trust – Page 2 – Oh Lord Help Us

faith, perception, prayer, suffering, trust, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Assurance: When Having Faith Doesn’t Change Our Circumstances

DevotionalsJanuary 31, 2019January 31, 2019

Having big faith doesn’t always mean our circumstances change. We can have assurance in the promises of the Lord, even we do not see His plans.

Just have faith…

Over time the phrase almost became offensive. Like the squealing of dull brakes. You knew it was coming, but the way each word came grinding upon your heart –every. single. time.– seemed as if you had been caught off guard.

It was a kind sentiment: faith changes things. Indeed, it does.

But, what happens when my faith is strong and my prayers are bold, but my painful circumstance remains unchanged? What happens when my belief is BIG, but it never comes to fruition?

Collision

I never really thought much about the topic, until it began colliding with my life. For me, this pertained to my baby. I had watched her suffer unimaginable pain, seizure after seizure. I had watched her endure testing, blood draws, and EEGS. I had watched the way in which her little body was wrecked each time a seizure took its course.

I had watched her countless times being rushed into an ambulance. I had watched as the life flight helicopter took off with my little person in tow. I had watched her stop breathing, the way in which the physicians grew panicked, though they tried their best not to. I had watched as a machine kept her alive. And, I had watched her little face for hours while seizures overtook her body. All the while I begged God to make it stop.

Just Have It…

When this all started, I would have uttered the same words… faith, just have faith.

And I did have faith, in fact, I still do.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1, NIV

After my child’s first seizure, I believed God would take this away from her. FAITH.

And after her doctors listed the horrendous potential diagnosis, I believed God would not allow it. FAITH.

And every moment of each seizure, I believed that at any time my God could make it stop. FAITH.

Yet, here we are.

True Faith

Some would say my faith isn’t great enough. In fact, some HAVE said this. –In case you’re wondering, that’s never helpful or appropriate for a grieving heart.– Anywaaaaaaayyys…

I tend to disagree. My concept of faith has changed. Through this journey, I have learned that true faith is having faith in the waiting. True faith is having faith when the circumstance remains unchanged. True faith is remaining sure that He can, even when He does not. And, somehow making peace with that.

Yes, true faith DOES change things, though perhaps the circumstance is not what’s changing.

True faith changes hearts.

True faith changes perspectives.

True faith changes my once shallow perception.

It’s somehow being OK with God when He doesn’t fix all my problems in this life. Though I may never understand why He doesn’t, I hold tight to His promise that one day it will ALL be better.

True faith does change things, though perhaps the circumstance is not what’s changing. True faith changes hearts, perspectives, and perceptions. It’s somehow being OK with God when He doesn’t fix all our problems in this life. Click To Tweet

Unchanging Assurance

Today, maybe your circumstance hasn’t changed, despite your desperate pleas. Perhaps your relationship hasn’t changed despite your faithful prayers. Or the healing hasn’t come despite your unwavering belief.

My friend, you are one with true faith. Cling to it all the more tightly, trusting that He has made a way, though we do not yet see it.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah 43:19, NIV

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I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20, ESV

Have you ever experienced a time when God did not change your circumstance? Although the circumstance was unchanged, what positive changes came from that?

Sarah Lango is a momma of 3, wife, writer, speaker, Jesus follower, and coffee lover from small-town Missouri. She is the founder of Gracefilled Growth, where she writes about her faith, marriage, motherhood journey, and her new experience of being a “sick kids” mom.

Her passion is to inspire others to live authentic lives, learning together, and embracing the grace that God so lovingly offers. You can read more of Sarah’s writing at www.gracefilledgrowth.com or follow her on Facebook and Pinterest.

compassion, love, trust, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Compassion: Portraying Tenderness through Actions, Not Just Words

DevotionalsJanuary 20, 2019January 20, 2019

Compassion is more than a feeling, it’s an action. We must live this two-fold mission, to truly love those around us. To truly portray the love of Christ.

Sharing my testimony is a tool I use to help others feel comfortable with me. I tell the nitty-gritty of my past so that others know I am not sitting on a lofty pillar. There’s nothing they can tell me that will make me run away.

It’s easy for me to talk about the past. It has come and gone. I can share the lessons I’ve learned and the way God moved. But the right now is way more difficult. It can feel too raw, too vulnerable, too real to talk about current circumstances…

Compassion in Action

But I did just that. I couldn’t take it any longer. I found my safe friend, stumbled around small talk, then let it flow. My heart knew I could trust her. We’d already been through so much in such a short time. She could see through the tears, the pain, the anger, the vulnerability. She listened, cried, felt my pain, and loved me.

