Blessings

Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands. Deuteronomy 8:2 (NLT)

This past New Year’s Day, I sat down with my Blessings Book. What is a Blessings Book? Let me explain.

A while ago a friend of mine told me that he wrote down the ways God showed up throughout the year in a journal. This was a separate book that he kept so he could write down all that God did along the way. I decided to start a book like this and I called it my Blessings Book.

I don’t write in it every day. As I feel moved by God’s presence, I go to it and write down the way that God has showed up. Sometimes, I write about how he provided when we thought we were not going to make it (like paying a bill or sending extra money when needed). Sometimes, I write about an encounter that led to a great relationship or a spiritual conversation with someone that had God’s hand all over it. Other times, I write about help we received from people or about when God clearly speaks into my life.

Sometimes I write a lot. Then, there are months that I don’t write much at all.

This year, on January 1, I picked up my Blessings Book and read through 2019. What a gift that was! Tracing all the way back to the beginning of 2019, I relived the stories of how God provided, spoke, showed up and generally loved on me (us).

And I remembered. I remembered how awesome he is! I remembered how much I love him and his ways of showing up. I remembered my struggles to obey. I remembered and was awed by his love.

I whole-heartedly recommend starting a Blessings Book. It moved me to worship in a way nothing else could. And isn’t that why we are here?

God’s New in 2020!

For I am about to do something new.
    See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? Isaiah 43:19 (NLT)

So, here it is…New Year’s Eve. The last day of 2019. And I don’t have any plans for tonight. I am not that bring in the New Year with a party kind of person. Mostly, because when I wake up tomorrow, nothing will really have changed except the last two digits of the year.

Sounds cynical doesn’t it? Same problems. Same bills. Same struggle with my schedule. Same family. LOL! Just kidding! I love my family! But seriously, nothing changes……so why celebrate?

This year, I am actually excited about 2020. Not because it looks so cool and saying 2020 sounds like we got to the Jetson’s future but because of God. Will there be hard times in 2020? I am sure there will be. There are hard moments in every year. But I know God will walk us through them.

You see, God is always working. He’s got something up his sleeve all the time. And I am especially excited about 2020. We are getting ready to plant a church. Can’t wait to see what God does there! God’s been teaching me to stay focused on Jesus and let him be in charge of my life and my schedule. Can’t wait to see what he continues there! People I know are getting excited about discipleship and I see God moving in more hearts than ever. Can’t wait to see how he moves people more!

In 2020, I am really excited to see God’s “Something New.”

Happy New Year Everyone! Let’s ring in the New Year celebrating what God is going to do. I pray that God will be a bigger part of all of our lives, that our relationship with him will grow deeper than ever and that each and every one of us will be about the business of sharing his love.

To God be the Glory!

Seeing With Wonder

Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 18:3-4 (NLT)

The other day my daughter and I went shopping together. I was looking for some new clothes and a store near us was having a “Going Out of Business” sale. We took her children (one baby and one toddler). We are not crazy. We honestly didn’t expect to get a lot of shopping done but we were going to try.

In an effort to engage the oldest, I said “Will you help me find something to buy?” He looked around and pointed to a bright white and pink dress with a very full skirt and lots of glitter on it. I said “You want me to buy that?” He said “Yes, it’s a princess dress!”

Now, after my heart finished melting, I started thinking. My grandson thinks I can pull off a princess dress. Trust me, there are not many of my family members that would even suggest it. I am not really a princessy kind of person. But I loved the thought.

And then I thought that the only person who would see me as a princess (other than my grandson) was Jesus. And I am. I am the daughter of a King. I am accepted into the royal family and all the rights that are given to heirs are bestowed upon me. And you. We receive this because of the love and sacrifice of Jesus. King Jesus.

As I pondered this, I remembered that Jesus said we should become like little children. Maybe one of the reasons is so we will then see people the way he does. My grandson sees me with a heart of love that believes all the wonderful things about me that I don’t believe about myself.

Maybe that is how we should spend 2020. Believing in each other with the wonder of a child.

Happy New Year! I pray Jesus will be the center of your world in 2020!

