Our Own Worst Enemy

^{26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:26-27, 31 NIV}

As I meditated on this Scripture, I realized that I am my own worst enemy. The whole chapter 8 of Romans tells us that God’s Spirit lives within us and empowers us against our sin nature…Then why do we sin? I think Paul said it best in chapter 7 just before he explained how we overcome our propensity to sin, “15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Romans 7:15. Paul was not immune to a sinful nature and we have but to look to look to David to see others who fell and that we fall to our sin nature, as well.

In Psalm 51, David is repenting of his sin with Bathsheba.  If God’s Spirit is what equips us for righteousness, is there any wonder he cried out, “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” Psalm 51:11. So, are we immune to our own sinful nature? NO! Does this give a license to sin? In the words of Paul, “May it never be!” So, how do we reconcile all this sin nature, righteousness, and grace? We must remember Paul’s words, “37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39. If we are living by the Spirit, we are His and nothing can separate us from Him and I’m guessing that includes us. Oh, but wait…we can distance ourselves from Him just as David.

Stay with me here (I have a point, I promise!)  If God's love can never be separated from us and His Spirit is in us, His love is in us. His Love covers our sins. If we look at what Peter said, “The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. 8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint.” 1 Peter 4:7-9, we can see that our love for others (through Christ) will cover a multitude of sins. How? I’m not positive; I have to admit. But, if we love others  the way Christ loves us, this must be the answer to the equation. 

This Christmas, let us all remember the reason he came to live…to die. Not just to die, but to redeem us by His blood and great Love for us. This is the best gift to give others this year. Gifts (things) will come and go, but His grace is forever. I challenge all who read this to give the gifts of love, mercy, and grace to those you love…to those you encounter at the post office…to those in the checkout line…to the least of these. We may be our own worst enemy as far as our own sinful nature, but we do not have display this side of ourselves to the world. They have enough enemies as it is!

The Brightest Sky

 ¹ In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. ³ The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. ⁴ So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. Hebrew 1:1-4


If you've every watched a sunrise when the fog was thick or there were a few clouds hazing up the sky, you know exactly where the sun is by virtue of the brightest area in the sky. I love that He speaks through His creation. I love that He has provided us with His Word to confirm the life-lessons He speaks to our hearts.

As I was enjoying my time with Him this day and being very thankful for the many ways He chooses to reveal Himself to us, I couldn't see the sun, but I could see where the sun was coming up at because it was brightest in that area. That got me to thinking...(see I have MBA...Measurable Brain Activity that early)..."It's always brightest right around the sun." No brainer, right?

If I were to look at Bible studies like Anne Graham Lotz "Just Give Me Jesus" or "Pursuing More of Jesus", I think I would see that she "got it." I mean the closer we get to Jesus the more we shine His light. When Jesus said in John 8:12 "¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'" That's pretty self-explanatory. He tells us in John 15:4-5 that if we abide in Him, He will abide in us and apart from Him we can do nothing. Staying close to Jesus keeps our light bright in a darkened, fallen, and sinful world.


So, today I encourage you to enjoy the Sonshine! Thanksgiving is a great time to be thankful for His presence in the form of His Holy Spirit. Can you imagine our world without His presence? Let's not take Him for granted. We are His light, so let's be the brightest "sky" that we can!

Living "Out Loud"

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

At one time in my life, I lived to exist.  I existed as a child, adolescent, wife, mother, and yes, a Christian.  Many of us do.  We find that we are too imperfect to embrace our God-given liberty to LIVE.  I would dare say that existing is NOT LIVING.

When we finally figure out what the meaning to life really is, we begin to live.  All too often we "live" in the past.  Past failures. Past hurts. Past disappointments.  We can and should embrace those past "fill in the blank here" to find the meaning of those events.  Embracing suffering does not sound healthy, but I say emphatically, "Yes it is!"  We can take from those very events positive pearls and say, "This is who I am...I can be a better person as a result of "fill in the blank here."

Understanding that past events do not have to define you but are a small part of who you are today is the beginning of finding purpose.  Embracing this fact can and will propel you into a future of possibilities.  Once you reach this point, those circumstances that have had you paralyzed in the past can bring new meaning to your life today and for the future.

