story of man, God raised up judges, prophets, and kings – some who were obedient to His voice, and many who were not. The results of each reverberated like tremors of an earthquake.

Drought

Does it ever feel to you as though we are living in a time of drought? Not literally, although Californians might beg to differ, but spiritually. Do you experience the tremors of a peoples’ disobedience?

With the latest surge of news concerning Bill Hybels and Willow Creek last week, and the recent indictments of the Pennsylvania Catholic church concealing more than 1,000 cases of clergy abuse of children, it’s one dry heat wave rolling after another. My heart breaks.

In my lifetime, our nation has gone from praying and displaying the Ten Commandments in schools and government buildings, most people at least believing in God, to the nearly opposite end of the spectrum – suing Christian businesses for not conforming to post-Christian cultural norms (i.e. paying for abortions, etc.). Adhering to Christian principles is mocked, equaled to “privilege,” and shamed on many college campuses, and Christians are sometimes referred to as bigots. As the people of God grow more comfortable in our bondage to the culture, it becomes increasingly difficult to stand up or speak the words of God to a rebellious people…which may cause us to become rebellious, too.

And Satan loves it so…

How can a holy God look upon this people and spare us? How does He continue to have compassion on us? How do we move forward when those we trusted or followed or admired have fallen in such disgrace? Why doesn’t Jesus return before we utterly and completely forever tarnish His name?!

God’s Response to Dryness

And He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.” Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; And I heard Him who spoke to me. And He said to me: “Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; to this very day. For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse – for they are a rebellious house – yet they will know that a prophet has been among them.

Ezekiel 2:1-5, NKJV

Wow; it sounds like God is speaking to us in the present day, doesn’t it? Rebellious, impudent, stubborn children.

Israel was living in exile in Babylon at this time. One would think they would be desperate for God to deliver them, desperate enough to listen to His priest and prophet, desperate enough to be obedient to His Word. But no. Like us, they had grown comfortable in their bondage…in their dryness…in their sin. They liked blending in with the culture which held them captive.

Our Response- Obedience

Consequently, Ezekiel knew his message, or rather God’s message would not be popular.

“And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house. You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”

Ezekiel 2:6-8, NKJV

But remember, like Ezekiel, we are living among scorpions. (I hate those suckers! They sting like crazy, but they are not deadly!) We are not to be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks – and sister, you know the LOOKS you can receive when you talk about Jesus in the public square!! However, God told Ezekiel he had to speak whether Israel listened or not.

Our fearlessness comes from the certainty that it isn't up to us. Everything depends completely on God. Click To Tweet

God Speaking Through Us

But here is the great part: God doesn’t want you to speak unless HIS HAND IS UPON YOU! We aren’t instructed to babble incessantly to anyone who crosses our paths. (You know someone like that, don’t you?)

The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones…And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” Again He said to me, “Prophecy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Surely I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live”…So I prophesied as I was commanded.

Ezekiel 37:1-7, NKJV

Oh, dear sister! We, too, are living in a valley of dry bones. There are absolutely no words in any human language that will convince the dead souls around us that they are dead. However, when the hand of God is upon us He gives us His words to utter and they are filled with the holy breath of Life. It is never up to us to conjure up the perfect words to say! Hallelujah, amen, right?!

Our fearlessness comes from the certainty that it isn’t up to us. Everything depends completely on God. We are to do as Ezekiel was commanded – obey His voice.

So you might wonder what obedience looks like in a place of dryness. It isn’t really difficult. In the words of Brennan Manning:

Christ wants Christians to live in the present, to love now, to touch this person in these concrete circumstances.

Whose dry bones is Jesus asking you to love, speak to, touch today?

Sources:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-willow-creek-elders-step-down-20180807-story.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2018/08/14/pennsylvania-grand-jury-report-on-sex-abuse-in-catholic-church-will-list-hundreds-of-accused-predator-priests/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.501b0862cfe1
http://www.beliefnet.com/news/home-page-news-and-views/are-us-colleges-hostile-to-christian-students.aspx
http://www.beliefnet.com/news/home-page-news-and-views/are-us-colleges-hostile-to-christian-students.aspx

inspiration, motivation, Oh Lord Help Us, ministry, Christian, mentoring

Inspiration: Find Lasting Motivation in The Word of God

Devotionals, Stay SaneAugust 23, 2018June 28, 2019

What inspires you? Usually, the only obstacle standing in the way of motivation is ourselves. At the end of the day, the only source for lasting inspiration is found in the Word of God.

