Tag Archives: God

Highly favored and greatly troubled

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The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”  Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.  But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary…”   Luke 1:28-30 NIV

Did you notice that when the angel told Mary she was highly favored by God and that God was with her, she was troubled?   I’m trying to imagine what Mary felt when Gabriel revealed the plan God had to involve her in His most loving, amazing, saving act for all of humankind.  Shock?  Disbelief?  Bewilderment?  Fear?  Gabriel told her not to be afraid but being human, and knowing Mary was human, I know that fear comes anyway in moments like that, in times when we’re faced with something so utterly mind-blowing we can’t comprehend it.  However she felt, she yielded to God and said to the angel, “I’m the Lord’s servant.  Let it be as you’ve said.”  Pretty mature for a young teenager! Continue reading →

Sending up a light

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SPOILER:  This post contains some info about the recently released Disney movie “Tangled.”

I’m a sucker for a happy, fairy tale movie and just about always love Disney movies, so seeing “Tangled” seemed like a win/win prospect.  It exceeded my expectations – was funny, charming, visually stunning, and sweet.  One scene in particular made me really emotional and I felt pretty silly, so I tried to figure out why it moved me so.  If you know the story of Rapunzel, you know she was stolen away from her parents, the king and queen, when she was just a little baby.  She never knew any other parent than the old woman who kidnapped her and raised her as her own daughter, all the while locked up in a high tower.  Although she told Rapunzel over and over how she loved her and how the tower was for her protection, the truth was the old woman was selfish.  She didn’t care about Rapunzel at all.  She needed Rapunzel’s magical hair to renew her youth day by day so that she never grew old.

Every year on Rapunzel’s birthday, the king and queen held a ceremony in which they would send a paper lantern up into the night sky.  The people of the kingdom followed suit, so that hundreds of paper lanterns could be seen rising up off in the distance by Rapunzel, looking out of her tower window.  She wondered what it meant, what they were. Continue reading →

God’s on a roll

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Wow.  How do I begin to blog about this weekend?  I just got home from a weekend in Indianapolis, hanging out with almost 1600 teenagers and youth leaders, hearing God’s Word, worshiping and singing, and seeing God do His amazing work in hearts.  There were so many times when God proved that what was happening could only be because of Him and it humbled me.  It blessed me.  It awed me.  I just keep saying “wow” and “thank you” over and over again. Continue reading →

Rest for the weary with a side of blessings

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I read a prayer request sent to our office from one of our Indiana pastors yesterday.  He asked us to pray for his church and as I read his words I could relate to each and every one of them:

“People haven’t been able to identify it, they just feel blah, worn down, basically “weary”.  Weary from life struggles.  Weary from busyness.  Weary from trying to do good following Christ.  Weary from doing bad (aka…sin).  Weary from trying harder. Weary from failing… Just….weary.”

I think some of this could be a spiritual struggle, as the pastor shared with us, but I believe some of it is just life.  Sometimes life makes us tired.  Enduring and persevering are never a walk in the park – it’s work!  God enables us and strengthens us, but He doesn’t necessarily make it easy and that’s for our good even though it doesn’t usually feel like it.

Before you read on, please know the only reason I’m sharing this story is so that God will be glorified for what He’s done!  I’m not seeking pity or handouts – haha – but feel I need to share specifically enough to allow you to feel the impact of how God was there for us recently.  Okay, you can keep reading now…

Continue reading →

Chasing Elvis

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My friend, Nancy, told me some great lessons God taught her while she chased her little beagle one day when he got loose.  I asked her to share it all with me so I could post it on my blog, so here are her “Elvis Epiphanies”:

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And there he goes… again!

We ran through 4 different wooded areas, each surrounded by fencing.  At one point I watched my beagle climb a fence and jump over to the other side.  Not an easy feat for any dog, but especially for a beagle who has a bad hip and has a femur in his back left leg that has been shattered by a bullet.

After an hour and 20 minute chase these are some of the things I learned while I ran and prayed…

  1. Sometimes I see God and hear Him call and I turn and run the opposite direction
  2. Sometimes I let God get close enough to touch me and then I bolt from Him
  3. I usually want to “hear/sense” that God is near ME, but I don’t always want to go where He is going.
  4. Always when I am exhausted, dirty and can’t go another step, He picks me up, cleans me off and holds me while I rest.

These things are very unsatisfying for God, as a matter of fact they suck.

When Elvis was running through the corn field I couldn’t always hear him because my movements in the corn were too loud.  I realized this is the same with me and God.  Sometimes I just need to be still, close my eyes and listen and then I can hear HIM.

At the end of the run I could hear Elvis howling Arrroooof in yet another wooded area.  I told God, I am not going in there.  I hear him, but I don’t have it in me to climb another fence. That is when I heard God say… “go in there”.  I didn’t want to, but I went and there was no fence at this wooded area.  As a matter of fact there was a wide open path without anything obstructing my way.  Then I told God, “it won’t matter he will just run away when I get there.”  God the said, “listen, he’s not moving,”.  I listened and realized the barking was remaining in a localized area.  When I got to Elvis he ran and crawled under a fence.  God gave me the strength to climb the fence and when I got over the fence Elvis just collapsed, totally exhausted from his big adventure.  I didn’t have a leash, so this meant I would have to carry the 35 pounder until I could call home for help.  At this point, I asked God just how in the world was I supposed to climb a fence and hold him at the same time.  No sooner had the words left my lips (yes, I actually said this out loud) when I took 2 steps to my right and found the fence low to the ground that I could climb over without much effort.

