Trust In God

True Story-- as it was told to me three long years ago.

The drive was a long one. She was body weary and heart weary. The trials of late had taken a toll on her emotions, and her precious family. The enemy had hounded almost the very life from their first born child. Their son. What they had already been through was monumental. But it was nothing compared to what they yet had to endure.

The young man, not quite a man, no longer an innocent, the drugs had seen to that, sat in almost a constant state of squirm. Talking nonsense for much of the time, distracted by anything that seemed to whirl through his mind, gave his devoted parents a ride they would not soon forget.

The parents, trying to find a place of safety. A place where the drugs could be cleansed from his system, under the watchful eyes of those with the knowledge of how to care for a young man who came close to leaving this life. The miles stretched out as phone calls were made--seeking refuge. All the while the mother sat with her emotions on her face. She bit back the tears that seemed in constant threat, almost as a veritable thunderstorm in the heat of summer.

With a destination in sight, the band of three headed north. After many miles and long hours of riding, the weary family pulled into the site of the rehabilitation center. The extreme price for the period of time he was to stay, seemed of no consequence to have their son healthy and whole. They depleted what they had and then some, to get him from the influence of evil and into the care of professionals.


The mother, not wanting to leave her son in a strange place and so far from home, felt the dam of tears near to bursting as she suggested to her husband to find a motel and leave fresh in the morning. It had been a harrowing few days. She knew she couldn't emotionally handle the ride back home this late in the day. It would be several hours before they could get back home and the strain of the drive north itself had wiped them both out.

As they set out to find a place of rest they stopped at one motel after another, turned away every time. A conference was in town and every available decent motel was booked solid. Finally, about to give up, they arrived at a motel and the desk clerk informed him that although they were full, he would call their "sister motel" down the street and see if they had anything available. By this time, they were willing to take the broom closet. Washing in the janitorial sink. Whatever it took, they needed to get off the highway and sleep a bit. They needed to make some calls back home, let the other family members and church members know they were safe and that their son was in good hands, and they needed to weep in private.

As the father was waiting in the lobby for the call to be made, the mother was in the truck talking to the Lord.

"It's my birthday Lord." She wept as she realized this yet again. Although her son had apologized for her having to spend her birthday in this way, she assured him that she'd rather spend it getting help for him and knowing he was now safe, than still be in the misery of the past few days. Her troubled heart thought back to the joy of when he was born. How, even as a young boy, his heart seemed destined to follow Christ. But then peer pressure seemed to change things, and it simply broke her heart.

The father came out of the motel, a grim look on his face as he opened the door, "They have one room. I don't know what it looks like, and right now, I really don't care."

They pulled back onto the highway, stealing themselves for what they might have to face. They just needed a place for some privacy. A place to pray and weep before the Lord without being disturbed. A place to be alone with the Father and unload the heavy burden of life.

When they arrived at the motel, the room key was issued and they were instructed to pull around to the side, they could enter from the side door. This could be the cleaning crew entrance for all they cared, but to them it was a completely private entrance.

As he inserted the room key and waited for the green light to display on the door handle, they seemed to hold their breath. The door swung wide to reveal an unexpected surprise! A suite! They were in the only room available and it was a room fit for someone with celebrity status! Well, that's what they were! Children of the Most High God!

As the father went to gather the rest of their belongings, the broken hearted mother carried one suitcase over to the sofa, reveling in the fact that the Lord had been gracious enough to supply them with a wonderful place to lay their weary heads. As she dropped the bag down, she noticed something shiny on the floor underneath the edge of the sofa. Kneeling down, she picked up the shiny silver coin that lay heads up. A quarter.

As she rubbed her thumb over the coin, her eyes fell on the words, "IN GOD WE TRUST". The pent up tears began to cascade down her weary face as she turned the coin over and saw that it's year mark was 1987. The year of their marriage.

That's exactly what they had done. For all these years, trust in God. They had suffered many storms in the life of their ministry and marriage, but trusting in God had never been questioned. That was resolute. That was concrete. Immovable. "Trust in God." They did then, they still do today.

The LORD [is] my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, [and] my high tower. Psalm 18:2 KJV

When Aimee called me just after finding that quarter, crying through most of the explanation, I told her this: "Aimee, that was God's love note to you. You are His child, His daughter and everyday, He leaves us little "I Love You's" all around, if we will just look for them". We both praised the LORD for this incredible joyous blessing in the middle of one of life's toughest storms and wept for the returned prodigal, who was still a long way from God.

