Then They Do

The holidays have a way of bringing out memories forgotten during the usual months of the year. We remember fondly (mostly!) traditions we have either started with our own families or carried over from our childhoods.

When our three daughters were very young, we began a new family tradition of purchasing a Christmas ornament for each girl representing something unique about them that had happened during the year. The plan was that one day we would hand over each daughter’s ornaments for her own Christmas tree.

Our daughters growing up and leaving home felt like something far away in a place called the future. I was too busy being a mom to contemplate the notion that our kids leaving home might happen.

While I was still knee-deep into parenting, country singer Trace Adkins came out with a song in 2003 entitled, “Then They Do.” 

He sang about how crazy it is some days as a parent and how sometimes we wish our children would grow up. 

And then they do.

I listened to the lyrics with a pang in my heart, contemplating a future without kids under our roof. (Not that the thought was a bad one, depending on the day!)

Yesterday our oldest daughter, her husband, and our granddaughter came over to go through our Christmas ornaments. She wanted to take her childhood ornaments to put on her own family’s Christmas tree. Later, our second daughter also arrived to collect her box of ornaments. 

Although I knew in my heart the time had come to hand off the collection of the lifetime of memories contained in each ornament — even as I write this, I feel a bit ambivalent. 

Throughout the years, our Christmas tree resembled an assortment of random, unmatching ornaments. To the untrained eye, our tree was far from perfect. To me, however, life slowed down with the placement of each memory on the tree. All the many phases, awkward experiences, sweet victories—stories remembered and re-told over the passing years.

Earlier this week, I had a real conversation with a lifetime friend. She shared moments of regret as a parent. Yep. The ornaments reflect the happy moments, the one-of-a-kind moments, and some moments I wish I would have held onto much tighter than I did. No matter how hard I tried to be a perfect mom—I failed over and over again. But some days, I got it right! 

Two out of three boxes of ornaments left our house yesterday in the arms of our now-married daughters. The third box will be going one day soon when our third baby girl is ready to take ownership of her ornaments. 

Until then, they will remain safe with me—the mom who prays for her daughter’s futures with hopes that every dream held within their hearts will come to pass. Hopefully, captured piece-by-piece, ornament by ornament over the coming years on their own ragamuffin Christmas trees.

Stay the course…

Sheila

How Does Your Garden Grow?

My husband and I planted a garden this summer - a huge garden. 

Our garden became my sanctuary from the world. 

Pulling weeds with sweat on my brow and dirt on my hands, I felt closer to my Maker than I had in a long time.

We worked with mutual excitement for the anticipated harvest, from preparing the soil to planting and watering the seeds.

Each morning my husband and I strolled to the garden, coffee in hand, marveling at every new sprout and each new blossom. Like a child on Christmas morning, the overnight surprises never got old.

Our garden tucked away from the world, began to feel like a place of promise, hope, and life.

In I Corinthians, we see where Paul, a missionary pioneer, brought the message of salvation to the church. He planted the seed of the gospel message in people’s hearts. Then Apollos built on Paul’s foundation—he watered the seed as he helped believers grow in their faith. Both men’s roles were different yet significant. The believers revealed their spiritual immaturity, thus causing division when some stated that they followed Paul, and others indicated that they followed Apollos. (I Corinthians 3:4)

Paul understood the real reason his labor produced a harvest.

Paul addresses the church and the problem head-on, “What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe--as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” (I Corinthians 3:5-7)

Planting Onions    

How do we grow our faith, reach our goals and dreams, or raise families who desire to live for Christ? I believe we work diligently to plant, nurture, and tend to our gardens.

But God makes them grow!

Harvesting Onions    

There is a tremendous personal cost when committing to planting, caring for, and harvesting a garden of any kind.

My husband was better in some parts of gardening than me. And I was better in other areas of gardening than him. The real joy was in partnering together for a shared goal: a harvest.

     

The work of the harvest involves a lot of different individuals with a variety of gifts and abilities. “For we are God’s fellow workers, you are God’s field, God’s building.” (I Corinthians 3:9)

Sometimes we get to be a part of something miraculous, glorious, spectacular. It will not be easy nor will it happen in a minute. We may never be noticed or applauded. However, the harvesting journey will be life-changing if we are willing to stay the course.

And we may see God’s glory in a place or a face that we least expect. 

Quite possibly on an ordinary morning, coffee in hand, as you stand in awe and wonder at the garden that God has grown.

