Home for the Holidays

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Home for the Holidays

There’s no place like home

For the holidays

Especially when we’re scattered

All over the place

So my prayer for us all

This time each year

Is to treasure home

As we all draw near

Near to the Savior

Who drew near to you and me

And near to family and friends

Regardless of proximity

Home is far more

Than a mere dwelling place

It’s where the heart is

a treasured, sacred space

So let’s treasure home

Both near and far

And make our home

Right where we are

By loving God

Who loved us first

And loving others

Even at their worst

This is the Gospel

The greatest gift, the best news

It keeps us home

Keeps us grounded and true

And since it is better

To give than to receive

Let’s give others the gift of home

By living what we believe

And we’ll experience home

Like never before

This Christmas and beyond

Simply by loving even more

There’s no place like home

For the holidays

So make Christ your home

Now and always

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Advent Through the Lens of Motherhood

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Advent Through the Lens of Motherhood

This past Sunday, on the first day of Advent, my pastor said, “Advent is as simple as ABC. It means Arrival, Beginning and Coming.” That little acronym got me thinking about Advent through the lens of motherhood and how arrivals, firsts and future, are all a part of God’s plan for us.

Now I am not comparing my children or yours to Jesus, nor am I comparing myself or you to Mary, but as I ponder the meaning of Advent mixed with the emotions of motherhood, some similarities definitely jump out at me.

We wait for the arrival of the children we carry in our womb, and then we wait for their arrival into adulthood.

We anticipate their firsts — first smile, first steps, first word, and the firsts become lasts and we anticipate those, too — last day of school, last game, last dance, and there’s no going back for a second chance.

The anticipation of what is to come is often met with mixed emotions, and the mixed emotions are met with the decision to trust God with the plan and purpose He has for our children or doubt His faithfulness and fear the worse.

Like Mary, we have a choice. Will we trust the Father’s plan? Will we partner with Him by praying for them? Or will follow fear which leads us to worry and doubt?

“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19, ESV)

Like Mary, let’s treasure the arrivals, beginning and coming, and the uncertainty they carry, by pondering them in our heart, and surrendering them to God.

Instead of allowing the uncertainty to cause anxiety, let’s rest is the safe and sacred space of God’s grace. He loves our children far more than we can fathom, and His plan will prevail in the beauty of His sovereignty.

Praise God for that first Christmas when He brought hope to the world in the gift of a baby boy.

Praise God that thirty-three years later that child, who became an adult, took His final breath so we could be born again.

Jesus, through His arrival, beginning and coming, infuses purpose into the first, future, and final moments of motherhood as we guide our kids from childhood to adulthood.

It may be as simple as ABC, but it’s as profound as anything could ever be!

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Missing Peace Can Be Puzzling Indeed

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Missing Peace Can Be Puzzling Indeed

We can try to muster it up or manufacture it, but peace can’t be produced by physical means.

Peace is a person we pursue, not a posture we assume.

Peace is found in presence of God, not in the absence of trouble. (John 16:33)

Peace is made perfect in the person of Christ, and apart from Him, true peace will always be the missing piece.

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” (Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬, NIV)

“For He Himself is our peace,” (Ephesians 2:14a)

“Oh, what peace we often forfeit” is a line from an old hymn, “What a Friend we have in Jesus” — a line that is far more than a song lyric, it’s a lifeline that literally has the power to lift our spirit.

We forfeit peace when we forget the source of peace. Peace cannot be found where human efforts abound. Jesus is the true source of peace, and the peace He gives is perfect and complete.

We live in a puzzling world, constantly searching for that missing “peace.”

But just like that missing piece makes a puzzle complete, God’s perfect peace makes us complete.

I have been praying for mental clarity and emotional stability quite a bit lately. My mind and heart have been all over the place, just trying to keep the pace in this daily rat race, and it can be exhausting!

But what I’m finding in my search for peace is this:

Peace is not found in a completed to do list, an aesthetically pleasing home, or a picture perfect day.

Three translations of this one verse reminded me that peace is possible when I pursue the source of peace.

“When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.” (Psalm‬ ‭94‬:‭19‬, ‭ESV‬‬)

“When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.” (Psalms‬ ‭94‬:‭19‬, ‭NLT‬‬)

“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.” (Psalms‬ ‭94‬:‭19‬, ‭NIV‬‬)

Cares, doubts, and anxiety will forever plague me this side of Eternity. They are “great within me” and they are “many,” and they will continually rob me of joy and hope if I allow them to dictate my disposition instead of standing firm in my position (in Christ).

