Finishing Well

     It's crazy, I have everything I need. I am healthy. I have the promise and hope of heaven waiting for me. Every reason to be full of joy and praising God for it all.      Then why does my heart fail and despair rule? Why do the flood waters of sorrows past overwhelm me? The disappointments of life and the sad gray days of Winter remind me of past sins and poor decisions. Ugly naked trees mock me into withdrawal.      But, perhaps God calls me to this heap of woe, to settle my heart into His - for me to open my eyes to see the trials of others. Maybe a conviction that I must put pride and self pity away. He reminds me that He's lifted me from this pit before. Doesn't He want me to trust Him more, to believe anew that He always does exceedingly abundantly more than I could ever ask. And He is GOOD.      Mostly I must remember that Spring always follows Winter. New life, buds burst forth, nature sings!  Promised hope brings clarity and vision back. Sunshine penetrat

     I love the concept of manna; "I will feed you, I will take care of your body, I will provide all you need. But.....you are responsible for picking it up and cooking it."      His Word - our Bible - is our manna today. It indeed provides all we need: Phillipians 4:19, and my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.      It has given us power: 2 Timothy 1:7, for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.      It tells us when we fall short: 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for re proof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.      Indeed it contains everything: 2 Peter 1:3-4 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you

     Oops, we have forgotten who God is and decided we want to be God instead. We like the love and grace parts, when we need Him, and put Him on a shelf in a box when we are fine. A little box on a back shelf collecting dust. After all, this is America, the land of the free - bounty - self-sufficiency. How is that wrong, it's all about me and my rights, right?      But God is Sovereign and Holy and my response should be obedience. Sovereignty means possessing ultimate power, absolute authority, unlimited, unrestricted. God has the right to do whatever He wants. See Psalm 115:3      There was a problem then and a problem now according to Judges 17:6, in those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. The book was Judges - God will be the ultimate Judge according to what we do with His authority. Psalm 96: 13...for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with truth.      One of His comma

     As I was applying eye shadow this morning, and then using a q-tip to blur the line, it occurred to me that as Christians we have blurred the lines of sin. We have taken God's commands and tweaked them to suit our cultural demands.      We have made up new names for sins; "hooking up" instead of fornication; "terminating" instead of abortion, "flings" rather than adultery; "alternative lifestyles" in place of any number of ways we decide is right in our own eyes.      Whatever we decide to call sin, we must remember that a Holy God knows the real names and that there are real consequences for the blurs, um, sins.  His Word is the final authority, it matters not what we as a society declare to be right.         God commands, demands, holiness. Are we seeking God's approval or man's approval? We can almost always find a man to approve our behaviors. Are we teaching our children what morality is according to God's standards

     Grudge: To dislike or feel angry toward someone for something                    To give, do, or allow something in a reluctant or unwilling way.        How long do we cling to hurts, to wrongs, to past grievances? Past like long, long ago. Is there a formula? Could there be an expiration date, a time limit? Do we HAVE to forgive?      Joseph forgave his brothers for selling him away, and the people who promised to get him out of jail and then forgot. Jesus forgave His crucifiers!!! He forgives me when I repent!      So, why then, do we keep the sad, heavy burden of it? Why is it so very hard to let it go and go on to the next thing? Why do we remain paralyzed by past? Why not choose today to let it go, lay it down, give it up.      How often it is that the person we hold a grudge against has no clue they've even done anything - or it was long ago forgotten.      I suggest to you that you put it away - not for taking back out on a gloomy day, but to perhaps write it

     Lots of hate of late. Killings of Christians, bombings in Israel. The sermon on Sunday was about loving our enemies. Is that even possible??  Jesus says it in Matthew 5: "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you."          As sobering as that commandment is, it is His Truth, same as for today, as yesterday, and the future. Is that why we sit silently? Is the Truth too hard for us to carry out?  Is it possible at all to fathom that Sovereign God sees and knows?      How long do we cry in anguish?  What must we do to put this passage in practice? Can we trust that it will all be for His glory? Trust is a key word. Psalm 70: 14 says "You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples."      So, we pray. We plead with this God of wonders......bring peace we cry.......take care of our enemies......make Your Name known among the heath

