Stay Sane – Page 13 – Oh Lord Help Us

truth, lies, freedom, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, ministry

Truth: See and Speak the Truth of Who We Truly Are

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 28, 2018January 13, 2019

If we could only see ourselves through other people’s eyes. Instead of speaking lies over ourselves, we are to speak truth.

This past Mother’s Day my 10 year old son made a card for me that I will treasure for decades to come. At the top he wrote, “I love you, and here is why…” Then he made a list complete with pictures. Number one on the list was, You are fast. I love that I impress him with my speed. Crazy thing is, he is already faster than me, but I have him hands down on the endurance factor!

Number two was, You are patient. I started to think I had the wrong card. Me? Patient? Not a quality I have ever claimed to possess. The picture he drew was me with all three kiddos saying, “Mom, mom, mom, mom, mom…” Pretty accurate representation, really. Somedays I threaten to change my name, or I will say that mom is no longer here.

Number three was, You are loving. He drew a picture of me hugging him. This is true. I love on my kiddos all the time. Constantly kissing them, hugging them, playing with their hair. I couldn’t stop if I tried. But there was something so special to see that he is aware of the love being shown.

I went back to number two, and then I began to weep. If only I could see myself as my children see me. In their eyes I am loving, and patient, and impressive. I like their version of me better than my version.

Hush…

We put labels on ourselves that aren’t true. We don’t want to be angry, impatient, unkind, or lazy, but this is exactly what we call ourselves. So naturally, that is what we present and become. It’s time to stop. It’s time to see ourselves as God sees us. Do you know what God sees when He looks at us?

God sees Jesus.

If we have accepted Christ’s redemption, we are covered with Jesus. We are patient, kind, supportive of others, and considerate.

For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Hebrews 10:14, ESV

Yes, we are being sanctified – meaning we are a work in process – but we are also already made perfect in our justification. The enemy wants nothing more than to keep us hindered, to make us less effective for the Kingdom, and to destroy our influence.

Do you know what God sees when He looks at us? God sees Jesus. Click To Tweet

Speak truth…

Over the last few weeks I have begun a campaign of rebuking. When I find myself speaking negative things over myself, or over other people, I rebuke it in the name of Jesus. This means I do not claim it. I do not claim to be bound to that sin Christ has already freed me from. I do not claim for my children to struggle with things. And I do not claim it over my relationships.

I rebuke…
defensiveness.
being judgmental.
discontentment.
insecurity.
perfectionism.
laziness.

This does not mean I am in denial. Please don’t hear that. It is absolutely acknowledging reality. But it is acknowledging the sinful reality, and then replacing it Christ’s reality. After all, the truth (God’s truth) is what will set us free.

Your turn…

What nasty lies are you speaking over yourself?

Who can you turn to, to speak truth over you?

Want to dig deeper?

There is a Study Group beginning Sunday, June 3rd on Facebook. I would love to have you be a part of it! To grab a copy of the book, click the image below.

patience, trust, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women

Patience: Trusting God Through Long, Difficult Seasons

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 24, 2018January 13, 2019

Patience during a difficult season requires trusting that the Lord has greater things in store. What are you trusting God for?

For awhile it seemed like my life was moving backwards. I was 21 year old when I bought my first place. It was this cute 2 bedroom townhouse with an attached garage. Then we moved to Atlanta where we lived in a 500 square foot studio in a high rise. We gained a sweet view of downtown, but we no longer had a washer and dryer. Had to go to the basement for that. There was a parking garage with one assigned spot. My poor husband had to fight for an open place.

After that, we moved to the suburbs of Chicago. Here we lost the air conditioning and the dishwasher. Laundry in the cellar, had to go outside to get to it. But at least we could park in the driveway. Then we moved into the city. We got the AC back, but lost parking. Had to find it on the street and dig out our spot when it snowed. Still no washer and dryer, no dishwasher. Also, there was no sunshine. First floor apartments with buildings 3 feet away don’t allow for much sun to penetrate. At the next place we got the sunshine back (third floor), but lost the ac again. No ac, no dishwasher, no washer/dryer, no parking. Three flights of stairs and a newborn. Whew!

After a year and a half in that apartment, we finally were able to buy a house. An actual house! With a yard! The yard was smaller than the garden we had when I was growing up, but I was thrilled to have it. We got back the AC, the garage, the washer/dryer, and four years after we moved in we put in a dishwasher.

We did so much to that house. Complete gut rehab of the second floor. While I was pregnant. We have a picture of me five months pregnant swinging a sledge hammer busting out plaster. We finished it two weeks before my second son was born. This was a rough time physically, financially, and mentally. At one point a rat got in our house because there was a hole in the concrete of the basement. A RAT!! IN OUR HOUSE!!! Then we got busted and fined by city for doing work without a permit. There I was, eight months pregnant, standing before a judge, begging for mercy.

Difficult times…

Our 8 years in Chicago were hard. Of course there are the basic Chicago things that all Chicagoans deal with. Harsh winters that just won’t end. Traffic that moves so slow you might as well walk. People that speak harshly and are unfriendly. The permits, tickets, and fees that make you paranoid to drive your car anywhere. But we also dealt with my hubby losing his job, opening and running a money devouring business, living in crappy apartments, living through a rehab, and a rat.

