Even Now, Give Thanks

I have had a love hate relationship with 2020. Can we all agree it’s been a hard year? The pandemic, political strife, and natural disasters have shaped each of our lives in unique ways. Layer personal challenges on top of that and you have a recipe for stress.

Quarantine, online school, uncertainty, a tropical storm and loss of power, social turmoil, relationship challenges, toilet paper shortage, political angst, and now I’m ending this challenging year recovering from Covid. While it’s certainly been stressful, it’s also been good.

I wouldn’t trade the extra time I’ve had at home with my children. We’ve had sweet, important conversations, and been reminded of the value of rest.

As we round the corner, coming into the homestretch of this year, what’s bringing me the most comfort is the beautiful reminder of God’s presence with us in Jesus. 2020 has been rough, but it’s hardly been the world’s most difficult season. Humanity has survived a global flood, the bubonic plague, and World Wars. Jesus was born into a brutal Roman occupation. He didn’t shy away from joining us in a world full of uncertainty and pain. If he would choose to be born into a humble home and a world of political unrest, won’t he join me in my mess too?

I love that about Jesus. His willingness to be present. In our pain and joy, our mess and hope, our sin and humility. Sometimes I hesitate to step into the brokenness with others. He never does. Never.

If 2020 has flipped you on your head and you’re searching for things to give thanks for, may I encourage you to start with the beauty of Jesus, standing with you, present in each of your moments. It may be hard to see him there. But if we quiet our hearts and look for his goodness I think we’ll find it.

He [Jesus] was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he’s there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.

Colossians 1:18-20 MSG

The entire first chapter of Colossians paints a sweeping view of Jesus, one of towering grandeur, intimate presence, sacrifice, authority, and hope that all will be made right in him. That’s the God who walks close to us through 2020, and all of our years. This year doesn’t contain us, Jesus does. And he has us on a course for wholeness and life.

As we pause to reflect and give thanks at this time of year why not take a moment to record what you’re thankful for. My family has been listing our blessings on a pumpkin this month. It’s been fun to see what the kids choose to write and how full our pumpkin is! Wonderful things like our dog, friends, toilet paper, chili cheese fries, and forgiveness! There’s something powerful about recording our thanks and seeing it listed. The exercise of giving thanks can flip our perspective and change our hearts.

At this time of thanksgiving I wish your families joy and pray Jesus’ comforting presence fills your heart!

If you’d like to share what you’re grateful for in the comments I’d love to celebrate with you!

Does Justice Matter?

What is justice and why is it so important?

That’s the question that’s been on my mind lately. For those of us who love Jesus the outrage and pain we see boiling over in the world around us should grab our attention. When seeking understanding it’s good to listen to a variety of voices and experiences, to history, and even to stories that make us uncomfortable. Ultimately we need to seek the meaning of justice in God’s word. What does justice mean to God?

I’ve always loved the beautiful passage found in Micah 6:8

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

We love that verse, don’t we?! Simple, clear, lovely. It’s important to understand that these words ring out in direct contrast to the rest of Micah’s book.

In the first three chapters God’s anger at his people is poured out. He calls them out for their faithlessness. They’ve mixed their worship of him with the worship of other things. Idols yes, but also a commitment to their own comfort. However God’s disgust is just as harsh, maybe more so, over their injustice. He calls their leaders haters of good and lovers of evil because they oppress the weak, take advantage of widows, cheat, take bribes, lie, are violent, use people for their own gain. Equity, justice, cannot be found in Israel. God is angry, heart broken. 

The unjust rulers of Israel are warned they’re in for trouble. They will be conquered by a foreign power. Being carried off to a foreign country is more than punishment, though, God’s purpose is to refine them and make them the people they’re supposed to be. People who reflect his character. In chapter 5 we hear words of hope, the promise of the coming Peacemaker, the mighty ruler who will sit on David’s everlasting throne. The coming Messiah who will bless the entire world with his shepherd-leadership. God’s people had been short sighted but God hadn’t lost sight of his goal.

What is God’s goal?

“God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.”

Ephesians 1:9-11 sums up the plan of God in just a few verses. From Genesis to Revelation every single word of the bible points to one thing: Unity! The eternally existing, communal God had one purpose for creation, for everything and everyone to be united under his loving rule.

