The Lost Sheep

Reading through the daily devotion in my Sunday School lesson book this week, I read about the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15. Jesus the Shepherd, loves and cares for all of His sheep. In this parable He mentions that any shepherd having 100 sheep, would leave the 99 to go find and rescue just 1 lost sheep. He'd carry it home on his shoulder, rejoicing. The word states that there is more rejoicing in heaven over 1 lost sheep who comes to repentance, than 99 righteous who need no repentance.

This parable made me think of a story from my childhood that I was recently reminded of by my aunt. She told about how as a little kid I thought it was a fun game to hide under the clothing racks from my Mom, while we were out shopping in department stores. One day when I was maybe 3 or 4 years old, I'd gone to the mall with my Mom. I must've had one of my "hide and seek" moments that day. My aunt tells how she also decided to go to the mall that day, but had no idea that her sister-in-law (my Mom) and her niece were there too. She was walking through Hudson's department store (I believe that was the name), when she started to hear what sounded like a little child crying. She thought to herself, "That sounds like Cindy!!!"

She followed the crying until she came upon, guess who?? Me. Wandering and crying hard, and totally lost from my Mommy. Well, I'm sure the minute I saw my aunt my fears lightened, because I knew I was no longer "lost". We soon found my very frightened Mom, and all was well again in my little world.

This has always been one of those repeated funny stories from my childhood. But, while reading these scriptures and today's devotion about a lost little girl, I thought about it differently than I ever have before. The Bible describes Jesus as a Shepherd who cares about and seeks out His lost sheep. When even one is lost or has gotten off on the wrong path, He sees them. He not only sees them, but He seeks them. Not only did God know that I would wander that day, He placed someone who knew me and even recognized my cry right there at the very place and at the very moment I needed to be rescued. 

Wow! What a thought. He's been taking care of me my whole life. He sought me out again when I was a little bit older and was sitting in a Sunday night church service with my family. Listening to the preacher give a message about being saved and asking for forgiveness of sin, and spending eternity in heaven with Jesus. That's where my Dad had gone when I was just 4 years old. I knew that was where I wanted to go when I died, too. I told my Mom I wanted to ask Jesus into my heart and went forward that night. 

Growing up, I felt His presence with me and know His hand was on my life. There were times when I got older that I strayed from the path I should've been on, and was living life for me instead of Him. I can't count the times that He came seeking me. The times He found me. The times He rescued me. I am so thankful that He didn't give up on me. He didn't leave me lost, crying and wandering without help or without hope. 

This past year has not been what any of us could've ever expected. Most of us have never experienced a pandemic, or the culture of division, violence and unrest that surrounds us currently. In all of this, let me assure you that there is hope. None of this takes God by surprise. If you don't have a relationship with Jesus, and have questions or aren't sure how to begin, please send me a message. I'd love to talk or pray for you. In this world, we won't be free of trouble. Perfect only exists in heaven. We have this promise, if we are His child, this is not how our story ends. Lift up your eyes, little sheep. The Shepherd sees you.