I wanted to leave so badly. I cried so many tears, begging God to get us out of there. We tried so many times to get out. Once, we were seriously considering a job opportunity for my husband in Seattle. He made it through three rounds of interviews until that door was closed. Praise the Lord it was. I would have been even more miserable there. There was an opportunity to move back home to Louisville at one point that I was truly disappointed didn’t work out. When we were actually at the point where we could move, we thought we would move back to Atlanta. That seemed to make the most sense. It’s a big city with lots of job opportunities, great weather, and we still have friends there. But alas, this was not to be either.

Greater things…

The Lord had something even greater in mind. He gave us even more than what we asked for. Atlanta would not have solved all the problem that we were dealing with in Chicago. It still has a high cost of living, it still has bad crime, it still has bad schools, and of course it still has bad traffic. I didn’t know a thing about Greenville, SC before my husband had his phone interview phone for the position here. The first time either of us ever stepped foot in Greenville was when we came with the moving van.

Not everybody is miserable is Chicago. I have dear friends who live there and they love it. It’s home for them, and I am thrilled that they feel that way. There is such peace in feeling “home”. But not once in 8 years did we feel “home”. We had many moments of joy there, including friendships that will age with me. But we knew we were not meant to stay there. Even though we struggled, we knew we were where we needed to be for that long season in our lives. We knew it wasn’t time to leave yet, no matter how desperately we wanted to. Waiting is difficult.

Wait for The Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for The Lord.

Psalm 27:14, ESV

Patience

We learned that we had to be patient. And we had to wait for The Lord’s perfect timing. I’m relieved that when doors were closed we didn’t try to force them open, although I was standing there with a crowbar feeling tempted to do so. I would pray, “Lord help me feel at home!” I wanted to want to be there. Then I prayed, “help me feel at peace.” And I would for a period of time. Sometimes we are called to stand and fight (like David and Goliath), and sometimes we are told to run away (like Joseph and Mary fleeing to Egypt). I believe we never felt at home because we were never meant to stay.

It takes trust to learn patience. So if you find yourself in a situation where you feel desperate to escape, be encouraged! Trust that The Lord knows, and cares. Know that His timing is perfect. And there is nothing wrong with crying while you wait.

It takes trust to learn patience. So if you find yourself in a situation where you feel desperate to escape, be encouraged! Click To Tweet

Post was originally published January 2015

Simeon Muller

repentance, conviction, condemnation, Oh Lord Help Us , Christian, women, ministry, scripture

Repentance: Understand the Difference Between Condemnation and Conviction

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 23, 2018September 8, 2019

Condemnation leads to guilt and shame. Conviction, however, is God’s loving kindness leading us to repentance and back to His refuge.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:1, ESV

If that is true, why do so many wrestle with feelings of condemnation? I believe it’s the fine line between condemnation and conviction.

The difference…

Condemnation oozes from the knowledge of laws and rules. When I feel condemned, I seek to soothe the discomfort of guilt and shame. There are plenty of cheerful quotes on Pinterest to set me right. There’s generally glitter and flowers and unicorns on them, too. Or a Chevron pattern. Whatever floats your boat. Frankly, I’ve come to know that condemnation plugs the holes in my boat with a sponge.

When I feel condemned, I seek to soothe the discomfort of guilt and shame. Click To Tweet

Conviction is entirely different because it is borne from the Holy Spirit and leads to repentance. Understanding Almighty God fully loves me means I no longer fear punishment; I know I am His. In response to the sin that separates me from Him, conviction leads me back to His loving arms.

I’m not spending enough time with the Lord.
I don’t have enough self-control.
I’m not good enough for God.

Condemnation screams: “You should be more. You’re not good enough.” Well-meaning friends (and social media) argue “You are enough!” But the guilt perpetuates. Because the reality is—I keep falling off the proverbial wagon and landing face first in the mud. The cycle repeats ad nauseam. Why? Because contrary to popular belief, it’s not the thought that counts. Feeling bad about something and saying I’m sorry is about me. When I feel convicted I have to be vulnerable, repent, and ask forgiveness; because I know what I did caused brokenness.

Conviction says: You’re right. You’re not good enough. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.”(Ephesians 2:4, ESV).

From death to life…

This can be a hard pill to swallow initially. It seems to contradict fairness and encouragement. However, when the Bible talks about us being dead in our sin it’s only figurative to the point that we don’t know when our physical bodies will perish. Yet we are literally spiritually dead as a doornail until God breathes life into our dead souls. We cannot ultimately save ourselves from anything.

No one is getting up and walking out of a morgue. You’re dead on a slab. Resuscitation is off the table—you have to be resurrected.

Edward Hunt, Associate Pastor Sojourn Fairfax

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:17, ESV

How deep the Father’s love for us! He sent Jesus! It is He who makes us good enough through the work of His Spirit. Friends, it is God’s kindness that is meant to lead us to repentance. Not fear of judgement or completing our check-list of self-punishment.