Stay the course...

Sheila

Gritty Faith

There’s a question I had pondered for so long that I can’t remember when the question originated. 

“What is the purpose of the church?”

While trying to understand the church’s purpose, God has been showing me what faith looks like, whether within or without the church walls.

True faith is gritty. 

Please hear me out. 

I’m not saying you need to summit mountains, kill dinner, or have calloused, weathered hands to be a person with gritty faith (although this author appreciates calloused, weathered hands!).

The Word of God gives us numerous accounts of men and women who possess gritty faith. Gritty faith is not a character trait that might be evident to the eye at first glance.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, had gritty faith. God knew the depth of Mary’s faith. That’s why God chose Mary for one of the most meaningful life purposes imaginable—she knew her obedience would cost her dearly. By all appearances, Mary was “soft,” but she revealed her grits depth by being obedient to God’s will for her life.

And don’t forget Benaiah, one of King David’s brave fighters. In describing the grit of Benaiah, there is one sentence that says it all, “He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.” (2 Sam. 23:20(b)) I doubt Benaiah had time to think about whether or not he should go into the slippery, snowy pit to kill the lion. In a split-second decision, he wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed the lion with no regard for personal safety.

In the New Testament, in the City of Damascus, we meet a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” 

“Yes, Lord,” he answered. (Acts 9:10)

Then the Lord tells Ananias to go where Saul (the man known for persecuting Christians) is waiting on Straight Street, lay his hands on Saul and pray for Saul’s sight. 

Can you imagine the kind of faith required to obey such a command? Although Ananias questioned the Lord, and probably feared for his own life, he obeyed.

None of those mentioned above faced their situations within the walls of the church. 

So I am left to conclude that church must be the place we meet together as brothers and sisters in Christ. The church must be the place found in the eye of the storm—a momentary place of safety and protection. A place where we pause to catch our breath,  encourage one another, spur each other on, and love one another. Mostly, the church must be a place where we worship and adore God—together, as His family. Can you imagine the anticipation and excitement our Father must experience each time His family unites as His church?

“And he (Christ) is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” (Col. 1:18)

In this place called the church, we breathe life and hope, courage, and boldness into our fellow sojourners. When we leave the four walls, we go back into the storm, where our real life’s purposes are awaiting. 

No two purposes are the same. Our arenas have purposes that were designed by the same God of Mary, Benaiah, and Ananias. 

Our faith is the only thing we possess which we will take with us to eternity—it is the essence of who we are. 

I want my faith to be as gritty as Benaiah’s hands, yet as soft as the face of Mary.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV)

Stay the Course…

Sheila

The Truth About Talent

The other day my husband and I were reminiscing about the first house we purchased together in Arizona. We were 25 years old at the time. 

“Remember how nice we fixed up the yard before we sold it?” I commented.

“Yes, but we didn’t make any updates to the interior except paint,” he responded, then he added, “but that was before I knew how to do renovations.”

“That’s not true.” I said as I considered his comment, “the talent was in you when you were born, you just had not yet discovered your ability to do carpentry work!”

We don’t wake up one day and have a talent. We are all given talents by our Creator before we are born—they are a gift straight from the hand of God. So, talent is the inherent, natural ability of a person to do something. Whereas skill is something that you acquire after putting in a lot of hard work—it is learned.

We are told in the Word what we are to do with our God-given talents, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” (I Peter 4:10)

Consider David, the shepherd. He received many talents, some of which he discovered while out in the field, tending his father’s sheep. David was not only a brave warrior, but he was also a great leader, and somewhere along the way, he recognized that he could also play the harp. (I Samuel 16:18)

The truth about talent is that discovering our real purpose starts with a prayer or a dream that turns into a deep desire and passion. Once we put action to talent, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish!

Nehemiah is one of my favorite examples of a person who knew how to put action to talent. When Nehemiah found out that the walls and gates of Jerusalem were in disrepair, he became so burdened with the news that he wept, mourned, fasted, and prayed before God, asking for favor in the eyes of the king to go and rebuild the walls. 

Nehemiah knew God could use his talents to get the job done. When faced with significant opposition, he did not give up or give in but instead prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.” (Nehemiah 6:9) Nehemiah stood firm, finishing the wall in just 52 days.

We all possess unique talents that set us apart from one another! When we bring our talents together, we become the true picture of the church—all glory and honor to God!

