Reflections in the Stillnes

“Be still and know that I am God.”  Psalm 46:10

Each day during my devotion time, I write down thoughts and what I heard God speak through the scripture or devotion.  I have shared some of them with you in the past, and I have decided each quarter to share what I have gleaned by being still before God.  Sometimes random thoughts speak deeply to our souls.  My hope is that something will speak to you.  Let me know.

Each day we awake to being completely free of our burden of sin when we accept Jesus’ gift of forgiveness.

Do everything to please God.  Learn to live your life so every detail pleases God.

To acknowledge God and even receive Jesus’ forgiveness and grace but not make Jesus Lord of your life becomes a miserable existence.

Salvation is God-given, God driven, and God empowered.

Shame – Self Hate At My Expense.

Think before you speak.  It is not how many words you say to God, it is what is in your heart when you say them.

Instead of dwelling on failures or regrets, trust God has scrubbed your past clean with the blood of Jesus.

Defer to God’s “to do” list not your own.

When God interrupts your plans for His plans – change your attitude too.  Don’t complain and grumble.  Be grateful for God’s plan and guidance.  God chose you to do it for Him.

Failure does not define me, God does.

We are just walking each other home.

God gives us the faith to keep trusting Him when we do not understand.

The key to the Christian life is to consistently live and abide in Jesus.

Focus on this season of life and not compare it to the previous seasons in your life.

The core of the Gospel – I am wrong.  Jesus is right.

God delights in using ordinary people like us to do great things for Him even when our task may seem insignificant to us.

A humble heart leads toward a life of meaning and joy.

Yield your heart to God and you will find what you are truly seeking and desire – peace and contentment.

Change means purging your heart of anything that cannot co-exist with Christ.

Live for Jesus not for false Christian leaders who do not follow Scripture or lead one to Jesus.

Embrace humility and do not seek recognition for yourself but direct attention to Jesus.

God’s covenant is dependent upon God’s protection and provision not on our performance.

God’s economy works differently – the more you give, the more you receive.

Your tongue needs to be under the control of God’s Spirit to make it an instrument of blessing and praise.

Salvation is God’s gift, God’s work, God’s grace.  God gives and we receive.

Look and see God in the simple things of life.

Obeying God should not be something we do, but something that flows from who we are.

Jesus entered the tunnel of death to prove there was an exit.

The anchor points of the cross – My life is not futile.  My failures are not fatal.  My death is not final.

May your life glorify God.  May your good deeds glorify God.

Hope you found a thought to ponder this week.  May God speak to you in the stillness.  May you allow yourself time to be still and to listen.

Living In Freedom

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  John 8:32

He told me it was hard trying to do everything on his own strength.  He felt like he was failing in following all the rules.  The guilt and shame of his past choices weighed heavy on his heart.  He was attempting to make up for his past and did not think he was doing enough.  He had accepted Jesus as his Savior but was not living in the freedom of grace and forgiveness.  His faith was becoming a heavy burden.

We believe Jesus died on the cross to forgive us for our sins.  We even believe Jesus conquered death through His rising from the dead.  Jesus saved us and is our Savior, but for many that’s where faith stops.  We may say Jesus is our Lord and Master and His Spirit dwells in us, but we do not live in the freedom Jesus truly gives.  To be the Lord of our lives means that we surrender daily every part of our life and our struggles to Jesus.  We allow the Spirit to be our guide, our strength, and to give us wisdom and discernment in making decisions and choices.  It is giving every aspect of our daily lives to Jesus and trusting Him.  It is living in the freedom of trust.

When we live in this freedom, we have nothing to worry about or be anxious for because we have surrendered everything to Jesus.  This is not being naïve or blind.  It is simple childlike trust.  It is believing what Jesus said.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”  Jesus is the truth that sets us free from the worries and struggles of the world.  Jesus does not take us out of them, but Jesus carries the load and walks with us through them.  Jesus is our strength.

The sins of our past are forgiven.  We confess and God forgives.  We do not need to keep remembering them and bringing them up in prayer.  Other people may remind us, but God will never bring them up again.  They are forgiven and forgotten, and the debt was paid through Jesus’ death on the cross.  We are free.  Not free to keep sinning because we know it will be forgiven, but free from the burden of what we have done wrong in the past and free to live in the present. We are free to rely on the power and strength of Jesus’ Spirit, the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit is a free gift given to us when we receive Jesus as the Lord and Savior of our lives.

God calls us to His saving grace and chooses us.  God knows our past sins and our future sins, and God still calls us.  God loves us and this is a freedom to be who we were created to be.  Live in the free gift of love.  Nobody will love us more than God and accept us.  Jesus comes to us and wants us to accept the free gift of grace and love.

We are free to enjoy the life God has given to us.  Life is not perfect in this broken and fallen world, but there is certainly good in it.  It is enjoying the gifts God gives to us.  It is finding good in the bad.  It is living free from the negativity of the world’s hold upon you.  Release yourself from only focusing on the negative and the bad.  Sure, it is there and most of the time you cannot change it.  But good is there too.  Look for it.

Free yourself from worry and anxiety.  I know, easier said then done.  The news is cause for worry.  Worry and anxiety may have become natural to you, but it never helps the situation or your outlook or health.  It usually makes life worse.  Start by praying and giving each worry to God.  “God, this is yours.  I trust You.  If there is something I need to do, reveal it to me.”  Release it by looking up.  Looking up is like looking into the presence of God.  It slows you down to take some deep breaths and changes your focus.  Turn off the media.  Listen to the birds.  Watch the sunset.  It is not getting so lost in the things of this world that you do not see Jesus and the freedom He gives to you.

Bill and Gloria Gaither wrote the song – “I’m Free”

“I am free from the guilt that I carried.  From the dull empty life, I’m set free.  For when I met Jesus, He made me complete.  He forgot the foolish child I used to be.

I’m free from the fear of tomorrow.  I’m free from the guilt of my past.  Oh, I traded my shackles for a glorious song.  I’m free, praise the Lord, free at last.”

Are you living in the freedom that Jesus gives?  Free to enjoy the good of life and look for the good.  Free to not carry the worry and anxiety this world creates.  Free to give the load and burdens to Jesus to carry.  Free to find hope and joy and peace and contentment even in this fallen and broken world.  Live free.

By The Way Of The Cross

“Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so we would stop living for sin and start living for what is right.  And you are healed because of his wounds.”  I Peter 2:24

Holy Week – the week from Palm Sunday to Resurrection/Easter Sunday – was filled with worship, praise, emotions, memories, and the essence of the Christian faith.  The journey began with the birth of Jesus.  God became flesh and lived among us.  Jesus came to fulfill the purpose of redemption knowing he came to die for our sins.  It was a journey.

The journey that began at the manger, goes through the cross and ends with the empty tomb.  These are the Christian symbols for the journey.  The manger represents the birth of Jesus.  God becoming flesh and being born as a baby.  God coming to be with us.  The baby, Jesus, grows up and begins a ministry by choosing twelve disciples.  Jesus’ journey is recorded in the Bible in the four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  Jesus is a teacher and a healer.  For some people, that is all they know and that’s enough.

But the journey is not complete, and it is not enough.  God had a greater purpose and plan.  The world is fallen, broken, and sinful.  God is a righteous and just God who is also loving and merciful.  There needed to be a perfect sacrifice to make humanity right before God.  God became human to pay the penalty for sin that humanity could not pay.  The journey goes through Good Friday.  Jesus died on the cross for the sins of all humanity.  The sins of the world were nailed to the cross, and through Jesus’ death, all humanity is granted forgiveness when they accept the gift of grace and mercy.  Jesus dies, but that is not the end of the journey.

Easter is Resurrection Sunday.  The tomb is empty.  Jesus conquered death and the separation of humanity from God.  Jesus is the bridge.  Easter is the celebration of Jesus being alive.  He walked out of the tomb.  There is victory over sin and death through the resurrection of Jesus.  The journey is not over, because of this victory, humanity has the hope of eternal life in Heaven with Jesus.  This is not the end. It is part of the journey home.  Easter gives the hope of new life in Jesus. 

Salvation comes by way of the cross.  It is nothing we have done to earn it or deserve it.  The words spoken by Jesus to the thief on the cross reveal that the work is done by Jesus.  The thief says to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  And Jesus replies, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”  The thief has done nothing to merit Heaven.  But the thief knows he is a sinner and Jesus is the Savior who is going to Heaven.  A simple but profound confession of faith.

At the Good Friday service, one song has stayed in my head “By The Way of The Cross” – the words of the thief on the cross are sung as he enters Heaven –

“I have come by the way of the cross.  It is nothing I have done.  It’s the suffering of God’s Son.  I have come by the way of the cross.  I have nothing to claim but my guilt and my shame.  I was hopelessly lost and could not find my way.  ‘Til His glorious light of love shone down on me.  His mercy washed all my sin away.  And what He did for me that day was a price I know He paid.  By His grace, I too can say, forever say, I have come by the way of the cross.”