He is the missing peace.

In Him our peace is indeed complete.

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Call to Him. Come to Him. He came to you. He called you, too.

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Call to Him. Come to Him. He came to you. He called you, too.

Call to Him.

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭33:3‬, ESV)

This was the word of the Lord that came to the prophet Jeremiah while he was in prison. It was an encouragement to continually seek the Lord, cry out to Him, call out in hopes that He will answer and reveal truth, knowing He is the only real source of truth.

Come to Him.

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John‬ ‭14:6‬, ESV)

From the words of Jeremiah the prophet to the words of Jesus our promised Savior, we are encouraged to call to Him and to come to Him. There is no other way to truth and life.

He came to you.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John‬ ‭10‬:‭10,‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Jesus’ words in the Gospel of John remind us that our enemy is trying to take life from us every single day. Satan has one goal — destruction. However, the sole reason God came to us through Jesus was that we might have life and have it abundantly. He came to give life.

He called you, too.

“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.’” (Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭1‬, ESV‬‬)

Just as the Lord called His people in the Old Testament, His calls His children today — those He has adopted and redeemed in His family, through His son, Jesus.

God loves you. He has a plan and purpose for you. You are not a mistake. You are a miracle. His great love for you is what gives your life great value. Stop chasing dreams and lesser things that may temporarily pacify, but never truly satisfy your deepest longing.

God lavishly loves you, and He wants to lavish His love on you. His plan and purpose is so much bigger than anything this world can offer.

Ask Him the hard questions. Seek Him with your whole heart. Look to Him and His Word and His truth to satisfy, sanctify, and defeat the lies that keep you from being all that He created you to be.

@tabdeller

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Lord, Teach Us to Pray

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Lord, Teach Us to Pray

“Lord, teach us to pray…”

Wise words in the cry heard by Jesus from one unnamed disciple in the following verse.

“Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’” (Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬, ESV‬‬)

The plea was “teach us to pray,” not teach us to influence, or teach us to grow a business or brand, or teach us to market or network, or even teach us to preach or teach or speak.

Sure, we can do all those things, and we can do them all for God, but what resonated with me as I read this familiar verse is that the cry of this disciple’s heart was…

“Lord, teach us to pray…”

Plain and simple, yet powerfully profound. He displayed wisdom beyond his years by simply wanting to bend Jesus’ ear to hear the burdens of his heart.

Prayer is talking to Jesus, and yet this disciple knew, just as Jesus modeled the way to do many things, He also modeled prayer by the way He prayed to the Father.

And in the next three verses that follow, Jesus answers him this way…

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Return to Me

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Return to Me

“Return to Me.”

God spoke these words throughout the Old Testament to His people when they strayed, and He still speaks them, through His Holy Spirit, to His people falling away today.

Turning or returning to the Lord has always been the cry of the Father’s heart for His children because He alone knows what is best for us.

He made us.

He made us for relationship with Him.

Our sin severed it.

His Son mended it.

He made a way to return to Him.

He saved us.

Without Him, we are nothing, we have nothing, and we can do nothing (of any value, worth, or eternal significance), but in Him…

“we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28)

“are glorious riches” (Ephesians 1:18)

“all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26)

It’s a chide we’ve heard throughout time.

“Return to Me.”

And it’s time, once again, to turn to Him, turn away from sin, return to Him, because His great love is more than enough to cover it all, carry it all, and take care of it all.

He loves us so much. Always has. Always will. His love knows no end, which is why He asks us again and again to return to Him.

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” (Jeremiah 31:3, ESV)

“That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts...” (Joel 2:12 , NLT)

“‘O Israel,’ says the Lord, “if you wanted to return to me, you could. You could throw away your detestable idols and stray away no more.” (Jeremiah 4:1, NLT)

“I will give them hearts that recognize me as the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly.” (Jeremiah 24:7, NLT)

“Therefore, say to the people, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.’” (Zechariah 1:3, NLT)

“Return to Me.”

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Heavenly Hoarder

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Heavenly Hoarder

All this packing and purging recently has me thinking about Kingdom things. Where should we be “storing up” our treasures? Here on earth or there in Heaven?

Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, answers this question for us…

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Matthew 6:19-21, NLT)

And then Paul urges Timothy to act and teach others to act similarly, concluding his charge in 1 Timothy, much like Jesus did in Matthew, with the reason why…

“Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.” (1 Timothy 6:17-19, NLT)

Storing up treasures in a worldly economy will not only one day end, but will continue to disappoint and fall short of true joy and fulfillment because storing up treasures on earth is unreliable, unwise, an unproductive in light of Eternity.

Storing up treasures in a heavenly economy will last forever, and will always please and supersede any earthly goal or dream because storing up treasures in Heaven is building on the best foundation for a blessed future and joy that goes beyond anything this world can offer.

So, if you’re anything like me, and hold on to earthly things a little too tightly, let’s get our priorities in order, and become a Heavenly hoarder!

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A Call to Prayer for the Mama Bear

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A Call to Prayer for the Mama Bear

A Call to Prayer for the Mama Bear…

A mama’s work is never done, and although the specific tasks and responsibilities may change, the ultimate goal stays the same.

Protect, provide, prepare.

From toddler to teen, and every stage in between, from the moment we bring them home to the moments they are making homes of their own, we raise them to release them, in the safety of our den, before they encounter the wilderness of this wild world we live in.

While they have been given to us by God, they are ultimately His, and our goal is to steer them back to Him again and again, our role is to guide them as He promises to walk beside them.

But the older I get, the more I realize, my words to Him are more powerful than my words to them…

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A Holy Dichotomy

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A Holy Dichotomy

A Holy Dichotomy?

2/14/24 = Ash Wednesday + Valentine’s Day

Juxtaposition or placing our heart in just the right position?

Two apparently different observances falling on the same day, but more apparent is what they both have to say about the only true love we will ever know — the love of God the Father through Jesus Christ His Son.

And oh how this world desperately needs this love…

The holiest of juxtapositions for sure. The Bible is full of seemingly contradictory concepts, and yet, when we take time to “ponder anew what the Almighty can do,” the dichotomies we see just communicate His great love a little more clearly.

God’s GREAT love for us is just that — it is the GREATest of the loves that we will ever know.

It is a love that cannot be fully realized until we truly realize our GREAT need for this GREAT love.

In my opinion, the dichotomy surrounding love and lent is even more beautiful when the two are blended together.

Strength made perfect and weakness.

Fullness felt only after emptiness is indwelt.

The bondage of sin leading to freedom in Him.

Apparently, you can’t spell vaLENTine without LENT.

True love is experienced only in a relationship with Truth and Love Himself.

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬, ‭NLT‬‬)

“God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” (1 John 4:16, NLT)

{And as I just looked up these two verses, the similarities jumped out at me — John and 1 John, 14:6 and 4:16 — transposed numbers highlighting these holy juxtapositions}

Ash Wednesday reminding us as God reminded Adam: “for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭19‬b, ‭ESV‬‬)

We are but dust. Our Creator formed us, and He alone can fill us. And when we go straight to the source to receive love, forgiveness, acceptance, grace, mercy, and truth, those are the things we can then give to others.

Valentine’s Day reminding us that Saint Valentine gave his life trying to keep love alive by marrying soldiers in secret since a Roman decree forbade it.

To love others well, we must dwell in Love.

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” (John‬ ‭15‬:‭5‬, ‭NLT‬‬)

“Man approaches God most nearly when he is in one sense least like God. For what can be more unlike than fullness and need, sovereignty and humility, righteousness and penitence, limitless power and a cry for help?” (C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves)

A Holy Dichotomy for sure.

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Idols Must Fall

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Idols Must Fall

Idols must fall.

Celebrities intrigue us, don’t they? We entertain ourselves by checking in on the latest tea, while checking out from our own reality.

We put people on pedestals, idolizing what they say, what they wear, what they do, and what they share, and yet, while we continually lift them up, they inevitably let us down. It’s a game we play, watching their life, while neglecting our own.

But the idols must fall, before they suck the life out of us all.

“You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus‬ ‭20‬:‭3‬, ‭ESV‬‬)

When our eyes are on others and not on Him, our perspective is skewed, our objective misconstrued, and quite honestly, we get a little confused.

When our gazed is fixed on lesser things that merely entertain us, we miss the greater, life giving things that can actually sustain us.

