I want to share with you two things I have noticed as I’ve grown in my fellowship with my heavenly Father.  

Looking back over my nearly 40 years in ministry, I have taught on a lot of Biblical topics. I also realize that there were times that I failed to live up to my own message at times. Those were the times I would wonder if I was still qualified to even teach God’s Word.

Have you ever left a faucet running in your home? I’ve left the outside faucet on, and flooded the yard. I’ve also left the bathtub faucet running while it overflowed into the house. We know that a home faucet, if left open, will never stop flowing on its own. It’s coming from a seemingly endless supply of water that is MORE than enough for your needs. The only thing that stops it is a closed valve.

It’s interesting how eventually, all thoughts lead to the beauty of Christ in us. Today I was thinking of the controversies of our present time, and how it seems that people fight over every single thing. They rant and argue about politics. Do black lives matter or do all lives matter? Do we wear masks or not?

Remember when you became angry and said or did some things that you later regretted? It wasn’t the devil that did that, it was the amygdala. You were the victim of what is called “amygdala hijacking”.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30

I had a nice little chat with my father-in-law recently about this verse. He said it means that Jesus does all the work for us. That’s why being yoked with him (like two oxen yoked together) is an easy yoke for us!

We’re in a time where there is much concern about our country, where it’s headed, the economy, and much more pertaining to our well-being. There is also concern and sometimes fear about one’s own health as we try to deal with a pandemic. This is in addition to each person’s individual trials concerning their relationships, money, insecurities, and so on.

I loved this documentary for a number of reasons. Perhaps it’s the fact that I grew up on a small farm and can relate to so much of what they  discovered along the way. Maybe it’s because it’s a gem of a story about a daring risk and hope amidst adversity. But perhaps the biggest reason is that ever since I’ve come into a revelation of God’s wonderful grace, I see it everywhere, even in movies that have little to do with spiritual things.  

Last month we had a great question from Bruce. He wanted to know how others deal with attacks of negative thoughts, either regret over a past sin or a feeling of self-condemnation for having said or done something that hurt someone. We've all had these kinds of thoughts. Those thoughts that seem to stick in our minds, no matter how hard we try to push them away. We've tried ignoring them or fighting them, but sometimes, they seem to override all else and we feel stuck with them.

Rick and I own a small publishing business. Recently, I spoke with a new author who was quite anxious about receiving a large number of books on a particular date because he was hosting a book release party. Totally understandable. Our printer typically delivers an order much quicker than their allotted time and we have worked with them for years. However, this year during the Christmas season a few of our orders took much longer than we anticipated because of high demand.

There is just something about the freshness and unscripted possibilities of a brand new year. I love starting new, opening a new calendar, dreaming of what the future may hold. It’s exciting and overflowing with hope. A wonderful year of fullness and expectancy stretches out ahead of us. Yes, I am sure there will be challenges. And yes, there will likely be celebrations. Instead of approaching the new year with a list of things I want to improve in my life, what if I simply was thankful for already having everything I will need for the coming year?

A hurricane is hurtling towards my home in Florida right now and I am 1200 mile away. With the possibilities of damage and destruction looming, I can't help but feel incredibly grateful for that little home. It is the first house I have ever owned, an 1100 square foot house that had been in foreclosure. I could barely afford it, but it was mine.

He tormented me, he held a gun to my head, he raped me, he demeaned me. I was a teenager and he was my enemy. Whenever I would hear the name of Satan or consider the word “evil,” his face would come to mind. He (and others) took from me. My innocence, my value, my self-esteem, my strength, my purity, my hope, my joy. All that was precious and good and lovely about my younger self was charred by these heinous incidents. I hated them for what they had done.

I love new beginnings. It’s a new year, full of freshness, hope and possibilities. Ahead lies a myriad of untold victories, personal growth, messy challenges and golden opportunities. Rather than resolutions, I like to start the new year with purposeful dreaming. Dreaming of more than enough, wild adventures, a Love so strong it leaves a miracle in it’s wake wherever it goes, Health so vibrant it defies natural tendencies to age and deteriorate, a Hope that overcomes any lingering hopelessness, a Peace that allows us to face whatever trials and tribulations that may come our way, and an open heart to hear the lovely leading of the Holy Spirit (Someone who has no condemnation or fear to offer, only pure and gracious love). I’ve decided my phrase for this new year is “Begin with Love.”

Years ago, I remember a young man at church who would repeatedly tell me that God loved me. He seemed like a normal sort of person, yet so insistent and persistent that I thought it odd. I smiled and nodded, but deep down my response was, “So what?” The gentleman seemed so passionate about something I readily saw as a cliché, though perhaps a harmless one, I dismissed it as having no bearing on my day-to-day life. I was looking for real solutions. What could I do to become a better person and improve my circumstances in this life? What could I do to get God to answer my prayers?

I learned firsthand about a door of utterance several years ago while I was attending a local home group bible study. Although I’d been exposed to the gospel as seen through the lens of God’s grace, I was having difficulty articulating it to others. I recognized it when I heard a teaching or read a book/blog about it, but when I tried to explain what I knew, my words would fall to the ground with a thud. I could tell there was no life in my words. I was merely regurgitating dogma which had no ability to produce real change in those around me.

Recently I created a stressful situation for myself. I say, “I created it” because truthfully, it was only me that was demanding I meet a particular deadline. I was behind on a work project and I felt pressed for time and for finances. My experience produced significant feelings of stress. However, when I spoke to Rick about it, he remained calm and unmoved by the potential looming disaster I saw ahead if this deadline was not met. At first, I found his reaction comforting. It made me feel like everything would be okay, but as time went on… not so much.

I was 47 years old when I got married. Shortly after our wedding, I remember a friend asked me if it was strange having someone around all the time after being single for so long. I didn’t hesitate – Nope, not at all. It felt like the most natural thing in the world. Like “hand-in-glove.” But it got me to thinking… I was loving being married, but what about Rick?

I grew up on a small farm in the country.  I considered myself poor.  My father was a teacher, repairman and farmer.  My mother was a homemaker.  Though we really did have everything we needed, I saw that we were different from other families who had more and nicer things than we did.  It was never the attitude of my parents, but somewhere I picked up a victim mentality…that others seemed to have a better shot at life than I did because they had more money.  I felt it was unfair.

Isn’t the idea of Grace so beautiful to hear about?  But I have a question: Is it really practical?  Does the way of Grace really help us in practical terms or is it a flimsy lifeless theory that fails us within the everyday trials of living in this world?  I have had several opportunities to put this to the test.  I am someone who is not content with pretty words, but need to see that there is something real within what I believe.  If there isn’t, I simply cannot embrace it.  I’ve had my share of struggles in life since becoming a Christian that I have had to face and deal with.