The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Psalm 34:22, ESV

Refuge…

When the boat is sinking back into condemnation land, or the wagon threatens to throw us off, we must find refuge in Christ. And if we still feel swept out to sea and can’t see any redemption or refuge in sight, let’s do a little backwards planning (as my husband likes to say). The instruction in Psalm 34:22 is to run to the Lord for rescue. Deliverance isn’t found anywhere else.

Those who look to him are radiant with joy; their faces will never be ashamed.

Psalm 34:5, CSB

When sin creeps in, don’t allow condemnation to drown you. Instead, permit conviction to bring you back to the One who loves you with an everlasting love. Take shelter in His arms; and worship your Redeemer.

Hero, God, glory, Oh Lord Help Us, ministry, women, scripture

Hero: We Are Not the Main Character of this Story

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 22, 2018September 8, 2019

God’s word is applicable to our lives, but this cannot be where we start. We must begin by acknowledging the true Hero of the story.

I grew up in a family that attended church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. I heard a lot of preaching. But, it was only until college I began to systematically study the scriptures for myself. It was stunning, what I began to discover. Well-meaning teachers had added information to the Biblical stories. I am not sure of their motives but I want to believe they were wanting to motivate a desire to make the Bible interesting or to promote a character trait they were hoping to emphasize. The hard truth was they made up details.

The one that was perhaps the most shocking to me was the story of Noah. I had heard over and over again about Noah’s impassioned plea to his neighbors to repent and believe and come on the ark. Over and over Noah’s neighbors laughed at him and denied that the rain was coming. Or so I was told. But, that’s not really how the story goes.

And those that entered male and female of all flesh went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in.

Genesis 7:16

Noah did not try to convince his neighbors. He did not try to defend God or discuss the coming rain. He built the ark and gathered his family and the animals and he waited for God to close the door.

That’s a pretty big difference.

The Main Character…

And there were lots of other stories just like that. In fact, I even have had a bent for adding emphasis to certain details from the Bible and leaving other details out. My biggest problem however was even more subtle. I was reading the Bible always looking for application. How would this affect me? How would this scripture influence my life? What was God telling me to do and how could I be like the human character mentioned in this story?

The Hero…

While these are all good goals to wrestle with as we study God’s word, if it’s where we start, it’s pretty flawed. Just like those Sunday school teachers I had 30 years ago. The emphasis of every story is a hero. And that hero is God. He begins in the beginning and creates. He comes in the form of Jesus to be crucified and resurrected. And He returns again to come take his bride. Every story is whispering his name. Every story is declaring his glory. This is not new news to us. If we have spent any time in scripture, we know this. But we still don’t look for Him.

We look for us. And we come away from scripture more convinced that we don’t have what it takes (we don’t in the flesh), and we come away more discouraged and defeated. God’s word is active and living – a two edged sword. It is meant to divide us from our thoughts of lies and unbelief. Yet, we can’t be the hero. He has to be the hero of every page. He’s there. I will admit, I forget this. I forget this a lot. And when I remember who I am reading about and what He is capable of and whose I am… Well, I find my heart soaring and my lips praising and praying. I can’t help myself. As I meditate on his truths and on Him, I find peace, I find joy, I find hope. I can’t find hope in myself.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

If this has been an encouragement, please share the love with others…

The emphasis of every story is a hero. And that hero is God... Every story is whispering his name. Every story is declaring his glory. Click To Tweet

Jon Tyson

Warmth: Bask in the Overwhelming Love of the Lord

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 21, 2018June 28, 2019

We have been given new life, and the gift of eternity with the Lord. Nothing will change His passion for us. May we all know the warmth of His overwhelming love.

I love the sun. The way it feels on my skin, how it makes everything so bright and mostly how it lightens my mood. I spend the last month or so of winter every year with a slow creeping sadness moving through me. It starts the end of February and lasts until the sun’s energy pushes through the atmosphere at just the right angle to warm the earth and give us warmer weather. The day I put on shorts and go outside and dig in the dirt for the first time in spring is a day my soul sings.

This year, I went outside to clean out a bed; literally, a wrought iron bed that had been turned into a overgrown weed pot. It took me two days to dig out the bed. I had to dig down about 18 inches, hack through several roots that had grown over the top of the side rails and saw through a tree. It took almost a week for my muscles to recover. And I loved every second.

A gift…

While I was in this struggle with nature, I was playing music and singing. I just put my playlist on shuffle. Billy Joel played right along side Matthew West. Alabama Shakes played next to Big Daddy Weave. I mix my genres all the time. About an hour in, Pentatonix Mary Did You Know started playing. I love this Christmas song, but my brain rejected it. I went to push “next” thinking “today is a day for bright sun, work in the dirt to bring order to my garden, bringing life back to my spirit…Oh, wait…I see you God, it’s Christmas”.

No, I’m not getting out my tree and decorating. I’m not going to go shopping for gifts or bake more cookies than anyone should really eat. I’m feeling the spirit of Christmas. God’s son, Jesus, was given earthly form to bring us a way to salvation and give our spirits a bridge to rest with our Father for eternity so we never have to fear death. Sounds like springtime to me.

Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you’ve delivered, will soon deliver you?

I am sure Mary anticipated amazing things from her son. But I wonder if she could comprehend the scope. Two thousand years later we are singing songs about her and praying to her son. We are studying his ministry and reading his words. That seems a lot to take in for a new mother. Then again, Luke 2:19 does say, “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.”

A passion…

As I’m in the dirt, hacking away at a very stubborn root. All these thoughts are rolling through my head. Christmas in the spring, Mary being the mother of God, and the message He was laying on my heart. Another song came on: Cloverton’s Hallelujah. If you haven’t heard this version you really should. It moves my spirit and implores me to raise my arms to the heavens.

I know You came to rescue me
This baby boy would grow to be
A man and one day die for me and you
My sins would drive the nails in You
That rugged cross was my cross, too
Still every breath You drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Overwhelming love…

Okay at this point I’m feeling a little schizophrenic. Christmas and Easter. What are you saying to me, God? I kept hacking at the root in the garden, occasionally switching off to dig up more of the bed. I really felt God pulling at me trying to get me to understand something. More music plays: Cyndi Lauper, Alan Jackson, Adele. By this point my muscles were aching, my hands beginning to blister, but my mind was really wrestling with what God was showing me so I really didn’t notice yet.

Then, in succession came Greater by Mercy Me,

There’ll be days I lose the battle
Grace says that it doesn’t matter
‘Cause the cross already won the war
He’s Greater, He’s Greater

Next came, He knows My Name by Francesca Battiselli

Spent today in a conversation
In the mirror face to face with
Somebody less than perfect
I wouldn’t choose me first if
I was looking for a champion
In fact I’d understand if
You picked everyone before me
But that’s just not my story
True to who you are
You saw my heart and made
Something out of nothing

And then, Overwhelmed by Big Daddy Weave.

I hear the sound of Your Voice
All at once it’s a gentle and thundering noise
Oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming.

Warmth…

Do you see the message? It hit me square in the face. I was washed in love, God’s love, agape love. I am His and He is mine. No matter what, that truth CANNOT and WILL NOT change. So simple, so powerful, and yet I forget it from time to time, or push it aside while living my life.

David said about him: ‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand,I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’

Acts 2: 25-28, NIV

I hear you, God! I am rejoicing and hope that you, dear reader, find God’s love as overwhelming as I do.

Dear God,

Thank you for Your Word and for those who use Your word to inspire and uplift. I feel Your presence in my life and want to strive to hold on to that every day. Forgive me for forgetting You in my winter blues, but thank you so much for the Son that died for me so I can stay in Your warmth forever.

love,
me

I was washed in love, God's love, agape love. I am His and He is mine. No matter what, that truth CANNOT and WILL NOT change. Click To Tweet

Conner Baker

faith, hope, trust, Oh Lord Help Us, ministry, women, Christian

Faith: Understanding What It Is, and What It Is Not

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 17, 2018January 13, 2019

I grew up hearing the word, faith, but did not understand what it meant. It was talked about at home and at church. But not until prayers went unanswered did I truly grasp it.

It was the Spring of 2003. My husband and I had been married for 2 and a half years, and everything was about to change. He had finished his undergrad but was unable to find work, so we decided he should do more schooling (because that’s what you’re suppose to do, right?). We were going to move to Atlanta for him to go to the school he felt would be most beneficial. We were super excited, I love a good adventure! So, we put our townhouse on the market, and within a week, it sold. Easy! That evening I called my parents to tell them the good news. They were happy for us, but my mom just didn’t sound quite right. Actually, she had been feeling bad for a while.

That night, after we spoke, my father had to call an ambulance to take her to the hospital. At first, they thought it was a ruptured ulcer. When they took her into surgery, they were to discover a mass the size of a football in her abdomen. It was cancer. Her body was so weak, they put her in a drug induced coma for weeks. Once she was awake, they told us that if they don’t do chemo, the cancer could kill her in a month. But, if they did chemo, it could kill her in a week. Gee, thanks. She was coherent, so she chose to try the chemo. She made it through the first two like a champ. The third, destroyed her body. She died 4 months exactly from the night of my phone call to her. She never left the hospital.

While she was in the hospital, I said to my dad, “How can we possibly move now?” He told me, “You’re moving. Your mom would hate to be the cause of you not doing this.” Alright, fine. And besides, it was ok because we all had “faith” she would recover; that she would be healed. And for a while it did seem like she was going to make it. The doctors were making a plan for her to go home, and training my family on how to care for her. Our prayers were being answered, and our faith rewarded. Or so we thought.

What is faith?

Here’s the problem: not all prayers (wishes) are answered (granted). It made me wonder, is it because people don’t have “enough” faith? And if that is the way it works, does that mean we can manipulate God to do what we want? How dare us, mere humans, try to control The Lord of the Universe! But there are many scriptures where Jesus does heal people because of their faith.

Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Matthew 15:28, ESV

So I kept going to the scripture that actually defines what faith is, trying to figure this thing out.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1, ESV

Faith is not…

That doesn’t seem to help much either. I mean, I had “faith” she would be healed, meaning I “hoped” she would be healed. But that didn’t really jive with other scripture in the Bible. Sure, Joseph ended up doing great things, but good grief, he got royally screwed. And screwed. And then screwed some more. But he never gave up having faith. So maybe, just maybe, this faith thing has nothing (NOTHING) to do with my circumstances. Maybe “faith” is not believing in something, but rather trusting in Someone.

There is another scripture where Jesus heals a cripple:

Some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.”

Matthew 9:2, ESV

Wait a minute! He didn’t heal him at first! The miracle was not in the healing. The miracle was forgiveness!! And that’s what made the religious leaders mad. It was to show the leaders that he was the Son of God that he healed the man. So then that got me thinking more. If there is a God (which I believe) and He sent His son to earth so that we could have a relationship with Him (which I believe) and I have been forgiven (which I needed) and the point of my life is to glorify this God (which I try), then that must mean He would receive more glory from her dying, than if she lived.

Maybe 'faith' is not believing in something, but rather trusting in Someone. Click To Tweet

Faith is…

Could she have been healed? Absolutely! But she wasn’t. If I’m going to claim to be a follower of Christ, then that means I have to trust when things are good, and trust when things are bad.

I did ask for something after coming to this realization. “Lord, I know that I may never understand why she had to die, when she did and the way she did. But if you could ever let me know, that would be great.” And then I received an answer. Because of my love for running, I ran my second marathon with Team in Training in honor of my mother who had Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. During training I met a friend who has held such a special place in my heart. It occurred to me that if my mom had not died, when she did, and in the way she did, I would never have met her. It doesn’t mean that I wanted my mom to die, or that I will ever stop missing her; but it gives me such peace to know that the Lord is always at work.

I have faith that God is who He says He is, and I believe that Jesus is His son. My faith is not in what God can do for me. My faith is that He is God, and I can trust Him. I don’t know if The Lord will heal your dad, or get you a job, or allow you to have a child. But I do know that He is Good.

This post was originally published January 2015.

Han Chenxu

Be still, still, battle, Oh Lord Help Us, ministry, Christian, women

Still: God Will Fight For Us and Prepare the Way Forward

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 16, 2018June 27, 2019

We do not need to be afraid. We are to be still and see the Lord at work, trusting that He will will fight for us and prepare the way forward.

Those who know me best would characterize me as an action person. Although in recent years health issues have slowed down aerobic activities, when a plan is adopted I want to attack it. Mulling over it, tweaking it ad nauseam, re-thinking the plan from multiple angles, or just plain procrastination can cause me intense internal combustion. In other words, my husband can sometimes make my head explode!…because don’t we usually marry our opposite?

Standing still is not my forte; never has been. A decision is made to be executed, so let’s not delay – make a list, mark items off as you go, MOVE!

So, in Exodus 14, let’s just say I totally GET why the children of Israel freaked out when they realized the Egyptians, now angry and vengeful, had pursued and caught up to them at – of all places – the Red Sea! They were shaking in their sandals. After they had left Egypt on such an ‘in-your-face’ emotional high, having plundered them of much of their wealth, (at God’s insistence), God had lead them the long way around the wilderness rather than through the land of the Philistines (Exodus 13:17-18). So rather than getting into a war with the mighty Philistines, Israel ends up with their backs against a wall of water and the fierce Egyptians bearing down on them! Ouch.

After considerable complaining (Exodus 14:11-12), Moses reveals to Israel the incredible battle plan… Are you ready?

Don’t be afraid
Stand still
See
Know The Lord Will Fight For You
Be quiet
Go forward

WHAAAT??!! That’s IT?! No spears? No forward group to distract them and rear guard to defeat them? Not even a trumpet sound???

Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.

Exodus 14:13-14, NKJV

Don’t be Afraid…

Often, as we all probably know, fear can be paralyzing, but when a vast army of enemies is marching toward you, the last natural inclination one usually has is to stand still. Simultaneously, Moses instructed the Israelites to have more trust than fear and to stand still in the face of their enemy.

We don’t know the exact timeline, but let’s say just days before, God had released the people of Israel after many years of oppression in Egypt. Using jaw-dropping miracles, God made sure they were loaded down with Egypt’s wealth as He ushered them out of captivity. After the flush of victory had passed and they faced a test, did God’s people remember the miracles of God on their behalf in Egypt? Sadly, no…but then, do we?

In essence, I call God a liar when I grip my fear tighter than my faith in God’s character and intentions toward me. I’m confessing He is not who He says He is and doesn’t do what He says He will do. It has taken me a lifetime of struggle and stumbling to reach this understanding rather than to simply beat myself up with guilt each time I am convicted about my lack of trust in a given situation. We are a fearful people. God already knows that about us, but we don’t have to live there. Our mighty God is greater than our most entrenched fears.

Don’t be afraid. Fear not. Remember when He has rescued you before; He will do it, again.

In essence, I call God a liar when I grip my fear tighter than my faith in God's character and intentions toward me. Click To Tweet

Stand Still…

I liken standing still to waiting. These are areas where I learn from my husband’s more patient nature. He doesn’t rush headlong into things; therefore, he sees potential problems that I might miss on my initial fly-by. He has an eye for details; I like the big picture. Standing still can take in the small things. Being still is necessary for knowing God more intimately (Psalm 46:10).

