Are You Here Today?

July 20, 2017 by Lisa Burgess 6 Comments

Do you spend too much time thinking about the past?

Mistakes you made.
Things you could have done differently.
He said/she said stuff.

Or do you worry more about the future?

What if this happens?
What if it doesn’t?
How would you manage that?

We’re all tempted to live before and behind.

But God’s solution is for us to stay in today. That’s why I love this timeless post from Caroline. She reminds us to switch to gratitude for this day, this moment.

Enjoy this repost from 2012 that is just as fresh today as it will be tomorrow.

Thankful for Today

by Caroline

Each day is a gift.

We know this, right? But how often do we have to remind ourselves when we’re exhausted, weary, feeling beaten, or stressed?

Some days are tougher than others, and some days reach the “toughest” category. Can we be thankful even in the middle of those days?

Switching to Gratitude

I’ve often experienced the effects of switching my mindset to one of gratitude for that day, that moment.

I might feel frustrated with my lack of sleep or overloaded with “to-dos” and “want-to-dos.” My shoulders hunch with the burden of frustration with myself, my stomach churns nervously, and my heart quickens at the mere thought of failing my children or my husband or, worse, my God.

In these moments, when I shift to a focus on gratitude, the response is drastic.

My shoulders soften, my stomach eases, and my heart calms.

Gratitude changes my psychological and physiological responses. The effect is measurable. (As Ann Voskamp has said on her blog, research and science only support scriptural truth.) Being thankful for today in turn keeps me in the current moment and better able to see the joy He has placed right in front of me.

Even in the middle of my son’s hospital stays, I can find something to be thankful for each day.

What’s in a Day

What if you’re experiencing terrifying circumstances or depressed thoughts or general weariness? How can you see gratitude in those moments?

No matter what today brings, I try to remember:

God is here (Psalm 118:7) and active (Psalm 118:15-16).
God created today (Genesis 1:3-5).
God protects and is trustworthy (Psalm 118:8).
God saves (Psalm 118:21).
God loves—forever!

Look back at how Psalm 118 begins:

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.”

His love endures forever.

Stop and Praise

When I’m feeling foul, sometimes I need to go through the physical act of thankfulness to pull me out of a deepening pit. As soon as I realize I’m about to bark about a disturbance, if I pause and speak two or three things I thank God for out loud, I begin to feel those relieving effects.

Gratitude inspires praise. Praise focuses beyond me.

“The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.” (Psalm 118:24)

And what else were we made for than to see Him, receive Him, praise Him, and share His love?

What are you thankful for today? Please share in the comments.

Creatively Bringing Order – Our Privilege and Responsibility

November 23, 2016 by Patti Brown Leave a Comment

As people made in the image of God, we each, in various ways, reflect His creative nature in our daily lives. In Genesis 1:28, God tells His first people, Adam and Eve, to be fruitful, to multiply, to subdue the earth, and to have dominion over all living things. It is inherent to our purpose on this planet to creatively bring life and order to the world around us.

This year our big family Thanksgiving meal at my parent’s house has more guests than usual, so when I asked what I could bring to add to the meal, I expected to receive a list of food items similar to past years, just expanded – five pies instead of three, extra veggies, double cranberry relish. But my thoughtful parents, realizing that I had just come off an intense theater production week with my children, simply said “Bring fresh fruit.”

Well that’s easy, I thought. I was grateful for the simplicity of my assignment. But how to serve the fruit? I knew that it was mostly intended as a snack for the small children who would be attending. It needed to be presented in such a way that they could just pick up a piece and eat it as they waited for the meal. Should I just bring a big jumble of cut fruit?

Then I saw this:

sourceI knew I had my solution – a cute and creative way to bring order to fruity chaos!

While turning cut fruit into a fun display for a party is admittedly trivial, the principle behind it is rooted in scripture. Like our Heavenly Father, we were designed to be creative and bring order.

Today we read the final passage in our “God the Creator” series:

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. (Genesis 1:28-2:3)

As people made in the image of God, we each, in various ways, reflect His creative nature in our daily lives. In Genesis 1:28, God tells His first people, Adam and Eve, to be fruitful, to multiply, to subdue the earth, and to have dominion over all living things. It is inherent to our purpose on this planet to creatively bring life and order to the world around us.

Life

God blesses us with the privilege of creating life. In families we are fruitful and bring new life into the world. Those called to foster and adopt children nurture new life in those whom they welcome into their families.

Humans cultivate and harvest food that sustains life. We care for animals that will feed and nourish our bodies. While you may not raise your own food, someone somewhere on planet Earth is raising it for you! Without it, you would not live.

Stewardship

“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33 a NIV)

We are called to be creative stewards, or caretakers, of the physical world. We weed our gardens. We mow our lawns. We create homes that are functional. While the physical world tends toward entropy (a gradual decline in order) it is our privilege and our responsibility to order and care for the world around us.

Our responsibility to be good stewards extends beyond the physical. As parents we steward our children by teaching them about God and His Word, and training them in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). As people in our communities, when we see others’ needs, we seek ways to meet them. We are God’s ambassadors of peace.

Rest

Like God, in Whose image we were made, we are creators. You and I create life and order by attending to the smallest details of our lives.

