Who is this who condemns? No one! Christ Jesus who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God an dis also interceding for us.  Romans 8:34  Isn’t this an amazing scripture?  What a wonderful reminder that we aren’t on our own in the midst of our mess.

He was praying for me this week when I frustratingly discovered  Saturday morning it was time for “needle maintenance required” with my Keurig coffee maker.  What, I have to deal with this machine without coffee! (Please don’t judge me for my love of coffee.  Jesus and I spend time together with my coffee.  It’s our routine.  It’s one of my favorite things I look forward to–that first cup every morning!}  So I tell myself, I’m ok.  I can do this.  I’ve done it before.  I look up a YouTube video just to refresh my memory.  OK, you can do this.  I follow the steps.  But the parts don’t go back together again.  I look up other videos to see if anywhere they tell you how to put it back together.  Can’t find anyone.  I take a deep breath, Jesus help me!  I can do this.  But, it still isn’t working.

I take a break.  Call my fix it up sister–maybe she can help me.  But there’s no answer so I skip leaving a message and hang up.  I take another deep breath.  Try again (we are three hours plus into this thing by now!  I take another break.  Oh the phone rings (its now 2:00 p.m., its my fix it up sister–needing some help with HER project!  Yes, why don’t you bring it over now.  We work on her project, she tackles my Keurig  and by @ 4:30 I finally get my cup of coffee. ah…so sweet.

How did I feel when she said “you were trying to put the one part in backwards!  I felt foolish and stupid.  But my sister’s unconditional love and care didn’t condemn me, we just laughed together.  I helped her.  She helped me. God’s grace at work for me through my sister. She thought she was the one interrupting MY day, but it was God’s way of meeting both our needs.  He was helping her as well.

Have you ever responded to the Holy Spirit’s small promptings to tend to something that wasn’t even on your radar?  He’s reminded me about bill’s that are due I had forgotten.  Or phone calls I need to make not only for myself but for others.  Because I heeded that prompting, made a phone call–it saved me a $6,000 bill! Thank you Father!

How amazing and wonderful to know that not only is He interceding for the church at whole, but for me and my little world as well.  I am so thankful and grateful that when I recognize His help in the smaller issues of life, it helps carry me through the larger ones.  It also helps me intercede for others more consistently–my faith is released on their behalf because I know His Presence is there for me and will be there for them.  Oh, let’s truly remember what a Great awesome God we can know and love.  How much He loves you and me.

How prepared are we for life’s challenges?  How do we help prepare others?  I woke up with a burden to encourage each of us to make sure our foundations are built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ and His Word.  Rain falls on the just and unjust the scripture says. Life’s storms can be overwhelming and challenging.  How do we prepare?

1. Take and assessment of where you are.  What areas do you feel solid in your faith?  What areas do you find yourself struggling?  Concentrate on building up these weak areas with the Promises in His word.  This summer I had to face the fact some areas of my roof and siding were rotten.  I was afraid it was going to cost a lot emotionally, financially and physically.  As I gained the courage to ask people who really knew how to assess the problem–it was much easier than my imagination led me to believe.  The fear of the task was much bigger than just getting it done!  Ask the Lord to show you your weak areas–He will do so in love, grace and also bring the solution!
2.  Make a commitment to not only read the word, but to apply it.  Information does not transform us, application begins the transforming work.  I find that I may need to slow down my reading and allow the Holy Spirit to really talk to me about what I am reading to make it clear.
3. Get connected to a community of believers.  Not just attend a church, but choose to get involved–not just doing tasks together, but developing friendships.  Ask God to open your eyes to those who need your friendship and reach out to them.  I love my Life Group–they are amazing ladies who care for each other.
4. Seek out those who have gone through trials gracefully.  Ask for their wisdom.  Let them be honest!  Be willing to share your stories as well.  When my husband passed I read the stories of others who walked my same path.  The hope I began to glean from their struggles and victories were like life-lines to me.
5. Come along side those who are in the midst of challenges maybe you have not faced.  Support them the best you can.  Ask them how can you help.  Be available.  It will help prepare you for your storms as well.
6. Seek wisdom: Plan on getting married?  Prepare by reading books, talking with others who have a good marriage.  Becoming a parent?  Join a MOPS group, read blogs and books from trusted wise parents who have run the race ahead of you.  Financial issues?  Seek help.  Can’t seem to get along with others?  Get some counseling or tools to learn how to communicate.  We all have emotions, we all need to learn how to handle them so they don’t handle us!  Get prepared!
7. Help prepare others.  One day at a Mother/Daughter Tea with my own mom, I realized that her job was to prepare me to live without her.  I began my own child-rearing season with understanding I needed to prepare my children for life and its challenges.  I’m not sure if I got it all right–but at least I tried.  I continue to do the same through loving, caring and teaching my grandchildren.
8. Matthew 7:24-27  Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on the house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.  