Each of us come by the way of the cross.  We are not good enough on our own.  Yes, people have good in them, but Heaven and eternal life is not based on how much good we have done to earn it.  We live in a society of measurements and rewards.  If you do the right things and enough of them – you receive recognition.  Scholarships, bonuses, promotions, being appointed or accepted, is based on what you have accomplished.  Someone makes a judgment and accepts or rejects you. 

God paid the price He knew we could not pay.  It was through the cross.  We sin, we make mistakes, we mess up, and we can never be good enough nor perfect to overcome them and be right in the eyes of a righteous and just God.  That is why God does it for us.  All the sins that have every been done or will ever be committed were nailed to the cross – absorbed by Jesus – and he paid the penalty for all our sin.  That is salvation.

We, like the thief on the cross are accepted through God’s grace and mercy when we admit our sin and acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Therefore, we can sing -

“We have come by the way of the cross.  We have come by the way of the cross. It is nothing we have done.  It’s the suffering of God’s Son.  We have come by the way.  There is no other way, but the cross.”

God's Canvas

 “When I look at thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast established.”   Psalm 8:3

I enjoy sunrises, sunsets, clouds, blue skies and sunshine.  The sky has been filled recently with amazing clouds through all the storms with some of them being so dark as they race across the sky.  My favorite clouds are the white fluffy ones where you can use your imagination to see unique shapes of animals and even people.  I enjoy the sunrise during my morning runs as the horizon awakens to the morning light.  God is an amazing artist.  It is being grateful to God for loving us so much that He creates this beauty for our enjoyment and pleasure.

Recently, I led a seminar on “Living Life Forward” and shared one way to release anxiety and stress was to go outside and look up.  I asked the participants what do you see when you look up and one person responded, “God’s canvas.”  I like that description.  Each time we look up, God paints a different picture.  Each sunset and sunrise is different.  The colors vary in intensity.  There are numerous shades of blue and clouds have a million different shapes.

When we look up, all we see is what God created.  It allows us to breathe and let go of the things of this world for a moment and reset.  It is getting lost in the beauty and awe of what God has painted and designed.  Looking up helps us to restore and refocus.  We tend to get lost in the things of this world and the tasks that loom large in front of us.  Pausing to look up reminds us that God’s got this and worry and anxiety does not need to be in control.

Looking up also connects us to the One who created the world and created us.  It feels like I will see a glimpse of God if I keep my eyes looking up.  I feel a sense of freedom that this world does not weigh me down.  It is as if God is painting grace across the sky and writing mercy on every streak through the sky.

Recently, when I looked up, lightening filled the sky.  It was like daylight breaking through the night.  Storm clouds raced across the sky, lightening flashed and then the thunder boomed.  It was an intense storm, but it felt like God was showing off His power and might.  I thought about “the fear of God.”  It is a reverence and respect for God.  While God is a loving God who gives us grace and mercy, God is a powerful Creator.

The storm reminded me that God brings good and also hard times.  We do not like the hard times and cannot understand why certain things happen.  There is no earthly reason.  Why the storms?  The storms are part of God’s canvas.  They are weaved into the fabric of creation.  We do not like the storms in our personal lives and question the purpose.  We may never know the answer to our “why” questions, but we know God is still in control.  God is still painting His masterpiece in the sky and in our hearts.

We are God’s canvas, too.  God created each one of us.  We are all unique and different in looks, personalities, gifts, and experiences.  Some days the good comes through, and others see and feel the love of God through us.  Some days, the struggles of life weigh us down.  These are the times we need to remember that the God who paints His grace across the sky also showers us with His grace and mercy.

Let us go outside or look out the window and look up to remind us that God is the greatest artist who also gives us freedom from the worries and struggles of this world.  God gives us moments to pause and breathe in His love and mercy.  The world is not in control; God is in control.  God gives us freedom from the anxiety and worry if we will but trust Him and look up.

Pause the worries and the technology and look up.  Slow down your life and your mind and linger in God’s masterpiece.  Take some deep breaths.  Thank God for the beauty, the peacefulness, the release of the worries, and just relax your thoughts and your body.  Give yourself some quiet time, some moments, and some grace.

Keep looking up. 

Daily Walking Close

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by me.”  John 14:6

I enjoy walking in God’s creation.  Spring and sunshine make the walks so much more enjoyable.  Walking is great exercise, and it also helps to release the day and the thoughts.  I recently preached a sermon – “Walking Each Other Home.”  I will share some of those thoughts with you.

In the Gospel of John in chapter 14, Jesus tells us that he is going to a prepare a place for us and then he will come back to take us to be with him.  Jesus promises to walk us home.  The Gospel accounts share how Jesus walked throughout his ministry.  He walked to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.  Jesus walked into the desert where he was tempted by the devil for forty days.  He walked by the lake and called Peter and Andrew, James and John to follow him and become his disciples.  Jesus walked everywhere.  He walked to the wedding at Cana in Galilee.  He walked through Samaria for the purpose of talking to the woman at the well.  Jesus walked on the water.  He walked Lazarus out of the grave.   He walked Bartimaeus out of the darkness by healing his blindness. 

Jesus walked into the Upper Room and shared with his disciples that he would prepare a place and then come to walk them home.  They did not understand what Jesus meant.  Jesus said simply, “Trust in God and trust in me.”

Who do you trust?  Who trusts you?  Trust is having confidence in and a belief in the reliability and truth of the individual.  It is a conviction that you believe the one you trust will be with you and be available when you are in need.  Do you trust God?  Not to just do what you want, but to trust His greater purpose and plan.

Isaiah 26:3 – “You, Lord, give true peace to those who depend on you because they trust you.”

Do you trust God even when you do not understand?  Even when it does not make sense to you?  It is praying – “God, I don’t understand why this happened, but I still trust You.” One of the hardest prayers to pray is when a loved one dies and you had prayed for healing but it came in the perfect healing of death not physical healing.  It was not the answer you wanted.  So, can you pray – “God, I don’t like this, but I still trust you.”

Jesus tells us that he is going to walk with us through the struggles of life and prepare a place for us in Heaven.  He will come and take us there.  Jesus gives us some facts about Heaven.  It has lots of rooms, that is, plenty of space for all believers and the rooms are permanent and secure.  There is a place for us.

Audio Adrenaline has a song “Big House” – “Come and go with me to my Father’s house.  It’s a big, big house with lots and lots of room.  A big, big table with lots and lots of food.  A big, big yard where we can play football.  A big, big house, it’s my father’s house.  Come and go with me to my Father’s house.”

God’s house is big and there is a room for you.  Jesus promises a home and that he will come back and walk us home.  Thomas asks the question that you and I would ask, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going.  So how can we know the way?”

Have you ever gotten lost?  Took the wrong turn and had no clue where you were?  When someone tells you to meet them somewhere but you have no idea where it is or how to get there.  If you have an address, you usually put it in your GPS, but even GPS can get you lost.  You need a specific address, location, and how to get there from someone who knows the way.

Jesus gives us the directions – “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  The only way to the Father is through me.” 

The Way is through the cross.  Jesus walks the road to the cross to die for us.  It is through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross that we are forgiven of our sin.  The only way is through receiving Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  We admit we are sinners in need of grace, confess our sin, and ask for forgiveness and receive His grace.

Jesus is our roadmap.  I learned to read a roadmap when I was very young probably around six or seven years old.  My dad always needed someone to go with him, and being the youngest I was always volunteered to go with him.  My dad could not drive and read road signs at the same time.  He would tell me where we were going.  I would find it on the map, and I would give him directions.

We all need help getting to Heaven.  We cannot do it on our own.  We cannot earn it.  We are never good enough, do enough nor find our own way.  Jesus shows us the way through his sacrifice.  He fulfills the truth of the prophecies and is the Word that speaks truth.  Jesus is the life.  Jesus calls us to live life fully and abundantly.  “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”  John 10:10

When we allow Jesus to be the center of our life, life becomes full with purpose and meaning.  We do not need to live in the sin and shame and hurt of the past.  We need to live in the forgiveness and grace of God.  This brings joy and freedom.  Life in Jesus is filled with joy and peace and hope.  It does not mean life will be perfect because we live in a broken and fallen world.  But life in Jesus means we focus on the freedom Jesus gives us and not to let the worries and burdens of the world steal our peace.

It is releasing control and surrendering to Jesus.  Jesus walks with us through the dailyness of our lives, and Jesus will walk with us into Heaven when it is our time.  Jesus calls us to walk with others on the road.  Slow down and listen.  Be present.  Share Jesus with people who are hurting and cannot feel the presence of Jesus.  Walk closer to Jesus as you journey down the road of life.  Keep your focus on Jesus.  Remember, Jesus gives us directions – “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

Daily walk close to Jesus.

“Just a closer walk with Thee.  Grant it Jesus, is my plea.  Daily walking close to Thee.  Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.”