     The drought is severe. The corn has dried up. The cucumbers are parched. Peas and limas barely hanging on. Tomatoes may be ok for a while longer, but there could be a revival if we get a good rain.      Maybe there's a spiritual drought in your life -  certainly in our country. Dryness. Deadness. Amos 8:11 "Behold, the days are coming," says The Lord God, "that I will send a famine on the land; not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of The Lord."      Revival can be easy for the crops - a good soaking rain or two. For us, it can be just as easy. Fall on our faces. Repent. Listen as God whispers sins we haven't even noticed. Repent for our Nation while we are on the floor. Cry out for mercy. Seek Him while He can be found!      Sometimes our drought is noticed by others before we are aware of it. People may come to us and ask if anything is wrong. Pay attention to the signs: going through the motions, doing discipl

     In searching for the elusive cucumbers and zucchini, I have discovered that they plot to hide until they are gigantic. So is sin, starts out small, lurks and entices, anticipates our scrutiny and then BAM, too late. Too big. But for God, we can be overtaken and ruined. Thankful that He is a forgiving Savior.  No sin too big! Cucumbers can be!      Seems all the good stuff is near the bottom, and we have to get down to that level to see the fruits. I open the Bible and sometimes get distracted by the simple reading and not getting anything out of that read and have to stop and bend down to the context or stop and observe more closely.      Then there're bees, busy little critters - all those flowers to visit. Busy stuff is a trip up for many of us. Have to be careful to not get tangled up in the vines while diligently seeking. Keep focus!      Oh I forgot the bunnies and squirrels! They are near. They aren't too scared of us gardeners. They can be so absorbed in the f

     Many people don't want to believe in God, or if they do, they don't fully believe in the Bible. There are so many excuses given to not believe. But what if you're wrong?        What if heaven and hell are real places, for eternity? That's a very long time to be wrong. Hell is real and it's not including an eternal party.        I choose to believe. I have hope that my eternity is with God in heaven. His Word gives me assurance of that.      I choose to believe that God is good, even when this life is not. I believe that God loves me and that He loves you too.      I believe God doesn't make mistakes. (Isaiah 46:10) and that everything that comes into my life has been filtered through His fingers of love.      I know that His grace is sufficient for my struggles  (2 Corinthians 12:9)   I trust that He forgives every sin I confess. Suffering will not last forever, unless I reject God and spend eternity in hell. (2 Corinthians 4: 17-18.)      God i

     There's been a quote going around that says don't judge me because my sin is different from yours, and believe me I don't judge, because I certainly do sin. And there is a Holy, Righteous God who does the judging.      The thing is, when I sin, I realize that it offends that Holy God, and because I want to please Him, I desire to repent and not commit that sin anymore. That woman in the Bible, when caught in the act of adultery and was brought before Jesus -  was not condemned before Him but admonished to go and sin no more. I want to believe that she did exactly that.      Sin is indeed judged. Sin indeed has consequences. But God has given us the free will to come to Him and say we are sorry and also the power to not continue sinning.  And when we do that, He forgives. Forgives freely and remembers the sin no more.      But today we don't want to call our behavior sin. Trust me, God still does. He declares sins and judgements all throughout His Word. The Word

     You remember when it happened? Santa wasn't real! The Easter Bunny. I remember the day I saw something my young eyes shouldn't have seen, and shame flooded my soul and I wished I could've "un-seen" it. I remember wondering about everything and everybody after that. Are they nice people or not? Do I trust them or not?      I see pictures of little girls on Facebook and other places that sadden me. They are posed provocatively and dressed like teenagers. Of course little girls all want to look like teens and go to great lengths to try to pull off the fashions they see. But you see, we are shattering their innocence before time. They see too much, know too much, do too much and by the time they actually are teens and young adults they have already been bored by it all. Growing up has already occurred, there's nothing left. So, then, they must experiment in even more destructive behaviors and do things they will regret.      I wish we could put our littles