Labels

Labels. I've been thinking about this word a lot lately. Sometimes in life we are likely to put labels on people, whether it's only in our minds and thoughts or spoken out loud. These labels can be good, but can also be very negative. We might see someone as a great parent, a hard worker, trustworthy, kind, funny or likeable. Just as easily we may label someone as unfriendly, lazy, a bad parent, rude, arrogant, or annoying. It's way too easy to write these labels and just stick them on like they belong there.
 I've been thinking about the labels people have spoken to me in my life. Some of these are very uplifting and encouraging, and others are discouraging. At times I let the negative labels "stick" and become truth to me. Yes, I've been told all my life that I'm too quiet or shy or that I need to talk more. I've been called a helicopter parent and too overprotective. I've also been called sweet-spirited, a great Mom, and a caring person. It's up to me which labels I let stick. I realize I have put labels on people at times, before really giving the proper time and chance to truly know them. First impressions are important, but they can also be misleading.
Just as much as we label others, we do the same thing to ourselves. I label myself "too introverted" as if that's a bad thing. I tell myself at times, I should've talked to someone more, or maybe I talked too much. I tend to worry about things that are beyond my control or fear the unknown, so I stick on the "anxiety" label. I feel down for a few days so here's that "depressed" label. I have a couple of health issues, so here's the "sick" and "unhealthy" labels. I wonder and worry about something someone said or how they didn't seem like themselves that day, so maybe it's me..."unliked" label. Let's just throw in the Mama guilt, the "I look terrible", the "I need to lose weight", and of course the "stressed" label.
Don't get me wrong, some of these labels are truth in certain people's daily lives. Some of them are truth in mine.
But, I'm striving to make these negative labels much smaller and less significant in my everyday life. My random worries and anxiety are not who I am. My small health issues are not my identity. I am quiet and introverted and that's exactly how God made my unique personality. My focus needs to be more on Christ and less on me. I won't get it perfect and it will be a daily choice, to remove or diminish the labels that are bringing me down and taking my eyes off of God and what's important. After all, He is bigger than all of these things, and here are the labels that HE has placed on me.......

His daughter. Child of the King. Mother. Sister. Beloved wife. Blessed. Forgiven. Loved. Restored. Strong. Delivered from fear. Protected. Filled with Joy. Never Alone. Filled with His peace. Complete. Delighted in. Cared For. Called. Not overwhelmed. Not consumed. Never forsaken. Victorious. Conqueror. Rescued. Honored. Adopted. Encouraged. Comforted. Precious. Chosen. Friend of God. Promised eternity. Set free. Redeemed.

So, if we know Jesus Christ and have given our lives to Him, our identity is in Him. Nothing else in life is bigger than this. I need this reminder. The sum of who I am is really not about me, my worldly struggles or anybody else. Who I am is His. If I strive to be more like Him daily, making time in His word and in prayer - because this is how I am changed and He speaks to my heart - these other labels can fall away. They all fade in the light of His spirit in my life.

The Big Picture

Sometimes I have trouble seeing the "big picture" in life. Is it just me? ;)
It's easy to see the right here, right now...to allow my focus to dwell solely on the present. To allow emotions and feelings to dictate my reactions. Recently, while doing my daily devotion, something I came across really stood out. In summary it said, "Over and over again, the Bible begins a person's story by telling where they came from, who their parents were, and what land they originally inhabited. This is all to show that 'our story begins long before we do.'"
Before Abraham ever lay Isaac on the altar, before his marriage to Sarah, before he traveled to Egypt, and before he ever heard the voice of God...God was planning his story. God knew exactly how He was going to use Abraham, how He would bless him and the mark he would leave on all nations and in the plan of salvation; but God also knew that Abraham was only a part of something much bigger. Just like Abraham, and so many other important men and women of the Bible, there is a BEFORE me..and an AFTER me. All of the stories that came before mine and all of the ones I've lived so far play a part in God's "big picture". Wow! It is a blessing just to be used, chosen and included in God's plan.
I find myself sometimes asking, "Why?" or "Why us?" or "Why now?" When I'm reminded that my focus should be on the "big picture" that my human eyes can't fully see, I think, "Why not?"
God himself does see the whole picture and He knows why. I can trust that. He has never ever let me down. I can look back at uncertain and difficult times in my life and see answers now to so many of the "why's", and how those hard things made some amazing things possible. I've seen evidence of ways that God affected the future of our children, developed their character, made opportunities to use their gifts and hearts for Him and above all grew their faith and brought them closer to Him. He grew me too. He is so patient with us, friends. We don't deserve His love and there's nothing we can do to earn it...but He gives it anyway.
It was difficult at times to start all over 3 years ago. God made me lonely when it was necessary to teach me not to hold onto anything or anyone more than my Heavenly Father. He loves us enough to empty us so that we can be filled with Him.
I share part of my story to let you know that you're not alone. In confusing and uncertain times, when you can't see the whole picture..rest in the assurance that He does. So, we can be at peace being just a "piece" of the puzzle.
My family is starting an important new chapter in our story. God has already written it. I don't yet know the "Why's", but am reminded by His word that God knows the plans He has for us and for our future, so I can say "Why not?" and know that in time we will be able to look back and laugh and say, "That's why!"
The unknown can be a scary place, but don't be afraid to take a step of faith. Rest in the knowledge that your "unknown" is known to God.