The enemy deals out distractions by way of idol worship on a daily basis, and instead of having the discernment to overcome it, we find ourselves discontent because fantasy is not reality, and celebrity status doesn’t transfer to eternity.

Yes, the idols must fall, because only God deserves our awe.

“Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.” (1 John‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬, NLT‬‬)

So, that thing you’ve given too much space (in your day, in your head, and in your heart), it’s time to put it in its proper place.

Knock it down before it lets you down.

Let it fall and let Christ be your all in all.

Idols must fall.

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Daily Seek His Face for the Grace Needed in this Online Space

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Daily Seek His Face for the Grace Needed in this Online Space

Playing the social media game is not my thing, and yet, ironically, here I am, posting this for you, because maybe you’re feeling the tension, too.

I’m wired for real life, face to face conversations. I want to connect with others heart to heart. I’d rather talk, listen, respond, and react in real time, not in the comments section, not with an emoji, not scripted or edited.

Anyway, that’s been my hesitation in this space these days. I’m a pretty social person, so social media should be pretty easy, right?

Well, not for me. Reels are fun to make and encouragement is easy to give, but real life isn’t always fun and the encouragement I give isn’t always consistent with the life I live.

Somedays I feel like posting. Other days I feel like I should post, but really have nothing to say. And then there are days I just feel done, tapped out, and ready to log off.

But more than posting daily on social media, I want to daily stand at my post and wait on the Lord. I want to hear from Him first so I can interact with others best.

More than engaging with others online behind a screen, I want to engage with the King of kings through the pages of His Word as I approach His throne of grace and glean His perfect wisdom and truth.

Wisdom that will guide, supplement, and grant me daily doses of encouragement that are applicable for real life with real people that will produce real change, growth, and maturity.

Truth that sets me free to daily pursue all that He wants me to do. Truth that compels me to seek and trust the very source of life before going to other resources that often leave me dry.

So, while I’m showing up in this space today, this is your (and my) reminder that as we seek His face, He shows up for us with grace every day — grace greater than all our sin, grace that gives us access to all wisdom and truth made perfect in Him, grace for not only this space, but all the others we’ll face today, and every day forward.

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Hope in the Hard

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Hope in the Hard

There’s hope in the hard

Good things to pursue

So hold on to hope

When the hard has a hold on you

Life has a way

Of being brutally unkind

Stealing your joy

Clouding your mind

But a life in Christ

Can know of the hope He brings

And hold on to that hope

In the midst of all the hard things

So remind yourself today

And in the days ahead

Hope is not lost

Joy and peace are not dead

They are alive and active

Because He is faithful and true

So hold on to hope

When the hard has a hold on you

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (‭‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬, ESV‬‬)

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭23,‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

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The Come and Go of the Gospel

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The Come and Go of the Gospel

The come and go of the Gospel.

Christmas & Easter.

Two holidays we celebrate to commemorate two holy days of the Christian faith.

The bookends of the Gospel holding together the come and go of the Gospel.

We’re four weeks away from the start of Advent and seven away from Christmas Day.

Seven weeks and two days later, we’ll start Lent on Ash Wednesday, conclude forty days later on Maundy Thursday, and remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus on the three days that follow.

The come and go of the Gospel.

He came to bring life, light, love, and to leave a legacy. He came here to draw us NEAR. The heartbeat of NEAR, a 28-day ADVENTure through the Gospel of Matthew (the first of the the four Gospels).

He went away so we could STAY. When we Seek Him, Turn to Him, Abide in Him and, Yearn for His Return, we learn to STAY NEAR! The heartbeat of STAY, a 40-day excelLENT journey through the Gospel of John (the last of the four Gospels).

The come and go of the Gospel.

Jesus came and He went, so we could come to Him and go tell others about Him and make disciples for Him.

Observing these holy days is NEAR and dear to my heart because I long to STAY faithful until He comes and goes again.

The come and go of the Gospel.

He is coming again. He is going to take us to the place He’s prepared for us.

This world is not our home. Eternity awaits. And the way there was made as Jesus made His way to, through, and out of this world, and will make His way back again.

The come and go of the Gospel.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John‬ ‭10‬:‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” (John‬ ‭14‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Advent 2023 starts December 3.

Lent 2024 starts February 14.