When I finished my run, I realized how close God had been.  I also realized it is ALWAYS when I am broken and don’t have the strength to go on it is easiest to hear God’s voice.

I learned that even when I try to control a situation I AM NOT IN CONTROL,  and forgiveness is a choice not a feeling.

Lastly, I learned I cannot do anything alone.  I need God’s help, guidance, wisdom, and strength in everything I do.

Walking in the real world

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Have you ever tried on those fun, special effect glasses that when you wear them every light looks like a star or snowflake, or words appear?  Our girls had some when they were little.  They made everything look sparkly and magical.   Have you seen a movie wearing 3D glasses?  It seems every other movie that comes out is in 3D now.  John and I saw Avatar in 3D and it really did make it more lifelike and beautiful.  If you take the 3D glasses off it’s a double image and blurry – you could watch it that way but I think a headache would follow. Continue reading →

Who I Am is Enough

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I listened to her say with some frustration and maybe a tinge of guilt how her quiet nature lessened her impact on a friend of hers.  She wants to share hope with this friend, share her faith but this friend is rather outspoken and a little intimidating.  I tried to encourage her – the way she is is enough and God uses her, quietness and all.  Her friend has seen her interact with others, have a great relationship with her husband and kids, and more.  She’s seen my friend show integrity, gentleness, faith, kindness, and more.   There are many ways to share Jesus besides talking.  Like St. Francis of Assisi once said, we should preach the Gospel and if necessary use words.

I can relate to that self-doubt or frustration and I’m sure you can, too.  From the time we’re old enough to think we hear and sometimes believe lies about how we’re not good enough, not smart enough, not outgoing enough, not funny enough – the list goes on and on and on…

Someone in my extended family has been dealing with some labels and judgmental attitudes from some other people in his life and as I heard about it, I got angry.  No person, no matter how “good” or “experienced” or “wise” has the right to judge another person.  How does that help anyway?  Continue reading →

Just a little timid

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I mean, if you played the trust game with someone – you know when you fall backwards and they catch you – but they let you fall or dropped you, you probably wouldn’t jump up to do it again with the same person right?  Or with anyone for that matter.  It’s a little harder to be “gung ho” when you’re about to do something you’ve done before and gotten hurt.  I get irritated with myself for being such an emotional person.  I’m working on decreasing the frequency of my knee-jerk emotional reactions to things but they still happen.

I keep telling myself – this is another chance to keep trusting God, people are people and no matter where you go or work there will be times of conflict you have to work through, no person or place or church or job is perfect, blah, blah, blah.  Continue reading →

Great Kindness

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A grateful one bows before you to thank you, Lord…in silent tears, there is so much to thank you for.  I have nothing, nothing if not for you.  How can I repay you?  How can I ever give back to You?  I always will remember your great kindness.

In desperate need, I cried out you delivered me…my soul from death, my feet from stumbling, my eyes from tears.  I will lift up salvation’s cup and call Your name.  How can I repay You?  How can I ever give back to You?  I always will remember your great kindness.  ~ John Ellis, Tree63

Today I experienced the joy of sharing something God has done for me with a friend.  She’s actually my hair stylist and whenever I visit with her it’s a blast.  I don’t know the extent of her faith in God or how personal it is to her, but I always feel open to share whatever with her.  We joked that bartenders and hair stylists probably hear people’s woes and personal stories more than anyone.  We’ve been “friends” long enough that we ask about each other’s kids and families while she washes and trims my hair.  She asked how the girls were doing so I shared with her the awesome thing Jesus did for my youngest on Wednesday night.  It was fresh on my heart and on the tip of my tongue, just begging to come out and glorify God.  She was happy along with me.  I hope it will stick with her and cause her to think about God tonight and want to know Him more.

I know I don’t always feel like praising and sharing what God’s doing, especially when those low times hit and I feel sad or am having a hard time pulling my feet out of the sticky glop of self-pity….but truly His kindness is shown to me and my family Continue reading →

Who I’m Not

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I have the joy of hanging out with the senior high kids on Wednesday nights at church.  I don’t have much responsibility except once a month or so handing out snacks, which is fun because teenagers love to eat.   A bonus is getting to witness God at work in young hearts.  Another bonus is having him work in my heart at the same time.  You know adults have a lot of the same insecurities that teenagers do and need a lot of the same lessons and reminders.  Even though there’s an age difference we’re all walking the path together.

Tonight we were taught that in order to know who we really are, we have to realize, admit and decide who we are NOT.  What a great truth and how we all need to know it.  [Important side note: During worship the youth band led the song “How He Loves” and as we sang the words about how much God loves us, my throat tightened and my eyes stung a little.  In my heart I told God that I don’t really feel that right now but I was singing it trying to believe it.  You know, prolonged waiting and trusting and uncertainty have a way of wearing one out.] Anyway, after the message, we had the opportunity to respond by going to tables in the back which were covered in brown paper with giant red “No” symbols painted on them.  Continue reading →