My Aunt Lynn lost her only child, Tracy Williams.  Tracy's estranged husband shot and killed her before turning the gun on himself.  She left behind two wonderful children.  This was devastating to our entire family.  It took nearly a year and a half for Aunt Lynn to find any meaning in life, but she has started Tracy Williams Foundation for women and children that have been abused.  This honors our precious Tracy, but it also helps us find meaning to life.   This has opened the door for Aunt Lynn's grandchildren, brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews to use their unique gifts and talents in Tracy's memory.  But, most of all, the aim of the foundation is to help others get to safety from abusive spouses.  In Aunt Lynn's words, "If this helps ONE person, it will have been all worth the effort."

I used Aunt Lynn's example because losing a child must be the most devastating thing to happen to a parent, but she has found a way to help others through her tragedy.  Sometimes, however, it is not a tragedy that holds us back, but our own poor choices (sin).  Other times, it is abuse.  Whatever it is, John 10:10 tells us that that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy.  If we wait to live for the Lord when all is good again, we will never enjoy the last part of this verse.  Jesus came that we may have LIFE and a FULL LIFE!


A full life resembles joyfulness.  I saw joy in Aunt Lynn's actions and in her face as she would share what the foundation was for.  There will be a ripple effect from Tracy's and Aunt Lynn's life.  She is living again, not merely existing!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

So...find meaning in your life and circumstances and "LIVE OUT LOUD!"

 ¹ The heavens declare the glory of God;
   the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 
Psalm 19:1 (NIV)

God can be seen and heard in the magnificent and in the minute. A warm Summer breeze can tell us many things about the Creator of the universe. When He whispers in the wind as it gently brushes past our ear, we can hear Him say, "I love you that much". When the scent of his breath drifts by our noses, we can smell sweet honeysuckle or salty ocean air. As He speaks, we can feel the warmth of His breath as it touches our cheek.    

God visits us in the stupendous and the small. A fluttering butterfly wisping along on the same Summer breeze can heighten our sense of His presence. The intricate weave of colors and patterns on the wings of the Monarch may stir our spirit prompting us to wonder at the beauty of God. The sight of the beautiful insect may gently remind us of loved ones that have gone on before us and God's reassurance that He has them.

God meets our needs in extraordinary ways and in everyday ways. Wandering through a small creek, a cool clear current can make its way over and around stones supplying water to all forms of life along its path reminding us that He is water to a thirsty soul. As we dip our hands into the cool water and feel the movement of the current between our fingers, we are reminded of how His Spirit moves us. Just as the water molecules' origin and destination can not be found, so is the inexhaustible God of Creation.

Are we listening? Are we perceiving? Are we receiving? He speaks, but are we aware? He sooths, but are we too rushed to rest? He admonishes, but are we so bent on our own way that we ignore?

I love to look for God in His creation, but I'm amazed when He reveals Himself unexpectedly. A little over a year after our car wreck, we went to the beach for a family reunion. It was my first trip back to the sandy turf after becoming paralyzed. For those of you that have never thought about it (I never had before), wheelchairs and sand do not make for a good time. I was not only limited to the wheelchair, but I was also limited to the wooden sidewalk that went only so far over the sand. The beach and ocean were definitely not assessable! But, my children were five and six and they were loving every minute of it and I enjoyed watching them discover this new world around them.

Our last night at the beach, the children wanted to go digging for crabs. Armed with sand pails, shovels, and flash lights, they were on their way. I rolled out as far as I could go and sat...and listened...and in the moments that I was alone, I looked up. There was a full moon and a sky full of stars. In the safety of the dark and away from my families eyes, I felt the tears streaming down my face. I felt very alone. I was very vulnerable. I prayed. God spoke. There in the sky was a shooting star that looked as though it started in one hemisphere and danced clear into the next. Yes, God speaks. We may just have to listen with our eyes sometimes.

Right then. Right there. God reminded me that I was not alone, nor was I vulnerable. He assured me that I would walk someday, but more importantly, that His strength is made perfect in my weakness. So, whatever your struggle or hurt...remember "His grace is sufficient."

Delight

Traveling happens to be something I enjoy doing. I love seeing God's handiwork and I look for it everywhere I travel. However, traveling can be difficult with my motorized chair and most especially if I'm traveling with a group. Chartered buses and airplanes are not exactly wheelchair friendly. Since I know these facts, I, typically, make my own travel arrangements and join in all the group activities that I can.