And, like God, we rest. In fact your brain is often more creative when at rest. This is why you get fabulous ideas in the shower or while drifting off to sleep. Our creative undertakings are blessed by rest.

Rest is so important that God blessed the seventh day and made it holy. Thus began the Sabbath, the observance of which is the fourth commandment.

Thankful

On Thanksgiving morning, as I turn my big pile of cut fruit into a colorful turkey on a platter, I will be thinking of all the things for which I am thankful. That sweet smelling sticky fruit will remind me how much joy it brings me that my creative Heavenly Father made such a colorful and interesting world for us.

Our God of vivid sunsets and soft kittens created sounds that can be turned into glorious symphonies. He created chilly oceans for me to dip my toes in and dolphins to splash in them. He created my daughter’s twinkling brown eyes and my son’s dimples. He made a beautiful world with bright colors and smells and sounds, and gave you and me the privilege of playing with them all and making even more beauty.

And most wonderful of all, He gave us Jesus — my hope and your hope. Because of whom we can not only enjoy the beauty and creativity of this life, but can confidently look forward to eternity with God. May your heart be truly thankful today, rejoicing in the gifts before you and the promise to come!

For Further Study

1) Did anything change in God’s direction to humans after the fall? Compare Genesis 1:28 and Genesis 9:1. Why do you think these verses are different?
2) In what unique ways did God design you personally for creativity and bringing order?
3) Read Genesis 2:1-3 and Exodus 20:8-11. How do you observe rest in your week?

It is inherent to our purpose on this planet to creatively bring life and order. #GodTheCreator

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God the Creator - a new series on Genesis 1 and 2:1-3 at DoNotDepart.com

Stop Working for Easter

March 10, 2016 by Lisa Burgess 15 Comments

Getting ready

Sometimes it feels like a lot of work to get ready for Easter.

We search for the right clothes, matching bows for our girls and ties for our guys. We buy chocolate bunnies and dye eggs. We gather the family for early church and cook Easter lunch for afterwards.

It can make a girl tired.

But isn’t resurrection really the opposite of work?

The Valley of Dry Bones

Read this crazy vision in the Old Testament in Ezekiel 37:1-14. God tells Ezekiel to look at a pile of dry bones. The bones don’t move. They don’t work. They’re dead.

Until . . .

God sends wind to breathe life into the bones. The bones suddenly take a deep breath. They stand up. And they become a great army.

Can we do that, too?

Take a Deep Breath

As we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus this month—His return to life after a deep breath from the Father—may we remember to breathe deeper ourselves.

Breathe in rest
Let’s rest from our striving to make all things perfect. In things that really matters, Jesus has already finished the work.
Breathe in satisfaction
Be content with God’s grace. His gift is enough; there’s nothing more we need add to its perfection.
Breathe in gratitude
Thank God that we don’t have to resurrect ourselves. God takes our stony hearts and brings them to life through the breath of His Spirit.

We may still make preparations for Easter, but not to make it perfect. God has already done that.

It’s not about things we’ve done or are going to do.

It’s about what God has done and who He’s made us to be—alive!

To Do:

Read Ezekiel 37:1-14.
Sit quietly and imagine the scene.
Use your breath to thank God for breathing life into you through the life of Jesus.

How do you prepare for Easter? What do you enjoy most about it? Please share in the comments.

Why you shouldn’t work for a perfect Easter #EasterintheOT

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Thanksgiving Blessing Tree: A Family Activity

November 25, 2015 by Patti Brown Leave a Comment

Make a Thanksgiving Blessing Tree with your family this year! Count your blessings around the table and create a unique holiday decoration at the same time!

A Thanksgiving blessing tree is a unique way to decorate for Thanksgiving, that also nurtures a heart of gratitude in your children.

This is an activity we used to do every year when my children were small, and that we are reviving this year. After all, you are never too old to be thankful! In the past I have traced leaves by hand on construction paper, but this year I made a leaf printable, with scriptures on one side of each leaf.

The premise is simple – create a “tree” out of bare branches, and attach leaves on which are written things for which you are thankful. Each leaf also has a scripture on it. Reading aloud each person’s blessings around the Thanksgiving table is a family tradition I think you’ll truly enjoy.

Thanksgiving Tree

Materials

vase or flower pot
twigs or small branches
sand, floral marbles or small rocks to weight down your container
card stock or construction paper
scissors
crayons (if using white paper)
pens
tape

Instructions

1) Print your leaves. I like to print enough for at least three leaves per person, but we often use a lot more. If you can, use card stock or construction paper (see special instructions for printing on construction paper here) so the leaves will hold up better, but if all you have is printer paper, that will work too.

Printable scripture leaves for Thanksgiving tree at DoNotDepart.com — *Click on the image above to go to the downloadable file*

2) Cut out the leaves. If you give this job to your children, remember to focus on being thankful that they can use scissors safely and don’t worry too much about whether the leaves are cut perfectly. :-)

3) If you have printed on white paper or card stock, have the kids color the leaves red, yellow, orange, brown and maybe even a few green.

4) Find a few bare branches in your yard and place them in a vase or pretty flower pot. Weight the container and stabilize the branches by pouring sand, floral marbles or rocks into your container while holding the branches in position. Your “tree” is ready for leaves!