You know that person you see every now and then? It’s comforting to see them, and for some reason it feels right. You know who they are and you’ve heard a lot about them, but you haven’t ever spoken to them. You’re not afraid of them, but there is some intimidation. You’ve never sat down and gotten to know them. This is the perfect picture of how I view God.

We’ve heard the stories about a being who created the universe, did awesome things, and set up eternity. Also, we’ve heard about a guy, who came and died for us so we would be clean and precious in God’s eyes. We even have mutual friends that want to see Him as a King. Your neighbor who loves Christ more than life itself. Or your cousin who talks about God like He’s their best friend.

With this in mind, I have to ask myself, how often do I spend time talking to the One who literally put the stars in the sky? How often am I reading the words He said and wrote for me? Well, let’s just say, thank God Almighty it’s okay to be a work in progress.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:18

The Struggle of Distractions

Too often, I overlook the magnificence of the Bible. God Almighty, our Lord, our Savior, not only came back to save us, but He spoke to us. And we have access to that! We shouldn’t be able to put that book down!

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.

2 Corinthians 4:1

Yet, we’re constantly fighting for the inspiration to read it. Inspiration, I think, is quite a universal struggle. I’ll speak only for myself when I say this, but I have a feeling I’m not the only one who feels this way. I don’t like being told what to do. Truthfully, I prefer to do things on my own time. You know, be the captain of my own ship; the queen of my kingdom.

Even now, as I sit here writing, I find my mind wandering to the things I’d rather be doing. I hate to admit it, but I find myself displaying this mindset in a vast majority of my daily life. Homework. Chores. If it’s not on my list of things I want to do, I’ll probably complain about it. I don’t want to overstep here, but I think it’s safe to assume that a lot of us struggle with this major lack of inspiration.

The most frustrating part for me in particular is the fact that I don’t necessarily want to be like this. I want to have a clean room. I want to make mom smile by washing the mountain of dishes while she’s out running errands. Mostly though, I long to know the God who has repeatedly pulled me out of darkness. Yet, I find myself pushing Him to the back burner. How then are we supposed to overcome our own flesh and do these things we don’t really want to do?

I long to know the God who has repeatedly pulled me out of darkness. Yet, I find myself pushing Him to the back burner. How then are we supposed to overcome our own flesh and do these things we don’t really want to do? Click To Tweet

Aha! Inspiration

With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

Matthew 19:26

And that is simply it. The answer to all our problems. It’s simple. Perhaps not as easy as we’d like; but simple. God makes all things possible. Don’t have the motivation to go to work today? Ask God to give it to you. Don’t have it in you to deal with your screaming children? How about your mom and dad; or brother and sister? Ask God to not only quiet their minds and hearts, but yours as well.

Talk to Him, pray to Him, and learn and grow to love Him as He loves you. Saying it this way may make it sound so simple, but it truly is that simple. He loves you. Not because of anything you’ve done or will ever do. We’ve heard that said time and time again.

For myself, I often skim across that truth. Trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I am truly, unconditionally loved and that there’s nothing I can ever do to lose that love, blows my mind. We should never be able to get over that. This is our motivation and inspiration.

All scripture reference is from the ESV Bible.

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Confirm: 6 Affirmations to Transform Negative Thoughts

Devotionals, Stay SaneAugust 22, 2018January 13, 2019

Negative thinking is very common. Especially when it’s directed at ourselves. The more we confirm a thought, the easier it is to believe it.

One of my biggest struggles is deprecation and negativity towards myself. I have no clue where this habit comes from, what made me so down on myself, or how this type of toxicity made it’s home. What I do know…IT IS NOT OKAY.

In fact, my husband often tells me, “No one can talk about my wife that way. Not even my wife.” I picture God saying the same, “No one can talk about my child that way. Not even my child.” Then I realize, this is a problem…IT NEEDS TO CHANGE.

Deterioration

We all know the image of a slow drip on a rock. At first, the drip doesn’t look to be doing much damage, but over time we can see the true impact the water has on such a hard surface. This deterioration is slow and insignificant. Until it isn’t; there’s a giant hole in the rock.

This is what happens in our minds. A minuscule thought passes through. Then again, and again, and again. Until, in a moment, the thought is acceptable and becomes “reality”. We surrender to the drip, and our reality becomes warped. Deteriorated.

My Lie

As I said at the beginning, I’m not sure where this negativity actually started. However, I can pinpoint specific times in my elementary stage of life.

Hear me: ELEMENTARY AGE! I’m 30 years old, Y’all. That’s a long time of dripping. So you can understand why this could be a struggle for me.