     Today people went to the altar during a song, a rather uncommon thing. One of them was a Pastor, and the sight of it made me weep. I don't know why those folks were there except that Holy Spirit God met them and placed them there. I don't know why it made me weep except that Holy Spirit God melted my heart.      There's an old song, The Altar, that says "that's what this altar is for, you don't have to carry those burdens anymore." I don't know why more of us aren't moved to go to that place of unburdening - that place of deliverance - that place of seeking peace - that place of surrender.      We're told to not stifle the Holy Spirit. How many times do we do that when we harden our hearts or see no need for that place?      Move among us please God - set us ablaze with wonder, Your wonder and majesty that still stirs and changes things. Praise and thanks to the God who knows and cares and gives us the power to go, the power to chang

     Why does it often feel like we're the only one going a certain way and everyone else is going a different way? Maybe because they are?      Walking the Christian walk is just plain not like the world - we know that - but the narrow way sometimes is not only a tight squeeze but also very lonely.      Lonely like, where are those I love, like the one who tripped and fell when the road split? Where's the one who's so far behind we can't see them anymore?      It's hard - when their road looks so fun and they seem so happy.      It's long - when the way is straight up steep and it's hard to breathe in the climb - but yet.....we can't go back.      The thing about this narrow way is that no matter how steep or treacherous or lonely or hard, Jesus is still right there beside us. Whether He holds our hand or picks us up or even pushes us! He is there. He is here. He is the end of this road we call life.

     I'm done - finished - over it. How many times have I said it?  Nothing is ever going to be different and I'm tired. Weary of it.      Don't we give up so easily? Don't we get tired of praying and seeing zippo? Couldn't we catch a glimpse of what God might be doing? Couldn't He show us a morsel?  But years go by and nothing. Eons of discouragement. Decades of disappointments. Setbacks and sorrows.      Well, here's a plan.......never, never, never give up. Even when we see nothing. God sees. Even when we think it's even worse than ever, God knows. God's heart is for our good and for His glory.      He has never given up on me. His love has carried me over every obstacle, why shouldn't He lift me over the latest bump in this road called life?  Psalm 103:2 reminds me not to forget His benefits.      If I cast all my cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7), it means that I fling them so far that I cannot gather them back up. If I focus on the good things

    It becomes increasingly more astounding to me what we as Christians are allowing into our hearts and minds. I know, there are a lot of good books and movies out there, but so much of what I see and hear people talk about is really stinky bad. Funny, yes - entertaining, yes - talked about, indeed - but are they about wrong morals? Against Biblical teachings? Demeaning to women?     Trust me, I am not saying we should stop reading or going out to movies, but couldn't we be more careful about the content. Yes, it only had 3 F bombs, but it was really funny!  True, the leading characters weren't married, but it just portrays society today!     God gave us a standard to live by. How much compromise do we allow before lives are beyond seeing right versus wrong? How far away from God Is He going to allow?     I don't want to convict you or judge you, that's not my job but God's, but I urge you to consider the things you're filling your minds with or allowing you

    It occurs to me that Creator God is Sovereign, and since HE spoke all the big and little creatures and plant life into existence, that it's His business if He chooses to be done with whatever form of life He may want to be extinct. After all, He was kind of done with mankind for a minute there except for Noah and his family.     So, why do we feel like we have to save, for instance, the whatever tiny creature that keeps us from our own oil - which by the way - God still produces in abundance. Back there in Genesis, God gave man dominion over the earth and all the animals which leads me to believe He cares for humankind more than animal or plant.     While I believe we could do better as stewards, God is still on the Throne, taking care of the universe according to His will and plan. Who knows, maybe He will get tired of the mosquito and the tick.

    I believe, as Christians, we have been sitting on the fence far too long. I'm talking about genuine, born-again, converted, followers of Christ here, not church attenders.     We go to our churches and listen to the Word being taught, but we aren't living it, breathing it, telling it, or abiding in it.      We're sitting on our fences throwing stones at "those sinners" while we are lazy and apathetic and don't try to show them the right ways.      So what needs to happen? What does jumping down off the fence look like?      Church, we must pursue holiness. That means perhaps not going to every movie that comes along, not watching TV so much. Spending more time in prayer. A lot more time.      We should strive always to become more like Jesus. WWJD wasn't such a bad idea.      Then there's surrender - giving God everything - your relationships - your hobbies - your family - surrendered to His Lordship. Jesus has some hard sayings; Luke 14

