Recovering Couch Potato

By Elaine James –

As I plopped on the couch, my mind raced with the disappointments of the day. I asked myself, “What do I do now? I feel like giving up!”

Have you ever felt like that? Maybe you have asked yourself this same question: “What’s the point of going on?”

It took me a moment, but I stopped. I prayed, “God teach me what to do with this disappointment.”

My next thought was, “You have been reading through the Bible. Continue right where you left off.”

I got my Bible and returned to the couch, opening to the book of Job. My heart almost stopped when I read how Job suffered, yet he said these words, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth. After my skin is destroyed, this I know that in my flesh, I shall see God” (Job 17:25-26 NKJV).

I leapt off the couch to jot down the glorious anthem, that was then playing in my head:
My Redeemer lives, He lives!
I spoke with Him this morning
And He lives
The tomb is empty.

I need to remember Job’s words when I feel sick, afraid, frustrated, disappointed and numb. Those words helped Job put things back into perspective, and they can do the same for me. My priority is to remember who God is, what He did for me on the cross and that He still lives for me today. This was my gentle reminder of why I am here and how life’s circumstances can either take me away from God or bring me closer to Him.

Give God a chance. He is here for you. Don’t plop down on a couch and give up! Maybe today you need to be reassured. Job’s skin was being destroyed. Have you ever felt that way? What seems to be destroying you? Maybe you heard news about a friend making bad decisions, you were turned down for a job, or even worse.

I am here to reassure you that you can become worry/anxiety-free by trusting God and waiting as He, step by step, leads you. If you believe in Jesus, you will see Him face to face one day.

PRAYER:  Lord, I lift up ______________ (Tell God specifically what is going on in your life.) I give this to you.  I am reassured that I shall see you. Knowing this gives me peace. Thank you, thank you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

“But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3 NKJV).

Why Bother?

By Lori Freeland –

Some days I wonder why I bother to do anything for myself. Whether it’s reading a good book, which I’ve relegated to the quiet hours of late night. Taking a nap, which happened once last year. Or making good on my promise to write a little bit every day, which I’m attempting to do now.

I began the edit of this article at 9:30 a.m. and it’s now 11:17 a.m.

600 words. One page. Plus a barrage of questions from the three children who occupy my house. One by one, they rotate in to stand at the foot of my bed. I tiptoed into the bedroom earlier, when I thought they were not looking.

My fingers pause, suspended over the keyboard, as I grasp to freeze my train of thought for later.

The exchange goes something like this—
“Can I call Dad? I lost my tiny fairy book. The dog threw up on the stairs. Can I watch Martha Speaks? Do we have legal-size paper for my project—it’s due in an hour? Can I take a bath? Who ate all the Cookie Crisp?”

To which I reply, in order—
“Is your room clean? Did you look in your backpack? Go clean it up, it’s your dog. Is your room clean? Why didn’t you ask me this sooner? Is your room clean? Dad ate the cereal.”

Maybe a recording of my top ten answers would buy me some personal time? Or maybe I should surrender and realize I do not own my time. I may never own my time—as long as small people live in my house.

Lord, I need a revelation. A communiqué. An email. A text message. A tweet. Can nothing ever be about me?

You’re asking the wrong question.

Well, Lord, I often ask the wrong question.

Are you looking through My eyes? Do you want what I want?

Lord, I need more than Your eyes. I’m desperate for Your heart. Help me want to want Your desires. Make them mine. I whisper the verse I’ve hidden in my heart:

“Trust in the LORD…Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart…” (Psalm 37:3-5 NIV).

Locusts, Storms and Other Trials

By Hally Franz –

The natural chaos taking place in my yard, and many others throughout theMidwestand southeast, will soon subside. The dull buzzing sound which crescendos to a roar, presumably as the work intensifies, will soon cease. The large, slow-moving creatures currently plaguing us will eventually be no more than mounds of crunchy cicada carcasses.

It is the end of May, and in my part of the country, we have been besieged by locusts for three weeks now. This year marks the emergence of two varieties of cicadas. My limited research on the internet tells me they are called frequently called “locusts,” but, in fact, are not at all the same beast. There are two versions: the 17-year batch and the 13-year brood. They seem as menacing as the Hatfields and McCoys, but evidently aren’t terribly dangerous. My little Chihuahua-Daschund may get sick if he gorges himself on cicada crisps, but sturdy trees and plants will survive the attack. They’re expected to remain through the end of June.

I was relieved to find cicadas don’t linger all season, and, then I remembered a Bible study from a couple years ago. In 2009, one gifted friend from our congregation taught the women’s class about “storms.” Specifically, she examined the temporary nature of hardships in our lives. With biblical support, she addressed the trials that early Christians faced, and we explored those encountered in today’s world, as well as God’s purpose for these events and how to grow through them.