I can remember what was happening and how I felt…

In walks Comparison, like he belonged.

Thus began the drip. I believed that because I didn’t look like, act like, think like someone else, I didn’t have a place. I believed, because my legs weren’t skinny, I had a mole on my face, I was short, I couldn’t be considered beautiful. HEAR ME: ELEMENTARY AGE! Yes, I’m yelling, because that’s absurd.

Transformation

Here’s the thing, I know how absurd that sounds, but that is the persistent, constant notion on repeat when I see myself. However, with age comes new things to compare. My thoughts have evolved from not only including deprecation on my image, but negativity towards my creativity, spirituality, eating habits, parenting… The list goes on.

How can I ever transform the chasm that is my lack of self-esteem, into a substantial path of “God-esteem”? How do I re-pave my mind to know just because I have accepted lies for so long, does NOT mean they are true?

Confirm The Truth

Rewiring the brain is difficult…but it’s not impossible. When we commit to seeking the truth, we will find it. Because I am a Christian, I believe that I am not my own, I am bought with a price, I belong to the King. So, I look to the King to confirm the truth…

I am a child of God.

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-

John 1:12, NIV

I am an heir with Christ.

And since we are his children, we will share his treasures—for all God gives to his Son Jesus is now ours too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Romans 8:17, TLB

I am a new creation.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV

I am chosen, holy and beloved of God.

God has chosen you. You are holy and loved by Him. Because of this, your new life should be full of loving-pity. You should be kind to others and have no pride. Be gentle and be willing to wait for others.

Colossians 3:12, NLV

May I just point out on this one: “You should be kind to others”. THIS INCLUDES OURSELVES.

It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special.

1 Thessalonians 1:4, MSG

My body is blessed.

Haven’t you yet learned that your body is the home of the Holy Spirit God gave you, and that he lives within you? Your own body does not belong to you. For God has bought you with a great price. So use every part of your body to give glory back to God because he owns it.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20, TLB

My mind is protected by God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7, NIV

The True Reality

I could have added things like “My legs are skinny”, “My art is good”, “My parenting is enough”. But, all of those things are relative and surface level. When I set my affirmations on the solid rock that is Jesus, my deteriorated rock begins to fill. The drip subsides, and I confirm complete/whole confidence through Him.

When I set my affirmations on the solid rock that is Jesus, my deteriorated rock begins to fill. The drip subsides, and I confirm complete/whole confidence through Him. Click To Tweet

I would like to leave you with a scripture Paul left the early believers. I believe it can confirm and wrap my words in a neat bow…

And now, brothers, as I close this letter, let me say this one more thing: Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about.

Philippians 4:8, TLB

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Unconditional: Accepting God’s Gift of Full Force Love

Devotionals, Stay SaneAugust 21, 2018June 28, 2019

Our love has limits and conditions. But God’s love is unconditional. He is waiting for us to open His gift of full-force love, and share it with the world.

School had started back and I was going through a list of “Thoughts of The Day” that I use to start my class. One stuck out and made me really stop to reflect about what love is.

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.

– Mother Teresa

I had the immediate thought that if someone has to earn love, then they aren’t really being given love.

Conditions…

Reflecting on my relationships I began to wonder how many times I had made that stipulation. Have I ever made a friend feel like they “owed” me? Probably. Can I say I have never said “If you would just (blank) I would love you more”? Nope, I think I may have said that qualifier a time or two. At this point in my self-reflection, I’m not proud, but I think it’s important to face my shortcomings and correct them as I can.

It is my goal to reflect God’s light in my life. I have a lot to work on. When I have something to work on, I try to make a road map. Where am I? Where do I want to end up? How am I going to get there?

So, obviously, I am at a place where my love is sometimes given with conditions. I want to love without reserve, wholeheartedly. How to get there? That’s the question.

Unconditional…

When I started thinking about love, I went to the Bible’s definition in 1 Corinthians 13:4-13. Paul lays out very clearly what love is and isn’t. This is something that I have heard, recited and contemplated most of my life.

So I went looking for other verses that talk about how to love like Christ. I came across Ephesians 2.

Essentially, these verses tell us that we are all sinners and because we are sinners we deserve to die. But God is so merciful and loves us beyond measure. He sent us His Son to die to save us forever. Grace is what saves us. God’s love. We are God’s creation. He loves us and wants to be with us. So He gave us a gift.

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

There is nothing I can do to save my life. I can’t be nicer, wiser, more polite, or do more service. All of that would be great, but it won’t buy me salvation.

