Swirly Life

Life gets pretty swirly sometimes, doesn't it? For me, more often then not, I find myself feeling like the person in the infamous painting, "The Scream"; feeling that myself and my life are bending in too many directions - things swirling around me, confusing, chaotic.

This is similar to what we in the education field call, "a sensory overload day"; too much going on too quickly with not enough resolution to those things swirling around us, and not enough resources, time, money, etc, to process what is coming at us, fast enough. Children react to sensory overloads in a way that we adults, more often then not, do not; they holler, scream, push things and people away, cry, retreat, or even sometimes, seek out even more of the behavior that is making them upset in the first place.

How does it feel for you when life gets swirly?

On any given day, we have a thousand things going on in our own lives, as well as within the world around us. We have jobs to go to, houses to clean, kids to shuttle here and there, meals to prepare, financial woes, health issues, aging parents, husbands stressing us out, ministries to run, and the list goes on and on.

Yet, because we are Christians, we are expected to "keep it all together" so that we can present this image of "perfection" to the world, that we have been made completely (note the word "completely") perfect by the fact that we put our faith in Jesus Christ. Yet while it is true that, "All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21), we have to remember what we are saved from: sin, hell, eternal damnation. Is there a promise anywhere in scripture that ensures us that because of our faith we will no longer have stressful days? That troubles won't come? That something magical will happen and poof all our troubles away when they occur? No!

In fact, there are more scriptures that state just the opposite - they promise that trials will come and that people will fail you and that you will face days, or even an entire lifetime of sensory overload. Not the best marketing campaign to pitch to a nonbeliever, is it? I know when I came to faith in Christ, I thought that He would magically make all of my troubles disappear (I think I was looking for a "fairy godmother" character, and not a redeeming Christ!), but they never did.

The promise Christ give us is this; "Come to Me, all who are heavy laden [stressed, burnt out, throwing temper tantrums, feeling like they are in sensory overload] and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28).

How many of us want to rest?

How many of you feel like you have a hiking pack strapped to your backs full of stress that has your knees buckling, your limbs shaking, tears and sweat pouring down your face...you feel physically, emotionally, and spiritually weak - or even completely spent?

Good - you know why that's good - because that means you're not broken in two to the point where you can't go on - you're not dead, in the ground, crushed by the weight of the world. However, there is something you can do with that pack on your back - you can let it make your legs collapse, resulting in you falling to your knees where you will cry, "Abba, Father!", and the promise of help from the Lord will come. God doesn't break promises for anyone - anyone, and that means you! Let the Lord take that pack off your back as you read this Psalm:

"I lift my eyes up to the hills -
where does my help come
from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He
will not let your foot slip -
He who watches over you will not
slumber,
indeed He who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor
sleep.
The Lord watches over you -
the Lord is your shade at your right
hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord
will keep you from all harm -
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will
watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore."

- Psalm 121

How awesome of a promise is that?

How awesome to know that when everyone and everything around you is crumbling, Jesus Christ, God, the Maker of the universe, will come to your personal rescue because He loves you and cares for you personally. That's pretty amazing if you ask me!

So next time (or even right now!) when life around you gets swirly and you feel like you're being bent in too many directions, scream...but scream on your knees, in a voice of honest desire for the Lord's rescue - and my friends, be patient, our God is faithful, He is mighty to save! So scream...scream to the Lord...on your knees, He will rescue you, He alone will give you guidance, peace, wisdom and strength to endure, eventually lifting your chin, then taking your hand, lifting you up, helping you to stand tall again - ready to face the world head on as a light of His promise of redemption unto all the world! Amen!

"Do you not know?
Have you not heart?
The Lord is the
everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow
tired or weary,
and His understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength
to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired
and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the
Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like
eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be
faint."

- Isaiah 40:28-31

A Season of Peace

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Gathering around the kitchen table at the homeless shelter, we lit the purple Advent candle that symbolizes peace. Peace that is sometimes in short supply for those living at the shelter. Peace that is sometimes elusive in my life as well.




This small group of women and I talked about the different things we use to fill our soul’s desperate need for peace: relaxing music, bubble baths, soothing candles, food, cigarettes, and even turning to the escape found in alcohol and drugs. We talked about addictions that had destroyed all illusions of peace for some - along with jobs, relationships, and even health.


We talked about what happens when the music is turned off, the bath water grows cold, and the candle melts down into a puddle of cold wax. We commiserated about feeling miserable after a food binge and how the desire for one cigarette just produces the desire for another. We agreed that when the high is gone and a hangover has taken its place, we are left once again searching for peace.


As we talked, we began to realize what a wonderful gift peace actually is. But how do we find true and lasting peace? How do we hold on to peace when our situations are anything but peaceful? We found the answer in Isaiah’s prophecy that a child would be given us whose name would be the Prince of Peace.


We reflected on the times when we had turned to Christ seeking peace and how He had always proven Himself faithful. In that small kitchen, with the flame flickering on the candle of peace, peace began to flicker in our souls as well. No, our situations hadn’t changed but our minds and souls had been transformed by the peace of God that transcends understanding. Glory to God in the highest, for to us a child was born and He is the Prince of Peace.

Father, thank you for Your peace that is beyond our understanding. Help us to feel Your peace today.

I'd love to have you visit at http://www.inspirationfrommayberry

“Remember this. When people choose to withdraw far from a fire, the fire continues to give warmth, but they grow cold. When people choose to withdraw far from light, the light continues to be bright in itself but they are in darkness. This is also the case when people withdraw from God”. ~Augustine

Running Home

I'd like to share a recent newspaper column that I wrote which seems to have touched the hearts of several people. The tone may be a little more formal than usual and the metaphor familiar and simple, but it was written for an audience of both believers and nonbelievers. So this is what's on my heart this month, and it is the column that has meant the most to me personally. I hope it touches you, too.

Recently I lost a dear friend and high school classmate to cancer.

Since Jim was a world-class runner, I often think about him while running.