Her love was action. She jumped head first into How can I help my friend mode. Secretly texting her husband… We need to help Katie. And they did. My friend felt my need, saw where she could help, and helped. Compassion in action…

Prove It

Compassion. This word can be thrown around willy-nilly, without a mind for God’s (Biblical) definition. The world tells us it’s a tender feeling toward someone suffering. There’s often a strong desire to lessen the pain. And while this is definitely true, we know love is more than just a strong desire. Love is an action.

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

1 John 3:18, NLT

Compassion doesn’t just boil down to a posture of the heart. It is also a posture of our hands. I mean this figuratively and literally. It’s two-fold, noun and verb. In my real life example, my friend’s heart felt the same pain as mine. But her hands, arms, and mouth provided comfort in my suffering, alleviating a small amount of my pain.

Bottomless Compassion

Imagine for a second, if my example had a different narrative. What if my friend had judged or rejected me? What if she threw condemnation in my face instead of reminding me of my redemption in Christ? Have you ever received reproach? Have you ever given it?

I think we are all guilty of this, but pure compassion overpowers judgment. Because we have all received bottomless grace upon grace through our Beautiful Redeemer (John 1:16), we can love others where they are. We can say I hear you, I see you, I feel for your situation. This gives us the ability to cultivate trust and share truth. To share the sincere love of Christ.

If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both.

1 John 4:20-21, MSG

Holy Spirit Lead

Genuine compassion is the result of our lives being poured out and replaced with the sympathies of God. Our devotion to Him allows us to be a conduit for His love. When we step outside our human nature (self-minded), the Holy Spirit has room to occupy our words, our hearts, our actions.

Let’s not just speak words of tenderness, let’s jump into action to help those who are broken, worn down, or suffering. It doesn’t always have to be a massive undertaking… a hug, a served dinner, $5, free childcare… Every effort made through compassion honors our Gracious Father.

Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.

1 Peter 3:8, NLT

Have you surrendered to God’s heart? Has the Holy Spirit prompted you towards a posture of empathy and kindness?

Let's not just speak words of tenderness, let's jump into action to help those who are broken, worn down, or suffering. Every effort made through compassion honors our Gracious Father. Click To Tweet

healing, purpose, mentor, trust, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Mentor: Teaching Through Intentional Relationships

DevotionalsJanuary 14, 2019January 14, 2019

To mentor is to teach through relationship. It’s having someone to go to with questions, who will be honest. This is the purpose of Oh Lord Help Us.

For most of my life I have loved people, but feared their rejection. When I went into high school I was desperate to fit in. And after it became abundantly clear that I was too scrawny, too pale, with too little rhythm to fit in with who I deemed to be the cool crowd, I did find that I fit in with the athletic crowd, which led me to Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Guidance

This filled a massive void in my life, as my family did not have a church home during this season. And with my involvement in FCA came my first mentor. When I look back over my life, her influence has been hugely impactful in the trajectory of my path. She taught me, challenged me, confronted me, loved me. Even through college she was there guiding me to make decisions that would enhance my influence, rather than destroy it.

Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.

Proverbs 9:9, NLT

Meanwhile… Throughout high school, I was also into horses. My parents supported me in taking lessons, learning how to ride English saddle – the fancy stuff. This sparked a dream to have a horse farm one day. Combining it with my love for FCA, it was to be a camp for troubled girls.

Growth

After college, I became involved with a church for the first time. Unknowingly at the time, the women’s ministry director was mentoring me. She told me she could see Jesus in me. She saw potential in me and sent me to conferences to become a speaker before I ever knew that was something I wanted. And she involved me in leadership when I was too immature to fully realize what she was doing for me.

let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance—

Proverbs 1:5, NIV

Meanwhile… Turns out, I don’t have what it takes to work with horses. That part of the dream died, but the love for ministry remained. I began a ministry at our church to provide mentoring for teenage girls. Just as it was getting off the ground, we moved.

Listening

A few years later, after my mom died, we moved to a new state with no friends, family, or church. While in Atlanta, I was desperate for an older woman in my life. I prayed, and God provided. She was actually one of my patients where I was working as a dental hygienist. For months we would meet once a week and just chat. She would listen to me dream and never told me it was a bad idea. She corrected me when I was off base. And she comforted me when the pain from missing my mom became too great to bear.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, NIV

Meanwhile… My desire to pour into young ladies was being met as I led a Bible study with some of the youth in our church. Honestly, though, my heart was running on empty. I did not have the maturity to see that I needed to be still in this season. The longing in me for my previous life was so great; I was trying to recreate what I had before. Through this, God was taking the purpose I was created for, and making a new thing.

Virtual

Our years in Chicago were a spiritual drought, but I still had my virtual mentors. Sermons I would listen to challenged my perception of contentment. Books I read brought me to a deeper understanding of provision. Being a new mom I found great comfort in parenting blogs assuring me that I was not losing my mind and that the newborn stage/toddler stage/preschool stage would indeed pass.

