Ordinarily Divine

"This killing time is killing me..."

2011-04-08T15:31:00.005-05:00

There was an old country song that went like that. I just went to listen to it on YouTube...what a sad, sad song. And yet so many people, in one way or another, are living like that song.

Today, our 9-year-old son was having trouble with his school. I don't mean trouble understanding--he understood perfectly well what he was supposed to be doing. He just didn't want to do it. The conversation went something like this:

Mom: Are you still working on that math?!?

Son: I just can't do it! (In a very dramatic, whiney voice).

Mom: Do you need help?

Son: No, I just keep getting distracted! I just can't concentrate. There are just too many other things on my computer that I want to do, like play with fonts and colors. And I think you need to delete this stupid checkers game!

So, I decided maybe it was time for a timer. "See how much you can get done in 15 minutes," I told him. (And I proceeded to tell him every few minutes how much time he had left). That didn't work. "Okay," I said, "I think maybe you just need a break." The break didn't really help either. By this time, he had resigned himself to the fact that school just probably wasn't going to get done at all. There was just no way.

Then...(cue heavenly lights and angels singing)...Grandpa called. "Are the boys done with school? I'd like to take them for the afternoon." Suddenly, the poor child who was doomed to be stuck in the same math lesson for eternity was ablaze with motivation. "I can do this!" was now his mantra. Guess how long it took? Yup. Less than 15 minutes.

Oh, and how there was a lesson in this for all of us, I think. I know sometimes I get *really* distracted by things that aren't even necessary or important. The other day, I spent way too much time looking up "stuff" online. What a time-killer that can be! You know, the enemy of our souls just loves it when we get "sucked in" like that. It reminds me of the cartoon, "Larry Boy and the Bad Apple". (You should watch it if you haven't--even if you are an adult.)

See, even though we are all grown up, we still struggle with the same things that my little guy was struggling with today. And as we grow up, it usually gets worse. We end up getting involved in addictions...always searching for something to "fill us up". The problem is, there is no reason to struggle; no reason to continue filling our time with garbage. If we would just say "no" to whatever that "thing" is that gets in the way of living life the way God intended, the Holy Spirit would swoop down and free us from the grip of the enemy. I've experienced it myself! Sadly, I've also experienced the spiritual defeat that comes with the opposite response of allowing myself to get "sucked in".

Then (I love it when this happens!), as I was contemplating all of this in prayer, the Lord showed me that Jesus struggled with the very same things. In fact, the one major time that Jesus struggled with this sort of thing was in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He prayed so hard that he had "sweat drops of blood". He didn't want to give up life on this earth and die! He was only 33! I believe that as a human, Jesus only knew what the Father showed Him. I really don't think that He "remembered" heaven, or anything about his pre-human life. His reliance was completely upon the Father, as evidenced by the fact that He spent so much time in prayer. What amazing love; what an amazing sacrifice that He ultimately made--for you, for me. He was willing to let go of His own fleshly desire to live--he resisted the temptations to run, to hide, to fight. He laid it all down for the will of His Father. His loss became our gain.

What about us? Are we willing to let go of silly stuff that is relatively unimportant in order to accomplish the task put before us? We can, through the power that was brought when Jesus made that very same choice on our behalf. I encourage you to bring whatever struggle you are facing to the Father, as Christ's sacrifice has enabled you. The Holy Sprit will come, the enemy will be defeated, and you will be set free to accomplish whatever is set before you today.

Thought for the day - helpfulness

2011-04-02T10:41:00.001-05:00

If we are to truly be helpful to others, we do not what we want to do, but what needs to be done.

Christmas and 1 Corinthians 13

2009-12-19T11:40:00.003-06:00

I had to pass this along ... it was printed in Rev. Jimmy Hopper's column of the Danville Commercial-News (which we don't subscribe to but I happened to glance at it when we were at my mom's house). It especially spoke to my heart, because I had just read 1 Corinthians 13 in my devotional time this week, and I can look back in my own life and see instances where I "missed the point". Like this past week when, at my wits end (after I thought the children had 'helped' enough with baking), I screamed, "For the tenth time, everybody out of the kitchen or I'm never going to get these cookies done for the Christmas party!"

