Encouragment as the Doldrums Approach

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dol·drums noun pl

1) a spell of listlessness or despondency

2) a state or period of inactivity, stagnation, or slump
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doldrums

It never fails. The whirlwind of the Christmas season and the joyful celebration of the birth of Christ seem to be cut off abruptly, leaving festive spirits and pretty poinsettas drooping by mid-day on December 26th. We grudgingly consider the undressing of the Christmas tree - sometimes it happens, and sometimes the tree stays up until February when all the needles fall off in a final abandon. We drag out the storage boxes and gently tuck each heirloom ornament into its particular nook and/or cranny. And we sigh. After the denouement of Christmas Day, everything seems so anti-climactic. We are stuck in the post-Christmas doldrums with nary a breeze of intrigue in sight.

Is this really the end? Are we supposed to sit here in holiday limbo until the next over-commercialized celebration, Valentine's Day, which - at least here in the States - has little religious or faith based connections and serves only as another ridiculous gift giving frenzy? Ugh! Should we just accept the world's view that Jesus' birthday is just a 24 hour gig that closes the curtain at midnight? How about NO.


Dear friends, the party does not have to end today. It shouldn't end today. And it CAN'T end until the Second Coming which, though it could occur in the next ten minutes, may not happen while you or I are still breathing. Jesus, our Lord and Savior, our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), did not come down to Earth to light the world for 24 hours...He came to light the world for the rest of existence. And since He uses each of us believers to reflect that light daily, our part in His triumph has not ended.

So how do we press on for Glory when the wind seems to have died? It's simple; we ride the momentum created by the Holy Spirit who works within us. We pray, we observe/listen to the answers, and we act.  We start each day with open hearts and the offering of our every breath to the purpose that God has set out for us. And we do so joyfully. You know that giddiness that occurs in the weeks building up to Christmas morning? For me, it comes when I'm choosing gifts that will bring the most joy and feelings of being loved to the recipients. That giddiness can be carried on as we allow Christ to use us daily to bring his blessings to the world.

On a practical note, I do have to mention that there may be obstacles (or at least perceived ones) to prolonging a festive heart. The devil isn't going to sit idly by while you Glorify the Lord with obedience to His will. No, instead he will creep into your thoughts through whatever chinks you've left unmended in your armor (and THAT is a topic for a later blog post). If you are plagued with social anxiety, the evil one will speak fear into you as you contemplate volunteering as a way to serve. If you are prideful or miserly, the devil will use your self-image or your monetary dependence to block your joy. So before you do anything, stop and ask the Lord to show you anything in your heart or mind that might stand between you and His purpose. Be very open to and welcoming of anything He illuminates - do not let pride or fear keep you from hearing His voice. God is not going to reveal things to be mean or attack you. God WILL reveal anything amiss or evil within you in order for you to purge it, through His power and strength, so that you can be whole and in right relationship as you face the world. And then ask God to give you the wisdom and discernment to filter out the devil's nonsense. The voice of our shepherd is distinctive; if you are willing to listen, He will not lead you astray. He will lead you where He knows you need to be, even if it's the LAST place you would ordinarily volunteer to go. Trust Him. Go.

Even as I write this, I feel the breeze blowing in my heart. It's hard to stay in the doldrums when you know you have places to be and God-ordered things to do. And since the breeze is blowing, I think it's time for me to pick up my Cross, open up the sails, and head off to wherever the Spirit takes me. So long anti-climactic droopiness...I'm off to rejoice in the service of my King! (And I'm going to be humming "Feliz Navidad" the WHOLE way! That one always gets stuck in my head...)

 Dear Lord, please show us Your desires for our lives. We give each breath, each moment, in complete surrender to Your will and purpose for them. Please help us to see through the perceived obstacles and overcome the real ones so that we will not hesitate to move when you utter the word "Go." Command us, Lord, so that we might serve You. Let no fear, doubt, date, or secular season come between us and Your desires. Dispatch us, Lord, to do Your bidding. We ask all this so that we might serve Your Son through the power of your Spirit and bring all honor and glory to the Father. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

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Overwhelmed by His Perfection

 I am not perfect.

