Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Hope Heals
As I was exercising this morning, I listened to a podcast interviewing Katherine and Jay Wolf. After coming home, I sat down and watched this Youtube video with them. This was an incredible testimony and blessing to me.
This is a double love story between a husband and a wife and between a personal, pursuing God and his beloved ones. Katherine and Jay are so real and relatable as they share how they were forever changed in a startling moment. Their best story was written after excruciating loss, yet Jesus meets them in their needs. They glow from the inside out and reflect the person of Hope, Jesus. Grab a box of tissues, because tears were streaming down my face.
Monday, June 17, 2019
Keeping a Steadfast Heart When the snake Bites
The words hissed menacingly on the page. I distinctly hear our enemy of old, the serpent, as I read Acts 28. The serpent bit the shipwrecked man. Already Paul's life circumstances were stressful, and now this venomous snake clings to his hand and threatens to undo his emotional composure and sabotage the work of his physical calling. When Paul looked down at his hand, he must have heard the echo of the Garden, "Did God really say?" Crafty in his timing, Satan surely thought after a shipwreck, a cold, wet, miserable Paul is bound to doubt the goodness and deliverance of God. Oh, but the beautiful uplifting part is Paul shook that snake back into the fire. While Paul was letting loose of the foul serpent, he was holding fast to God's promise for him in the previous chapter.
God had spoken words of fulfillment that had yet to be fulfilled. Paul had a future appointment with Caesar. Paul knew Jesus was a promise keeper, always faithful, always truthful. How could Paul's story end here with a snakebite?
While the islanders on Malta expected Paul's imminent death, Paul was living for the morrow, the fulfillment of God's prophecy over his life. Snakebit Paul made a choice like all of us must. Do I believe Jesus or become paralyzed and maimed by my circumstances?
I pondered how this story might have turned out completely differently if Jesus hadn't hushed the snake's hiss on the cross. Our Lord Jesus gave us what we don't deserve and speaks wondrous futures over our messed up realties. When our lives are hidden in Christ, the snake has no authority to take them.
Though Paul's fingers did not swell to match the circumference of the serpent's girth, Paul's spirit could have ballooned dangerously large if he had harbored the thought, "God, you are unfair. I deserve better." Having a snake attached to your hand, it would be natural to breathe in fear and breathe out anger. Indeed, Paul had the potential to let circulate a more deadly poison in his bloodstream. All he had to do was disbelieve God. Isn't that what has been perpetuated since the Garden?
When we dismiss God as a liar based on our bleak circumstances, our entire world reels and we lose our equilibrium. If we believe that the one who hung the solar system in place can't be trusted, our mental spinning accelerates down a wobbly, out-of-control path. Of course, self-injury results, because we have left Satan's fangs in our tender flesh.
But Acts 28 is no ordinary chapter. Paul did what we often forget to do. He took human responsibility by placing his focus back on Jesus, the Crusher of the serpent, the Keeper of Life, and the Victor of Difficult Circumstances. I'm persuade that the snake in Acts 28 knew he was beaten and slithered back into hell fire. With extreme caution, I warn that our enemy is waiting to emerge on someone else's unsuspecting hand preferably after a shipwreck.
In this life, we'll experience shipwrecks and snakebites, but whether we remain injured, helpless victims is dependent on whether we start shaking off lies and finish by holding onto the Person of Truth, God, himself. As I read Acts 28, I was reminded Jesus can be trusted. Keeping a steadfast heart when the snake bites is a matter of focus. Will I gaze at the uplifted Jesus or study the snakeskin?
May it be said of us we looked at Jesus.
God had spoken words of fulfillment that had yet to be fulfilled. Paul had a future appointment with Caesar. Paul knew Jesus was a promise keeper, always faithful, always truthful. How could Paul's story end here with a snakebite?
While the islanders on Malta expected Paul's imminent death, Paul was living for the morrow, the fulfillment of God's prophecy over his life. Snakebit Paul made a choice like all of us must. Do I believe Jesus or become paralyzed and maimed by my circumstances?
I pondered how this story might have turned out completely differently if Jesus hadn't hushed the snake's hiss on the cross. Our Lord Jesus gave us what we don't deserve and speaks wondrous futures over our messed up realties. When our lives are hidden in Christ, the snake has no authority to take them.