5) On Thanksgiving day have your children bring around baskets or trays with the leaves and pens to your guests. Each person can write something he or she is thankful for on the blank side of a leaf. The more leaves on your tree the better!

6) Tape the stem of each leaf onto a branch of your tree.

7) Take some time during or after the meal to read the leaves aloud.

We would love to see pictures of your Thanksgiving trees! Share them in the comments or on our facebook page!

What family traditions do you have that help you focus on your blessings at Thanksgiving?

Try this simple activity on Thanksgiving to help kids focus on their blessings. #LetTheChildrenCome

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Make a Thanksgiving blessing tree using our free scripture printable. #LetTheChildrenCome

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Need to catch your breath? Try His

June 11, 2015 by Lisa Burgess 16 Comments

A BREATHLESS SUMMER?

It’s summer, traditionally a season for less stress and more relaxation, more time off. But are you already out of breath? Is your schedule running you instead of you running your schedule?

When we leave too little breathing room in our lives, we feel drained. Near the end of my father’s death with lung cancer, it hurt to watch him breathe. The in-and-out of air was slow and tiring. Instead of invigorating his body with fresh oxygen, breathing seemed like dreary work.

Our lives can become that way as well when we don’t guard our spiritual breathing.

BREATH IS SPIRIT

Our breath is a gift from God, one of our very first.

Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
Genesis 2:7

In the New Testament, Paul taught the Athenians about our marvelous Creator who gives us life and breath and everything (Acts 17:25). In the Greek, “breath” here is from pnoe (G4157). It also means a breeze, wind.

In John 3:8 the root word pneo (G4154—to breathe hard, breeze, blow) and its more common derivative pneuma (G4151—a current of air, breath, breeze, spirit) are both used.

The wind [G4151] blows [G4154] where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit [4151].
John 3:8

A literal translation could be:
The breath breathes hard. . . . We are brought forth from the Breath.

We are born of that Breath. That Wind. That Spirit. Just as we live physically by breathing in oxygen 10-20 times per minute, so we breathe in God continually for sustained spiritual life.

LET THE WIND REMIND US

So when you’re outside this week, pay attention to the wind. Look for signs of it around you.

Are tree limbs dancing in praise to its rhythm?
Are birds resting their wings in its current?
Do you feel it blowing away your sweat, cooling down your body?

Let the wind remind you to breathe in God’s grace. And breathe out His praise.

Awaken to God’s Spirit breathing through your world. Look for signs of His movement.

Do you see evidence of His grace in people you live or work with?
Are you breathing in His gifts with each lungful of air?
Can you breathe out honor to Him through your mouth for His provisions?

Just as we can’t see the wind, neither can we physically see God. But we know both are here through other ways.

God is very real, leaving His fingerprints all over our world and hearts to remind us of His presence. Pause periodically to notice and praise.

Each day we take around 26,000 breaths. Can we use a few this week to give God thanks for them?

Praise Him for His splendor
Honor Him for His goodness
Bless Him for His love

BIBLE STUDY SUGGESTIONS

Take your Bible (outside, if possible!) and slowly read Psalm 145.
Look up wind/spirit/breath in a concordance.
Close your eyes. Do you feel any wind on your face? Tune in to your breathing.
Pray. Thank God for how He is breathing through your life, in ways you feel and in ways you don’t.
More verses to read: Job 33:4; Psalm 34:1-7; Psalm 51:15; Psalm 67:3-5; Psalm 71:5-8; Psalm 150; Ezekiel 37:5; Amos 4:13; Mark 4:36-41; John 2:21-22.
Pick up a physical object to bring inside. Perhaps a leaf blowing across the lawn. Or a rock that stayed put through a storm. Or a wildflower that sways when you blow it. Let this object remind you this week to stay aware of the invisible Spirit breathing through you.

Need to catch your breath? Let the wind remind you: Pause and praise. #MarvelousCreator

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QUESTION
When is the last time you’ve been really out of breath, physically or spiritually? Please leave a comment below of how God breathes through your life. We’d love to hear.

More:
5 things I learned from my “Year of Deep Breathing”

Giving Thanks for the Small

November 29, 2012 by Teri Lynne Underwood 14 Comments

Two years ago I read [amazon_link id=”0310321913″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]a book that echoed deep within the God-seeking, list-making recesses of my heart[/amazon_link]. I’d been listing gifts for several years at that point, though I didn’t number them. Sunday mornings were spent journal in one hand, calendar in the other recalling the little blessings and moments of the week just passed.

I’d learned this lesson about worship: my heart is better prepared to focus on Him when I’ve already spent time focusing on Who He is and all He’s done for me. I enter the sanctuary of our church ready to encounter Him more deeply when I’d intentionally given thanks beforehand. And so my journals are filled with Sunday lists of lunches with friends, moments with my husband, unexpected accomplishments, and opportunities to give. When I started blogging I added a “Fab Five” each Friday numbering five of the joys from the week.

For almost 17 years I’ve been counting in one form or another.