Would you join us in prayer over this young man? His name is Brad and God has a purpose for his life. A purpose and destiny. He is not as far as he has been, but this sheep hasn't made it back into the fold.

Friend, I don't know what you are going through today. Whether it is an issue with your children, perhaps aging parents, your job, or just an emotional battle that just doesn't seem to have a name. I want to give you the assurance, that as my sister, Aimee trusted in God to deliver her son back to her, you can trust in God for whatever need is in your life. God has a purpose for your life too. He has a destiny that was created just for you. Will you call on Him today?

Father, first I thank You for what You are still doing in Brad's life. For the salvation of his soul. While I cannot see it with my natural eye, my heart believes it is near!

Father, each person that stops off here today and reads this post has a need in their lives. It may be similar, or maybe it's something they've not shared with anyone.

Father, I ask right now that you minister to each heart today, reveal to them the "I Love You" that You have left for them to find. Remind them of the greatest Love Note that hung on the cross for our sins. Enable us to be what you designed and created us for. Give us the wisdom and strength to continue on in the power of Your might!

I give You my life to shape, form and fashion in whatever way would please and bring glory to You. Bless these that stop here. Minister peace to them as only You can. In the most holy name of Your Son, Jesus Christ ~ Amen.

© The Knightly News 2009. All rights reserved.

"Pass The Cranberry Sauce" is Not a Relationship

Is there a specific person in your life whom you find very difficult to love?

To be completely transparent, I admit that I have one or two … or three … people who are difficult for me to love.

One of these provides me with a daily exercise in self-restraint and the forgiveness of small offenses. It’s the thorn in the side syndrome.

And the other person I see only at Christmastime, which provides a year’s worth of awkwardness to be dragged out into the middle of the room like a big ‘ol poorly-wrapped gift.

Obviously, my relationship with the first person precipitates a daily working-out with God the miscellany of offenses I have collected in the last 24 hours. Sometimes I think He relishes the myriad of chances I offer Him to grow my character.

After all, He knows the roots of my sin concerning this relationship and points me directly to why I’m offended. The kicker? It’s really not about the other person at all; it’s about my flaws and my responses to him/her.

Imagine that—I’m responsible for my frustration—not the other guy!

The second relationship would seem to require very little spiritual working out on my part because I don’t have to deal with that conflict very often, just once a year, which appeases family and maintains holiday largesse.

If only it were that easy.

I know my God too well to know that he is OK with that kind of passive resistance. He’s all about unity. (See John 17 for exhaustive proof of that assertion.)

Let me be clear that other than having clashing personalities and a history of conflict with the family, there is no reason to avoid this person, e.g., no physical abuse, etc.

But for years, “out of sight, out of mind,” has been my motto concerning this relative.

Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t look at our sins past and present and say, “Oh well, out of sight, out of mind—I’ll just focus on this stellar spirit over here and ignore the problem child.”

So I’ve come to believe that it’s not acceptable to merely engage this person once a year to say, “Pass the cranberry sauce.” I'm pretty sure that exchange doesn't qualify as a relationship.

In fact, I’m pretty sure the Godly thing to do is to move toward this person instead of away.

In 2 Corinthians 2, Paul addresses the way believers should respond to one who has wronged them: “I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.”

Sometimes forgiveness and love involve actively seeking to reconcile when it’s the last thing we want to do naturally.

In that same passage, Paul explains that when he has forgiven others, he has done so “that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.”

I am not unaware of them, either. And in my case, complacency and avoidance just might be major components in the Devil’s scheme to separate my relative and me.

So it looks like it’s time to make a phone call, just to catch up and reconnect—move toward restoring relationship. And no matter how my call is received, I will know that I am attempting to follow Ephesians 5:1-2: “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

The Holy Spirit always moves us to reconciliation and living a life of grace-filled love.

For reflection:

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (Matthew 6:12-13).

Questions:

1. Are you able to see conflict as a scheme of the Devil whose goal is to thwart Jesus’ prayer in John 17?
2. What is the most challenging part of forgiving someone?
3. What are the results of holding grudges, keeping score and avoiding someone on our spiritual and physical selves?
4. What results are possible if we move toward reconciliation even if the other person is not receptive?


Please visit Linda Crow at her personal blog:

Bearing one another's burdens...