I am so far removed from perfection that if perfection were the sate of Texas, I would be Alaska...the northern most tip of Alaska and about to fall off into the ocean headed northward from there. That is the state of my flesh in this world, and nothing I do alone can change my location or bring me back to my southern state.

Ah, but friends, there is still hope. He came down as a man, born of a virgin, crucified because of the fears and insecurities of hopeless religion, and was resurrected three days later to pour that hope into the hearts of those who would preach, write and train others to spread this good news to the masses. (How's that for a run-on sentence?)

Because of the Body that was beaten and broken for me, and the Blood that washes away the stickiest of sin residue, I am allowed to be perfect in the eyes of the Master that created me. And that is the only perfection that I would so willingly seek if it had not already been given to me on the day of my rebirth.

Some might ask "if you know you have been, and will be, forgiven all of your sins, why continue to live a clean life at all?" And the answer, for me, is simple: love. I love my Lord and Savior more and more each day because of mercies that are new each morning. Because I love Him - because He gave His life for mine - I am eager to surrender it all to Him. And the life He leaves in place of my flesh is one that seeks to bring glory and honor to His name. His will is perfect. HE is perfect. And I am in awe.

Abba, Father, thank you for the perfection of your Son who stands in our place and covers us with His saving grace. We are so close to the day of celebration for His birth and yet we cannot, should not, and will not wait to worship Him. Every breath, every moment, every day we shout in exaltation: Our God Reigns! Thank you, Lord, for the Word made Man. Thank you for loving us enough to provide the ultimate sacrifice so that we might live anew. Thank you for the Prince of Peace!

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Have a Little Faith

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"We will overcome, by the blood of the Lamb and the words of our testimony. Everyone overcome...."
-"Overcome" written by Jon Egan

It is amazing what a little struggling can do to either increase or decimate the faith of a Christian. I have seen so many friends praise the name of Jesus in victory, only to cry out in fear and doubt at the mere hint of defeat. (The opposite is also true, many trust in Him when they are flailing and completely forget Him once life gets better...but that's a whole 'nother blog post...) A couple years ago, I would have said that God was punishing me with a hateful relationship with my spouse, a seemingly insurmountable mountain of debt, and the various illnesses and breakdowns that attacked my family. The truth was much less flattering to admit: God was allowing my faith to be tested, and I was failing miserably.

My faith disappeared as soon as the threat of a storm arrived - I didn't even have to actually see any dark clouds or hear thunder, just a warning that a storm might come and I went into panic mode. But here's the thing: by allowing my faith to dissipate and allowing the panic to overwhelm me, the threat ended up causing more stress than the actual event, if it even occurred.

Thank God, He put us in the parking lot of a church on a Sunday morning when I was 40 weeks pregnant and DESPERATE for a bathroom. Yep, it was a preggo potty break, in the right place, at the right time, and completely orchestrated by God because he saw our family falling apart for lack of faith in Him.

I would love to say that was the last time I ever had a faltering faith, but to this day I have moments where I am struck with the paralyzing fear that things will not, in fact, work out...that God is probably busy elsewhere and doesn't have time for my paltry problems...I am still flesh with all its failings. But each time the flesh fails, the Spirit within puts out the fire, the Scripture brings renewed peace and I begin again to build my faith from where I left off.

Even the disciples, after seeing Jesus perform miracles and healings, "knowing" that they were rolling with God, still lacked faith. In Mark, Chapter 4, we find our doubting friends in open water during a rather violent storm:

"So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?" When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still!" Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (Mark 4:36-40)

Jesus was IN THE BOAT with them. And still, they lacked faith. So don't be ashamed if you have found yourself wondering where God is in your stormy times, and don't be afraid to admit that sometimes you might try "cover all the bases" just in case He doesn't show up. I would suggest that the next time doubt, worry, and fear threaten your faith that you stop, find yourself a "prayer closet" (aka anywhere that you can have "alone" time with God), and you tell God everything on your heart. Yes, He already knows it, but He is a gentleman; He won't step in until you invite Him. Once you've confessed your fears, doubts, etc., begin to thank God for being so good and so faithful. Thank Him in advance, because your victory is coming. And once you are back in right-standing in faith, you can step out of the prayer closet and attack the day.