I don’t think it’s inconsequential that the last day of Jesus’ earthly life his prayer focus was for unity. He prayed in John 17 that,

“they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.”

These words are explosive! Subversive! Revolutionary! They are the heart of the gospel. The gospel is the good news of oneness. An invitation to oneness with God and each other. If heaven is the presence of God, then hell is his absence. That is what he’s saving us to, his presence. The good news is that the Father loves us as much as he loves his Son! Wow!

So what does unity have to do with justice?

Justice is the pathway to unity. When the Israelites behaved unjustly God was furious. Not because he’s a vindictive God on an ego trip. But because they had risked and damaged the pathway to unity with God! Micah is a picture of God’s response to injustice because of his love. It’s a hint of his promised Savior to restore unity. And it’s a picture of what a unified creation can be.

Justice is at the heart of the gospel. If we, as God’s people, do not reflect his heart of justice then we stand in the way of the gospel.

Think of justice as a road. If the road is well paved, smooth, free of potholes and debri we can travel easily on it. But if the potholes of inequality, the roadblock of dishonesty, the looting of exploitation, the burden of perfection, the debri of indifference damages the road it becomes impassible. God takes unity seriously, and we should as well. Unity cannot exist where there is injustice, because then the God of the bible is not being worshipped, our own idols of pride and comfort are.

Justice matters because unity matters.

It’s in this context that the life giving words of Micah 6:8 ring out:

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

In these verses he’s offering the pathway of salvation. Not a religious system. Not sacrifice or songs, gifts or traditions. Actions of justice and mercy, and a humble walk with God. Simple. Costly. Impossible. Unless we value unity with Jesus, through the power of his Spirit, as our prize. No idols of comfort, status, knowledge, or even good works.

In this moment of racial and economic inequality what does that mean for us? I believe it starts with seeing the entire scope of the Bible as an invitation to unity. It’s a generous offer we’ve been given but we have to let go of pride, success in this world, staking a claim on earthly territory. The world’s kingdom is incompatible with God’s kingdom. But what we gain! A place of belonging in the trinity and his family!

When we understand God’s kingdom women don’t need to seek equality with men; black people don’t need to settle for equality with white people; poor people won’t need to focus on the equality of wealth or education. Because unity with Jesus himself is on the table! Access to his heart, his resources, his power, his love, his name, his family! He legitimizes our very being. For believers in Jesus there is absolutely no room for racism, exploitation, or pride in that understanding. We can humbly stand side by side, maintaining the road of justice, in loving acts of service.

“O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.”

Let’s be the embodiment of Jesus!

 

Liturgy for a Pandemic

According to Wikipedia “liturgy represents a communal response to, and participation in, the sacred through actively reflecting praise, thanksgiving, supplication or repentance.” I love that definition.

Unless you live under a rock you know that globally we’re coming to grips with COVID-19. There’s concern, uncertainty, fear. People have differences of opinion. Are we over-reacting, under-reacting? The situation is tense, and far from over.

I’ve read articles, watched news briefings, seen all of the emotions represented on social media. Lots of people have lots to say. I don’t need to add my opinion to the mix. Instead, I would like to offer a liturgy. 

Whether you are isolated in your home or your life is tentatively going on as usually. Whether you are afraid or irritated. I invite you to join me in a liturgy, a response of praise, thanksgiving, supplication, and repentance. Take a deep breath. Forget the statistics and participate with me.

Liturgy For A Pandemic (based on Psalm 91):

Lord, you had authority over creation yesterday. You have authority over creation today. And you will still have authority over creation tomorrow. We stop in this moment to give you praise, as is fitting. We praise you for your goodness and mercy. We praise you for your strength and power. You are Lord over all the earth.

In this moment we praise you.

Lord, we confess in this crisis our eyes have been too much on the world and media, and not enough on you. We have thought unkind thoughts, spoken ungracious words, allowed fear to get the best of us, judged others too harshly. Forgive us for not making you our refuge, for not trusting in your name, for not calling on you, or reflecting your nature. Be patient with us and teach us through this time to be like you.

In this moment we ask for forgiveness.

Lord, there are shortages, there is confusion, and tempers flare. At moments we feel stalked by an unseen enemy. Whether by a disease or fear itself, it’s hard to tell. But even in hard moments you provide. You sustain life, give grace, and provide your Holy Spirit to lead us in wisdom. We acknowledge your kindness to us and offer thanks. You invite us to find rest in your shadow. Thank you for giving us all that we need.