Full Force Love…

Agape love gave me salvation as a gift. The only condition is acceptance of the gift. Nothing can change the gift, except a rejection of it. WOW! That is overwhelming to reconcile. And gloriously liberating at the same time.

You are my source of strength! I will sing praises to you! For God is my refuge, the God who loves me.

Psalms 59:17

I have been incredibly lucky in my life to know really good, full force love. My parents, grandparents, aunt, uncle, husband and children have all shown me abundant love. I try desperately to give it back in equal measure. Some instances are more successful than others. I would be willing to say, they have felt the same. When I am tired, angry, overwhelmed or distracted I can snap at the wrong person, ignore a need, or put conditions on my emotions (“I would love you so much more if you didn’t need to argue with everything I say”).

God never has and never will do that. His love is always. It is a gift just waiting to be unwrapped, lifted up, and held dear. If that isn’t enough to sing praises over, I don’t know what is.

But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

Friends, I want to encourage you to shred the paper and ribbons off the gift. Open it with abandon. Let’s celebrate this gift of full force love and try to give it back to one another.

Shred the paper and ribbons off the gift. Open it with abandon. Let's celebrate this gift of full force love and try to give it back to one another. Click To Tweet

Dear God,

I am coming to you with shame and sadness in my heart. I have failed to give love openly. Help me to share the gift You have given so freely. Thank you for the greatest gift ever given – salvation.

Love,

All scripture reference is from the NET Bible.

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Surrender: Focusing Our Hearts and Eyes On the One Who Calls

Devotionals, Stay SaneAugust 20, 2018July 30, 2019

Jesus isn’t after our successes, but our hearts of surrender. When we fix our eyes on Him, all the BIG things simply become One thing.

What are we called to? As Christians, what are we really called to?

I have spent a ton of time asking God for “my calling.” What is the one big major thing He has for me? What is the one thing only I can do? The big dream of God’s heart that nobody else wants?

You see, for as long as I can remember, I have wanted to do BIG things. When I was a kid, my sister and I had an entire imaginary world, in which we were the most famous kids. At age 10, I began writing a parenting book. By the time I was fifteen, my 10-year plan included being a Broadway star, with a wealthy business husband and 3 residences, at 25 mind you. I was serious.

In love with the stage (and myself), I lived for recognition and dreamed of a future littered with public speaking accolades. I was ready to make my mark on the world, whatever it took. I held on tight to Philippians 4:13, because I believed I could do all things, nothing was impossible, and Jesus would help me succeed. As I write these words, I am shaking my head and laughing at my young “innocent” views on life and God.

During my college years, God really got a hold of my heart like never before. My dreamer spirit didn’t die, but my dreams radically changed. Now, I wanted to do big things for God. Dreams of being part of foreign missions, non-profits and every ministry possible began to form in my mind. I went on several overseas mission trips, worked with the poor in my own city, served in my church and eventually (finally!) my husband and I moved overseas as long-term missionaries.

I felt I was living the dream, doing all the stuff, all the big things God cares most about, the stuff no-one else is willing to do! Even though I thought I had arrived, God knew, this was only the beginning of our journey. After a short year and a half, we were back in the States, and I found myself, again, asking God about my calling. He faithfully answered, as He showed me, little by little, what true surrender looks like. Dreaming with God is wonderful thing, but we cannot lose sight of our true purpose.

Surrendering Dreams

So, what are we called to? As Christians, what are we really called to? Love one another? Live generously? Forgive seventy times seven? Feed the poor, heal the sick, care for orphans, clothe the needy? No. Our call is not just about actions. It’s not just about the mission. It’s not just about doing stuff for God. Our call is about a person. I am a Christian because I am totally in love with Someone. The One called Jesus. The question isn’t what are we called to do? Rather, Who are we called to live for? Who are we called to?

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.

Psalm 27:4

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Psalm 84:10

This is the heart of surrender I long for! I long to say, “Jesus, it’s not about me or what I do. It’s all about you! I just want to be with you, whatever you do. Wherever you are.”

Surrender and Abandon

Abandon. We are called to abandon. Total and utter dependence on Him. An unshakable “yes”, to surrender. To Him. No matter the convenience level, no matter the cost. We are His. This life isn’t about me. It isn’t about my family or my church. It’s not about us at all. It isn’t even about others, not even the least of these.

It is about Him. Jesus. High Priest and King. Sacrifice. Lamb of God. Lord of all lords. It is all, every moment, every day, every dream, desire, call is about Him. Him and only Him. Jesus Christ.