I hope that I have reached someone with this. The faith walk is one that challenges me daily, and I know I am not alone. There are three things that God has given us to help us make it through. First, He gave us the Word - the bread of life and living water of which we are to partake daily. Second, he gave us prayer - open communication with our Lord and Creator through which we invite our Savior into our hearts and daily lives. And last, He brought us together into one body - the Church - where we are to fellowship, encouraging one another and reinforcing our faith together. If you are not part of a local church, let me encourage you to go out and try one this week. If it is not a good fit, try a different one. Don't let past resentment or betrayal in another church or by another "Christian" bar you from realizing the true sense of community and service that comes when you belong to the Body of Christ.


With all that said, let us pray:
Heavenly Father, we thank You that You are an ever faithful God, even when our faith has dwindled. We thank You that even when we stumble in our faith walk, you are there to help us get back up, brush off the dirt of the World, and set us back onto our narrow path. Lord, we ask that You continue to put things and people in place that we might build ourselves up in faith and knowledge of Your will. Abba, we ask that you make us sensitive to the Spirit you've left to dwell inside each of us. Let the Spirit show us our weaknesses that we may bring them before you to be strengthened again. Father, we love You, and we thank You that You gave your only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to die so that we might live. We thank You and we praise You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for your love, guidance and grace. Amen.

The time for toe-dipping has passed...

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It happens every time we go to the pool. I will look at the water with an overwhelming desire to feel it's coolness and my own buoyancy. I will step to the edge as if ready to dive right in. And then I stop myself, head for the ladder or the stairs, and dip my toe in to check the temperature. The funny thing is, I already know it's going to feel cold, that's WHY we decided on swimming in the first place. Yet once I am faced with the initial shock, I back away and head for the deck chairs while my husband - without a second thought - leaps into the blue with my son shrieking for joy in his arms.

How often do some of us "toe-dip" and walk away from our faith instead of simply leaping in and enjoying the refreshment of the Spirit? How many of us have reached higher for a moment, been shocked by the change in spiritual temperature - a change that we sought out in the first place, and been so intimidated that we back away in to the false comfort of the secular.

It took me 26 years to take the plunge. 26 years I could have spent safe in the arms of the Father instead of in the arms of any random person who would use and/or abuse me. And, now that I've been swimming in the water for some time, I am finally allowed to see the "toe-dippers" that surround me. And I want to encourage them, to say "it's okay," or "take your time," or even "ease into it." The truth of the matter is that the slower you go, the harder it is to separate yourself from the stairs and begin to swim. You want to cling to the wall of secular living and sin just in case the water is too cool and you need to back out. The longer you take to submerge yourself in the water that washes away all sin, the harder and potentially more dangerous your journey may be.

I'm not saying this to scare anyone, but, as I type, prophecies are being fulfilled. I know that it sounds like some crazy sci-fi plot, but it is truth. Jesus was asked by His disciples when he would return. While He was clear that no human would know exactly when, he did give several events that would occur as signs of his kingdom:

He replied, "Don't let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, `I am the Messiah,'s and saying, `The time has come!' But don't believe them. And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don't panic. Yes, these things must take place first, but the end won't follow immediately." Then he added, "Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven. Luke 21:8-11

Sound familiar? Haiti, China, Chile, random states in the US, shaken into awakening. Wars on every continent. Is ANY of this ringing a bell?

What I am trying to get across here is that Jesus is coming back, and soon. If you have already experienced a tugging within you - if you have already acknowledged that the world is too "hot" and it's time to start swimming, then it is time to take a running cannonball of faith into the water. There is no time for toe-dipping, wading, or clinging to the wall. Be bold and leap into the arms of the loving God that has been ceaselessly calling your name. Be brave and know that the Water was made just for you.

Friends, my deepest desire is to reach out and bring in as many saints to the Kingdom as I can find in my short physical life. I have found a treasure so great and so powerful that it has ripped out every dirty, guilty, angry, and violent nerve within me and replaced it with a sweetness and a love that I have never before known. I do not want anyone else to have to struggle and suffer when the treasure is right there for the taking. So I'm asking you to jump. Stop testing the water and instead fling yourself out over and into the waves knowing that there is relationship created in that moment that will permanently alter your life - but in the best way possible. Jump in, my friends, the water is mighty fine!