Challenges come in many forms.  We can join with the Boy Scouts and their model: BE PREPARED

Persevere–to persist in a state of enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counter-influences, opposition or discouragement.  I don’t really like this word. I don’t like the fact I have counter-influences, opposition and at times, if I am honest some discouragement to overcome in my life as a believer.  But there it is—if I am going to achieve God’s purpose and plan in my life I have to persevere through each of those things.  I have to accept I have an enemy that does not want me to succeed. I have to accept that due to sin in the world, life will not be easy and I have to understand that my soul is subject at times to discouragement.  These are the facts.

In I Timothy 6:11 Paul tells Timothy, But you Timothy are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness  Fight the good fight for the true faith.  Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses.  I believe this is a word today for many of us.  That we put our energies toward pursuing righteousness and the godly life God has set for us.  To resist the words of the devil when he would taunt you with “it doesn’t take all that” or “it won’t make a difference, so why bother?”  Dear brothers and sisters, your life is making a difference.  Your stand before Him and those who are witnessing your life is important.

I have been reading through the book of Jeremiah lately.  What an example of perseverance.  He stayed true to God’s call and the Word of God faithfully no matter what he had to endure.  It is at times, for me a hard story to read.  He is so faithful, and the outward reward seems to little and so late….but he did it anyway.  I think he knew His God and made a commitment to stand no matter what.  We, as believers, need to stay true to those commitments we make in the glorious sunshine, so when the darkness comes we will continue on His chosen path.

Pursue is a word that, to me, must include momentum.  If we are actively in motion we will overcome those counter-influences, oppositions and even the discouragements.  It is not a waste of time to seek Him and His ways.  It is not a waste of time to trust in His promises and callings.  It is not a waste of your life to let Him spend you as He chooses.  Remember, our life becomes His and it is up to Him to make it count.  2 Corinthians 12:15, And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you.”  Take courage and encouragement from those who are walking after Him and His ways.  Do not let those who have fallen behind discourage you–but be encouraged by the great cloud of witnesses that have gone on before.  It is worth it my friends, it will be worth it all when we see Jesus.

This week I had the opportunity to go to my grandson’s Junior Varsity football game.  It actually was a mixture of the freshman team and the JV’rs.  So I knew I wasn’t going to watch a professional game!  In years past he has played on basketball and baseball teams, but this is his first year of playing football.  It was a good game for them in that they won!

American football has eleven players at a time on the field, but it also has at least that many on the bench–and at least at this level may only play a few minutes of the game, if at all. (The National Football league are allowed 53 players on the team, but again only 11 play at a time).   As I watched my grandson and the rest of the team standing in the rain, waiting for their turn to play.  I honestly thought, “why”?  Why do these young men spend hours practicing in all kinds of weather to stand on the side lines waiting to hear the coach say “Phillips’ you’re in”.  Then I watched at least three times the game get halted for injuries.  Only one serious enough to leave the field early with his parents (looked like a knee injury). They knowingly play, (with their parents signing wavers I am sure) with the possibility of injury.  There was no complaining of the wet, cold or having to stand the whole time. (There were actual benches, available, but only the injured used them!  The “bench” moved up and down the sidelines following their teammates on the field. They were encouraged to stay engaged to learn from watching, to celebrate good plays and be encouraging during struggling times.  Isn’t that what we as the body of Christ are called to do?

Every believer is enrolled on God’s team from day one.  We learn to listen to our Coach, follow His instructions and learn His Rule book.  We will have our side-line time–it is necessary.  We must learn our plays (God’s Word) and as we learn to execute with faith, His plays (obedience, surrender and trust) we will become a greater asset to His team.  Aaron is called a wide receiver.  He is supposed to block his opponent and be open to catch the ball.  However, he hasn’t quite got the hang of it yet.  He told me his coach was giving him tips on how to be a better blocker during the game.  We are called to improve and we can by watching God’s other players and learning from them.