But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

John 14:26, NLT

Meanwhile… We opened a coffee shop in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago. Our desire was to be a bright spot in an area that was feeling the growing pains of gentrification. But with an ever-deepening pit of debt, and the emotional roller coaster of motherhood, we knew we had to pass it on.

Healing

Our years in Greenville, South Carolina were when mentors came into my life providing healing. Interesting thing, while I was with Oh Lord Help Us in Anderson, SC back in November at a Holiday Vendor Fair I saw my old pastor. Now, he would not know me from anyone. It was a fairly large church, and being that I was in a stage of healing, I kept to myself. But I was so excited to see him, you would have thought he was a long lost friend.

I absolutely went over to him, told him who I was, and how I knew him. He was generous with his time, asking me questions about our ministry and where life has taken me. I shared with him that when we knew we were leaving Greenville to come to North Carolina, I was sad but had complete peace. The Lord spoke to my spirit that we had come to Greenville to heal and that it was now time to fly.

When I spoke those words to him, he chuckled in a knowing sorta way. He told me that when they began the church in Greenville, their prayer was that it would be a place of healing. It was indeed that for me. Greenville and that church will always hold a special place in my heart. The people we encountered and did life with there showed me how to love others, how to give, and how to be comfortable in my own skin. My friends were my mentors.

Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.

Proverbs 17:17, MSG

Meanwhile… A friend and my husband thought it would be a good idea to start a blog. I tried to quit it, more than once, but the conviction in my spirit was so great I couldn’t. I knew that this thing, that would eventually become a bigger thing, was the vehicle to do the thing I have felt so passionate about throughout my life: mentoring.

Mentor

Mentoring is nothing more than teaching through relationship. It’s having someone to go to with questions. Someone who will be honest with you even if it’s not what you want to hear. It’s encouragement often, and rebuke when necessary. Mentoring can change the direction of your life, and keep you where you need to be.

This idea of teaching through relationship is throughout the Bible…

Moses to Joshua
Elijah to Elisha
Naomi to Ruth
Elizabeth to Mary
Jesus to the disciples
Barnabas to Paul
Paul to Timothy

Mentoring is not fixing others, instead, it is walking together as we heal and see our value and purpose. As painful as our stories are, none of us are a lost cause. There is value in our tragedies. Through redemptive healing, we can see tragedies as opportunities rather than assaults and become conquerors rather than victims. Having the perspective of another trusted woman helps us do this, and see our worth.

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

Proverbs 27:17, NLT

Who has been influential in your life?

Mentoring is not 'fixing' others, instead, it is walking together as we heal and see our value and purpose. As painful as our stories are, none of us are a lost cause. Click To Tweet

Josh Carter

faith, provision, trust, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Provide: Trusting God to Meet our Needs

Devotionals, Stay SaneJanuary 8, 2019January 13, 2019

We all struggle with trusting that God will provide for our needs. What if we decided to live by faith and truly believe that He will sustain us?

I am a worrier. I always have been. Faith is not one of my spiritual giftings so trusting God to provide for me has been a constant battle. There have been many times where I did not believe God’s promises to meet my needs. While most of the time I associate provision with material needs, it is not always what is lacking.

Surrendering Trust

While I have struggled with not feeling taken care of financially, I have also seen the idea of not feeling provided for play out in other areas: loneliness, discontentment, and healing. I have felt that I didn’t have the relationships I needed, that I wasn’t in the stage of life I should be, and that I wasn’t and those around me weren’t healed in the ways I thought we should be.

Even as I sit here writing this I am worrying. There are three trees leaning on my house and I don’t know how I will afford to get them off. Have I prayed, asking for help? No. Have I trusted that God is going to provide for my needs in this situation? No.

While my heart knows that God will meet my needs and sustain me, most of the time my head forgets. He has shown me time and again that He takes care of me, but I still haven’t learned to completely surrender my trust to Him.

All Our Needs

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19, NLT

ALL of our needs. Not some, all. God will meet all of our needs. This is so easy for us to forget. Sometimes we get caught up with what He is not doing that we forget to see what He is. Maybe when He isn’t providing something it simply means it isn’t something we need.

A lot of the time we focus on what we think we need and not what God says we need. We don’t consider that His provision may look different than we expect it to. It doesn’t mean He doesn’t provide, it means we aren’t looking outside our own perception of provision.

We often focus on what we think we need and not what God says we need. His provision may look very different. We need to look outside our own perception of provision. Click To Tweet

Faith

You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.

Matthew 21:22, NLT

Faith. There’s that word again. I struggle a lot with faith. I recently took a spiritual giftings test and among the lowest ratings was faith. It’s not that I don’t believe in Jesus or that I have no faith. It’s the fact that I don’t always believe I can ask for anything and receive.