The truth about our talents is that when we function and serve together within them, we feel whole and complete! 

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

Stay the course…

Sheila

Farmhouses, Childhood & Homemade Slip 'N Slides

Just over a year ago, my husband and I purchased a 200-year-old farmhouse in Michigan. 

The man who had owned the old farmhouse lived to be nearly 100 years old. Two of his children, Sharon and Gary, and their spouses still live nearby. We’ve had the opportunity to get to know the “kids” and their spouses during the real estate transaction and throughout the last year, keeping them updated with pictures of the renovations happening to their childhood home. And they, in turn, share stories of their childhood, their parents, and the rich history of the “farm.”

Last week we invited both couples to our family cookout. Adam, our son-in-law, always adventurous and fun, brought all the makings for a homemade Slip ’n slide. A large, long piece of durable plastic, enough Dawn dish soap to last a lifetime, and a garden hose. We had a yard full of grown-ups standing around wondering who was going to make the first move.

Gary, nearly 70, had already become putty in the hands of our three-year-old granddaughter, Yetzy. She had him from the moment she arrived and saw him standing in the yard wearing a sun hat. “Mimi, why is there a cowboy here?” she asked, every word perfectly enunciated. And so Gary, no longer Gary, became “Cowboy” for the remainder of the evening. 

Instead of sitting with the “old” people, Cowboy disappeared with Yetzy to the “fun” side of the property where the Slip ’n slide was ready for whoever might be willing to give it a whirl. We were so excited to watch Yetzy create a childhood memory.

I walked around the corner to the fun side, prepared to watch Yetzy going down the long piece of slippery, soapy plastic when I saw Gary, I mean Cowboy, looking as though he had just stepped out of a washing machine before the rinse cycle kicked in. He was soaked and bubbly. His wife didn’t bat an eye. “Yep, I had a feeling this might happen,” she said, all the while reaching for her phone to capture her sudsy Cowboy. I wondered as I watched him “play” if he had forgotten his age and found himself caught in a childhood memory from all those years ago when the upper-middle “through” room had been his bedroom. Did he go back to a time when the old barn had been full of hay, and the ladder leading up to the mow symbolized an adventure of great mystery and hidden treasures? Had another cat given birth to her litter somewhere amongst the green bales of hay? Did he still feel the heat of the upper barn and the smell of fresh-cut grass?

At first I was surprised. I had not told Gary or Sharon that there would be a Slip ’n slide if they wanted to “play” while at the cookout. The thought had not crossed my mind. Did that mean that I had allowed myself to become “old” somewhere along the way? Did Cowboy forget that he didn’t have a change of clothes? 

Watching everyone play on the Slip ’n slide was one of the most beautiful moments I have witnessed in a very long time. 

I realize that last sentence sounds ridiculous. But as I stood there, for a second, I thought about all the challenges the previous year had brought, some problems that were still mid-challenge—and then I decided to live in the moment in front of me. And the moment made me laugh.

In a precarious, and uncertain world where many people are scared and fearful—everything terrible with the world was placed on pause. Like when you pause a movie to make popcorn or make a dash to the bathroom.

We read in the Gospel of Matthew how Jesus loves a gleeful, childlike heart and childlike faith when he responds to a question posed to him by His disciples:

 “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 

He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: 

“I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:1-5)

There is so much freedom in trusting our Father with all the cares and weight of the world. Trusting God is a choice we make throughout the moments of each day. 

God does not see us as young or old; He sees us as His children. We can crawl into his lap, rest our heads on His chest, and trust Him with childlike faith.

Eventually, Cowboy took his last tumble down the Slip ’n slide and realized his predicament. We stood ready with a towel and some of my husband’s extra clothes in hand. 

Cowboy didn’t apologize for his spontaneous decision to hang out with Yetzy on the fun side. His contagious enthusiasm brought out the child in everyone. The night was an experience of abundant food, new friends, laughter, and suds— and enough scrapes and bruises to ensure everyone would remember his or her Slip ’n slide adventure for at least the next three days.

And what did Cowboy have to say for himself as he climbed into his vehicle wearing a pair of my husband’s shorts which almost fit him? 

“I wasn’t about to let an opportunity like tonight pass me up,” he said with a smile. Then he drove away from his childhood home with new memories and a new best friend named Yetzy.

