“One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side of the lake.’ So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we’re going to drown!’ He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.”
Luke 8:22-24
One evening as my 50th birthday approached my husband asked “You’re not going to freak out over turning 50 are you?” My response to his questions was “Aside from wanting to take an extended vacation to Australia I wasn’t expecting to freak out about it.” Personally, I’m not really the type to freak out over the stuff of life. The same cannot be said for the guys on the boat with Jesus though.
The guys on the boat had been with Jesus for a while now; they had seen Him do some amazing things. They had even participated in some amazing things and they supposedly knew who He was. Despite all they had already witnessed and the fact that Jesus was sleeping soundly in the boat, they still freaked out over the waves caused by the storm.
I guess I could maybe understand Matthew freaking out - he was a tax collector after all and probably not used to being on the water, but what about the guys who fished for a living? They made a living on the water, one of them probably owned the boat they were on so, why were they in a panic?
Jesus calmed the storm with a word of rebuke and asked his friends about the state of their faith? It doesn’t look like He lectured them about trusting in Him or finding peace in their faith. That’s the great thing about Jesus He appreciates the honest cries of hearts. We can freak out if we must and we can just say His name. When we do He’ll either calm the storm or He’ll calm us and that calm will be so incredible that we will have a hard time understanding how just a minute ago we felt like we were about drown in life’s storm.
I’m not freaking out, but if you are - there is a supernatural calm on its way and that calm, that peace is something to be thankful for.
A Prayer
Father, you know that we humans can be prone to freaking out over life, even though we know you and have seen the amazing things You’ve done in the past. Thank you for hearing the cry of hearts when we freak out and for giving us peace and calm. In the name of Jesus, who can calm the storm with a word, we pray. Amen.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Monday, November 4, 2013
Giving Thanks Every Day
“We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.”
1 Thessalonians 1:2
I always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in my prayers, that revision of this week’s passage better reflects my sentiments as I reflect on the days gone by and the remaining days in this year. I have been blessed with the privilege of sending words of encouragement around the world for more years than I can remember now and in return I have been greatly encouraged myself.
Many regions of the world have some form of thanksgiving celebration, usually tied to the end of harvest time, which seems an appropriate time for that kind of celebration. But giving thanks should not be saved for that time when a nation or community sets time a side just for giving thanks, we have so much to be thankful for, we need to give thanks every day.
We live on an amazing planet that allows us to experience the majesty of creation everyday - from tropical paradises, to the power of the seas, to the majesty of the mountain and the incredible beasts that can be found around the world. Just living as part of this beautiful creation gives us plenty to be thankful for.
But there is more, we are also surrounded by friends and family who love us, pray for us, cry with us, laugh with us and encourage us when we feel like we just cannot take another step. It can be so easy to take the people in our lives for granted and so we must choose to thank them and to give thanks for them.
William Shakespeare once said, “Oh, Lord, who lends me life. Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness.” Every breath we take is a gift from the One who created us, may we also ask for hearts replete with thankfulness every day.
I will be giving thanks for each of you and for the many who will read this that I do not know, and I will be praying that the Lord I serve will supply your every need.
Make everyday a thanksgiving day.
A Prayer
Father, thank you for the incredible planet you made for us to live on. Thank you for the friends and family that surround us and walk with us through this life wherever the journey takes us. Thank you for life itself and give us hearts filled to overflowing with thankfulness every day. Thank you for supplying every need that we have and for the many blessings you bestow on us each day. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen
1 Thessalonians 1:2
I always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in my prayers, that revision of this week’s passage better reflects my sentiments as I reflect on the days gone by and the remaining days in this year. I have been blessed with the privilege of sending words of encouragement around the world for more years than I can remember now and in return I have been greatly encouraged myself.
Many regions of the world have some form of thanksgiving celebration, usually tied to the end of harvest time, which seems an appropriate time for that kind of celebration. But giving thanks should not be saved for that time when a nation or community sets time a side just for giving thanks, we have so much to be thankful for, we need to give thanks every day.
We live on an amazing planet that allows us to experience the majesty of creation everyday - from tropical paradises, to the power of the seas, to the majesty of the mountain and the incredible beasts that can be found around the world. Just living as part of this beautiful creation gives us plenty to be thankful for.
