A New Day

This is the beginning of a new day.

You have been given this day to use as you will.

You can waste it or use it for good.

What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it.

When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever.

In its place is something that you have left behind.

Let it be something good.

Savoring the People You Love

I have a confession to make.

I'm becoming a tea drinker.

After years of being monogamously committed to coffee, my taste buds have decided to rebel. Sigh. So while I still love-love a cup of butter toffee coffee,  I'm interspering it with tea a bit too.

What does this have to do with anything?

Well, surpisingly I'm falling in love with tea. Every cup has a story it turns out. About where it's been. What has added flavor to it. How it seeps and spills into the water until everything changes.

My favorite people are like that too.

You know the characters in life that may seem ordinary on the outside but give them some time and a welcoming place and all kinds of wonderful starts flowing to you through them?

You find out how they came to be who they are.

You taste the flavor of God's goodness that only comes through them.

You find your life changed by the time you lean back and say good-bye.

We can all be one of those people, I think. And we can all enjoy each other in that way too. It just requires slowing down and being more intentional.

Really knowing people requires our hearts, schedules and being willing to let ourselves be open to a new flavor of being.

So I've already invited you to have coffee with me. Now I'm inviting you to tea too. :)

The Stars of Heaven

"With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don't hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort." 1 Corinthians 15:58 (MSG)

Susan Boyle from Scotland became an overnight Internet celebrity. The plain-but-feisty 47-year-old contestant on the Britain's Got Talent television show transformed the audience at Clyde Auditorium in Glasgow, Scotland. At first, many mocked her frumpy appearance, but within seconds of Boyle's opening notes of "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables, the audience stood and gave her a wild ovation that continued for seven minutes. During the next nine days, more than 100 million people viewed various online video's of Boyle's amazing musical talent. 

Are there days when you feel insignificant? Perhaps as we gather before the throne of God, we'll be amazed at the so-called "nobodies" of this world who will stand out and shine like stars in heaven (1 Corinthians 1:26-31).

We'll hear stories of quiet prayer warriors who served by standing against Satan in prayer. We'll cheer for missionaries who served and sacrificed, often uncelebrated on earth; moms and dads who quietly modeled Christ and taught the Word to their children; Christian leaders who taught and lived the truth; a multitude of behind-the-scenes volunteers; all the persecuted and martyred believers of history - every good and faithful servant of God will be rewarded and hear God's "well done." It's all because of God's marvelous grace, and all praise will ultimately return to Him.

I want to encourage you to keep in mind that if you know Jesus, you're not a nobody.

"The righteous," the Bible says, "will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Matthew 13:43). We will all reflect the splendor of our Lord, and enjoy Him forever. Remember, you are always a somebody to God. 

Father God, I want to please You and bring You glory, so I ask You to transform my life. Make me more like Your Son. Amen. 

Receiving Grace

There's a girl in my life who just won't cut me slack.

I try hard and she says, "Not good enough."

I put on my cutest outfit and she whispers, "Nice, but not as good as hers."

I mess up and take a tumble in life and she smirks, "I knew you couldn't do it."

Who is this girl? I know you'd like to email her and tell her to stop being so mean to me, right?

I'd like to do the same for any mean girls in your life.

So here's the secret identity of mine...get your emails ready. It's me.

Yep, I'm my own worst critic. Maybe you too?

People say, "Give yourself grace." Yep, sounds good. I've even tried it. It just doesn't work. I think that's because we're never meant to give ourselves grace. It's not about just saying, 

"That's okay. It doesn't matter."

It's not about giving ourselves grace. Instead it's about receiving grace from God. That sounds more like, "Yes, I messed up. But I'm forgiven. And this is about what I did--it's not who I am. I am still a loved, chosen, cherished daughter of the King. I'm going to get back up and stand tall for Him again."

Only grace can change the voice within us that pushes us toward burnout. Only grace can reach out and embrace us so that we come back to where we belong again. Only grace tells us the truth about who we are.

Whew.

It's time to quiet ourselves and instead listen to truth again.

Shhh...what do you hear?