The day after his funeral, I decided to go for a run but dreaded it because I hadn’t run in more than a week and knew it would be difficult.

I started strong, but with each mile it grew more difficult to understand how Jim or any human could endure an ultra marathon, 50 miles.

At mile 5 I was enjoying all the beauty around me, but by mile 8, I doubted I could finish. By mile 9, I was gasping, my gait slowed to a limp, and my hips hurt so badly I wanted to cry. I just kept thinking, “Go to the next telephone pole. Make it to the next mailbox.”

At dusk, the scenery grew dim, but I saw the lights of my house in the distance. I became completely focused on getting home: seeing my family, resting and being refreshed. Nothing else compared to this end—no chirping birds, no red and gold leaves, no fitness goals. Home meant everything.

At the last mile, I thought of several friends who passed recently. All fought diseases that wore them down with each passing week or month much as the miles were taking their toll on me.

For so long, they relished their journeys and were not ready to head home. I wondered if there came a time when everything around them, while still lovely, began to dim as the lights of “home” became brighter.

Parting from people we love is sad, but the sadder thing is to be in a race with no goal in mind. Merely to run and run and run through life stopping only for one novelty after another is very tiresome.

I know some don’t believe we can have an assurance of a “home” at the end of our lives. I couldn’t see my house at mile 8, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t there.

CS Lewis said: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

Faith in Christ isn’t “pie in the sky.” It challenges you to find meaning in suffering and death and prompts your spirit to admit, “This is hard truth” when truth must be faced, whether or not it’s politically correct or raises even more questions, such as, “Why Jim?”

As I grieve, I remind myself that Jim was not ultimately made for this life, beautiful as his life was with his family. He fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith (2 Tim. 4:7).

So now, at the end of each run when I re-live the joy of returning home, I take a second to think about Jim, who is really home, and that brings me an even deeper joy.



Please visit Linda Crow at her personal blog: 2nd Cup of Coffee and 2nd Cup Columns.

The Secrets of Peaceful People

I love the peace of God, there is nothing that compares to it! However I need to clarify, I do not think of peace as ‘quiet and boring,’ I believe that peace is like a river, a river can be serene at times, but around the next bend it can become rapids of water crashing over rocks, yet still is peaceful.

Peace is internal, peace is simply the absence of internal war. When war is raging in our hearts and minds, peace is not in us. However, it doesn’t matter what is going on outside of us, peace is still possible!

Whenever I sit down over coffee with someone who is struggling, it seems that one or all of these four factors contribute to their heavy heart. We all want to have days filled with peace, but peace does not happen on accident. Depression and anxiety are much more convenient than peace, even though we desperately desire peacefulness in our lives.


Four “F’s” of Peaceful People

FOCUS

What are you looking at in life? What is the focus of your thoughts? Are you thinking about problems or the might of our God? It can be overwhelming to think on the problems, but peace and joy can come when we focus on the Lord.

Romans 8:5-7
The mind of sinful man is death,
but the mind controlled by
the Spirit
is life and peace;
NIV

Philipians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble,
whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.
NIV

Consider one of the “issues” in your life right now and submit it to this verse. Look for the good, look for the things to be thankful for and think about those.


FORSAKE PRIDE and JEALOSY

Psalms 37:11
But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy great peace.
NIV

Proverbs 14:30
A heart at peace gives life to the body,
but envy rots
the bones.
NIV

Pretty simple, there’s no peace in our hearts when we are living in pride or jealousy.

FORGIVENESS

This one is huge! People who have peace in their heart (and even scientists!) have discovered that holding unforgiveness only brings them down and leads to depression. It contributes to a life void of joy, peace and happiness.

Col 3:12-14
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe
yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear
with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one
another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on
love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
NIV

FAITH

Faith is simply TRUST. Trusting that God is real, that He loves you and that your life is intricately woven by Him with a plan that He will bring to pass in His time.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on
your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will
make your paths straight.
NIV

Lord, help us all to look to You for our peace and understand Your love, because knowing how much You love us is the greatest key to peace that there is!

Shedding

Growing up with an asthmatic mother who was allergic to anything with fur meant only one thing to me as a child- no pets. So I adapted. We had outdoor cats to catch the mice around our rural home. We had the occasional fish, which always, I might add, went belly-up soon after adoption. In middle school I became interested in herpetology- or the study of reptiles and amphibians- much to my parents' chagrin. I wanted a snake for a pet, and they humored me by enrolling me in a 4H club, hoping, I'm sure, that I would change my mind.

A number of months later, though, we had acquired a new family member. A baby boa constrictor, about one foot long, found its home within a nice terrarium in our playroom. I was fascinated when it ate, took it out to slither around on the floor on occasion, and collected its skin when it shed.

How did it know when it was time to shed? From my perspective I could see its scales begin to flake around the edges and its eyes cloud over. But did the snake know for the tightness, discomfort and inability to see clearly that it was time to rid itself of the old skin holding it back, and finally have room to grow?

In her book, Gift from the Sea, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, chronicles a seaside trip she took to enjoy a brief respite from the chaos and busyness of her life with a husband and five children. She beautifully expresses with love and grace the difficulties of life as a woman surrounded by people who need her morning, noon and night, and how she often feels drained and unable to fully meet the demands of her daily tasks.

She analyzes, and compares herself to, shells she finds along the beach.

"I mean to lead a simple life, to choose a simple shell I can carry easily- like a hermit crab. But I do not. I find that my frame of life does not foster simplicity. My husband and five children must make their way in the world. The life I have chosen as wife and mother entrains a whole caravan of complications."

What follows this quote is a searching.

A searching for ways to simplify, to bring peace, to those things in our lives that blur our vision. Like the snake, when we sense the tightening, the dryness, the inability to find clarity in our day to day living, we should realize that there's something weighing us down, clouding our view, denying us the blessings God wishes to give.