But there is more, we are also surrounded by friends and family who love us, pray for us, cry with us, laugh with us and encourage us when we feel like we just cannot take another step. It can be so easy to take the people in our lives for granted and so we must choose to thank them and to give thanks for them.
William Shakespeare once said, “Oh, Lord, who lends me life. Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness.” Every breath we take is a gift from the One who created us, may we also ask for hearts replete with thankfulness every day.
I will be giving thanks for each of you and for the many who will read this that I do not know, and I will be praying that the Lord I serve will supply your every need.
Make everyday a thanksgiving day.
A Prayer
Father, thank you for the incredible planet you made for us to live on. Thank you for the friends and family that surround us and walk with us through this life wherever the journey takes us. Thank you for life itself and give us hearts filled to overflowing with thankfulness every day. Thank you for supplying every need that we have and for the many blessings you bestow on us each day. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Just... Let HIM Hold You
“Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.”
Matthew 5:4
I know there are a number of people in my life who are mourning for different things, the loss of loved ones, failed relationships, wayward children, financial struggles and so much more. We live in a world of uncertainty, pain, doubt and hopelessness so we cannot avoid the hurt in our world and our lives.
Yet, Jesus speaking to the crowds that had followed Him promised that they would be comforted in the midst of the uncertainty, pain, hopelessness and fear. It is a promise that we can hold onto no matter what we are facing. He is waiting with His arms open - whatever the reason for the pain, for the doubt, for the fear, for the mourning He is ready to hold you and bring you the comfort you need.
What are you facing this week? No matter the cause of the pain, no matter the reason for your mourning. Fall into His loving embrace - HE is waiting.
Just… let HIM hold you.
A Prayer
Father, thank you for the promise of comfort in our times our distress. Thank you that your Son understands everything we feel because He has experienced this world. Thank you for holding us in your arms. Help us to share your comfort with those around us who are hurting. In the name of Jesus, who stands with his arms open waiting to hold us we pray - Amen.
Matthew 5:4
I know there are a number of people in my life who are mourning for different things, the loss of loved ones, failed relationships, wayward children, financial struggles and so much more. We live in a world of uncertainty, pain, doubt and hopelessness so we cannot avoid the hurt in our world and our lives.
Yet, Jesus speaking to the crowds that had followed Him promised that they would be comforted in the midst of the uncertainty, pain, hopelessness and fear. It is a promise that we can hold onto no matter what we are facing. He is waiting with His arms open - whatever the reason for the pain, for the doubt, for the fear, for the mourning He is ready to hold you and bring you the comfort you need.
What are you facing this week? No matter the cause of the pain, no matter the reason for your mourning. Fall into His loving embrace - HE is waiting.
Just… let HIM hold you.
A Prayer
Father, thank you for the promise of comfort in our times our distress. Thank you that your Son understands everything we feel because He has experienced this world. Thank you for holding us in your arms. Help us to share your comfort with those around us who are hurting. In the name of Jesus, who stands with his arms open waiting to hold us we pray - Amen.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Someone to Talk To
“When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Will you give me a drink?’”
John 4:7
In my opinion a morning spent at the local café talking and sharing life with my girl friends is a well spent morning. The same can be said of a quiet Saturday talk with my husband or a phone call with one of my daughters. What a blessing to have people in our lives that we can talk to.
For many who follow Jesus, the story of the woman at the well is familiar story of life transforming truth at work. As I read her story again the woman’s life situation stood out. See she had come to fetch some water at a time when she knew no one else would be there. It is probably safe to say that she wasn’t invited to chat with the “respectable” women in town. She comes to the well expecting to be alone and is surprised to find a Hebrew man sitting there and he talked to her. The Scriptures provide us with the important bits of the exchange, but I suspect there was much more to the conversation. How long had it been since this woman had, had someone to talk to? Did she and Jesus talk for an hour or more? Jesus always takes the time to talk, especially to those no one else wants to talk to.
Earlier in John’s Gospel another conversation is shared. This time Nicodemus, a religious leader finds Jesus late at night (John 3). Nicodemus has questions; he needs someone to talk to because the other leaders would not understand. Jesus made time to talk and to listen to a lot of people - tax collectors, widows, his friends and his enemies. Jesus spoke life giving words into each person, but I can’t help but think that the time he was willing to spend was just as powerful.