Romans 15:1-6 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me. For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, That you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We the church and disciples of Jesus Christ are encouraged in His Word a life of self-denial and considerations of others above ourselves! This does not come natural, does it? It is specifically referred to the stronger believer toward the weaker brother. Ouch! How often in my Christian walk I have thought only of myself knowing that if it is okay for me to do it the "others" need to get over it! Again, ouch!

The word "bear" is the same word used of Christ bearing His cross in John 19:17. Bearing with one another exemplifies Jesus' sacrificial love towards us. How often do we lose our cool with each other in an attempt to being selfless and putting ourselves on the back burner? Using my home as an example, I run into situations like these it seems every day. Considering we have thirteen in our home, it is bound to happen that one of us will be self centered at one time or another. I have the six girls on one side and the five boys on another! Just imagine!

Noticing that I have been put in this position by Jesus I have to ask for strength in my walk as I deal with all these different aliens in my home including myself! Creating an atmosphere of thankfulness is one of the first things I have realized that is very important in my own walk even when there is no end to "mom" from about 11 different voices and that is without mentioning my wonderful husband!

Literally, one day I sat down at my large farmer's table with my hands on my face and smiled and never responded to the never ending questions coming my way. At one time in my heart I thought, "Calgon take me away!" Right then, I came under conviction and began thanking the Lord for each one of their lives!

A genuine consideration for the concerns and needs of others promotes harmony and unity within the family of Christ. It brings glory to Him! As women we get confronted with putting ourselves last and making sure everyone else has everything they need. One of the strengths in our lives as Godly women is the evidence we show in the willingness to focus on the needs ofothers and our desire to foster a spirit of genuine harmony among God's family!

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.

Galatians 6:2 Bear one anothers burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Vs. 10 Therefore as we have opportunity let us do good to all especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Close and Personal:

• Have you created an atmosphere of gratitude in your home and your family in Christ?
• What do you consider to be to carry someone's burdens?

Dear Father, I just want to tell you thank you for your sweet reminders on how you bore that cross on our behalf! You laid down your life willingly for us, heavenly Father, and I just want to tell you thank you again! Help me to live a life of caring for others and putting their weaknesses before my wants! I love you, Father!

Are you a wise or foolish woman?

Tuesday’s over at my blog are called “Two shall become One~ Tuesdays. I share bits and pieces of encouragement on marriage. My husband and I have spent many hours sitting with couples who were struggling with this very important relationship, second only in importance to the relationship we have with the Lord.

As part of pastoral ministry, we took couples through pre-marriage counseling or as one of our favorite couples affectionately called it: Pre-Marriage Boot Camp!
We take marriage seriously and required several weeks of meeting and lots of homework.

God created the world and everything we see, and then He created man. They found that even with all the beauty of creation including the animals, Adam was still missing something. So God formed the woman out of the side of Adam, He said that she was a suitable helper to Adam. She was part of him, but now separate, and when God brought them together, they were one. Congratulations, the first marriage.

I believe that our communities, states and nation are only as strong as our individual families are. We as wives play such a huge part in keeping the family unit strong.

The Bible says:

Proverbs 14:1
A wise woman builds her house; a foolish woman tears hers down
with her own hands.
NLT

Those are some powerful words. This verse resonates in my mind when I’m struggling with my attitude…which hardly ever happens (ducking from impending lightning strike).

I hear some of you…. "but I’m only part of this, my husband needs to hear this more than I do!” Maybe so, but Proverbs 14:1 is spoken to us, not them.

I want to be a wise woman, and when I look at the scope of all that’s at stake, I realize that it is in my best interest to keep my heart focused on how God wants me to act in this marriage.

I ask myself, and you… what can I do today to BUILD my house, and how can I avoid tearing it down?

Here are two things that I believe are great building blocks:

1. Instead of pointing the finger at our spouses, let’s point them in the mirror
first and humbly ask…Lord what would you have ME do?

2. Priorities... as Christians, ours should be:
God (personal relationship
with Him)
Spouse
Children
Everything else (our priorities here may be
different, depending on our individual circumstances)

Our families are worth it. And yes, it may cost us things like…our pride and ‘having our own way’. But the peace that comes from a heart submitted to God…priceless.

Father, I ask you to help us as women to honor You with our lives. Help us to forgive the offenses that we may have towards our husbands. Heal any broken hearts Lord. Give us the strength we need to do what You’ve called us to…and pour Your love into us that we can love our husbands and be the helper You’ve created us to be.
We love You Lord. Thank You for caring so deeply about every detail in our lives.
In Jesus name we pray.