February 14, 2018

I just keep thinking that it happened on Valentine's Day. That was always one of my favorite days of school. I loved filling out the cute little cards and choosing the perfect one for each classmate. I looked forward to our class party and opening all of my Valentine cards. The high school kids in Parkland, FL were probably past the days of cute little cards and classroom parties. But, when they headed out the door for school that day, it was supposed to be a day all about Love. They were all supposed to go home that day and eat pizza shaped like a heart, share gifts with family, go to church or to sports practice or a game. But, 17 of them (including 3 teachers/coaches) didn't make it back home. My heart has ached all day when I think about it. This morning it came up in the car with my own high school student. It literally broke my heart to have to ask certain questions and remind him what he should do if something like this were to happen at school. Tears have flowed and threatened to flow at every article, news report or picture. I've wondered why this time it seems to be hitting so deeply. But it should hit hard. It should not feel commonplace. I don't ever want to feel numb to senseless tragedies like this or to the loss of precious human life. If my heart hurts this much, how are the parents and loved ones of these victims still standing upright? I don't know. I can't even begin to fathom their pain and what must be an utter tidal wave of emotions. It hurts that our children are growing up in a world that has grown so cold. Evil seems to run rampant. Days like this, it feels like evil is winning. And so I will continue to remind myself - I DO believe that love is more powerful than hate. I KNOW that evil will not win in the end. I believe there is still so much good in the world. Good people - like the coach who stepped in the path of rapid fire to be a human shield for his students. Like the teacher who managed to hide all 19 of her students in a closet and keep them quiet and safe until a SWAT team came in to rescue them. Like the janitor who re-directed to safety more than 40 students who were unknowingly running toward the shooter instead of away. I don't believe that these horrible tragedies are the result of just one issue. There are so many factors. As Christians, as much as it hurts we know that we are living in perilous times. It's not a surprise that the world will grow more and more cold and even farther away from God as we approach the last days. So, how do we combat this darkness? With the only thing that can - Light. His light. His Spirit. His power. His love. His grace. His mercy. His Word. His people. And, as difficult as it can be..His forgiveness. It is for all. His promises. I'm holding onto them right now more than ever. The world needs hope, and we have it in Jesus Christ. We can make the choice to repay kindness for unkindness, love for hate, hope for hopelessness. Our prayers are with you Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and Parkland, FL. We hurt with you. 💙

Spring Cleaning

It's about that time...Spring is finally here! 

How nice it is to look outside and see some green replacing all those piles of white that were here just weeks ago. The temps aren't very warm yet, but no complaints here. I'm loving the sunshine, and the birds are back! I love watching everything start to bud and come back to life. It always reminds me of God and how He can make ALL things new.

One thing I can't say that I enjoy much about the season is spring cleaning. Our homes just need a good scrubbing, dusting, cleaning, and clearing out after a long winter. Sometimes it's hard to understand how we accumulate so much, but it feels good to get rid of the clutter and the things we don't need anymore that are just gathering dust or taking up space. Cleaning and clearing out makes things look and feel new again. It feels good to the soul!

All of this reminds me that not only do we need to clean and clear out our physical homes, but our hearts and spirits need a good cleaning and clearing out as well. Just like the dust in the corners and the dried up plants in our yards that require maintenance right now, so do our relationships with God. Just as the clutter we don't need in our homes begins to get in the way and make it hard find the things we do need, clutter in our hearts and lives can get in the way of our walk with God and make it hard to see what's important.

Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."