God has called each of us to play a part in His kingdom–what an amazing opportunity.  We are His bench–waiting till He calls us into actively participate in our assignment. Read through the Paul’s letters in the New Testament and he is always encouraging the “bench”.  To the Thessalonians he writes “we always thank God for all of you and pray for you, constantly.  As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Thessalonians 1:2-3  That is the whole team he is talking too…and unless we see ourselves as part of the whole team, we won’t fulfill our total assignment.  Those young men celebrated the good plays of others, they consoled the injured, they paid attention even when they weren’t playing–they stayed engaged.  We stay engaged first of all by just showing up!  We stay engaged as we pray for our pastor and leadership team before and during the service.  We stay engaged as we greet and encourage those we see on Sunday morning.  We stay engaged as we thank the nursery workers, the children’s ministry team or the worship team members.  We stay engaged when we begin to understand the bigger picture.  My grandson is an integral part of the team.  I am proud of him.  It is my desire to stay engaged for the Kingdom no matter what my assignment may be for the day, how about you?

Any of you enjoy what I call Microsoft pictures of the day?  Somehow, when I turn on my computer some stunning pictures of God’s creation show up.  Sometimes I try to figure out where that particular picture was taken.  Sometimes I actually guess right!  I don’t know who at the company gets to pick those pictures but they can be inspiring  if I take the time to look at them, rather than click, click on to my own agenda, I can see God’s handiwork displayed right on the screen.  For those of you who use Apple products or other systems let me explain.   When I turn on my computer instead of plain boring main screens, I receive each day a beautiful scenic picture.  They come from any part of the world and if you click on the picture you can learn about the location.    At times, I just click, click my way past them eager to get on to my own agenda,but lately I’ve slowed down the process and have really begun to enjoy this free gift of looking at God’s creation.  I choose to take time to savor them.

The psalmist who wrote Psalm 121 tells us: I will lift up my eyes unto the hills, where does my help come from? My help come from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth, indeed, he who watches over Israel will never slumber or sleep.  This is a deliberate action.  I will with intention, lift up my eyes to those things above me.  I will look unto the Lord–not just any Lord, but the Creator of all the Universe!  These daily pictures give me an opportunity, free of charge to see some of God’s handiwork outside my own geographical area!  But only if I actually take the time to really see them.  In order for me to really see or comprehend their beauty, I must with intention, choose to see the picture that is right before me.  When I take the time (like hunting for the old “where’s Waldo” picture”), I can find hidden gems that inspire me.

Some of the most amazing of God’s creations are the people around us.  If I am going to get the most out of my relationships with these God creatures–I must look at them with intention…not with a critical spirit.  Not with even a desire to “change” them.  But to just enjoy God’s handiwork–with no expectations.  That is not easy, but when I do, I find some hidden gifts, waiting to be opened.  I want to challenge you–when was the last time you really looked at your children?  Your spouse?  Your co-worker? Are they tired, weary, stressed?  Can you see joy and grace in their lives?   Do you just see their problems or short comings that may influence your world?  Or do you take the time to see the entire package of God’s handiwork…maybe as a work in progress?  Jesus knew every disciple he called was flawed.  He knew they were going to not measure up–but that is not why he picked them.  HE picked them for what they were going to do, for what they were going to add to the others.  When we begin to look for strengths, we find them.  We we focus on weaknesses, that’s what we find as well.  It is not being blind to the weakness, but they do not become our focus.  God helps us in our weaknesses, and if we pray and encourage, He will help those around us as well.  This takes faith.

I am writing this today to encourage you to look up–past the hills, past your geographical  limitations and see your God–working in the large and small parts of your life.  Take time to enjoy His amazing creation, but look for His Hand in the blessings of your life as well as the struggles.  He is there–waiting to be the Help you need, He is there urging you to stand fast or grow more in His ways, He is there waiting to meet your need.  The most beautiful part of God’s creation is people.  He is there waiting to help open your eyes to what He sees in your most difficult relationship.  If He opens your eyes to them, then He will show you what to do with that relationship.  Release your faith, dear friend.  This is what He cares about the most, if we can see Him in geography, we will be able to see His handiwork in our brothers and sisters.  Father, open our eyes to really SEE you in the world around us today.

This week I was privileged, blessed and enjoyed hosting our friend, David Freeman.  He travels at times for his job and is able to work remotely at other times which gives him the freedom to visit friends and family.  I’ve known his parents before he was born, so it definitely is a long term friendship.  I got to practice hospitality.