Father God, we thank you for the opportunity to leave the sticky, oppressive heat of the sinful life behind as you wash us with your purifying and refreshing love. Lord, we have dipped our toes in and walked away so many times, but today is the day we will leap. We will be like small children who sprint across the pool deck and launch themselves into the cool water while the others stand on the stairs or cling to the wall in fear. We surrender all to you in our moment of airborne joy. And when we hit the water, may the splash that results cause those still lingering on the edges to feel the refreshment and decide to jump in as well. Thank you, Jesus, for sitting at the right hand of the Father and speaking on our behalf. Thank you for sending Your Spirit to be the still, small voice calling to us in our dark moments, begging us to come to you and surrender. Father God, thank you for creating in us a desire to "swim" when others would rather just sweat and complain. Thank you, God, for getting us to the pool. And thank you for being there when we finally "jump in." Amen.

God's Little Glow Worm

So what does God put on my heart in the middle of a teaching on Spiritual Warfare?
What does He whisper in my ear while Pastor Billy draws the metaphorical connection between the breastplate of righteousness (Eph 6:14)and the ginormous, heavy, and exceedingly shiny breastplates worn by knights in the middle ages?
What do I see in my church notes, right between a reference to 2 Cor. 6:7 and the phrase "your attitude determines your outitude?"
Just four little words: "Glow Worm of God"

Before I get myself into trouble, I heard every word that Pastor spoke - I took notes, so I know I had to be listening in the flesh - but from the moment Pastor said "shiny," God took my heart on a journey that my mind didn't catch up to until early this morning. Here's a snippet of the thought process:

shiny - shine - shining God's light - mine is yellow - like a glow worm - God want me to shine that light - glow worm - Ara has a glow worm she likes to dance with - the glow worm glow is comforting, and the old school ones glowed kind of greenish yellow - my yellow is mellow - like a glow worm - I wish I could heal, but I know I can comfort - glow worms are so comforting - why do I keep thinking of glow worms? - I guess I'm kind of like a human size glow worm shining my light in the darkness, a comforting glow to those lost and to the other Children of God - I'm a glow worm?

Yes, I really do think like that.

It's funny. For the last 6 months or so, I have been meditating on the concept of the light we shine when we are connected to God. First I was obsessed with the variance in intensity; I could feel the light dim when my heart wasn't focused on God, when I felt like drowning in my own little pity party. But if I focused on Him and His Word, well then I could outshine even a Surefire. After intensity came colors. I started thinking that each person has their own color light that they shine to the world. And when we praise Him or Worship Him, God sees our colors and knows exactly who is reaching up to Him - Imagine what a beautiful, colorful sight! My light is yellow. Not like a lemon, or the sun, but more like the quiet yellow glow of the old-school nightlights. Like a glow worm glowing quietly in the darkness. And finally, my heart has settled on the idea that the light we shine is uniquely ours and fully connected to the unique purpose God has set out for us. One of the assignments God has repeatedly given me over the years was to bring troubled and haunted people out of their own darkness and into His glorious daylight. A lantern to light the way - that's me! Most of them were just sitting there in the dark, afraid to take a step because they were encased in the blackness, devoid of so much as a glimmer of hope. Then God would send my little glowing self in to coax them into movement. "Trust in Him," my light would say, " and let me show you the way to His life and home picked out just for you by the one who knew you before you were even in your mother's womb."

Yep, God made me a glow worm to comfort those in need of His light.

So now that I've shared what He put into my heart, I would put the same questions to you:
Are you aware of the light that God wants you to shine? When does it dim, and when do you shine so bright that those around you need shades?
What color is the light you shine for God? What does it make you think of?
What is your light meant to illuminate? A path? A need? A joy? A sorrow?

Just something to think about...
And now we pray:
Father, when you thought of my creation you did so with a specific purpose in mind. You created within me a light to shine to the nations as a reflection of Your love. God, please strengthen my resolve so that my light never falters, but shines steadily on the Truth you have asked me to illuminate. Don't let me hide this candle under a bowl, but help me to lift it high so all can see. Above all, Lord, let my own particular light join with others and shine back to you as a sign of my love and thankfulness. Because of your Light, that beautiful son Jesus, I am free to be blessed and bless others. Thank you Father. It is in your name that I pray, Amen.