We will all face times when we feel like we need someone to talk to and some of those times we may not have access to the people we need or want to talk to. In those times there is always someone willing to stop everything and spend whatever time we need - his name is Jesus.
We all need someone to talk to.
A Prayer
Father, thank you for listening, thank you that you Son listens, thank you that your Spirit listens. Thank you we can always have someone to talk to in Jesus. Help us to know when we need to be that person someone can talk to. May our time and our words bring life giving change and hope. In the name of Jesus, who is always someone we can talk to - Amen.
John 4:7
In my opinion a morning spent at the local café talking and sharing life with my girl friends is a well spent morning. The same can be said of a quiet Saturday talk with my husband or a phone call with one of my daughters. What a blessing to have people in our lives that we can talk to.
For many who follow Jesus, the story of the woman at the well is familiar story of life transforming truth at work. As I read her story again the woman’s life situation stood out. See she had come to fetch some water at a time when she knew no one else would be there. It is probably safe to say that she wasn’t invited to chat with the “respectable” women in town. She comes to the well expecting to be alone and is surprised to find a Hebrew man sitting there and he talked to her. The Scriptures provide us with the important bits of the exchange, but I suspect there was much more to the conversation. How long had it been since this woman had, had someone to talk to? Did she and Jesus talk for an hour or more? Jesus always takes the time to talk, especially to those no one else wants to talk to.
Earlier in John’s Gospel another conversation is shared. This time Nicodemus, a religious leader finds Jesus late at night (John 3). Nicodemus has questions; he needs someone to talk to because the other leaders would not understand. Jesus made time to talk and to listen to a lot of people - tax collectors, widows, his friends and his enemies. Jesus spoke life giving words into each person, but I can’t help but think that the time he was willing to spend was just as powerful.
We will all face times when we feel like we need someone to talk to and some of those times we may not have access to the people we need or want to talk to. In those times there is always someone willing to stop everything and spend whatever time we need - his name is Jesus.
We all need someone to talk to.
A Prayer
Father, thank you for listening, thank you that you Son listens, thank you that your Spirit listens. Thank you we can always have someone to talk to in Jesus. Help us to know when we need to be that person someone can talk to. May our time and our words bring life giving change and hope. In the name of Jesus, who is always someone we can talk to - Amen.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Help Me Find It
“You make know to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Psalm 16:11
In eight and a half weeks I will complete a journey I started on more than six years ago. When I started the journey I had no real idea where it would take me. For a short time I thought I had a clear picture of the destination. Now as I near the end, I am completely clueless and I am not going to be able to figure it out myself. What about you - how is your journey going?
This feeling of cluelessness if probably why I spent twenty minutes crying as I sang along with a song by a group called the Sidewalk Prophets. The song is called “Help Me Find It” The opening lines say: “I don’t know where to go from here. It all used to seem so clear. I’m finding I can’t do this on my own.” I can relate to the sentiment of these words. Have you felt that way? Are you feeling that way now? The song is a prayer, a heart cry for God’s will to be done whether it means being still or knowing which road to take when the road comes to a fork.
It is also a song that acknowledges God’s faithfulness and grace in the midst of our fear and doubt. The Psalm that this week’s passage comes from is also a song that acknowledges God’s incredible care and faithfulness.
The winds of change are blowing for a lot of people, if you are feeling clueless like me join me at the throne of God - bring your doubts and fears with you. By the time we are done we will be praising God and walking away with the faith and grace we need, to find the way He is leading us in. He is leading us on a path to an amazing life.
I know I need Him to help me find the next step - what about you?
A Prayer
Father, sometimes life takes more twists and turns than a good mystery novel but you know that path you want each of us to take. It is a path of faith and grace, a path that sometimes we can’t or won’t see. For those times when we feel clueless and lost, thank you for your direction and care. We can always count on you to lead us to life, thank you. In the name of Jesus, we pray - Amen.
Psalm 16:11
In eight and a half weeks I will complete a journey I started on more than six years ago. When I started the journey I had no real idea where it would take me. For a short time I thought I had a clear picture of the destination. Now as I near the end, I am completely clueless and I am not going to be able to figure it out myself. What about you - how is your journey going?