Letter to Graduates from A Mom

Although this devotion is a little off the beaten path for me here at Internet Cafe, these issues are on my mind as the mom of a college graduate as of last Saturday. If you are the mom of a graduate this year, high school or college, I hope this blesses and encourages you in your role as a Christian mom. If you know a graduate who might be feeling uneasy about the future, perhaps you can encourage him or her with some of these thoughts.

Someone once said, “It’s not so much that we’re afraid of change or so in love with the old ways, but it’s that place in between that we fear. It’s like being between trapezes.”

That’s where you are right, now, Graduate, letting go of the bar behind you, whether high school or college, anticipating that second swing to take you to your future. Right now, in this split second of your life, you’re precariously suspended in air, hoping all of the preparation you’ve done won’t fail you when your big moment arrives.

Don’t be afraid to grab the new bar and swing away! You’re more capable than you know. When you’re apprehensive, remember that the power of Christ is in you, giving you his wisdom, helping you accomplish his purpose in your life: “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Phil. 2:13). When you surrender your life to Christ, the task ahead of you is never greater than the power in you (1 John 4:4b).

But what if you slip and fall in the future? Just know that there’s a safety net called “family” to help you get up and right back on the ladder. We’ll believe in you when you doubt yourself. We’ll remind you of who you are in Christ when your thinking gets foggy or misguided.

CS Lewis said, “We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.”

Well, no one wants to see you “go bad!” I’m glad you’re not in diapers or braces anymore, although I miss my little girl so much sometimes. But it’s fun to watch you hatch. We’re so excited to see the beautiful, stylish feathers replacing the fuzzy down.

Of course you’ll face obstacles ahead, but I hope that you'll embrace the growth they foster. Washington Irving said, “There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse; as I have found in traveling in a stagecoach, that it is often a comfort to shift one’s position and be bruised in a new place.”

When you were growing up, I tried to save you every bump and bruise, believing that as long as you were an arm’s length away, nothing could harm you. You didn’t even go to the mailbox unwatched by my loving eye.

Then you developed this whole crazy notion about having play dates and then older friends and then leaving the house and the yard to go down the street and across town and eventually out of town to have fun with those friends. You were driving and filling out college applications. Suddenly, you were farther than my arm’s reach or eye could see.

I was forced to recognize that not only was I not in control of every influence and circumstance around you but that I never was. We only like to think we are in control, which is silly because the truth is that Someone much greater and wiser is in control. As Emerson said, "All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen."

And so I learned to let go of you bit by bit, which is what’s supposed to happen in families. I let go of my own trapeze, believing that He would see both of us through to what lay ahead: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion” (Philippians 1:6).

So congratulations to my college graduate—to all graduates. You’re in good hands.

You were born to fly for His glory--swing away!




Please visit Linda Crow at her personal blog:

Our Hearts Are Coming Home

The other day did an interview with a reporter from a local newspaper. He was interviewing me about the Praise and Coffee Nights and the upcoming conference that I am putting on in our community. (For you local friends reading, it will be in the Kalamazoo Gazette on Feb. 7th).

He was a nice older gentleman and we had a great conversation about the Praise and Coffee ministry and why I felt our community women (and women in communities around the nation!) enjoyed gathering for these evenings.

As we were discussing this, he stopped with a question for me “off the record.” He asked, 'when you talk with women…how do you think this economy is affecting them? How are their lives changing?'

I paused for a moment, and then said “It’s bringing them home.”

I went on to tell him that I believe women are recognizing what is truly important in this life, God and family. Women’s hearts are coming home, they are realizing that their relationship with God and their families are what really matter. Some of them are working moms, some are stay at home moms, but in their hearts, they are coming home.

I have talked with women lately whose husbands have lost jobs. Their cars are being repossessed. They're hoping to keep their homes, and some have already lost them. The home they raised their children in is now taken from them.

I think all of us are recognizing that what seemed to be important in the past, no longer is. Every mom that I talked to at Christmas time was scaling back this year. Coming back to the basics of spending time with family and acknowledging the many blessings that we have taken for granted.

Jesus told us that the wise man will build his house on the solid foundations of God’s Word. But, the foolish one will build on the temporary, sinking sand of worldliness. (My paraphrase) Our God is not moved or surprised by the present state of this nation’s economy. However, He is watching His children to see if they are moved…or if they trust Him and walk by faith.

Hebrews 11:6
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God
NIV

I believe He is bringing your heart “home.” I want to encourage you to turn to Him with your fears and anxiety. He knows exactly how to walk you through this. His hand is extended, will you grab hold?