Take a minute, slow down, and be blessed. :)

1 Corinthians 13 Christmas Style
©By Sharon Jaynes

If I decorate my house perfectly with lovely plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and shiny glass balls, but do not show love to my family - I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family - I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family - it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of your way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

Love never fails. Video games will break; pearl necklaces will be lost; golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.

Let's Pray ... Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, that starry night in Bethlehem. Like the Shepherds, I am still amazed at Your great love. May I not lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas, but celebrate Jesus' birthday with joy!

For the sake of Your Kingdom - Amen - may it be so!

Healing -- not feeling but believing

2009-09-02T07:33:00.003-05:00

We arrived home from Waiting School 11 in Maine, sponsored by Elaine Pettit Ministries, just a few days ago. As I've told many, the trip was not necessarily fun (more on that later), but the Waiting School (as always) was so worth the trouble!

As I've mentioned previously, I have serious personality and mind-altering pms issues. It's something that is very difficult to deal with, not only for me, but for my family. I've prayed, been anointed several times, taken vitamins, minerals, and herbs, etc. Most recently, at the urging of my husband, I went to the doctor. There was no underlying health issue, but she suggested either oral contraceptives or antidepressants. The allure of "normalcy" was a strong one, so I decided to start taking the "pill". Oh, what a disaster! It simply magnified all the negative things I was already experiencing, and made me so tired that I literally slept all day at one point. After about a week, still in the undertow of that experience, I had a melt-down one day and took an antidepressant (which I decided not to continue). All the while, I would cry, and pray, and I could only hear God say, "My grace is sufficient."

At the healing service during the Waiting School, I did not know whether I should go forward for anointing. So, I stayed back to pray for others. I was really upset after the service, though, and couldn't leave the sanctuary. I was so confused about God's will in and purpose for my struggle. Chuck encouraged me to go speak to Elaine after the service. There were several vying for her attention, so I waited. She graciously gave of her time, and her words were so encouraging. She told me that we should seek healing unless/until God showed otherwise. She anointed me, and prayed over me, and it was really a beautiful sight as there happened to be several women hanging around after the service that laid hands on me also. Elaine declared that she knew that God heard us, and was responding, as the Spirit bore witness to her, and other agreed.

I "felt" nothing really. Nothing unusual. No lightning bolts from heaven. Honestly, I still don't "feel" much different. So what was different about this particular anointing?

At the Waiting School, I picked up a copy of "Praying Clear Through" by W.J. Harney. I've been stuck for a few days now on Chapter 7, "He That Believeth". Harney's book points out that we too often want a "feeling"--"the witness"--before we will even believe. That is where I have been living. Wanting God to pour out His Spirit--resulting in a "feeling" or some outward manifestation.

The scripture reference is 1 John 5:10. I went to 1 John and began reading in Chapter 5. I am fully aware that in 1 John 5, John is talking about belief in relation to salvation. But, I think it applies to any kind of believing prayer. James 1:6 tells us to "believe and not doubt" when we pray.

I've had trouble with that. Of course, I believe that God can and does heal. My struggle has been, "Does He want to heal me?" Or is this just the thorn--like Paul had--that I'm supposed to deal with?

Knowing that when we prayed, the Spirit bore witness, I had a decision to make. Do I believe and trust in the testimony of God that was given to those praying for me--they had an assurance that God had heard and was responding. When I read 1 John 5:10, it struck my heart, "Anyone who does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar." Whoa--I definitely will not consciously be guilty of calling God a liar! So, I am choosing to thank Him for the healing He is bringing, for I trust that His healing power is at work even now.

John goes on in v. 14-15 of chapter 5 to tell us that we can be confident in approaching God when we ask in His name (with right motives), and that we can know that we have what we asked of Him.

God also brought a couple of songs to my mind regarding this matter, which resonate so perfectly with my heart:
"Faith is the Victory" (the hymn)
"The Voice of Truth" (Casting Crowns)

In little ways over the past week, God has been using different things to really drive this message home. Just yesterday, I heard Chip Ingram teaching on the radio (I love his teaching!). He spoke about how a "feeling" may indicate an encounter with God, but could mean not much else when there is no faith to back it up. What really matters is believing, life-changing, faith.