Moses instructed the people to stand still, to wait, in order to see the salvation of the LORD, (or the deliverance). If they remained fearful or panicky, running into action that God had not ordained, I am convinced Israel would have missed the deliverance God had planned for them that day. They would have been too preoccupied with what they were doing to see what God was doing! Or they might have been crushed.

I question how often I miss the wonder of what He is doing because I’m busy ‘helping God’ do His ministry or whatever I think He needs to be doing…

See…

The more I see what God is doing and join Him there, the more convinced I become that He is, indeed, fighting for me, and not just me, but for His people. God told His people in Deuteronomy, Joshua, 2 Chronicles, Nehemiah and Isaiah that He would fight for them or their victories had been due to Him fighting for them.

Know the Lord Will Fight for You…

I love the picture of God slaying the enemies for Israel, but at the same time, I am aware that I often fight against doing nothing while trusting the Lord to do all the fighting in a battle that is raging around me. I don’t like to admit it, but I believe that it’s a mixture of pride and some skewed notion I learned a long time ago concerning works. Not a good combination!

If the Lord God Almighty says He will fight for you, then sister, you and I can put our absolute trust in Him because He is faithful!

Be Quiet…

“Oh,” Moses said, “By the way, while God is fighting for you, you shall be quiet,” (this is the Dodie version).

Not that any of us are like this, but the children of Israel were the biggest whiners and grumblers you’ve ever seen! So, I have an idea that God just wanted them to button it up for just a few minutes and watch Him deliver them in a miraculous way. Like when God doesn’t answer that prayer how I wanted or when I wanted or where I wanted…you get my drift, don’t you? I don’t want to be quiet. I think He needs to be reminded because surely He didn’t hear me correctly, or maybe He forgot!

Be quiet. In fact, in verse 15, God wants to know why they are still TALKING and CRYING OUT to Him! Uh oh.

Go forward…

Now, God says GO FORWARD.

Um…Lord, have you noticed this large body of water we are standing in front of? We don’t have boats, and uh, what about the children? And we don’t swim!

Be quiet…Go forward…oh, what glory you will see.

And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward…”

Exodus 14:15

What is your obstacle? Does it feel like the Red Sea is before you and the vicious Egyptians are behind you?

Don’t be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.

Erda Estremera

layers, facade, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, ministry

Layers: Allowing God to Expose and Peel Away Our Facade

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 15, 2018September 8, 2019

There’s nothing wrong with a nice motivational saying to encourage. However, in order to bloom, we must accept reality and allow God to loosen those layers within our sinful selves.

Bloom where you are planted…

It’s spring, and that phrase is everywhere. I have no idea who coined it, but it’s definitely making ripples throughout the whole of womanhood. It’s fun to think of ourselves as flowers. They are beautiful…they smell sweet. In fact, I make sure I have fresh flowers in my home, weekly.

It’s just so hard for me to believe that about myself. Which got me thinking… if I’m not a flower what am I?

I am seeing all these beauties blooming around me, and I’m over here just trying to not be a cabbage.

-Katie Braswell

Yes, a cabbage. Others are budding and spreading their petals, and I’m stubbornly tightening my layers. It’s a horrible habit, but I tend to self-deprecate. So, believing all those around me are beautiful blooming flowers and I’m being made into sauerkraut, isn’t far fetched.

“How in the heck is she going to arch sauerkraut and spirituality?”

It can be done…

Protection

I swear, this is probably the first time in history, someone searched the Bible for the word “cabbage”. Well, I did it so let me share my results…

I’m like someone who goes to the garden to pick cabbages and carrots and corn and returns empty-handed, finds nothing for soup or sandwich or salad.

Micah 7:2, MSG

Yep, I really had to dig for that one, but I read the whole chapter and I wasn’t surprised at all to find meaning and a point that will tie in. God is amazing like that. This chapter in Micah talks about not being able to find a decent person in sight. The world was full of evil and sin. Pretty sorrowful and depressing, if you ask me. Probably because the evil then, is the evil now. But, I feel like we’ve become more cunning at hiding our sin.

“Put this media filter on.”

“Don’t let that scratch too close to the core.”

“Look how lovely my life is.”

So… I’m a cabbage. I know what filters I put on. Most of us walk around with our dark green leaves on… hiding our sin, our wretched selves. Protecting ourselves from this reality: we all sin and need Jesus.

Layers

Try peeling a cabbage without ripping a leaf…just try. If you can do it, we need to talk.

I’m a cabbage. So. Many. Layers. When I allow others (including God) to start peeling them back, my leaves tear. I feel damaged, imperfect. Which sucks for a perfectionist. I like my dark leafed exterior. But, what do people do with those dark leaves when they buy cabbage? Oh right, they peel them off and pay for a beautiful light green bundle.

No one wants to pay for my dark green facade. No one wants to hang around a fake cabbage. The light green parts are easier to relate to. They show humanity, humility, imperfections. No one wants to spend time with someone who seems to have it all together. Yet, here I am, day in and out, protected by those dark leaves.