Shedding is not an easy process. Shedding requires work, time and friction, just as a snake has to rub against rocks or bark. But worthwhile pursuits in life often are not free. The cumbersome burdens we shoulder could be activities (even "good" ones), character traits, physical possessions. We live in a society where more is more, and striving for "less" is like swimming upstream. But as Anne Morrow Lindbergh asks, "How little, not how much, can I get along with?" What freedom it must be to take our families under our wings and teach them simplicity and peace, rather than hurriedness and stress.

My grace is sufficient for you

2 Cor 12:9

Are there things in your life that are weighing you down?

Imagine what it would feel like to shed them. Write down 3 things you feel you need to rid yourself of and work toward this goal.

Christine can be found daily at her personal blog:

Gummin' It Will Never Do

My baby has been cutting more teeth. It's not very fun for her...or her momma. Cranky little toot. No appetite. Doesn't sleep well. Rubs her ears and sometimes even cries when she eats. Oh, it makes me sad for her. But, the poor darlin' has to go through it in order to get the teeth. They cut through her little pink gums with no regard to the fact that hey!, this is a baby here. She can't even talk to tell me what hurts or how to fix it. Her gums swell a little and then begin to whiten right where the little booger is going to cut through.

I guess the worst part is knowing she's in pain without being able to actually see the tooth yet. It's her pain. It's deep and she is the only one who can go through it.

What bothers me more than that, is there will come a day in all three of my little girl's lives where I'll watch them walk through life-pain. Once again I'll see life hurt them from the inside and I won't be able to fix it with Ibuprofen or Boo-boo Bunnies. Their pain will have to make it's way to the surface just like everyone else. They might cry and tell me where it hurts by then, but I still won't be able to take it for them. Their little souls will whiten from the pressure and maybe even bleed. They'll be wounded.

However, (and there is always a 'however') by the power of the Spirit in them, they will have strength in their bodies soon after to be able to chew and swallow the bigger painful morsels of life. They will have strength to know what will be sweet to their spirit's and what will need to be spat out in order to live a life worthy of the calling. Their pain will be theirs, yes, but I would never take it from them. Their pain is His for the making, molding, growing, and most of all, healing.

Don't get me wrong. If there was Life-Ibuprofen, I'd give it to them, but we all know that medicine simply masks the pain. The growing and changing and stretching of soul and mind will inevitably come through. And on top of that, it's not my job. Only the Prince of Peace can give them what they need. Only the King of Glory can change them from glory to glory. Only the Counselor can give them the real life-changing truth.

So what is my job? What it's always been meant to be: I love them with my whole heart, bend over, kiss their face, then lift my arm and point... to Him.

I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old--what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. Psalm 78:2-4, 7

In Him,
Natalie


Natalie writes for many reasons: life, laughter and most of all, love. Join her at her blogs!



and

Following HIS Lead

Max says, "I'm learning. It's slow going at times. Be patient."

Mom says, "I'm being patient Max. Don't worry or fret. I'm watching you."

Max is new to the leash. As a matter of fact, he's new to many things. We are in the process of "socializing" him. Acquainting him with life---and all of the fun! Unfortunately, with the fun --there are some "not-so-fun" things.

Yesterday was his second time out with the leash. The first time didn't go so well. I wound up carrying him home.

This time I allowed him to drag the leash so that he could get familiar with the "weight" of it. I walked ahead and he followed right behind. Pretty soon he was up right beside me. I reached down and took the leash. If he knew I had the "control" he didn't say anything. He just kept walking. Every now and then he slowed, when that happened, I'd notice right away and stop and encourage him to keep going. I had my eye on him constantly. Watching for him becoming too tired or straying to the wayside.

Sometimes we're like that. We think we are on our own. Walking our path solo. But nothing could be further from the truth.

Hebrews 13:5 (b) For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Isn't that just the best promise! We may think He's not aware of what's going on in our lives...but His watchful eye is on us. He is by our side.

Lucy (the little black lab), has now chewed three leashes. (I call her new mommy every week to check on her.) She resents being tied. It was for her protection all three times. It wasn't going to last but a few minutes. But she couldn't see into the future, and she refused to be patient and wait---and she was not trusting that she wouldn't be left there. Too much activity going on ---on the other side of the leash. I hope she learns. Or, somebody should by stock in the leash company.

*Are you allowing HIM to do the leading? *

Are you sensitive to the Holy Spirit's prompting for direction? *

Are you in a hurry...chewing on the leash?

*Take the time to evaluate where you are in HIM. That's what He's teaching me through all this puppy business!

Because He Said So

I was in traffic, the radio on, slowing down at the stoplight, when I saw something on the car in front of me. It was bumper sticker. I could just make out the words which read,

"God said it. That settles it. Whether you believe it or not."

This particular bumper sticker makes most of us think about God's view of sin and the true path to forgiveness. For believers, the message is clear. If He said so, that's all there is to it.

But is that really what we believe?

God said many things in His Word. He promises the consequences of sin. He promises the forgiveness of sin through faith in Jesus Christ. He clearly expresses His Love for us in many ways. There is one promise He gave us that we often have trouble believing.

He promises us peace.

We often think that peace is the absence of trials. Peace is a day full of happiness. Peace can't be cancer or chemotherapy. Peace can't mean divorce. Peace isn't unemployment or foreclosure. Is it?

The time was near for Jesus to be crucified on the cross. He knew the hour was coming. In the last days before His death and resurrection, Jesus gave his disciples encouragement. He knew the time would come for Him to leave and The Comforter (The Holy Spirit) to come.

"Jesus asked, "Do you finally believe? But the time is coming- in fact, it is already here- when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." John 16: 31-33

Notice what Jesus did not say. He did not say that he would give them peace and they would have no sorrow. He tells them the truth. Sorrow will come. The disciples had no earthly idea what was in store for them, the fear, the pain, the persecution they would endure. Jesus knew. Yet, He still promised them peace.

He promises us the same peace, dear friends! Peace can be experienced in chemotherapy or in the midst of a custody battle. You can know real peace while you struggle to pay the bills because you can know Jesus. Jesus is our peace!