Stay the course…

Sheila

A Little Lower

I received an unexpected call from a good friend this week. We don’t connect often, but when we do it’s always good (which is what makes him a good friend!) and always leaves me with something to ponder.

In the seasons of life that we go through, it’s not always easy to recognize the gift of a season that is challenging. But when we can express the truth of the difficulty, knowing the listener is not judging but listening—we often learn something about ourselves.

When he asked if I have been writing, I hesitated. Do I admit that I haven’t put a word to paper in months? 

“Nope. I haven’t written for a long time. For some reason I have not been able to write. Maybe I’m in a season of listening and learning. Or maybe I’m just not hearing from God right now,” I admit.

At a time when everyone is ‘speaking his or her truth,’ I have been silent. 

“I would describe this season as a season of learning more about humility,” I add as a final thought.

“God keeps taking me lower, too,” my friend stated. “And when I wonder how much lower I must go, the answer is always “A little lower.”

John the Baptist says it best when he shares his testimony with his disciples concerning his position compared to that of Jesus:

“A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:27-30 NIV)

Sometimes we must go a little lower— become less. Going lower can be disguised as feeling lonely and insignificant. “Lonely” enables us to be still and listen. “Insignificant” allows us to recognize that Christ is all, and is in all. (Col. 3:11)

Christ teaches us how we are to live our lives for Him. But sometimes we can hear Him better when we are in a low place. In the low position, the noise of the world fades, the clatter of trying to fit in or become something or someone diminishes. Nothing matters except hearing from God. And no words are needed or expected in return. In this secret place, God reminds us who we are and how we are to live. In the low seat, we become better listeners if we are unhurried.

God’s truth, not man’s truth, is revealed in the quiet of the low place. He becomes more significant, fills us with more of Him, and develops within us His nature, which we long for but cannot attain on our own.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (Col. 3:12-15)

How much lower must we go to become more like Christ?

A little lower.

Stay the Course…

Sheila

House Arrest

I opened up the Word this morning and randomly landed in the book of Acts, the last several verses of the final chapter. 

Listen to what we learn about Paul, “For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 28:30-31)

Paul, the greatest apostle, and spokesman for Christianity was a prisoner in his own home, unable to leave his home or move freely around to minister as he desired. Yet he did not despair or complain. He made the most of his situation even though confined.

As I read this, my heart is encouraged. 

While in chains, Paul wrote what is known as his “Prison Letters” to the Ephesians, Colossians, and Philippians. These letters have impacted millions of believers through the centuries.

Later, when imprisoned again, Paul wrote the books of I Timothy and Titus. And yet, another time when imprisoned, he wrote his last letter, 2 Timothy.

The book of Acts isn’t just about Paul, though; it’s the history of the Christian church and shows us miracles and testimonies of many martyrs and heroes of the faith. People like me and like you. 

Every-day-ordinary-people. 

The message never changed and remains the same to this day: Jesus is the Lord and Savior to all who call on His name. 

We do not need to be eloquent to share the Gospel. Take a look at Moses when God called him to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, 'But Moses said, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” '(Exodus 4:10)

We need not be educated or loaded down with degrees. Peter and John, filled with the Holy Spirit, taught that “salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) 

Though imprisoned for their faith, we read about those who heard the message of Christ through Peter and John: “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)

How easy it is to read stories of persecution and hardship in the Word without batting an eye, without considering that such stories of faith determination and tenacity might encourage us to walk our journeys without losing sight of our purpose. 

I know my own faith must go more in-depth and my roots more deeply embedded in Christ. 

As we move forward in an ever-changing world, even if confined to our homes, we are not alone. We are never without purpose, and we need not face life with fear. 

Let’s encourage one another during a tumultuous season and remember those who went before us—those great cloud of witnesses—as we borrow the strength of their faith.

I want to be known as a person who has been with Jesus!

“I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:23-24)

Stay the Course…

Sheila

Throw Down Your Stones

There’s a story in the Bible packed with many lessons, which I find myself drawn to read time and again. 

In the Gospel of John, we read about a woman caught in adultery.  The teachers of the law and the Pharisees bring the woman to stand before Jesus. They tell Jesus that the law commands that the woman must get stoned. 

The teachers and Pharisees are more than likely holding stones in their hands intending to kill the woman when Jesus catches them off guard with His response, “But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.” (John 8:6(b)-8)

Fast forward to today. Consider our current world of politics and how quickly stones get thrown in an attempt to kill the reputation of anyone whose viewpoint contradicts or threatens another. 

