A Special Offer on "Over the Circumstances"

Mother's Day is around the corner! If you purchase a copy of "Over the Circumstances" from me (not Amazon or another seller) I will enter your name in a drawing for a free second copy to give as a gift. The drawing will be on April 30 to give me time to get your free book in the mail in case it will be a Mother's Day gift.

To purchase, just put your name in the comments and we'll work out details. I can take cash, credit or debit card, PayPal, or Google Pay. I can meet you in person if you are local, or ship the book for free.

Also, anyone who buys a book between now and June 11 will be entered again for a drawing for the same deal to prepare you for Father's Day.

I Want to Listen to Myself

 

My granddaughter, Bella, just celebrated her fourth birthday.  She's had quite a stressful year with several changes of residence and separation from her parents for a couple of weeks while her mother had heart surgery.  While still being a responsible grandmother and expecting good behavior from her, I also give her some grace because of all the emotions I know she is trying to process.

One day in the car, we were talking about how she needed to listen to her parents and her Papaw and me when we ask her or tell her to do something.   Her response to my mini-lecture was, "I want to listen to myself"! 

Well, of course, she does!  The sin nature we all share tells us that we are in charge, which is something else she has asserted from time to time.  We all want what we want.  We think that our plans and desires for our lives should supersede everything else.   

So much drama gets added to Bella's life because of those little battles of the will that she engages in with us.  Likewise, so much stress is added to our lives when we struggle with our Father God.  

Sometimes I have tried to talk to her about how much easier her life would be if she would just do what she is told to do or if she stopped doing something when we direct her to stop.  I tell her how so many good and fun things could be added to her life if she would just simply listen.  Then I realized that I was preaching to myself.  How many more good things could God open in my life if I was truly obedient in all things?  

I must really be a difficult student in this life, because the lessons I learn through Bella's young life are a curriculum that God really needs to review with me frequently.   I'm so glad that He doesn't throw up His hands in despair, but continues to be a patient, loving Teacher.

Deuteronomy 28:1-2 puts it this way.  "And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.  And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God."

Something Valuable in the Mess

 

Today I watched a video of a man who bought the contents of a house from the heirs of an estate.  They wanted to improve and sell the house, but the former owner had been, at best, a collector and,at worst, a hoarder.  After seeing the video, I'm leaning toward the second description.

In the initial tour of the house in the video, he found massive piles of things in every room, leaving no room to walk.  Everything was dust-covered, outdated, and of little value.  There was everything from clothing to sheet music to nail polish to bad artwork.  He wondered if he would find enough items of value to recoup his investment, and he had only eight weeks to totally empty this large, massively cluttered home.  

I thought how daunting a task that must be; seeing nothing but junk piled three feet or more up the walls of every room and figuring out how to go through it all and decide what was trash and what still had a use, much less what had any great value. He could have spent eight weeks moving mountains of trash and only find a few hundred dollars worth of salvageable items.  On the other hand, there could have been hidden stacks of cash, expensive jewelry, or dusty priceless antiques under all the clutter.  It would just take an enormous amount of time and effort to uncover what was valuable in the mess.

Our lives are like that hoarder's house.  We have collections of sin, guilt, rebellion, and pride.  Even though we knew it was smothering us and taking over our lives, cluttering up all our relationships, creating an unhealthy environment for us - we still kept piling bad over bad until we had destroyed any hope of living comfortably in that house.  We took the promise of a clean, empty space and turned it into chaos.  Then, along came Jesus.  He paid for the contents of that house because he knew there was something of value in us.  When we surrender the contents of our soul to Him, He cleans out all that is useless, dirty, negative, and toxic and replaces it with His righteousness.  He unearths the beautiful and priceless things He has put within us and helps us to function as we were designed to operate.  As Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, "He has made all things beautiful in His time...."

It's not just a one-time event either.  It's amazing what Jesus has done for us and continues to do in our lives.  We are initially cleansed as we are born again, and then the Holy Spirit works in our lives to sanctify us, setting us apart to be useful in the kingdom of God; reaching a level of fulfillment which we never would have dreamed possible. However, none of that happens without our consent and our cooperation.  Allow Jesus to take your messy life and find all that is valuable within you to use for the glory of God.

Just Read the Manual!

Does anyone remember using an actual camera to take pictures?  With a cell phone in every pocket, sporting a built-in camera, I don't see one-purpose cameras very often. 