In this moment we thank you.

Lord, we acknowledge that you alone are our refuge and place of safety, our God, and we trust you. Rescue and protect us. Protect us from illness. Protect us from misinformation, protect us from complacency, anger, and judgement, protect us from hysteria. Your promises are our protection. Please be a refuge for our neighbor, for the sick, for the healthcare providers, and all who are working to do good for our communities.

In this moment we trust you to provide.

Amen.

There is still much to be faced, and learned, in the days ahead. When you’ve had information overload or feel overwhelmed by the strain, take a moment and use this liturgy to focus on God’s presence with you through it all. Read Psalm 91, maybe even commit portions to memory.

Nothing is wasted in God’s economy, not even the coronavirus. If we let him he will teach us new rhythms of rest, he will give us opportunities to love and trust, he will show his glory, deepen family bonds, and prove himself faithful!

{If you know someone who needs reassurance during these times share this liturgy with them or post it on your social media.}

Gratitude ~ What the Family Needs

I’ve been giving thanks this month because it’s good for my heart and it impacts the relationships I’m a part of. Last week I talked about gratitude for my church family and the week before that I talked about the value of gratitude in general.

This week feels a bit intimidating! I’m an authentic person, and would never want to give the impression I have something figured out, that I very much don’t! I know gratitude is important for our families, but it’s an area I’ve struggled with.

My mom used to say children are barometers of their environment. I believe that’s true. They don’t create the weather, they respond to it. Kids are going to be immature and selfish. It’s their nature. They haven’t had time to understand and practice better behavior over the long haul.

If we want the people in our families to be thankful people, then we need to make sure we’re setting the example.

Crabbing because we have to make dinner, fuming about the in-laws coming, or fussing about our spouse will begin to bear fruit in our relationships. And not the good kind. Words set the tone of our homes, actions reinforce attitudes.

If we want our families to be havens of gratitude, it starts with us. That’s daunting. At least it is to me! Some people have naturally sweet dispositions. For the rest of us exchanging an attitude of complaining for one of thanksgiving takes an intentional effort.

Here a few ways we can begin to shift the climate of our homes.

Criticize in private, praise in public. Sometimes it’s important to offer correction or evaluate a difficult situation. My husband and I are careful to talk about all of our relationships discreetly. Even if there is conflict and it’s obvious there are problems, we try to speak with grace, have a posture of humility, and stand ready for reconciliation. We try to correct our kids, address an issue with a friend, and even argue between ourselves, in private. But we express gratitude and praise publicly.

Play worship music and read scripture. I’ll be honest family devotions have never really been a thing for us. I do try to set a tone in our home were worship is the norm. We also talk about problems from a biblical perspective and bring scripture into the conversation. I have a chalk board where I put a verse of scripture up for us to think about during the week. I’ve noticed when God’s word is at the forefront of our conversations the environment of our home is more positive and supportive.

Look at each situation as an opportunity to give thanks. I’m trying to teach my kids this principle by example as well as in our conversations. It’s easy to complain. It’s challenging to see everything as a doorway to thanks. When mountains of laundry overwhelm me I match socks and thank God for a family to wear the clothes. I thank him for a washing machine to wash the laundry, there have been times I didn’t have a working washer. And I thank him for the opportunity to serve my family. I’m trying to teach my kids to practice thankfulness in the same manner – for each person and circumstance, even the ones that challenge them.

Practice gratitude as a family. Last year I put a small pumpkin and a sharpie marker in the middle of my dinning room table and invited my family to fill it up over the month of November with things they were thankful for. It was interesting to see what each person listed, and it was a fun way to turn our focus to gratitude. This exercise will work anytime of the year when your family needs to turn away from complaining to giving thanks. The act of naming things we’re grateful for has a way of changing our patterns of speech and interaction. My husband and I have even embraced this practice in our marriage by ending the day naming what we’re thankful for. It’s definitely brought us closer together.

It’s easy to get into a pattern of complaining and criticizing. I’ve done it! But our kids and spouse are listening to our words. Nothing transforms relationships like expressing thanks. A simple note or word of appreciation can bring new life to your relationships.

Why not give it a try? How can you change your attitude or who can you say thank you to in your family this week? Eyes are watching!