Homeschooling

2009-05-16T12:52:00.003-05:00

I heard recently that one of my favorite radio stations (91.7 WBGL) was hosting a special contest where parents or kids could nominate their favorite teachers. It made me think about my journey from "official certified public school teacher" to homeschooling mom.

People often ask how long we will do this (like it's some kind of experimental thing), or when we will send our kids back to school, and I just tell them that we take it one day at a time. Honestly, whenever I think about placing them back in public school, it is because I am starting to doubt my ability, or I have some "selfish ambitions" popping up. I still don't fully understand the reasons for this calling God has placed upon me, but I can tell you that it is the most challenging call I have ever answered and there is no way I could do it without Him.

Homeschooling is an all-consuming endeavor--a call to completely give of ourselves not only as parents, but a those preparing and providing an education. The blessings of homeschooling are sometimes hard to see, and probably much of the fruit of our labors won't be seen for many many years. There are no salaries, no financial benefits, no accolades. There is no start or end to the day, no planning times, and very little "alone time". There is no point in even attempting to base our worth on performance as we might be tempted to do in any other setting. Sometimes we homeschoolers start to feel unsatisfied, thinking that other parents have it all figured out and we don't, thinking that this job would better be left to someone else, wondering if our kids "measure up". And then we are reminded that as far as God is concerned, our worth is based upon the life of Christ in us, our hope is in Him alone, and God's grace is more than sufficient.

Systems vs. Humanity

2009-02-20T15:24:00.005-06:00

The following is an excerpt from the prologue of John Taylor Gatto's book, The Underground History of American Education.

Bianca, You Animal, Shut Up!

Our problem in understanding forced schooling stems from an inconvenient fact: that the wrong it does from a human perspective is right from a systems perspective. You can see this in the case of six-year-old Bianca, who came to my attention because an assistant principal screamed at her in front of an assembly, "BIANCA, YOU ANIMAL, SHUT UP!" Like the wail of a banshee, this sang the school doom of Bianca. Even though her body continued to shuffle around, the voodoo had poisoned her.

Do I make too much of this simple act of putting a little girl in her place? It must happen thousands of times every day in schools all over. I’ve seen it many times, and if I were painfully honest I’d admit to doing it many times. Schools are supposed to teach kids their place. That’s why we have age-graded classes. In any case, it wasn’t your own little Janey or mine.

Most of us tacitly accept the pragmatic terms of public school which allow every kind of psychic violence to be inflicted on Bianca in order to fulfill the prime directive of the system: putting children in their place. It’s called "social efficiency." But I get this precognition, this flash-forward to a moment far in the future when your little girl Jane, having left her comfortable home, wakes up to a world where Bianca is her enraged meter maid, or the passport clerk Jane counts on for her emergency ticket out of the country, or the strange lady who lives next door.

I picture this animal Bianca grown large and mean, the same Bianca who didn’t go to school for a month after her little friends took to whispering, "Bianca is an animal, Bianca is an animal," while Bianca, only seconds earlier a human being like themselves, sat choking back tears, struggling her way through a reading selection by guessing what the words meant.

In my dream I see Bianca as a fiend manufactured by schooling who now regards Janey as a vehicle for vengeance. In a transport of passion she:

Gives Jane’s car a ticket before the meter runs out.
Throws away Jane’s passport application after Jane leaves the office.
Plays heavy metal music through the thin partition which separates Bianca’s apartment from Jane’s while Jane pounds frantically on the wall for relief.
All the above.

The best advice in this book is scattered throughout and indirect, you’ll have to work to extract it. It begins with the very first sentence of the book where I remind you that what is right for systems is often wrong for human beings. Translated into a recommendation, that means that to avoid the revenge of Bianca, we must be prepared to insult systems for the convenience of humanity, not the other way around.

read more at http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/underground/prologue.htm

The Unexpected Snow

2009-01-15T12:57:00.003-06:00

Lord, Your way is so beautiful, so unexpected. Like the surprise blanket of snow this morning, with unhurried flakes still falling. The snow that is completely oblivious to the turmoil it causes for those unable to slow down and take in its beauty. The snow completely unabated by the grousing of many poor souls, blind to the magical wonder of it all.