Can I live truly abandoned when following Jesus doesn’t look like I expected or when it is hard to get up in the morning? Can I live fully abandoned when I don’t see ANY of the glam and glory of doing “big things” for God?

Right now, His big calling in my life is three little people and a man pouring his life out in a “regular” job. Maybe my calling is a neighbor who just needs a friend, or the stranger at the grocery store. Possibly, God is drawing me towards the mom friend who is overwhelmed, or the babysitter who may just need a hug.

What does saying “yes” to God every day really look like? Can I be content with the lot God has given me? Truly, this is what Philippians 4:13 is about. Contentment. Not success, as the world sees it.

Abandon. We are called to abandon. Total and utter dependence on Him. An unshakable “yes”, to surrender. To Him. Click To Tweet

Contentment in Surrender

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:12-13

True contentment can only come in true surrender, to the Person of Jesus. God measures success in our number of “yeses”, not our number of medals and degrees.

So, what is the one thing only I can do? Only I can love Him for me. Only I can worship Him for me. Only I can sit at His feet as me. Nobody else can take my place in loving Jesus. This is the one calling. It’s not a thing. It’s a Person.

All scripture references come from the NIV Bible.

guidance, encouragement, parenting, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, ministry, mentoring

Guidance: Hearing Encouragement from the Father

Devotionals, Stay SaneAugust 16, 2018January 13, 2019

The voice of the Father provides loving encouragement and guidance helping us to be more like Jesus. Here are examples of God speaking to us, through us.

Numerous times I have been speaking to my boys and I “feel” a tap on my shoulder. I know what I said to them was actually the Lord speaking to me. He is the perfect parent, so it makes sense for Him to use our parenting as instruction for us as well.

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

1 John 3:1, ESV

God’s guidance…

“You are expecting it to do something it was not made to do.”

To my children: Several years ago I said this to my oldest child when he was getting frustrated with a toy.

To me: The Lord was telling me that I had been expecting more out of my child than he was able to do at that time. I still hear this. Now it is in the context that I am expecting my children to be someone other than who they were created to be.

“You can trust what I say. Because I love you, I will keep my word.”

To my children: My 4 year old was throwing a fit (again) and I told him there would be a consequence if he didn’t stop. He stopped for a while, but then decided to test me. So I had to follow through. Which resulted in lots of crying and then lots of hugs.

To me: Whether or not it is what I want to hear, I know I can trust the Lord. Because He loves me, He will keep His word.

“Doing your best is all that matters.”

To my children: Both of my boys get frustrated with themselves when they make mistakes and want to give up when learning something new.

To me: Often my own best doesn’t feel good enough. I think I need to be more and do more. Thankfully this is not truth.

“There is nothing you can do or not do that will make me love you more or love you less. I love you fiercely.”

To my children: My oldest was upset he didn’t pass the swim test, and was scared to try again. He actually asked me what I would do to him if he didn’t pass. Gasp. My heart broke.

To me: I struggle with trying to impress others to gain approval. Thankfully there is nothing I can do to change how much the Lord loves me. This is a beautiful thing.

“I am not disappointed in you, I am disappointed for you.”

To my children: This was also after he didn’t pass the swim test. I was still trying to confirm that it was alright. He absolutely had the skill and ability to pass the test, but it had become a mental battle for him. I wanted him to experience the confidence and satisfaction that comes from accomplishing something he had been working so hard to achieve.

To me: When I mess up (said something rude, lost my temper, been critical, etc.) I feel so ashamed and want to beat myself up for it. The Lord was gently whispering in my ear that I am not a disappointment. But I have done some disappointing things.

“Don’t make it a bigger deal than it needs to be. That’s called being dramatic.”

To my children and me: Umm, yeah. Pretty much my entire life right here.

“Don’t get frustrated. Just try again.”

To my children: My four year old gets frustrated so easily. He tries to draw the letter “A” and starts crying because the lines are crooked. It takes a lot of encouraging from the whole family to get him through it.

To me: I do this too. I love starting things, but get discouraged when it doesn’t come easily to me. So I usually end up starting and then stopping. And then starting and then stopping. And then… Thankfully I am also surrounded by encouraging people that help me through these times.

Final guidance…

As you are in the day to day grind be aware of the moments the Lord is using your own voice to teach you.

There is one more I want to share with you. This was not from me, but what a friend said to her daughter. It was a punch in my gut, and something I desperately needed to hear.

“You are beautiful just the way you are.”

Oh dear lady, please hear this, “You are beautiful just the way you are!”

This post was originally published December of 2015.