Sometimes as Christians we don’t want to get into the habit of treating God like a genie. I think this stops us from even making requests. I have not thought to pray for help with the trees on my house. It seemed like too minor of an ask. I didn’t want to ‘waste’ a request on this when there are so many more things that are more important.

Scripture tells us that we can pray for anything. When we think something is not important enough we are acting like we are God. That we can decide what is important and what isn’t. This is not our right and not our job. We can ask for ANYTHING.

There is a second part to this…“if you have faith, you will receive it.” It is more than asking for something and boom it happens. It takes faith on our part. Faith that God will truly answer our prayer. Faith that He will provide for us. Without faith how can we expect God to answer us?

Do Not Worry

Let these words really sink in as you read this passage…

That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Matthew 6:25-34, NLT

Jesus is very clear. Do not worry. He speaks to the way that God provides for the birds and the flowers and how we are so much more than they. God provides for the creatures around us. The ones we were created to have dominion over. So why do we fret? Why do I worry? God knows our needs and He will provide for them. We must seek and have faith in Him. He is our provider, sustainer, and healer.

Provide

Every day we wake up, we have to choose whether we are going to allow worry to creep in or if we will have faith in God to provide for us. We are constantly surrounded by proof that He will, but we still struggle. What if we changed our thinking? What if every day we woke up and the first thing we did was say “God I have faith that you will provide”? This could change the course of our days and ultimately our lives. Let’s speak our faith into existence, let’s truly believe that He WILL meet all of our needs.

Ernesta Vala

faithful, serve, small, trust, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Little: Being Faithful with the Small So He Will Entrust Us with More

Devotionals, Stay SaneNovember 28, 2018January 13, 2019

As we serve the Lord, we are called upon to do many small things. Only when He finds us faithful in these little things, will He entrust us with more.

For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice…

Zechariah 4:10

One recent morning, I found myself getting flustered. The night before, I had stayed up late making a costume for my daughter to wear for an activity at school. When it was time to don her getup, she refused to wear most of what I had made for her. Admittedly, this was a little thing. Yes, a very small thing indeed. Yet my response to her ungrateful reaction was to make it into a big thing.

Dressed as characters from their favorite books, my kiddos were off to school, and I was trying to settle into my morning. The alluring smell of brewing coffee and the sweet peace of quiet time with the Lord were beckoning me. But I was having trouble being still before the Lord. My thoughts were racing, my phone reminders were dinging, and my appliances were literally buzzing at me!

All. The. Little. Things.

Seems like most days, I never get to do what I really want to do because someone or something is demanding my time and energy. One moment it’s my kids arguing. Another it’s a friend in emotional crisis. Then it’s the school recruiting field trip chaperones. My church asking me to serve. Or just all the little daily things like kids wanting a snack (every five minutes or so), laundry needing to be folded, the dog begging for a walk, or the dishwasher waiting to be emptied.

All. the. little. things…which add up to a BIG time commitment. Sound familiar? And I’m a stay at home mom. I can’t even imagine trying to factor a full-time career into this equation. So how on earth can we manage to stay on top of all of these little things–commitments, needs, demands–and still have time and energy to tackle the big things that are truly life-giving?

Collecting Dust

A few years ago, when my kids were still a baby and a toddler, I was barely able to leave the house. Between the nursing, and the diapers, and the laundry, I felt extremely overwhelmed, isolated, and exhausted. I would cry out to the Lord for a time when I could do something that really mattered in this world.

Was I destined to only be a mom for the rest of my life and nothing more? My kids needed me, but I wanted to be used by the Lord in a greater way. I literally felt trapped by all the small things I had to do each day. I wanted to be used by the Lord, but I felt like I was stuck on a shelf collecting dust.

Greater Responsibility, Greater Sacrifice

As my kids have grown a little older, the Lord has begun to increase my responsibilities and expand my sphere of influence. Yet, here I am again. Finding myself in this place of resentment about all of the small demands on my time and energy. As if I should only have to offer myself to others in the ways that I selfishly want to use my gifts.

But the Lord is showing me that as my responsibility increases, so too does my level of sacrifice. And if I refuse to be faithful over the small responsibilities He entrusts to me, how can I ever expect to fully live out the greater purposes that He has planned for my life?

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

Luke 16:10

Case in point, if I haven’t learned how to deal well with my own child’s ungratefulness, how can He trust me with the hearts of strangers who are hurting? When someone is in crisis and receives ministry, many times s/he is glad to receive the help. But often the helper never hears a ‘thank you’ or receives any kind of acknowledgment for the sacrifice that she has made in ministering to that person.This is how the Lord teaches and trains us. In the little things.

If we refuse to be faithful over the small responsibilities He entrusts, how can we ever expect to fully live out the greater purposes that He has planned? Click To Tweet

His Watchful Eye

Beloved, we are under His loving and watchful eye at all times. And He is weighing our motives, examining our hearts to see how we are treating others. He’s looking to see how we respond to all the little demands, and the big ones too.