Sometimes we do a great job of seeing what we think needs to be fixed in our neighbor's "house", but we fail to see our own clutter. We must examine our own hearts first and allow God to show us the places that we need to let Him work on. It's hard to admit our own shortcomings, but it is necessary if we desire to grow. Just like the change of seasons and the new hope that comes with Spring, sometimes we may need a new start or to be renewed - forgetting what is behind and pressing forward. This might require repentance, forgiveness, and much prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 43:18-19 says, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."

He loves you and He truly can make all things new! At times, we fail to see what is right in front of us, or what God is doing around us. We need to just get back to basics. With Spring comes new life...we are going into such an important time this weekend. It's Good Friday, and then Easter Sunday. We give thanks and honor Him for the unspeakable gift He gave the world on the cross! Not one of us is worthy, our righteousness is like filthy rags. I am so thankful that He paid the cost for our sins, we can never thank Him enough. 

I am going to spend some time this week trying to tackle some dust and clutter..in more ways than one. Let's pray for new life, renewed spirits and the willingness to grow and eliminate the things that are getting in the way of growth and new life.

 Thank God it's Spring!

That small little word

Fear.....it's just a small little word, but it can hold so much power in our lives if we allow it to. I can say with all transparency that fear has overtaken me at different times in my life. It can be easy to make excuses for it, convince ourselves that it's okay, that any normal person would feel this way.  I believe that "worry" is just another word for fear. Fears and worries can so easily overtake us! If we are followers of Christ, this kind of overwhelming fear or worry is a sin.

 One of the most prevalent things that I have noticed during the months of the presidential campaign, was the fear displayed in many Christians. The outcome was not what I had hoped for, but I refuse to limit God based upon who is in the White House or what  bill Congress may have on the table at the present time. The Bible describes in great detail what things we can expect to see before the Lord returns. Why are we surprised by the things that are happening in the world, and the way so many have turned their backs on God and what is right?  When we allow our personal fears, anxieties and emotions to be bigger than our faith and trust in Him, we are limiting God.

 As Christians, we can trust that God's plans are bigger than what the world tries to tell us, and His sovereignty is greater than anything this world, or the people in it can throw at us! He is the same God who was with Abraham when he was told to sacrifice his son, with Moses and the Israelites when the Red Sea was parted, and with Jesus when He hung on the cross and died for the world. Who are we to limit the very One who created us from dust and breathed life into our bodies?

 In Philippians 4:6-7 it says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

We will worry and fear at times, but like any temptation we face, it is how we respond to it that counts! Fear is a tool that Satan uses to try to take our eyes off of God, make us doubt what God can do, and weaken our faith. God's Word clearly tells us, Don't worry! Pray instead, and tell it to the Lord. But it goes even further than that...we are also given an amazing promise of a peace in our mind and our heart, the peace that only comes from God!!

  Next time you find yourself with your stomach in knots or your mind reeling with the things that are going on around you, stop and pray. Dive into the Word and meditate on the promises God has given you. Nothing in life takes Him by surprise, and He wants you to come to Him with every fear and anxiety, and leave them at His feet. If this is a sin that you struggle with, God can change your outlook on life if you allow the trials and dark times to teach you and allow God to use them to make your faith stronger.

1 Peter 1:6-7 says that when we experience trials (which tend to make us want to worry), it tests the genuineness of our faith. The more we learn to depend on God and stop carrying our burdens and worries on our own shoulders, the easier it gets with every new trial or trouble that may come our way. When we try to see God as our "Father", it is easy to understand that He desires for us to come to Him as His children and allow Him to take our anxieties and replace them with His wonderful peace. He knows what we have need of and He has a plan for our lives.

 Ask God to show you what you can learn through your trials and allow Him to change your heart and mold you even more into the servant that He wants you to be; the one that He can use for His glory. The peace that you will feel in your heart is beyond compare...and the only source of this peace is through our Lord.

...and they lived happily ever after!