I walked into our bedroom the other day and my husband, Paul, was reading from pages in a three-ring binder.  When I got closer to determine what he was studying, I saw it was the manual for his fancy camera.  We've had that camera since before we moved to Virginia eight years ago.  We read enough of the instructions initially to be able to point the camera and take a picture, review the shots on the screen, and put the memory card in the computer to upload the images we had taken.  After that, the manual was dutifully packed and moved from house to house and took up shelf-space without being examined again, at least until a few days ago.

The minute I saw what he was doing, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart.  He said, "Some people treat the word of God that way. They read enough of it initially to find out how to be saved, familiarize themselves with a few inspirational Bible stories, and read enough promises to know what they can ask God to do for them.  After that, they feel like they know all they need to know to get by and they neglect the word from that point on, not even realizing how much they are missing."

Ouch!  Sometimes I neglect the Word myself, so that puts me in the category of "some people". 

I'm sure there are countless special features on this camera that could have used to improve all the pictures we've taken for the last decade.  Paul might have learned by now how to handle this camera as well as a professional photographer, but he's just now really digging into the manual.

Where could we be as Christians if we really knew the word of God?  Here's what the Word says about itself.

2 Timothy 3:16 - "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Hebrews 4:12 - "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

Knowing the actual word of God, not just the lyrics to popular Christian songs, is the basis for doctrine, for knowledge, for a relationship with God, and for the power of the Holy Spirit to truly flow in our lives.  If we really desire all these things in our lives, we just need to read the manual!  Only then will we know how our lives are supposed to be operated, just like that those camera instructions tell us how to use it to its full potential.

Same Room - A Different Perspective

 

In my elementary school, I share a classroom with my friend and colleague, Laura.  We've worked together for 8 years now and have shared three different rooms in our building during that time.  Our working and teaching styles complement each other, and we've cooperated very well over the years in designing our schedules and setting up our various classrooms in an order that works for both of us.

Teaching in the time of COVID- 19 looks very different than what we've ever done before.  With the changes in our teaching situations, we decided that we needed an adjustment in our room arrangement. Laura teaches some groups that needed to have more room between their chairs for proper social distancing, so we've adapted how we had divided our space to give her that additional room.  A free-standing partition wall that we've used for several years was turned diagonally in the room and it changed the look of the entire space. Very little of the furniture on my side of the room was moved, but the whole space looks different.  Even though there is probably a little less square footage there than before, it looks bigger and more open.  Same room - a different perspective.

This experience made me think about all the situations in our lives that can look a certain way to us, but we have the freedom in Christ to look at them from a different perspective.  We can endeavor to see circumstances the way God sees them.

The apostle Paul is a stellar example of this way of viewing life.  He saw shipwreck, beatings, danger, and imprisonment as a means to an end - the spreading of the gospel throughout the world. He looked beyond his current circumstances and saw God working behind the scenes to bring glory to Himself.  In Philippians 4:11, Paul writes, "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content". He was able to look beyond the "room " of his situation and see a different perspective than others who might have experienced similar hardships.

In the Old Testament, Joseph went from being a favored son to a slave to a trusted servant to a prisoner before being raised up to become second in command to only Pharoah himself. The Bible doesn't tell us whether he held on to his boyhood dreams and expected release from prison, but it does tell us that he experienced favor in the midst of the worst situation of his life.  He continued to operate in the gifts God had given him, even in a jail cell.  He saw a perspective that didn't negate his previous walk with God, even though he didn't know exactly how it would all work out.

I can't count the number of times I've heard the words "unprecedented situation" in the year 2020, but I know that all of us have been touched in some way by either bewilderment, distrust, inconvenience, financial distress, illness, grief, or frustration.  This room that we are in has changed.  Life is not the same as it once was, and what we first thought might be a temporary rearrangement of our lives is feeling more permanent, even though we still hope and pray for a lifting of this burden in all of our lives.  

But what if in the midst of all this, we look at it from a different perspective? Same situation; different view?  What if we looked upon this time as a season for the church to shine like never before?  What if we took the time spent at home when other places are closed to us, and we used it to seek God with a renewed enthusiasm and intensity?  What if we use the gifts that God has imparted to us, even in a less than ideal situation?

Give those questions some thought and prayer this week and ask God to help you see the potential He sees in the problems in your life.  Ask Him to alter your perspective so that instead of seeing what you've lost, you can see where He is taking you next.  His view is far superior and He knows exactly where He wants you to go.

These Boots Weren't Made for Walking.....