Loosening

Towards the middle of Micah 7, the tone changes. He accepts his own part in the sinful world. Full acceptance. Not hidden, but recorded forever in the Bible. Now, I say that’s the opposite of layered protection. When we start peeling back the layers and facades, it forces us to come face to face with our sin. To allow others to walk along side of us in support and love. It forces us to allow God to cover over all we have done…

You don’t nurse your anger and don’t stay angry long, for mercy is your specialty. That’s what you love most. And compassion is on its way to us. You’ll stamp out our wrongdoing. You’ll sink our sins to the bottom of the ocean.

Micah 7:19, MSG

God is THE creator. He created cabbages and He created me. However, He did not create me to be a cabbage. All those layers, whether dark or light green, He has asked and even invited me to allow Him to gently peel those away. Those layers of sin I like to hang on to, God loosens them with compassion and mercy. It’s His nature; who He is.

Those layers of sin I like to hang on to, God loosens them with compassion and mercy. It's His nature; who He is. Click To Tweet

Rooting

Micah held fast to hope, in the midst of a despairing world. He knew the prophecies and that God had a plan. Today we can rejoice for Micah…the prophecies came to fruition. We have the redeeming salvation of Jesus Christ. Our “leaves” were nailed to a cross.

This is my hope: that we can root ourselves in the truth of God. Specifically, that last section of Micah chapter 7. I pray we can remember, God sees all our dark and light green leaves and wishes to throw them all in depths of the sea. I hope we can allow Him to peel away at us. Layer by layer, in order for our lives to bloom with HIS glory!

Scott Webb

forgiveness, grace, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, ministry

Clean: Understanding Hurts and Extending Forgiveness

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 14, 2018September 8, 2019

When we understand the past of people who have hurt us, we are more capable to extend grace. We are able to wipe their slate clean with forgiveness.

When I was in grade school, I loved it when my teacher would choose me to wipe the chalkboard clean at the end of the day. There was something almost magical about that simple physical process. What had been a murky mess—rows of math tables, diagramed sentences, partial erasures, and a lingering cloud of dust—could be wiped completely clean. What remained was literally a new, clean slate for the next day’s instruction.

As believers, we can glean a simple yet profound message here: the Lord’s forgiveness is a complete work, with mercies that are new each day. In Isaiah we read:

I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

Isaiah 43:25, KJV

And in the Psalms we’re reminded of just how far away He casts ours sins:

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Psalm 103:12, KJV

An Ever-Present Need

Being a mom of two young kids has done wonders in teaching me about the need for mercy and forgiveness. From meltdowns, to accidents, to intentional misbehavior (and those are just on my end!), to sibling rivalry, and the list goes on… We have an ever-present need for grace, mercy, and forgiveness in our home. Many days I feel as if I’m working at a deficit in my parenting bank. But if I’m operating in the red, that is precisely the time to turn back to the blood of Jesus. To let His strength perfect me in my weakness; to allow His forgiveness to flood my soul; and to let Him father me as I mother my children.

Misuse of The Rod

It has been hard for me to wrap my head and heart around the notion that God is a loving dad who gently guides me and forgives me when I make mistakes. My slowness to internalize this truth stems from the lies I learned and the wounds I sustained when I was very young. I was raised in a strict, legalistic, and abusive home. Repentance and chastisement were heavily emphasized, but somehow forgiveness seemed to be forgotten. If it’s the Lord’s goodness that draws us to repentance (Rom. 2:4), it was my mom’s misuse of the rod that drove me further from her, and for many years, further from God.

I remember one day when I was probably four years old. I had dropped a jar of cream that shattered and spilled all over the kitchen floor. Positive parenting classes I’ve taken would likely recommend a patient response to this kind of scenario. Consider whether a task is age appropriate for the child; acknowledge when something is an accident; enlist the little one’s help to clean up the parts of the mess that are safe for her to tackle. Patience, mercy, kindness. A Christ-like response.

But my mom had torn a page from a different kind of book and claimed that it was from the Good Book. She began shouting at me; dragging me out to the dark mudroom where she would whip me repeatedly on my backside with a leather strap. She slammed the door behind her, leaving me alone, scared, and wounded in the dark.

Tiptoeing on Eggshells

This was the typical pattern. I would misbehave somehow or accidentally break or spill something, and the hammer would come down. Hard. I would be “disciplined”, which usually meant abused, and a silent treatment would ensue. The painful welts on my body or missed meals were nothing compared to the punishment inflicted by Mom’s cold shoulder of emotional isolation.

I would then have to tip toe on eggshells and placate my mom until her storm of anger passed. Rarely, if ever, was there a loving conversation about how my misbehavior could be changed or what a reasonable consequence would be if I committed the same offense in the future. Instead, I would be forced to say sorry and accept the blame for whatever had happened. I can’t ever remember a time in those early years when Mom asked me to forgive her for how she had treated me.

On Pins and Needles

My mom died nearly three years ago. I recall a conversation I had with her a few years before she died. In the past, she had told me that she was raised in an orphanage from age seven until she graduated high school. But she had never gone into detail about what she had suffered there.