Though Paul's fingers did not swell to match the circumference of the serpent's girth, Paul's spirit could have ballooned dangerously large if he had harbored the thought, "God, you are unfair. I deserve better." Having a snake attached to your hand, it would be natural to breathe in fear and breathe out anger. Indeed, Paul had the potential to let circulate a more deadly poison in his bloodstream. All he had to do was disbelieve God. Isn't that what has been perpetuated since the Garden?
When we dismiss God as a liar based on our bleak circumstances, our entire world reels and we lose our equilibrium. If we believe that the one who hung the solar system in place can't be trusted, our mental spinning accelerates down a wobbly, out-of-control path. Of course, self-injury results, because we have left Satan's fangs in our tender flesh.
But Acts 28 is no ordinary chapter. Paul did what we often forget to do. He took human responsibility by placing his focus back on Jesus, the Crusher of the serpent, the Keeper of Life, and the Victor of Difficult Circumstances. I'm persuade that the snake in Acts 28 knew he was beaten and slithered back into hell fire. With extreme caution, I warn that our enemy is waiting to emerge on someone else's unsuspecting hand preferably after a shipwreck.
In this life, we'll experience shipwrecks and snakebites, but whether we remain injured, helpless victims is dependent on whether we start shaking off lies and finish by holding onto the Person of Truth, God, himself. As I read Acts 28, I was reminded Jesus can be trusted. Keeping a steadfast heart when the snake bites is a matter of focus. Will I gaze at the uplifted Jesus or study the snakeskin?
May it be said of us we looked at Jesus.
Saturday, June 15, 2019
Thursday, June 13, 2019
The Smashed Banana Book Suggestions
How does a smashed banana have anything to do with books? Well, first you need to know I prefer waiting with something to do. Time is too precious to be idle. If I know I'm going to be sitting at a doctor's office or waiting to pick up a kid, I practically always bring a book.
Therefore, it is not surprising that when my endearing, enduring husband entered an olympic length triathlon, I brought a book. Triathlons are pretty intense for the contestant, but this spectator only sweats if she doesn't stand in the shade. Basically, I attend his triathlons for the brief glance of Ben during transitions and the rest is waiting for his return at the finish line. You can get some good reading in between sightings.
Prepared for Ben's potential cramping after all that crazy exercise, I had a perfectly yellow banana in my backpack. I also borrowed a book from my son. Perhaps in my excitement at trying to photograph Ben running like a gazelle, I threw the borrowed book back in my backpack. Said book collided with now browning banana. Only as I put my camera away did I realize the peel of the banana had split and smashed banana went all over the pages and the cover of that borrowed book.
I wasn't about to return a ruined book to my son, so I did what I ought. I bought the identical book on Amazon and gave it to him when it arrived. He was none the wiser until I confessed to him that the pages of his original book probably still smelled like banana. After cleaning it the best I knew how, I kept the copy on my bedside table to finish. Now we have two copies of the same book. One clean and one that use to be clean.
When I was thinking about blogging about recent reads, it occurred to me that books that are worth buying twice should be labelled smashed banana suggestions.
Here are books to read and when bananas split, buy again.
Under a Desert Sky- Lynne Hartke
This is a wise, soul-baring book from a strong woman at her most vulnerable. She leans into the Lord with a tenacity and shares her thoughtful insights as she struggled through cancer and hard questions. As one who has wandered in a spiritual desert, I could so easily relate to her life story and recall how utterly amazed I was that my Jesus joined me in my desolate place and made it beautiful.
The Hardest Peace - Kara Tippetts
If only we knew the brevity of our days, we would all be so vulnerable and intentional with the words we leave behind. Kara knew her death was imminent when she wrote her tender book. She chose an attitude of humility and gratitude to God. Cancer stripped her of everything she thought made her beautiful, and yet her beautiful Jesus bestowed his grander beauty on her brokenness. Her book tells of a faithful, loving God as she recounts the last days of her life with incredible sweetness.
Set Free- Stephen Owens
When Stephen's mother murdered his father, life as he knew it ceased to exist. This powerful account chronicles how a son grows up without parents. Stephen decides to follow the voice of Jesus into an excruciatingly hard place. This story more than any on my list makes me uncomfortable with the cost of obedience. I am persuaded Stephen was named well. His forgiveness reminds me of Stephen the martyr.
Wild in the Hollow - Amber Haines
Crazy gifted with words, Amber Haines tells her vulnerable story with Grace drenched pages.