The church I attend is very active in foreign missions. We've sent missionaries to the Ukraine, Dominican Republic, Africa, China, and the list goes on. Not until last year, did I start considering a mission trip with my church to one of these countries. I prayed about it and was so excited about going. But then, I got sick with complications that come with being a tetraplegic. I started asking questions about the medical situations and other concerns with which a person that is paralyzed would need to know. You know, third world living conditions are not exactly ideal for the healthy, let alone someone with slightly compromised health. I didn't go. And, I was bummed about it too!

I have a dear, sweet friend and sister in the Lord that has been serving in the Philippines for 14 years. I thought that since God closed the door for me to go with my church on a foreign mission trip then I would go to the Philippines. After all, it was my desire to go on a foreign mission trip and I've wanted to visit my friend in the Philippines. It was only logical. And surely, I could do something "in Jesus's name" while I was there. Problem is, I need a traveling companion. There went my bottom lip and folded arms again. I pouted and whined until I found a traveling companion. So we started praying about when we were to go to visit the Philippines and hold a women's conference. (By now, we knew what we were going to do while we were there).

We began praying and fasting in the fall for the upcoming year's trip. We sought godly counsel and someone said, "I will pray, because you don't need to go if you haven't been called." Little did I know that statement would come back to me months later.

Something started happening. The Philippines were still on the globe, my love for my sister in Christ was stronger than ever, the women still needed the message of hope in Jesus, but I was changing. I was seeking Him more and He was exchanging my desires for His. I dared ask that He begin exposing the motivation of my heart. And, He did.

I began praying differently, more specifically. I knew God was aware that we needed to confirm our plans by a certain date and so I asked Him to please solidify our direction by the first of May. He answered me specifically in Romans 1:13. Paul wanted to go to Rome, but "he was hindered". He answered my prayer with His word. I asked again the next day that He confirmed what I thought He was saying to me with His word again. In my Bible study, He took me to Mark 16:15,
"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation".
"Huh? But I thought You said…" Very gently the Holy Spirit nudged my heart and said, "Kendra was called to the Philippines. You were called to America." "Oh, yeah… America is still part of the world."

I was not disappointed that I wasn't going on a foreign summer mission trip because God made the desires of my heart change. They were reflecting His desires more. I was sad that I wouldn't see my friend and meet the children she has "adopted". I was at peace knowing I was walking the path God desires for my life.

When God says "No", how do we typically react? Why? Our knee-jerk reaction is to poke out our bottom lip, cross our arms, stomp one foot, and cry "why not"! More often than not, if we are asking God for something outside the boundary of His will for our lives, then that's what we want. Our behavior following His answer tells much about our spiritual maturity. You say, "But doesn't God give us the desires of our heart?" Yes! Psalm 37:4 says that He will. Notice, He says to delight yourself in the Lord first. Finding delight in God somehow causes our desires to line up with God's desire for our lives.
Maybe you've been praying for God to give you the desires of your heart. A mate. A job. Financial security. Health. Well, then delight yourself in Him and His word and I PROMISE He will deliver.

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Mary had a Little Lamb whose fleece was white as snow...

Sarah Josepha Hale

It was in some of David's most fearful, hopeless, dread filled, and shameful moments that we see the most courage, hope, anticipation, and restoration. Psalms 23 shows our humanity and need for a Great Shepherd. Verse one says it all! The Lord is my Shepherd. If you cannot say that verse one is true for you then stop reading the 23rd Psalm. Unless you can say that you are in His fold, you do not have access to the provisions found throughout the rest of this chapter.


 
David was a shepherd himself. A shepherd's life was lonesome. Their only companions were their hirelings and the sheep (1 Samuel 17:20). They spoke to them and the sheep knew their voices. They walked among them daily paying close attention to the new lambs. By night, they slept near their flocks in tents (Song of Solomon 1:8, Isaiah 38:12). As the shepherds tended their flocks, they knew the Passover was just around the corner. They kept their eyes open for that one lamb. The most valuable. The most prized. As they watched this lamb, surely, they would grow to love this lamb, because this lamb was set apart and cared for more than the others.