He walks us through our suffering, holds us when we're weak, gently reminding us of his amazing love. We can have joy in tears and in laughter because Jesus, our solid rock, our salvation, is our only source of real peace.

Jesus offers us peace that the world could never give. It is true because He told us so. Now, we just have to believe it!

Reflections:

What area of your life do you struggle with true peace?

Ask God to give you peace.

If you do not know Jesus as your saviour, ask Him now. He wants to give you peace.



Join Melanie at her personal blogspot, "This Ain't New York."

Let Peace Begin With Me

Memory is a strange thing. I can forget what I had for lunch two days ago but other strange bits of information from my childhood lodge in my brain just waiting for an event or for something someone says to dislodge them. For example, there is the Purple Cow poem I had to memorize when I was in the second grade. (I won't bore you with that rendition here.) More to the point, events over the last few months have dislodged the chorus to a song I learned for a recital in the sixth grade: Let There Be Peace on Earth.

I looked it up on line and found the entire song by Jill Jackson and Sy Miller in 1955:

Let there be peace on earth
and let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on Earth,
the peace that was meant to be.

With God as our Father,
brothers all are we,
Let me walk with my brother,
in perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me,
let this be the moment now.
With every step I take,
let this be my solemn vow.

To take each moment and live each moment
in peace, eternally.
Let there be Peace on Earth,
and let it begin with me.

Think about the children you know. On the playground or in your home, do any of the children you know want to be the first to say "I'm sorry"? Often by the time an adult walks in to mediate, not only is the object of the fight at stake, but so is a good deal of pride. Why should I have to say "I'm sorry" first when she started it?

I am generally a fairly easy going person. But if something strikes me as wrong, unfair, or unjust a wall rises up in me. I may not get loud, but I do get intense. Over the last few months, some people have encouraged me to go back and make amends for some things. I'll admit, that has been a really hard thing to do. Partly, it is because I don't see some of the situations as entirely my fault. I've struggled with the same question as above. Why should I say "I'm sorry " first when he or she started it?

But scripture is clear in Romans 12:18 (NIV).

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Live at peace with everyone. In out tumultuous times, it seems like an impossibility on a global or national scale. But what about on an interpersonal scale. Did you catch it? Romans 12:18 doesn't promise there will be complete peace in our time. It says as far as it depend on you. No, I cannot make the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq go away, but I can clean up my personal life.

As I've worked on making amends here is what I've learned:

• Throw fair out the window. If I worry about everything being fair I get all tied up.
• I need to own my stuff. I can apologize for my part in the dispute.
• Be humble enough to say "I'm sorry" first.
• Do not worry about how the other person will respond.
  

The last one has been hard this past week. I made the appointment, did my apology, and we talked a bit. Overall, it was probably a pretty good meeting. But the thing that has wiggled in my brain is, "I said, 'I'm sorry' but he never did. He validated some feelings, but there was no 'I'm sorry.'" Honestly, that has rubbed me the wrong way.

But that is where I need to give the situation to God. I'm sure He smiled at my efforts, but if I am to move past the situation, I need to truly leave it with Him and not worry that I didn't hear those words. Ultimately the apology was about me make thing right on my end and leaving the other end to God.

So as far as I am able, I need to let peace begin with me.

When do you find it hard to say "I'm sorry"?

Do you let your children hear you apologize?

How would your life change if owned your stuff and apologize without the expectation of the other person doing the same?

God's Work In Progress,

This year I'm focusing on hope. I'd love for you to visit my personal blog:

Standing on the Edge of Peace

The Cafe welcomes Heidi Yocum today!!

To call me edgy would be somewhat of an understatement. The past few days have shown that me that all of civilization is annoying and I am the only sane and rational person left. Okay, maybe I have somewhat of an unrealistic view of myself and the world surrounding me.

The truth is that I am wearing a large red button with a sign that taunts, “Go ahead. Just try pushing my big red button!” Whether it’s my child “forgetting” to clean his room, a long wait in the Walmart checkout lane or my husband questioning my dinner choice, I am a walking time bomb, waiting for someone to bump into me and challenge my patience.

I could blame it on hormones. However, being only 33 years of age, I can’t exactly throw out the suggestion of menopause and the timing just isn’t quite right for PMS. Although, I have to admit, the thought that I could blame any flare up of irritation on hormones is enormously appealing.

Truth is…if I care to come clean with myself. The truth is I am tired. I have nothing left.

I am so weary of people begging for my attention. Everyone wants a piece of me. I feel like the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, bits of me scattered here and there, wondering how to put myself back together.

My kids? What don’t they want from me? “Where’s my lunch?” “Elijah hit me!” “Why do we need a bath?” “Mom, I wet my bed.”

My husband? He walks in the door and says the ugly words I’ve come to resent, “what’s to eat?”

My friends? “Can you babysit my kid while I run to the store?” “I need your advice.”

Oh, for the love!!! I am worn out. Finished. I have nothing left, world! Stop talking to me. Leave me alone. I am tired. So tired.

Tired.

I just want peace.

Peace.

Peace from the demands of my life. Peace from schedules, dirty clothes, troubled friends, high energy kids, busy husband, vacuuming, dusting, noise, conflicts. The list goes on and on and I am pretty sure that there aren’t enough trees in this world to list all the things I may need peace from.

I love the enlightening definition of peace:

“a calm and quiet state, free from disturbances or noise, a state of mental calm and serenity, with no anxiety, freedom from conflict or disagreement among people or groups of people.”

Peace. The thought of it almost drives me to a utopian state of mind. Imagine an existence without noise, anxiety, conflict and disagreement!

How is it possible to “cook” up this type of life? One ingredient: Jesus.

When my mind and emotions suffer from a lack of peace, I know it’s because my mind and emotions are not aimed directly at Jesus. I’ve left Jesus behind and tried to tackle life my own way, with my own strength. Lack of patience with others, frustration with situations, difficulty loving friends and annoyance at my family are all symptoms of a greater problem…my relationship with Jesus.