The Hope That Remains

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and strong.”  Hebrews 6:19

It is amazing how God uses you when you surrender and listen to His leading voice.  This past week was a unique trip experience.  We took a visit trip.  It was not the usual trip of driving to the Columbus area, but it was an airplane trip to Florida.  I personally delivered two prayer quilts and completed some premarital counseling for a wedding I will be officiating.  Yes, the quilts could have been mailed and the counseling done virtually, but that was not God’s intent or way.

First, my dear friend John died a month ago and his wife, Marilyn, wanted me to visit when she was ready.  She requested a personal visit.  When your ninety-five-year-old friend requests a visit, you book the flight and go.  They had been married for seventy-two years, and she did not know life alone.  Here she was in a new location without her partner.  We shared memories, cried together, laughed together, shared meals and sat outside watching the clouds and blue sky.  I gave her the prayer quilt which had scriptures on each block of material.

The scripture that Marilyn picked on the quilt that she said she was going to hold onto was from Isaiah 41:10 – “Do not be afraid, I am with you.”  Marilyn said this was going to be her scripture of hope knowing God was with her and she did not need to be afraid.  We prayed together knowing God was with her giving her hope in her grief.

One day after dinner, we sat again outside watching the pond and ducks.  Then the rain came but the sun stayed out.  God blessed us with an incredible rainbow for almost an hour.  The rainbow of hope and promise came as we shared together in the grief and sadness and the joys and laughter of life.  God knows when we need a sign of hope and a reminder that He is with us no matter where we go and no matter our circumstances.  God revealed to Marilyn in a very tangible way, “I am with you.”

Even in death, there is hope.  Hope is what remains when we are parted by death.  We have hope of being reunited in Heaven. Hope of being with Jesus and our loved ones.  Hope that God is with us even in our grief and sadness.  Hope of sharing with those who understand and have walked the journey.  Hope remains.

Then, we visited with my friends who are engaged and I will be officiating at their wedding.  Tamara is widowed and after time knew she wanted to share life with someone.  She had lost hope after her dating experiences and wondered if there would be someone who she could enjoy life with again.  Keith was divorced and lost hope of finding someone who would want to be with him.  When they met, both were hopeful.  Keith was hopeful she would want to be with him.  Tamara was hopeful that she could live again and find joy and happiness.  Hope was living forward.  It was taking a firm stand on the foundation of the past and hoping to build upon that hope.

Hope honors the good of the past and helps you build upon it.  Life is meant to be lived in hope.  Some people choose to share life with another partner and enjoy sharing the adventures of life with someone.  Others choose to live in hope by enjoying the fellowship of friends and family.  Hope is what remains.

My last visit was with my friend, Linda.  I have known Linda since early childhood, and we attended school together for twelve years.  Linda had a medical emergency before heading home after vacation and had been in the hospital for many weeks in Florida.  Recently she was released but unable to travel yet.  The visit warmed my heart when she knew me, and we talked about memories of the past.  Linda is a medical miracle.  She is a living hope. The hope remains that she will continue to improve and God will continue to bring healing and hope into her recovery.

My visit trip was filled with hope.  Hope is what remains in life.  When life changes, hope is still there.  We walk through the sadness, the loss, the grief, the fear, the uncertainties of life.  Life is still to be lived.  It is taking steps toward hope.  Hope is a belief that good will still happen.  Hope is an expectation and a trust and confidence in God’s promises.  God still sends rainbows to remind us of His promise.  God still performs miracles of healing.  God still brings good out of the bad.  God still comforts us in our sorrow.  God still loves us and wants us to depend on Him and not be afraid.

Hope remains.

Living Intentionally

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”  Philippians 2:13

I want to share one of my last Newspaper Columns with those who also read my blogs.  I felt it was something that all of us need to hear more than once.  I have added to it, too.  Life happens and sometimes it gets away from us and days, months, years have passed, and we have not done or lived like we desire.  We get in a rut or routine and just exist and let life take us.  We need to be intentional in how we live, choices we make, relationships, and intentional time with God.

“I was going to eat healthier this year, but…” “I was going to keep the house clean and organized, but….”  You had good intentions, but no follow through.  The concept was good and you were motivated when you made the decision, but it is difficult to change the rut you are in.  To be intentional is to be deliberate with purpose and to have a plan.  You make choices that follow your values, beliefs, and goals when you are intentional.  You put thought into what you are doing and are mindful of your triggers and stumbling blocks. 

When you are living intentionally, you have focus and take action.  You create meaning and purpose to your life.  You are proactive instead of just letting things happen by accident.  When you lack focus, things that are not a priority or of importance tend to grab your attention and occupy your time.  You get lost and let life just happen around you.  Things pile up and overwhelm you because you did not intentionally decide your priorities and set a schedule and routine to complete these priorities.  You did not take ownership of your life but let society and circumstances create your life.

Let’s be intentional.  First, with your time.  You check your phone or watch mindless TV or scroll social media and get lost for hours without realizing it.  You lost those hours on something that brought no fulfillment or purpose, and guilt takes over.  It is beginning to set limits on things that are not essential and choosing where you spend your time.  What is important to you?  Choose to invest your time and energy in what matters most to you – what you value.  Turn your eyes and thoughts onto Jesus.

Be intentional in relationships.  When you say a person is important to you, make time for that person.  Be proactive and set a time to be together.  When you say, “I’m busy and don’t have time to get together” you have made stuff and tasks more important than relationships.  Look at those you value and who are your support.  Are you making them a priority and spending time with them, not just talking about it?

Life will pull you in all directions and influence you.  You need to make choices for yourself based on what you want in life, where your priorities are, who is important to you, and where you place your loyalties and values.  Be intentional in what you put in your head.  Set boundaries in movies, social media, what you read and listen to. 

If you want to live a healthier lifestyle, you need to be intentional in your choices.  It is choosing healthier food to bring into your home, healthier choices on the menu at a restaurant.  It is choosing daily movement and including it in your daily routine.  It is not deciding if you will, but just accepting movement and exercise as part of who you are daily.

Be intentional in your faith.  Intentionally begin each day focused on God.  When you wake up say, “Good morning, God.”  Whatever you put first in your day, it will control your day.  Why not put God first.  “This is the day that the Lord has made.  I will rejoice and be glad in it.”  Psalm 118:24. This is what I say after I say good morning to the Lord.  If you want to grow spiritually, you need to live your faith daily and be intentional in trusting God daily and not worrying about what might happen.  If you just let things happen, you will not focus on what will bring peace and contentment in your life.  You will only do what gets your attention – which is usually what is loudest and easiest.

If you want to acquire a new hobby or talent, you need to be intentional in setting aside time to learn and do it.  Make it a priority to write, draw, paint, play a sport or whatever will bring you enjoyment otherwise you will fill the time with things that eat up your time but have no eternal value.

Be intentional in rest and renewal. Take the nap.  Spend time reading the Bible and renewing your spirit.  Give your mind and spirit and body the needed rest and time away to renew.  Jesus knew the importance of going away and spending time alone in prayer.  He rested in the Father’s presence.  Sounds like a great example to follow.

We make a bucket list of adventures and trips we want to take someday.  Be intentional and do it now.  Don’t wait because you will probably never do it.  Take the trip.  Go on the vacation.  Take your children or grandchildren or your nieces and nephews on the outing you promised. 

In being intentional, you will need discipline and accountability.  Be intentional – think before you speak, follow through on your commitments, be present in the moment, be intentional in your choices.  Be intentional in putting God first in each day, each situation, each relationship.

Be intentional.  Think. Pray. Listen.

Fish In The River

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life. It was shining like crystal and was flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.”  Revelation 22:1

My thoughts have focused on Heaven lately with so many people I have known taking the walk home to Heaven.  I have read the Bible about the streets of gold and the crystal river and the city of New Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven.  I have been listening to songs that describe Heaven as a peaceful country scene, too, like the song – “Outskirts of Heaven” by Craig Campbell –

“Where there’s dirt roads for miles.  Hay in the fields and fish in the river.  Where there’s dogwood trees and honey bees and blue skies and green grass forever.  Lord, when I die, I wanna live on the outskirts of heaven.”

This sounds like heaven to me. Heaven is where God is and God is the Creator of all of nature.  Genesis tells us how God created the world – the sky, the stars, the sun, the moon, the plants, all the animals and humans.  God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden which was a perfect place.  To me, this was describing Heaven.

My friend, John died recently and I believe walked into heaven by the river of the water of life.  The Outskirts of Heaven is where John would want to be.  John and I had several life situations in common.  We were both the youngest of five siblings, and we each grew up on a farm.  We knew the hard work of farm life from baling hay to milking cows.  I always enjoyed sharing stories with John about growing up on a farm.  John loved the outdoors and his garden.  John also loved to fish and heaven’s river of life is certainly filled with fish.

Jesus called fishmen as his disciples.  He told them they were now going to fish for people.  John spent his career fishing for people as an educator.  To fish for people is to challenge and invite others to learn and grow.  John was actively involved in the lives of his students and provided hands on experiences to engage them in a life career.  John helped launch a vocational school and eventually became the Superintendent of the vocational school.