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Anticipation

Twenty one years ago I was a bride going to sleep the night before my wedding. Excitement, nervousness, exhaustion all contributed to a fitful evening. In the morning I woke up and went for a massage. It was a gift from a friend and a great idea! Some of the moments from the day are lost to my memory. I don’t remember how I got to the church. Other memories are as fresh as yesterday.

I loved the beauty and symbolism of my wedding, the rite of passage, the blending of lives. The anticipation of beginning life together, new and exciting and ours, was more intense than a kid’s sugar rush after a birthday party. Who knew what lay ahead?! I was certain whatever it was it would be great. In my mind we were one of the all time loves of the world. Nothing was more powerful than the love we had for each other. Not even death! Time, and experience, hadn’t smoothed off the edges of my dramatic flair at that point!

I was right. We have a great love. At the time I didn’t realize there would be forces stronger than death to contend with though. Like selfishness.

Four years ago I was a daughter in a hospice room. I wouldn’t really be sleeping that night. I was listening. Listening for breathing. This time death really was the enemy. I could see the shadow at the edge of the room. You don’t forget its sight. Ever. Death wasn’t the only thing present though. Love was there. I knew who would win. Ultimately. I kept watch and prayed. Not everyone has the privilege of journeying with someone right to edge of life, up to the doorway of rebirth. I don’t regret it, but I would never want to repeat it again. It was not a pretty anticipation, listening for the breathing to stop.

Morning, two decades ago, dawned bright and lovely. I wore white and stepped out to meet love. Join hands in its presence. Pledge myself to protect and honor it with my new spouse.

Four years ago the morning held horror, and wonder. Love came and emptied my hands, taking her from my presence. The last breath. It finally came. The anticipation was over. We worshipped. We grieved.

It took courage to face both mornings.

It’s strange that the memory of two vastly different days share the same date. Life is like that. Joy and sorrow will always intertwine. One tinging the other. Giving meaning and depth. I’m not sorry. Thankful. Sad. Hopeful. But not sorry.

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised. Job 1:21b

What are you anticipating? Something good? Something bad? Whatever it is, praise God. He will meet you in every moment.

An Act of Faith

August 1st – back to school for my family! Of all the decisions I make as a parent education is the one that challenges me most. My oldest started 10th grade this year, and I can’t say sending him to school at 15 was easier than sending him at 5.

Having worked in the public school system for the last three years I am well aware of what kids are up against. Our kids are facing social pressures past generations couldn’t have imagined. Human nature is the same, will always be the same. But technology and shifting social mores has revealed new challenges.

Last year my daughter came home in tears with the news that a good friend had announced she’s lesbian. They were in the fifth grade. The cultural soup kids swim in is toxic.

Dropping my kids off at school is an act of faith. Every day. I tell my children that I would not send them to school if I did’t trust that the Holy Spirit in them is sufficient for every trial and temptation they face. He is their source of power to navigate a messy world. It’s their job to rely on him. They don’t get a junior version of the Holy Spirit. The full measure of resurrecting power is available to them. Which is a comfort. Discipling our kids in the context of public education is not for sissies. It is crucial and hard work.

Here are a few things I believe we as parents can do to help our children succeed in this endeavor:

Stay engaged – Ask questions. Be aware of what your kids are facing. Have conversations about their day. Look at their phones and social media accounts, if you allow them to have those. Find out who their friends are. Keep your ears open, sometimes a friend or another parent will say something that will clue you in to an issue with your child you were not aware of. And if they say words or talk about topics that shock or offend you, keep your cool so that you can gently walk them through it.

Set the example – If you want your kids to rely on the Holy Spirit, exhibit godly character, guard their speech, and be responsible then set the example. It’s not easy and sometimes we cut ourselves more slack than we give our kids. But it’s important. Let them know you are spending time in God’s word. Be honest about where you are struggling and how you are asking God to help you. Our own faith walk is instructional ground and bedrock for our kids.

Pray for them – Pray for your kids regularly. I pray with my kids every morning before school. If I know they are facing a particular challenge or I’ve seen sketchy behavior I lift it up to God with my kids. Pray for God to guard their minds, to help them walk by his Spirit, to remind them of truth, and help them obey him during their day. Prayer sets a tone for their day, it is an example for them, and it is the best way to prepare them for what they will face. My favorite way to pray is guided by scripture. When we use scripture to pray for our kids we know we are praying in God’s will.