This feeling of cluelessness if probably why I spent twenty minutes crying as I sang along with a song by a group called the Sidewalk Prophets. The song is called “Help Me Find It” The opening lines say: “I don’t know where to go from here. It all used to seem so clear. I’m finding I can’t do this on my own.” I can relate to the sentiment of these words. Have you felt that way? Are you feeling that way now? The song is a prayer, a heart cry for God’s will to be done whether it means being still or knowing which road to take when the road comes to a fork.
It is also a song that acknowledges God’s faithfulness and grace in the midst of our fear and doubt. The Psalm that this week’s passage comes from is also a song that acknowledges God’s incredible care and faithfulness.
The winds of change are blowing for a lot of people, if you are feeling clueless like me join me at the throne of God - bring your doubts and fears with you. By the time we are done we will be praising God and walking away with the faith and grace we need, to find the way He is leading us in. He is leading us on a path to an amazing life.
I know I need Him to help me find the next step - what about you?
A Prayer
Father, sometimes life takes more twists and turns than a good mystery novel but you know that path you want each of us to take. It is a path of faith and grace, a path that sometimes we can’t or won’t see. For those times when we feel clueless and lost, thank you for your direction and care. We can always count on you to lead us to life, thank you. In the name of Jesus, we pray - Amen.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Pray For Wind
“He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.”
Psalm 104:4
Where I live the presence of wind is an everyday kind of thing. In the summer it makes triple digits a bit more tolerable. In the fall it shakes the leaves from the trees and brings rain. In the winter, the wind just makes the miserable weather more miserable, but in the spring it can help hold the dense fog at bay. Wind is a mysterious weather phenomenon that can be as gentle as a whisper or violent enough to cause massive destruction. No matter its strength it almost always brings change with it.
Have the winds of change been blowing in your life? Maybe you need to have a new wind to blow through your life. Perhaps there has been no wind at all in your life. Change is hard, as humans we do not really care for change, but a lack of change or forward motion is even worse. Being in what sailors call the doldrums is no fun. The doldrums are found near the equator and can trap sailboats for days or weeks at a time, no wind means no movement. We can get stuck in the doldrums of life too - a state of inactivity that can bring about mild depression, listlessness or the feeling of stagnation. So how do we deal with the winds of change or lack thereof? We pray.
Today’s passage tells us that the Lord uses the wind as His messengers and fire as His servants. In the book of Acts the Holy Spirit arrives in the upper room sounding like a mighty wind and flames appeared above all who were present. What had those followers of Jesus been doing? They had been praying and waiting for their next instruction, waiting to know the next part of the Lord’s will to be made clear.
Once they had the answers, they acted obediently and courageously to do all they had been asked to do. The changes they experienced were huge and not at all without risk, but they also had peace.
If you are in the midst of a windstorm of change - HE is there with you, praise Him, continue to seek His will and He will provide. If you are in the doldrums - pray and ask for the winds of change to start blowing, but be prepared to set sail when they do, He will chart your course, it may not be safe but He will be with you.
No matters what you are facing…pray for wind.
A Prayer
Father, you use everything around us to communicate who you are and to let us know that you are near. Thank you for understanding that even though we do not like change, we need it to become the people you want us to be. Help us to pray for your wind to guide us. In the name of Jesus, who commands the wind, we pray - Amen.
Psalm 104:4
Where I live the presence of wind is an everyday kind of thing. In the summer it makes triple digits a bit more tolerable. In the fall it shakes the leaves from the trees and brings rain. In the winter, the wind just makes the miserable weather more miserable, but in the spring it can help hold the dense fog at bay. Wind is a mysterious weather phenomenon that can be as gentle as a whisper or violent enough to cause massive destruction. No matter its strength it almost always brings change with it.
Have the winds of change been blowing in your life? Maybe you need to have a new wind to blow through your life. Perhaps there has been no wind at all in your life. Change is hard, as humans we do not really care for change, but a lack of change or forward motion is even worse. Being in what sailors call the doldrums is no fun. The doldrums are found near the equator and can trap sailboats for days or weeks at a time, no wind means no movement. We can get stuck in the doldrums of life too - a state of inactivity that can bring about mild depression, listlessness or the feeling of stagnation. So how do we deal with the winds of change or lack thereof? We pray.