John was a man who worked with his hands.  He worked on the farm using his hands to farm and care for animals.  He used his hands as a teacher in Industrial Arts and the vocational trade industry.  And in his retirement, John used his hands in his yard, to tend his garden, and to fish.  John’s handshake was always firm and he hugged tightly too.  John’s smile and joy for life reflected God’s love in his heart.

John was a gentleman.  His life reflected patience.  It takes patience to teach, garden, and fish.  There are no instant results in any of them.  It takes effort and hard work and being persistent even when it doesn’t seem to take root, grow or bite.

When one fishes, you cannot be in a hurry.  You slow down and enjoy the view, the beauty of creation around you, and you just sit and ponder.  One is more aware of the beauty God created and you listen to the sounds of the water and the birds.  You sit back and wait.  Some days the fish bite and other days they don’t, but you still fish.  Some years the garden produces an abundance of crops and you share it with all your neighbors and friends, and other years the drought or floods or animals take the crop.  But you still plant year after year.  Some students are eager to learn and grow while other students don’t want to be there and barely pass, but you still teach and challenge.

John’s life and legacy will live on in me, his students and all the lives he has touched.  His smile and love for life was evident.  He gave himself completely to life.  John had a strong will and determination.  John’s love for fishing – and I fished with him several times – taught me to slow down and enjoy the beauty around the adventure.  If you didn’t catch anything, you still fished.  It was not so much about the results, it was about the adventure. 

Life is about enjoying the adventure not just about what you gain.  It is about enjoying who you walk with on the journey.  It is sharing your faith – fishing for people – not focused on the results because that is up to God.  It is using your hands for the glory of God.  Keep fishing!

Check out my website – www.livinginthedifferent.com

            My books

            Upcoming Seminar

Walking Each Other Home

Jesus said, “After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you may be where I am.”  John 14:3

With the few days of warmer weather and sunshine, the hope of Spring filled my soul and the late afternoon walks were refreshing.  I did not need to bundle up and could actually enjoy the fresh air.  I have enjoyed walks most of my life.  As a child, I enjoyed walking with my Grandma in town to the library, the museum and the stores downtown.  I felt privileged to walk with my Grandma and be associated with such a special lady.

Over the years, I have walked my dogs thousands of miles in parks, neighborhoods, fields and road side rests.  I walked both of my dogs – Specs and Annie – who always seemed to know the way home.  Walking was a great way to get exercise for my dogs and for myself, and it got us outside to enjoy God’s creation and interact with neighbors and other people on the path.

In a walk, there is usually a purpose and goal.  We walk for exercise, to enjoy nature, to relax and refresh, or just take a stroll.  I enjoy walking through small towns or when on a trip, I walk to explore the area.  When you walk, you see more sights and take in the details along the way.  You also meet some of the most interesting people because you slow down and take the time to talk with those along the way.

Recently, I have shared about my friend, Jan, who walked into Heaven and took the journey home to be with Jesus.  Over the years, Jan and I have walked with each other through the challenges and celebrations of life.  We walked together through life changes, grief, family situations, ministry, and trusted each other as we walked and talked and shared the depth of our hearts.  I had the privilege to help walk Jan to her final home.

I have been reflecting on this walk.  Maybe we are called to help walk each other home.  It is more than walking someone to the front door of their home or dorm room.  I remember in college being walked home to my dorm.  It was a way of showing respect, care, and protection.  When we walk with people in the storms of life, we are telling the person that we care, we want to help carry the burden, and we love them.

God has given me the privilege of walking with many people and families on this last journey from earth to Heaven.  The walk is more than the release of the physical body; it is preparing the soul for eternal life with Jesus.  This preparation is not just at the final stage of life, but it should be happening throughout our entire life. 

It is the awareness that Jesus walks beside us just like he walked with the disciples throughout his ministry.  While walking, Jesus taught his disciples and enjoyed the fellowship and laughter of his friends.  He told them that he was preparing a place for them in heaven and would come back and take them to be with him.  I believe Jesus prepares a place for you and me.  He comes to walk us home.

My friend, Jan, saw a gravel road as she was transitioning from earth to Heaven.  She was walking home, and I got the privilege of knowing the road she was taking.  My husband, Dave, saw the beauty of heaven with its flowers, trees and brilliant colors and the angel that was going to walk him home.  Knowing what he was seeing and that he was not alone, helped me to release Dave to take his journey home to Heaven.

My dear friend, John, took his journey to Heaven this past week.  John was a fisherman and he enjoyed just being outside in his garden and yard in his retirement years.  I believe John walked to his eternal home along the river of life and then sat down to fish with Jesus.  This image fills me with peace.  I remember some of my last walks with John.  He strolled more than walked.  He was slowing down and reminded me to enjoy the stroll and be present and in the moment with the ones with whom you are walking. 

As we walk people home, slow down and listen.  Be present.  Share Jesus with them even when they cannot feel the presence of Jesus in the midst of the pain.  Be present with people on the journey of life.  Walk with them, don’t just tell them what to do.  Walk beside them.  Walk closer to Jesus as you journey down the road of life.  Keep your focus on Jesus.

“Just a closer walk with Thee.  Grant it Jesus, is my plea.  Daily walking close to Thee.  Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.”

Seeing The Higher Purpose

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 29:13

It was like a big family reunion.  As I walked down the line of people waiting to sign the guest register, I hugged the majority of people whom I had not seen in years and who had not seen each other since high school or Sunday School class.  We had gathered in a familiar sacred space to celebrate a life lived for Jesus. 

All who came had been touched by Jan’s love for Jesus, her singing, her leading, her joy for life and her involvement in the activities of life with her family and friends.  Each person in the room had a story they could tell.  Each life was enriched because Jan had walked with them for a moment or journeyed with them for a lifetime.

The celebration was full of music not to be performed but to glorify and worship the Lord.  You could feel the presence of the Spirit in each person who sang and played.  Surely the presence of the Lord was in this place.  Each word spoken was shared from a heart that had been loved by Jan.  Through the tears were also smiles of joy for the life of Jan that reflected Jesus to each person in the room.

The music was a journey through Jan’s life. She began singing almost before she could talk in full sentences.  Jesus was her dearest friend her entire life.  Jan radiated the love of Jesus in every smile, every welcoming word, and every note she played and sang.  Jesus was her life.  As Psalm 23:1 states, in Jan’s favorite version – “The Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need.”  She had everything she needed when she kept her eyes on Jesus.

Jan was also a prayer warrior – always praying for the needs of others.  She kept a prayer notebook and wrote down the names of the people who asked for prayer, and she faithfully prayed for them and would follow up on the need.  She prayed with her music students, her Bible study group, her friends.  When Jan prayed, she ended her prayers – “God you are good.  I love you. Amen.”  Many times, Jan prayed with her eyes wide open as if she were gazing directly into the eyes of Jesus as she talked with him.

We had gathered to celebrate Jan and her love for Jesus.  Her life had meaning and purpose in so many ways.  The higher purpose was to bring others into the saving grace of Jesus.  Jan’s desire was that her life would reflect the love of Jesus and bring people to know the depth of God’s love and grace.  God’s love provides a way to redeem each of us.  God’s love is the cross of Jesus by which we are forgiven.  Jesus’ resurrection conquered death and is the promise of eternal life with Him.

Jan surrendered her life to Jesus and walked with Jesus in the struggles and in the joys of life.  Even in the dying, when she could not feel Jesus with her because of the pain of cancer, she relied on others to pray and lift her up.  Her foundation of faith was still present even when she did not feel Jesus.  As she neared Heaven, her witness and faith became stronger because she was ready to see Jesus face to face.  God began lifting the veil between Heaven and earth, and Jan received glimpses of Heaven with its gravel road, and nature being so unique from what she witnessed on earth, and the walls of Heaven.  Revelation 21:18 tells us – “The wall was built of jasper.”  The walls of Heaven are God’s protection where evil cannot penetrate and where God dwells.  Jan was experiencing God opening up Heaven and God inviting her into His loving protection.

Jan began seeing.  One of the songs Jan’s daughter, Mindy, sang at the celebration of life was a song Jan sang many times on The Walk to Emmaus Spiritual Weekend – “I Can See.”  The words of the last part of the song are -

“Yes, I can see who walks with me.  I can hear who speaks my name.  I can feel something stirring in my heart.  How His words ring strong and true, like a once familiar strain. And I know I’ll never be the same.”

“I can see and from that moment in time, I felt the emptiness subside.  And all the wonder of creation shining through.  And for that first time in my life, I really looked into His eyes, and I saw eternity and suddenly I knew.  Yes, I can see.”

Jan walked into Heaven and her eyes were open – she saw for the first time Jesus face to face. Jan looked into His eyes, and for the first time she truly saw Jesus.  She saw the One who walked with her all her life.  The One who spoke her name.  The One who stirred her heart.  The One she sang about and lived within her heart.  Jan saw Jesus all her life.  While her purpose was to share Jesus through her music and her love, her higher purpose was to help others truly see Jesus.