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…

2 Chronicles 16:9

When His eyes fall on us, will He find us joyfully working in His vineyard? Will He see us sacrificing for others so that He is glorified? Or will He find us grumbling about all of our responsibilities? Or complaining about all the demands that others place on us? I want Him to find me faithful rather than flustered. Because ultimately, we are not just serving others. We are serving Jesus Christ.

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:23-24

More Like Christ

As we pour into others–even in the smallest ways–we need to recognize that it is actually Christ whom we are serving. When we serve Him, our ultimate concern is whether He is pleased with our efforts. This kind of relationship with Christ frees us from needing the gratitude or the approval of others. It makes us more like Christ, who gave of Himself, expecting nothing in return.

When Jesus walked the earth, He didn’t just heal or deliver people when it was convenient for Him. He didn’t do it in the quickest way possible so that He could get somewhere else–somewhere where His true gifts could really shine. No. He simply moved about the land, helping anyone and everyone who needed Him.

Jesus did not despise the small things He had to do. Rather, He knew that they were preparing Him for the ultimate sacrifice that He was called to make. After all of His earthly ministry was finished, He did the biggest thing that anyone has ever done. And in so doing, He made the greatest sacrifice that anyone has ever made. He died a brutal death on the cross at Calvary so that all men could be saved.

Big, Eternal Rewards

When we live and serve sacrificially, the results and the rewards are eternal. When our days are done, all that we have accomplished in the flesh–for worldly approval or gain–will be burnt up as chaff. But all that we have done as unto the Lord will not have been in vain. All the small things will bring big, eternal rewards.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:58

For the Lord will have seen all of it. All the small things. All the big sacrifices. Our entire lives will be there before His throne. And beloved, if you are anything like me, you long to one day hear these words:

…Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Matthew 25:21

Have you struggled to serve the Lord in the small things? When you’ve worked as unto the Lord, have you felt His approval? What are the big things that you believe He will entrust you with when He finds you faithful?

All scripture references are from the King James Version of The Bible.

fear, oath, promise, trust, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Oath: God Can be Trusted Through the Most Fearful Times

Devotionals, Stay SaneNovember 26, 2018January 13, 2019

Being prepared is not a wrong value, but it is when I put it over faith. God has made an oath to His children and He can be trusted.

Preparation is something I value. But with 4 kids, it can be fleeting. I mean as in impossible…

Distanced Rally

It was 6:30 in the morning. My daughter was texting me that her load of clothes for school had just come out of the dryer with ink all over them.

“Ruined,” she said. “What can I do?” she asked.

“Is your Dad dead?” I asked.

Silence. 30 minutes later she calls…

“You didn’t order my lunch.”

The lunch she has to order because she is at a charter school that only buys enough food for what is ordered and paid for. Yikes. She is realizing this as she and my husband are walking out the door.

Did I mention I am 10 hours away? I’m about to move her brother out of the hospital, into a Ronald McDonald house to stay for 2 months and I am beyond scared. So, what do I do? I panic, and panic for me looks like a ‘rally the troops’ situation. On an effort to fix the problem, I message, Facebook, and text everybody I know in the county. It’s full-blown attack mode. Solve the problem. Find a solution. Plug somebody into the problem. I can’t figure this out.

Preparation’s Oath

Then I get it. I wanted this problem off my radar because the problem with my son was really demanding my attention. But, if I am honest, this whole situation was really revealing a bigger problem. Could I trust God with even this?

See, my husband and I are really good together. He does a lot of stuff and I do a lot of stuff. I can, however, kind of try to overcompensate. Ok, take over. It starts small and before I know it, I just do it all. He doesn’t ask me to. He doesn’t expect me to. It’s really a subtle irony. Rodney is maybe the easiest-to-please-person I know.

But, I’m not. I want to feel productive, prepared, together. I like knowing I took care of things…10 hours away. I couldn’t take care of things. The fear ruling my heart: Would I be able to replace the clothes if they were ruined? Budget is tight. Things are scarce. God had already had people step up and buy these school clothes once. What was I going to do? Trust that if she needed more clothes that He was and is big enough to supply them again.

God’s Oath

As long as I am responsible for the clothes, or my son’s health for that matter, I will be racked with fear. Fear is not a happy place to be. It says it’s up to me. But thankfully the cross says a different story! God’s oath to us:

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain.

Hebrews 6:19, NIV

Jesus tore the veil that stood between God and myself, so I could trust in something greater than the Law. The law which says I have to measure up and be good enough.

Any time I think that I am about to look less than good enough, I have to remember Who is better than and not just good enough. I think this is summed up beautifully in the hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”:

And though this world, with devils filled
Should threaten to undo us
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us
The Prince of Darkness grim
We tremble not for him
His rage we can endure
For lo his doom is sure
One little word shall fell him.