During her years at the orphanage, Mom found herself in the unfortunate position of being under the tutelage of a strict and abusive house mom named Ms. Hupp. Mom had harbored a deep fear of and hatred for this woman. She said Hupp would wake up all the girls before dawn, barking orders at them to get dressed, make their beds, straighten their belongings, and report for duty. Duty entailed meticulously hand scrubbing floors, washing walls, helping prepare meals, and various and sundry other tasks that she seemed to create just for the sake of keeping all the girls busy. Mom said Hupp’s constant scrutiny and criticism kept her on pins and needles.

Connecting the Dots

As she described Hupp’s mistreatment, I began to connect the dots to my own experience of how Mom had treated me when I was little. Young women sometimes joke that one day they will probably become their moms. Well, Mom had grown up and become like Hupp. Without her own mom in the picture, she had learned from the only mother figure she knew. As Mom spoke about her hard heart toward Hupp, I could identify with her anger, but in a way, my own heart was softening toward my mom. Mom told me how the Lord had helped her to finally forgive Ms. Hupp. She said He had let her see Hupp’s wounded heart so that she could forgive her. As I write this, I can say that I have forgiven my own “Hupp” too.

Wiping the Slate Clean

After many years, my mom asked me if I could ever forgive her for all the ways she had mistreated me. When I told her that I had already forgiven her, I could almost see a weight lift off her. For so many years, she had borne the heavy shame and regret of her abusive behavior. Her abuse drove my dad to divorce her and fight for full custody of me and my siblings. Her abuse made it impossible for us to return to live with her when my dad died. But the pain Mom inflicted also drove her to her knees, to sincerely repent to the Lord and seek His forgiveness.

Although she knew she had been forgiven, she still struggling with the shame of the hurt she had caused. Somehow, she still needed to hear that I had forgiven her. Although we can seek the Lord’s forgiveness, we also need to humble ourselves to ask forgiveness of the people we have wronged; and we need to extend forgiveness to those who have wronged us. When we do so, we are free to fully love and be loved.

And when you pray, make sure you forgive the faults of others so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you withhold forgiveness from others, your Father withholds forgiveness from you.

Matthew 6:14-15, TPT

Is there someone in your life whose slate you need to clean with your forgiveness? Is there someone whose forgiveness you need to seek?

Although we can seek the Lord’s forgiveness, we also need to humble ourselves to ask forgiveness of the people we have wronged; and we need to extend forgiveness to those who have wronged us. Click To Tweet

Keilidh Ewan

pace, life, grace, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, ministry

Pace: Knowing When to Slow Down, and When to Speed Up

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 10, 2018January 13, 2019

Life is like a marathon, you have to keep a steady pace in order to finish strong. Going too fast? Too slow? Are you able to focus? Are you carrying an extra load, and need some grace?

This post was originally published August 2014

I love to run. Like, really, really, really love to run. I have been running marathons for a while now. Have completed 14 in 14 different states. Yep, I’m going for all 50 (by the time I’m 50). This year I have gotten into trail running, which is a blast and a whole new challenge. I also have completed a couple triathlons this year. A sprint, and then a half-ironman. But pretty much, I just put up with the swimming and cycling so that I can put my feet on the ground and run, run, run!

I have yet been tempted to complete an Ultra. I’m surprised that I haven’t considered it. I have a friend that is training for a 50 mile Ultra, and I think she’s nuts. Actually, I admire her greatly. I have considered, and plan to complete a series. Five marathons in five days. Sounds like fun, right?!?!?

So, like I said, I love to run. In fact, several years ago, I had the brilliant idea to blog about running. And then I realized that there wasn’t a whole lot to say about it. Every article would say, “I love running, I feel great!” Or, “I love running, my knee hurts!” Or, “I love running, I peed in the woods!”

Keeping the pace…

There is one thing though, that helps me in a lot of life situations. The main life lesson from running. I realized that life is like running a marathon and keeping the appropriate pace.

Too fast

“Am I going too fast, will I get burned out?” How many times in life are we doing too much. Too many commitments, too many pressures. We’re gasping for air and getting a cramp in our side. We have to learn to limit ourselves, know where our limits are, and how to say NO!

Too slow

“Am I reserving too much, could I go faster?” This occurs less often, for sure. But there are runners that are so afraid of burning out before that 26th mile marker that they reserve too much. They finish the marathon and feel disappointed because they have too much energy left. They could have done more and they know it. Could we do more in life? Are we just taking the easy path, too afraid of the pain that may come from pushing ourselves?

Focus

In running a marathon, you have to focus on the present. If you think at mile 5 about the fact that you have 21 more to go, you are going to panic and feel overwhelmed. Is the pace you are going strong? Should you slow down? Speed up? As in life, this comes with experience.

Grace

And then, sometimes we have to run with a baby jogger. There are seasons in life when we have to push/carry a load. And at those times, we shouldn’t expect ourselves to continue at the pace we normally do. We need to give ourselves a break, and extend grace to ourselves.

Your turn…

What is your pace like? Are you able to carry on with endurance?

Todd Diemer