Pono Lopez

adventure, risk, faith, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, mentor, women, ministry

Unknown: Letting Go and Stepping Into a Life of Adventure

Devotionals, Stay SaneAugust 15, 2018January 13, 2019

Leaving the safety of what is known requires risk. Step out into the unknown. Here is what will be experienced in a life of adventure…

My husband and I had many adventures the first several years of our marriage. There was the move to Atlanta, hang-gliding, backpacking in the Appalachians, backpacking in the Rockies, the move to Chicago, starting a coffee shop, and then having a baby. After that our adventures took on a different form. Still adventures, but a little closer to home.

So for my husband’s fortieth birthday this year, I felt an adventure was due. I took him to a high ropes course, complete with zip lines. What in the world was I thinking? This adventure-loving gal, apparently does not like adventure high up! My husband was so patient with me as I shakily took each scary step a mile up in the sky (not really, but you get the point, and I’m awful at estimating distance).

There were five stations. At all times, throughout each station, we were attached to a cable with our safety harness. Each one began with climbing up a ladder that was just wood rods on rope. This was the part I most hated, having to leave the safe comfortable ground below; the pulling of the safety cable thing-y climbing up, figuring out how to get off the ladder and onto the platform. And this is before ever facing an obstacle!

Then came the obstacles. Some were just walking across boards that were spaced out. Sometimes the boards were not fixed, and would swing. There were cargo nets, tight rope walking, and tree hugging. The craziest obstacle was the Tarzan swing. After hooking my safety harness safely into a super safe rope, I stepped off the platform into… nothingness. There was NOTHING below me. We were told to bounce once against the net, then grab onto it once we swung back. On the first bounce the net grabbed my shoe! It was hanging on only by my toes. Frantically, I used my other foot to push it back on and was able to grab on as I swung back.

I was screaming like a banshee when I stepped off that platform (never in my life has someone referred to me as quiet). After completing that obstacle, my husband reveals to me that the Tarzan swing was the difficult option, and I actually could have skipped it. I acted like I was mad, but I wasn’t.

The final obstacle had two additional ladders to climb, taking us even further from the safety of the ground. Each station ended with a zip line. But of course the biggest zip line was last. There was a reason I needed to climb up those two additional ladders. I needed to be higher so I could go further, faster.

The Unknown

All of our lives are full of adventure, of stepping out into the unknown. Perhaps it is moving, or going to school – again, becoming a missionary, having a baby, writing a book, facing a health crisis, or opening up your heart and home to new friends.

The pull…

When we are leaving the comfort and safety of the known (even if it is a situation we don’t like), we feel the pull on us to return to safety. Those first decisions can weigh us down with anticipation, dread, fear, or waiting.

Unsure…

Then we arrive at the place where we need to take a step. Our footing is unsure. We are shaky, and beginning to question our decisions. It seems too big, too overwhelming.

Trust…

There will come a point when we will begin to trust, not our footing, but the One who holds us. We will end up slipping, falling, feeling that we are about to meet our demise, but knowing that we are held safe.

Risks…

Because of the trust being built, we begin to take greater risks. We know that it is not our strength that makes what we are doing possible. It is His strength, and we can have exuberant joy as we trust in it.

Un-expectations…

We will be able to readjust as unexpected circumstances arise. We gain a new perspective, and do not worry about doing everything the “right way.”

Pressing on…

But just because we have already left the safety of the known, does not mean that we won’t continue to fight the pull to go back. The pull is not as great, and it is honestly too late to back out anyway, so we continue to press on.

Perspective…

After pressing on we gain a different perspective. Sure, we are more exposed, more vulnerable, but the view is worth it. And so is the feeling of letting go and having the wind rush against us. We know we need to go higher so we can go further, faster.

Go…

We also know to not get too comfortable, because there is always more life to explore. After all, we are not called to arrive. We are called to go.

Stepping Out

What adventures are you having? Where are you on this never-ending cycle of adventure? I leave us now with this confirmation, this promise…

I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:9-10, NIV

We know to not get too comfortable, because there is always more life to explore. After all, we are not called to arrive. We are called to go. Click To Tweet

Will Swann

help, weak, community, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, ministry

Help: Crying Out to the Lord Who Delivers from Trouble

Devotionals, Stay SaneAugust 14, 2018July 30, 2019

Often, we move forward boldly, trying to accomplish things on our own, not asking for help. When is the right time to ask? What is at stake when we don’t?

“Oh Lord, help us” is not just the name of this ministry, but the cry of my heart.