If they would only allow themselves to stop for a moment. Oh! What peace they would know in the lazy, gentle descent of the snow. What rare treasure they would see in the sparkle of each crystal gem that dazzles the landscape. What beauty they would see--a beauty that transcends the transformed world ablaze in pure white.

And they would see You, Lord. Surprising. Unexpected. Magnificent--in all You do.

A New Year's Resolution for Healing

2009-01-05T14:52:00.003-06:00

Okay, so I've never been big on resolutions at the New Year. But it just so happens that some obvious changes in my life started taking shape right around Christmas this year.

One big thing I've been dealing with for several years is PMS. Some people might read this and just blow it off, thinking, "yeah, everyone deals with that" Maybe to some extent. But mine has been a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde kind of thing. My husband actually got me a PMS book for Christmas this year. And no, I did not throw it at him in disgust. I was actually glad that he cared that much to want to help. (There was a gift certificate for a massage too).

Anyway, the Monthly Monster really puts a strain on the family, and significantly alters my ability to function. I had a doctor's appointment a few years ago. He was about an hour late getting into the exam room, and by that time, I was a complete hysterical mess! I think he was scared of me. He gave me some pills to "help" until my bloodwork came back, and I scheduled a follow-up appointment. The pills were "as needed", and didn't really help. When the doctor's office called and had to cancel my follow-up appointment due to a conflict, I decided not to reschedule.

I then turned to homeopathic treatment. I think homeopathic medicine is great. It has worked for me many times. Just not this time. Then I tried herbs, which helped some. My latest consideration was to go on birth control pills (artificial hormones), which I really didn't want to do, but felt like it might be my only option. It was just days before an appointment to go have a prescription written for The Pill that I heard from God. I was off-handedly speaking to Him in my thoughts about healing. And I heard Him whisper, "30 days." I didn't really know what it meant, or what form my healing would take, but I was so excited!

One day during Christmas break, I was at the YMCA to teach a Saturay morning water exercise class. It's not something I usually teach on Saturday mornings. I really wasn't looking forward to it. I was feeling a bit drained physically and spiritually. Nobody showed up that day. I was relieved, and thought, "Good! Now I can exercise alone, then go have some God time." So I did. And it was like a light went on, and God said, "You should do this every day--first thing in the morning."

I realize now that God doesn't always zap us with a miracle. God created our bodies to function a certain way, and what I am learning is that all of the basics have to be in place for a treatment to be effective for any disease. In fact, the cause of many diseases is a failure to pay attention to the basics, and simply doing so will likely result in healing without additional treatment. So what are the basics, you ask? Well, it is what most people *don't* want to hear!

3. Excercise every day

2. Eat right every day (limit junk food, processed food, and ESPECIALLY sugar!)

1. Spend "alone" time with God every day

It may be hard to do these things, especially if you are a mom with little ones like me. But I find that no matter how unencumbered we are, there are always excuses. So start by praying that God will help you see how to make "the basics" an important part of your day. Sometimes God actually wants to turn our ship around, and that takes time and effort. I'm in it for the long haul, with God as my Captain.

Serenity at Christmas

2008-12-23T16:55:00.002-06:00

Well, here we are! Christmastime again. Do you ever have time experiencing the joy of Christ even though we are celebrating Christ at Christmas?

The "Serenity Prayer" has been really meaningful to me lately. The first line is an acknowledgement that there are things I will not change. The second line acknowledges that there are things the I can change.

Sometimes, I fall into thinking that I am powerless. And that is just where the enemy wants me. Weak and not realizing my potential as a Daughter of the Living God. However, there are things that can change, and need to change in my life.