I was looking through some old journals and found lists written by a newlywed … with gratitude for a husband who surprised me with dinner out and the celebration of Christmas in our first home. I found scribbled notes of gratitude scratched out by a very tired nursing mom who wanted to remember the peaceful moments of 2 am feedings and singing softly over her little girl, “Lord, prepare her to be a sanctuary …”

But sometimes habits get old and lists get forgotten. I’ve never made the listing into a discipline or attached a spiritual requirement to it … but I’ve also lost sight sometimes of how numbering changes me. It reminds me to slow and still and notice.

This year, I’ve spent November intentionally counting.

It’s 10:31 am on November 28th as I write this post and I just stopped to list gift #524, a verse I saw on Facebook yesterday and read again today:

My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master, now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well constructed in him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7 MSG

Did you catch that last sentence?

Let your living—our living, our love and lives spilled out for Christ—let that living spill over into thanksgiving. Sometimes we neglect to let our living spill over into thanksgiving.

As we close out this month of turkeys and thankfulness listed out on Facebook and rush head-first into the chaotic Christmas season it’s going to get harder.

I love this thought from [amazon_link id=”0310321913″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Ann’s book[/amazon_link]:

Do not disdain the small. The whole of life—even the hard—is made up of the minute parts, and if I miss the infinitesimals, I miss the whole.

Of course we must be thankful for those “big” gifts of salvation, our families and friends, our churches and opportunities to serve … but maybe we also need to be intentional about gratitude for those small things too—quiet moments with a good book and coffee or an unexpected email with a kind word of encouragement. My list for November includes names and places, food and movies, Scriptures and quotes from books, sermon notes and songs. These years of listing have taught me to notice … both big and small. And to remember the Giver of every gift (James 1:17)!

Will you do me the honor of sharing just one thing, something small perhaps, that you are thankful for this day? Just a leave a comment with your note of gratitude.

Thankfulness in a hard marriage

November 20, 2012 by Julie 7 Comments

If being in a hard marriage gives a wife a “pass” on having a grateful attitude, Abigail qualified.

When it’s hard to be thankful

God’s word doesn’t tell the circumstances of their courtship, what the groom was like when they wed, or if they’d met before they were joined. By the time the ugly story unravels in 1 Samuel 25, the wealthy husband is called “Nabal,” meaning full of folly and worthless. “The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved” (1 Sam. 25:25), and her name was Abigail. Her presence in the narrative of scripture testifies that God sees and knows that sometimes it’s hard for wives to have a grateful spirit, but it’s not impossible.

God designed marriage to reflect the oneness He Himself displays, to be the tender blending of mutual protection and singular intimacy that produces a grateful spirit. But sometimes it falls far short. How can we be grateful in marriages marred by the folly of our flesh?

One woman’s example

Abigail’s grateful display took place on the stage of sheep shearing season, a major event for a businessman with 3,000 sheep and 1,00 goats. As David fled from King Saul, the would-be king sent a request for culturally-expected hospitality; the “worthless” one lived up to his name, inviting David’s vengeance. To have attacked Nabal and his people would’ve tarnished David with “bloodguilt” and spoiled his preparation as future king. Abigail knew David was God’s chosen, anointed king, and she acted boldly out of regard for God’s plans, as well as the honor of her home. Despite her imperfect circumstances and intolerable marriage, she displayed a godly spirit and presented herself in humility. Despite disappointment, she had nurtured a strong heart turned straight after God’s plans. Abigail was satisfied in God and determined to honor Him. The soil of her marriage was hard, but she cultivated an attitude of gratitude.

A God-filled wife is a grateful wife

Abigail found satisfaction, help, and purpose in her Husband-God, and she directed her gratitude to Him. As a God filled wife, Abigail was able to forgive her husband, act for his best, consider his reputation, and give unconditional love aside from his folly. Unable to trust him, she turned her eyes from her human husband and looked to the God she could trust. Sometimes it’s really hard to be grateful in marriage, but it’s possible.

She acted boldly, because she knew, “my lord<David> is fighting the battles of the Lord” (1 Sam. 25:28). Abigail’s story didn’t end with marriage counseling or reconciliation, but with judgment on her husband and a new beginning for her. Declared “Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you” (v. 33) by David, she answered, “Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord” (v.41). Humility revealed her grateful heart. In the harshest of marriages, she cultivated an attitude of gratitude.

Proverbs 31 gives a composite picture of the qualities of an excellent wife. Written by King Lemuel, this man was probably a contemporary of Solomon, a son of David. I have to think King Lemuel would’ve known of the woman Abigail and the story of her beautiful, grateful spirit that endured the folly of a drunkard husband and captured the heart of the shepherd-warrior David. Perhaps Abigail inspired the kind of woman described in King Lemuel’s proverb about a wife who does her husband good, “and not harm, all the days of her life” (Prov. 31:12).

To cultivate thanksgiving in a hard marriage

First cultivate trust in God and His plans
Grow your individual faith-roots deep
Pray for your husband and act for his good
Focus on God’s grace to you and give it in return to your mate

If your marriage resembles that of Abigail to Nabal, focus on gratitude in your relationship to God. If you are blessed with a husband who loves you well, don’t take it for granted; express thanks to God and to your man. Every wife can have an attitude of gratitude.

If Abigail was your friend, what would you tell her about God to encourage her?

Thankful for Today

November 15, 2012 by Caroline 6 Comments

Each day is a gift.