Embrace community – Build relationships that are healthy for your children. I’m convinced my husband and I could not raise healthy disciples without our church community. Small group leaders, other Christian families, older teens and college students who follow Jesus are all important people in my kids faith journey. There are people in our church that pray for my kids regularly. Without the influence and spiritual support of other believers our job as parents would be so much more challenging. That’s as it should be. We are made for community and know Jesus best when we’re connected to other Jesus followers.

Since the first rebellious act in the garden the world has been bent toward evil. While the context may be different our kids aren’t actually facing anything radically new. In every past generation God has called people to himself. And since Jesus first gave the gift of the Holy Spirit, he has been equipping his followers to do just that – follow him. We can trust he will meet this generation, in all its complexity, with the same gospel power.

Sometimes I wonder if my kids will overcome the challenges they’re facing and walk by faith the way I pray they will. I wouldn’t want to have to walk in their shoes! I pray and trust that the challenges they are facing becomes ground to drive a stake of belief into. Belief that acknowledges Jesus is supreme and to be desired above everything else. I’m working to that end. Every day is an act of faith.

What are you trusting God to do in your kids lives?

The Ghost of a Mother

On Mother’s Day ghosts come to visit my house. They’re not wholly unwelcome. They’re the specters of relationships that have been. One reminds me I’ve loved and been loved – reminds me I was mothered.

The second one is more complicated. Present everyday. The unspoken guest in every goodnight hug, every argument, every lonely moment. On the tip of the tongue, though rarely spoken. In some of our best family moments, when the sun shines, her presence is driven to the shadows, eclipsed by the good. At night, or when emotions run high, and on special days, she drifts to the surface. Memories. The what ifs and if onlys.

It’s inevitable. You don’t forget your mother. Even if someone else has stepped in to replace her. Mothers cannot be replaced. You only ever have one. I love my daughter, but she will always have been someone else’s first. It’s a delicate tension to maintain. Adoption is so hard. We both have to be brave to make it work. So brave. I can’t even imagine what it’s taken her to survive.

Today my children, biological and adopted, hug me, my husband honors me, we celebrate our family and my special role in it. But Mother’s Day isn’t as simple as it was a decade ago with my fledgling family. I’ve since lost my mother, gained a daughter, and learned to live with her grief.

Grief isn’t something you get over. The loss of someone you love never becomes okay. The loss of relationship never stops hurting. Never. Loss wasn’t God’s plan, there isn’t healthy space for that. But. We learn to live with hope. We live in the relationships we do have. We grow and heal and comfort others. Still, ghosts come. They always will.

The apparitions of past love doesn’t have to be unwelcome. They remind us we have loved. They teach us what we can be, and what we can leave behind. And they remind us that our relationships count – so we shouldn’t be careless.

Things in life aren’t always as straightforward as we would like them to be. Mother’s Day in my house is one of those things. 

Dear Father,

I pray for the grieving. The mothers and children who have suffered loss. Broken relationships aren’t your plan. You understand. You lost your Son. More than that, you gave him up. And just as he was resurrected, will you give us hope that our relationships will one day be resurrected as well, by his power and in his name.

For the tired, harried young mamas needing a moment of quiet, would you give them peace, and partners who show them consideration. For mamas whose nests are empty give them a sense of accomplishment and a new vision of purpose. For those who wished for the opportunity to be mamas show them compassion and give them a vision for their capacity to nurture young lives in all kinds of important ways.

You are the relationship giver and heart healer. We welcome opportunities to love like you. Please give us your power to do so. Amen.

Become A Holy Dreamer

Groundwork

In 1988 I was a twelve-year-old girl living in Pontotoc, Mississippi. Unusual would best describe me. Home schooled with my two siblings, I had time on my hands. Sometimes, nothing but time. I read A.W. Tozer, C.S. Lewis, Oswald Chambers, Elisabeth Elliot, stacks of missionary biographies, Bible Handbooks, Concordances, the Bible, the encyclopedia, thesaurus, and dictionary. I was fascinated by the written word. More importantly I was compelled by God’s word. I also spent hours day dreaming.

Not only did I day-dream I asked questions of God. I wondered about the meaning of life and what eternity is like and how God could know billions of people intimately in a single moment. My mind never stopped.