One of those things is how I view Christmas. In my frustration with how the world handles the holidays and the gross commercialization or complete disregard of the spiritual nature of Christmas, I was failing to see my own sin. I have, for many years, dealt with dissapointment at Christmas. Usually, it was because things weren't perfect. It wasn't until this year that God really opened my eyes (which had obviously been closed!) He showed me that if my eyes are focused on Him, I can accept the world--not the way I would have it but the way it is--just as Jesus did. And when "things" go wrong at Christmas, just as they do any other time during the year, I can rest knowing that it isn't "stuff" that makes Christmas what it is.

The Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
courage to change the things I can
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time
Enjoying one moment at a time
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace
Taking, as He did, this sinful worldas it is, not as I would have it
Trusting that He will make all things rightif I surrender to His Will
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next. Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr

Journey to Maine--Part 2

2008-10-17T11:41:00.003-05:00

We decided that our excursion to Maine would become a 2-1/2 week journey. We plotted a route, and decided that we would stop in Erie, PA, Niagra Falls, Canada, Syracuse, NY, Boston, MA, Acadia National Park, ME, and then end up at the Waiting School in Fairfield, ME. As we were travelling, we decided that it would be fun to come back through New York, NY, and see the Statue of Liberty.

We camped for three nights in Erie, PA. Our campsite was at a YMCA campground, and absolutely beautiful! There were no other campers closeby, so it gave us some nice privacy for rest and relaxing. Although our campsite was literally on a bluff over Lake Erie, it wasn't a great beach for swimming (much too rocky). So we drove each day to Presque Isle State Park where they had really nice swimming beaches.

When we left Erie, we were bound for our next camping spot in Syracuse, with a slight detour to see Niagra Falls. The Falls were magnificent, of course, and I'm glad I can say I've been there. We didn't stay long. It was about a 20 minute walk to the Falls, and we left the parking lot just 2 minutes before the hour we had paid for was up.

We then camped at a newly renovated Christian camp near Syracuse, NY, called Adam's Eden. It is run by a large homeschooling family. We were their first campers, and they were so excited that we were also Christians and amazed that someone in Illinois had found them. The weren't expecting that people from so far away would be the first ones to reserve a camping spot. We also visited a Vineyard Church in Syracuse, and attended the Saturday evening service. The pastor's message and the vision for that congregation was a confirmation of Chuck's conviction that it is most important for the church to be "outside the building" reaching out to the community and sharing the good news of the Gospel.

From Syracuse, we went to Uxbridge, MA (near Boston) where we stayed with one of Chuck's close friends from high school and his family. They were like family to us right from the start, and we had a great time there.

Our next stop was Acadia National Park on the coast of Maine. We drove in rain and drizzle all day. By the time we got to the campground, we were at least able to pick out a spot and get our tent up without it pouring on us. We did some exploring of the tide pools, which was fun since the kids had studied tide pool life in Pagoo the previous spring. We saw lots of barnacles, mussels, and even a crab. No hermit crabs, though!

As we neared time for the Waiting School, we could sense the enemy starting to strengthen his efforts against us. The frustrations began to increase, and along with that tension began to mount. It wasn't always obvious that these were spiritual attacks, which made it difficult. The enemy likes us to not recognize him, and when we don't, there tends to be an accompanying prayerlessness.

Finally, we made it! The Waiting school was such a blessing! God was there in a marvelous way. Sitting in the sancuary, I felt not like I was thousands of miles from home, but right at home. Because wherever God is and His people gather, we are family.

Although we attended one Waiting School without the kids, it is so meaningful to be able to attend with the children as well. Red Nose Ministries www.rednoseministries.com has been at each Waiting School, and the kids not only love Pastors Steve and Janet, but grow closer to God through their ministry.

During the "awards/recognition" time, we were overwhelmed to find out that we were the first people to register for the Maine Waiting School, and Elaine gave us a lovely gift. We were then recognized as workers, and then called up another time and given an envelope. When we opened the envelope at dinner, Chuck and I were shocked to find a check from the Maine district that covered our travel expenses. We both thought there must have been some mistake. We weren't expecting anything, although Elaine had generously offered to pay the cost of our hotel. When I asked her about it, she just said, "Isn't it such a blessing!?! That's what happens when you follow God!"