Isaiah 26:3 “you will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you.”

When my mind is set on Jesus, when my heart is focused on God’s will for my life, when I am determined to live life God’s way, the world around me falls away in view of heaven. All of these irritations in my life mean nothing in comparison with Jesus and what He did for me on the cross.

And to tell you the truth, I am pretty sure that in about 2 weeks from now, I won’t even remember that my husband was an hour late coming home for dinner.

But, what will matter 2 weeks from now is how I responded to him when he walked in the door after all the dinner dishes had been clean up.

“Lord Jesus, you will keep me in perfect peace when I keep my eyes focused on you. I am determined to trust in you, believing that my edginess will be replaced by peace as you give me the strength to lovingly distribute your grace to those around me.”

In Him,

Heidi Yocum

Join Heidi at her personal site, where she is constantly searching for peace!

The Faith of Abraham

The Cafe Welcomes Carol Eads today!

It seems that God has used so much in my life to help me understand Him better, it takes me a bit longer than most people to get things.

Although I know this isn't true I can't help but picture Him slapping His forehead, gritting His teeth and grabbing for a heavenly aspirin when it comes to this child of His. When I was younger I had such difficulty relating to some of the Bible stories, there were a lot of troubling ones to me. The hardest one I think was Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac. No matter how hard I tried I just couldn't understand how one could do this and do it so willingly. I practiced avoiding the troubling parts, yes I could see how this related to God giving Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice, but still this was a human parent of a human kid.

And of course it didn't bother me much until I had become a parent myself.

One day, my oldest son said his throat hurt. This wasn't uncommon, he got swollen glands a lot and of course they had wanted us to get his tonsils out. Not having any insurance was a big issue at the time and we had put it off and continued all the home remedies every time it flared up.
A few days later he said it was still hurting, I noticed a slight lump on his neck just below his ear. Deep down I felt a panic, I talked myself into the gland being extra swollen and needing more medical attention, maybe some antibiotics or something. We went to the pediatrician and that is what he offered. Said it was really swollen more than he had ever seen but the infection was probably severe. He prescribed some medicine and said in three or four days the swelling should start to go down and he was to take them for a week.

I quietly observed the lump getting larger rather than shrinking, again a panic deep down. I finally shared with my husband my fears that this was something more. We prayed, but the lump continued to grow. We went back to the pediatrician and he said all it needed was another round of antibiotics that were a bit stronger, but if the swelling wasn't reduced in a couple of days to get back in there. In a couple of days it had grown even more.

I had some very tearful and prayerful nights. When we returned to the dr.'s office his face became solemn, he said he had never seen any thing like this before and referred us to a specialist.

The specialist said he had never seen any thing like it before and hooked us up with someone who was even more of a specialist than he was. This doctor was in Phoenix, close to 200 miles away. I had prayed so earnestly that God would heal him or when we got there he would say he had seen this all the time and all we needed was some totally different medicine.

After the examination, this is not at all what he had to say.

It was some sort of cyst, might even be cancerous and we needed to get him in for a biopsy right away. It was all arranged for us to be at the hospital the next morning. I was a mess, besides not having the money for all of this, I couldn't handle the message he had given me. I prayed and prayed all through the night in our motel room.

Finally I had some peace by the next morning, I was going on the fact that at least we would find out what it was and they would treat it and it would be done and over with. They had to put him out to do the biopsy, he looked so little, he was ten and had never been in the hospital before.
They wouldn't allow me to be there by his side to hold his hand or be there when they woke him up.

More prayer.

After about an hour the doctor came out and said that through what he observed doing the biopsy it was just a small cyst and all it needed was some draining and then some strong antibiotics to take care of the rest of it but they wouldn't know for sure until the lab results were all in which could take about three or four days.

I was feeling so victorious and rejoicing all the way home.

We had been home two days and the phone rang, it was the Dr. in Phoenix telling me we needed to get back there immediately for an operation because it was a fast growing cyst that had to be cut out or it would cut off his throat completely and they still didn't know whether it was cancerous or not. The Dr. said he would make all the arrangements and for us to leave that night because he wanted to see him at the hospital at 6 a.m the next morning.

My legs buckled, the tears flowed and the questions began.

I was just in shock.

As they were prepping my son for the surgery the doctor met with us. Told us this was a very serious surgery as he would be cutting deep into his neck. Said it would take about an hour and a half with several surgeons assisting. We headed to the waiting room which was full of other anxious moms, dads, wives, husbands and friends all waiting as we were to hear the final word.

The story of Abraham kept coming to my mind, honestly it made me a little angry. I did not want to think about this now, I wanted to think about all the good things God had promised, all the things that made me happy not the things that were so serious or deep.

My husband and I would absent mindedly reach for each others hand and pray silently.

When two hours had passed and there was no word even when we asked, I got down on my knees in a waiting room full of strangers and began to pray out loud. I told God I knew what the story meant now....and I was trying with every thing in me to love Him more than one of the most precious gifts he had given me, I asked him for help. I told him that I completely was giving in to His will, if he chose to take my son I would still love him and serve him but he would have to help me so much to do this.

I also asked if Him if it was possible through His will to let me keep my son I would make sure to keep this in my heart forever and not forget, to tell every one and I thanked Him for helping me to see the story of Abraham with a different heart.

Before I was finished there was a voice that called for my husband and me by name. When I got up off my knees, the waiting room full of strangers were holding hands, some of them had their heads still bowed. It was one of the assistant surgeons who had just come from the operating room. We looked at him with hopeful eyes but with a peace we hadn't had. He said, "It was touch and go for a few minutes in there but he is fine and he is being taken to recovery where you can see him in a few minutes."

The main surgeon came up behind him as we said, "Praise the Lord", and he nodded his head and said, "yes, you need to do that because it wasn't us that pulled him through."

Of course the tears flowed, but they were tears of adoration for our Savior and relief that God's heart had been tender towards us.