It was through Jan, that I saw Jesus.  Jesus has lived in my heart all my life, and I have worshipped and given my life and my purpose to serve Jesus. But it was through Jan, that I learned to look into the eyes of Jesus.  I can see who walks with me and speaks my name. 

Jan’s higher purpose was to help everyone who came in contact with her to see Jesus.  I believe Jan fulfilled her higher purpose.  We each have this higher purpose to help others see Jesus.

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus.  Look full in His wonderful face.  And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

Check out my book on Grief -

Living in The Different

on Amazon

Reflective Legacy

“But you have followed what I teach, the way I live, my goal, faith, patience, and love.  You know I never give up.”  2 Timothy 3:10

Recently my cousin reminded me of my Grandma’s creed she wrote many years ago expressing what she believed.  It is based on the Apostles’ Creed.  I have kept this creed in my Bible since she died.  I typed the creed and gave a copy of it to my siblings along with her picture.  It is a reminder of the foundation of our faith through my Grandma.  She lived her faith in her words and actions.  She was the one who encouraged me to follow God’s calling on my life.  She heard the call before I did.  The Creed is a wonderful legacy that my Grandma leaves for future generations.

This is my Grandma’s Creed -

I believe God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.  I believe God created the heavens and the earth.

I believe God created man and woman and gave them the freedom to choose good and evil.

I believe God has made Himself known as God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

I believe He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ into the world so that the world might be reconciled to Him.

I believe Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the virgin Mary.

I believe He went willingly to suffer and die on the cross as a propitiation for our sins.  I believe on the third day He arose from the dead and now sits at the right hand of God.

I believe the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity.

I believe the Holy Spirit was sent to convict us of our sins, to comfort us in times of sorrow, and to guide us daily.

I believe if we are Holy Spirit filled, we are filled with joy, love, peace and goodness.

I believe we are saved through our Faith in Jesus Christ as our Redeemer from our sins. As a Christian I must live as Jesus taught His disciples to live:

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God will all thy heart, and with all thy soul and all thy mind and though shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”

I am grateful for my Grandma’s faith and for the faith of my Mom.  They are my foundation and guided me to give my life to Jesus and live for Him.  I have followed their example.  They reflected Jesus in their lives.  My Mom and my Grandma were in-laws, but they were connected through their faith and also through sorrow.  They both lost their own mothers at the age of five.

As I reflect upon their legacy, I am reminded that faith includes struggles, hardships, sorrow, and joys.  It is in the struggles of life that we see the strength of our faith.  It is not our strength, but our reliance and trust in God’s strength through us.  As children, we always think our parents and grandparents will always be with us.  We do not know life without them.  Then life changes and the ones we have counted on in life, go to Heaven.  We feel lost without them, but as I have realized, their love and legacy are never gone.  It remains in our hearts forever.  Their examples and how they have reflected Jesus lives on in all those lives they have touched.  It is always wonderful to still hear stories about my Mom, and how others saw her and how she shared the love of Jesus with others.

So, who has reflected Jesus to you?  How do you reflect Jesus to others?  As I prepare for the celebration of life of my friend, Jan, I have been reflective on how she lived her life for Jesus and shared Jesus through her smile, her singing, her teaching, her prayers, and her spirit and outlook on life.  Jan reflected Jesus and shared Jesus in almost every encounter in her life.  Her purpose in life was to influence others for Jesus.  I believe that is our purpose on earth – to glorify God in all we do and share the love and grace of Jesus.  We are to share Jesus in our words and actions and lead them to Jesus who does the saving and changing.

We are called to help walk each other home to Heaven to live forever with Jesus. 

“We’re all just walkin’ each other home.  We’re all just tryin’ to find out where we belong.  So be a light in the dark on your way home.”

Reminders

·         My books are available on Amazon – Living In The Different, Live Different Moments, and Life Lessons of a Lone Trooper

·         I will be leading a Seminar – “Living Life Forward” - in Upper Sandusky at Trinity Evangelical Church on Saturday, March 21st from 9 AM to 12 PM.  You can message me to register.

Keeping Your Gaze

“That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.”  Psalm 27:4

I looked into the backyard from my kitchen window as I wandered through the house in the middle of the night, and the moon glistened on the snow. The trees cast a shadow on the snow, and the deer roamed throughout the yard leaving tracks.  Today as I looked out the same windows, the snow reflected the bright sunlight and as I looked up the sky was a brilliant blue.  A squirrel caught my eye as it jumped from tree to tree, and the cardinals fluttered from our bird feeder to our neighbors.  The deep red of the birds stood out in the white snow.  Nature – always something beautiful to witness.  Sometimes I just get lost in the wonder of what God created for you and me to enjoy.  I just gaze in awe at the beauty around me.

Sometimes in the cold of the winter as I look out my windows, my thoughts go to warmer weather and the beach and sunshine.  I had experienced it earlier this winter, and my gaze went beyond what I was actually seeing to what my mind was experiencing and feeling and desiring.

My dear friend, Jan, took the journey to Heaven this past week.  My heart is broken to let go of such a dear friend, but my heart also celebrates that Jan is with Jesus, the One she loved and the One who loved her.  Jan’s life reflected the love of Jesus.  Jan was filled with joy and her sweet spirit shared Jesus with every smile, every song, and every conversation.

As I talked with Jan the last Saturday of her earthly life, she was beginning the gaze beyond this physical world.  She told me that the laws of nature she had believed were no longer true.  She saw a gravel road and was beginning to gaze beyond this world.  The things of this world were growing dim as the things eternal were coming into view.  As I looked into Jan’s eyes, they were beginning to focus beyond.  The veil between heaven and earth was lifting for Jan.

Two of her friends told me that when they asked how she was doing, Jan would reply, “I am gazing at Jesus gazing at me.”  Jan now sees Jesus face to face and gazes into the eyes of pure love.  To gaze means to look steadily, intently with great interest, pleasure and wonder.  My mind is filled with what Jan and I gazed upon together on this earth.  Together we saw the beauty of the Rocky Mountains as we flew over them.  We saw the beauty of Idaho and the snow-covered mountains.  We gazed upon the magnificent whales jumping out of the water in Hawaii.  Together we gazed upon the faces of children and youth as Jesus came into their hearts as they sang to the glory of God.  Together we gazed upon sadness and grief as we shared together in funerals.  We gazed upon the burden of ministry together and the joys of seeing Jesus come alive in His children.

The sweet, sweet spirit of Jesus was on the face of Jan.  She always had a song in her heart and she just couldn’t help but let it out.  I loved to hear her sing.  Everything reminded her of a song.  As she prayed, you felt you were gazing into the presence of God. As Jan sang, the spirit of the song penetrated the walls of your heart and you were immersed into the holy moment. Jan’s eyes sparkled with joy.  She had a childlike faith and trust, and she also continued to grow and learn and gain knowledge.  Jan’s spirit brought you closer to God just by being in her presence.

It has been a privilege to be a part of her journey home to Heaven.  Even when the pain was intense and it was hard to pray, the Spirit of Jesus was within her.  She did not have to say any words because the Spirit was praying for her in “sighs too deep for words.” (Romans 8:26) Jan trusted to share with me what she was seeing. She knew I would understand because together we had gazed into each other’s hearts and shared the depth of life.  It is amazing to receive a glimpse beyond the veil and to have the assurance life continues beyond the grave.

I have been pondering my own gaze.  What has your attention and gaze?  My desire is to keep my eyes upon Jesus and to gaze into His wonderful face.  As the funeral directors took Jan’s body from her earthly home, we sang her out, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus.  Look full into His wonderful face.  And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

There is so much in the world that can catch our eye and distract us from keeping our focus on Jesus.  Pain and disease try to tell us God does not care.  Anxiety and worry say nobody is in control and we need to be.  Sorrow and grief say life is hopeless.  When we place our gaze on these things, life is overwhelming and exhausting.  Yes, it is hard sometimes to see Jesus through all the clutter of our thoughts and feelings.  Reach out and take the hand of Jesus.  Call on Jesus to take your hand.  It is trusting even when we do not understand.

I am trying to be intentional in my gaze.  I am looking to Jesus. “Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect.” (Hebrews 12:2)

When I feel anxious and afraid, I am gazing upon Jesus who gives peace.  When I feel alone and sad, I am gazing upon Jesus who is looking at me with His love and comfort.  When I feel lost and unsure of my way, I am gazing upon Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life.  When all I see is darkness, I am gazing in the dark to find Jesus who is the light.  When I do not understand, I am gazing upon Jesus who is the Good Shepherd who will lead me.  With Jesus, I have everything I need.

While I am sad that my friend, Jan is no longer here on earth, I know without a doubt she is keeping her gaze upon her Savior and Lord, Jesus.

Keep your gaze upon Jesus.  Keep singing – “Turn your eyes upon Jesus.”

Can't Change The Weather

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.  The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives and by believing in me will never die.  Do you believe this?”  John 11:25-26

I just spent a week in Florida house sitting and dog sitting for a friend (Yes, tough job, right?).  It sounded like the perfect time to be in sunny Florida and be out of the cold of winter, but cold followed me.  Yes, it was warmer than home, but not warm enough for the beach.  You can’t change the weather; you just change how you deal with it.