I know for me, confidence in 3 words is beyond enough. Jesus uttered the words, “It is finished.” Hallelujah! I am grateful that He reminds me over and over. I can trust Him with inky clothes, with a sick child, with being 10 hours away, with my sin, with my future. Thankfully, you can too!

Jesus tore the veil that stood between us and God. We can trust in something greater than the Law. The law which says we have to measure up and be good enough. Click To Tweet

future, assurance, path, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Path: Trusting God with the Opening and Closing Doors

Devotionals, Stay SaneNovember 8, 2018January 13, 2019

Sometimes the pain of a door closing seems insurmountable, but God’s got our backs. And our fronts. Just walk the path through the door.

I’m sure you have heard the saying “one door closes and another one opens.” God has a path for your future. Trust that…

Wide Open

When I was in high school I played basketball. I loved it! Of course, games were great and winning was amazing, but I even loved practice. Running suicides, stairs, sprints, shooting, defending, all of it. I loved it, maybe more than anything else about my high school career. That is not to say I was very good, but if enthusiasm and desire can make up for lack of talent then I was incredible.

The last game of my senior year was in a tournament. We won our first round game. In the semifinals for the first time, we were super excited. At halftime, we were down, but just by a few. In the fourth quarter, we pulled ahead and played back and forth with the opponents. In the last few seconds, we fell to 4 points back. Two seconds left we were down by 2. And time ran out. We lost.

Closed Door

I don’t remember how I got off the court and into the locker room. I remember crying inconsolably on the bench. Huge racking sobs that came from deep inside my soul. Not because we had lost – that had happened plenty, but because I knew I would never play basketball like that again.

The door closed…

When doors close it is often painful. You know that change is coming, the familiar comfort is no longer there and uncertainty is scary.

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

James 1:2-4, NLT

Front and Back

As high school ended for me and college began, I was excited and scared to death. Leaving home and going to a school where I knew one person out of 22,000 and hadn’t even seen them in two years was daunting. My first class at UNC was in Phillips Hall. The room sat five hundred students. My graduating class in high school was ten. Overwhelming is an understatement.

The door opened…

Luckily God put friends and experiences in my path that made my 4 1/2 years at college amazing. (I changed my major a few times and ended up needing an extra semester.) I admit, my college career was not always perfect or Godly. In fact, I stumbled more than I would like to admit in that time, but God had my front and my back.

The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

Psalm 121:7-8, NLT

Walk Through the Door

I knew when I went to school I was going to be an actress and end up on Broadway. The lights of fame and fortune were going to be mine. Then I didn’t get a part in the first play I tried out for. While for some people that would just be a stumbling block, I felt an inner voice tell me it was time for a new dream.

The door closed…

Then I took a class on the United Nations. We participated in a World Health Council exercise about the human rights of women. It was incredible! I was so appalled by what I learned and inspired by the perseverance of women around the world. The word “education” came up again and again as a way to combat the atrocities that happen to women around the world. I felt that word weigh on me.

My mom was a teacher and I had sworn I would never be a teacher too. Haha! God has a funny sense of humor. I knew as soon as I registered with the school of education that I had made the right decision. The lightness in my heart and conviction in my spirit was proof.

The door opened…

Fulfilling Path

In the end, I studied for a career I know God has called me to and He led me to a life path that is fulfilling and fruitful.

Doors close…

Doors open…

The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.

Psalm 29:11, NLT

Be grounded in God's word so when a door closes in life we can have His assurance that a new one will open. We are weak and limited in vision, but He is our guide. Click To Tweet

Dear God,

Thank you for being the Light to my path. Help me to have my eyes open for Your work in my life. Keep me grounded in your word so that when a door closes in my life I can have Your assurance that a new one will open. I know that I am weak and limited in vision. Thank you for being my guide.

Love,

guide, rest, trust, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Guide: Resting Our Futures in the Hands of a God Who Cares

Devotionals, Stay SaneNovember 2, 2018January 13, 2019

Life can throw many hardships and heartache at us. There are times it’s hard to trust in God, but He cares immensely for us and will guide us towards a hopeful future.

It’s a Tuesday morning, and I’m at my ladies’ Bible study, sitting in a circle of wise women who are on average 30 years older than me.

“Does anybody know Jeremiah 29:11?” the leader asks.

Betty says, “I know the plans I have for you…”

I chime in, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you,”

Someone in the circle finishes, “to give you a hope and a future.”

By the time I had spoken those words, my brother-in-law was already dead. That was the day I started to believe a lie…

False Doctrine

Like all lies, this one seeped into my soul without my consent. I didn’t understand why my healthy, hard-working, funny brother-in-law was taken from us. He died of natural causes from an undiagnosed health issue, and it came as a complete shock to everyone.