Or, also consider how quickly families are divided by opposing viewpoints. Hurtful words get spoken, stones get thrown. It is impossible to retrieve a spoken word or a thrown stone. 

The next part of our story is compelling beyond words: “At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.” (John 8:9)

Those of us who are older are to set an example for the younger. We model after people who are older than us—parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, and so on. Often, the “older” influencers affect the trajectory of our lives (whether good or bad).

It’s time to throw down our stones and lay down our pride.

If we aren’t intentional in daily surrendering our lives to Christ, the more life experiences we obtain, the higher the risk we face of walking around with stones in our hands. It’s easy to throw stones at people who have hurt us and caused us great pain when we respond from our brokenness.

I know I am guilty of throwing a few stones of my own. 

But the stones we clutch are a part of the problem, not the solution. Our skewed viewpoints lead us to sin against one another and God.

Even though Jesus was stooped down, writing in the dirt, He heard the crowd dropping their stones and walking away, “Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:10-11)

Imagine the godly influence we can have in the lives of our children and grandchildren when we pray with hearts of humility, confessing our sins to God. It is God’s place to vindicate and it is our place to surrender our rebellious hearts and wills to Him.

Let’s throw down our stones, so we can be set free to raise our hands to the only One without sin.

Stay the Course…

Sheila

Relationship Anemia

Many years ago, I learned that I was anemic; iron deficient. Because the changes in my body were gradual, instead of recognizing that I had a problem, I unwittingly learned how to adapt to the changes in my body. Until my body could no longer adapt, at which time I sought medical help when iron alone would not suffice.

I was thinking the other day about a recent trip where my husband and I had been able to connect with old friends. My heart was full. I had not realized it was empty. 

Could this be relationship anemia?

To prove to myself that longing for deep friendship is a God-given desire which goes beyond an obligatory text or “liking” someone’s Facebook post, I began scouring the Word of God. I needed to know: “Are deep relationships unrealistic in a social-media-Facebook-friend kinda world?”

Guess what?

From Genesis to Revelation I can attest that our fellow-sojourners stories share a common thread—they journeyed through life in deep relationships with one another. They broke bread together, served together, worshiped together, worked together, lifted each other in prayer, and so on. Day in and day out. Both good and bad hair days alike.

When considering the linchpin that connects the differences between Bible days and today, I noted one glaring observation. The people of old did not have a “Plan B.” Survival required people needing people. A life lived alone was not an option, or even a thought for that matter.  People’s most significant, and often only asset was one another. There were no cell phones or internet available to escape real life momentarily.

The relationship anemia I was experiencing had been happening for a long time. I had just learned how to adapt to my changing environment to the best of my ability in an attempt to feel connected to people, both distant and close.

Jesus, who longs to be our dearest and closest friend, tells us how invested we should be in our friendships, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

To have such a friend that one might consider laying down his or her own life for might require spending an enormous amount of time together. (What an inconvenience, right?!)

Yet, how else can the bond of friendship strengthen to such a point that one might consider a friend’s life worthy of such sacrifice? 

Jesus showed such sacrifice by laying down His life for each one of us when we were still His enemy. Can a bond worthy of the same sacrifice form through social media or texting? In contrast, when face-to-face, everything is laid bare. There remains nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. 

In the everyday soil of grit, grind, heartache, failure, loss and victories, real friendships take root and blossom into bonds deep enough to justify the laying down of one’s own life for a friend. A friend whom you know deeply and love deeply.

Peter says it best, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (I Peter 4:8)

If you are experiencing relationship anemia, listen to your heart’s cry and make some necessary changes. 

Deep friendship is the antidote to relationship anemia.

Stay the Course…

Sheila

Un•di•vid•ed

When we read about the men and women in the Word of God— about their struggles, victories, and sins—it’s important to remember that our individual stories are also unfolding every day.

This morning, I opened my Bible to the 86th Psalm, authored by David, titled “devoted trust in times of deep trouble.” David asks the Lord for something invaluable: “Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (vs. 11)

What does it mean to have an undivided heart? 

Undivided, by definition, means “not divided, separated, or broken into parts.” Undivided also means “concentrated on or devoted completely to one object.”