Life happens.  It is not what we had planned nor expected. You cannot change it.  You learn to deal with it.  It does not mean you do not get upset, cry, question why, beg for mercy, or plead to God for a miracle.

While I was in Florida, I visited my over ninety friends who had just moved from their home in Ohio into an assisted living facility in Florida.  They are adjusting to a small apartment and receiving the care they need at this stage of life.  It is not what they had planned but health changes and aging necessitated the change.  We cannot change the aging process.

I also visited my friend who while on her vacation had a medical emergency and will be in the hospital away from home for an extended period of time.  It happened without warning and now her husband is navigating the unknowns in the medical world. You cannot change the unexpected.

Another friend came home from the hospital with Hospice care while I was in Florida.  Her husband and family and friends are beginning the journey they do not want to take of saying goodbye.  It was not the plan.  My friend has made a difference for Jesus in this world and impacted the lives of so many with her joy, her music, her teaching and most of all her faith and love for Jesus.  Why her?  She has been healthy and vibrant and giving all her life and has lived for Jesus.  There are no words or reasons.  You cannot change it.

This week is my parents’ birthdays – one day apart.  This week, I give thanks for their lives, their love, and their influence upon my life.  My dad and my mom now reside in Heaven with their Lord and Savior, Jesus.  Recently I heard the song, “Phone In Heaven” – “If there’s a phone in Heaven, put my mama on the line.  Give me one more chance to tell her I love her.”  I would love to have a conversation with my mom and hear her voice and tell her once again, “I love you.” I cannot change that my mom died and is in Heaven, but I can give thanks for her life and her love and her influence on my life.  I can talk to her in my heart every day.

I heard another song, “If Heaven Had a Landline” – “Just a five minute call would get me through the day.  If Heaven had a landline, I’d ring it up every day and say, “Is it everything they said it would be?”  Yes, I am listening to some unique songs that show up on my playlist.

I have been thinking a lot about Heaven recently.  I listened today to the song – How Beautiful Heaven Must Be – “How beautiful heaven must be, Sweet home of the happy and free, Fair haven of rest for the weary, How beautiful heaven must be.”  I know my mom and my dad and my Grandma and my husband, Dave are in Heaven.  They have seen Jesus face to face.  They are happy and free.  I also know my friend will be there sooner than we want her to go.  I cannot change it.

Another friend’s dad went to Heaven this past week.  It has taken him his whole life to finally surrender to Jesus and say, “I love Jesus.”  I was with him when he finally made the commitment to love Jesus.  My friend and her family have the assurance that he is with the One who loves him – Jesus.

My friend, Jan, has always talked about Heaven and the joy of being with Jesus.  She has lived her faith and has radiated the love of Jesus in her smile, her singing and her joy for life.  She will see Jesus and be healed.  Just like my parents and your loved one, they now know that Heaven is beautiful.  They are at peace and in the presence of Jesus.

We would like to change the timing just like we would like to change the weather, but we cannot do it.  We would like to change what a person has to go through to get there.  We would like Heaven to have visiting hours or at least a phone.  There are visiting hours in ICU and in Hospice and even in prison.  Why not in Heaven?  I believe it is because we would never want to leave once we got there.

We are with people in their sickness, in the process of dying, and we are helpless to change anything.  We cannot slow it down and stop time.  We do not want them to leave, but we do not want them to suffer and be in pain.  We want them to be at peace and be with Jesus, but we do not want to release them.  We know we cannot be with them in Heaven until God calls us home.  We cry, we are sad, we grieve because we love so deeply and cannot imagine life without those we love.  Love never dies and remains in our hearts forever, but we do not want to let go physically.

We cannot change the weather or the dying, but we can embrace the one who is with us through it all.  The One who understands how we feel.  The One who conquered death by dying for us and giving us the gift of eternal life.  Turn your eyes toward Jesus.

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full, in his wonderful face.  And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”

Check out my books on Amazon -

Living In The Different

Life Lessons of A Lone Trooper

Live Different Moments

Reflections In The Whisper

“After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.  And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”  I Kings 19:12

We may want God to speak loud and boldly to us like in a fire and an earthquake, but God continues to come to each of us in His gentle whisper.  It is being quiet enough and quieting the world around us, to hear God whisper.  God has been whispering to me throughout this past year in my devotions.  Last week I shared some of what I have heard God say to me last year, and this blog will continue to share some of these whispers with you.

·         God sees what I cannot see.  Trust God to lead.

·         God is good and still God even when He answers our prayers differently than we desire.

·         Surrender your scars to God’s gentle touch.

·         God is always on time.  Wait on the Lord.

·         When you are tired and weary, make sure you make a divine appointment to carry the load and renew you.

·         God grieves for us and with us and sits at the edge of the rubble of our lives reaching for us.

·         Accept help from others so that they can use their gifts and talents to bring glory to God.

·         When we love deeply, we mourn and weep at their death.

·         God provides hope and comfort when we weep.

·         We have been given abundant grace from God.  We are blessed.  We are called to share and give to others abundantly.

·         Hope is not what you expect by what you never dreamed possible.

·         My purpose is to bring glory to God.

·         God takes out our stubborn hearts and gives us a heart of obedience.

·         You cannot out give God.  Give God all you have and you will end up with more.

·         Generosity makes God smile.  As we practice generosity we reflect the heart of God.

·         You don’t need God to clarify; you need to trust God.

·         God doesn’t need us, God wants us.

·         When you give your life to Jesus, He takes responsibility for you.

·         Don’t overlook what seems like a small thing or small opportunity.

·         The most consistent thing about life is its inconsistency.

·         We grieve with the hope of heaven – grieving forward.

·         God speaks to us in the interruptions of life.

·         Jesus is our permanent residence – our permanent mailing address.

·         Remember those who prayed for you.  Their prayers are part of your foundation and are still vital today.

·         Jesus is the solution to every problem.  He is the answer to every question.

·         Nothing will touch me that God cannot handle.

·         God knows your name.  God speaks to you in the language of your personal life – ways you can understand – Listen!

·         God is in control.  He is working in every detail of my life.  God is working it all out for my good.

·         Be willing to be faithful wherever God places you, however God wants to use you – with one hundred or with one person.

·         Life gets so much better when we realize we are not the main character – Jesus is.

·         Each compliment is like a flower.  You collect them and make a bouquet and then give them all to God.

·         Be authentic – true to one’s own personality, spirit, and character given to you by God.

·         Praise and singing is the key in changing our attitude, fears, and despair.

·         Get out of God’s way.  When you don’t know what to do – stand still and let God work.

·         Our priorities need to have eternal value.

·         Jesus invites us to bring our struggles and regrets to Him and exchange them for His joy.

·         We may feel powerless, but we are never prayerless.

·         Joy is peace dancing.

As you read the Bible and your devotions, find a word or phrase to hold onto each day and ponder the meaning for you.  It helps us to gain a fresh perspective on our faith and our current journey.  God is with you.  It is being willing to listen and be still.

In this season of Christmastide – the time after Christmas, pause and wait for God to break through the darkness of your life and give you hope.  Listen to the whisper of God.  It may come through the most unexpected ways.

Listen to the whispers!

Check out my books for the New Year -

            Living In The Different

            Life Lessons of a Lone Trooper

            Live Different Moments

All available on Amazon and at Tea Story in Upper Sandusky.

Reflections In Stillness

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

This past year as I have read my devotions and the Bible, I have kept a journal of thoughts and reflections from this quiet time.  I prayed before I began my quiet time that I would listen with my heart, hear God speak, and discern God’s word for me today.  I did not just want to read the words like I was completely a task.  Reading the Bible is actually God speaking through the written word, and I wanted to be open to what God was saying to me each day.

I would like to share with you some of what God spoke to me through this quiet time.  I hope you take the time to ponder these thoughts and hear God speak to you through these words.  I am learning to pause more and listen.  We tend to read quickly so we can move on to the next item on our agenda.  It is good to sit for a while in God’s word and to listen to how God speaks to others in the devotions they write.

·         Chase your dreams because dreams never chase you.

·         Jesus wants us to sit down with Him everyday and rest in His Presence.

·         Everything belongs to God.  When we give, we are giving back to God what is His in gratefulness.

·         God isn’t something you add to your life – God is your life and your life’s work.  Your purpose is to glorify God.

·         We are never an interruption to God.  We are His children whom He loves to hear from.

·         Counselors can comfort you in the storm, but you need a God who can still the storm.

·         When anxieties steal our breath away, we need the God who is the breath of life.

·         Stop clinging so tightly to what you think you want.  Don’t lose out on what God wants to give you.  Look up.

·         God’s love is better than any life we try to create.  We may still suffer, but God’s love is greater than anything in this world.

·         God’s arms are always open.  His mercy is waiting.  His grace is mine.

·         Worry diminishes as you look upward.

