Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Living Under Grace

How differently would we live today if we truly believed we were living under grace?

Most of us believe we are living with and in grace, but under grace takes on a whole new meaning. These three little prepositions are cantankerous little words that can cause a slight variation in meaning.

Living under grace means to see everything in life in the light of God’s grace.

Wow!!! Can you imagine that? Our eyes trained to see everything under the perspective of our Lord. The beauty of the world reflected in the face of a beggar. Love raining down on the just and the unjust. Trust flowering among those who distrust. Faith showered on a refugee camp. A church youth group thundering in to a small Appalachian village to minister to impoverished kids.

For once the world would be seen with a different lens and ministered to from God's perspective.

Grace is:
Sitting on my back deck, I envisioned a new world order where people would see things boldly. Strife would be at a minimum. Discord would be settled with a handshake. Anger would be dissolved in simple words like, “I’m sorry”.

What a joy to be a Christian writer and seek to see beyond troubling news and a fractured culture. I’m going to stay on the deck and watch the golden eagle riding the afternoon wind or try to catch a glimpse of the little red fox that has been hiding behind my azalea bushes.

Even if I can only escape for a little while, I want to cherish grace. It’s a gift. And sitting under it means I can take my time unwrapping it and think about Jesus’ life, how He loved so much that He died for those who loved Him. It’s hard to comprehend such a sacrificial act, but looking out over the river living under grace, I feel Jesus wants me to savor the gift and revel in the love, so that I can leave and take it with me and extend it to others.

There’s lots of room in living under grace. I encourage you to find your place to reflect on it and invite others to join you. I’m thinking we can change our small world and gain a new perspective.

I’m living under grace. Join me,

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Olympics Of Life

Watching the Olympics over the last two weeks has made me acutely aware of how much life investment has been made. But getting to the Olympics does not mean their challenge is over. It’s the apex of all they have worked for. Each athlete knows how important it is to finish the race and cross the line.

I marveled watching athletes from across the globe persevere in their fields of competence. You could see the struggle and determination branded in each face. As I watched them, I was inspired to push harder in my life challenges.

Here we are just days away from the Olympics and I wonder if I can capture a semblance of what those athletes gave the world. Those men and women who gave it all. They ran the race and stayed the course.

But . . . do I? How often do I begin something and lose interest? How often do I decide it’s too hard and give up? How often do I look at others and feel I can never achieve what they can and walk away?

Too often. Way too often.

That’s tragic in and of itself, but how often do I berate myself over not finishing goals and spending years piling up one failure after another, beating myself up until I am inept at finishing even everyday mundane chores and objectives.

More than I want to admit to.

Traveling through God’s Word reminds me that I’m not alone in my struggle with perseverance or achievement. Many struggle in their quest to know Jesus better, to spread the Good News, and minister to others. The apostle Paul felt he couldn’t possibly do what was needed to be done for Christ. He asked, “Who is adequate for these things?” (2 Corinthians 2:16 NASB)

But Paul looked beyond his limitations to God’s sufficiency, declaring “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.” (2 Corinthians 3:5 KJV)

God’s guidance and presence is what makes the race of life possible. Paul assures us in Philippians 4:13 that we “can do all things through Him who strengthens” us.

So I’m on Team Jesus, and I’m asking you to join me to run the race set for us by Jesus Christ. We are all runners. We may not be competing, but we’re after the eternal goal: heaven. We aren’t running aimlessly or fighting like a boxer beating the air (1 Corinthians 9:26), we know what to do. We keep running for Jesus.

Our race is worth every moment of investment: studying the Bible, reaching out to others, teaching, listening, loving, praying, and pushing every faith muscle we have to exhaustion. We’re running with Jesus. What a wonderful thought!

Okay . . . Team Jesus is ready to roll!!! The race is worth the effort. Do you see the finish line?

Remember: “Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us enough to die for us.” (Romans 8:37)

God bless you all,

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Money, Money, Money

Money, money, money must be funny in a rich man’s world!