      Last week, I wore a pair of boots with heels to work.  I'm an elementary school teacher who works in classes all over my building, so there's a great deal of walking involved.  By 10:00 a.m. I was on the phone with my husband, begging him to bring me a change of shoes.  My poor feet, which had been either barefoot or in tennis shoes for seven months, were miserable.  There were aches and pains in places where I didn't even remember I had places. For many days after this unfortunate choice of footwear, my feet continued to hurt.

     I remember thinking, why in the world did I do that to myself?  I started thinking about all the reasons a woman might wear shoes that hurt her feet and it led me to some spiritual parallels as well.  See if you agree.....

1.  To be accepted in a group

     When my daughter was about to enter middle school, she pleaded with me to buy her some Guess jeans.  She insisted that NOBODY would talk to her if she didn't have the right label on her behind.  How often do we do something because it's the "in" thing to do? This is most prevalent with teenagers and peer pressure, but many adults fall victim to needing the world's stamp of approval more than the acceptance of God. 

     The Bible tells us, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:2.

      In other words - don't worry about being "in fashion", concern yourself with letting God fashion you into His image.

2.  To increase height

     I am vertically challenged, barely hitting five feet tall.  I always say I went into elementary school teaching so I wouldn't have to teach students taller than I, but they start catching up with me toward the end of fourth grade, so I guess that wasn't good planning on my part after all. Adding those extra inches with a pair of shoes can be tempting. 

     Being taller gives us a feeling of being more in authority.  Did you know the average height of our American presidents is 5' 11"?   The average height of an American man is 5' 8". Leaders are thought of as being taller and more imposing than those they lead.  

     Artificially trying to make ourselves taller can cause all kinds of issues with our feet.  Trying to force ourselves into positions of authority to which we are not entitled can cause issues also.  In the kingdom of God, He holds all authority but gives it to us in the name of Jesus.  We can't operate in authority in our own strength.  

     Acts 19:15 tells the story of seven sons of a priest named Sceva who were attempting to cast out evil spirits in the name of Jesus "who Paul preaches".  The evil spirit answered back to them saying, 

"Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"

    If we walk in humility instead of trying to exalt ourselves in the eyes of those around us, something extraordinary happens.  James 4:10 says, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."

3.  To look good

     We all want to look out best, and that goal is fine as long as we don't prioritize our looks over all else in our lives. However, when vanity overwhelms us, it leaves us putting all of our efforts into things that profit nothing in the eternal scheme of things. 

  1 Peter 3:3-4 says, "Do not let your adornment be merely outward-arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel - rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God."

     When we seek acceptance, power, or physical beauty in the wrong places, we can hurt ourselves, just like those boots which are now in my "give to charity box" did a number on my feet.  If we are accepted by God, empowered by God, and made beautiful in His sight, we don't need anything else.

 

The Part is Not the Whole

 

Have you ever started a craft project that was designed to be beautiful?  Did you ever plan a home repair to make something function the way it should?  When you set out to do those things, did they look perfect from the first step you took in the process?  Of course not.

Sometimes life is like that.  You go through a difficult or ugly season in your life.  Nothing feels or looks the way you think it should.  You are disappointed in yourself or in someone you love and trust.  When you are in the middle of that circumstance, it's easy to think to yourself - that's just the way it's always going to be, but that kind of thinking is faithless and hopeless.

Though God is a much better artist than any of us could ever be and much better at fixing things, even He takes His time.  His projects in our lives are a process, and sometimes that process looks messy.  It may be confusing, uncomfortable, and take more time than we think it should, but He knows the end from the beginning and can see the final picture when all we see are the shattered puzzle pieces all around us.

The last seven months have been a trying time in our family.  There has been stress and upheaval.  Many hours of exhausting work have been done by all of us and we are tired, physically, and mentally.  There were times we wondered why we even started on the current "project" in our lives.  Wasn't it fine before all this?  Why did we rock a perfectly comfortable boat?  

No situation in our lives is ever separated from our spiritual selves.  We may be going to college, planning a wedding, remodeling a house, starting a new career, or one of a thousand other things that the rest of the world does, but when Christians do those perfectly ordinary things, there are spiritual lessons and spiritual purposes in all of that.  

So this week, as we get the keys to our new "multi-generational" home, I can see those final puzzle pieces fitting into their places.  I see the favor of God all over the situation, here at the end of the process, when months ago I wondered if our problems would ever resolve.

Philippians 1:6 says, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ".

All those things in our lives whether we perceive them as good or bad, are part of that picture.  The part you are in right now is not the final picture of your life.  It's just the first few strokes of the paintbrush, the first cuts in the lumber of your life, which God is using to create a "whole" that He sees.