We know this, right? But how often do we have to remind ourselves when we’re exhausted, weary, feeling beaten, or stressed?

Some days are tougher than others, and some days reach the “toughest” category. Can we be thankful even in the middle of those days?

Switching to Gratitude

I’ve often experienced the effects of switching my mindset to one of gratitude for that day, that moment.

In these moments, when I shift to a focus on gratitude, the response is drastic.

My shoulders soften, my stomach eases, and my heart calms.

Even in the middle of my son’s hospital stays, I can find something to be thankful for each day.

What’s In A Day

What if you’re experiencing terrifying circumstances or depressed thoughts or general weariness? How can you see gratitude in those moments?

No matter what today brings, I try to remember:

God is here (Psalm 118:7) and active (Psalm 118:15-16).
God created today (Genesis 1:3-5).
God protects and is trustworthy (Psalm 118:8).
God saves (Psalm 118:21).
God loves—forever! Look back at how Psalm 118 begins:

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.”

His love endures forever.

Stop and Praise

Gratitude inspires praise. Praise focuses beyond me.

“The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.” (Psalm 118:24)

And what else were we made for than to see Him, receive Him, praise Him, and share His love?

How are you thankful for today? Let’s encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13) in the comments!

Here I Raise My Ebenezer: He sees me

May 15, 2012 by Julie 4 Comments

Some events are festivals of God’s provisions, providing enough Ebenezer stones to build a monument. For women who experience the carrying and bearing a life, birth is often such an event. From the monument of our first child’s coming that looms large in our family story, I want to draw out one small stone. It’s in the choosing, studying, and holding of a single stone that we remember the divine nature of the details.

No one will ever accuse me of being “medically minded;” I read little of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. After all, women have done this for millenia; what could be new? When early morning pangs were followed by a reddish gush, we nervously called the doctor, I took a quick shower, and we headed into zero degree darkness to the hospital. Empty, silent roads calmed our excitement and nagging questions. Waddling past the curb, a nurse met us at the doors and invited me to plop into a wheelchair.

Automatic doors ushered us in to the room where only one couple waited. Friends from church! What emergency brought them there in the middle of the night? Without insurance, their little one had an ear infection, forcing them to the ER. They were just leaving as we entered. Since she was a nurse and knew my due date, Cheryl peppered us with quick questions. Our naive, inexperienced answers landed heavily on her medical ears; she hid her fears as she squeezed my hand and told me they would be praying and waiting for news. We had no idea that we were in need of extraordinary prayers.

As they elevator doors closed, the couple hurried to a phone to call our sleeping pastor. Everything moved so fast … the wheelchair, the doctor, the cold iodine over my stomach, and Jeff’s face fading from my sight amidst shouts and orders. There had been no time to call anyone or to let our family members hours away know that the first grandchild was struggling for life.

God put the right person .. at the right place … at the right time … to know our need before we even knew.

El Roi, the God who sees, was not caught by surprise. He had not missed the events. We were caught unprepared by the urgency, our loneliness, and our ignorance. But He was already ahead of us, fulfilling His promise through His people.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you” (Isaiah 43:2).

He did not leave us or forsake us in our darkest valley; He sent His people on ahead in the guise of a child’s ear infection, so that an informed woman of faith was at the doors to greet us and know our need before we knew it. God provided for an army of prayer warriors to be engaged when we had no knowledge or time to enlist one for ourselves.

It’s a single stone in a monument of God’s great work in the life of our daughter, and it deserves to be lifted out, studied, and held with gratitude. I could show the other stones in this monument we remember when we say “JoHanna,” but I don’t want any others to overshadow this single stone of remembering God’s tender provision.

God put the right person at the right place at the right time to know our need before we even knew it.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for seeing what’s before us and for providing what we needed, even when we didn’t know. I’m so grateful for how YOU enlisted the prayers of Your people on our behalf. We are truly never alone, never out of Your sight, never passing through the waters without You there. Here I raise this Ebenezer to remember Your tender lovingkindness.

I Praise Because He is Worthy (Run to Him – Psalm 148)

April 14, 2012 by Katie Orr 2 Comments

We’ve been in Psalm 148 this week. Everytime I read it, I get this Seeds Family Worship song stuck in my head. (Click here if you can’t see the video.) It’s my daughter’s favorite Seed’s song, and she asks for it almost every time we get in the car. So I’ve listened to it…a lot.

Praise the Lord!

There is no mistaking the main command in Psalm 148! We are to praise the Lord.

I looked at the Hebrew word for praise this week; it is halal. I love the insight looking at the original language gives:

…to shine…to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave…celebrate, commend…glory, give (light)…(sing, be worthy of) praise…renowned, shine. (Strong’s Concordance via eBible)

How to Praise the Lord

One fun Bible study tool is to insert these synonyms into the verses, to get a fuller meaning of the text. Let’s try it together!

Shine the Lord!
Make a show about the Lord!
Boast about the Lord!
Be clamorously foolish about the Lord!
Rave about the Lord!
Celebrate the Lord!
Commend the Lord!
Give glory to the Lord!

Doesn’t this give a better idea of what it means to praise the Lord?

Let them praise the name of the Lord!

What can you praise God for today? Share it in the comments below!

Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised!
(Psalm 96:1-4 ESV)

(And by the way, the picture above is the perfect dimensions for a free Facebook cover. To download it for free, just right click the picture to download!)

I Bless Him Because He Lavishes Love (Run to Him-Psalm 103)

March 23, 2012 by Julie 3 Comments

A Story of Blessing

The texted words on my phone burst out in blessing: “God is so awesome! Words can’t express the thankfulness I have. I pray that God blessed you as much as you’ve blessed me and my girls!”

I had just left a small one bedroom apartment after dropping off a brand new set of pots and pans, bags of food, a mixer and can opener, new sets of towels, and much, much more. They weren’t from me, but I delivered them from the open hands and hearts of the team of ladies who serve with me at the women’s shelter. One of “our girls” was moving out on her own, preparing for permanent reunion and restoration with her daughters. God allowed us to join Him in the work of piecing a life back together, and the heart of our loved one was full of blessing for the love her Heavenly Father showed her.

A Psalm of Blessing

Psalm 103 begins with the call for each soul in the community of the beloved to remember the benefits of God’s love and to cry out in praise. The audience included those who knew well the journey of the broken, how it feels to rise out of exile and survive at the mercy of a generous, divine hand. A list of the benefits (vv. 3-19) fed the amazement of those whose lives were pieced together with provision from the true God. He forgives, heals, redeems, crowns, satisfies, and cares for oppressed; He who knows and loves the helpless is slow to anger, full of grace and mercy. He lavishes love on those who have nothing to offer Him but praise.

A Love for the Broken

While we are weak and frail like the grass or flower (vv. 14-16), so undependable that we are compared to dust. But the Lord loves with steadfast love that remains committed and true (vv. 17-18). To the once exiled and presently broken, He extends love everlasting, calling us to keep his covenant and remember His ways. When we feel alone, His love can only be compared to the distance of the east to the west, the distance from earth to heaven, and the scope of a father’s love for his childrevv. 11-14). He doesn’t only love us; He lavishes us with awesome love with full awareness of who we are. Yes, God is so awesome!

Every journey includes failures and fresh starts, and we all survive at the mercy of a generous, divine hand. You may not need a toaster or a can opener or gently used coffee table. But how have YOU experienced the benefits of the east to west, earth to heaven, fatherly love of God?

When standing amidst the broken pieces, fear Him, remember His promises, keep His commands, and enjoy His steadfast love. The God who knows and loves us in our weakness must be blessed!

The Most Powerful List You Can Make :: Run to Him :: Psalm 77

March 9, 2012 by Do Not Depart 8 Comments

We make lists. To do lists. To read lists. To buy lists.

We live in a fast paced society that is all about getting things done. Go. Go. Go. Our culture sees the power in movement. But in all that getting ahead, we miss the power of remembering.

Sometimes? At the end of a day, I make a list of the things I accomplished simply so I can check them off. Yes, I’m one of those people. But there is a certain power and momentum in remembering what we’ve done.

Photo credit

Apparently, the Psalmist was a list maker too. But he didn’t make a list of all the things he has or hasn’t done. Instead, he made a list of all the things God has done. And wow what a difference it made!

In Psalm 77, the writer was having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

…I would not be comforted… (v. 2)

I was too troubled to speak. (v. 4)

Ever had one of those days? Ever wonder how to change the course of one of those days? Here’s how he did it:

Starting in verse 13, he began to simply list the wonders God has done.

Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. (v. 13)

The change in tone, attitude and hopefulness of the passage is simply remarkable from verse 13 onward.

With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph…You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. (vv. 15, 20)

He may not have immediately felt different, but he immediately spoke different and that changed everything.

He took his eyes off of himself and what he could or couldn’t do. Instead put his eyes on God and what He has already done and will do again.

You see, God doesn’t change. He has been faithful to do wonders and He will be faithful to do wonders. Our greatest times of struggle are simply when we forget to remember.

Make a list

Keep a journal of the things God has done in your life. When troubles come your way, fight them with remembrance of the wonders He’s done.

What is one thing He’s done that you can remember today?

What did you learn from your study of the Psalms this week?

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Kat blogs at Inspired To Action, a site dedicated to helping moms develop the habits and skills they need to effectively manage their homes and raise children who are prepared to change the world. Kat and her husband live in the great state of Texas and have 3 children ages 7, 5 and 2.

Clean to the Fibers {Run to Him Psalm 51}

February 24, 2012 by Julie 6 Comments

The pollen from my bouquet left a dark yellow stain on the neckline of my once pure white wedding dress. We went into crisis mode to renew the lace and prepare for presentation to my husband-to-be. With little time, there was no way to truly cleanse it; covering it up was the best we could do.

The Need for Repentance

None of us begins with a pure heart; we’re all born with a sin problem. We’re delivered to this world with a need for deliverance. When the prophet Nathan confronted David with his adultery and murder, the Psalmist’s sin stared him in the face. The King was “always aware” of his offense “against God,” so “evil to God,” recognizing he was born that way (v.5). David shared his individual longing to be made right in Psalm 51’s words, written for a congregational group to song together. The ceremonial system required worshipers to “wash” and “cleanse” themselves before coming into God’s presence. Knowing he was undeserving, he appealed to the character of God, marked by steadfast love and abundant mercy.