Not One Thing

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. Romans 8:38 (NLT)

There is a song by Matthew West called The God Who Stays. There is a line in it that really spoke to me recently. It says:

Somehow you don’t see me like I do.

WOW! Each of us sees ourselves negatively now and then. In reality, more than we should. We beat ourselves up for things we’ve done in the past, for sins we’ve committed recently and even for things we didn’t do but think we should have done. Thoughts pop into our heads about how we could do better or opportunities we’ve missed.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a place for healthy conviction from the Holy Spirit but the voices from Him, the thoughts in our heads would be just that, healthy.

When the thoughts that pop into your head are damning, when they make you feel like less, like you are not worthwhile and like you are a failure, those are not from the Holy Spirit. When you think you have no value and God cannot use you, those are not from the Holy Spirit. And especially when you think you have to get yourself all straightened out before you come to Jesus. Again, not from the Holy Spirit.

In today’s text we are told that NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING, will get in the way of God loving us. Nothing thinkable or unthinkable. I have done some unthinkable things. Jesus still loves me. And if you’ve done unthinkable things too, Jesus still loves you.

As we head into the New Year, remember this truth. Hold on to it tightly. Fight for it.

You are loved. There is nothing, not one thing no matter how big or small that will cause Jesus not to love you. Lean in and be loved.

Using Your Story

21 Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” 22 Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.” John 21:22 (NLT)

Peter was having an intimate conversation with Jesus. He had just been restored to ministry. Jesus was addressing his denial….in a way only Jesus can do. He was leading Peter to face what he had done and address it so he could move on.

At the close of this conversation, which I imagine was a little intense, Peter look at John and says “What about him?”

Excuse me? Why in the world is he asking about John in the middle of this intentional conversation with Jesus about himself? That seems out of place doesn’t it? But think about it. Don’t we do the same thing? Do any of these quips sound familiar?

“Lord, why am I having to deal with this while she is so blessed?”
”Lord, why did he suddenly come into all that money and I am so broke?”
”Lord, why did they get the promotion I deserved?” or
”I don’t think I’ll talk about the good things happening to me because they are struggling and I don’t want them to feel bad.”

In all of these (and the 100 other ways we do this) we are forgetting one thing. We each have our own story.

My story is not going to look like anyone else’s. The things that happen in my life, no matter what they are or how they happen, are for me. When I realize this, I can turn to God and lean into the story line of my life, figuring out what he wants me to do with it.

It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. It doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing. What matters is what God is doing and how I will use my circumstances to glorify his name. God will use every circumstance in your life to grow you closer to him. He does this for everyone.

So, instead of saying “Lord, what about him/her?” we should be asking “Lord, what do you want from me?”

Everyone is Invited

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.  The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:8-12 (NLT)

About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1b-2 (NLT)

In both of these passages about Jesus’ birth, something interesting is going on. God was calling.

The Shepherds, in a field nearby, were invited to go find the Messiah. The Wise Men, from a faraway place, were invited to go find the Messiah.

The two groups could not have been more diverse. One was uneducated while the others were very well educated. They studied all the time. One group lived day to day while the other group was very rich. One group was near to where the baby was born, while the other had to travel a long way to find him.

Both had to take what they had and use it as they sought Him.

God said to both “Come. Come and see the greatest gift ever. Come and see how much I love you.”

God is still calling us today to “Come.” It doesn’t matter if you are educated or uneducated. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor or somewhere in between. It doesn’t matter where you live or what you do for a living. The invitation is still the same “Come. Come and see the greatest gift ever given. Come and see how much I love you.”

Will you come? Will you draw close and marvel at Jesus?

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

A minute in God’s Word will change your life. Take a moment to read the text below and then remember the reason for the season.

The Birth of Jesus

2 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

The Shepherds and Angels

8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. Luke 2:1-20 (NLT)

A Minute In It - Remembering

A minute in God’s Word will change your life. Take a moment to read the text below and then remember the reason for the season.

Visitors from the East

2 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
    are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
    who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 8 Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

9 After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. Matthew 2:1-12 (NLT)