Hospitality is encouraged throughout the Word of God.  Now days, to many people it is often seen as a burden, or something that is only for the few with “the gift”.  I Peter 4:8-9 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins,  Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.   I think Peter is spurring every believer to become comfortable with hospitality–the opening up of ones home and heart to love, care for and uplift others,

It begins in our hearts.  We may open a bedroom or table, but without having an open heart to the people we invite in, it is all in vain.  My parents modeled hospitality for us.  For my mom, it was usually a more planned in advance event.  The house would be cleaned (even those spots the visitors would not see!), clothes picked out, menu planned in preparation for the gathering.  I think she really enjoyed caring for people in this way.  My father would meet people at church, invite them home to a pot of pinto beans and fry up a chicken-a much more casual and informal setting.  He genuinely loved people and freely opened his home.  So when I married a minister, I was well prepared to keep an “open” home.  But for others who did not have this Texas hospitality modeled,  it can be daunting and something to avoid.  But, my friends, you are missing out on many opportunities to grow in love, grace and fellowship.

Where faith comes into hospitality is when you begin thinking about the “cost”.  There is a cost–time, energy and money are all a consideration–but most of the time we don’t consider the fruit that can/will come from opening up your home and spending time and fellowship with others.  As we open our hearts with prayer–asking the Father to bless the gathering (it doesn’t have to be a “spiritual” event), God’s presence and favor will show up.  People want to feel seen, wanted and heard.  Letting your open home be such a setting pleases the Lord.  Hospitality, if done right, does encourage us to get our eyes off ourselves and onto friends, family or even strangers.

Last week at the Life Group I lead ,we had several new people.  It sort of felt awkward to some of the “regulars” in a mildly uncomfortable way.  As I opened in prayer the Holy Spirit led me to ask the Lord to help us see each new sister as a gift as yet to be opened.  I could feel everyone begin to relax and by the end of the evening we were laughing and enjoying each other.   My daughter and son in law have an open home as well.  They are not “fancy” people–and with four children their home is not always spotless–but the warmth and welcome you feel as they serve you a cup of tea is heartfelt and many lives have been changed because of their open heart/open home.  Tears of sorrow and tears of joy have both been shed in their home as they seek to simply love others in their home.

I encourage you to ask the Lord to help you have an open heart to have an open home.  Romans 12:13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need practice hospitality.   Hospitality can take practice. Start with a celebration (birthday, anniversary or other monumental events–large or small!)  So many questions pop up in your head–should I serve food, what kind of food?  Are they allergic, are they picky eaters–etc–ask! Do a potluck.  Or go very simple–just beverages and popcorn! Worried about conversations? Play games!  Invite them for a specific time period–set a starting and ending time if you are concerned about going past your bedtime.   If you are invited–go, enjoy and be a good guest! Let’s practice this Biblical mandate! We can do it!

Fullness.  An interesting word.  When do you use it?  When do you think about it?  Not a word we use too frequently in our daily conversations, is it?  Ephesians 3:19 is part of a prayer that Paul prays for the believers at Ephesus.  May you experience the love of Christ, thought it is too great to understand fully.  Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.  Wow, the fullness of life and power that comes from God.  That is almost too much comprehend.

Some days I am just happy that I have some of the love of God and power in my life.  Just enough to make it through my day with enough for me to deal with me. But what would it look like if I walked through my day filled with His life and power?  I would have enough grace to be patient at the grocery store, or with my grandchildren’s attitudes, I would have enough to share with my struggling friend to really hear her and her situation.  Learning to walk in that fullness is a process.    Our Pastor is teaching a series called “Rooted”, being grounded in the Word of God is part of our ability to access this fullness Paul is talking about.

One of the assignments of our Uninvited  Bible Study this week, was to re-write Ephesians 1:4-5, exchanging every “us” to “me” and to read it aloud several times a day.  As I worked on this exercise the truth just got deeper and deeper.  Even before he made the world, God loved ME and chose Me in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.  God decided in advanced to adopt ME into His own by bringing ME to himself through Jesus Christ.  This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.  Ephesians 1:4-5  I found myself reading it differently each time, emphasizing different aspects of these powerful lifechanging words. Because I read it personally, intentionally and with faith it touched deep places in my soul that only God knew I needed.  I would encourage you to try it for yourself.  This concept of personalizing scripture is a common teaching tool that I urge you to try for yourself.  Especially if you are fighting against pessimism or discouragement.  God’s Word is full of Hope and it is His desire to impart this Hope into every one of our hopeless areas.  It takes a bit of time, but it is so worth the effort.  Join me in the journey to walking in His fullness–we have it, it is just a matter of learning to access it and then apply it to our daily lives.