David knew the scope of his offense and responded with a humble heart.

David knew the scope of God’s mercy and responded with a plea for deliverance.

David knew the scope of God’s love and responded with a worshipful heart.

Have mercy, wash me, cleanse me, purge me, wash me, hide your face, blot my sin, create a new heart, renew my spirit, don’t cast me away, don’t remove your Spirit, restore my joy, uphold me….

These are the words of a man who was sin-stained and knew it. These are the cries of a man who was unworthy to be in God’s presence and knew it. These are the pleas of a man who knew God’s mercy and love surpassed his dirtiness and evil. These are the hopes of a man who knew he could not make himself clean, but God could. Could these be your words?

Because He is the “God of my salvation” (v.14), He looks for more than a covering up of our outward stain; He wants inward purity demonstrated by outward obedience. Cleansing prepares us to enter His presence. Without it, our dirty condition overflows to the whole community of believers. A gathering of the cleansed and forgiven cannot help but respond in worship to the One who mercifully gives what isn’t deserved.

The Joy of Restoration

David knew the joy of having his personal evil washed to a miraculously whiter-than snow condition. He felt the joy of having his contrite heart and broken spirit healed and accepted. Deliverance from sin opens the door for freedom in worship, so he promised, “my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness … and my mouth will declare your praise” (vv. 14-15). Worship is the song of a forgiven heart.

There was no time to cleanse my wedding dress. A heavy spray of hairspray, covered by a dousing of baby powder, masked the stain on my yellowed bridal lace. It was covered, but not clean.

God isn’t fooled by our attempts to cover up our sin. Only the God of our Salvation has the power to cleanse the deep fibers of our hearts and restore our broken spirit. For those who know the joy of undeserved mercy, let’s join David’s congregation and sing the song of the forgiven hearts!

Do you have a humble heart that’s honest about your stained condition?

Have you appealed to God’s mercy with a plea for cleansing and to be upheld?

Are you taking time to worship God privately and with a group of other forgiven people?

Empty into full

March 29, 2011 by ScriptureDig 9 Comments

She arrived empty handed, shuffling into Bethlehem, far from her homeland, away from her relatives, without possessions, bringing only memories of the pain that sent her there and the hope that got her there. Naomi made it clear the likelihood of rescue was nil. All knew she was a foreigner from the land of idol worshipers. Who could redeem the widowed, barren, pagan Ruth? And if one could, would he?

Boaz was able to change Ruth’s empty to full. The humble kinsman became obedient and willingly acted on his love for the unprotected outcast stooping in his field. Knowing her journey was a choice to embrace His God, Boaz knew she was taking shelter under the refuge of Jehovah’s wings. Boaz was able and willing to give her refuge under the shelter of his “wings,” (2:12,3:9) purchasing her as his own through marriage and redemption. Drawing Ruth into his world, he protected her purity, restored more than she lost, and insured her future reward. Boaz willingly changed her empty to full.

As a kinsman, Boaz was able to provide rescue to the helpless woman, but he was also willing to do his duty of redemption as “Kinsman-Redeemer.” He took an empty foreigner with no hope, calling her “accepted,” and lifting her to be his bride with secure blessings and a glorious future.

In the same way, Christ was able and willing to act on behalf of the lost in need of redemption. “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those where under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Gal. 4:4-5). Our rescue required His humanity, and he “humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2:8) The Son of God, our Kinsman, acted to rescue us from our desperate condition, making us pure, restoring more than what was lost, insuring future reward.

In his book Twelve Extraordinary Women, John MacArthur says, “Ruth is a fitting symbol of every believer, and even of the church itself – redeemed, brought into a position of great favor, endowed with riches and privilege, exalted to be the Redeemer’s own bride, and loved by Him with the profoundest affection” (p. 85).

Our pain sends us searching for Jesus, and hope gets us to Him. When the helpless stoop before Him, we cannot fathom the love extending His wings of refuge, joyfully taking us from wretch to bride. In heaven a song is sung to the Lamb of God, Jesus, because “with <his> blood <he> purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9b). Our Redeemer changes our empty to full.

We thought we faced a future of scraping for refuse in the fields, but our loving Lord has given us the inheritance reserved for His beloved. Just like Boaz purchased the unclaimed and destitute woman of Moab as his bride, so Christ purchased us to make us His own and restore to us a glorious future.

Without the love of our able and willing Redeemer, we would still be suffering in the field. Gwen Smith shares the story of Christ’s rescue in her song Broken into Beautiful. Reflect on what Boaz did for Ruth and rejoice in what Christ does for the broken as you listen to Gwen’s testimony in song. When Jesus takes us from empty to full, we must never cease to be gratefully amazed.

A Grateful Glance Back = Recap

November 30, 2010 by ScriptureDig 4 Comments

When the six of us sat around on couches months ago, praying over and planning the coming Scripture Dig themes, we did not know what would transpire in this month of November. Long before we knew our own hearts and homes would be visited with heaviness, the Lord steered us to a focus on thanks. We really do hope it has blessed and encouraged you, but we know it has blessed and encouraged US!