Her book speaks my language as she openly shares her struggle to find Jesus satisfaction in the lonely, disappointing, messy moments of life. Through her personal storytelling, she encourages the deep work of keeping our eyes on Jesus. Her words unearth the root of our humanity, "...repentance is the grieving of something lost or something that feels wasted; it's the recognition that you chased other desires when you could have had God - your satisfaction- all along."
Through the Eyes of Hope - Lacey Buchanan
Years ago I saw Lacey's Youtube video holding her beloved son, born without eyes. As she silently held up cards sharing their story as her son slept, her face was lit with a beautiful smile. Her thankfulness in the midst of hard was breathtaking. God blessed her son with an exceptional mama, and she would be the first to say her son is one of her greatest blessings. She chronicles some of her painful journey in her perfectly titled book, Through the Eyes of Hope. Her book confirms that when we gaze at crushing circumstances through Jesus, hope reshapes our heart's vision.
Courageous Faith - Charles Stanley
If you have ever thought that the preacher's life is easy, read this vulnerable account of a man who chose to follow Jesus into ministry. This book opened my eyes to Pastor Stanley's lonely childhood and how he longed for relationship. With clarity from spending time with Jesus, his friend, he shares the journey of pastoring a congregation well and pastoring his own heart towards obedience. What broke my heart was the child who grew up with a deep longing for family, at the end of the book found his very own family torn apart by broken relationship and divorce. Living through scarring circumstances enabled him to better understand the hurt of his flock and the encouragement of God's abiding, unchangeable character.
Therefore, it is not surprising that when my endearing, enduring husband entered an olympic length triathlon, I brought a book. Triathlons are pretty intense for the contestant, but this spectator only sweats if she doesn't stand in the shade. Basically, I attend his triathlons for the brief glance of Ben during transitions and the rest is waiting for his return at the finish line. You can get some good reading in between sightings.
Prepared for Ben's potential cramping after all that crazy exercise, I had a perfectly yellow banana in my backpack. I also borrowed a book from my son. Perhaps in my excitement at trying to photograph Ben running like a gazelle, I threw the borrowed book back in my backpack. Said book collided with now browning banana. Only as I put my camera away did I realize the peel of the banana had split and smashed banana went all over the pages and the cover of that borrowed book.
I wasn't about to return a ruined book to my son, so I did what I ought. I bought the identical book on Amazon and gave it to him when it arrived. He was none the wiser until I confessed to him that the pages of his original book probably still smelled like banana. After cleaning it the best I knew how, I kept the copy on my bedside table to finish. Now we have two copies of the same book. One clean and one that use to be clean.
When I was thinking about blogging about recent reads, it occurred to me that books that are worth buying twice should be labelled smashed banana suggestions.
Here are books to read and when bananas split, buy again.
Under a Desert Sky- Lynne Hartke
This is a wise, soul-baring book from a strong woman at her most vulnerable. She leans into the Lord with a tenacity and shares her thoughtful insights as she struggled through cancer and hard questions. As one who has wandered in a spiritual desert, I could so easily relate to her life story and recall how utterly amazed I was that my Jesus joined me in my desolate place and made it beautiful.
The Hardest Peace - Kara Tippetts
If only we knew the brevity of our days, we would all be so vulnerable and intentional with the words we leave behind. Kara knew her death was imminent when she wrote her tender book. She chose an attitude of humility and gratitude to God. Cancer stripped her of everything she thought made her beautiful, and yet her beautiful Jesus bestowed his grander beauty on her brokenness. Her book tells of a faithful, loving God as she recounts the last days of her life with incredible sweetness.
When Stephen's mother murdered his father, life as he knew it ceased to exist. This powerful account chronicles how a son grows up without parents. Stephen decides to follow the voice of Jesus into an excruciatingly hard place. This story more than any on my list makes me uncomfortable with the cost of obedience. I am persuaded Stephen was named well. His forgiveness reminds me of Stephen the martyr.
Skeletons on the Zahara- Dean King
Survival genre is probably one of my favorites. Maybe I gravitate to the steel resolve, because I too want to finish strong when faced with life-changing circumstances. The Lord is so evident in the preservation of these shipwrecked sailors. Africa and white slavery make an interesting juxtaposition to modern history. This is a horrifying account of deprivation, but a triumphant account of trust in a merciful God.
Crocodile on the Sandbank - Elizabeth Peters
Fun fiction is hard to come by. This Victorian mystery is snappy with dialogue, archeological intrigue, and eccentric characters. I believe this might be the first in the Amelia Peabody mysteries. If you read in chronological order, the characters are introduced in this one.
