To the Best Dad Ever
Hi Papa, just this morning I was remembering all those times I choose to pierce your heart. Those times you knew were coming and yet still loved me. It amazes me to think that in your knowing, you prepared ahead of time. You prepared my reconciliation to you, my redemption story. Reclaimed me.
I can look back and see how you meticulously laid out points along my path that would bring healing and wholeness. I can look back on those times when I was heading to my complete demise, all by my own choosing, and you shut down everything around me. You cut me off from my perceived momentary destination so I could keep on track to my eternal destiny. You save me from me.
I can also look back on those times you left me to suffer the natural consequences of my actions, because I wanted what was mine. I messed up. I thought you would never love me again. So I lived as a slave in a far off land. I never knew you spent your days looking over the horizon, waiting for the day you would see me coming while I was still a far way off. (Luke 15:11-32)
I look back on that day you ran to me, clothed me with new purpose. I'm amazed at your wisdom, your patience, your persistence.
Father, "You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I’d even lived one day." (Psalm 139:13-16))
You call me the apple of your eye. And you love my brothers and sisters the same. I am the luckiest girl alive. I love you.
Happy Father's Day Daddy God.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
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Today Tells Yesterday
Today tells yesterday to hold on, press forward, don’t ever
give up.
Today tells yesterday you cannot do this journey alone. You
need Light to see and when you find yourself lost, needing to find your way to
your destination, God will guide you.
Today tells yesterday there is an enemy who wants you alone so
when you fall there is no one to lift you. This is a tactic to lose trust in
the Unseen, to plot your own course. Today tells yesterday to find a core group
of women to trust because a strand of three isn't easily snapped. They will strengthen you and you will strengthen them.
Today tells yesterday take care of
yourself. Your body is a temple. Treat it as such. Today tells yesterday mental health is just
as important as physical and spiritual health. The Great Physician will provide
your needs to achieve it. Trust those He puts in your path.
Today tells yesterday to forgive quickly and often. You have an Advocate. He will count every
hurt that comes your way. He will build your character, teach you lessons and
redeem the pain. He will honor your resolve to forgive. He will bring you peace
and issue justice on your behalf.
Today tells yesterday you will experience hard times, some
will be difficult losses. Lean in and learn from the Comforter. He will comfort
you through hands of many then you too will know how to do the same.
Today tells yesterday to go to bed thankful, dream. Today
tells yesterday those dreams are the Creator’s desire for you. Pursue them.
Today tells yesterday life is not a race to finish first,
but a race to be finished with honor. This race requires stamina, perseverance,
strength of friends, support of loved ones, rest, Bread of Life for hunger and
Living Water for thirst. Reach the finish line and you will receive a crown of righteousness.
Today tells yesterday face every day with anticipation. It is the greatest race you will ever run.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
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If Only...
If only I had a new car.
Or a new job, new house, new boss, new clothes, new school.
If only…
It is our human nature to want more, the new, the
improved, the better-than-I-have-it-now. We were created that way. Perhaps
Augustine said it best, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts
are restless until they rest in you.”
When we pursue earthly things, we remain thirsty. Day
after day, we maintain the same pace getting the same results while only hoping
for an end to the mundane.
What if we were told we didn't have to work so hard
at achieving status in things but instead were given Someone we could draw from
every single waking moment of our lives?
Do you remember the account of the Samaritan woman
who came to the well in the heat of the day to avoid the judgmental glances of
others?
“Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” (John 4:15)
Jesus could have had mercy
on her and made her life easier by showing His servant’s heart and dug a well
near her home. But He didn't because He knows this world is temporary. We need
to tap into Him in our everyday so the well of eternity springs up in our souls
and overflows into our daily lives and we can be who He calls us to be.
Perhaps God has you waiting
and you find yourself tired and useless and wondering how
can something old or familiar become new with purpose? Hear my heart my friend, the same power that raised
Jesus from the dead is the same power that can bring LIFE into your everyday. He
knows you thirst and He has plans to prosper you.
No matter if you’re planning to travel the world to
be a missionary or you go to work to pay the bills or are knee deep in dirty
dishes and laundry, draw from Him. His well is deep. He is the
better-than-I-have-it-now. He is the A-Z of every single breath of every single
day.
Cast off the “if only” and put on a garment of
praise. Hold your head up high and hear Him exclaim over you, “Behold, I make all things new”
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
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Get Back Online
My husband and I are
in a difficult season of our marriage and just like the seemingly endless
winter we are experiencing here in the Washington DC area, there are days I
feel my husband and I will never break through the cold hard ground of our
hearts.My husband is a non Christian but even if he were, I am not responsible for his heart towards me. I am not his Holy Spirit. I am responsible for my heart.