Before we hurry on to December, let’s take a grateful glance back at where we have been in our digging into the topic of Biblical gratitude. We began by considering a study of what the word “thanks” really means. Entering into November from our focus on the Church, we took time to reflect on why we, as members of the Body of believers, have so much to be thankful for historically.

Sprinkled throughout this month of thanks have been examples from the pages of scripture showing us the beauty and the beast of gratitude and ingratitude. The one grateful Samaritan leper who was healed stands in stark contrast to the nine who failed to stop and demonstrate Gratitude from the Dust. We looked at expressions of thanks from Job, Hannah, Noah, Mary, and Jesus Himself. We were cautioned not to lose the joy of our grateful hearts as we saw Sarah fall into the trap of idolizing perfection. It was a timely reminder on “Black Friday” following celebrations of Thanksgiving.

As we shared stories of men and women who tutored us in thanks, we took time to share about how God has used events to work out this quality in our hearts and lives. While our own team members were living out “Even when life is not, He is good,” Kristi shared her words from 2008 as her mother-in-law began a battle with cancer. The message was perfectly timed in the life of our team. Teri Lynne shared a very personal testimony of how God etched the lessons of the Difficult Thanks on her own heart. Kathy gave us a glimpse into a humbling opportunity to be overwhelmingly “Thankful to be used.”

This month we took a look at practical ways to apply Biblical thanks & make it more a part of our home life:

Being thankful in hard times
Ways to express thankfulness to God
Ideas and examples of expressing thanks together at home
How to express thanks to others in your life

God knew that in this month of November, the lives of our team would be full, so He filled us with His truth and comfort. He knew it was the perfect time for a fresh overflow of Thanksgiving from our hearts. We pray that in the sharing, your hearts have been encouraged along the way. We are thankful for God’s Word to give us comfort and direction, and we are so thankful you’ve come on the journey with us.

Song of a Grateful Heart

November 28, 2010 by ScriptureDig 8 Comments

Praise is the song of a grateful heart. As we step from a weekend of Thanksgiving into the season of remembering Christ’s birth, let’s listen to a song of grateful praise from a woman’s heart.

When she’s introduced we know that she’s living in the excitement of her engagement, anticipating her wedding. We find out she is “highly favored” and the Lord is with her. The next adjective is where I really start to relate: she was “greatly troubled,” from the same root word that gives us “perturbed.” After all, AN ANGEL WAS TALKING TO HER!!! Truly divine.

Following the girl’s confusion came a question (v.34) and then action (vv. 39-40). She wanted to know, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” After her question she acted on her belief and trust.

Through the angel, God first made a declaration (vv.30-33) of what He planned to do and how Mary was involved. When she asked for understanding, He provided an explanation (vv.35-37) of how the miracle would happen. Then He gave confirmation (vv.41-45) of her blessing and conception, when her relative Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and her own baby jumped with joy in her womb.

It was after she poured out her confusion and her question and followed with obedient action that her song pours out of her mouth. She had just been answered with God’s declaration of His plan for her, His explanation of the miracle, and His confirmation of what would’ve scared the socks off of any young unwed, engaged, pregnant virgin teenager. But Mary was clearly already a lover of God, and her heart overflowed with thanksgiving. Because she KNEW Him, she TRUSTED Him, and she could respond to the extraordinary turn of events with confident gratitude. After all, the angel assured her that “no word from God will ever fail,” (v. 37) and she believed it!

Mary’s Song (Luke 1:46-55)

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”

Mary gave thanks for Who God is, for what He has done, and even for what He called her to do. Her soul magnified Him, acknowledging Him as the source of blessing, worshiping Him, and affirming her reverence for Him. Her humility resounds, as she recognized her own need for a Savior and her service to the holy, mighty, strong, merciful God. While others may’ve been in the fetal position in the corner, we see a Mary whose heart is bursting with awe and joyful praise in a her song of gratitude. We may want to shout, “You go, girl!” But Mary is shouting, “You go, God!”

Praise is the song of a grateful heart. Obedience is the action of a grateful heart. Read the whole story from confusion to confirmation to grateful song here. I would encourage you to open your own Bible to Luke 1:26-56, stand up, and read it aloud “Mary style.” We can relate to the young woman of this chapter in many ways, starting with the song of her grateful heart. Does a song of praise fill your heart today?

What would you say about God in your own song of thanksgiving?

Thankful for Today

Switching to Gratitude

What’s in a Day

Stop and Praise

Life

Stewardship

Rest

Thankful

For Further Study

Getting ready

The Valley of Dry Bones

Take a Deep Breath

To Do:

Thanksgiving Tree

For almost 17 years I’ve been counting in one form or another.

This year, I’ve spent November intentionally counting.

Let your living—our living, our love and lives spilled out for Christ—let that living spill over into thanksgiving. Sometimes we neglect to let our living spill over into thanksgiving.

When it’s hard to be thankful

One woman’s example

A God-filled wife is a grateful wife

To cultivate thanksgiving in a hard marriage

Switching to Gratitude

What’s In A Day

Stop and Praise

Praise the Lord!

How to Praise the Lord

Let them praise the name of the Lord!

A Story of Blessing

A Psalm of Blessing

A Love for the Broken

Make a list

The Need for Repentance

The Joy of Restoration

Mary’s Song (Luke 1:46-55)

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