We are currently making plans to attend the Feb '09 Waiting School at St. Simons Island, GA., and praying that the Kingdom of God will continue to grow in the hearts of His people during this and other revivalistic endeavors.

A life lived for the love of God

2008-09-12T14:05:00.005-05:00

When we realize how much God truly loves us and how much he cares, we are drawn to Him in an inexpressable way. Our heart leaps at the thought of spending time with Him, the awesome Creator of the universe and the keeper of our souls.

God can only use a pure heart--one surrendered to Him completely--to reach His children who are lost. When we begin to love the Father with a passion that draws us toward Him, we are given a heart full of love for those souls that we once despised, desiring to see them also draw near to the Father. It's the kind of love that Jesus has--the love that caused Him to get up early to spend time with the Father, and spend all day ministering to the crowds. It's the love that caused Him to bear the sins of the world.

When we sacrifice, and truly live lives for Him, He opens doors in the lives of those around us. He will give us a burden for their souls. When we pray, God will work. When we love others, they will be drawn to the Father. As a result, the Kingdom of God will be established in our cirlce of influence.

God's Chosen Journey (to Maine) -- Part I

2008-09-08T14:49:00.005-05:00

God took us on quite a trip this summer! We never would have even thought of going to Maine, but that is where He took us. When the idea first surfaced, God might as well have said, "You should think about taking a trip halfway across the globe."

It all started in November. I had the date marked on the calendar that campsites would open up at our favorite campground in Michigan at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park, where we have gone the past three summers. But as the date approached, I had a sense that I shouldn't make the reservation. It's a feeling that I've had before--subtle but sure--so I figured it was God. I thought, "okay, I'll wait a week." Still, it seemed like I shouldn't make the reservation. So, I decided that God must have something else in store. As is often the case when we follow God, I had no idea what. He seems to love surprises. I would personally like to see the whole plan, but we're working on that.

Chuck and I have attended several prayer conferences called "Waiting Schools" in the past couple of years with Rev. Elaine Pettit Ministries (www.elainepettitministries.org). As winter ended, and spring was beginning, we knew about another Waiting School coming up in May in Columbus, OH. We really didn't have much interest in going this time. Rev. Pettit's assistant contacted us a few days before the conference, and wanted to know if we were coming. I called back and apologetically said we would be unable to attend. She called again, as apparently she had not received the first message. Then, Rev. Pettit began emailing us. Finally, she asked, "Could you come if I paid your way?" It became clear that God wanted us there, and was leaving no room for excuses. So we went. Of course it was glorious, and we desperately needed that time of refreshing, awakening, and revival, although we didn't realize our need in the state of busyness and apathy that had begun to infiltrate our lives.

At the Columbus Waiting School in May, there were approx. 30 people in attendance from Maine. The Maine District Superintent of the Church of the Nazarene was there--a man with a true heart for revival, Rev. Cecil Jones. Talk began circulating about having the next waiting school in New England. It was then that I began to realize that God wanted us there. It was an exciting prospect, yet part of me thought, "God, you have to be kidding! All the way to Maine? With 4 kids in the van?!?"

I decided that if we went, I wanted us to help in any way we could. I knew that some of those who would normally help with a Waiting School would not be able to so all the way to Maine. I talked with Rev. Pettit, who was willing to use us where there was a need. But then, the Devil started to put doubts in my mind. "It's silly for you to go all that way. This is something geared more for the Maine churches. You're too far removed from that region; it won't matter whether you're there or not." Confusion was starting to cloud my judgement, so I prayed. Then I emailed Rev. Pettit. She has such a full, busy schedule, yet she emailed me right back. Everything she said made perfect sense. The enemy had begun to narrow my vision; she reminded me that there is a bigger picture. Relief overwhelmed me. Praise God that He is so faithful to us when we submit to Him. He always leads us in the right path.

The solution for adversity

2008-07-25T14:20:00.005-05:00

Chances are, whatever you and I are struggling with, it is nothing compared to what Christ faced on Calvary. And yet in Luke chapters 22 and 23, we have a perfect example of how to face adversity--no matter how unusual or ordinary the situation.