Phil 4:6-7
6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. 7 If you do this, you
will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can
understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ
Jesus.
NLT

Lord, we come to You with our concerns and fears. You are faithful oh God, You have not left us abandoned as orphans. We acknowledge You as our Heavenly Father and the provider of all of our needs. We ask you to pour Your peace into our homes and thank You for bringing our hearts home. In Jesus name we pray.

Beauty in the Dust Bunnies

This week's devotional comes from a question posed in a book that I, along with other women I know, find both inspiring and thought provoking. This question asks:

"A woman's struggle with her sense of worth points to something glorious she was designed to be. The great emptiness we feel points to the great place we were created for. Have you ever thought of your struggles and longings as pointing to something great you are designed to be?"

(Taken from "Captivating: A Guided Journal - Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul" by John & Stasi Eldredge)

With this question, think about how your life reflects the life you thought you would lead. Is it better than you ever could have imagined? Do your daily struggles lead you to wanting "more" or being "more"? Do you feel like you play an important role in the lives of those around you - that you are a necessary part of the lives of others? As you think about this question, recall Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Have you ever sobbed over a dirty house, screaming children or a situation in your life that you had to stop and say to yourself, "This isn't what I signed up for!"? Haven't we all!

A few months back I came up with this "at-the-time-wonderful-idea" of having a New Year's Day party with my fiance's parents and my parents, getting together to watch the Mummer's Parade, have a few nibbles of food, and just enjoy the day together.

However, before long, both my fiance and myself were inviting his entire family, my extended family and our church friends over for a New Year's Day feast! (mind you my family and his family had never met prior to this party!)

So of course, come New Year's Eve, I am still cleaning, cooking, shopping, and literally making myself cry over every little detail of the house - even polishing the floors and being sure to wipe down all my molding...because, of course, my guests will be white-glove-inspecting my molding! ugh... So, I sent my sweet fiance off to his family's house to enjoy New Year's Eve with them and I stayed home prepping for "the big event". He came to visit me at 11:58PM - so we could see the ball drop together. But I was frantic. 2009 was welcomed in by Dick Clark on my TV set and my poor hubby to be, who only wanted a hug, was greeted by a flushed, frantic and frazzled fiancee! He didn't understand why I was so stressed about this party! Why didn't he understand? Why isn't he helping more? Why isn't he frantic too? ( can you relate to these thoughts ladies? :) )

You see...I imagined a carefree party with guests enjoying a lavish feast, sipping their drinks, laughing, enjoying hand made delights and not a dust bunny in sight throughout my home...with me being the perfect "Donna Reed" hostess...of course!

"This isn't how it's supposed to go!"

I thought to myself as I swiffer dusted my ceiling fans and electronics. "Where is my glass of champagne? Where is my perfectly pressed little black cocktail dress and heels? Where is the Sinatra music gently playing in the background? This isn't what I signed up for?"

Yet...the next day, with his family, my family and our church friends all mingling together, laughing, telling stories about Brian and I when we were children, talking about wedding plans...and even while my best friend's 4 year old splattered cola across my freshly cleaned carpets...I understood.

I wasn't made to be a hostess...I was made to be a part of something so much bigger...and so much more important!

I was made to be a part of a family!

A family doesn't consist of people assigned to roles (hostess, social director, cab driver) - though we sometimes need to take charge of those roles - those roles aren't who we are; those are trivial compared to the big picture. A family is comprised of personalities who, when combined, make up a story - sometimes confusing, sad, exciting, lavish, nutty or broken stories...but stories none the less. And those stories are what gets passed down to our children, to our friends, and their families. I was made to be a part of people's stories! I was made to be a part of a family! It wasn't the dusting, the cleaning, or the prep work that I was upset about...it was the "this doesn't fit my picture of what I think a party should be like" that got me upset. I didn't understand during those days preceding the party that all that work was pointing me towards something bigger than myself - a family.

So while the work was...well...work...it was work with a purpose - a point - part of a bigger picture. What I pictured in my head to be the "perfect party" had nothing to do with the party in and of itself, but of how I wanted to be a part of laughter, of stories, of happiness and joy; that is what I wanted...not the party. Thankfully...I got it. Oh, and our families got along just fine :) whew...and no one noticed that my closets were ready to pop open with all the "stuff" I shoved in them!