A week later the surgeon called and said it was something they had never come across before, but it was not cancerous and they had apparently got it just in time before it closed off his throat.

My son, now 27 has a slight scar on his neck from that day...it is my reminder every time I look at him of God's great love and the story of Abraham.

In Him,
Carol

No Condemnation

I cleaned up the kitchen mess, kissed the kids goodnight and headed off to church to meet with other church leaders for our quarterly meeting. I got out my pen to take notes and realized I hadn't brought my Bible. I chided myself inwardly, thinking, "What kind of spiritual leader can I be?" I hadn't read the Bible much that week and I felt a nagging guilty feeling for not doing more of my ministry responsibilities either.

The pastor began to speak about the traits that make a resilient leader and the sense of failure and condemnation began to grow and burn in my chest. You know, that hollow feeling you get when you realize you don't measure up? The emptiness that reminds you that you're still a great sinner and that you are not the holy person you want to be?

"Everyone must notice this sin (critical spirit, gossip, lying, you name it...)in me... God must be so disappointed in me....I'm such a terrible Christian " and on and on went my thoughts.

As I sorted through my feelings later that night, I turned to God's Word for truth.

Romans 12:1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

How is it, then, that I get so caught up in these emotions of condemnation?

And how do I know if God is convicting me of sin of which I need to repent or whether it's something that just false condemnation? How do I know the difference?

As I searched the Scriptures and received the counsel of godly men, I came to understand a few ways to distinguish between the condemnation of Satan and the conviction of God.

God's conviction is always very precise. He doesn't convict me of being a "bad" person, but He convicts me of specific sins. The enemy, who is called our accuser, only deals in generalities. Satan points his finger at me and calls me names but he doesn't cut deep to the real sin issues in my heart. Only God does that.

As I sorted through my thoughts after that meeting, I realized that some of what I heard was God's conviction, His gentle, kind hand of correction upon my heart. It caused me to repent, to seek Him for change in my life. But some of the other feelings I had that night were clearly not from God. The general sense of failure and hopelessness as a sinner was not from God, but from the enemy.

There is a great sense of peace in knowing that in Christ, there is no longer any condemnation for my sin. There is only forgiveness, grace and the hope of healing.
Action Points:

1. Have you been weighed down by a feeling of condemnation? What Scriptures can you cling to this week as assurances of hope and forgiveness?

2. Test your feelings of condemnation against the truth of Romans 8:1. Memorize this verse to stand up against the lies and accusations of Satan in your life.


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Tell Fear to Take a Flying Leap

I'm thinking that there are plenty of us that deal with fear on some level. For instance, I sincerely hate driving or walking over those big drain grates in the road. There is an irrational fear that they'll open right up and I'll fall deep into the waters under the city where rats will be my only company.

A friend of mine doesn't like swimming. She thinks an indoor pool might open up and throw into hell. We all know these things won't happen, but sometimes the fear of what could happen outweighs the truth.

That's the joke with fear. Usually our fear of something is never as bad as what actually could or will happen.

The fear is very real, even if it never comes to a reality.

For me, it's flying.

Now, I have a pretty good reason to be afraid of flying. In 1986 my grandparents were flying to Dallas in their small, six-seater Bonanza plane when disaster hit. They got caught in a storm, the autopilot wouldn't disengage, and my grandparents went down somewhere in north Texas.

It was one of the most horrible days of my life. I remember it clearly. Young, scared, and helpless. So, because of that, I tend to not like flying.

Who really likes to get into a metal cylinder that flies above the ground at 30,000 feet? I'm just not comfortable being in a tube that is only inches thick. You know that step from the jetway to the plane? That moment between on the ground and in the tube? Well, I always look at how thin the plane is and whisper a prayer. I might also throw in a little pat on the plane, kiss the doorway, do the sign of the cross, and anoint the pilots with oil.

Not only that, when I fly Jesus has to talk me through the entire flight. I'm not kidding. Every minute is a prayer. Mind you, I'm not freaking out in those minutes, but I am keenly aware of how much time we have left in any flight. I love those planes with the little T.V. that will show you have far your plane has left to fly, however, I'm sure if you looked at my face you'd want to slap that look of concern and worry right off.

To make matters worse, anytime there is turbulence I get a little white knuckled and it's all I can do not to stand up and yell to those unphased by the terror, "What's wrong with you people?! Didn't you feel that! Did you know we're going to die!"

In contrast, when I hear the captain say we are beginning our descent, I want to jump and shout, "Thank you Jesus!" Then I imagine making my way around the plane to hug complete strangers because we just escaped death together.

One time, when the pilot put the landing gear down, I had a little bit of a moment of "Oh no! What was that!" So much so, that I grabbed the arm of the man next to me and said, "Is that normal?!" He answered, looking at me with a bit of alarm then glancing at his arm, "I think it was the landing gear."

"Oh," I replied, slipping my hand off of the man's arm.

Now, could I die in a plane crash? Maybe, that fear cannot be allowed to paralyze me and steal life and joy from me.

One way to beat the fear came from a dear friend of mine. This wisdom touched my heart and helped me be set free from so much fear. Now when I fly I remember these tender, tender, touching words from the heart of someone who really wanted to ease my fear.

"Natalie, look, if the plane goes down, you die."

Point taken.

Why freak out about what I can't control.

I am now free to move about the country.



What fear rules your life? What is something you let control you even when you cannot control it? How can Christ deliver you from fear?


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Just a Brief Mention in the Bible

It's only a brief mention.

But it's a brief mention in The Bible. Not exactly the mention they'd have hoped for those ladies, Euodia and Syntyche. If they were here today, I'm sure that they would at least quietly mention that "all the work we did, and he mentions THIS!"

If you are reading through Philippians, and you blink or sneeze, you'll miss the mention of them.

It's that brief.

"Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good news. They worked with Clement and the rest of my co-workers whose names are written in the Book of Life."
Philippians 4:2-3

I'm fascinated with these women of the Bible who reveal themselves amidst the pages, if only we'll take the time to discover them. What fascinates me most is that they are WOMEN, just as we are. Sure, they were living 2,000 years ago, but the stories they reveal are our stories.

Take Euodia and Syntyche, it could be Lucy and Ethel, or you and I. What we know of them is that they BOTH have been encouraging and helpful to the Apostle Paul. We know that they were instrumental in this new church in Macedonia. But as we all know, women have a tendency...

You know what I mean. The tendency to let our differences get the best of us and threaten so much more than we ever intended. That is exactly what is revealed here in Philippians. We have no idea what they were arguing about, but it was significant enough that Paul mentions it in his letter to the whole church of Philippi.

OUCH!

If they had access to cable news, I'm sure that this would have made the ticker along the bottom of the screen. It's big enough for Paul to call them out.

We can assume that these ladies were each passionate and effective in their own rights. They had brought many to the church, but word of their disagreement reaches Paul in Rome. It disappoints him and he knows that the Christian community does not need this kind of division. Smart man that Paul was! He did not ignore the issue, he knew better than that. Instead, he urges them to reconcile.

Can we see ourselves in these two ladies so briefly mentioned in the Bible, but from whom we can glean so much wisdom?

Ever find yourself in a hurtful situation? Situations of unresolved issues, anger, bitterness, and division. That is EXACTLY what these ladies were engaged in....and it was starting to affect those around them, and although we have no way of knowing for certain, it was likely causing them each deep personal pain and was burdening their spirits.

Divisions, as we all know, can tear apart families, churches, communities and even nations. We know that these women were good women. They were working hard for the Kingdom and now were in the middle of something that was going to cause divisiveness and conflict within the community.

We see it everyday.

We see it in our families, and sadly it seems to surface even more at the holidays when we come together. It's in those times that gossip and petty differences can wiggle their way into what should be a time of peaceful, beautiful memories. Instead, it's interrupted by these conflicts that can consume us. As women, we need to take the advice of Paul this season and become peacemakers.

I know, there are sighs going up around the blogosphere as women read....

"You want me to do what??"
"You haven't met my brother-in-law!"
"I've tried being the peacemaker, and I'm done."

Paul continues on in this chapter to remind us, Euodia and Syntyche, and each of us reading today. Conflict is our opportunity to demonstrate grace, love, mercy, patience and forgiveness. The forgiveness that Christ himself had, and the reality of His presence in our lives. It's an opportunity.... the SAME opportunity that it was then, an opportunity to love each other. “Conflict is an opportunity for us to love each other.”

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again. REJOICE! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember the Lord is coming soon.
Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure and lovely and admirable. Think about these things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all that you have learned and received from me~everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you."
Philippians 4:4-9

In this, Paul provides so eloquently the attitudes that we'll need to change these circumstances.

We have to rejoice, (verse 4)
We'll have to be patient (verse 5)
We'll have to pray and pray some more (verse 6)
We'll have to dwell on the positives and not the problems (verse 8)
We'll have to move on in obedience(verse 9)

I've looked and looked again, and Paul mentions nothing about it being easy.

We are standing on the edge of the holidays. Most of us are working hard for His Kingdom and yet we find ourselves in relationships just like Euodia and Syntyche experienced. Take the urging from Paul to resolve it this holiday season. Perhaps it's not you who is directly involved in the conflict. Paul also calls on Syzygus (4:3) to "help him." Pray about how you can bring peace and healing to those around you.

It likely won't be easy. It will mean some serious praying and letting go, but the issues are not going to resolve themselves. We need to be the voices who seek peaceful resolutions. We need to take the advice of Paul to be peacemakers who seek to reconcile and stop a cycle of division.

So as we move into a holiday season that can have us facing challenging relationships, we pray:

Father,

Thank you for speaking to us through the voices of those who have walked before us. Help me to gain wisdom and understanding as I read your Word. Help me to resolve any conflicts in my own life and to be a peacemaker where you need me to be. I know that conflicts distract me from the complete LOVE that you give. Father I ask that you help me to live as your son Jesus did, ever the peacemaker. As we move into this holiday season, help me to always rejoice and be patient with those I share these times with. Help me to focus on the positives and not dwell in negativity, which is often so easy to do in my humanness. Father, help me to move on in obedience, knowing that you are with me each and every step of the way. As I ask all of these things, I thank you that you always hear my heart's prayers. As I await the arrival of your Son's birth, I cling to these promises.

Amen

May the peace of the season be yours in renewed and reconciled relationships.







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You Never Walk Alone

Have you ever been in desperate places when God seemed to be deafeningly silent?

If you haven't at some point you most likely will. Even though the scriptures say God will never leave me or forsake me, sometimes the circumstances of life have left me feeling as if I am living in a relational ghost town. How can He be here with me when I cannot hear, feel or see Him?

Does He have Caller ID, sees it's me and refuses to pick up? Why does it feel like I am so alone if He is with me? I find answers hidden in the story of the two men walking on the road to Emmaus.

Jesus had died 2 days before and on the 3rd day there is talk of the tomb being empty. Two followers are walking along the road talking about all that has just happened when a "man" comes up and begins to walk with them. He listens as they talk and then, as if he doesn't know anything, begins to question them. They’re pretty surprised that this stranger doesn’t know what’s just happened, after all the whole city of Jerusalem knows. Didn’t he see the skies go black and feel the earthquake?

They try to explain what they have just witnessed.

They've just experienced a devastating blow. They thought the Messiah had come to save them from the Roman rule and now he’s dead.

Not only is He dead, His body has now been reported missing. They have no idea who is walking with them. Jesus' presence is hidden from them. Unbeknownst to them, as they wrestle with their faith, Jesus is walking right beside them.

They get to their destination and beg the man to stay with them. They sit down to a meal, and the "man" prays. At once their eyes are opened and they see. Though they were unaware, Jesus had been with them all along. Their words are priceless.

“Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us?”