 
As was the custom, they would select the lamb (a one-year-old male) four days before the Passover. The lamb stayed in their homes for four days. The little lamb was fed in the home (and probably left evidence on the floor). It was petted and held. I'm sure preparations were made prior to the lamb being brought into their homes. After all, the lamb was the honored guest. Now, I know there were children in these homes that played with the little lamb. The parents knew, as did the older children, that this lamb was to be slaughtered in four days... In three days... In two days. On that last day, can you imagine the children that understood what was about to happen and how heavy their little hearts must have been? Can you imagine the horror and dismay the small children must have felt when their little lamb was slaughtered and they had to eat it. The instructions were not only to cover the doorpost with the blood of the lamb, but also to roast the lamb and eat it all. For our Western mindset, this is mortifying.


 
Fast forward with me to the year 4 BC. Joseph and Mary have just had their first born. His name was foretold to His father, Joseph. His name was to be called Jesus. Oh the joy of a newborn baby. No, the circumstances surrounding His birth were not ideal in our modern, sterile terms, but once they held Him for the first time all of the inconveniences were forgotten. Mary coddled to her breast the Lamb of God. Mary had a little Lamb.


 
He came into this world to live that He may die. He was the spotless, sinless Passover Lamb for the ages to come. No longer would there be need to sacrifice little lambs. Jesus atoned once and for all. The Great and Mighty Shepherd came as the Passover Lamb so that you and I no longer need to make atonement for our sins on a year-to-year basis. Jesus atoned for our sins once and for ALL. Yes, Mary's Little Lamb was indeed white as snow.
*EDITED AND TRANSFERRED 3-16-19

I Don't Get to Choose "Whosoever"

The Homeless "Home"

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 (ESV) (Emphasis added)


I know we all live with some prejudice. It's ugly, but it's real. Recently, I had the most rewarding opportunity to love on my brothers and sisters that are "permanent-abode-dwelling challenged" or as a friend of mine refers to as "urban outdoorsmen (and women)". Our group gathered and we prepared "survival sacks" with light food and hygiene items. Our plan was to go to a specific area where the "homeless" are known to gather and pass out the sacks only to arrive a few minutes too late. The folks that were feeding our "friends" had already finished giving out the plate lunches. The recipients had already sought cover from the rain.

These folks really are a community unto themselves. As you can imagine, there is not much trust for outsiders...and we were outsiders. There we were in our cars and trucks, probably eight total, driving around like a mobile used carlot convoy. When we arrived at our first stop, everyone started piling out of the vehicles carrying the "survival sacks" we had prepared ahead of time. When they saw that we were there to help, they welcomed us into their "home". Their "home"...it appeared to be a garage of sorts with four arched openings on either side. In the summer, they probably welcome the "breeze way" effect, but not so much in the cold, rainy season. They had some furniture sitting inside with some tables. They had made it as homey as they could. Soon, others came walking up and riding bikes. One man asked if we had some work pants which lead me to believe he had some type of employment. Hmmm...some of these men had jobs, but no home. They had just enough to meet immediate needs, but not enough to meet their basic needs. It was a good feeling knowing we were making a small difference for them at least for that day.

The "Mean" Streets

When we finished handing out the bags at this site, one of the guys said, "I know where some other homeless people hang out." So, we all filed in behind him and off the caravan went. He started heading in the opposite direction than I had expected he was going to go. The closer we got to the area that was far too familiar to me, a place I had called "crack town," I started in with my opposition. I thought this area was a part of my past! I never wanted to drive these streets again, never, ever, ever! When we stopped the entourage of vehicles on a street filled with boarded-up houses with "no trespassing" signs posted on them, I had flashbacks of the days I went searching for my loved one on this very street. My distaste for where we had ended up was not a private matter. Oh no! I was vocal about not wanting to be there, until everyone started piling out of the vehicles to meet an elderly lady walking across a vacant lot. In this picture through the rear view mirror, you see our group surrounding this lady with love. She looked scared at first, and I soon figured out why. After our crew gave her several of the bags and some clothing, she went up to one of the boarded-up houses and picked the lock and went in. She thought we were there to "rid" the houses of unwanted inhabitants. My heart broke. Tears stung my eyes as I heard the Lord say, "You do not choose who to love, just love." I was faced with my own prejudices.

We all have unique experiences in life that shape our perspectives. My perspective for one group of homeless as opposed to those in a slightly different section of town was marred by my past experiences, but God's grace is extended to "whosoever." I was grateful for this new experience on the same street. God's grace turned my perspective of prejudice to gratitude. Gratitude? Oh yes, He showed me that I am to love and extend to everyone the same grace that He so freely has given me.