    I always wanted a sister. Never knew until I was 30 that I'd had one all along in a half-sister. When we finally met each other it was so astounding - like we'd always known each other. We were so alike! We liked the same things! We had even named our daughters the same thing!     This is what I've experienced in our mentoring program at church, Titus 2 Women. Not only have I gained a bunch of sisters, we share Christ together which makes it even more special.     We have all had struggles, burdens, pain - and we can cry and laugh and lift each other up whenever we meet. Many times we try to "get over it" alone or hide our pain in lots of different ways but today as we started a new session, I was reminded anew how the Holy Spirit guides our conversations and ministers to us. Sisters, kin.     Over and over, as we shared, God bonded woman to woman in tears and prayers as they were able to express deep hurts. Wow God, You are our Healer. We share our "s

   When I first became involved with a church, a dear lady took me under her wing and conned me into being on the kitchen committee. If you know me at all, you know that the kitchen is not where I belong. But she schooled me in some things kitchen, but mostly she schooled me in ways of church.    Then later a friend persuaded me to go "visiting" with her. I had no idea what that even meant, but she was my friend so I went. Boy, did she school me! So much so that I ended up being Outreach Director. But the schooling was going, the learning was used.    So, who am I schooling? Who is going to come behind me when I'm gone?  Who taught you things of the Bible and things of church life?  Who taught you prayer? Who taught you humility and where grace lives? Who taught you to love?    There is, I'm afraid, a generation lost who has never understood the gospel message because nobody really explained it to them. Oh, they hear Bible stories and maybe memorize things, but who

Thorn trees are part of our walk. Right now and all winter they are thick and sharp and menacing. But soon, when leaves come, the thorns will be hidden from view. Made me ponder.....what do we cover our thorns with? When we talk about someone, the barbs dig in. When we judge, the crown pushes further down. We cover those barbs with "prayer concerns" and "trying to help someone". But aren't we just uncovering their shame. Even ourselves, we dress up with righteous works and piety. I was reminded of a song by FFH a few years back, On My Cross. The chorus says "I don't know why You went where I was meant to go. I don't know why You love me so. Those were my nails, that was my crown, that pierced Your hands and Your brow. Those were my thorns, those were my scorns, those were my tears that fell down....." I want to remember that the thorns are under the pretty leaves - that He bore my shame, my blame, took my place. I don't want the story p

   Ah, Spring......we're all ready after a loooooong cold winter. Spring reminds us of renewal, rebirth, Resurrection, reasons to celebrate new life. Just yesterday I spied a sweet crocus peeking out of the snow.     Maybe your life could use a Spring. Maybe you've been trying life all on your own and failing miserably. Maybe a new life with Christ as the center would be what you need. Christ wants ALL, not just our church life, not just on the outside that looks all nice, but our everything.     Of course, to give all in surrender means forsaking sin, means repenting, means not going back. Many of us are not willing to do that. It's too hard? Is life right now hard without Him?  Can I tell you that life with Christ is so much more satisfying, so much richer than living without Him.  He is enough. He grows us - puts out new growth, roots reach further down, green shoots reach for Him. His Word is alive. Same yesterday, tomorrow and forever.     Requirements for growth:

   I hope when I get older, (if God gives me many more years), that I'll live in a community of people who remember what neighborly means. I tend to isolate myself, so I'm going to especially need that contact.    This has become an isolated society - the only contacts many have are FaceBook or telephone - and that's not just older people. Not only do we need face to face time but we must become intentional about teaching our children what it means to simply look someone in the eyes and smile.    In this frenzied world, there needs to be lessons on looking for someone who needs a "face". Even today I heard someone mention they were reminded of a lonely elderly neighbor, only because that neighbor called.    And it's not just the elderly who have become lonely; it's the forgotten ones (out of sight, out of mind), the mentally ill, the physically challenged, the unlovelies, all need face time.    Is it your face they need to see?

This year God is trying to get me to comprehend love. To love like Him. I cannot. I fail. But He hasn't given up on me. He keeps putting those unlovelies before me saying - "I love them, I want you to love them too". But God......this one drives me bonkers! But God......this one is using me!  But God......this one is so obnoxious! But Suzanne......"I sent My Son to die for you, right?" He died for 'them' too. Oh. So, I'm trying; my actions are a bit ahead of my heart motives, but I shall not give up. Even when I plain don't want to love that one. Even when it's so easy to ignore God's prompting to give a touch from Him. Even when I turn inwardly selfish and want to isolate....... I will push on, I will lean in, I will press on.....to love.