Since I claim to know Christ, I need to do everything possible to get in alignment with His will for me by following His good and perfect Word.
I had read recently that one of the best tools in our arsenal is to have prayers ready to release in times we need them most.
"when you encounter trouble of any kind, reach into your arsenal of prayers and speak one or more of them boldly. The enemy will retreat, and I will draw near." - excerpt from Jesus TodayIn the middle of my darkest anger towards my husband, I even scared myself with what I was capable of saying because I know what scripture says about what comes out of the mouth,
"The upright (honorable, intrinsically good) man out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart produces what is upright (honorable and intrinsically good), and the evil man out of the evil storehouse brings forth that which is depraved (wicked and intrinsically evil); for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45 AMP)
I knew I needed to become desperate to change my heart. It was urgent I get back online with my Creator, Who also happens to be my husband's Creator.
I prayed the only thing I knew how to pray,
"Lord, I know your Word says that if we delight in You, You will give us the desires of our heart. Please change my heart to be in line with Your will." (adapted from Psalm 37:4)My husband and I are still struggling but God has done amazing work with that heartfelt plea.
Remember the next time you feel "out of line" with God's purpose for your life, you don't have to "clean house" before He comes to you. His desire for your life is His good and perfect Will. Honestly pour out your shattered heart. He'll pick up the pieces and do the all the cleaning up for you and help you get back online.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
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When God Saves a Life
I was an exhausted, expectant mom, seven months along, managing
a multi-million dollar property.
I had just found a new OBGYN because the one I was seeing
since the beginning of my pregnancy let me go. She did not agree with my desire to have an unmedicated birth. (Still shake my head at that one) Adding to the confusion, my new doctor could not understand why I
had an uncontrollable itch all over my abdomen and feet. But I didn’t have time
for that. My position was much “too important” to let sleep deprivation and
discomfort take precedence. After all, I was in the process of hiring a new assistant.
On a Friday night I made the call to my regional office
telling them the legal notices would need to wait until the next morning. I would return to the still quiet of a
Saturday to finish.
But God had a different plan.
My morning stretch produced a gush of water that ushered in a
panic. There would be no going into the office to finish anything deemed
important.
I was thankful for my new doctor who was ready to battle on
my side. She had strict instructions for
the hospital staff which played an instrumental role in buying time for our
little girl.
After receiving medication to stop labor, being pumped with
IV fluids and antibiotics, unceasing prayer, strict bed rest, conference calls
with my regional office, two rounds of steroid treatments for our preemie’s
lungs…labor began again on a Monday night.
Early on Tuesday
morning, March 11 2003, my baby girl only 17” long was welcomed into this world
by a team of NICU doctors and nurses.
It was discovered much later that I had been suffering with a rare condition
called Cholestasis which was threatening to take the life of my baby. I am happy to report we just celebrated her 11th birthday!
I see my Spring baby
as a reminder -- sometimes you have to let go in order to spring forward. We may be traveling in one direction but God sees
what’s ahead. He may give us some difficult turns but it may be because He is
trying to save a life.
Is it yours?
No matter what you
are going through, let go, spring forward and in all things give thanks.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
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It Is Good To Be Reminded
My tea cup
reads “Out of my mind, be back in 5 minutes”.
But I don’t
want to be back because being in my mind for these past several days is a chaotic,
boisterous, violent swirl of negativity that is threatening to devour my very
being. Sounds harsh, yes. But depression can be so completely defeating and I
need to stay out of my head for fear of becoming consumed by what I am battling.
And then I
hear it -- the clicking of something against my watch. They are my reminder
bracelets, one I made and the other made by a friend. I wear them every single
day without fail. They remind me of God’s promises and as long as I keep moving,
they are reminding.
God is Who He says He is.
God can do what He says He can do.
I am who God says I am.
I can do all things through Christ.
God’s Word is alive and active in me. (from Believing God by Beth Moore)
So I remind
myself of the limited power my troubles have:
“...In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” John 16:33
And I remind
myself God brings peace; He is my rock while everything crumbles around me:
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah26:3-4
Because:
“In love I am blessed, chosen, adopted, favored, redeemed, and forgiven” – Beth Moore
Are you
experiencing trouble today?
May I
suggest you wear something to remind you of God’s promises? Buy a bracelet,
make one, tie a ribbon on your wrist. Do whatever it takes to remember.
Keep moving,
because in the moving we are reminded. Run, walk, crawl if you must…to the very
One who is always moving like life giving water, our Savior and Redeemer. Keep
your eyes on Him. He has already overcome the world and He will bring you through
whatever you are going through. You will not be consumed.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
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Remember When
Just found out a friend’s daughter now has breast
cancer. She had throat cancer several years back. How does she (we) prepare?