All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr
This was as intriguing as the title. I felt like fiction turned real and the heroine might be hiding in my very own attic while the radio signals danced across the hedge to my neighbors. Anthony Doerr writes an emotionally complex story set on both sides of history with a winsome and gifted pen.
Crazy gifted with words, Amber Haines tells her vulnerable story with Grace drenched pages.
Her book speaks my language as she openly shares her struggle to find Jesus satisfaction in the lonely, disappointing, messy moments of life. Through her personal storytelling, she encourages the deep work of keeping our eyes on Jesus. Her words unearth the root of our humanity, "...repentance is the grieving of something lost or something that feels wasted; it's the recognition that you chased other desires when you could have had God - your satisfaction- all along."
Divine Collision - Jim Gash
This book was the book that wasn't suppose to be written. The author reluctantly went to Africa and was surprised to leave his heart behind. Jim Gash is like the good Samaritan. He came across children caught in a corrupt Ugandan legal system, and he came along side them and cared for their real needs. Considering himself the unlikely person to help as he was a busy Pepperdine law professor, his commitment to an unknown outcome in an unknown country to a young man he was only beginning to know is truly remarkable.
Years ago I saw Lacey's Youtube video holding her beloved son, born without eyes. As she silently held up cards sharing their story as her son slept, her face was lit with a beautiful smile. Her thankfulness in the midst of hard was breathtaking. God blessed her son with an exceptional mama, and she would be the first to say her son is one of her greatest blessings. She chronicles some of her painful journey in her perfectly titled book, Through the Eyes of Hope. Her book confirms that when we gaze at crushing circumstances through Jesus, hope reshapes our heart's vision.
Courageous Faith - Charles Stanley
If you have ever thought that the preacher's life is easy, read this vulnerable account of a man who chose to follow Jesus into ministry. This book opened my eyes to Pastor Stanley's lonely childhood and how he longed for relationship. With clarity from spending time with Jesus, his friend, he shares the journey of pastoring a congregation well and pastoring his own heart towards obedience. What broke my heart was the child who grew up with a deep longing for family, at the end of the book found his very own family torn apart by broken relationship and divorce. Living through scarring circumstances enabled him to better understand the hurt of his flock and the encouragement of God's abiding, unchangeable character.
The Imam's Daughter- Hannah Shah
Please be warned this book will turn your stomach with the sickening sexual abuse a little girl experienced from her father. That said, this book is a powerful account of how Jesus rescued the author from the evil clutches of a false religion. With tears flowing down my cheeks, Hannah's story recounts how Jesus helped her escape a forced marriage to a safe loving Christian family where she finds healing in the tender embrace of Jesus. The importance of brave social workers and the cost of a girl leaving a Muslim family are detailed with extraordinary courage under her pen name. Death for apostasy is still very real in the western world. Hannah Shah uses her experience to minister to other women trapped in unspeakable circumstances.
All the Pretty Things- Edie Wadsworth
Spun from Appalachia and a world totally unfamiliar to me, this book can almost seem like a tall tale. Her nonfiction memoir is full of grit and homey, backwoods wisdom. Edie openly bears her broken soul as she writes about her Daddy's choices, her kinfolk's mistakes, and her own devastating search for meaning in the wrong places. Edie titles her chapters old Country & Western, Gospel and Rock n' Roll song titles. You will definitely hear some "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" and "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere" as you read her musical words.
Monday, June 10, 2019
Come Fly with Us
The girls were flight attendants for VBS last week. They served with style and were the cutest flight crew I've ever seen.
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
Wearing A Day's Work- Dirty Jobs' Edition
This summer Alex and Fritz made a sweat promise for our neighbor. They are painting his pipe and rail fences. After sanding rust and painting for 6 hours a day in the Texas heat, my boys aged before my eyes and looked dirtier and older than I ever imagined they could.
This is their third week painting fences and I'm proud of their work ethic. They wear the grime with distinction.
Keeping each other laughing while working has been a motivator against boredom. Brotherly ribbing increases productivity in the fence painting business.
Ben has encouraged them to make business cards, but I think they may never want to paint again after the summer of '19.
When Jane walked beside Fritz, it was such a stark comparison between clean and dirty.
Alex came home tired, but then he heard a ruckus in the chicken coop. He donned some leather gloves in expectation of another snake.
His snake catching skills are becoming legendary.
Chuffy found the snake quite irresistible.
Tommy was curious about Ben's oil change and plopped down beside him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)