·         Don’t be afraid to let your uniqueness define your path in life.

·         Peace begins with a choice to stop being afraid followed by a decision to start trusting God.

·         God.  Not a good idea.

·         Ask God to give you more of His voice in your ear.  Listen with your eyes on the pages of the Bible.

·         God hears me even when I do not use words to pray.

·         Worry divides the mind – splitting thoughts between today and tomorrow.

·         Grace defines you.  I am who God says I am.  I am His.

·         Sorrow stretches out space in our hearts for joy.

·         Fix your eyes on Jesus.  Sometimes we are so busy doing the work for Jesus that we forget to focus on Jesus.

·         Trust Jesus.  He is the power you cannot see to do the work you cannot accomplish on your own.

·         We are never too much for God.

·         Live your life or it won’t be lived.  Only you can do what God created you to do.

·         My confidence is in God’s faithfulness.

·         You cannot accomplish goals that are not God’s goals for you.

·         God does not command you to be successful, He commands you to be faithful.

·         Go live your life and don’t worry about what could or might happen.

·         Jesus is our permanent mailing address.  Jesus wants me to be where He is.

·         God is not something to add to your life – God is your life.

·         Jesus is the solution to every problem, the answer to every question.  Jesus fills every need.

·         The past cannot be changed, live in God’s grace.  The future is in God’s hands.  Live today.

·         God’s grace and mercy is overflowing.  God will always forgive.  We never run out of God’s grace and mercy.

·         God’s agenda for your day – to make you more like Jesus.

·         Life comes with directions – The Bible.

·         Wait for the Lord.  Be patient and do not take matters in your own hands.

·         You will never go where God is not.

It takes time to be still – to settle the spiritual “wake” caused by life and settle into being quiet before God.  I hope a few of these words touched your heart and you took time to ponder what God is saying to you.  It is good to write down how God speaks to you so that you can reflect and remember.

Pause and be still before the Lord.  God has something to say to you today.  Listen.

Mark your calendars – I will be leading a seminar “Living Life Forward” on Saturday, March 21st from 9 am to 12 pm at Trinity Evangelical Church in Upper Sandusky.

The Song of Your Heart

“Sing to the Lord with grateful praise.”  Psalm 147:7

The Christmas music has ended (Why don’t we play it all year?), and now we begin to reflect upon this past year and ponder what the new year will bring.  We remember the joys and the sorrows, the losses and the achievements, the struggles and the accomplishments.  It has been a mixture of emotions and changes.  Each year brings challenges and opportunities of growth.  We have released loved ones to Heaven and we gained new relationships.  Some of you set resolutions for 2025 and you may not even remember what they were because daily life got in the way.  Some of you achieved your goals.

 What songs did your heart and soul sing this year?  Were they songs of sadness and grief?  Songs of pain and fear?  Songs of joy and celebration?  Songs of hope and peace?  I listen to music every day, usually on Sirius radio in my vehicle or on my phone through a speaker.  I mainly listen to Southern Gospel, Contemporary Worship, Country with a few other random songs.  I listen to piano instrumental music all night long. Music has been my way of giving expression to my feelings and also bringing hope and peace into my heart.  It brings a calmness and a focus.

In 2026, I want to sing with a grateful heart.  For the past ten years, I have chosen a word for the year.  The word has helped me focus, pray, grow and challenged me to live in this different life.  I have used the word to guide my prayers, and the word has helped me find songs that have touched my spirit and given me encouragement.

For 2026, God has given me the word “grateful.”  Grateful is a feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness.  Grateful is a mindset, a choosing to see the good.  Thankful is a reaction to something specific like “I am thankful for sunshine today.”  Grateful is a positive outlook that sees the good and knows God is good even when I cannot see it.  It is being grateful God is with me.  Grateful God is in it with me.  Grateful for the blessings and the struggles.

My hope for 2026 is that the song of gratefulness will be in my heart.  What song is in your heart? I challenge you to spend time with God to find the word you need to help guide you in this new year.  Resolutions are easy to break and sometimes too overwhelming to achieve.  Don’t set yourself up for failure and eventually guilt.  Let’s simplify the way we set resolutions and goals for the new year.  Why not choose a word?  Find scriptures and songs that will fill your heart and help you focus and grow in the new year.

For me, I am going to go into the new year focused on being grateful – to be grateful for the relationships and experiences God places on my path.  I am going to sing with a grateful heart and find songs that express gratefulness.  My ears will be tuned to hear the words of the songs and discern how it expresses gratefulness.

I am grateful for each one of you that reads my blogs and newspaper columns.  I will be combining the two sometimes in the next months.  The blog will expand on the newspaper column theme.  I am grateful for those of you who also read and share my books.  Most of all I am grateful for Jesus, my Lord and Savior, and the gift of His grace and forgiveness.

Our hearts will have lots of things trying to win our attention in the new year.  Make room in your heart for God’s song.  Casting Crowns have a song – “Room In Your Heart” –

 “Is there room in your heart, Is there room in your heart, Is there room in your heart for God to write His story?”

God has a story to write for 2026. Make room in your heart for Jesus. 

Just Because It's Christmas

“While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have the baby, and she gave birth to her first-born son.”  Luke 2:6-7

It is Christmas.  It comes every year whether you plan for it or not.  It comes whether you decorate and have a Christmas tree or not.  It comes whether you buy presents or not.  Christmas comes each year.  So what is Christmas?  Christmas is more than all these outward expressions of the season.  Christmas is the day we celebrate God breaking through into our world and becoming like us so that He could save us from our sins.  God comes to earth in the form of a baby – Emmanuel – God is with us.

Just because it is Christmas does not mean life is joyful and you want to celebrate with dinners, presents, and family.  You may be alone this Christmas or at least feel lonely in the gatherings of family and friends.  Your family may not bring you peace or be peaceful.

Anne Wilson wrote the song – “Just Because It’s Christmas”   –

“Just because it’s Christmas, doesn’t mean your heart don’t hurt

Just because it’s Christmas, doesn’t mean there’s peace on earth

Bring your wounded heart to the manger

Fall down at the feet of the King

When thrills of hope don’t find you

He loves you just the same

You don’t have to be OK

Just because it’s Christmas. 

Just because it’s Christmas does not mean your day becomes a magical Hallmark Christmas moment.  Your circumstances may not change because of the outward display of the season and the date on the calendar. Your heart may still hurt.  Peace is no place to be found, and hope is only a glimmer.  Christmas is so much more than what we see around us or even more than what we feel.  It is bringing your hurt and broken heart to the manger and giving it to Jesus.  Jesus comes to be like us so that He could understand our hurts, brokenness, and bring peace and hope into our hearts and into this broken world.  Jesus came to earth to be the Savior of the world and of our lives.  So come kneel at the manger.

Just because it is Christmas, your daily life may not change but who is with you in your daily life changes.  God is with you right now.  Christmas reminds us of God’s presence.  You are not alone.  Just because it is Christmas reminds you and me that God loves us so much that He came to be with us.  To live among us.  To die for our sins.  To be resurrected and give us the gift of eternal life.

Just because it is Christmas.  Receive the gift of Jesus.  Mingle your sadness with the hope that God is with you in your sadness.  You are not alone.  Just because it is Christmas, do not throw away the day because of how you feel.  Remind yourself that Jesus came today to understand and bring comfort to my heart.  Jesus came to be your Redeemer.  Jesus came as Emmanuel – “God is with us.”  Live in the moment of Christmas.  Take a moment and breathe in the presence of Jesus.  Pause and speak to your heart – “Jesus, you are with me today and every moment of each day.  I love you.”

Just because it is Christmas!!  Have a blessed Christmas! 

In It With Us

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel which means God with us.”  Matthew 1:23

One of the joys for me at Christmas is singing Christmas carols.  They bring joy and memories as we sing together the songs of our childhood.  The first song I remember singing was “Away in a Manger” at church with other children for a Christmas program.  It is still one of my favorite Christmas carols.  I remember singing “Go, Tell It On the Mountain” every Christmas Sunday as a child because it was Walter Fox’s favorite song and he led the singing!  Christmas carols tell the story of that first Christmas and helps us picture the events and the people.  They are sung with joy as we focus on Jesus.  God’s love comes down at Christmas.  Jesus is the reason for the season.

One of my favorite choruses for Christmas is “Emmanuel” –

“Emmanuel, Emmanuel.  His name is called Emmanuel.  God with us, revealed in us.  His name is called Emmanuel.”

 Emmanuel – God is with us.  We sing these words and tell the story of Jesus’ birth.  Jesus is God with us.  God comes in human form.  We believe God loves us and came down at Christmas in the form of a baby to be like us and to become the perfect sacrifice for the sins of humanity.  We believe at Christmas, but what about when we are in the depths of grief, disease, trauma, pain, and feel overwhelmed?  It is difficult to remember God is with us when our focus is on the intensity of life.  It feels like we are alone trying to navigate the deep waters of life.  It may feel like just treading water and fear going under.  God may seem far away or at least not the focus.