That’s what this week is about: setting up monuments to help remind us of God’s
past deliverance in our lives.
“When your
children ask . . . ‘What are these stones?’ Answer . . . 'that all the peoples of the
earth may know the hand of the Lord . . . is mighty.' ” (Joshua 4:21-24)
After my daughter died, we had such a reminder. Upstairs,
between her brothers’ bedrooms, was a “landing.” We put her crib, and several
other items of hers to remind us of all God had carried us through. Like the
Israelites in Joshua, we had “crossed over” and needed reminding of God’s
faithfulness.
There are many ways to remember God’s grace: journal writing,
dating the promises in our Bible, pinning verses on the mirror, hanging plagues
or pictures. Whatever works best,
start today. Because we don’t know what tomorrow brings, it’s important to keep
our tanks full.
“And these words which I command you today shall be in your
heart; . . .You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as
frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your
house and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6: 6, 8 & 9)
Saturday, January 25, 2014
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The Newborn
"Am I doing this right? It just feels
like she's always wanting to eat!"
"I can't get any rest. I can never put him down."
Insatiable, vulnerable, newness. This new life is so different from the protective covering of darkness. Fragile and naked, seeking comfort of loving arms every minute of the day.
Many of us can relate to those days. Some, not so much.
But I'm not talking about the physical birth of a baby. I'm telling you what it is like for the birth of many infant Christians and it was certainly that way for me!
My transformation was night and day, literally and figuratively. I drowned in a river of repentance one night and rose a completely new creature. Nobody knew what hit them, neither did I!
I was insatiable. Couldn't get enough Jesus to keep me calm. Every waking moment I needed Him. I listened to sermons all day long at work. The moment I got home, I listened to more. I found Christian music to be of great comfort and I couldn't go to sleep without diving into His Book and talking to Him in prayer.
I was an infant in the truest sense of the word. I relied on everyone else.
Thankfully it didn't last too long, maybe a year, because nobody can keep that kind of pace. We're not meant to.
Scripture says --
"I can't get any rest. I can never put him down."
Insatiable, vulnerable, newness. This new life is so different from the protective covering of darkness. Fragile and naked, seeking comfort of loving arms every minute of the day.
Many of us can relate to those days. Some, not so much.
But I'm not talking about the physical birth of a baby. I'm telling you what it is like for the birth of many infant Christians and it was certainly that way for me!
My transformation was night and day, literally and figuratively. I drowned in a river of repentance one night and rose a completely new creature. Nobody knew what hit them, neither did I!
I was insatiable. Couldn't get enough Jesus to keep me calm. Every waking moment I needed Him. I listened to sermons all day long at work. The moment I got home, I listened to more. I found Christian music to be of great comfort and I couldn't go to sleep without diving into His Book and talking to Him in prayer.
I was an infant in the truest sense of the word. I relied on everyone else.
Thankfully it didn't last too long, maybe a year, because nobody can keep that kind of pace. We're not meant to.
Scripture says --
"… For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]!..." Heb 5:12-14 AMP
Just like an infant child, I wasn't meant to stay carried around and be fed by others.
I got up and learned to feed myself with the Word's life giving Bread. I drank
in its freshness so I wouldn't thirst.
Although I still struggle in my walk sometimes, I know
now where to go to find what brings life and power and victory.
How do you feed yourself? I'd love it if you'd share with me.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
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Comfort for Misfits
My
most favorite children's movie during Christmas time is Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Reindeer. As a matter of fact, when I was a child I absolutely
believed I could see Rudolph’s shiny nose flying through the sky as I lay to
fall asleep. Who cares that we lived in an apartment and the red lights were
planes landing at Reagan National Airport. I BELIEVED in the HERO!
Oooo!
Oooo! When Build-A-Bear premiered their Rudolph, I was first in line to get
one! Yes. Did I mention my FAVORITE?
Tonight
as I “reluctantly” watched the movie
again to gain inspiration for this week’s devotional, one scene jumped out at
me immediately.
Rudolph
had run away and began questioning “why am I such a misfit?” when he bumped
into Hermey the wanna-be dentist elf. Hermey asks Rudolph if he wants to be independent
together. Rudolph inquires, “You wouldn’t mind my, … red nose?” “As long as you
don’t mind me being a dentist”, Hermey replies.
Did
you catch that?! Perhaps I had known as a child how important it is to have a
friend with you when you are feeling like a failure, how priceless comfort is
when you are hurting. I may not have recognized it 30 plus years ago, but I
certainly do today.
Scripture
says God comforts us so we too can be a comfort to others. I especially like
the Message version:
“He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.” 2Cor1:4
Often times we can feel like misfits because of the
consequence of sin and there is no way God could ever use us. Why would He want
to? Who would ever love and accept us? But that is a lie.