Have you ever felt as if "you didn't sign up for this"? Do you think you're missing out on the bigger picture? Take a moment today to stop what you are doing...cooking, cleaning, changing diapers...and say "hey...I'm a part of something big here...what is it?" Ask the Lord to fill your heart with how He has made you a part of a wonderful adventure...an adventure of families...and stories...and legacies...all made by and because of...you!

"Lord Jesus, we ask You to fill our heart's with gratefulness towards all that You have called us to be. Help us to look beyond the ends of our own noses and see the big-picture-stories that You have designed us to star in. Forgive us for being ungrateful for the stories You have placed us in. Help us see the great in the mundane and the beauty in the dust bunnies. It's in Your precious name we pray...Amen."

In faith,

Don't Miss God's Messages to You Today

Tell me what your preferred method of communication is, and I bet I can guess how old you are.

If you rely on telephones and voice mail, you are probably reading this through bifocals.

If you prefer email and instant messages, I’d guess you’re growing a wrinkle at this very moment because you are most likely in your 30s.

If you mainly use social networks such as Facebook and text messaging, you’re probably under 25. In fact, the youth ministry for which I work texts deadline reminders to kids and has a Facebook group designed to keep everyone on the same page, no pun intended. Students routinely tell us, “Don’t email me; Facebook or text me.”

Some of my “40-something” friends have begun texting their own children, even when they are in the house together! You may be scratching your head at that, but if you really want to get your teen’s attention, text him or her occasionally. If you want to send her a compliment without getting the bogus but ever-popular “eye-roll of annoyance” in return, text her.

While the effort might seem extraneous, think of texting as leaving a note in the lunch box, which I’ll bet you’ve done. You can text your child a private family joke, ask if he’s OK or send an encouraging message (“praying for you”), or even a favorite scripture.

Of course, texting can’t replace face-to-face communication, but you can make an appointment for a deeper discussion later. In the meantime, you’ve touched base with each other. And since texting is a private communication, it can be confidentially pragmatic when you get a heads-up message that goes something like this: “Alexis is going to ask me to spend the night. Please say no.”

Any activity or gizmo that takes up so much time in our lives is bound to have spiritual implications. Group Magazine offers great questions to ask your teen about communication: “Does technology simplify or complicate your life? Do you like always being reachable? Why or not? How open are your communication lines with God?”

When I read that last question, something in my spirit quickened. I wondered how open my communication lines are with God.

For instance, I’ve noticed that whether my daughter and her friends are engaged in a birthday party or movie or ball game, when they receive a message, they discreetly check it right away. They seem to be always accessible through texting. Am I just as accessible to God, or does he wait in the sidelines of my busyness for me to get back with him when it’s convenient for me?

I want to be completely open and available to God. Whatever I’m busy with at work or home, if he arrests my attention for one moment, I want to stop in my tracks and check in through prayer. After all, God is not limited to influencing us only through Bible reading or sermons or long periods of prayer. He also gives us timely warnings, nudges us to help others and inspires much-needed ideas for newspaper columns and Internet devotionals!

May we be as attentive to his voice as we are to our cell phones. May we be as quick to respond to God as Samuel was:

“The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening’” (1 Samuel 3:10).

Everyone loves a note in the lunch box--don’t miss God’s messages to you throughout your day!

Things to think about:

1. When was the last time God got your attention in the middle of an impossibly busy moment?

2. Is your prayer life a balance of your speaking and listening, or is your speaking weighted more heavily than listening?

3. Today, jot down all of the times you sense that God is re-directing your attention. Ask him if he has a message for you in those moments.

4. If you have teens, take time to discuss the communication questions in this article.

For further reflection:

John 10:12: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

Isaiah 55:3: “Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.”

Isaiah 30:21: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’”



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Family

It just happened today that I was thinking of our family and the many different nationalities that are represented in it. That got me thinking of how many different scriptures can be found in the bible about what family really is according to our Savior Jesus Christ.

In Luke 8:19-21 It says the following,

"Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. And it was told Him, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.: But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."

It is startling to see that response from our Savior, Jesus Christ. I think of how many denominations are out there representing the Christian Church and how confusing it must be to those who don't know Jesus Christ. Denominations have their own set of traditions, laws, sessions, beliefs but in God's Word and through out His Word He says:

John 17:20-21 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one as You, Father are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that you sent Me."

How is the world going to know that Christians are united in Spirit and in truth if they observe separation of those who say they belong to Christ? How is it that we so freely put other believers under the law when in Galatians God speaks against that?