Father teach me to walk in your fullness of life and power.  I’m ready to learn.

Our Life Group watch a DVD last night with Lisa TerKeurst called “Uninvited” Living Loved When You Feel Less than, Left out, and Lonely.  We finished reading the book the end of July and have chosen to do the DVD series and Workbook for the next six weeks.

One of the first scriptures that came on the screen was Matthew 11:28-30. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.    As we read that scripture I felt almost a sigh from these lovely women, and myself as we were reminded of His care and grace.  I am glad they let it linger on the screen for a bit while she shared her heart.

We all need to be reminded that He has a rest for us.  The rest of the scripture instructs on the how we do this: Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.    I love this scripture for the grace it gives, the hope it gives and the reminder of who we are serving.

But in order to experience the rest he talks about, we need to do the whole scripture.  First we need to go to Him, in the midst of our labor and busyness with our burdens and cares go to Him.  Hebrews 4:16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.  There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.  Sometimes our own fears, sins and feelings of inadequacy prevents us from coming to Him when we need it most.  I have found that if I go to Him before I get super overwhelmed my rest and balance is restored much quicker.  But, if I struggle it out on my own first, He is still there waiting for me.

So we come to Him and the next part is crucial to growth:  we take time to learn from Him.  Even if it takes us many attempts to learn something, keep going back, for He is a patient, loving caring teacher.  He is a persistent teacher, however and will continue to help us until we learn what He wants us to know.  He does not leave us in the learning.  He abides with us, as we abide with Him.

If we want to remain in this rest, we must accept His yoke (will, purpose and Lordship).  It is in the yoking up with Him that we set ourselves to really learn who He is.  He will show us how easy it is and how light His burden is for us.  When we fight the yoke, it seems hard, difficult and too much to bear.  But if we relax and follow His lead and settle into the “unforced rhythms of grace” (Matthew 11:29 Msg) we receive the grace to live our lives with a rest in our hearts which is His part of the gift He purchased for us on the cross.

Father, I ask that you move in our hearts today and reveal any areas where we have not taken your yoke so we are living less than you desire.  I choose to take your yoke and set myself once again to learn from you.  Thank you for helping us all to choose your way of rest, in Jesus Name, Amen

I turned 69 this past week–so this is my last year to live the 60’s decade.  As I approached my birthday I realized that for some reason to me, 69 sounded a lot older than 68.  I don’t know why, but it seemed to bring with it difficult thoughts of “out to pasture”, “past your prime” and “the best years are behind you”.  Not really faith statements were they?  (I don’t know if it helped or hurt my thoughts when I overheard my niece talking about how she did not really feel or think of herself in her 40’s!)

However, I am so thankful for the Holy Spirit and how He can change our thoughts and perspectives.  The closer I came to my birthday, I discussed it with the Lord and discovered that it became just a number and then my focus shifted again, and it became an opportunity.  The decade started so sweet–(as a triplet, we hosted a family party for all our siblings–complete with color-coded shirts so everyone would know which grand-kid belonged to which family!)  It was a wonderful day with many memories.

My husband and I continued to develop our bi-coastal ministry–touching lives and watching God move and answer prayer as we sought to follow His Spirit (this was in 2009).  2010 brought radical changes.  Darryl suffered his major heart attack and stroke and my world shifted and I was plunged into the world of caregiver.  2012, he passed away and I began learning how to live life without him and what it means to come to grips with grief and loss.

The lessons I learned during this decade are precious, priceless and hard-earned.  They changed me.  Some of the soul strikes are still impacting my life, but God is still so faithful and good.  I’ve learned how our enemy is not fair and that there can be casualties in this life–but victory is promised.

So I am determined to make this year count for His kingdom.  I have set myself to enjoy this year, live it to the fullest.  Darryl and I had a motto together “the best is yet to come”.  Most every week our church posts it on the screen as it encourages those who responded to the salvation opportunity to follow up with our Fresh Start team.  I struggled with it for awhile, then once again the Lord and I had a conversation.  Do I believe the best is yet to come–here on this earth for me?  Or am I waiting for heaven?  I working on believing it.  I read it with hope, not pain and trust the shifts I still need are coming.  We serve a God who cares, and I believe this 69th year will be my best year ever!

(Update: Tim’s Open Studio Tour was a big success!)