The older I get, the less things matter. Take things for instance - wish I had less clutter. Then there's approval - I don't need it from anyone anymore.  How about money? Do I really NEED anything? The longer I walk with God, simple life is much more attractive, and easier, and carefree - like porch sitting in the summer - paddling around a little pool - knitting in a comfy chair. But, all that said, God is never done with us til we're dead, so am I making good use of the time He has left for me? Am I really about Kingdom business? Do I love God and love my neighbor with my all? Selfishness plagues me, I'd like to blame it on the culture, but it's pride. Things on my bucket list aren't things to go see or go do, they are things like leading people to a deeper walk with God, learning more about the power of prayer, seeing people's desires change from worldly to Godly. But am I being the example I need to be?  Are they going to be attracted to God because

I've always heard that we must hate the sin and love the sinner. Ok, that's easy to do as long as that sin hasn't affected you. In those cases, it gets a bit harder - a drunk driver kills your child, for instance.  Love is not the same thing as tolerance. I love because Christ loved me. I tolerate because I'm told I have to. Love is a choice I can make because I realize Holy God loved me first. God doesn't tolerate sin. When my children disobeyed, it wasn't tolerated.   I cannot say to God, ok God, I'm going to go my way and live in sin until I'm ready to quit. Actually I can, and quite often do - but at some point I realize my sin is offensive to Him and I repent and stop the sin.  So often in our culture today, sin is not regarded as sin. But a Sovereign, Holy God gave us boundaries as written in His Book, and He expects us to live accordingly. His love for us has not changed, He still died to save us all. His character has not changed either, He as

Saints and sinners, huh?  Church is full of shined up, polished, masked people pretending they're good and righteous, right? Well, I'm a sinner and sometimes I'm not very shiny and often I wear a mask, but I love my church. I love that sometimes I can be real enough with people so they can see that. And sometimes, that might encourage others to be vulnerable and real so their neighbors can see. But Christian, we miss a lot of dirty smelly people because we appear too perfect, too clean. Didn't Jesus sit down and eat with the roughnecks?  Do we embrace the lost, the ones who don't look like us? Do we shake their hand and run back to comfy? Actually, we're the ones who stinketh. In 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 we are told that to the lost we are the aroma of death. It all comes down to love. Are we really willing to love the lost and dying people who won't come inside our building? Can we love the smelly sinner? Do we show them a changed life? I wrote this poem o

I love throw back Thursday, seeing how people enjoyed their lives with friends and family. You get a little glimpse of sweeter times, especially if you know the things that have brought them to now.   The now may be harder days, or bittersweet, but the memories can be displayed happily with a simple snapshot of old.  My mother's life ended with Alzheimer's disease, and while she was able I asked a lot of questions about her life. She grew up in Bowling Green, and I have precious memories of her Dad and brother and cousins there.  She drove Pop's Model T to school when she was 12, on a nickel's worth of gas. She had a pony cart and often hauled many kids around the farm there.  When I see TBT pictures, I realize there's a great story behind each one and I smile at each one because it takes me back to a "time".  I'm sure some people wish we would stop posting personal sentimental pictures, but I for one enjoy them all.  Makes me ponder what legacy

What does the sheep say?  In the Bible, Isaiah says that all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.  (Is53:6) We are sheep - yes, they are dumb, but don't we follow blindly anything that comes our way?Sometimes without a thought, let alone a prayer, we go to the next thing, play the next game, read the next book..... We have no direction without the God who created us. We have no help without God's arm against the assault of the devil, who seeks to destroy all good. But God, He has given us defensive armor (Eph. 6). He has given us redemption through the sacrifice of His Son Christ Jesus. What a Savior. What way shall we go? Pray. What deed shall we do? Pray. James tells us if we need wisdom, we ask for it, asking in faith, believing. And don't give up but ask, seek, knock. And then we must be still, choose to listen, and then most importantly, be obedient.