It’s 11 o’clock on Tuesday night and I committed to have a devotional submitted by the end of the day. A week ago, I had a handful of ideas on what I wanted to write about. Clearly, seven days later, none of those panned out. This morning I put together some thoughts that were decent, but they were messy and didn’t flow or connect. This evening, after another hour of typing, I crawled underneath my covers and stared wide-eyed. I told my husband, Sean, “It’s crap. I have no space in my brain for writing right now.”

My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart…I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

Psalm 7:10, 17, ESV

David gave God glory for the protection he received. I, too, must sing praise to God for His righteousness and cry out to the Most High.

Opening Up

What happens when I need help and don’t ask? Uh…tonight. I’m totally sitting here crying. Which is kind of cleansing, but why ask for help to begin with? Well, for starters, to avoid getting to a place of hysteria. Haha. But all the more because I need community and I am weak. And that’s not just okay, it’s Biblical.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Matthew 7:7-8

In one of Sean’s notebooks is written: Patience with God changes us from a different angle. His knowledge of what’s next isn’t the point. Our desire for His will is.

Giving Up the Ghost

On days like this, I try to align myself in community with God, fighting for humility to get to that place of sacrificial praise. I know it’s okay for me to ask for help from my husband or my kids when I’m spent. But I forget in the moment. Today, I feel used up. I realize I haven’t had space to breathe. So many worthy things vie for my attention and I genuinely want to be available. However, when I was driving to pick up my son from basketball camp this afternoon I had a fleeting thought of how nice it would be to keep driving. Not to leave him or escape my family, just to recharge.

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Romans 8:26, NASB

The Spirit in the heart helps, dwelling in us, working in us, as a Spirit of grace and supplication, especially with respect to the infirmities we are under when we are in a suffering state, when our faith is most apt to fail; for this end the Holy Spirit was poured out.

Matthew Henry

I know it’s okay for me to ask for help when I’m spent. But I forget in the moment. Today, I feel used up. I realize I haven’t had space to breathe. Click To Tweet

Feelings Are Tricky Tricksters

The funny thing is, I love my home. It is bright and peaceful. I like my neighbors. Being at home is not a burden. I guess it’s my mind that has taken on a hostile stance. Many intensely emotional situations have occurred in the past few weeks. Some joyful, some heart wrenching. All of which I desperately want to be present in. I want to sit with sisters who are battling fear, depression and loss. I want to be waging war in the spirit realm for my brothers and sisters who are fighting the good fight of faith. To add on to the pile, I started school this week. It is a worthy undertaking, yet it is putting more constraints on my time.

I recall to mind a text Sean sent me a few days ago: Don’t let your feeling direct you. Be driven by purpose. Feelings come and go and are rarely righteous.

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:21, NIV

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4, ESV

Help Is on The Way

This reminds me that when I say oh Lord, help me!…there is actually a God to call on that answers with hope and He reveals Himself to me in Christ. When I fall down at the feet of Jesus, He hears and redeems me from all of my worries. He continually exceeds my expectations through the work of His Spirit.

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.

Psalm 34:17, ESV

Nine Köpfer

testimony, daily devotional, spiritual growth, Christian mentoring, Oh Lord Help Us

Testimony: Sharing The Good That God Has Done in Our Lives

Devotionals, Stay SaneAugust 13, 2018July 30, 2019

Sharing our testimony of the good that God has done in our lives strengthens our own faith and builds others’ faith as well.

A few days ago, I received one of the most incredible messages I’ve ever seen. It was a testimony from a young man I had prayed for back in the spring. It read: “Hey Mrs. Hope, my name is Jacob.* You may not remember me, but a few months ago you gave me a ride and money for gas. You gave me your card with your cell number on the back and I just stumbled across it tucked away in my wallet. At the time I was a heroin addict, the kind of person most people avoid like the plague. You were the complete opposite, and showed nothing but genuine care and kindness towards me. I have turned my life around completely and now have a close relationship with Jesus Christ. I don’t know if I thanked you that day, but I’d like to take the chance now to tell you how appreciative I was and still am. You are a powerful woman and I hope you are doing well because you absolutely deserve it. I hope you have a blessed day.”

Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.

Psalm 66:16

Can I just take a moment to say….

“Praise God! Hallelujah!! Thank You Jesus!!! What a mighty God we serve!” When I read this message, I was speechless. Overwhelmed by the grace and mercy of God, I was in tears. I felt so grateful that the Lord allowed me to be part of an intense change in this young man’s life. What a blessing to witness a glimpse of the mighty work He’s doing to change Jacob’s direction–from a crash course with death to a renewed sense of life to the full!