Listen to what Titus 2:11- 15 says,

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purity for Himself His own special people zealous for good works. Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.”

My sisters and brothers in Christ I hope that each one of us will search our own hearts and trust His Word alone. The Holy Spirit lives inside each one of us as believers. He, the Holy Spirit is our guide and teacher and He does go to our Father for us.

In 1 Corinthians 2: 12 it says,

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. vs.16 says For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?”

But we have the mind of Christ. Each one of us who know Him!

All of this leads to this conclusion. Since we have the Holy Spirit and if you are in God's Word He will convict us as His children to live righteously before Him. Listen to Him and obey Him for He loves you more than family or those who set themselves in authority over you as a Christian.

There is so much more my heart wants to say but I will trust Him above everything else and I will trust that those who are "stuck" in traditions for pleasing men rather than God; that you will search His beautiful Word and begin living in freedom instead of bondage which doesn't come from our beautiful Savior Jesus Christ!

Close and Personal:

1. Have you given the thought of who your real family is?

2. Has the Holy Spirit convicted you of how we can be so entrenched in tradition that we don't reach out to other believers that are not in our own Sunday service?

3. Have you ever thought of after leaving your building on Sunday morning going to another church down the street and just saying hello to another fellow believer?

"Dear Heavenly Father we love you! You love us and we thank you for that! You are so long suffering and I often wonder what you must think of us sometimes when we don't pay attention to those who are not in our own buildings on Sunday mornings. Help us to be loving and kind to all who are your children and are believers in Jesus Christ so the outsiders may not have any malign thing to say to us! Thank you again my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for who you are and for dying for us! In Your precious Son's name, Amen!"

In Him,

Join Elaine daily at her personal site.

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Sweet Inner Peace..

"And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest, for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; by which the Dayspring from on high has visited us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." Luke 1:76-79

Our Savior has promises each who loves Him, His peace according to the verses found in John 14:27. This peace is the kind of peace allows for our quietly sleeping even through life's fierce storms.

"Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, 'Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.' And they launched out. But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master , we are perishing!' Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, 'Where is your faith?' And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, 'Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!'"

Without His peace, our daily lives as women would be like riding in a sinking boat in the midst of a raging tempest? We would be like those disciples - feeling helpless and afraid. But, with His sweet inner peace, we experience unexplainable calmness in the midst of life's storms and turmoil.

To have access to that sweet inner peace, we must know Him as Lord and Savior. When we receive His forgiveness according to His instructions found in Romans 5:10, we obtain peace with Him. By being "born again" by His Spirit, we become members of His family!

"But God commends His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation." Romans 5:9-11

I remember during the events of "9-11", I observed many of Miami's local residents screaming, running to get their children out of class, panicking and totally lacking peace. Why? Because they had fears of death - believing it was the end of the world as they knew it. As followers of Jesus Christ, we ourselves, pass from death to life in Him. This is our peace. Without His salvation, the glorious and amazing truth that becomes our eternal hope, quickly fades and is replaced by fear.

God's sovereignty is another reason we possess a tranquil and peaceful heart. How important this becomes when we remember that the world in which we live is a very troubled and wicked place. This world we live in is a troubled world.

Knowing God is sovereign, even in my dealings with abused children in ministry, remains a critical part of His peace. This one subject tugs at my heart daily because of what I see, hear, and read about the plight of abused children in general and my own "adopted" children's life stories specifically. Dealings with the ramifications of abuse suffered at the hands of wicked people in the lives of our "adopted" children compels me to remember that God's sovereignty says He is and always has been in control of every situation. Knowing and believing these things protects my mind and spirit from the anxieties constantly birthed by this wicked world. He grants me His peace. This becomes the truth I pass along to my own loved family members.

"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

We must understand that God knows our needs and has promised to fulfill each need according to His glory and good pleasure. He delights in doing so for He is our Father! We may not receive all we want, but He'll give us everything that's necessary to fulfill His purpose for us. The result? His peace that surpasses all earthly understanding.

“In the Waiting” ~ FFH (Far From Home)

I’ve seen the Red Sea part, I’ve seen the mountains move,

But now it seems so dark I can’t even feel you.

If you choose to be silent, then I’ll be silent too.

I will worship in the waiting quiet before you

‘Til your vice like manna from the sky falls.

I will worship in the waiting; I will walk this sand beneath my feet.

Though the winter wind is blowing, the ground is not frozen underneath.

And I will worship and not grow bitter ‘cuz I know you see the end of it all.

With the spring will come the rain, and I’ll see what was gained in the waiting.