The day I was reading through Romans, chapter 10 stands out vividly to me.  ^“But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” The plea leapt off the pages of my Bible. “Me, send me.” My heart thumped fast! My imagination was captured. It’s been being captured for thirty years. And my heart still says “send me,” every time I hear those verses.

Does God have a use for dreamers?

I’ve always been a dreamer. Recently a friend described me as passionate and a little dreamy. I didn’t know exactly how I felt about that. But I pressed in and asked God, “can a dreamer be useful?” He drew my mind to Joseph. A dreamer if there ever was one, literally. You can read his story in Genesis 37.

What if God isn’t put off by dreamers, what if he has a purpose for them. Can dreaming be a gifting? An expression of faith? My dreams at the moment:

• I dream of a healthy, thriving, loving, reproducing church.
• I dream of becoming a published author, spinning what if dreams. What if we really can walk by faith and turn every dark valley into an altar of praise, and live in unity inspired by the Holy Spirit, and serve the weak and broken with joy?
• I dream of taking the message of hope to Eastern Europe. Since I was fourteen my mind and heart have been captivated by a region needing to know the heart of the Father is open to them. I’ve been dreaming the dream of Eastern Europe for almost thirty years.
• I dream of orphan and disability care. What could happen if some of us just showed up to volunteer and serve? During a visit to a Serbian mental institution I asked about their volunteers, I was met with blank stares. The concept was unheard of. All the more reason to question why I was there. My response – I believe Jesus loves all people, especially the weak, and I want to love them too. So many questions and opportunities were birthed by just showing up.
• I dream of a dog. Simple yes, but true. A therapy dog, one that comforts, builds bridges, and opens conversational doors.

I’m learning to believe God gives us his dreams to dream and sanctifies our imagination. Imaginations aren’t fluffy, silly, worthless things. Imaginations have power. According to dictionary.com to imagine means to “form a mental image of something not present.” It’s derived from Latin imaginare – “form an image of, represent.”

We can use our imagination to form a picture of what God has promised in his word, but we haven’t yet received. We can imagine our eternal destiny, even though we don’t see clearly where we’re going. We can imagine character developed in ourselves and others, even though it’s still a work in progress. Certainly we can use our imaginations to delude or serve ourselves, we can harm others and waste time. Which is true of anything not brought under God’s authority.

Dare to dream

What if God is calling out a generation of dreamers? People who imagine what could be. Who dream about what it looks like to love sacrificially, to live in God’s kingdom come, to heal with our words and love with our hands, to imagine what a person is becoming and not just what they have been. Life is hard, reality sometimes stinks. Imagining good is a worthwhile endeavor.

Where do you need to apply sanctified imagination? Is there a situation in which you need to see with God’s eyes and ask for creativity to participate with him in working out his purposes? The application of a sanctified imagination stretches across every sphere of our influence – parenting, work, character development, church life, Bible reading, art, understanding eternity, advocacy, outreach, faith.

A lot of times people, like myself, who are natural dreamers struggle with follow through. I’ve been dreaming my whole life. My enneagram number is a 4, a romantic. In the process of developing a sanctified imagination I’m finding that some dreams stick. Some dreams are worth the muscle they require to push through and create a reality.

Where do you need to line your imagination up with God’s purposes? How can you re-imagine a circumstance or relationship? God can captivate not only our hearts, but our imaginations. If you find yourself stuck or fed up this week I encourage you to ask God to help you re-imagine things.

“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.” Hebrews 11:1-3

Not Strong

Some would say my sister is strong. They would call her heroic. Brave, amazing, all kinds of accolades have been heaped on her head.

I know better.

A few months ago she and her husband made the decision to adopt a medically fragile little boy. He spent most of his life in the hospital. It took a lot of work to get him home but after medical training, paperwork, and a transport across the country they had him.

He’s complex. He’s on a ventilator, eats with a g-tube. A nurse spends up to 17 hours a day at their house. That’s hard. Sometimes though things get complicated and they have to go without nursing care. That’s harder. The amount of time Steph and her husband spend caring for their new son’s needs would boggle any of our minds. They’ve spent time in and out of the hospital. It’s exhausting.

Who wouldn’t assume they’re strong? That they’re heroes?