I started to avoid Jeremiah 29:11. I knew, without a doubt, that my brother-in-law wasn’t meant to die so young. It felt as though the story of his life had ended mid-sentence, and we were left to flip through blank pages that would never be filled.

The only way I could reconcile my faith in God with this death was to unintentionally believe a lie. False doctrine filled my head in the guise of biblical truth.

I moved on to actively rolling my eyes at Jeremiah 29:11. I knew that God was good, that He truly wanted to rescue us, and that He loved us. But did He have plans for us? I didn’t think so anymore. I chose to believe that God’s design was for salvation, but anything other than that was beyond His intervention.

In my shock and sadness, I made God small, weak and unloving. Without even meaning to, I erased from my mind His care for us and His intentions for our lives. The very idea of God’s guidance made my heart hurt.

Simple Truth

I thank God I didn’t stay in that place. It was the simple truth of His words that removed the lies I believed…

With your unfailing love, you lead the people you have redeemed. In your might, you guide them to your sacred home.

Exodus 15:13, NLT

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‘Go in peace’, the priest replied. ‘For the Lord is watching over your journey.’

Judges 18:6, NLT

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I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night, my heart instructs me.

Psalm 16:7, NLT

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The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.’

Psalm 32:8, NLT

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You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.

Psalm 73:24, NLT

Peace for the Future

God used these verses to gently show me I was deceived about Him. And, friends, He was so kind to me. Instead of feeling shame about what I’d believed, I felt only peace and joy. The fact that He cared enough to show me the truth meant that He did, in fact, have plans for me.

I’ve come to a place of awe over the mystery of life and death, and I feel freedom in my limited understanding of God’s plans. I’m happily resting in the reign He has over my life, and I trust His guidance once again.

If you’re having trouble trusting in God or are questioning how much He cares, I’m praying you can come to know the truth. God has good things for you. He’s ready to guide you into a full, abundant life. You will face challenges, hardships, and unexpected loss, but take heart, because He has overcome the world.

God will Guide

The truth is that God has numbered the hairs on your head and collected each of your tears. A God who cares so infinitely for you hasn’t left you to navigate life alone. You might not be able to see it or understand it, but God has plans to prosper you and to give you hope.

God cares so infinitely for us that He hasn't left us to navigate life alone. God has plans to prosper us and to give us hope for the future. Click To Tweet

You can trust in His guidance, and He’ll forgive you even if you’ve rolled your eyes at His words, as I did. He’s waiting to fill you with truth, love, and hope. Just open His word and receive.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.

John 16:13, NLT

Laura is a wife and stay-at-home mom who loves encouraging others and passing along grace out of her own flawed experiences.

She shares light-hearted words of inspiration and faith at her blog, Cheered on Mom, and she can’t wait to cheer you on.

You can also connect with Laura on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

friendship, conflict, honesty, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Change: Some Friendships Were Not Meant to Last

Devotionals, Stay SaneNovember 1, 2018January 13, 2019

The loss of a friendship can feel like death, especially when it ends in a hurtful way. But all of us change, and some friendships last for only a season.

We were supposed to grow old together. Raise our children together. Experience joy and laughter together. But it didn’t happen the way I had envisioned. My heart was broken. It was like death.

It was death – it was the death of a friendship.

The back story, from my perspective…

She had always been concerned with her health for things that I did not see as a big deal. I felt like she made problems that all people experience into things that she alone suffered. She was constantly going to the doctor and trying remedies that, in my mind, were not necessary.

When my mother was in a drug-induced coma fighting for her life my friend came to visit. As she and I were sitting in the waiting room, she started to complain about her health problems. I was beyond upset. But I never said anything. Well, for almost 10 years I didn’t.

After that, there was a season of time we only spoke sporadically. Our friendship did, however, survive. And after the birth of my son, it thrived. We lived in separate cities, but it didn’t matter. We talked several times a week. I vented about how much I disliked where we were living. She vented about her health.

Eventually, all her doctor’s visits and medications did lead to serious health problems. Like, to the point she could hardly walk. Her doctor prescribed a drug that was way too strong, and it came with serious consequences.

It consumed her. It had become part of her identity. And I missed my friend.

Over time our friendship became mostly conversations about her and her health. She never asked about me. So, I simply stopped sharing. Then one day she asked why I was not expressing excitement with her about a new remedy she was going to try. The floodgates opened – I said it all. All the disappointment, all the hurt, all the judgment; and I said it with great emotion.

We talked twice after that day. That was about six years ago. I still think about her almost daily.

My own faults…

Our friendship couldn’t handle the honesty. There are few relationships that can. In order to be brutally honest with someone there needs to be a level of trust. Trust that there is unconditional love. With unconditional love, there is acceptance and forgiveness. Acceptance if the person doesn’t change, and forgiveness if they do.