I was going through a struggle of my own at that time. I had resigned my position as a guidance counselor after months of soul-searching and prayer, taking a leap of faith by leaving a well-paying job that I liked. I was experiencing high blood pressure and anxiety. That study was exactly what I needed, and I saved only one thing from the summer lessons—a handout that said “storms don’t last forever.”

Throughout this nation and the world, people are suffering, surviving and rebuilding after literal and figurative storms in their own lives. Some face silly and simple dramas of everyday life, like an outbreak of cicadas. Others, like those inJoplin,Missouri, are recovering from devastating losses. There is comfort in knowing that God sustains us through each trial no matter how long it lasts, and He will be there when it’s over to encourage and strengthen us once again.

PRAYER: Merciful Father, be with those who face struggles throughout our community, country and world. May they find strength and encouragement through You, and may faith grow stronger as a result of those trials.

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NKJV).

Uprooted

By Susan Dollyhigh –

The gladiolus plants stood tall and proud in my neighbors’ garden just waiting to burst forth into bloom with their beautiful pink, purple, red, white and orange flowers. But my neighbor decided she was tired of her gladiolus garden so she uprooted them – flowers, stems, bulbs and all. Tossed into a pile, they were destined to be thrown away.

As any good neighbor would do, I walked over to see what was going on and arrived just in the nick of time. I scooped up an armful of the long, green stems with the bulbs still attached and rescued those orphaned plants. As I prepared to transplant them in my garden, I noticed the dried-up, brown, onion-looking bulbs were actually, well…ugly. But I knew inside those bulbs lived everything they needed to once again grow strong, tall stems and produce beautiful flowers. The bulbs just needed someone who cared to replant them in just the right soil.

Sometimes we, too, may be uprooted in life. Major moves, divorce or loss of loved ones can all leave us feeling uprooted. We may feel that we’ve been thrown away by those we love and maybe, even by God. We may feel that our heart has withered down to just an ugly, brown bulb.

But just like that gladiolus bulb, inside we still have everything we need to grow back strong and tall. We just need someone who cares. That Someone is the Lord our God. When we cry out to the Lord in prayer, He hears our prayers and sees our tears and will heal our broken hearts. With our mended hearts planted in His love, we’ll survive any uprooting life may bring our way.

PRAYER: Father, thank you that you hear out prayers and see our tears. Thank you for healing our broken hearts.

“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV).

Set Apart

By Heather Allen-

My Bible stretches across my femur and knee. The sun streams onto its pages, eyes closed and opening at the whistle of an oriole, I think about the words. The rays lighting my face are laced with confession and sorrow.

I could label myself a doomer, or possibly one set on a wall as a watchman. I am not sure it matters. I just know the urgency has not died down. I am grateful for time, restive before my maker. I hold my hand out, take His and we walk for a bit. We trace the places I have gone and the words spoken. I look at Him quizzically. What is at the root of my behavior? My head would hang if He were not grace.

Like the hemorrhaging woman who grabbed Jesus’ robe, I know He is the only way to be healed. Amazing that He dwells within. And as I am honest about my internal corruption, He heals me too.

My little guy is pretty witty, and tonight he made a particularly clever observation. He said, “Mom, the Bible says you should not drink blood and it is really rude that mosquitoes do not obey.” After my amusement died down an unpleasant reality hit, nearly every other tween to teen book at Barnes and Nobles is about vampires. Interspersed are books about fallen angels.  Do our kids know what God’s word says about these things? Do they know that Leviticus address drinking blood, or that vampires have always been entwined with demonic practices? Fallen angels are the ones who rebelled against God, and their future is hell. Can we view the occult and sin as entertainment and remain unaffected?

This is a conversation I am having, mulling over what should be apparent and different. It has been humbling. And I fear God so it has also been a bit scary. But I wonder why I cannot fill my car without the gas station playing songs that detail infidelity.  Scripture tells us to flee sexual impurity. But the songs are there, even when I grocery shop. I think we are being lulled.

There are many writers and preachers whose words litter my journal. But the unfortunate truth is I don’t get to stand before Jesus with them in tow and point stammering, “I just listened to them. No, I do not really know You, but hey I can tell You a lot of cleverly worded ideas about the Bible and what they meant to my favorite writer”.  I do not think we have the luxury of questioning everything in scripture, including hell, while accepting everything in our culture. I also do not think we have the luxury of being ignorant about what God’s word says. We may be very culturally relevant but are we holy?

There is nothing in this life that even touches the moments I have spent in God’s presence, soaking in His word. If you cannot relate to that, know this, He desires more for you. Being set apart may be lonely. You may be the only one you know who lives differently. But beloved, every step you take in denying yourself and following after Him will be well worth it.  Better to lose your life for His sake than to gain the world and lose your soul.

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