Today’s passage tells us that the Lord uses the wind as His messengers and fire as His servants. In the book of Acts the Holy Spirit arrives in the upper room sounding like a mighty wind and flames appeared above all who were present. What had those followers of Jesus been doing? They had been praying and waiting for their next instruction, waiting to know the next part of the Lord’s will to be made clear.
Once they had the answers, they acted obediently and courageously to do all they had been asked to do. The changes they experienced were huge and not at all without risk, but they also had peace.
If you are in the midst of a windstorm of change - HE is there with you, praise Him, continue to seek His will and He will provide. If you are in the doldrums - pray and ask for the winds of change to start blowing, but be prepared to set sail when they do, He will chart your course, it may not be safe but He will be with you.
No matters what you are facing…pray for wind.
A Prayer
Father, you use everything around us to communicate who you are and to let us know that you are near. Thank you for understanding that even though we do not like change, we need it to become the people you want us to be. Help us to pray for your wind to guide us. In the name of Jesus, who commands the wind, we pray - Amen.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Checking the Foundation
“As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck the house but could not shake it, because it was well built.”
Luke 6:47-48
My husband and I live in an older home and for quite some time we have suspected there might be problems with the foundation. A recent observation has pretty well confirmed that thought. This got me thinking about the foundation of life, the foundation of my life and of your life.
We all must build our life on some kind of foundation; some will be stronger than others. Jesus is the foundation of my life; in fact He is the cornerstone and capstone of my life too - He holds it altogether. Now I will be the first to say that living a life built on the solid rock of Christ is not easy and the repeated earthquakes and storms of life can cause some damage to that foundation. But unlike the foundation of my home the foundation of my life comes with an eternal warranty.
Whenever I start to notice cracks or some crumbling at the edges all I need to do is call on the One who laid it and who holds it together. He shows up, reminds me of the warranty and sets to work patching and reinforcing the foundation of my life so I can keep living out the plan He has for my life.
How is the foundation of your life? Have you built it on something less than eternal? Is it starting to crack and crumble under the repeated stress of life’s earthquakes and storms? It is never too late to have a new life foundation laid, one with an eternal warranty that cannot be shaken. Maybe your foundation just needs some work because it has been taking a beating by the storms of life, if so just call on Jesus. He laid it and He will ensure that it stays strong and when it is time He will lay an even better one.
You can never be too careful… take time to check the foundation.
A Prayer
Father, thank you for giving us life foundations with eternal warranties. Help us to call on the name of Your Son Jesus whenever we think there is a problem, so that He can keep us standing strong in the midst of life’s earthquakes and storms. In the name of Jesus, who laid our foundations and guarantees their stability, we pray - Amen.
Luke 6:47-48
My husband and I live in an older home and for quite some time we have suspected there might be problems with the foundation. A recent observation has pretty well confirmed that thought. This got me thinking about the foundation of life, the foundation of my life and of your life.
We all must build our life on some kind of foundation; some will be stronger than others. Jesus is the foundation of my life; in fact He is the cornerstone and capstone of my life too - He holds it altogether. Now I will be the first to say that living a life built on the solid rock of Christ is not easy and the repeated earthquakes and storms of life can cause some damage to that foundation. But unlike the foundation of my home the foundation of my life comes with an eternal warranty.
Whenever I start to notice cracks or some crumbling at the edges all I need to do is call on the One who laid it and who holds it together. He shows up, reminds me of the warranty and sets to work patching and reinforcing the foundation of my life so I can keep living out the plan He has for my life.
How is the foundation of your life? Have you built it on something less than eternal? Is it starting to crack and crumble under the repeated stress of life’s earthquakes and storms? It is never too late to have a new life foundation laid, one with an eternal warranty that cannot be shaken. Maybe your foundation just needs some work because it has been taking a beating by the storms of life, if so just call on Jesus. He laid it and He will ensure that it stays strong and when it is time He will lay an even better one.
You can never be too careful… take time to check the foundation.
A Prayer
Father, thank you for giving us life foundations with eternal warranties. Help us to call on the name of Your Son Jesus whenever we think there is a problem, so that He can keep us standing strong in the midst of life’s earthquakes and storms. In the name of Jesus, who laid our foundations and guarantees their stability, we pray - Amen.
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