Life Threatening

My 33 year relationship is over.  Love abounded, but when you threaten the life of someone I love then I have no choice but to end what had been a wonderful life together. That is right, for those of you who did not know, Peanut Butter and I have parted ways. (insert single glistening tear)

A few short months ago, we found out that my oldest niece, who is only five years old has a life threatening allergy to peanuts. I am not telling you that she will break out in hives; I am not saying that her tummy will be upset. I am saying plainly that jelly's best friend and a baseball fan favorite can take the life of this sweet baby. My sister would have to give you the exact numbers and all the medical jargon, but what I know is that it would only take a nearly invisible amount of peanut residue to bring on this reaction. It is serious. So, what did this aunt do? I ditched it all. No peanuts, no peanut butter, nothing "processed in a plant" with it, nothing that "may contain it". Gone. My pantry is clean. Why? Because I would never do anything to risk endangering her life. I live three hours away from her, but my home is peanut safe so that her mom never has to worry about giving notice before she visits and so I don't worry about having to hide something when she comes. It's dangerous and I would not and will not risk her life no matter how much I used to like it.

The same is true of sin. A fraction is life threatening.  We know that the Bible says plainly "The wages of sin is death," yet we continue to store it in the pantry of our lives and hide a morsel or two in the bottom of a drawer. Why do we risk it? Do we not understand how serious it is? Life-threatening. Yes, I am aware of the fact that the rest of the previously quoted verse is "but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord." However, we need to remember that Jesus did not come to change the nature of sin. Sin remains damaging and dangerous. Jesus came to rescue those who choose to follow Him and to save them from the penalty and power of sin. Nevertheless, we are still warned of the potential harm that sin, in any form or shape brings. Proverbs 14:9 begins by saying, "Fools mock at sin". Yet, we giggle at it on tv and whisper about it among our friends not at all realizing that we declare ourselves foolish.

Unbelievers, sin not only has your life been threatened but condemned already (John 3:16-21). Believers, sin still threatens your life. No, not your eternal one, but the one you live daily while still away from home. Sin robs our joy, sin robs our health, sin robs our opportunities, but most of all sin robs us of the intimate fellowship by which a life lived in the Light of God should be characterized. Let us open up all we have before the Lord and invite the Holy Spirit into every crevice that, in every moment, our lives might be inviting and pleasing to the King of Glory.

It is serious. It is dangerous. Let's not risk it.

The Rough Patches

      I am a day dreamer. I enjoy scrolling through the future memories of my mental scrapbook as much as I enjoy flipping through the camera roll on my phone. A day, a month, an age ahead I will fantasize about everything from the food I am going to eat tonight to the food I am going to cook for my future man. When the trailer for the latest kid movie pops on TV I imagine and anticipate my lap full of popcorn and nieces and nephews; and the moment the commercial switches to yogurt I dream about a far off vacation to Greece that I will never afford. I am a thinker, a planner and a dreamer. It's fun for me and it saves a ton of money on XM radio.
   
     The best part about day dreams, however, is the absence of difficulty. In the moving pictures of my mind the popcorn never burns, kids don't need to go to the bathroom a thousand times during the movie, and my new husband thinks I could stand to gain a few pounds. No one imagines a life filled with pot holes. No one fantasizes rough patches. For that very reason, I am so grateful for the rough patches I experience with the Lord. If God were not real; if Jesus had not truly saved me and this was all just the work of an active imagination to cope with the difficulties of life (as Christians are often accused) then I assure you as an avid imagineer I would refrain from including rough patches. The awkwardness in my relationship with Him and the struggles I feel in my communication with Him are one of the many affirmations of His existence and His desire for real relationship with me, and with all of His children.

      I know He is real; I know He speaks; I am certain of it, because sometimes I do not like what He has to say. Sometimes I want to talk about things that He has moved on from, sometimes He wants to talk about things that I do not want to move to, and sometimes I do not want to talk to Him at all. I am not proud of those moments and I am grateful for His compassion and grace because certainly it is always true that the rough patches in my relationship with the Sovereign God lay squarely at the feet of this fallen, but redeemed daughter.

     I am so enamored with the life I dream, and those dreams give me ambition and goals. Those dreams give me contentment in where I am and drive to not stay here; but I am in love with the life I have, and this Thanksgiving I am most delighted for the rough patches and for the God who loves me enough to stick with me through them and patiently guide me through stumbling blocks of my own design. I love Him and He loves me - in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, always, as death will never part us.

"But in all things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:37-39 (NASB - emphasis mine)

A Bowl of Bananas

       Somewhere in the world today our Creator God, Father of those who trust in Him, watches over the birth of a new baby while at the very same moment comforting a family who has received dreadful news. He presides over a blissful couple's new steps as husband and wife; and He aches as a marriage feels the pangs of distress. He is Mighty Warrior in the midst of a war zone as men and women call out in desperation for safety and refuge. He comforts a child who feels unloved and afraid. He celebrates the next year of a princess in training as she blows out little pink birthday candles on her favorite cake.
 