NEAR is available now. STAY will be available soon, so stay tuned…

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Hope and Peace

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Hope and Peace

Hope and peace.

Interchangeable in a way.

Interdependent on The Way.

Impossible by my way.

We can try to muster them up, but hope and peace can’t be produced by physical means. We can’t pep talk our way to peace or hold on to hope by our our strength. Peace comes from the presence of God, and hope is found in Christ alone.

We’re reminded in these lyrics from “What a Friend we have in Jesus,”

“Oh, what peace we often forfeit

Oh, what needless pain we bear

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer”

We forfeit peace when we forget the source of peace. When we carry the weight of pain and hurt, we have no grip strength left to hold on to hope.

I’m not saying we won’t suffer, but Jesus in the Gospel of John reminds us that even in the midst of hard times in a hurting world, He is our peace. He is our hope.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John‬ ‭16‬:‭33‬, ESV‬‬)

One of my favorite Christmas movies is a great illustration of what happens when we forfeit peace and defer hope.

Home Alone. The McCallisters were gone while Kevin was left home alone. As soon as his mom discovered he was missing, she went into panic mode. She frantically made her way back home to him. She switched flights, she hitchhiked, she was up all night. And the irony is that she made it home at the same time as the rest of the family, who weren’t frenzied and frantic.

I would have likely responded the same way Kevin’s mom did, but the point still remains — the destination was the same, but the journey could have been vastly different had Kevin’s mom been traveling with peace and hope instead of panic and hurry.

Hope and peace are great companions for our journey “home.” This world is not our home. It’s not our final destination. As we travel heavenward, let’s not defer hope or forfeit peace.

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You are seen. You are loved. You are not alone.

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You are seen. You are loved. You are not alone.

Three truths to cling to when you’re not sure who sees, loves, or is with you.

You are seen.

You are loved.

You are not alone.

I know. You’ve heard these before. We all have. But before you quickly dismiss them as cliché or just another popular thing to say, let me ask you this question.

Do you believe them?

A truth is true whether you believe it or not, but these truths are transformational truths that literally have the power to change you.

Because a bonus truth to these three is that the mere fact that God sees, loves, and never leaves you is the very truth that changes you and helps you believe.

We, by nature, are doubters and pouters. We fixate on the negatives, focus on the obstacles, and fail to simply cry out to God just like the desperate father did when he said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭24b,‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Maybe you know (in your head) God sees you, loves you, and will never leave you, but are you convinced (in your heart) of these truths? Will you believe they are true so much so that you allow them to change you?

I love these lyrics from the song, Changing Me by Anna Golden:

Waiting on You

Not gonna move 'til You show up

'Cause You always do

Leaning in

Leaning in to hear Your voice

I'm listening

'Cause I know You answer my calls

And I know You're with me through it all

'Cause Your voice is like water running through me

Eyes like fire, all-consuming

You're everything I'm not

You're changing me

I'm open, come and fill me

Your presence is all I'm seeking

You're everything I'm not

You're changing me

Are you waiting on Him?

Are you leaning in and listening?

If you are, He will meet you right where you are. He will answer. He will help you believe.

He sees you.

He loves you.

He will never leave you.

And believing these truths will change you.

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Armored Up. Battle Ready. When Our Head's in the Game, It Changes Everything.

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Armored Up. Battle Ready. When Our Head's in the Game, It Changes Everything.

I met with a dear friend yesterday and she challenged me in such a God ordained way. We quite literally had a conversation that covered the history of humanity, the tenets of Christianity, and why the world we live in daily tests our sanity.

And while evil is running rampant, God is still running the show. He is sovereign over all. He will have the final say. He has made a way, and He will continue to show us the way as we stay in His Word. There, he has laid it all out, from cover to cover. He tells us how to live, how to love, and how to treat one another.

As Rachel and I were journeying from Genesis to Revelation by way of conversation, we discussed hermeneutics, history, and theology. Cover to cover, we see God continually cover His people with His protection and His provision.

God’s expectations of His people, both in Bible times and for those who have been grafted into the vine, have not changed, and are in place to keep us safe.

Speaking of safety, the one thing my friend said to me that I had never really thought about (but now I can’t stop thinking about) is the way we view the Armor of God.

We’re taught that we must put it on everyday, much like a uniform at game time — suit up before we hit the field, or in this case, armor up before we hit the battlefield.