David had learned from personal experience the consequences of a divided heart. He was a real person—like you and me—sometimes prone to fulfill the desires of his own heart regardless of the consequences.  However, the result of his sin led to a divided heart. 

Ouch. 

And yet, David is referenced in the Word as a man after God’s own heart “After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.” (Acts 13:22)

David’s desire for God led him back time and again in repentance to the heart of God—and then God was able and willing to realign David’s heart with His heart.

How interesting that the few references we read in the Word of an undivided heart share a direct correlation in the telling of David’s story. 

David had personally received undivided loyalty when thousands upon thousands of warriors joined forces with him for battle to “help David with undivided loyalty…” (I Chron. 12:33)

Besides reading in the Old Testament about the undivided loyalty of the warriors toward David and David’s prayer for an undivided heart, in the New Testament we learn that we are to “live in undivided devotion to the Lord” (I Cor. 7:35(b) and with “pure and undivided devotion to Christ.” (II Cor. 11:3(b))

Clearly, living with an undivided heart is difficult—we recognize this reality from the start in Genesis when Eve is deceived by the serpent’s cunning, which quickly leads to separation, or a divided heart, from God. 

So where does this leave us—you and me? 

I am hopeful that when we recognize the truth of our humanity, in humility, we will drop to our knees at the feet of Christ—to the same prayer of David:

“Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Psalm  86:11)

I believe the key to an undivided heart lies in daily prayer and surrender. God’s Word fills us with hope, not defeat: 

- We are the righteousness of God (II Cor. 5:21)

- We are holy because He is holy (I Peter 1:16)

- We are God’s children (Just like David!) (I Jn. 3:1).

I pray our unfolding stories will one day be read in their entirety by our children and our grandchildren as a testimony of the goodness of God.

Until then, let’s encourage one another as we endeavor each day to live in undivided loyalty to God. 

Stay the course…

Sheila

Absolute Surrender

As with most new year’s, many of us find ourselves being reflective of the year we have just journeyed through as well contemplative toward the new year we are preparing to embrace.

Yesterday I typed out two pages of goals or resolutions for the new year. However, today as I am spending time alone and asking God what He wants from me going into the new year, the answer doesn’t have much at all to do with my two pages of carefully typed out goals.

Instead, I realize that at the core of everything that is happening in my world lies one emotion which has the power to rob me from everything of life: fear. 

Fear, by definition, is “an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.” 

I have been praying for many months for God to remove fear from within me. I know that fear is not from God. Some days I feel peace, but many days I have allowed fear to tighten its grip on my heart. 

This morning as I began to put together a plan for the upcoming year, I felt the grip of fear once again. 

“What is it that I am afraid of, God?” I asked, already aware of the answer to my question. My core desire is to trust God, and yet I am afraid to trust God implicitly (without qualification: absolutely). It’s a confusing juxtaposition. 

What might it cost me were I to trust Him with absolute surrender?

Absolute surrender is what God desires from me—and from each one of his children. 

Unbounded trust.

We cannot surrender part of ourselves, part of our marriages, part of our families or part of our careers to God. He wants all of us. Every thought, every breath, every word, every action. 

Absolute surrender. 

In the Gospel of Mark, a demon-possessed child needs deliverance. The father of the child had asked the other disciples to drive out the spirit but they could not. Jesus addressed the child’s father:

“How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

“If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

How desperately the child’s father wanted to believe that he could trust his life and his child’s life to Jesus. 

Thankfully, God does not expect us to have absolute surrender to Him on our strength. 

In I Corinthians 2 we read, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. (vs. 9&10) It goes on to say, “We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.” (vs.12)

We don’t have to figure out how to fully surrender to God. He has given us His Spirit and He has given us the mind of Christ (vs. 16). With childlike faith we can pray and ask Jesus to change us to become more like Him. 

The antidote for fear is love. God is love (I Jn. 4:16) “There is no fear in love. but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.” (I Jn. 4:18)

Are you willing to join me and enter the new year with absolute surrender to God?

“Everything is possible for him who believes.” 

Stay the course…

Sheila

Today’s prayer: “Father, I come before you with empty hands and a heart that desires to surrender to You fully. There is nothing that I can do in my strength that has the power to change my heart. I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief. Holy Spirit, I permit You to fill me with all of You and to do whatever needs to be done within me to empty me of myself. Show me daily what my life is to look like as I continue to seek Your face and Your will. All that I have and all that I am are Yours. In Jesus’ name, amen.”