     Today, He peeks into the depths of the ocean and delights in a funny little fish you and I will never even see. He quickens a driver's reflexes to avoid an accident and adjusts the twinkle of a star. He stands far above time and space and eternity and sits near and intimately in hospital waiting rooms and living room couches. He walks the rows of classroom desks and the halls of Capitol Hill.  He directs warm sun and cool shade on the faces of men, women, and children who have no home and soaks the soil of a farmer on His knees.
     
      He is everywhere; He is always; And He is with me - right now, in this moment - sitting at my table staring at a bowl of bananas. If that isn't awesome, I don't know what is.

Great and Worthy and Wonderful is our God!

The Jesus I Expected

Only a few days before the crucifixion of Jesus, he road into town on a young donkey, upon his arrival the people spread palm branches and their own coats on the path before Him and proclaimed, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD; Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!" (Mark 11:1-10; see also Matthew 21, John 12)  The people were elated and they joyously and eagerly welcomed Jesus into their lives as their conquering king. What a sight it would have been as so many families grabbed their coats and shoes and hurried to this impromptu parade, tearing branches from the trunks of nearby trees so they could be a part of laying out the "red carpet" for Jesus.  The hope of their salvation erupted into shouts of praise and celebration; however, their shouts did not remain celebratory. Just a few short days later, the shouts of this community turned from "Hosanna in the highest!" to "Crucify Him!" So, what changed?

God's plan had not changed.  Jesus had not changed. The hope of the people had changed. They were expecting a conquering king, and as, later that week, rumors circulated about Jesus' giving Himself up in the garden, they lost their faith in the man who came in on palms. Where was the roar of His army? Where were the trumpets and the declaration of new political power? He was not at all what they expected. Truthfully, He was not even what they wanted. Nevertheless, even while they rejected Him, He was exactly the Savior and King they needed. His kingdom had come, not to change their circumstances, but to change their lives.  Unfortunately, they missed it. He was right there in front of them, in the rescue process, but because He was not what they expected, they missed Him.  I can relate. Often, my expectations of what it means to follow Jesus are met with a different reality. King Jesus does not always ride in the way we expect, but He is always exactly what we need.

As we approach this Easter weekend, and gather together to celebrate the saving death and glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus may we be renewed in our hope and obedience to the king. He may not be what you expected, but His Word is certain and His faithfulness is true. Don't miss it.

The King has come! Hosanna in the highest!

The Last Hole

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to be the speaker for a women's retreat; the unique thing about this retreat was that it was my own church's event. We had a wonderful time in the Word and God moved in and amongst us in such a beautiful way. I was once again amazed at God's timeliness and generosity to meet us in our place of greatest need and move us toward greater joy. However, it was during our scheduled free time that God surprised me with a wonderful reminder of a powerful truth.

During our free time, several of the other ladies and I decided to try our hand at a round of miniature golf; and while you may be imagining an outdoor tea party of sorts I'll just let you know that a competitive spirit is not confined in a man's heart. We were having a good time, but time was not on our side. We only had a few minutes to get back up to our meeting room for a closing session. As some of the other ladies started loading into their cars to hurry back I stood at the end of the course with one of the sweetest ladies I know. Mrs. Diane, being mindful that I had to lead this final session, finished the 17th hole and then picked up her things for us to leave. Only she and I remained on the course, but I could not stand the thought of her being so close to the finish and not getting to complete her game; and while she was very willing to stop for the sake of the group I could tell she didn't want to leave it undone either. "No, Mrs. Diane, you only have one more," I said. She hurried over to the 18th hole, dropped the ball in place, and wouldn't you know it... hole in one!

I tear up even now as I have thought of this moment and both of our reactions as the ball fell into the hole. We were so excited and celebrated on that course as we rushed back to the car. But what if Mrs. Diane had not finished the game? Yes, I know that it was just a round of miniature golf and not only was there no prize, but even if there were, she and I had already been beaten. It did not matter. In that moment we were both reminded that we will never know what is in store if we do not persevere to the finish.

We all have seasons in our life when we are ready to quit and let circumstances dictate our course. Perhaps a struggle with sin; perhaps we've been diligent in the Lord, but don't see results; perhaps our carpet is worn by the bent knees of prayer, but we still feel we have not been heard. Hold on, persevere, keep striving. We cannot see around the corner, but God does. He knows and is prepared to delight us with His perfect timing.

Romans 5:3-5 says, "And not only this (v.2 the hope of the glory of God), but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Hope does not disappoint - not because of anything we can do, but because of the love of God through the Holy Spirit. I know too many people who quit just short of the Lord's intervention. He stood waiting with open arms beckoning a little further down a prepared path, but perseverance faded away. Do not miss Him. Do not miss the chance to celebrate with the Father on the course He has purposed for you specifically.

Persevere. Finish the game.

Do You Like Your Party?