When I wrote about my encounter with Jacob in a previous piece, I had no idea whether I’d hear from Jacob again. When I gave him my card, I was simply offering for him to reach back out if he needed help, prayer, etc. I did not expect to receive a text two months later with a testimony of how he had overcome his heroin addiction and rededicated his life to Jesus! When I was praying for Jacob, I felt a strong release of power from the Holy Spirit. So, I believed something shifted for him spiritually. But when I left him, the only assurance I had that he would kick his addiction was my own faith that the Lord would do a work in his life.

Testimonies build our faith…

I’m so thankful Jacob shared his testimony with me because it confirmed what I’d been believing for him in faith. You see, the Lord has set this whole thing up so beautifully! He wants us to have faith in Him. To believe that He will carry through on the promises He has made for our lives. But He also knows, that to truly believe, we need to experience His goodness firsthand. For ourselves. And when He answers our specific prayers, He knows we’ll be so blown away by what He has done, that we will praise His name. That we’ll testify of His goodness to others.

This is what happened with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. When she encountered Jesus, He offered her living water. He told her he knew that she had had five husbands, but He did not judge her. Rather, He invited her to a new way, to a new life filled with His living water. The woman accepted Jesus’ offer, left her water pail, and ran back to Samaria. There, she told everyone who Jesus was and what He had done for her. The result:

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.

John 4:39

Salvations and strengthened faith resulted from the Samaritan woman’s testimony. These are the kinds of things that can happen when we testify of God’s goodness and mercy in our lives.

When we share how He has set us free, we help build the faith of other captives who desperately need to know that true freedom is possible. Click To Tweet

Sharing my testimony…

When I was in my Jeep with Jacob, he was at the end of himself. Out of gas. Strung out on heroin. Out of hope. And I knew what that felt like. Before we pulled over to pray, I shared my testimony of what the Lord had done for me. I told Jacob how a number of years ago, I had been suicidal and was driving 90 mph down the interstate. I admitted that I’d been trying to figure out how to wreck my car in a way that didn’t hurt anyone else and looked like an accident. How I was crying out to the Lord and telling Him that I was done. That the depression was too much for me to take anymore. I was begging Him to show me what my purpose was, or it was all over!

And then I shared how that little beater car had the audacity to pull right in front of me going 60mph. How I had to slam on my brakes not to hit the car. Then, the license plate that read: “SongTree.” The word seemed odd to me, and I asked myself, ‘What the heck does that mean?’ And right then, the Holy Spirit asked me a question in my spirit, “What do a song and a tree need?” And I knew the answer. A songbird. I knew that He was confirming my purpose. To be His Songbird of Hope. To sing and write and praise Him all my days. Precisely when I needed a specific answer from the Lord, moreso than ever before in my life, He answered me. Me. His answer shocked me back to life, rang clear and true all the way through my spirit, and still reverberates as I write this.

A testimony of his own…

I knew that my testimony had struck a deep chord with Jacob because he began weeping as I was speaking. When I offered to pray with him, he was not even able to say yes, but he was nodding his head forward and back over and over again. And when we prayed, the God whose goodness I was testifying of, touched Jacob personally. And now Jacob has a powerful testimony of his own. The Lord has freed him of addiction to heroin–one of the most lethal drugs known to man!

Friends, there is power in sharing our full testimonies. And not just the pretty parts where it’s all wrapped up in a bow. Because there are ugly parts too. We need to be honest about the wrecks we were before the Lord saved us. We have to be willing to share the hard truth that we did not do everything perfectly. That our faith was barely the size of that proverbial mustard seed. That we were literally helpless and hopeless without the Lord. Beloved, we need to share the good, the bad, and the ugly because our honesty and vulnerability shows our need for a savior who truly saves us.

And our testimony is even greater when we acknowledge that what the Lord has done for us is not because we were the strongest, most faith-filled, perfect people to ever approach His throne. He answers our prayers and blesses us because He is a good God who loves and cares for us. And when we turn our lives over to His grace, He will move mightily on our behalf.

How we defeat the enemy…

Rest assured, when the Lord does a work in our lives, the devil is right there trying to sabotage the good that God is doing. But Jesus has provided His blood and the power of our testimony to ward off attacks from the enemy. So, let’s wield our shields and our weapons well and testify to the goodness of God in our lives.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Revelation 12:11

How has the Lord built your faith with a testimony? Have you shared it?

*name changed to protect privacy
**all scripture references from the King James Version of The Bible

Evan Kirby