I think it’s dangerous to think of people like Steph as heroes though. Here’s why. I know my sister. She’s human. Just as human as you and me. Anytime we proclaim someone doing the hard work of sacrificial love as a hero we take the truth out of the equation. We think only special people do special things. We let ourselves off the hook. The reality is God empowers broken people to be transformed by his love and then love others. What Steph is doing isn’t extra. It’s the gospel. 

Don’t misunderstand. I’m in awe of my sister and her husband. They are a spectacular example of the power of love and obedience. But that’s more a testimony of Jesus’ power than hers. She gets tired and afraid and sad. She’s human. She’s not super strong. And that’s the beauty of it. Jesus can accomplish his redemptive work through anyone of us.

She’s not a hero or super human. I’ll tell you what she is though. She’s available. She yielded her heart to Jesus a long time ago. Laid it bare and let God begin the necessary pruning work. She faithfully obeyed him for years, being available to adopt, before she got to this point. It’s not her strength that makes her amazing, it’s her submission.

Be inspired by Stephanie and Justin’s love for little Huck. Be amazed at the power of adoption – love that would take a sick, lonely child and put him in a family. And then ask – what can God do with my submitted heart?

{Loving little Huck is a lot of work. I know if you feel led Steph and Justin would appreciate it if you took a moment to pray for their family as they live in obedience to Jesus.}

Megaphone

In the fall of 2015 my mom died. After a long battle with cancer she said goodbye to this world. It is not an easy thing to live with hope when you know you’re dying. Cancer is a loud question in the dark, “does what I believe hold up in the night, at the very end?” Mom’s answer came in the form of a message from Louie Giglio. His message about the whales and the stars praising God gave her comfort. She played it on repeat. It fought back the fear of death, it reminded her God is big enough to hold her life.

In her last months when we talked about her funeral she told us, “I want the whales and stars played. I want you all to sing How Great is our God with the whales and the stars.”

So we did.

It was powerful. It was transcendent. It gave the rest of us left behind hope. But God wasn’t done. He wasn’t done. God wanted to drive home the point. So he brought Louie Giglio to my mother’s funeral. In little Weaverville, NC Louie Giglio showed up to my mom’s funeral! And in a nanosecond my family shared with Louie an eternal moment of godly favor. God doesn’t waste anything. I’ve heard of and seen Louie using this story several times in his sermons. God apparently used not only Louie to communicate God’s favor to us but he used the circumstance of my mom’s funeral to communicate God’s favor to Louie. Only God can do that.

So how does Pat Morton, a woman who grew up with an alcoholic father and struggled for years with a poor self-image, who joined my dad in pastoral ministry and later walked away from the church, who fought alcoholism herself, and finally, beautifully, gloriously, made peace with God toward the end of her life end up in a sermon alongside of Billy Graham as an illustration? How does that happen? God’s gracious economy.

Because really, Pat Morton was not more or less of a person just because you know Billy Graham or Louie Giglio’s name and not hers. She was not loved less. Her life wasn’t worth less because her life was small. And even though people like Louie Giglio are giants of the faith, what they really are is megaphones for God’s grace. 

God’s love for my mom or for my family wasn’t any less real before Louie came to her funeral, or any more real after he showed up. Louie’s presence was a message. He was the megaphone in God’s hand, shouting, “I see you. I am here with you.”

I’m pleased that God has honored my mom’s life by weaving her into Louie’s messages. It touches me. Because I know her journey. I know the agony she endured to confront the lies she had believed from her childhood. I know the love she cultivated for Jesus, hour after hour studying his word. I know that at one point she doubted if she mattered. I know that as God revealed her worth in him she experienced true contentment and joy. I know that she was faithful, and that that faithfulness was hard and costly. God loves to use broken and ordinary things to show off his glory. My mom was no exception.

Louie Giglio may not show up at your funeral, or your mom’s funeral. But that doesn’t mean you are not on his radar. You are. He sees you. He has purposes for you. He desires to pour out his favor on your life. 

Listen, God is a communicating God. If you need to know his eye is on you, ask him to show you. He will. Through his word, circumstances, nature, and so very often his people. And if you are a Jesus follower, surrendered to his purposes, get ready. God will use you as his megaphone. He will position you to magnify and spread his message of grace.

There is always a heart needing to hear God sees them. That his grace stretches far enough. That forgiveness is real and life has meaning. Wherever you go people are listening. If we position ourselves under God’s leadership we will be poised to be God’s megaphone wherever we end up!

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10