I can’t help but think of this song every time I get phone calls from Omaha, NE; Washington DC; E. Waterford, PA; Santa Paula, CA; or Lytton Spg, TX. All the calls want is money for political agendas, ad campaigns, or to stop certain political opponents. Really? Money is not the answer folks. If they were selling something of value, they wouldn’t have to ask for money. We would already be sending it.

When my grandmother died, I helped mother clean out her home. While taking clothes out of the dresser, a letter fell on the floor. It was one I had written to her when I was seven years old.

Dear Grandmama,
How are you and Papa doing? I miss and love you so much. Could you send me a quarter? I really need it. Love, Angela

Guess I was practicing for today’s culture!!! I set it up to make them feel good and then wham, I’m asking for money.

Money, money, money.

And have you noticed all the pop-up ads on Facebook recently? Cure wrinkles. Write a book today! Buy this. Buy that. It’s beginning to feel like an assault.

In my devotional this morning, I read:

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. . . . and which of you by worrying can add one cubit to your stature? . . . But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Luke 12:22-31, paraphrased)

When I get stressed over every day occurrences, I get so agitated. I lose my joy.

John Piper said, “Maintaining joy in God takes work; that is, it’s a fight against every impulse for alien joys and every obstacle in the way to seeing and savoring Christ.”

“Rejoice always.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16)

I have to fight to feel the joy. And that’s okay. Fighting or resolving to be joyful has many bonuses, internal and external.

Omaha, NE just called me again. I felt my ire rising, but I fought back, answered the phone, and listened before saying, “Thank you for your offer. You are so kind. I pray God blesses you to the uttermost. Have a wonderful day. Goodbye.”

I did not hang up on Omaha, NE. And before the receiver left my ear I heard, “Thank you! God bless you, too”

Joy.

God will do it His way – in great and unexpected ways through us when we trust Him and fight for joy in the middle of life’s aggravations!!!!

Are you fighting for joy in your life? If so, marinate in the following verses:

Romans 12:12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

James 1:2 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.”

Proverbs 17:22 “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Psalm 16:9 “Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.”

Psalm 118:24 “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

1 Thessalonians 2:20 “For You are our glory and joy.”

1 John 1:4 “And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.”


Fight for joy! Marinate in it! It’s the key to physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

God bless you,


Monday, August 1, 2016

Summer At Camp Love

My husband and I had a very concentrated six weeks of summer company. It was awesome and filled with joy and blessings. At one point we had sixteen at the beach! As our summer fun was coming to an end, our seven-year-old granddaughter handed us a postcard: Greetings from Camp Love! (with the word Wannago! struck out).


I don’t think our granddaughter knew what Wannago meant or she might have inserted the “love” in between Camp and Wannago.

The postcard has been in front of me for a few days. The house seems way too quiet, the laundry is caught up, and the bare refrigerator is filled with healthy food again. I miss the morning sleepyheads who straggled into the kitchen with a blanket wrapped around their shoulders asking for juice. I miss the kitchen table filled with art supplies and stacks of finished and unfinished artwork. I miss the chatter of small voices.

I wannago back to the chaos and feeling filled up with love. I wannago back to the beach, the zoo, the aquarium, and the theater. I wannago randomly to the ice cream store and sit at the waterfront in Washington, N. C., licking very fast to catch every drop of coconut, chocolate, almond ice cream in 98 degree weather. I truly don’t want summer company and fun to be over.

So today Dallas and I got in his ’57 Chevy, and we went to Scoops Ice Cream Store in Washington. We got our favorite ice cream and walked over to the waterfront to enjoy our dessert, people watch, and settle into the late afternoon heat and slight breeze off the Pamlico River.

And for a moment, summer fun was back on, and I could feel all the blessings and joy of those six weeks. I closed my eyes and said a prayer of thanksgiving. When I opened them, I witnessed the most beautiful sunset ever. It was like another blessing, a gift to remember God’s love pours out in many ways: grandchildren, fellowship, worship, fun, and nature.

As I get back into the routine of life after Camp Love, I realize I am eager and excited about our next Camp Wannago, I mean Camp Love. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for our family.

Have you had a wannago summer? If not, it’s not over yet. Plan a wannago outing and invite someone that needs to have a little fun and companionship.

God be with you!