Wherever You are Now,
You have Something to Offer

I love Food Network Shows. One of my favorite last summer was about Food Trucks. In this show Sixteen food trucks circle the wide open field. They were all from different locations ...Buffalo, Toronto, New York City. Over miles and across borders these folks have brought what they have to offer. And as someone bites into a chocolate-hazelnut cupcake and smile, I know that is because they are clearly benefiting from the experience.

I like the idea of food trucks. Wherever you go, you have something to offer.

And in case you didn't know, you're kinda like a food truck.

We're all called to feed the hearts around us. Give us this day our daily bread, says the line in the Lord's prayer. What we receive isn't just for us.

And it isn't just for one particular place.

Wherever you are right now, you're bringing what God has given you to offer right along with you.

Your home.

Your office.

Your church.

Your community.

Across the world.

It's not just when we sit in a pew on Sunday. It's not just when we're in front of our keyboards writing. It's not just when we're volunteering or going out of our way to make a difference.

It's all the time, everywhere, just as you are.

I don't know what you've got inside--what your version of a food truck might be. But I can tell you this...it's going to meet a need. Because God put it there.

So roll down the road of life and see where He takes you. And when someone with a hungry heart crosses your path and God calls, fling open the doors and hold out your hands.

Then trust that whatever has been entrusted to you is what's needed in that moment. And that it's good.

Lord, help me to find someone on my road that is hungry for Your Word and give me the ingredients to feed them and give them nourishment that only You can give. Amen.

YOUR To-Do List

"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12

How many lists do you have for today - groceries, errands, chores that need to be done. Chances are you could think of two or three more - at least!

Despite our lists, it seems like days when everything gets crossed off are rare. Will we ever catch up on all that needs to be done?

There is hope! God is concerned with all the details of our lives - including our to-do lists. And, when we ask Him to, He's ready and willing to teach us how to use them most effectively - and to become wise in the process.

That's what Moses is praying in Psalm 90. As the leader of the Israelites, Moses knew something about a huge to-do list! Sometimes caring for the needs of my family of three feels overwhelming. Can you imagine poor Moses trying to manage all those people? 

That's why he asked God to teach him to number his days the right way. The Hebrew word for number means just what you think it does - to count, reckon, appoint, assign. Exactly the stuff of to-do lists.

With only so many hours in a day, it makes sense to ask God for help in making appointments, filling the calendar, planning what needs to be done and prioritizing your lists, to show you what's most important and what can wait until later.

As I've done this, I've been amazed at how God has rearranged my lists. Often he brings other people to mind, and a phone call to a friend ends up being the most important part of my day. Other times, the things I thought were pressing turn out to be not as important as spending time with my family, or taking some time to rest. 

Try it. Sit down with your to-do list and ask God for help with it. Ask him to point out those things that you may have forgotten, or things that should wait. Ask him to shine through you as you make phone calls or have lunch with a friend. 

Lord, I lay my to-do list for today, for this weekend, for the month, for the year before You. Show me and lead me to do what You would have me do. Amen.

Heed & Follow

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him." Matthew 4:19-20

One thing in the Bible is clear. When Jesus walked the earth, it was nearly impossible to be in His presence and not be changed. You walked away either loving Him or hating Him. Staying indifferent about who He was and what He said was difficult at best.

For when Jesus came on the scene, occupations changed. Fishermen became fishers of men. Tax collectors became philanthropists and wrote Gospels. At His word, addresses changed. Demons became pig dwellers. Lepers got to go home. Reality was drastically altered. Dead children came back to life. The lame walked. The blind saw. The deaf heard and water was turned into wine. 

All because of the presence of Jesus. But in every encounter, there came a choice. To heed and follow or resist and walk away. The rich young ruler came seeking validation but went away sad. Challenged - but unchanged. Though Judas walked with Jesus for three years, his heart followed his own agenda. For sadly, we can appear to worship yet never give in to worship's demands.

We can claim Christianity, but until we allow Christianity to make a claim on us we may be stirred, but we will never be changed.

What has God been saying to you lately? Or has it been a while since you've really sensed His presence or heard His voice? May I encourage you to  go back to the last thing He said to you - the "last point of obedience" as one writer puts it. For until you obey God there, you will never know the joy of moving forward into everything He has for you.

Heed and follow. That's all Jesus asks. He'll lead the way.