Real life, or fairy tale?? With our upcoming small group "Marriage Built to Last" I've been thinking a lot about marriage and what it has become in our society today. Most of us wives remember reading fairy tales and watching the Disney princess movies and the way that they always ended...with that famously memorable line.

From the time we are little girls, we dream about the day we will grow up and marry that special "Prince Charming" that God has just for us! He's perfect...tall, dark and handsome, smart, funny, kind, sensitive, respectful, loving and treats you like a princess. That wonderful day comes and you are the happiest you have ever been because your childhood dream has come true! You have a beautiful wedding, surrounded by all the people you love. If you're really lucky, you go on an awesome honeymoon. You move into your first place and have so much fun making it a home together. You stay up late talking and laughing, and pretty much just spending every moment possible together.
 Then.........one night you wake up to a loud buzzing sound.....and realize it's the Prince - snoring!! You give him a nudge in the side and he rolls over and mercifully, stops all the racket. You fall back to sleep after a while, and about an hour later wake up to a little voice saying, "Mommy, I had a bad dream...can I sleep with you and Daddy?" The next morning, as you get out of bed and walk into the living room you trip over his shoes that he left sitting in the wrong place. You pick up the dirty socks and throw away an empty bag of potato chips that he feasted on last night when you were trying to talk to him as he stared at the t.v. instead of you. You contemplate on accidentally "losing" the remote as you recall his response to your 5 minute long venting session........"Huh?? Did you say something???"

You daydream about the times when he wanted to talk to you for hours, complimented you whenever he saw you, and took you out on special dates and held your hand in public. You wonder how and why your "fairy tale" turned into something more along the lines of a reality t.v. show. Where did we go wrong?

As funny as this scenario is, I know that if we are married we have all probably been there before or have another story we could tell. Obviously, our husbands could give their own dialog of how their wives have changed over the years and how life sometimes isn't all they dreamed it would be. First of all, fairy tales are from Hollywood and Walt Disney. As nice as it would be to believe in real life being that way, it's just not reality. He isn't Prince Charming and you aren't Cinderella. As imperfect as I think my spouse is at times, I can look in the mirror and see that as a wife, I am just as flawed. 

Do you miss the excitement of when you first fell in love? Then, go out on a date with your spouse and take time for just each other, and make it a regular thing. There was a time before kids that it was all about the two of you...that doesn't have to completely go away. Sometimes we let life revolve around the kids, and somewhere along the line we stop letting our spouse know how special they are to us. Donald and I have been married for 20 years, and I can honestly say that we are still very much in love. There are still times that he walks into a room and I catch sight of him and think, "Wow, my husband is so handsome! I am so blessed." He takes the time to tell me he loves me every day, and also shows love by his actions. 

Do you feel like your spouse just doesn't understand you or that you have grown apart? Try to understand him/her instead! Talk to your spouse about how you are feeling and open up your heart to him/her. Let them know that you want to revive that amazing friendship you once had. Respect your marriage enough to put up boundaries, such as never meeting with someone of the opposite sex alone, guarding your heart and emotions when it comes to relationships with other people. Your friends or people of the opposite sex should not fill the place in your life that is meant to be your spouse's. Even an emotional attachment to someone of the opposite sex other than your spouse is wrong. If you need to pour your heart or your problems out to someone other than your spouse...pour it out to God!

Do you feel like you just can't make your marriage work? Then stop trying in your own power, and let God. 
Start with the basics...God created marriage and He created it to be forever. Take it one day at a time, and work on yourself first. Examine your heart and your relationship with the Lord. Go to church as a family, and get involved in small groups...and if you don't have a relationship with God or a church, that is the first step to making your marriage work. Start praying together...this seems small, but can be a scary step for some couples. If you have never prayed together it might feel weird at first, but it will do great things for your marriage and your connection to each other. Realize that you may need to forgive past hurts and start fresh.

In closing, I would love to invite married couples to get involved in our new small group at Community FWB Church called, "Marriage Built to Last" starting on Wed. night, September 19 @ 6:30pm at the parsonage. God bless you and we hope to see you there!