The first line of action is private prayer. We call it "God Time" in our house, and every day each person has their own "alone" time. In Luke 22:42-44, Jesus prayed in the garden. He didn't want to suffer, and certainly not to death. He knew that was where it was all leading, though; so He prayed. He knew that if there was another way, the Father would show Him. As He prayed through, God impressed upon Him that there was no alternative. Jesus responded with complete acceptance and submission to the Father's will.

How impatient we become with God! I've been known to become like a child--although not in the Biblical sense--more like a pouty, petulant child, just because God didn't conform to my will when I approached Him in prayer. "Why aren't You doing this for me God? What's taking so long? Don't You want to help me?" God is teaching me that when my prayers aren't answered, it is often because He doesn't agree with my request. It shows in me a lack of maturity in knowing the Father and knowing His will. For if we ask anything in His name, it will be given.

The second part of the solution is our focus on God, especially when we are not alone. When Jesus wasn't alone in prayer, He was always focused entirely on the Father. In Luke 23:35, 37, and 39, Jesus was mocked. Three times, by three different people. And yet His only response was "Father, forgive them. They don't understand." He didn't even answer His mockers directly. He just kept His focus on the Father.

How quick I am to let others' comments "get to me". And then I complain to God that I don't feel His presence or whine that He isn't helping me.

Lord, open my eyes in the ordinary ups and downs of my day. Cause me to see that I must approach life the way Jesus did. Show me that time spent alone with You is invaluable if I am to know You more. Teach me that by staying in Your Spirit at all times, I will overcome.

In the beginning...

2008-07-11T13:18:00.003-05:00

Of this blog, that is.

I have been wanting to start a blog for a while, as I have written some devotionals and find it very worthwhile for myself and for those who have been touched through them. I started keeping a journal a while back to write down what I thought God was impressing upon me through my routine reading of the scriptures. I felt that it might be a good thing to be able to share with others, and a blog was born!

The scripture I was studying yesterday is so appropriate to begin with, and I believe it was out of this scripture that God birthed the name for this blog.

In Luke 21:34, Jesus says, "But take heed to yourselves and be on your guard, lest your hearts be overburdened and depressed (weighed down) with the [a]giddiness and headache and [b]nausea of self-indulgence, drunkenness, and worldly worries and cares pertaining to [the [c]business of] this life, and [lest] that day come upon you suddenly like a trap or a noose..." (Amplified Bible)

It is interesting that our downfall--being overburdened and depressed--can come from such extremes as the giddiness of self indulgence to the worries of this life! What are the "cares" of daily life?

I often find myself in the middle of something (a project, house-cleaning, etc.) when an interruption (children, phone, etc.) comes that irritates me. When I snap or grouchily leave what I was doing to take care of the interruption, I have allowed the cares of this life to take over. The enemy is overjoyed, because whatever I was wrapped up in caused me to lose sight of what is really important!

At the other end of the spectrum is self-indulgence. While I have not experienced physical drunkenness since my pre-Christian days, there are times when I experience the nausea of self-indulgence. It usually has to do with spending money. Buying things we don't need. There was a time in my life where my husband and I used and abused credit. It was a sickening feeling--one that often led to tears--to spend and realize later that we didn't actually have the money to pay. If you are drowning in debt--there is hope! I testify to God's love and grace in helping us to overcome many selfish desires which led to impulse spending. He has brought us to the place where our only debt is the mortgage on our home.

Are you wrapped up in the giddiness or the nausea of self-indugence? What are the cares in your life?

Pray:

Lord, by the Power of Your Spirit, break the cycle of selfish pursuits. May I see those temptations to spend money unnecessarily as the hand of the enemy trying to gain a grip on my life. Open the eyes of my spirit.

By Your Spirit working within me, I will respond appropriately to interruptions in "my" agenda. May I see Your hand in those moments pulling my focus back to where it belongs. Father, forgive me for those times when I did not respond. I want my children, husband, and others to see You. Make me a pure vessel that You can use.

In the Name of Jesus, and for the sake of Your Kingdom,
Amen. So be it.