Lord, help me to remember the last time I was obedient to You. Help me to become obedient again. That is the only way I am going to make it in this world. I want to heed and follow You. Amen.

God's Training Program

"Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary."

Galatians 6:9

While watching The Karate Kid years ago, we can learn some important lessons. When young Daniel Larusso (played by Ralph Macchio) wanted to learn how to defend himself against bullies, his mentor, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), offered unconventional "karate" lessons. He instructed Daniel to wash cars and complete other chores. Menial work. Hard work.

After each task, Mr. Miyagi simply advised, "Come back tomorrow." 

Daniel, though frustrated, always came back. He hoped that the next lesson would be "real" training, not knowing that each of his chores included movements designed to prepare muscle memory for the defensive blocks of karate. Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel more than karate; he prepared the boy to face the struggles of life.

With wisdom far beyond Mr. Miyagi's, God shapes our lives into the image of Christ. He gives us assignments that may seem menial, but each task is designed to make us holy and help us stand firm in battle against our Enemy. God teaches us to respond to tough circumstances with absolute trust in His purposes and to obey His instructions with the utmost care. This isn't always easy. It takes determination and practice on our part. 

The truth is that God knows what He is doing. The trials He allows in our lives are meant to strengthen us, not defeat us. He knows the strength of the Enemy, and He wants us to be prepared. God also knows the weakness of our flesh, and He disciplines us so we'll rely on His strength. Our part is to do what is right and wait on Him in faith, not to grow weary in the process. 

In an article about the necessity to put on our spiritual armor, Dr. David Jeremiah wrote, "God intends us to be 'more than conquerors,' but we have to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Be dressed for battle, keep your armor on, and when it's all over but the shouting, you'll still be on your feet."

Don't give up! God's training program is designed to bless you and glorify His name. 

Lord, help me to embrace the lessons You teach. I depend on Your wisdom and grace. Amen.

Extra verses to marinate on:

Isaiah 40:31

2 Corinthians 3:17-18

Hebrews 12:1, 7, 11

The Truest Mirror

"The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord."

Psalm 45:11

How do you feel about your mirror?

Wendy, age 5, stumbles in her mommy's heels and frilly party dress. She gazes into the mirror and says, "I'm a princess!" Ten-year-old Wendy sports a bandage on her knee - one minute a princess and the next an Amazon explorer. Fifteen-year-old Wendy sticks out her tongue at the mirror. She pokes at her pudgy waist and pimply face. "Do you like tormenting me, God?" she moans. "How can anyone love me?"

Wendy at 20 accents her curves one minute and hides them the next. She goes to a movie with a friend, more comfortable in the dark. No mirrors there. At 30, she experiments at a makeup mirror - a dab of this, a dab of that. But when she catches a glimpse of her body in the closet mirror, she throws a pillow at her reflection. Wendy has little time to primp at 40. She avoids mirrors at all cost but grimaces whenever she sees her image in a grocery-store window.

At 50, Wendy opens her purse, checks her compact mirror, and sighs. "I guess looking okay is just fine!" she says. Sixty-year-old Wendy hangs mirrors all over her house. They reflect the light and bring her joy. She smoothes her simple hairstyle, grins, and blows a kiss.

Finally, at 70, Wendy realizes that the most accurate mirror of her life has been her Creator's eyes. His it the truest mirror - the only mirror that counts.

Do you know how truly beautiful you are? The Father calls His children beautiful, not because they are lovely on the outside, but because they are "in Christ." Believers are beautiful to God simply because He loves them. As we get older, our outer beauty may fade, but a woman who respects and obeys God will be praised as truly beautiful (Proverbs 31:30).

We are God's "workmanship" (Ephesians 2:10), wonderfully and skillfully made (Psalm 139:13-16). God is an awesome Artist. He "crowns" (adorns) us with salvation (Psalm 149:4), and His beauty in us transcends all time. In God's eyes, we're all beautiful! YOU are beautiful!!

Extra verses to marinate on:

Psalm 139:13-16

Proverbs 31:30

1 Peter 3:3-4

Father, forgive me when I doubt Your handiwork in creating me. I thank You today for Your creativity and love. Amen.