I would like to sit here and tell you that the loss of our friendship was all her fault. But I can’t. We both played a role, of course. Victim is not a label I put on myself. Since I am learning that I cannot change others, and am only responsible for my own actions, I must be responsible for what I did wrong.

I was prideful and selfish. I couldn’t understand. I wasn’t patient. I didn’t allow her to change. I wasn’t honest. I buried hurts that had not healed. I thought she needed to listen to me and take my advice. I was unkind and unloving in my delivery. I wanted to prove a point. I wanted to feel justified.

I am sorry.

Friendships change…

My peace in this death has been the question: What if it wasn’t meant to last? What if we weren’t meant to grow old together?

Each of us has our own journey in life. People are placed on our journey of life for seasons of time. During this time we help encourage, challenge, and shape each other. Sometimes our journeys are aligned. Sometimes they align for a long time. But our journeys change us and relationships must change as well. If they don’t, they will hold us back from where we need to go.

Each of us has our own journey in life. People are placed on our journey of life for seasons of time. During this time we help encourage, challenge, and shape each other. Click To Tweet

We were both changing and were not able to support each other as our lives took different paths. We had helped each other become who we were, but we were starting to hold each other back on who we needed to be.

The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.

Proverbs 27:9, NLT

I don’t regret the loss of the friendship, but I do regret the way it ended.

Whenever I think about her, I pray for her, her health, and her family. A few times I have facebook stalked her because I need to know how she is doing, and this is somehow acceptable in our society now. But my journey has led me to walk with different friends now, with a new level of trust and honesty.

For these friends I am thankful, and I pray I will love them well.

change, reliable, trust, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Reliable: Trusting Our Unchanging God in a Swirling World

Devotionals, Stay SaneOctober 31, 2018January 13, 2019

While our world is ever-changing, we serve a God who is reliable and never changing. He can be trusted for He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Swirling Thoughts

Yesterday was not my finest hour. If I am honest, this hasn’t been my greatest week either. My son Evan and I are living in Philadelphia while he undergoes a bone marrow transplant. To say I am over it just does not do the whole experience justice. He arrived September 4^th to begin chemo, while I arrived September 11^th to be here during the transplant and for the rest of the treatment. Going in, we knew this would be a 3-month process here in Philly. I knew that.

But… 3 months in my head and 3 months in real time are just not the same. The days have gotten long. The room has started to close in. Evan has gotten bored. We both miss the rest of our family. And, I have been feeling it coming all week. The tears, the anxiety, the pressing grief from being away from all I know that is familiar. It has been a tough week.

Feeling Overwhelmed

As part of our exit from the hospital, I have to learn how to flush his line. So, there’s a lot of new vocabulary in the hospital. Line. Broviac. Flush. It has all been very overwhelming. Needless to say, I don’t function well under stress. I’m pretty sure nobody does. But, here I was in a class trying to process how to keep Evan’s central line flushed and in good shape and I melted into a puddle of tears.

I had texted several of my praying friends right before I entered the room for teaching to ask them to pray. The prospect of leaving the hospital was scaring me to death. I knew I needed the prayers. Within 5 minutes, the teacher had decided I needed more time to process all of this information. She was going to advocate for a slower pace. I was greatly relieved, but still super embarrassed to have gotten so upset.

Change is Hard

Change. I’m not a fan. I remember a day my college roommate moved our furniture around without telling me. It felt like grounds for moving immediately. The past month has been “change” overload and I am resisting it like crazy. I like sameness, sure, and steady. This experience here, waiting to see if my son’s health will improve, has been a rollercoaster of change. A new drug every day. Constant monitoring so doctors can decide if he needs a new drug. I had to change rooms this week so Evan could have his own shower. Did I mention I hate change? But, I am in a world that is always changing; that is never the same.

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

John 16:33, NIV

He is Unchanging

I left the hospital for a breather and when I returned, I headed for the elevator. I glanced to my right and there was another mom with the same look on her face. Weary. Scared. Tears down her face. As we stepped on the elevator, I just quietly asked if I could pray for her. She gave me her name and I just asked Our Father for His care. His comfort. His help.

As I am struggling here, my emotions are fighting with my head on a constant basis. There is change all around me, but He has not changed. He is reliable, constant and steady.

There is change all around us, but God has not changed. He is reliable, constant and steady. Click To Tweet

He is Reliable

I’ve mentioned before that I like to put up scripture during difficult seasons as a way to remind my heart of what is true. Before we left South Carolina, I had been given some cards to open here in Philly as a way of encouragement for the long journey. One dear friend had put verses on index cards within her card and I have put the scriptures all over my room. I have a constant reminder that God is not changing, ever reliable, even if the whole of my world is swirling non-stop.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:8, NIV