Dear Jesus,

Happy Birthday!  I am so glad that you came as a baby in a meager place to normal parents and made that day extraordinary. I hope you like your party. Streamers and balloons alone just would not do - Your day should be different. So, we put up the prettiest tree we could find and its evergreen needles (plastic as they may be) remind us of Your eternality and the forever You have promised. Lights have gone up everywhere so that even lamp posts and gutter drains are a thing of beauty because You are the Light of the world and One beyond compare. Do you like your party? I hope You do.

We’re not sure what food You like so we just made EVERYTHING; and with every fork full we remember to taste and see that You are good and that all good things come from above. For most birthday parties we sing a simple birthday song but for You we sing the songs we have saved all year. Do You like Your party? I hope You do.

We have set aside a time to gather, but clowns and party games seemed too normal for fun on such a special day, so we play with the tradition of St. Nick and his generosity; and while we laugh along with the jolly white beard we know that he is a tool to celebrate You. Of course we have nothing but ourselves and obedience to offer You who owns it all; but we share what we have, wrapped in glitter and bows, as a testimony of love and the gift of life we have in You. Do You like Your party? I hope You do.

More than the reason for the season, this season is the reason we may live. You came; and so we celebrate - not more than any other day, just, today, in a very special way.

Do You like Your party? I hope You do.

Christ has come! Go and Tell.

Merry Christmas.

A Single Moment

Recently, an article circulated on social media that got the attention of some friends of mine and was quickly making noise in my inbox. The article was part of a series on diversity in the church. Much to the surprise of some, this particular article was not about race, ethnicity, or age (typical hot topics on church diversity); instead the minority group in focus were the unmarrieds of the church. Perhaps it is strange for me to say considering that I am single, but singleness is actually one of my least favorite topics to discuss. It’s kind of scary. Regardless of the audience it is hard to discuss singleness when you are “a single” for the risk of coming across as bitter or whiney or just plain ignorant of the challenges of marriage. However, I have recently been convicted about my fear on the topic and God has reminded me that we are in the circumstances we are in to bring Him glory and to minister to others. Has He not commanded? So, this one is for all the single ladies (and gentlemen); and for the marrieds who want to understand.

By any and all standards I am extraordinarily blessed - and not in a cheesy card kind of way, but in a “I really do wake up happy to get to be me” kind of way. I have a great life. I love my home and my stuff. I love how I get to spend my time and the people with whom I share it all. I am living my dream of spending my time writing and speaking about God’s Word and the love of Jesus. I am the obnoxiously proud aunt of four nephews and three nieces, and the daughter, granddaughter, sister, and friend, of those who are equally happy to call me their own. I have a church family with whom I gladly serve, and I live in a town where Starbucks and Gigi’s Cupcakes are putting up signs!

Nevertheless, I still want to be married. I want to spoil some handsome fella rotten; I want to finally put to good use the fact that my mom made me learn how to iron mens’ dress clothes; and I want to pass on these chubby cheeks and this big head to future mess makers of my own. I have no delusions that married life is easier than single life or that it will be the cure for lonely moments or heartbreak. What I do understand is that life is a series of trade offs and that there are no pluses without minuses. Being single is not the opening act of the headliner for whom everyone bought tickets. We are talking about two very different shows. The difficult thing about communication between marrieds and unmarrieds is that as soon as you go from one to the other you forget the pangs you left behind. Singleness never looks as good to the single as it does to the married and vice versa. The truth is green grass grows on both sides of that fence its just more difficult to see when you are standing on it. 

I am not single because I am anti men or marriage. I strive to encourage the marrieds in my life and to be a support for them and their pursuit of holiness. I am not single because I am immature or a party girl (yes, I hear all of you who know me laughing at that one). I don’t have a room full of dolls that I call my babies and sing to at night or any other crazy stereotypes of single women. I am just single because God has seen it fitting to be that way for now. He hasn’t told me why; He never said He would. If it were my choice and if life were a television Christmas movie then I would just hire a stranger to be my date for the holidays and BAM! we would fall in love to a montage of crazy family moments; but in real life hiring strangers to be your date just lands you on the news. 

Of course I am just the story of one, and certainly there are many unmarrieds for whom stereotypes were made and who kill the curve for us all; but before you sit the singles in your life at the kiddie table permanently I want you to consider the fact that his/her pursuit of godly singleness may be a struggle of obedient faith in God’s plan and a willingness to trust Him. Biblical manhood and womanhood are under extreme attack. I realize that probably sounds dramatic, but only to those who aren’t paying attention. Our culture both actively and passively seeks to feminize men and man-up women under the misuse of the word “equality”. (Equal does not mean “same”; and more than that, “equal” is not a biblical focus - but that is a blog for another day). These cultural attacks make being a godly man or godly woman increasingly difficult regardless of marital status. 

Single people, your life is not on hold. Your singleness is a tool the Lord has given you. It may not last forever so may good use of it now. Your purpose does not kick in on a wedding day. Serve.

Married people, be grateful that you have a partner with whom you serve. Don’t waste it. Your marriage is a powerful tool and a great gift. Do more. 

Mostly, let us compassionately and actively love one another and encourage one another as we seek to follow God’s plan to bring Himself glory and to magnify His Kingdom on earth, regardless of the shoes in which we walk.