Life has dished out it's hard knocks. Sometimes it has taken all that I've had within me to stay present. When God's voice became silent I discovered something. Hidden away inside me were questions. Where was God? Did He care? What is this all about? Have I done something to deserve this? Has He walked out on me? The silence of God comes, bringing with it a stillness that shuts down the outside noise, allowing the noise of our doubts and questions to rise up.

The hiddenness has a purpose, though I do not like the feel of it. It’s in the hiddenness that I, like those two men, have to come to the conclusion about what I believe, see and know.

How often when life isn’t what I thought it would be do I feel like He has left me? How often do I blame myself for where I am? “If I had just read my Bible more, or prayed more, maybe this wouldn’t have happened?” It was easy to tell myself that surely I had done something wrong.

Though He is always with me, there are times He hides His presence from me.

He allows the beliefs hidden down deep to rise up to the surface. It’s in those times that my faith is given a good dose of fertilizer to grow. As I grapple with what I feel verses what I know, something is transformed in me and I see. The times of silence do not mean He has left me. They mean that He is hidden in order for me to find what I really believe about Him and what I believe He thinks about me. He never leaves me or forsakes me.

He is always with me.

His Spirit is in me.

I cannot be detached from Him.

He walks beside me, though there are times I am oblivious. Hiddenness has it’s purpose. When the time is right He will reveal Himself to me once again, my eyes will be opened and then I will see. He never left me. He was here all along.

“I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

Papa God, thank you that you are with us. You never leave us or forsake us. Thank you that we can know in those times that we cannot feel you or hear from you, you are still there. You walk on the roads of life with us. Help us remember what is really true. You came, You died, You rose again so that we might live.

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Ignoring the Serpent

I wish I didn't relate so much to Eve. You know, the one who messed it up for the rest of us? I wish I could say I was different from her.

Genesis 3. Eve is hanging out in the garden one day. She's alone. Maybe she was okay with solitude for a little while, but, she's a female. And we females like to talk.

She's looking at that tree, the one God said not to eat. You know she wanted to discuss that. Adam is nowhere around, and the serpent seizes his moment. He slithers up, and makes some conversation. The bible doesn't say so, but I wouldn't be surprised if her complimented her hair first. (If she hadn't been naked, he might have told her her shoes were cute.)

Eve is probably happy to have someone to chat to about this very interesting and forbidden tree. She's a woman, and women are by nature, relational. Some of us seek out friendships with many, some with a few, but I have never met a woman who didn't long for a best friend. Eve is an easy target.

The serpent didn't try this trick with Adam - because if Adam was like my husband, he was not on this constant quest to connect to others that I am (hello, I blog.) No, Satan went for the woman. And they connected. Genesis 3:6 says that Eve was seeking wisdom, a noble pursuit. She was just looking for it in all the wrong places.

Well, we know what happened next. The serpent was not a good friend. He was giving her some advice, but not the kind she needed to hear. His counsel led her straight to destruction, and we are all still suffering because of her lack of discernment.

How often do we have an Eve moment?

When I am having an "issue", especially an issue with another female in my life, my initial response is to turn to my girlfriends for guidance and support.

The danger is that whenever we women get together to discuss a conflict, no matter what our levels of spiritual maturity, the conversation is very, very prone to go south. It is our sin nature to be vindictive. Throw some emotion into it, some past baggage on either side, and a dash of PMS, and the conversation can go from spiritual to worldly in no time flat.

This isn't to say that we should not seek the advice of godly women. I believe that good girlfriends and mentors are a gift from the Lord, and I have been blessed many times by their counsel. Often they will tell me wonderful, wise advice. But - not always. They are sinners just like me, after all.

How can I discern if their advice is godly, as opposed to worldly?

Scripture, scripture, scripture.
Any advice we receive must be in line with God's word. And, fortunately for us, God dispenses plenty of advice regarding conflict resolution.

Here is a scenario. You believe you have been wronged by a friend, or a family member. Feelings are hurt, egos are bruised. What to do?

The world says:

• Vent. Let it all out. Tell your friends exactly how you have been wronged. Give a play by play of what she did.

Scripture says:

• I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy. I pour my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble. Psalm 142:1-2
• If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. James 1:26
  

The line between venting and gossiping is as thin as a hair, and crossing that line happens without even realizing it. It feels good to vent. It feels better to pray. I am learning to vent to God, instead of to my husband, my friends or my mother. And you know what I'm learning? God is an awesome listener.

The world says:

• You don't deserve to be treated this way. You need to stand up for your rights. Confront her and tell her off.

Scripture says:

• "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Matthew 7:3-5
• It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel. Proverbs 3:20

There are very specific rules for confronting another with their sin in Matthew 18. It must be done from a standpoint of love and humility from remembering our sins for which Christ died; with the goal of reconciliation, not with the intent to "stand up for your rights" and certainly not to tell them off.

The world says:

• Be passive aggressive. Don't confront her outright, just "forget" to call her back or keep her informed. Make subtle little tacky comments, to her and about her. Harbor resentment.

Scripture says:

• So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. Matthew 7:12
• Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:10

The world says:

• Ignore her. Give her the silent treatment.

Scripture says:

• Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Romans 12:17-18

The world says:

• Get her back. Make her sorry she messed with you.

Scripture says:

• Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:19-21
• Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Philippians 3:2

The world says:

• You are such a victim. Poor you. It's awful how you are being treated when you did nothing wrong.
  

Scripture says:

• Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. I Timothy 1:15-16
• Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24
  

The world says:

• What was done to you is just unforgivable.
  

Scripture says:

• Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32
• "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him." Luke 17:3-4
• Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. I Peter 4:8
  

I'm not saying the godly way is easier.

The Eve in us wants to get down on our bellies and slither around the feet of the one who has hurt us, whispering insults and sinking our fangs into her ankles.

Trust me, I know.

But we are more than Eve. For we have the spirit of Christ in us, and Christ has overcome the world and all its so-called wisdom. And we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:15-17

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