Papa God is the ONLY one who can bring beauty out of ashes.
He is the ONLY one who sees our worth before we are able. He will send those to
encourage us and help us find our purpose.
My daughter cuddles Rudolph tonight as he comforts her sleep.
What a perfectly peaceful reminder of passing on what God has gifted.
Tuesday, December 03, 2013
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Processing Grace
When I think of the word "graceful" my mind is filled with images of dancers. They flitter and float across a room as if no effort were required.
But if you are a dancer - you know the cost of appearing graceful. A ballet dancer's body can testify to the strain and fatigue of muscles and energy that result not only from a graceful performance, but the hours and hours of rehearsal that led to such a demonstration.
I find in my life, that although God makes grace seem simple, comprehending it and accepting it in the day to day can likewise be a spiritually athletic feat.
He gives grace to us freely. His grace saved us and set us free and in Acts 20:32, it is the message of grace that builds us up, and sets us in place to receive all that God has for us.
"Now I’m turning you over to God, our marvelous God whose gracious Word can make you into what he wants you to be and give you everything you could possibly need in this community of holy friends."
I love grace. I suppose I just wished that I would allow my life to be more grace-full.
I tend to be pretty hard on myself when things don't go as planned. I could identify with Anitra's post on perfectionism this week, for sure!
Learning to receive God's grace is a daily reminder for me. I have to remember that God understands I am in process - his expectation of me is not perfection - otherwise grace would be of no use. It covers me as I learn and grow, reminding me that nothing can separate me from the love of Christ. And the same goes for you. His grace is sufficient for each day- especially the days we feel we don't have it all together.
Let us trust His choreography. Let our weaknesses reveal His grace and bring us strength.
Father, I pray for each of us today that you would teach us how to walk more fully in your grace. That it would not be another Christian word we toss around, but you would teach us how to embrace the fullness of this precious gift, and reveal your love for others by releasing grace to them.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
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The Circular Loop of Grace
And on and on and on and on it goes,
It overwhelms and satisfies my soul,
And I never ever have to be afraid,
One thing remains . . . Your love . . .
Loop.
Technically this song is about God's love.
Only, when I am needing to be reminded of God's favor upon me - undeserved and completely free - this song pops in my head. For just as His love is in a continual loop, so is His grace.
I have to return to LOOP 101: Grace. Often. Oh, how quickly I forget.
I am reminded that at times, God will be the only thing to which I can cling - and, regardless of the circumstance, even if I am in the wrong, He will welcome my clinging. He will welcome me back.
Grace in times of trouble.
Grace in times of abundance.
Grace in clarity.
Grace in fog.
Grace when right.
Grace when wrong.
I usually get really nauseous in loops, but not this one. Around and around I go.
Thank you, Lord.
Joline Atkins is your server today! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
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Regularly Amazed
This week, your DFF servers invite you to share in this amazement as we share stories of His grace. My prayer is that you will see His grace in new ways and experience that grace in deeper ways than you ever have before.
My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness--2 Corinthians 12:9
Anitra Elmore is your server today! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
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Dance Party Lesson One: Liturgical Dance
Noah broke out into his first freelancing faith moves during worship one Sunday morning. I guess I should not be surprised that my first lesson from the dance floor of faith began with liturgy. Liturgy is, in many of its elements, simply a call and response. Someone guides and another follows. It’s a dance.
While I have worshipped in many various settings and styles over my lifetime, liturgical worship is very near and dear to my heart. I grew up with it. My grandfather was always quick to remind me that I am a “seventh-generation, German Lutheran”. I can remember participating in the Lord’s Prayer, a confession of faith, responsive readings, and weekly communion all before I could even see over the wooden pew in front of me. And because I have these strong memories, I have been looking forward to sharing them with my son. As a parent of a 3-year-old, I’m also grateful for lessons that come in two-minute settings, as portions of liturgy often do.
So, one morning, we were saying the prayers of the people (you know, praying for our leaders, our neighbors, soldiers abroad, folks with illness, people without work, and so on). And after each set of prayer, the congregation would respond “Your mercy is great.” Simple, straight-forward, and easy for a shorty to remember and repeat. As I do every Sunday, I crouched down next to Noah, and whispered to him in toddler-ese what each prayer segment was about and that we were going to say together that God’s “mercy was great” after each prayer. Here’s how my dance lesson went down:
Me: Noah, repeat after me, “Your mercy is great.”
Noah: Your mercy is grace.
Flanking Noah on his other side was my mom. She heard it too. I could tell because we were both beginning to tear up. You better believe I didn’t correct my little man. What was there to correct? In fact, my mom, Noah and I now say “Your mercy is grace” together every Sunday.
I love a dance move that takes your breath away, don’t you?
Sunday, September 04, 2011
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