But the words Rachel spoke to me yesterday, made me view God’s safety and protection in a different way. When she hears Christians say “We have to put on the Armor of God every day,” her response is “Why do we ever take it off?”

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Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus

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Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus

I was reminded today of this hymn of old. It’s one I remember singing in church as a child. I’m sure the lyrics didn’t resonate then quite the way they do now, but for some reason, the Lord has brought it to my mind, perhaps to simply remind me and to remind you too...

When we said yes to Jesus, we said yes to

serving in His army,

fighting His battle,

representing His Kingdom,

yielding to His authority, and

heeding His commands,

alongside one another, brothers and sisters in Christ.

And yet today, I don’t know what it’s like from your point of view, but from mine, it looks like we’re fighting different battles. We are allowing the enemy’s tactics to distract and divide us. We are fighting more with each other than we are fighting together to defeat the one true enemy.

If we are truly His, then He should be leading our efforts. Our marching orders come from Him and Him alone. His Word is our one true source. We are trained by it and should be taking a stand against everything that stands against it.

So, I’d love to charge you and challenge with the lyrics of this old hymn, too. George Duffield may have penned them in 1858, but they’re ringing loud and clear in my heart today — resonating in a much deeper way.

This is a battle cry that should always be our heart’s cry…

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His Grace is Sufficient when our Strength is Deficient

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His Grace is Sufficient when our Strength is Deficient

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12‬:‭9,‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Oh, I know the verse. I’m sure you do, too, but it’s not enough to be aware of truth. We have to be fully convinced of it if we are going to truly rest in it, stand up on it, and find our strength in it.

We are not enough, and we never will be. We will be never be smart enough, strong enough, or savvy enough to overcome our weakness.

But in the areas we lack, He promises to pick up the slack.

There’s not a program we can purchase, a supplement we can take, or a list we can make that can provide fool proof results in overcoming weakness.

I’m not saying these things can’t help us, but true strength and power is not found in being helped by the world’s ways, but in being held by His amazing grace.

So, we can stay in the vicious cycle of striving for more, or we can stay in the victorious place of grace, being helped and held by Him, knowing Jesus is all the “more” we will ever need.

His “more than enough” is more than enough to cover our “not enough.”

His all sufficiency and grace give us perfect peace and rest when we are weary in our weakness.

And that, my friends, is all the power we need to live victoriously.

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭21,‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

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Our Greatest Ability is our Availability

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Our Greatest Ability is our Availability

Our greatest ability is our availability.

Sure we all have unique gifts and abilities, skill sets that showcase our greatest assets, and personalities that highlight our highest potential. And they can be used for the good of others and the glory of God.

But we gotta stop falling prey to the prerequisite of perfection. Accolades and accomplishments fall short without a humble heart and a willing spirit.

So, when considering your unique gifts and abilities remember this:

Your greatest RESPONSIBILITY is your ongoing RESPONSE to your greatest ABILITY — your AVAILABILITY.

Be available when you are able.

Just show up.

No need to show off.

Just be willing.

There’s more to life than just winning.

You can’t outsmart a willing heart.

You can’t outgive one giving it all.

You can’t outdo a humble attitude.

Your greatest ability is your availability.

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Never Forget {9/11/01}

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Never Forget {9/11/01}

I remember exactly where I was twenty-two years ago today on that tragic Tuesday. As those terrorists were boarding planes, I was buckling my four-month-old firstborn into his car seat, venturing out to Bible study. I was a young mom desperate to find connection with God and with others. I had no idea what was about happen, the lives that would be lost and others that would be changed forever.

I remember the outfit Joshua had on that day. I remember the sense of urgency to get home and talk to Steve when they told us what had happened and dismissed Bible study early. I remember being glued to the TV and watching it all in utter disbelief.

Twenty-two years later, I truly believe the world we live in is continually being attacked every single day in a very different way. The terrorist of our souls, the father of lies, the enemy himself has launched a full out attack on all that is good and all that God has established and set into motion. Oh, he’s been at it since the beginning of time, but everyday his tactics manifest in different ways, more manipulative and relentless than the day before.

He will stop at nothing to see to it that we crash and burn.

And now, more than ever, we need to show up to Bible Study — not in a formal way, but in a desperate to know Him way. What does God’s Word say about all that’s going on in the world around us? You may be surprised to know it has quite a bit to say about it!

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