I’ve seen the blooms of spring, their life in everything.

But now it seems so grey, bright colors fade away.

The winter seems much longer and colder than before,

But I will worship in the waiting, expecting something more

Until the sun shines warm upon my face again.

CHORUS

He leadeth me, He leadeth me,

By His own hand He leadeth me.

*His faithful follower I would be

**For by His hand He leadeth me.

*I will worship in the waiting

**I will worship in the waiting

"My dear Heavenly Father may we know that you give us that peace that surpasses all understanding. May we trust you always knowing that you are in control in our every day situations. We love you my dear sweet Savior!"

In Him,

Elaine Bateman

Are You Losing Control?

(This was our first picture of QiuYue, "Lauren Elizabeth.")

In January of 2006 we started the process of adopting our daughter Lauren from China. We were so excited and did all the necessary paperwork, prepared her bedroom, bought her clothes, prayed for her everyday and waited. In September of 2006, we boarded a plane to China to bring home our distant daughter. She was 2 years old when she came home.

Lauren had been found abandoned in September of 2004 as a “red and crying” infant on the steps of a Buddhist Temple and brought directly to an orphanage where she would live until we came to get her.

While waiting for Lauren, I read many books about adopting a toddler and the effects of living in an orphanage during the early years of life. While studying, I learned a new term, “attachment disorder.”

Healthy attachments begin in early infancy. The infant experiences pain, hunger, or discomfort and expresses rage by crying. The infant's primary caregiver (usually the mother) responds to the infant's rage reaction with eye contact, touch, motion, or food. The infant learns to trust his caregiver for comfort and the bonding process begins. This bonding cycle is repeated countless times during the infant's first year of life. Uninterrupted repetition of the cycle results in a strong trust bond between infant and caregiver.

Attachment disorders result when the infant's needs are not gratified. Kathy Miller, founder and president of The Attachment Network in Oklahoma, explains, "When an infant expresses rage and feels no relief for her need, she learns that to survive this world, she must control it. These children actually believe that if they release control to anyone else that they will die."

It has been a long road with Lauren this past year and a half. I have had to deal with and respond to her far differently than I did with my three biological children.

I am thankful to say that Lauren now has a strong attachment to myself and my husband, but it hasn’t been without many tears and trials. She struggled so hard for control, and still does at times. She resisted our love for fear that we would abandon her because she could not trust anyone but herself. Even this tiny little girl had developed survival skills to protect herself. She resisted eye contact often withdrawing emotionally, or raging in anger.

This brings me to my devotional thought. How many of us have not been “raised” with the love of God? How many of us have not gone through the cycle of healthy attachment with our Lord?
We hurt, we cry out to God and He responds with love and comfort. However, many times we are not willing to trust Him and we miss the comfort and security that He brings to our hearts. That in turn cuts off the cycle of attachment to Him.

We struggle for control. We resist resting in His love because we have not grown to know that He is safe for us. We run place to place, person to person, from one vice to another looking for that quick fix and all along it could be found in Him. I believe that many of God’s children suffer with “attachment disorder” from their Savior. And certainly those who have never given their lives to Him most definitely suffer from it.

Getting Lauren through this has been trying at times. I’ve spent countless hours just holding and cuddling her, making eye contact even while at times she was fighting me with all her might. But, through those times, she has learned to trust. She has come to the conclusion that she is not in charge and when she hands over authority to me, she finds security.

If I just left her to herself, to make all her decisions and control every aspect of her life, the result would be a child (and eventually an adult) completely out of control. She would be self-destructive, hurting herself and everyone around her.

Have you ever known anyone like that? Have you yourself experienced this?

He has not left us to ourselves. He promises that He will never leave us as orphans.

His love is unfailing!

John 14:18
18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
NIV

Psalms 36:7
7 How priceless is Your unfailing love!
Both high and low among men
find refuge in the shadow of your wings.
NIV

Psalms 52:8
8 But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God's unfailing love
for ever and ever.
NIV

The Lord has and will do His part, however we have responsibility in this also. We have to be willing to hand over control to Him. To trust Him completely with our whole life.

It’s time for us to lose control, by giving it to Him!

Gal 2:20
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
NIV

Lord, I pray that You would open the eyes of our hearts to see and know that we can trust You with all of our heart. Heal past hurts Lord and set us free from the fear that paralyzes us. I hand over all control to You and I trust You. Lord, let us walk in Your love and spread that love to everyone around us.


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