I heard recently in a prayer, “God, you are with us and in it with us.”  That caught my attention.  God is in life with us.  That means God is in our grief with us.  God is in our disease with us.  God is in our pain with us.  God is in it with us no matter what “it” is.

When I sit in this thought of God being “in it with me,” it allows me to believe God is in my life – in every moment of my life.  God is in my writing (and your reading of it), my counseling, my running, my relationships, my cleaning, my driving.  In every moment, every task, every thought, every step.  Not just when I am aware and pray, but even when my focus is not on God.  God is still in it with me.

So, is God in Christmas with you?  Some of you just want Christmas to be over and are just trying to get through it because of your sadness and loss.  Nothing is the same.  The happiness of others is too much, and the happiness of the season eludes you.  God is still in it with you.  Some of you are focused on the outward displays and events of Christmas and are too busy to let God be in it.  Christmas has lost its meaning and has become just another event with family.

Christmas is in the season of Advent and is the first season of the Christian Church year.  Since it is the beginning, maybe it is time to look at this Christmas with a different focus.  Expect God to come into your world, your life and be in it with you.  Jesus came to be like us and to be in it with us.  God is not distant. Sometimes God is so close that we do not realize God is with us.  God is in life with you right now.

Let’s pause for a moment and say – “God, you are here with me now.  You are in my life and in what I am going through right now.”  Emmanuel, the name of Jesus, reminds us that God came to be with us and provide a way for us to always be with Him eternally.  What if this Christmas, you start right now recognizing God is in it with you.  Trust Him.  Ask Him.  Seek Him. Focus on Him.  Even in the struggle and the sadness, we have peace because wherever Jesus is there is peace, hope, joy, and love.  You may not feel it, but God is still there with you.

God is in it with you.  Emmanuel, God is with us.

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Check out my website and my books – www.livinginthedifferent.com

Same Story

“Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”  Luke 2:19

When I think of the Christmas season, one story comes to the forefront of my memories.  When I was a teenager our house burnt down on Sunday, December 23rd.  My life changed in many ways that day.  I had no place to call home, and I lost all my material possessions.  My family had no home, but we still had a farm with animals that needed care.  I lived with my grandmother for three months.  My brother who was still living at home, went to live with another brother.  My parents lived in a small RV on the farm to care for the animals until other arrangements for a home could be made.

Out of the ashes of this tragedy, God still brought good.  Our church family and community rallied around our family and provided support and needed clothing and financial assistance.  At a young age, I learned that relationships are more important than possessions.  I have told this story many times throughout my life, but it reminds me not to focus on material possessions and that God can bring good out of the bad and brokenness of life.  The story never grows old as I remember God’s love and care through others during this tragedy.

Christmas is a time to share stories and memories.  Not everyone has happy memories, but God can bring good out of the bad.  God can redeem the memories.  Some people remember Christmas presents, Christmas programs at school and church, snow, favorite foods, worship services, and most of all the people with whom we shared the season.  We remember how we felt, and the emotions connected to the joy of the season.

When my siblings gather, we begin to share memories of Christmas and retell the stories.  We all tell the same story first.  The story always goes something like this – “remember when we had to buzz (cut) wood every Christmas morning before we could unwrap our presents.”  We heated our house with two wood stoves, and my dad knew he could get all of us to help with the wood when the motivation was Christmas presents.  It is the same story that never grows old.

 The story of the birth of Jesus is the same story that is told each year at Christmas.  This story never grows old.  It is timeless and never loses its relevance and power.  Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem.  Mary gives birth to Jesus and lays him in a manger.  The angels appear to the shepherds. The Shepherds come.  The wise men bring gifts.  God comes to earth in the form of a baby to redeem the world.  The story never grows old.  It never changes.  God still comes.

I wonder how many times Mary shared the story of Jesus’ birth throughout her life.  Telling of the angel appearing to her announcing that she was chosen to give birth to the Messiah. How Joseph did not leave her but believed her and the angel who appeared to him.  The journey to Bethlehem and giving birth, and all those who came to see the baby.  It was the same story that never grew old for Mary.  She treasured the memories.

Christmas is a time of memories and stories.  When we tell and retell the stories, Christmas becomes more than just a day.  The stories become alive again.  The memories are real and a part of who we are.  The memories are about relationships that gave meaning to our lives. 

Never stop sharing your memories.  Tell the same old story over and over again because it has meaning to your life.  You are who you are because of these memories and the people who are in these memories.  Your loved one comes alive again in your heart as you tell the same stories.  The stories reveal the love that never ends. 

 Christmas is a love story.  God loves us so much that He came to earth as a baby to redeem us.  Keep telling your story.  Keep telling the Christmas story.  Both stories are about the deep love that is in your heart. 

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My Books on Amazon- Great Christmas Gifts

 Live Different Moments

 Live Different Moments: Finding Contentment and Peace after Change and Loss: Sturtz, Elaine J. Clinger: 9798989125708: Amazon.com: Books

 Living In The Different       

 https://www.amazon.com/Living-Different-passages-through-sorrow/dp/0998310239/

Life Lessons of a Lone Trooper

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Lessons-Lone-Trooper-Legacy/dp/0998310255/

Coming Into View

“The virgin will be pregnant.  She will have a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which means “God is with us.”  Matthew 1:23

My hometown has a Fantasy of Lights display in the park each Christmas Season.  This year there are over one hundred displays created by local businesses, organizations, and families.  Last year, as we walked through and drove through the magical light display, I thought how cool it would be for my family to create a display.  We began to talk about it, and I gave the idea to my brother-in-law who created a plan.  With the creativity of my brother-in-law, my cousin, and lots of ideas from family, our family display was created.  The picture with this blog is our Christmas contribution to the park lights.  It turned out better than I had ever envisioned.

It is an Advent Wreath with the manger in the middle and a star for Jesus being the light of the world.  Beside the wreath is the cross with the words of the candles surrounding the cross.  Each Advent candle has a theme – Hope, peace, joy and love. During Advent (which means the coming or arrival) a candle is lit, and words are shared about the theme of the candle.  Jesus comes into the world to bring hope, peace, joy and love.  Everything you and I need today in our lives.

Hope – “And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts.” Romans 5:5

Peace – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  John 14:27

 Joy – “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”  Nehemiah 8:10

 Love – “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

It took some time for the idea of the display to become a reality – literally the entire year. Finally, it came into view.  When we saw it lit up at night for the first time, it was amazing to see. We needed the darkness to see the beauty of it.  My prayer in the creation was that the display would be a witness to our faith in Jesus.  The Advent Wreath expresses the coming of Jesus as a baby with the cradle in the middle. The cross represents why Jesus came – to be the Savior of the world.  You cannot have the cradle without the cross.  Jesus was born to die for our sins.

 My hope was that it could make a difference.  I was filled with joy when we walked through the lights and stood beside the display.  A mom and her children came up to the display, and she explained to her children what the Advent wreath was and the words represented each candle.  As I listened, God’s love came into view.  I had such a peace that God had a purpose in this display.  I had experienced all the words of Advent – hope, joy, love and peace.

We have an idea of how we desire life or certain situations to be.  We have hope that it will turn out like we desire.  Sometimes it turns out better than expected and other times we struggle to comprehend what happened.  It doesn't make any sense to us.  We have all been there.  Some of you are in the middle of trying to find your life after your world was turned upside down.  It is so cloudy that you can barely see the next step to take.  The darkness seems overwhelming.  Sometimes we need to sit in the darkness of life before we can see God shine His light.

That is, sometimes we need the lights and sounds and distractions of the world to go dim, and we need to be still and just sit in the quiet and allow God to come to us.  God comes into view when we tune out the things that overwhelm and disturb our hope, joy, peace, and love.  It doesn’t mean life will be what you want it to be, but it does mean that God breaks into our darkness with His love.  God comes to us.  God may not change your circumstances, but God will change your heart and your thoughts.  God may still have you walk through the pain and the grief, but God promises to be with you and bring you peace in the midst of it.

As Christmas comes into view for you this year, focus on Jesus.  He is your hope in this broken world and in your heartache.  Jesus wants you to look beyond the broken pieces and see the hope of eternity – the hope that someday it will all come together into this beautiful masterpiece.  Jesus promises to give us his joy – not happiness that you have to create and try to pretend you feel.  It is joy that is deep within you – a sense of contentment that is not based on your circumstances.  This brings the peace of Jesus deep within your heart.

Christmas reminds us that we are loved.  God loves you.  God came down to earth to redeem us because He loves us.  Allow Jesus to come into view this Christmas.  Allow Jesus to break through your hurt and pain, through your dailyness of life, through your humbug attitude, through your tears, through your racing thoughts and bring you his hope, peace, joy and love.

Allow Jesus to come into view!

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As you prepare to shop for Christmas gifts, remember small businesses.  Shop local.  Shop simple.

Books are a lasting gift.  Check out my books on my website and on Amazon –

              Living In The Different

              Life Lessons of a Lone Trooper

              Live Different Moments